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Epona #2
Daughter of Lir
Long years after the White Mare came to the people of the Mothers, bringing the wild horsemen from the sea of grass and changing the world forever, the world is changing again. The Mother of Lir is dead, her heir cast out amid dire omens. War is coming--such a war as the people have never seen, fought with a new and terrible weapon: the chariot.
Rhian, potter's child and White Mare's chosen, ventures with Emry the prince of Lir into the sea of grass and undertakes to steal the enemy's weapon. But that enemy is not at all what they expected. In Minas, prince and maker of chariots, and his mother Aera, they find a remarkable and deadly kinship--and forge an alliance that will be both the destruction and the salvation of Lir.
Rhian, potter's child and White Mare's chosen, ventures with Emry the prince of Lir into the sea of grass and undertakes to steal the enemy's weapon. But that enemy is not at all what they expected. In Minas, prince and maker of chariots, and his mother Aera, they find a remarkable and deadly kinship--and forge an alliance that will be both the destruction and the salvation of Lir.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2001
11 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Judith Tarr
112 books419 followersAKA Caitlin Brennan, Kathleen Bryan.
Judith Tarr (born 1955) is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University. She taught Latin and writing at Wesleyan University from 1988-1992, and taught at the Clarion science-fiction-writing workshops in 1996 and 1999.
She raises and trains Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm, her home in Vail, Arizona. The romantic fantasies that she writes under the name Caitlin Brennan feature dancing horses modeled on those that she raises.
Judith Tarr (born 1955) is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University. She taught Latin and writing at Wesleyan University from 1988-1992, and taught at the Clarion science-fiction-writing workshops in 1996 and 1999.
She raises and trains Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm, her home in Vail, Arizona. The romantic fantasies that she writes under the name Caitlin Brennan feature dancing horses modeled on those that she raises.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 26, 2020
Like White Mare's Daughter, this is a... not-quite-historical novel, that explores how some of what we know of prehistoric societies might have worked. In this case, we're around 3300 BCE, with the beginnings of the Bronze Age, and the invention of chariots.
Once again, this is a clash of two cultures; a sedentary, goddess-worshiping one, and a nomadic steppes-tribe which has developed chariots. We get a peek at the wider world this time, with a secondary character from Sumeria, which was nice (and he could have stolen the show if given more screen time).
The stories in this series are 'mythic' in feel, and again reminded me of the feel of Renault's The King Must Die. Fairly down-to-earth characters are part of something larger than themselves, and also stand in for bigger forces in the world. The plot is a bit more intricate this time, with two young princes sharing a spotlight as they help the reader see their culture, and cross... destinies in the middle. The broad outlines are telegraphed, but it's a great journey
While the goddess' country is again a bit too utopian to be true here, but it's not perfect, and I am reminded of some of the discussion in GURPS Religion about the hierarchy of a religion potentially being separate from who the god(dess) they worship imbues with power. There's some good thought here, but it's all seen from the outside, so it more 'happens', rather than is examined.
Its really best to just enjoy these as coming-of-age adventure stories, but there is more here, and I am disappointed Tarr didn't include an afterword on the actual cultures she's talking about, like she did with White Mare's Daughter.
Once again, this is a clash of two cultures; a sedentary, goddess-worshiping one, and a nomadic steppes-tribe which has developed chariots. We get a peek at the wider world this time, with a secondary character from Sumeria, which was nice (and he could have stolen the show if given more screen time).
The stories in this series are 'mythic' in feel, and again reminded me of the feel of Renault's The King Must Die. Fairly down-to-earth characters are part of something larger than themselves, and also stand in for bigger forces in the world. The plot is a bit more intricate this time, with two young princes sharing a spotlight as they help the reader see their culture, and cross... destinies in the middle. The broad outlines are telegraphed, but it's a great journey
While the goddess' country is again a bit too utopian to be true here, but it's not perfect, and I am reminded of some of the discussion in GURPS Religion about the hierarchy of a religion potentially being separate from who the god(dess) they worship imbues with power. There's some good thought here, but it's all seen from the outside, so it more 'happens', rather than is examined.
Its really best to just enjoy these as coming-of-age adventure stories, but there is more here, and I am disappointed Tarr didn't include an afterword on the actual cultures she's talking about, like she did with White Mare's Daughter.
March 28, 2014
Loved the Goddess society, but wish we could skip thru the battle scenes & talk more about how matriarchal society functions where Women are worshiped. I need a break from my reality.
August 18, 2014
Third book in the series. Really good fantasy.
February 7, 2011
This book captivated my attention instantly
March 31, 2011
distant sequel to White Mare
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews