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Elemental Masters #10
From a High Tower
From a High Tower is the newest adventure in Mercedes Lackey's Elemental Masters series.
When a man is caught stealing from a walled garden owned by a strange woman, he bargains away his youngest daughter in return for food for his family. The woman, rumored to be a witch, takes the golden-haired child and locks her away in a high tower. Sixteen years later, Giselle has lived an isolated life, but her adoptive mother has trained her in Air magic, and Giselle must use her new skills to keep herself and her new friends safe...
When a man is caught stealing from a walled garden owned by a strange woman, he bargains away his youngest daughter in return for food for his family. The woman, rumored to be a witch, takes the golden-haired child and locks her away in a high tower. Sixteen years later, Giselle has lived an isolated life, but her adoptive mother has trained her in Air magic, and Giselle must use her new skills to keep herself and her new friends safe...
328 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2015
153 people are currently reading
1847 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
437 books9,439 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
May 9, 2015
Thanks to Netgalley and DAW for giving me this book to review.
After Freidrich is caught by Annaliese stealing vegetables from her garden to feed his starving children and pregnant wife, she makes a bargain with him. He and his family will be able to eat their fill from her garden, and she will take his unborn child. Giselle grows up in an isolated tower, but with company from the Bruderschaft and her mother, learning about the uses of her magic. After Annaliese dies, and Giselle is left to make her own way. She takes the guise of a young man, and travels the festivals earning prizes for her marksmanship. At one festival she catches the eye of the local recruiter, who gets violent whilst trying to conscript her into the army, and Giselle’s Sylph’s accidentally kills him, she goes on the run. She comes across a Wild West show, where Captain Cody, the ringleader, and Leading Fox, the Native American’s medicine man also have magic. Will she evade the law, and make a home for herself?
I really like From a High Tower, as it has Mercedes Lackey’s usual mix of action, fantasy and hints of romance. It is a bit slow paced, with the villain only being known about in the last third of the book.
Giselle is a very predictable character, and I found her character to be a bit boring. This however, was offset by Captain Cody, who is a womaniser and a bit of a cad, whilst wanting to do the best for his troop, and being a genuinely good hearted person.
I will definitely be reading the next book in this series, and I like what Mercedes Lackey is doing with regards to the romance in her books, it is not as obvious, and a bit more realistic. I would recommend From a High Tower to fans of Mercedes Lackey, and those who like re-imagined fairy tales.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
After Freidrich is caught by Annaliese stealing vegetables from her garden to feed his starving children and pregnant wife, she makes a bargain with him. He and his family will be able to eat their fill from her garden, and she will take his unborn child. Giselle grows up in an isolated tower, but with company from the Bruderschaft and her mother, learning about the uses of her magic. After Annaliese dies, and Giselle is left to make her own way. She takes the guise of a young man, and travels the festivals earning prizes for her marksmanship. At one festival she catches the eye of the local recruiter, who gets violent whilst trying to conscript her into the army, and Giselle’s Sylph’s accidentally kills him, she goes on the run. She comes across a Wild West show, where Captain Cody, the ringleader, and Leading Fox, the Native American’s medicine man also have magic. Will she evade the law, and make a home for herself?
I really like From a High Tower, as it has Mercedes Lackey’s usual mix of action, fantasy and hints of romance. It is a bit slow paced, with the villain only being known about in the last third of the book.
Giselle is a very predictable character, and I found her character to be a bit boring. This however, was offset by Captain Cody, who is a womaniser and a bit of a cad, whilst wanting to do the best for his troop, and being a genuinely good hearted person.
I will definitely be reading the next book in this series, and I like what Mercedes Lackey is doing with regards to the romance in her books, it is not as obvious, and a bit more realistic. I would recommend From a High Tower to fans of Mercedes Lackey, and those who like re-imagined fairy tales.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
July 6, 2015
Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love Mercedes Lackey. I own practically every book she's written in either dead tree or e form. But in this latest addition to the Elemental Masters series, she...rambles is the only word that comes to mind to clearly describes what I felt while reading it.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
After establishing a heart-breaking opening with a tragic family, they completely disappear. Gone, poof, with no sense of completion to the departure.
After the near-rape, her guardian, Annaliese, emphasizes the need to make sure an Air master be brought up in a peaceful, cheery homelife. Nowhere else in the series has this ever been mentioned or even hinted at. Doesn't that extreme volatility seem to necessitate some mention to the magus as training takes place? Giselle has hardly a novice in the use of her powers. Annaliese has been mentoring her. Emotional stability and the need for isolation should have been addressed and explained *before* she was attacked.
Then her mentor dies suddenly, she learns to shoot, kills a man in self-defense, runs away and joins the circus of all cliches and nary a nightmare or errant breeze?
The villain and his crew show up again at the end in an obligatory manner and are so quickly dispatched in the expected "oh, look who's behind you" twist that it just felt tired. Perhaps Misty needs to set this series aside to rest a while and freshen itself in her imagination. Of, course, I'll rush out to buy the next one, and the next, but this is definitely not one I would recommend to anyone looking for an intro to what she can do with a story.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
After establishing a heart-breaking opening with a tragic family, they completely disappear. Gone, poof, with no sense of completion to the departure.
After the near-rape, her guardian, Annaliese, emphasizes the need to make sure an Air master be brought up in a peaceful, cheery homelife. Nowhere else in the series has this ever been mentioned or even hinted at. Doesn't that extreme volatility seem to necessitate some mention to the magus as training takes place? Giselle has hardly a novice in the use of her powers. Annaliese has been mentoring her. Emotional stability and the need for isolation should have been addressed and explained *before* she was attacked.
Then her mentor dies suddenly, she learns to shoot, kills a man in self-defense, runs away and joins the circus of all cliches and nary a nightmare or errant breeze?
The villain and his crew show up again at the end in an obligatory manner and are so quickly dispatched in the expected "oh, look who's behind you" twist that it just felt tired. Perhaps Misty needs to set this series aside to rest a while and freshen itself in her imagination. Of, course, I'll rush out to buy the next one, and the next, but this is definitely not one I would recommend to anyone looking for an intro to what she can do with a story.
April 3, 2016
The new installment in the Elemental Masters series is a very loose retelling of Rapunzel. In that the only similarity between the original tale and the heroine of this novel is a tendency to hirsutism. There's no villain to speak of, no urgency to the plot, and random creature encounters supply some mild peril at intervals. Unlike the rest of the series, there's no romance, and the majority of the story takes place at a wild west show in Germany. It's a pleasant read, but definitely not one of the best in the series.
December 14, 2015
Mercedes Lackey is back on track. This Rapunzel is no dreamy girl combing her hair in a tower all day. She's practical.
Blending German history, other fairy tales and Westerns (what a combination!), "Rapunzel" becomes a real woman. This isn't a Disneyfied Grimm story, nor is it a simple retelling. "Rapunzel" steps out of the confined story and strides away on her own.
Blending German history, other fairy tales and Westerns (what a combination!), "Rapunzel" becomes a real woman. This isn't a Disneyfied Grimm story, nor is it a simple retelling. "Rapunzel" steps out of the confined story and strides away on her own.
September 19, 2024
Eleventh * in the Elemental Masters historical fantasy series for the older middle-grade readers. We're still in Germany, and I am so enjoying this foray out of England *grin*.
* I know it's listed as tenth, but have a peek at the chronological listing of the Elemental Masters books on my website and make up your own mind.
My Take
I know some of you don't like to read books targeted at younger audiences, and I gotta tell ya. I do adore this series. Remember that simply because a story is acceptable for someone younger than an adult to read doesn't mean an adult can't enjoy it.
Lackey's take-off on Rapunzel is a much nicer interpretation of the original fairy tale. Although why Mother never explained about the hair, especially at her end, I'll never understand. Lackey also brings in a touch of Hansel and Gretel in one of the girls' adventures.
That horrible incident near the beginning of the story is a nice set-up for Giselle's later activities and provides the excuse for her learning how to shoot so well. Turns out she's pretty good at figuring better marketing for the show as well when she explains the German attitude toward the Karl May books. It's a crack-up, and the Indians with the show absolutely adore it!
Lackey manages to slide some gentle scolding in as well when Chief Leading Fox explains to Giselle why their people need the money from the show so very badly. It's a good reminder of how poorly the white man behaved toward the Indians. I do love Giselle's suggestion that the Pawnee tell people they're Italians, lol.
I love it when Rosamund shows up. I enjoyed her story in Blood Red , 10, and she's gotten even feistier, lol. Cody is quite the macho man and doesn't take kindly to some frail woman showing him up. Rosa does have good reasons for it, but it's outside of everyone's experiences so they don't take her seriously, until…
Giselle is luckier than she first knew, as Rosa teaches her so much about her Gift. It's Cody who teaches her about stories and reality. That stories are about what make you feel good. Make you figure out what a hero is and what's right.
It's a good story for older middle-grade readers as Lackey has some good morals to impart. The most obvious one is kindness, of doing unto others. It's a behavior that proves beneficial in so many ways for Giselle.
The Story
It's a cold bargain, one made in desperation. One that emotionally hurts the mother and the daughter. Still it is a better life that Giselle has with Mother. At least she does until Mother dies, then Giselle will have to seek her fortune.
One that will bring her into contact with her wildest dream. And her scariest moment when Hunt Master Rosamund forces her way into the show.
The Characters
Giselle, a.k.a., Rio Ellie, was given away at birth, a bargain made to save her family. She has potential to be a great Air Master. She has named the area sylphs who have befriended her Luna, Damozel, and Linnet. Lebkuchen is her mare. Flitter is a sylph from Neustadt who decides to tag along.
Mother, Annaliese Bundchen, is an Earth Master and lives in a former Benedictine abbey. Griselda was a brownie who used to act as nursemaid.
Gunther von Weber is a young man who is quite proficient at shooting. Enough so that he wins any contest he wishes.
Captain Cody's Wild West Show is…
…touring Europe, hoping to make their fortunes. Captain Cody Lee leads the band, and he has a small talent for Fire. He was a real Scout in the U.S. and speaks a variety of Indian languages. Lightning the Wonder Horse is his trick horse. Heinrich Kellerman is the show's manager. Chief Leading Fox is Pawnee with a very special interest in earning a lot of money. He's also a Medicine Chief with his own mastery of Air Elemental magic. Maisy, Texas Tom does rope tricks, Ned Toller is the stage manager, and Little Fred are with the circus as well. Polly is one of the Grand Quadrille horses. Pitalesharo, a Medicine Hat Pony, does some clever tricks. Fraulein Ado Ellie was their former trick-shooter.
The Maifest is…
…where Giselle's disguise is rumbled. Tante Gretchen Wildern is an Earth Master. Hauptmann Erich Von Eisenhertz was a pig and a bully. The soldiers sent out include Hans Piedermann.
The Bruderschaft der Förster is…
…also known as the Brotherhood of the Foresters, and they act as sheriffs to protect the populace from bad elementals. Pieter Meinhoff and Joachim Beretz are Mother's most frequent visitors. The very firm Hunt Master Rosamund von Schwarzwald is an Earth Master (we met her in Blood Red ) come to investigate the charges against Giselle. Graf von Stahldorf is the Master of the Munich Lodge. Elfrida is the housekeeper Rosa engages for the abbey and a minor Earth Magician, a kitchen-witch.
Johann Schmidt is Giselle's visitor at her tower. Dieter is his younger brother and a berserker who can shapeshift. Their mother is a witch while their father has elemental power, I think.
The Winnetou books are written by…
…Karl May about an Apache chief. Old Shatterhand and Old Firehand are other primary and beloved characters in the books.
Friedrich Schnittel is a beleaguered father struggling to find work to feed his eight kids and pregnant wife, Maria. Pieter is the oldest. Another Pieter is a troll who has been an ally of the Bruderschaft for centuries. Hans is one of the children in the cages.
The Great Air Elementals are the Four Winds. There are Storm Elementals, djinns, pixies, and bird spirits as well. An aether is a powerful, aloof air creature. The Hu-Huk is the Thunderbird, an Air Elemental, who comes to Chief Leading Fox's aid.
A Magadalene convent is where unmarried pregnant girls were sent to repent. Evil, evil places. Vilis are the restless, angry spirits of young women. A Blood Witch is an evil thing that must be put done wherever they may be found. A frost giant can ignore magical protections. The Breath of the Ice Wurm is the very essence of cold.
The Cover and Title
The cover reminds me of her Valdemar covers. The background is a grayed-out lavendar and a windy rain as Johann twists in the air falling From a High Tower, where Giselle's witch mother keeps her safe.
It's Giselle who is the German Annie Oakley in a black-framed rectangular window set on the left with air sprites swirling around her, the background of the window a circus poster, and "Annie" herself in a green loden jacket, a full brown skirt, a darker loden green hat, and black ribbons tying up her looped braids of hair. It's a rifle she's carrying, carrying out her role in this Wild West show. The author's name is in a gold embossed fancy font while the title is at the bottom of the cover in a light yellow green.
* I know it's listed as tenth, but have a peek at the chronological listing of the Elemental Masters books on my website and make up your own mind.
My Take
I know some of you don't like to read books targeted at younger audiences, and I gotta tell ya. I do adore this series. Remember that simply because a story is acceptable for someone younger than an adult to read doesn't mean an adult can't enjoy it.
Lackey's take-off on Rapunzel is a much nicer interpretation of the original fairy tale. Although why Mother never explained about the hair, especially at her end, I'll never understand. Lackey also brings in a touch of Hansel and Gretel in one of the girls' adventures.
That horrible incident near the beginning of the story is a nice set-up for Giselle's later activities and provides the excuse for her learning how to shoot so well. Turns out she's pretty good at figuring better marketing for the show as well when she explains the German attitude toward the Karl May books. It's a crack-up, and the Indians with the show absolutely adore it!
Lackey manages to slide some gentle scolding in as well when Chief Leading Fox explains to Giselle why their people need the money from the show so very badly. It's a good reminder of how poorly the white man behaved toward the Indians. I do love Giselle's suggestion that the Pawnee tell people they're Italians, lol.
I love it when Rosamund shows up. I enjoyed her story in Blood Red , 10, and she's gotten even feistier, lol. Cody is quite the macho man and doesn't take kindly to some frail woman showing him up. Rosa does have good reasons for it, but it's outside of everyone's experiences so they don't take her seriously, until…
Giselle is luckier than she first knew, as Rosa teaches her so much about her Gift. It's Cody who teaches her about stories and reality. That stories are about what make you feel good. Make you figure out what a hero is and what's right.
It's a good story for older middle-grade readers as Lackey has some good morals to impart. The most obvious one is kindness, of doing unto others. It's a behavior that proves beneficial in so many ways for Giselle.
The Story
It's a cold bargain, one made in desperation. One that emotionally hurts the mother and the daughter. Still it is a better life that Giselle has with Mother. At least she does until Mother dies, then Giselle will have to seek her fortune.
One that will bring her into contact with her wildest dream. And her scariest moment when Hunt Master Rosamund forces her way into the show.
The Characters
Giselle, a.k.a., Rio Ellie, was given away at birth, a bargain made to save her family. She has potential to be a great Air Master. She has named the area sylphs who have befriended her Luna, Damozel, and Linnet. Lebkuchen is her mare. Flitter is a sylph from Neustadt who decides to tag along.
Mother, Annaliese Bundchen, is an Earth Master and lives in a former Benedictine abbey. Griselda was a brownie who used to act as nursemaid.
Gunther von Weber is a young man who is quite proficient at shooting. Enough so that he wins any contest he wishes.
Captain Cody's Wild West Show is…
…touring Europe, hoping to make their fortunes. Captain Cody Lee leads the band, and he has a small talent for Fire. He was a real Scout in the U.S. and speaks a variety of Indian languages. Lightning the Wonder Horse is his trick horse. Heinrich Kellerman is the show's manager. Chief Leading Fox is Pawnee with a very special interest in earning a lot of money. He's also a Medicine Chief with his own mastery of Air Elemental magic. Maisy, Texas Tom does rope tricks, Ned Toller is the stage manager, and Little Fred are with the circus as well. Polly is one of the Grand Quadrille horses. Pitalesharo, a Medicine Hat Pony, does some clever tricks. Fraulein Ado Ellie was their former trick-shooter.
The Maifest is…
…where Giselle's disguise is rumbled. Tante Gretchen Wildern is an Earth Master. Hauptmann Erich Von Eisenhertz was a pig and a bully. The soldiers sent out include Hans Piedermann.
The Bruderschaft der Förster is…
…also known as the Brotherhood of the Foresters, and they act as sheriffs to protect the populace from bad elementals. Pieter Meinhoff and Joachim Beretz are Mother's most frequent visitors. The very firm Hunt Master Rosamund von Schwarzwald is an Earth Master (we met her in Blood Red ) come to investigate the charges against Giselle. Graf von Stahldorf is the Master of the Munich Lodge. Elfrida is the housekeeper Rosa engages for the abbey and a minor Earth Magician, a kitchen-witch.
Johann Schmidt is Giselle's visitor at her tower. Dieter is his younger brother and a berserker who can shapeshift. Their mother is a witch while their father has elemental power, I think.
The Winnetou books are written by…
…Karl May about an Apache chief. Old Shatterhand and Old Firehand are other primary and beloved characters in the books.
Friedrich Schnittel is a beleaguered father struggling to find work to feed his eight kids and pregnant wife, Maria. Pieter is the oldest. Another Pieter is a troll who has been an ally of the Bruderschaft for centuries. Hans is one of the children in the cages.
The Great Air Elementals are the Four Winds. There are Storm Elementals, djinns, pixies, and bird spirits as well. An aether is a powerful, aloof air creature. The Hu-Huk is the Thunderbird, an Air Elemental, who comes to Chief Leading Fox's aid.
A Magadalene convent is where unmarried pregnant girls were sent to repent. Evil, evil places. Vilis are the restless, angry spirits of young women. A Blood Witch is an evil thing that must be put done wherever they may be found. A frost giant can ignore magical protections. The Breath of the Ice Wurm is the very essence of cold.
The Cover and Title
The cover reminds me of her Valdemar covers. The background is a grayed-out lavendar and a windy rain as Johann twists in the air falling From a High Tower, where Giselle's witch mother keeps her safe.
It's Giselle who is the German Annie Oakley in a black-framed rectangular window set on the left with air sprites swirling around her, the background of the window a circus poster, and "Annie" herself in a green loden jacket, a full brown skirt, a darker loden green hat, and black ribbons tying up her looped braids of hair. It's a rifle she's carrying, carrying out her role in this Wild West show. The author's name is in a gold embossed fancy font while the title is at the bottom of the cover in a light yellow green.
January 28, 2021
Me: I wish Lackey would reimagine some of the evil women in these retellings
Lackey: ok in this book the evil witch who steals Rapunzel is actually protecting her
Me: go on
Lackey: and then she experiences a violent attempted rape
Me: no, not like that
Lackey: wait there’s more
Me: oh boy
Lackey: in order to steal a male magician’s magic, you kill him but in order to steal a female magician’s magic-
Me: please don’t say it
Lackey: -you rape her
Me: ...*takes to strong drink*
Lackey: ok in this book the evil witch who steals Rapunzel is actually protecting her
Me: go on
Lackey: and then she experiences a violent attempted rape
Me: no, not like that
Lackey: wait there’s more
Me: oh boy
Lackey: in order to steal a male magician’s magic, you kill him but in order to steal a female magician’s magic-
Me: please don’t say it
Lackey: -you rape her
Me: ...*takes to strong drink*
June 13, 2016
The re-telling of Rapunzel is a narrative frame that is fully woven in the opening of the novel. This is really a book about an Air mage who uses her gifts to earn a living as a sharpshooter. She eventually joins a Wild West show that is touring Germany. There are two perspectives to take on this character. One is that Giselle is an unethical fraud who is only pretending to be the equal of the real historical sharpshooter Annie Oakley. ( Annie Oakley is mentioned in From a High Tower. She was also touring Germany in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show.) The second is that Giselle is a feminist hero. She is a resourceful survivor who has found a really cool way to utilize her magical abilities. Do the ends justify the means? I will allow readers to make their own decisions about Giselle.
What interested me most about this novel is that Lackey portrays German perceptions of the American Wild West as being drastically different from American perceptions. Why should this culture clash matter to 21st century readers? The most important issue was the portrayal of Native Americans.
From a thematic perspective, I consider this a provocative novel about popular culture and national stereotypes.
For the blog version of this review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...
What interested me most about this novel is that Lackey portrays German perceptions of the American Wild West as being drastically different from American perceptions. Why should this culture clash matter to 21st century readers? The most important issue was the portrayal of Native Americans.
From a thematic perspective, I consider this a provocative novel about popular culture and national stereotypes.
For the blog version of this review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...
October 19, 2016
I enjoy this series and author to begin with, but I especially liked the fairy tale twist for this one (based on Rapunzel). And it was great to see the main character from Blood Red again, too.
-- Jo, Merrillville Branch
-- Jo, Merrillville Branch
August 24, 2015
I'm probably done with this series.
review coming soon at www.fantasyliterature.com
review coming soon at www.fantasyliterature.com
May 22, 2018
Like the preceding novel, this is set in Germany, which remained a welcome change from the setting of England. Like in Blood Red, the author takes the opportunity to explore elemental magic, giving us, the reader, a better understanding of the system, particularly Air Magic in this case. Although the novel is obviously inspired from Rapunzel, there is also a nod to the goats/troll under the bridge story, as well as Hansel and Gretel.
Overall I enjoyed this novel and the time it took to explore magic as well as incorporating other fairy tales. Rosamund from the previous novel also figures prominently into this, so I suggest that you read 'Blood Red' before you read this, the two books make for an overall enjoyable reading experience.
The only thing I would have wished for is for Gisselle to visit/find her biological parents, as her adoptive mother had made no secret of her being adopted, or where she had come from (wow, surprisingly honest) Her Mother treated her well and left her decently provisioned for after her death, and even then, I wondered why Gisselle wouldn't make the effort to find her parents.
Overall I enjoyed this novel and the time it took to explore magic as well as incorporating other fairy tales. Rosamund from the previous novel also figures prominently into this, so I suggest that you read 'Blood Red' before you read this, the two books make for an overall enjoyable reading experience.
The only thing I would have wished for is for Gisselle to visit/find her biological parents, as her adoptive mother had made no secret of her being adopted, or where she had come from (wow, surprisingly honest) Her Mother treated her well and left her decently provisioned for after her death, and even then, I wondered why Gisselle wouldn't make the effort to find her parents.
August 1, 2016
Having just finished the previous book in this series, I am not surprised to read the latest interpretation of Rapunzel. This one is much more to my liking than the original. It still carries a similar dark theme to it as Giselle is orphaned and penniless. What I liked about this story is how a popular writer in Germany is incorporated into this book. It is amusing and I love what Ms. Lackey did with the Indians and Cowboy theme. I also liked seeing Rosanna in this book as a carryover. This world of elemental masters in Germany are more to my liking than the bloody Brits. This brotherhood of protectors with their lodges is better than the stuffy aristocratic English.
I like these series because the main characters are all females. And the females are different. Some are really strong some are not. This makes it more appealing to me to see the different types of women who can and will succeed independently.
I like these series because the main characters are all females. And the females are different. Some are really strong some are not. This makes it more appealing to me to see the different types of women who can and will succeed independently.
April 16, 2016
This is retelling of Rapunzel, deep in the Southern German forests. Through in a touring wild west show and you have an entertaining tell of bravery and magic.
Why I started this book: I've started several books in the past couple of days, not able to focus on anyone of them.
Why I finished this book: This one is a better example of the Elemental Masters series. Maybe it was the change of scenery, country and an introduction to the German's love of the wild west.
Why I started this book: I've started several books in the past couple of days, not able to focus on anyone of them.
Why I finished this book: This one is a better example of the Elemental Masters series. Maybe it was the change of scenery, country and an introduction to the German's love of the wild west.
August 19, 2025
I really enjoy the books in this series, Elemental Masters. Essentially, each is about a person able to do magic, in a world filled with magicians and master magicians. Most are very loosely based on a common fairy tale most of us know or at least recognize.
This particular novel follows the life of a young girl who was raised in a tower, and is slightly reminiscent of the fairy tale about Rapunzel.
In this tale, the young girl is attacked by her suitor, but is saved by her mother in the last moment. The story carries on some time years later after he mother passed away, and the girl, Giselle needs to make money to survive. Being an Air master magician, she turns to shooting at rifle at contests. This leads to an accident, and eventually leads her to join a Wild West Show, making some very good friends along the way and having lots of adventures. This particular tale takes place in Germany.
As always, the book is very entertaining, full of action, marvelous creatures, adventures, and ending in a finale of a rather difficult battle. Well worth the read. I highly recommend any of the books in this series.
This particular novel follows the life of a young girl who was raised in a tower, and is slightly reminiscent of the fairy tale about Rapunzel.
In this tale, the young girl is attacked by her suitor, but is saved by her mother in the last moment. The story carries on some time years later after he mother passed away, and the girl, Giselle needs to make money to survive. Being an Air master magician, she turns to shooting at rifle at contests. This leads to an accident, and eventually leads her to join a Wild West Show, making some very good friends along the way and having lots of adventures. This particular tale takes place in Germany.
As always, the book is very entertaining, full of action, marvelous creatures, adventures, and ending in a finale of a rather difficult battle. Well worth the read. I highly recommend any of the books in this series.
July 3, 2017
I've been a longtime reader of Mercedes Lackey. The (unofficial) first Elemental Masters book, "The Fire Rose" was one of my favorites as a teenager, and I eagerly read each following installment. Around the fifth book, diminishing returns started setting in and there has been a slow decline ever since. Every volume has had the tendency to rush the climax and resolution, but in this book the final battle is literally the next to last chapter. Honestly, I should have never even started this book after the inner jacket described the entire plotline, but nevertheless I persisted. The villain appears in the first few chapters and doesn't show up again until the big confrontation, which leaves about 200 pages of Giselle wandering around with the circus. I very rarely feel like I wasted my time with a book, but this was one of those times.
August 3, 2021
This story begins with a bit of the Rapunzel story, then wanders afield to a Wild West show touring Germany and ends with a battle royal with bad guys. It's a fun read. I liked it.
November 26, 2017
http://openbooksociety.com/article/fr...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Omar
As the book’s small description says, From a High Tower, has as the main plot the fairy tale of Rapunzel, but like all of the Elemental Masters stories, this story is more than the one you have seen in the kid’s movies. The beginning of the book starts more closely to the original tale, as Giselle (our Rapunzel) is attacked by the man that she lets into her tower; he is about to rape her but her mother arrives in time to save her and sends the man out the four floor tower window. Even though Giselle shows signs of becoming an Air Master in the future, her mother decides that she needs to know how to defend herself without the help of her magic or elementals, so she asks her friends of the Bruderschaft to train Giselle in the arts of hunting.
Years later, after the death of her mother, Giselle takes the persona of a young man to be able to enter shooting contests, and win some money to live by. But when her name doesn’t appear in the logs of the army, a captain learns the truth and tries to take advantage of her. In her fear and rage, she ends up killing the man and flees the scene leaving behind the persona. With the help of a local Earth Master she is able to escape and ends up in an American traveling show. A couple of Slyphs point her to the direction of the shooting act and she is able to impress them, getting a job until winter with the show. But the shadow of her past still haunts her, as they never found the body of the man that attacked her in tower.
I liked this story in the Elemental Masters series, and the characters were great to read. Giselle over the course of the story changes a lot and manages to help her friends of the show. I liked that a reader could relate to her because of her fondest for books, and gets to experience and meet American people that she only read in them.
This time, there is not the same amount of magic being used compared to the other books, but the magic shown is very interesting. We learn of more types of spells, charms, and even about the special properties of Giselle’s hair. I also liked the scene where they encounter magical creatures, good and evil.
For fans of the series, we are able to see Rosamund again. Rosa is a Hunt Masters and the main character from the previous book, Blood Red. We see her as an agent of the Bruderschaft and later she becomes friends with Giselle. She is able to help Giselle finish her magic studies and summon greater forces.
The only things that I would have liked to see was Giselle’s family in the background or just a mention of them by the author. Even though, some stories portrait the woman that takes the girl as evil; in this story, Giselle’s mother ends up saving her life.
If you are a fan of Mercedes Lackey’s work or the Elemental Masters series, I recommend you From a High Tower. In this story, a girl learns how harsh the world outside her comfort zone can be, that looks can hide evilness under them, and that her views are not always correct, but is willing to learn better.
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Omar
As the book’s small description says, From a High Tower, has as the main plot the fairy tale of Rapunzel, but like all of the Elemental Masters stories, this story is more than the one you have seen in the kid’s movies. The beginning of the book starts more closely to the original tale, as Giselle (our Rapunzel) is attacked by the man that she lets into her tower; he is about to rape her but her mother arrives in time to save her and sends the man out the four floor tower window. Even though Giselle shows signs of becoming an Air Master in the future, her mother decides that she needs to know how to defend herself without the help of her magic or elementals, so she asks her friends of the Bruderschaft to train Giselle in the arts of hunting.
Years later, after the death of her mother, Giselle takes the persona of a young man to be able to enter shooting contests, and win some money to live by. But when her name doesn’t appear in the logs of the army, a captain learns the truth and tries to take advantage of her. In her fear and rage, she ends up killing the man and flees the scene leaving behind the persona. With the help of a local Earth Master she is able to escape and ends up in an American traveling show. A couple of Slyphs point her to the direction of the shooting act and she is able to impress them, getting a job until winter with the show. But the shadow of her past still haunts her, as they never found the body of the man that attacked her in tower.
I liked this story in the Elemental Masters series, and the characters were great to read. Giselle over the course of the story changes a lot and manages to help her friends of the show. I liked that a reader could relate to her because of her fondest for books, and gets to experience and meet American people that she only read in them.
This time, there is not the same amount of magic being used compared to the other books, but the magic shown is very interesting. We learn of more types of spells, charms, and even about the special properties of Giselle’s hair. I also liked the scene where they encounter magical creatures, good and evil.
For fans of the series, we are able to see Rosamund again. Rosa is a Hunt Masters and the main character from the previous book, Blood Red. We see her as an agent of the Bruderschaft and later she becomes friends with Giselle. She is able to help Giselle finish her magic studies and summon greater forces.
The only things that I would have liked to see was Giselle’s family in the background or just a mention of them by the author. Even though, some stories portrait the woman that takes the girl as evil; in this story, Giselle’s mother ends up saving her life.
If you are a fan of Mercedes Lackey’s work or the Elemental Masters series, I recommend you From a High Tower. In this story, a girl learns how harsh the world outside her comfort zone can be, that looks can hide evilness under them, and that her views are not always correct, but is willing to learn better.
December 23, 2024
I've been a big fan of Lackey's Elemental Master's books, although I've felt they've been somewhat dragging lately. I welcomed the switch from England to the continent, and felt that Blood Red injected new life into the series.
Alas, I was sorely disappointed by the newest installment. Giselle was the least impressive heroine we've had since Katie in Steadfast, serving basically as a cardboard cutout to move around the book. I was relieved when Rosa showed up, since at least she had a little more spunk to her, but all of the cast had a curious flatness to them this time around. The one I liked the most was Leading Fox, who was only a supporting character, but at least he had some mystery to him.
Speaking of mystery, there was none--or any other kind of plot, for that matter. Rapunzel-reborn had only a basic story (only the very beginning of which came from the fairy tale), and the reader essentially follows Giselle as she wanders from one place to another and does things X and Y, like she's completing tasks in a video game rather than following plot structure in a book. She has two nasty encounters with men early on; Encounter B is mentioned ad nauseum but has almost nothing to do with the rest of the book. Encounter A is barely touched upon again, until in the last 40 pages it suddenly becomes the major conflict in the book, with almost no warning or foreshadowing.
That's right, the major conflict in a 328 page book starts on page 290. Really?
The honest truth is, I will read the next Elementals book that comes out because the early ones were so good and I keep hoping Lackey will get back on game. But this was a step in the wrong direction, and it leaves a 15-year fan deeply saddened.
Alas, I was sorely disappointed by the newest installment. Giselle was the least impressive heroine we've had since Katie in Steadfast, serving basically as a cardboard cutout to move around the book. I was relieved when Rosa showed up, since at least she had a little more spunk to her, but all of the cast had a curious flatness to them this time around. The one I liked the most was Leading Fox, who was only a supporting character, but at least he had some mystery to him.
Speaking of mystery, there was none--or any other kind of plot, for that matter. Rapunzel-reborn had only a basic story (only the very beginning of which came from the fairy tale), and the reader essentially follows Giselle as she wanders from one place to another and does things X and Y, like she's completing tasks in a video game rather than following plot structure in a book. She has two nasty encounters with men early on; Encounter B is mentioned ad nauseum but has almost nothing to do with the rest of the book. Encounter A is barely touched upon again, until in the last 40 pages it suddenly becomes the major conflict in the book, with almost no warning or foreshadowing.
That's right, the major conflict in a 328 page book starts on page 290. Really?
The honest truth is, I will read the next Elementals book that comes out because the early ones were so good and I keep hoping Lackey will get back on game. But this was a step in the wrong direction, and it leaves a 15-year fan deeply saddened.
September 26, 2015
I don't even know where to start. From a High Tower has a fabulous premise. Rapunzel is all grown up and a crack shot, who ends up joining a traveling show. It also features Rosamund from Blood Red. But it didn't seem like the same character at all, which was one issue I had with the book.
There are also two assault scenes (one of which is attempted rape) which I found disturbing.
The biggest issue I had with the book was the depiction of Native Americans (referred to throughout the novel in the chronologically correct but modernly offensive term "Indians"). In many ways, the book accurately depicts the mindset of the the time, but without really examining the multitude of ways that it is problematic. Hispanic women play Native American women in the show (and even the blonde heroine dons a wig), the Native Americans in the show attack the wagons (until Giselle points out that it would be more profitable for them to rescue the settlers). Chief Leading Fox is portrayed as the stereotypical wise man. There are a few moments where Lackey mentions some of the issues the Native Americans face, such as having their land taken away and being forced into white schools, but it's only a few lines. There are some big issues here, but Lackey doesn't really deal with them, and it makes the book unsatisfying as a whole. It would have been a lot stronger if Giselle had been a crack shot for a different sort of show, or if Lackey had really addressed the issues she brought up.
There is also the way that Cody talks in an exaggerated drawl. "I reckon we gotta change th' show" and such.
This book is really a miss. I think I'm going to take a break from reading Lackey for a while. She has some excellent books, but it's very hit and miss, even within a series.
There are also two assault scenes (one of which is attempted rape) which I found disturbing.
The biggest issue I had with the book was the depiction of Native Americans (referred to throughout the novel in the chronologically correct but modernly offensive term "Indians"). In many ways, the book accurately depicts the mindset of the the time, but without really examining the multitude of ways that it is problematic. Hispanic women play Native American women in the show (and even the blonde heroine dons a wig), the Native Americans in the show attack the wagons (until Giselle points out that it would be more profitable for them to rescue the settlers). Chief Leading Fox is portrayed as the stereotypical wise man. There are a few moments where Lackey mentions some of the issues the Native Americans face, such as having their land taken away and being forced into white schools, but it's only a few lines. There are some big issues here, but Lackey doesn't really deal with them, and it makes the book unsatisfying as a whole. It would have been a lot stronger if Giselle had been a crack shot for a different sort of show, or if Lackey had really addressed the issues she brought up.
There is also the way that Cody talks in an exaggerated drawl. "I reckon we gotta change th' show" and such.
This book is really a miss. I think I'm going to take a break from reading Lackey for a while. She has some excellent books, but it's very hit and miss, even within a series.
July 8, 2015
From a High Tower by Mercedes Lackey Another of her retold faery tales/elemental masters series, this book was very different than I expected. It starts off with a father looking for food for his heavily pregnant wife and his eight children. In the time period in Germany there were many families in just such a straight. A hard working father just not making enough to feed his family. He finds what he believes is an abandoned home and garden and decides to raid it to feed his family. Of course it belonged to a witch..or more an elemental master who demands his most current child as payment.
Unlike the usual run of this story the elemental master is actually a good woman who knows that the child will be an elemental magic user and decides to step in to save both the child and the family. She gives the father and family the home and takes the baby girl far away to raise her. As you can imagine a child in the 1800s with magic in Germany would be ostracized if not out right killed.
Now mix into this the research part. See Ms Lackey always does a ton of research and you can tell. In that century there were a collection of books by an German author about the American wild west. They were hugely popular but well...not accurate. She has mixed in those books and real history along with the magic we all crave to give us a great tale.
I could write tons about this novel and how much I enjoyed the mix of wild west show, German myths and legends and faerie tales but why not just read it and enjoy. This series just keeps getting better and better IMO
Unlike the usual run of this story the elemental master is actually a good woman who knows that the child will be an elemental magic user and decides to step in to save both the child and the family. She gives the father and family the home and takes the baby girl far away to raise her. As you can imagine a child in the 1800s with magic in Germany would be ostracized if not out right killed.
Now mix into this the research part. See Ms Lackey always does a ton of research and you can tell. In that century there were a collection of books by an German author about the American wild west. They were hugely popular but well...not accurate. She has mixed in those books and real history along with the magic we all crave to give us a great tale.
I could write tons about this novel and how much I enjoyed the mix of wild west show, German myths and legends and faerie tales but why not just read it and enjoy. This series just keeps getting better and better IMO
June 15, 2015
Like Blood Red (Elemental Masters #10), this book was another break from the old "sweet damsel in need who doesn't know she's magical comes upon the man/men who will save her and teach her about her magic and love while fixing all the problems" formula. Rosa from "Blood Red" also makes an appearance. This heroine also doesn't have a stated romance plot, though potential for one is alluded to at the end, which only increased my enjoyment.
This books is an allusion to Rapunzel, but it subverts most of the story, and the hair part is really only lightly touched upon. I think there could have been more done with that. Overall though, Giselle is a capable heroine just coming into her Mastery. Definitely read the Foreword if you like context for references. A lot of references are made to Karl May.
There's a near-rape in the book, so warning to anyone wishing to avoid that.
This books is an allusion to Rapunzel, but it subverts most of the story, and the hair part is really only lightly touched upon. I think there could have been more done with that. Overall though, Giselle is a capable heroine just coming into her Mastery. Definitely read the Foreword if you like context for references. A lot of references are made to Karl May.
There's a near-rape in the book, so warning to anyone wishing to avoid that.
July 6, 2015
I love the Elemental Masters series from Mercedes Lackey, and this latest book is excellent! Giselle was traded as an infant by her father for food and shelter, since he knew that the whole family would likely die if he did not. Taken in by an Earth Magician, Giselle lives in the tower of an abandoned abbey, loved and taught by her adopted mother. When her mother dies suddenly from an illness, Giselle must find a way to make a living of her own and uses her Air magic to win shooting contests. Unfortunately, she attracts the wrong sort of attention and must go on the run. Hiding herself in a traveling Wild West act turns out to be the best thing that could have happened, and leads to education and adventure beyond her modest expectations.
The view that Germans have of the Wild West is a unique one that I very much enjoyed learning more about. Lackey did a great job of making the 'western' accent palatable, without making the speakers seem like colorful morons, as most writers do.
It was also great to meet up with Rosamund again!
The view that Germans have of the Wild West is a unique one that I very much enjoyed learning more about. Lackey did a great job of making the 'western' accent palatable, without making the speakers seem like colorful morons, as most writers do.
It was also great to meet up with Rosamund again!
September 1, 2015
From a High Tower is the 11th entry in the Elemental Masters series and like the others, it uses a fairy tale as a springboard. Here it is the tale of Rapunzel which inspires the story.
The main part of story involved a Wild West show that Giselle needs to join to earn some money. Her mastery of Air helps her sharpshooting skills (think Annie Oakley) and her knowledge of what Germans expect due to Karl May's novels help the show succeed.
I found Giselle to be a sympathetic character who worried about the ethics of her magic. Leading Fox introduced the Native American version of elemental magic; I hope to see more of that. Rosamund from Blood Red shows up in this book. While reading Blood Red adds some background, it isn't necessary to have read it prior to reading this book.
This isn't a deep philosophical book; it is an escape from reality and a coming of age tale. It also explores the theme of friendship. As such light reading, it succeeds admirably. I look forward to more in the series.
The main part of story involved a Wild West show that Giselle needs to join to earn some money. Her mastery of Air helps her sharpshooting skills (think Annie Oakley) and her knowledge of what Germans expect due to Karl May's novels help the show succeed.
I found Giselle to be a sympathetic character who worried about the ethics of her magic. Leading Fox introduced the Native American version of elemental magic; I hope to see more of that. Rosamund from Blood Red shows up in this book. While reading Blood Red adds some background, it isn't necessary to have read it prior to reading this book.
This isn't a deep philosophical book; it is an escape from reality and a coming of age tale. It also explores the theme of friendship. As such light reading, it succeeds admirably. I look forward to more in the series.
December 15, 2015
This story links directly to Blood Red, a prior volume in the series, and does so in an excellent way. Continuing the German stories and their connection to the fantasy series, this volume starts off with a version of Rapunzel, but one with clever and interesting twists. Later digressions into German pulp fiction and another famous fairy tale are done cleverly, and there's even a payoff for the fast-growing hair.
I had never heard of German writer Karl May, but after reading this book, I'm curious about this man, apparently the Ned Buntline of Germany. His outrageous stories about an American West that he never visited must have been bizarre and fascinating, based on how they're described here.
Giselle, the "Rapunzel" character, is no helpless victim in a tower, and there's far more to her story in this tale. I love the practical applications of magic that the characters come up with in this story, as well as the "don't fight the bad guys with their own strengths" practical magic fight in one section.
I had never heard of German writer Karl May, but after reading this book, I'm curious about this man, apparently the Ned Buntline of Germany. His outrageous stories about an American West that he never visited must have been bizarre and fascinating, based on how they're described here.
Giselle, the "Rapunzel" character, is no helpless victim in a tower, and there's far more to her story in this tale. I love the practical applications of magic that the characters come up with in this story, as well as the "don't fight the bad guys with their own strengths" practical magic fight in one section.
April 3, 2016
Frankly, I wasn't expecting to like this installment of the Elemental Masters--at least, not based on the blurb. Once I started reading, I didn't want to put it down. There were so many elements to this story (pun not intended) that hold so many possibilities! That, and meeting an old friend from another of the Schwarzvald-based stories, left me hoping for more set here--or a trip abroad for Giselle and Rosa. I loved the Western element as well as learning about the German stories of the old west--in all its mistaken glory. I have the funny feeling that much of my own rose-colored glasses version of the wild west might fit right in. Spoiler alert*****
Between Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Billy Goats Gruff, and Red Riding Hood, and the Brotherhood's magically-copied tome, I swear I kept thinking someone had to be a budding Brother Grimm in disguise, to take the "true" stories and spin them so as to warn those who knew of the truth, and entertain those who did not. I also now have a horrible craving for panckes, applesauce, spaetzel, and sausage.
Between Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Billy Goats Gruff, and Red Riding Hood, and the Brotherhood's magically-copied tome, I swear I kept thinking someone had to be a budding Brother Grimm in disguise, to take the "true" stories and spin them so as to warn those who knew of the truth, and entertain those who did not. I also now have a horrible craving for panckes, applesauce, spaetzel, and sausage.
December 6, 2015
This uses a prior character as one of the important characters. The main character is an Air Master who was adopted by her mother who was an Earth Master. She got the child from a poor family that was on the point of starving. The story is strongly based on a popular German writer who wrote wild west stories that no American would recognize but were very well known in Germany. Eventually Giselle met up with Rosamund from a prior book. This story was a retelling of Rapunzel with her long hair in a tower. Having said that, those were about the only two elements that were used in this story. The long hair and the tower. This was nicely done. However, I never quite connected with some of it for some reason. That is the reason for only three stars. It was a fine story but nothing more. Others in the series have been a lot more interesting.
November 6, 2016
This Elemental Masters book is an interesting take on the tale of Rapunzel.
Giselle is an Air Elemental Master was magical growing hair... she's also a sharp shooter, and after her adoptive mother dies, she joins a Wild West show traveling around Germany. This is the key for a number of interesting adventures, especially when Rosa from "Blood Red" enters the story line.
Wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this one as much as the others I've read, but it turned out to be just as entertaining and fun.
If you like light fantasy, you could do a lot worse than read the Elemental Masters series. There's a smidgen of romance in most books, but not enough to qualify as fantasy romance. The women in this series tend to be extremely strong. Men complement them; they don't complete them.
"From a High Tower" is extremely readable and enjoyable. Highly recommended.
Giselle is an Air Elemental Master was magical growing hair... she's also a sharp shooter, and after her adoptive mother dies, she joins a Wild West show traveling around Germany. This is the key for a number of interesting adventures, especially when Rosa from "Blood Red" enters the story line.
Wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this one as much as the others I've read, but it turned out to be just as entertaining and fun.
If you like light fantasy, you could do a lot worse than read the Elemental Masters series. There's a smidgen of romance in most books, but not enough to qualify as fantasy romance. The women in this series tend to be extremely strong. Men complement them; they don't complete them.
"From a High Tower" is extremely readable and enjoyable. Highly recommended.
December 27, 2019
You know that good book, that good story, that you can't put down? You have to read straight through until the end? This is not that book. I felt as though the story slogs on and while waiting for something to build there are peppered bits of excitement. The two to four pages of sporadic "something" in no way appear to build the book towards it's completion; they are milestones, to be sure, but feeling forced and wasted overall.
Even the climax felt brief and boring. All that background for not much excitement or drawn out contention.
This book leans on some storyline from Lackey's last Elemental Master's book "Blood Red." A mildly decent read for those dedicated to the Elemental Master's series, but not a fluid story line overall, and not one I enjoyed as much as others.
Even the climax felt brief and boring. All that background for not much excitement or drawn out contention.
This book leans on some storyline from Lackey's last Elemental Master's book "Blood Red." A mildly decent read for those dedicated to the Elemental Master's series, but not a fluid story line overall, and not one I enjoyed as much as others.
August 7, 2015
Oh, Mercedes Lackey. I used to adore your writing. What happened? Was it me? Did I change too much? Or is it that your plots now meander, your characters have become boilerplate, and there is no real sense of turmoil or danger?
I enjoyed reading some of this, until I realized I'd gone 100 pages without any real conflict. The conflict, as usual for her newer novels, comes within 40 pages or so of the book ending. *sigh* That's some uneven writing there, Ms. Lackey.
Throw in that the tale this is supposed based off was aborted not long after its inception and instead turned into this weird Wild West show, and I'm at a loss.
Two stars is generous, I think.
I enjoyed reading some of this, until I realized I'd gone 100 pages without any real conflict. The conflict, as usual for her newer novels, comes within 40 pages or so of the book ending. *sigh* That's some uneven writing there, Ms. Lackey.
Throw in that the tale this is supposed based off was aborted not long after its inception and instead turned into this weird Wild West show, and I'm at a loss.
Two stars is generous, I think.
August 21, 2015
I always struggle with rating books like this--ones that are formulaic and pat, and you know that no real damage will happen to the main character, yet are so enjoyably escapist. I tend to stick with a 3 rating, but is that a fair rating for a series where I read every new book? I don't know. I'll continue reading and enjoying the series.
Positives: I love the scaled down romance aspect of the most recent two books of the series. Still present and enjoyable but far from the main aspect.
Negatives: solutions come a little easily for our heroine at times. This may be part of what makes them so enjoyable, but it does not make for great literature.
Positives: I love the scaled down romance aspect of the most recent two books of the series. Still present and enjoyable but far from the main aspect.
Negatives: solutions come a little easily for our heroine at times. This may be part of what makes them so enjoyable, but it does not make for great literature.
August 23, 2015
Giselle is the rewrite of the classic story of Rapunzel, complete with rampion, an imprisoned young woman, a man who woos her, and evil in the land, all told as part of the ongoing Elemental Masters series.
Overall it was a good read, but tended to go into too much detail over the everyday items, such as folding clothing to make it fit in a traveling caravan. With all that detail, there should have been some spared for the ending, which was well done, but so quickly resolved it felt like a let down.
Overall it was a good read, but tended to go into too much detail over the everyday items, such as folding clothing to make it fit in a traveling caravan. With all that detail, there should have been some spared for the ending, which was well done, but so quickly resolved it felt like a let down.
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