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Diadem: Shadowsong #1
Fire in the Sky
Emerging from her centuries-long imprisonment inside an alien artifact, Shadith learns that she has developed an empathic musical skill, and is called upon to delegate a mission with a musically communicating alien race. Original.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
74 people want to read
About the author
Jo Clayton
72 books67 followersJo Clayton, whose parents named her after Jo in Little Women, was born and raised in Modesto, California. She and her three sisters shared a room and took turns telling each other bedtime stories. One of her sisters noted that Jo's stories were the best, and often contained science fiction and fantasy elements.
Clayton graduated from the University of California in 1963, Summa Cum Laude, and started teaching near Los Angeles.
In 1969, after a religious experience, she moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, joining the teaching order Sisters of Mount Carmel as a novice. She left three years later, before taking final orders.
During her time in New Orleans, Clayton sold sketches and paintings in Pioneer Square to supplement her income.
After being robbed several times, Clayton moved to Portland, Oregon in 1983. She remained there for the rest of her life.
Clayton was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996. Jo continued to write during her year and a half in the hospital. She finished Drum Calls, the second book of the Drums of Chaos series, and was halfway through the third and final book when she lost her struggle with multiple myeloma in February, 1998.
Literary executor Katherine Kerr made arrangements with established author Kevin Andrew Murphy to finish the third book of the Drums of Chaos series. It is now completed.
Clayton graduated from the University of California in 1963, Summa Cum Laude, and started teaching near Los Angeles.
In 1969, after a religious experience, she moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, joining the teaching order Sisters of Mount Carmel as a novice. She left three years later, before taking final orders.
During her time in New Orleans, Clayton sold sketches and paintings in Pioneer Square to supplement her income.
After being robbed several times, Clayton moved to Portland, Oregon in 1983. She remained there for the rest of her life.
Clayton was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996. Jo continued to write during her year and a half in the hospital. She finished Drum Calls, the second book of the Drums of Chaos series, and was halfway through the third and final book when she lost her struggle with multiple myeloma in February, 1998.
Literary executor Katherine Kerr made arrangements with established author Kevin Andrew Murphy to finish the third book of the Drums of Chaos series. It is now completed.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 18, 2009
Shadith, about 10 years after the Shadith's Quest Trilogy, accepts an offer to help negotiate a truce on a planet where two native species
are about to suffer genocide at the hands of two alien races who are fighting over the planet's natural resources. I really love Shadith, a
snarky, streetwise old soul in a young humanoid body, and Clayton's feminist take on Space Opera is definitely worth searching out.
I mean feminist in the sense that these are strong, female characters, kicking butt and doing their jobs. Gender is not the main focus of the story, but it's an inescapable part of life and who the characters are. I mean, for example, what does a butt-kicking space fighter do when she is being held prisoner by hostile aliens and runs out of tampons?
One could begin one's acquaintance with Shadith here, but I strongly recommend reading Shadith's Quest Trilogy first, since her
earlier adventures are referenced often.
are about to suffer genocide at the hands of two alien races who are fighting over the planet's natural resources. I really love Shadith, a
snarky, streetwise old soul in a young humanoid body, and Clayton's feminist take on Space Opera is definitely worth searching out.
I mean feminist in the sense that these are strong, female characters, kicking butt and doing their jobs. Gender is not the main focus of the story, but it's an inescapable part of life and who the characters are. I mean, for example, what does a butt-kicking space fighter do when she is being held prisoner by hostile aliens and runs out of tampons?
One could begin one's acquaintance with Shadith here, but I strongly recommend reading Shadith's Quest Trilogy first, since her
earlier adventures are referenced often.
April 27, 2018
Strong world crafting and interesting start to trilogy.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews