Tamara Siler Jones, Valley of the Soul

Valley of the Soul

Tamara Siler Jones

Bantam, November 2006, $6.99

ISBN: 0553587110

Lord Dubric Byerly is a war hero who killed seventeen mages while his men slew forty more. He lives in the Castle in Faldorrah with his small group of men acting like police authorities catching criminals, but his main mission remains the same: to kill mages. When he is called to Quarry Run to investigate missing sheep, he finds many of the beasts dismembered with their heads decapitated and wearing a mage mark. He also knows a man was recently murdered as the victim's ghost demands justice from Dubric.

The evidence points to a blood mage, a unique creature who drinks the blood of its victims, which leads to the person in thrall to a new evil master. Dubric believes the mage is hiding in plain sight, yet he fails to find him or her. When his cherished Maeve is possessed by the mage he seeks, Dubric realizes who the enemy is at quite a price; any direct move might cost his beloved her life and soul. He must find a way to cast the mage out without harming his lover.

Tamara Siler Jones writes some of the better fantasy mysteries on the market today, with her latest containing her trademark of plenty of action in a world filled with dark magic and its opposing force. The romantic subplot enhances the suspense, as the hero struggles with how to save his beloved and destroy a deadly malevolent blood mage. Dubric's dilemma makes the tale, as he is an honorable person who knows that mages must die for the better good of everyone, but to sacrifice the woman who means everything to him makes for a difficult situation. This compelling novel has cross genre appeal.