I'm reading this for the fifth or six time and am still enchanted. I'm not a huge fantasy reader either. But I like a compelling narrative and the fast-moving plot, political intrigue and memorable characters make this an absorbing read.

A matriarchal society setting has the potential to become precious, especially in a male writer's hands. But Birk convinces the reader of the reality of the setting with little comment, allowing the world of Raioume to unfold for you. The women are s More...

I knew I was hooked on this book when I started casting the movie in my mind. The descriptions and characters have a cinematic quality, with vast panoramas of an eerie landscape panning into telling details.

I also liked discovering the worlds of the book gradually; as when reading Kazuo Ishiguro's "Never Let Me Go," there was a palpable sense of mystery with hints dropped and a feeling of impending doom while the background is gradually filled in with the occasional flashb More...