Alison Baird, The Stone of the Stars

The Stone of the Stars

Alison Baird

Aspect, Jan 2004, $13.95, 400 pp.

ISBN 0446690989

On Great Island lives Ailia, a young woman who wants to go to the University on the Continent. Her parents, fearing for her safety refuse even after she won a scholarship until it looks like King Thalazor's going to invade the island in his search for the Star Stone. With that in his possession he believes he can conquer the entire world of Mera. When Ailia is allowed to enter the university, she meets Damion, a beautiful but troubled priest who's beginning to believe what he thought were myths were in fact truths.

Damion meets Ana, a white witch. She believes that one of the students at the university, Lorelyn is the long awaited Tryna Lia whose destiny is to rid her world and the world of Eldiana where the lower benevolent gods fled after the Great Disaster of Madrian. These three people and runaway slave Jomar travel to the world of Trynisia, a land of magical beings and untold wealth to look for the Star Stone and face an adversary who believes he knows how to get what he wants: the star stone and the Tryna Lia, the daughter of a planetary deity.

Book one of the Dragon Throne series is everything a reader could want in a fantasy book. There are magical realms where fantastic creatures of legend actually live, a quest to be performed that must succeed if Tryna Lia is to defeat her enemy and claim her throne, and a prophecy that must be fulfilled by those brave enough to attempt it. Alison Baird is a bright new voice in the fantasy firmament.

Harriet Klausner