jmward14 | Lynn Kurland's Star of the Morning

When Patty Briggs was kind enough to cite Lynn Kurland in her blurb for With Nine You Get Vanyr, I was flattered. I loved Lynn's RITA-awardwinning novella "To Kiss in the Shadows" and interviewed her for Crescent Blues based on the strength of that story. In the interview, Lynn talked about her then current novel, From This Moment On, and her love for and desire to write fantasy.
Since I interviewed her as the first wave of the paranormal romance tsunami was beginning to crest, I didn't think a lot about the fantasy comment. Everybody and their dog was selling paranormals. Why wouldn't Lynn want to ride the wave?
I should've listened harder. Lynn was talking about epic fantasy. And she meant every word.
The proof is in her new book, Star of the Morning. Run--do not walk--to your bookstore and buy this book. Star of the Morning follows the adventures of Morgan, a practical mercenary swordswoman, who finds herself saddled with a magical knife, a growing party of minions--including a blustering king and his heartbreakingly wonderful wizard brother--and a destiny she rejects with every fiber of her being. The characterizations are glorious. The humor, especially the fish-out-of-water sections where King Adhemar tries to act like a regular guy, will leave you laughing so hard it hurts. There be dragons, dwarves and a dash of elves too, but the book is so yummy, I refuse to hold that against it. LOL A perfect read to refresh the soul on a blustery winter night.
My only real complaint is this is the first book of the Nine Kingdoms trilogy, but I can't find anything on future volumes--not even when the next book will be released. Arrgh! But I did find two novellas set in the same world "A Whisper of Spring" from the anthology The Queen in Winter, and "The Tale of Two Swords" from To Weave a Web of Magic. Not enough to hold me, by any means.
Well, I knew Patty's blurb was fabulous. I just didn't know how fabulous. Another one I owe her. Right now my karmic debt is so big she owns a 30-year mortgage on my next life.
And it couldn't be held in kinder hands. :D
Happy New Year, everyone!

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Don't know if this is your cup of tea, but I have a profound weakness for good yaoi. Absurd, I know. Silly--tell me about it. But I still count out the shekels for DESCENDANTS OF DARKNESS and SAIYUKI whenever a new volume appears.
Anyway, if you like that or good slash, SOUL OF THE NIGHT, the next volume of Anne Cain's and Barbara Sheridan's yaoi vamps will be released Jan. 2. The first, "The Devil's Disciple", is available as a download. Historic vamp slash--it's like dark chocolate, unbelievably addictive.
Wish I could've copy-edited the pup, though. There were a couple of typographic glitches that made me wince, but the story and the description of late Tokugawa Japan were just wonderful.
There are some other Samhain titles in all genres that I'm seriously considering for purchase. But I don't like to recommend anything I haven't read. Fortunately or not--and sometimes it's a really big NOT!--I read a lot of Samhain titles as a part of the final line edit process. But for every clunker, there's a glorious story no one else seems to have the wit or heart to publish.
Hugs,

Lynn Kurland's Star of the Morning

PS, and on the guilty pleasures front...