Holly Lisle, Talyn

Talyn

Holly Lisle

Tor, Aug 2005, $27.95

ISBN: 0765309939

Because of the three century old war with the Eastil Kingdom, the land of Tonk drafts young children to train as soldiers in an everlasting war of magic. These soldiers are patriots who expect to die in combat and believe being killed protecting their country is honorable. However, from outside the war zone, the Feegash arrives forcing the two adversaries to end the hostilities that threaten the tranquility of the world as it constantly spills beyond the borders of the warring nations.

The Feegash successfully broker a peace, which leaves a lot of soldiers out of work. This is especially harsh on the veterans who have spent their entire lives training or fighting and expecting to die in battle. Warriors like Talyn are not just unemployed, but mentally unprepared for civilian work. Feegash diplomat Skirmig becomes her lover, but soon Tonk an ex-soldier of Talyn and Eastil diplomatic Captain Gair believe in the threat that the benevolent Feegash plan to annex both disarming countries. These sworn enemies must unite to have any hope against Skirmig, who employs a hideous magic that leaves him in full control.

Readers will have to adapt to the changing POV from first to third and back to first within the same passage that allows the audience to see inside the heroes, but sometimes proves difficult to follow. Once fans adjust to the constantly changing POV, they will appreciate Holly Lisle's deep thought-provoking epic fantasy. The keys to the tale are that the international relationships seems genuine when there is open hostility or the Trojan Horse peace that must be dealt with when the heroes work through personal problems as well as their distrust of one another. Only then can they can try to save their respective nations. TALYN is a deep and powerful fantasy saga that readers will treasure.

Harriet Klausner