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Dark Horse #1
Dark Horse
After her entire clan was massacred, a young woman assumes her brother's identity and becomes a warrior - all to exact revenge upon the chieftain who ordered her family slain. But the chieftain, Lord Medb, has resurrected the forbidden art of sorcery and plans to destroy all who oppose him in this dark ages fantasy world.
314 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 20, 2009
I'm a sucker for girl disguising herself as a guy. I blame Tamora Pierce.
November 4, 2012
If you like a girl / horse / fantasy book, this is the one for you.
I have a habit of re-reading, over and over books I like, and this is one of them.
It's not deep, it's just a good book to read, wrapped in a warm blanked, with a hot beverage, and to just escape to a fantasy world.
I'll keep reading it.
I have a habit of re-reading, over and over books I like, and this is one of them.
It's not deep, it's just a good book to read, wrapped in a warm blanked, with a hot beverage, and to just escape to a fantasy world.
I'll keep reading it.
April 10, 2015
You want to read a Fantasy book, with a strong female main character looking for vengance and all that set in a medieval world where magic is forbidden ? Hell yea, then read this book.
Don't let yourself be fooled by this strange book cover, please!
This book is so much more, at least it is to me. It's just EPIC. I just has really fascinating world and yes horses have a special meaning in this book. But here is why I just love it:
1. World:
The whole story takes place in the Ramatharin plains, where there are different nomadic clans. Between the plot and the characters, the world-building often misses out in books, but not in this one. Mary H. Herbert just really did a great job on building a kind of rough, medieval unique world . The clans have a religion, a law and a history and a lot more. I personally love books where it’s like I am entering a new world just by opening the book.
Magic is forbidden and feared, which by opinion is quite realistic because it is a two edged sword. It can be used for both evil and good.
So another special thing about this book are the Hunnulis, a breed of wild black horses created to protect magicians. They are intolerant of evil, and will fight to the death rather than serve an evil master.
2. Characters:
Gabria is the main character and a total bad-ass. She has a very strong will and can maybe sometimes even be a little bit bullheaded.
But she is a fighter and that from the very beginning and that's what I really liked about her. As tough as she is, she still seems very human. She isn't like too serious or cold, she even can be funny sometimes.
Another great thing about her is, that she symbolizes an emancipated woman. Often girls and woman get pushed around but not her.
She has her life and fate in her hands.
And then there is Athlone. He is a mature guy, who doesn’t easily trust anybody and especially not Gabria. But although he seems rough on the outside and maybe sometimes like a jerk, he really just cares for his own clan.
But to be honest, their relationship starts like really on the I-hate-you-stop-annoying-me-stage of friendship… yea just read it ^^ it’s fun
4. The plot
Short Summary: Gabria wasn't in the camp when the massacre happened, she had run off, angry. When she returns, her family and her entire clan was dead. She swears to take vengeance and that the man who was responsible for the massacre would pay the blood debt. But the blood debt only can be demanded by a man, not by a woman and without a clan and a family she is weak outcast.
Finding shelter in another clan, she assumes her brothers identity and prepares for her revenge. But to take down her enemy, she needs to break with one of the oldest tradition and has to find out how far she is willing to go.
The plot is quite simple, but still intriguing and thank god it wasn't predictible. So once I started reading this book I couldn’t stop.
Well, I hope this will help you to understand why everyone who loves fantasy and strong female characters needs to read this book.
Don't let yourself be fooled by this strange book cover, please!
This book is so much more, at least it is to me. It's just EPIC. I just has really fascinating world and yes horses have a special meaning in this book. But here is why I just love it:
1. World:
The whole story takes place in the Ramatharin plains, where there are different nomadic clans. Between the plot and the characters, the world-building often misses out in books, but not in this one. Mary H. Herbert just really did a great job on building a kind of rough, medieval unique world . The clans have a religion, a law and a history and a lot more. I personally love books where it’s like I am entering a new world just by opening the book.
Magic is forbidden and feared, which by opinion is quite realistic because it is a two edged sword. It can be used for both evil and good.
So another special thing about this book are the Hunnulis, a breed of wild black horses created to protect magicians. They are intolerant of evil, and will fight to the death rather than serve an evil master.
2. Characters:
Gabria is the main character and a total bad-ass. She has a very strong will and can maybe sometimes even be a little bit bullheaded.
But she is a fighter and that from the very beginning and that's what I really liked about her. As tough as she is, she still seems very human. She isn't like too serious or cold, she even can be funny sometimes.
Another great thing about her is, that she symbolizes an emancipated woman. Often girls and woman get pushed around but not her.
She has her life and fate in her hands.
And then there is Athlone. He is a mature guy, who doesn’t easily trust anybody and especially not Gabria. But although he seems rough on the outside and maybe sometimes like a jerk, he really just cares for his own clan.
But to be honest, their relationship starts like really on the I-hate-you-stop-annoying-me-stage of friendship… yea just read it ^^ it’s fun
4. The plot
Short Summary: Gabria wasn't in the camp when the massacre happened, she had run off, angry. When she returns, her family and her entire clan was dead. She swears to take vengeance and that the man who was responsible for the massacre would pay the blood debt. But the blood debt only can be demanded by a man, not by a woman and without a clan and a family she is weak outcast.
Finding shelter in another clan, she assumes her brothers identity and prepares for her revenge. But to take down her enemy, she needs to break with one of the oldest tradition and has to find out how far she is willing to go.
The plot is quite simple, but still intriguing and thank god it wasn't predictible. So once I started reading this book I couldn’t stop.
Well, I hope this will help you to understand why everyone who loves fantasy and strong female characters needs to read this book.
July 19, 2019
I must admit my bias toward this book. I first read it in middle school when I was beginning to discover fantasy novels, and the combination of the misfit girl, magic, and horses thoroughly hooked me.
That being said, I had not read this book for more than a decade, and I was worried that it wouldn't age well. Fortunately, I was wrong. While the writing style is not the most elegant, I have to give this book a lot of credit for telling the story of a strong woman who essentially has no concern for men (as love interests) and relationships. She has her own history and her own goal, and the book concerns her trials and her journey toward that goal.
That being said, I had not read this book for more than a decade, and I was worried that it wouldn't age well. Fortunately, I was wrong. While the writing style is not the most elegant, I have to give this book a lot of credit for telling the story of a strong woman who essentially has no concern for men (as love interests) and relationships. She has her own history and her own goal, and the book concerns her trials and her journey toward that goal.
September 10, 2012
This is one of my absolute favorite books. I have read it over and over and OVER.
Strong determined female lead, powerful horses, magic.. It has all my favorite elements of escape from day to day reality. Subsequent books in this series are not as good, but this super star is fantastic.
Strong determined female lead, powerful horses, magic.. It has all my favorite elements of escape from day to day reality. Subsequent books in this series are not as good, but this super star is fantastic.
May 17, 2021
I picked up a bunch of older fantasy books from the thrift store this past week and this was in the pile. I recall reading it when I was younger and enjoying it much more than I did the second time around. It wasn't bad, but wasn't as amazing as I remembered either. Isn't that just like life?
January 31, 2023
This is just terrible. Giant plot holes. Irritating characters. A very unbelievable "girl dresses as a boy" plot. Etc, etc.
April 23, 2024
Lange her, dass ich diese Reihe gelesen habe. Aber immer noch tief in meinem Herzen!
September 4, 2018
Garbage. Utter garbage. I read the first 100 pages... I am not finishing this one. It's too bad I impulsively bought the whole series before reading it. You know, the later books look like they might be awesome, but this one... I just got done reading Maas and Arden! Maybe if I was coming into this book off of some trashy romance novels, but you can't go from expensive wine to five dollar stuff without dumping it down the sink. One star to Dark Horse.
October 25, 2017
4-1/2 stars. (I wish Goodreads would do halfsies .) Dark Horse, a novel by Mary Herbert, was published by TSR but does not, as far as I am aware, contain any connections to any D&D worlds, realms, or mythos. The books is a fabulous fantasy novel about a young woman, Gabria, her connection to a magical horse named Nara, and her adventures after her clan is eradicated by an evil sorcerer. At first I thought this was going to be an intimate story focusing on the relationship between girl and horse. There are many small, intimate moments in the book, but the story also expands outward to become a larger tale involving warring clans, a siege at a castle keep, and a final showdown between good and evil. Mary Herbert's writing in this book is beautiful, not overwrought, cleanly and simply and evocatively moving the story forward. I absolutely adore the protagonist and her equine companion; Herbert does a great job of describing Gabria's inner conflicts, her pride, her self-doubt, her fears and longing. The reason that I didn't give this book a full five-star rating is that Nara, the dark horse of the title, isn't present in it nearly as much as I would've liked, and because in some sections events of a rather large scope were rushed along a bit too quickly. But these are quibbles. Dark Horse is a wonderful, magical, fully engaging book that has become one of my favorites.
December 1, 2008
this book is kind of silly. but i've probably read it in the double digits by now...
April 16, 2022
3.5 Trymian Stars
If I read this at the time of publication this would be a solid 4. They were not kidding when they said this was in line with Alanna (or maybe Mulan) fans. I get the hype with crossdressing as a boy to hide her true identity and then overcoming the odds etc.
It's fairly predictable who she ends up with but I don't think there's any romance to it (or whatever that was) save for the last few chapters of the book.
If I read this at the time of publication this would be a solid 4. They were not kidding when they said this was in line with Alanna (or maybe Mulan) fans. I get the hype with crossdressing as a boy to hide her true identity and then overcoming the odds etc.
It's fairly predictable who she ends up with but I don't think there's any romance to it (or whatever that was) save for the last few chapters of the book.
July 22, 2025
I feel like I was transported into another world of old age. First of all I loved how this book was written. This is the first book that I’ve read that’s a bit older, and I’ve only been reading for about a year so I don’t have a whole bunch to compare it to considering most of my reading is YA, but it was immersive and how she described everything from the mountains to the horses to the time of day to the characters it was all just so seamless. I think this is some of my favourite type of writing Ive ever read.
I really enjoyed the characters, the clan dynamics, the strong, unwavering, fierce female lead and Athlone. I felt like everything and everybody had a place in the story and held their own significance and got their time to shine. The romance is simple but I feel like it’s perfect for what it is.
To put it simply it was like Mulan meets Vinland meets the Princess Bride to me🫡
I really enjoyed the characters, the clan dynamics, the strong, unwavering, fierce female lead and Athlone. I felt like everything and everybody had a place in the story and held their own significance and got their time to shine. The romance is simple but I feel like it’s perfect for what it is.
To put it simply it was like Mulan meets Vinland meets the Princess Bride to me🫡
October 1, 2020
I first read this book when I was a kid, devouring everything I could get my hands on. I’ve carted my battered copies with my from move to move but could never bring myself to go back out of fear it wouldn’t live up to my memory. But I finally dusted this book and the rest of the series off this summer and went back to it. The story was just as delightful as I recalled.
It has everything in it that spoke to me as a child and as an adult: woman disguising herself as a man to fight, female characters with strengths as well as weaknesses, bond between woman and horse, all with a strong dash of magic.
If you’re a fan of Tamora Pierce, see if you can get your hands on this series.
It has everything in it that spoke to me as a child and as an adult: woman disguising herself as a man to fight, female characters with strengths as well as weaknesses, bond between woman and horse, all with a strong dash of magic.
If you’re a fan of Tamora Pierce, see if you can get your hands on this series.
July 14, 2017
I like books where the protagonist is female, who disguises herself as a man to get vengeance/training / special abilities and who in the end kick-butt and show independence.
This book doesn't disappoint. After her entire clan is annihilated, Gabria seeks vengeance the only way she is able to. Disguise herself as her twin brother, join another clan and get training so she can challenge Lord Mebh to a duel. It's a journey of discovery, horses, magic, and a little romance. The romance is hardly there but will play a larger role in the sequel.
This book doesn't disappoint. After her entire clan is annihilated, Gabria seeks vengeance the only way she is able to. Disguise herself as her twin brother, join another clan and get training so she can challenge Lord Mebh to a duel. It's a journey of discovery, horses, magic, and a little romance. The romance is hardly there but will play a larger role in the sequel.
October 9, 2020
It's been years since I read this book. Horse-loving me saw the cover and had to buy it. Then I read it and re-read it so many times I had to buy a new copy. I know there were others in the series but this was my favorite and now I'm going to have to locate a copy so I can relieve a portion of my youth.
March 6, 2018
Enjoyed this - excellent writing, good plot, very intensely constructed. will be looking for more by this author.
April 23, 2019
A lot more miserable than I was expecting.
January 7, 2016
I'm only about halfway through, but I've already put it on my favorites shelf!
I love it. The sense of adventure, grit and determination, that the girl-hero shows, me loveth :).
The story I was reading just before this- Time of the Dark, managed to capture Tolkien's pomposity (grandeur, whatever), but not the spirit of adventure. This book is much less Tolkien in the story telling, but much more so in spirit. (I don't know how to explain it any better).
Oh, and an action story with references to (and a heroine who is a cross between:) Princess Buttercup ( Princess Bride) and Eowyn the shieldmaiden ( Lord of the rings), *swoon*!
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Totally Tolkenish statement: Cantrell had pondered for many hours what he might tell Savaric if the chief asked his counsel. Advice was a two-edged sword the bard did not like to wield lightly, particularly when his prophetic riddles clouded the issue.
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ooh, spotted another Tolkenish thing: use of eastern/central asian terminologies and names (Himachal mountains, Babur). Of course, it is set in the steppes, but I didn't realize she meant to anchor the story in the real life 14th century. I like completely fictional stories with glimmers of actual historical aspects.
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... consideration of the fortress... the walls still stand and the defile has many caves that bore deep into the mountains... The werods (soldiers) will not like it. Fighting within walls goes against the grain..."So does dying needlessly at the hand of a paid mercenary," "I shall remember to tell them that." Exactly! This is what leaders would/should think about retreating to a keep! ( Time of the Dark v this story)
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The Woman of the Marsh... some kind of Baba Yaga, of old Ruski folktales. Oh my, this does bring back memories from my childhood... And I had already put this book on my favorites! How, why is it that I'd never read this book before!?
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I wish I knew where the concept of magical retaliation by facing a person with the worst of their fears came from. Or at least the book which made it more accessible to authors to base their scenes off of. (eg, Tolkien wasn't the first to write of elves and dwarves and all that, but his version of bringing it all together is the base of most of the writings now). *sigh* I doubt I'll ever find out.
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Okay, so I finished it, and loved it. It felt a little hurried at places, with the author telling us what happened, instead of showing, but this was stuff like Cor tormenting Gabria/Gabran, so I didn't really want that expounded on. The magic learning, well, free pass on that one.
One minor quibble, in all the folktales involving Baba Yaga (that I've read; and yes, it was a long time ago, and I couldn't have read ALL possible stories, still...), she was quite tricky at times, and not always benevolent, requiring a repayment for her help; but (I guess no one ever noticed this), only from the men. If it was a woman/girl she helped, the help was without maliciousness :|. I feel slightly bad for the malignment of powerful old women (witches), when powerful old men are portrayed as intelligent and forgiving and just. Still, giving the novel a pass, because overall, it is really good.
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I saw someone complain of the lack of originality (full of predictable, commonplace, fantasy tropes; nothing new in and of itself; etc). I would agree, mostly. But all ideas are essentially borrowed. And I thought the author did a good job of bringing them together here.
I love it. The sense of adventure, grit and determination, that the girl-hero shows, me loveth :).
The story I was reading just before this- Time of the Dark, managed to capture Tolkien's pomposity (grandeur, whatever), but not the spirit of adventure. This book is much less Tolkien in the story telling, but much more so in spirit. (I don't know how to explain it any better).
Oh, and an action story with references to (and a heroine who is a cross between:) Princess Buttercup ( Princess Bride) and Eowyn the shieldmaiden ( Lord of the rings), *swoon*!
--------------------------------
Totally Tolkenish statement: Cantrell had pondered for many hours what he might tell Savaric if the chief asked his counsel. Advice was a two-edged sword the bard did not like to wield lightly, particularly when his prophetic riddles clouded the issue.
--------------------------------
ooh, spotted another Tolkenish thing: use of eastern/central asian terminologies and names (Himachal mountains, Babur). Of course, it is set in the steppes, but I didn't realize she meant to anchor the story in the real life 14th century. I like completely fictional stories with glimmers of actual historical aspects.
--------------------------------
... consideration of the fortress... the walls still stand and the defile has many caves that bore deep into the mountains... The werods (soldiers) will not like it. Fighting within walls goes against the grain..."So does dying needlessly at the hand of a paid mercenary," "I shall remember to tell them that." Exactly! This is what leaders would/should think about retreating to a keep! ( Time of the Dark v this story)
--------------------------------
The Woman of the Marsh... some kind of Baba Yaga, of old Ruski folktales. Oh my, this does bring back memories from my childhood... And I had already put this book on my favorites! How, why is it that I'd never read this book before!?
--------------------------------
I wish I knew where the concept of magical retaliation by facing a person with the worst of their fears came from. Or at least the book which made it more accessible to authors to base their scenes off of. (eg, Tolkien wasn't the first to write of elves and dwarves and all that, but his version of bringing it all together is the base of most of the writings now). *sigh* I doubt I'll ever find out.
--------------------------------
Okay, so I finished it, and loved it. It felt a little hurried at places, with the author telling us what happened, instead of showing, but this was stuff like Cor tormenting Gabria/Gabran, so I didn't really want that expounded on. The magic learning, well, free pass on that one.
One minor quibble, in all the folktales involving Baba Yaga (that I've read; and yes, it was a long time ago, and I couldn't have read ALL possible stories, still...), she was quite tricky at times, and not always benevolent, requiring a repayment for her help; but (I guess no one ever noticed this), only from the men. If it was a woman/girl she helped, the help was without maliciousness :|. I feel slightly bad for the malignment of powerful old women (witches), when powerful old men are portrayed as intelligent and forgiving and just. Still, giving the novel a pass, because overall, it is really good.
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--------------------------------
I saw someone complain of the lack of originality (full of predictable, commonplace, fantasy tropes; nothing new in and of itself; etc). I would agree, mostly. But all ideas are essentially borrowed. And I thought the author did a good job of bringing them together here.
July 21, 2022
So I read the premise for the book and I thought, cool, Mulan with magic and horses. But by the end of the first chapter I was floored. This was no Mulan, raised to be a soft, capable ornament; this was a stubborn warrior from the start who defied tradition both for honor and her own survival. She is hardened, and determined, and downright ferocious. Her anger fuels every action she takes for the rest of the book but she is able to train it into her determination. Mulan may be clever, but it's Gabria I'd want on my zombie apocalypse team.
Gabria's fight against Lord Medb at the end is what she's being driven toward throughout the book, but all her most notable fights are actually against traditions. Tradition says women aren't allowed to participate in the tribe counsel, they aren't allowed to be accepted into another clan, they aren't allowed to claim a blood price, they aren't allowed to be trained as warriors, they aren't allowed to be chief, et cetera. When Gabria takes her brother's identity her only conflict regarding these wins against tradition are all mental, as she feels the guilt when she's allowed to do the things she shouldn't be, and does things that are permitted for women but insulting or bad luck from men.
The battles that really mean the most for her are the tradition that only men are chosen as riders of the sacred horses, and the laws against magic. When she is chosen as a rider by the one, and finds and viciously denies a natural affinity for the other, her world really starts coming down around her. These are fights she didn't want to win, and she didn't realize needed to be fought. Things really take a turn for her when the horse, Nara, points out that the horses were born of magic and always choose riders with some magical talent, and suggests that the idea that women can't ride the sacred horses is just a story spread by men who didn't want their women to threaten their authority over them. We're talking some world-shattering revelations she's forced to come to terms with.
There's a great deal of politics between the clans that are surprisingly enjoyable. You know Gabria's going to have to be trained in sorcery eventually but when she finally is it's a pleasant read. Her magic teacher is an asshole, getting to her is a pain, and the payment was first a worrisome mystery and then a clever, surprising solution.
THE VERDICT? There's surprisingly little I didn't enjoy about this book. It had just the right amount of female empowerment, the characters were all enjoyable and I adored following Gabria around. A couple of things were predicable (her falling for the chief's next-in-line, her eventual magic lessons, and one or two other things) but even those were written to still be interesting. Though the following books in the series look like they get way more into the fantasy elements, almost too much from the look of them, this one makes for a great stand alone if you don't want to get into the heavy-handed magical fantasy stuff. I highly recommend reading this one.
Gabria's fight against Lord Medb at the end is what she's being driven toward throughout the book, but all her most notable fights are actually against traditions. Tradition says women aren't allowed to participate in the tribe counsel, they aren't allowed to be accepted into another clan, they aren't allowed to claim a blood price, they aren't allowed to be trained as warriors, they aren't allowed to be chief, et cetera. When Gabria takes her brother's identity her only conflict regarding these wins against tradition are all mental, as she feels the guilt when she's allowed to do the things she shouldn't be, and does things that are permitted for women but insulting or bad luck from men.
The battles that really mean the most for her are the tradition that only men are chosen as riders of the sacred horses, and the laws against magic. When she is chosen as a rider by the one, and finds and viciously denies a natural affinity for the other, her world really starts coming down around her. These are fights she didn't want to win, and she didn't realize needed to be fought. Things really take a turn for her when the horse, Nara, points out that the horses were born of magic and always choose riders with some magical talent, and suggests that the idea that women can't ride the sacred horses is just a story spread by men who didn't want their women to threaten their authority over them. We're talking some world-shattering revelations she's forced to come to terms with.
There's a great deal of politics between the clans that are surprisingly enjoyable. You know Gabria's going to have to be trained in sorcery eventually but when she finally is it's a pleasant read. Her magic teacher is an asshole, getting to her is a pain, and the payment was first a worrisome mystery and then a clever, surprising solution.
THE VERDICT? There's surprisingly little I didn't enjoy about this book. It had just the right amount of female empowerment, the characters were all enjoyable and I adored following Gabria around. A couple of things were predicable (her falling for the chief's next-in-line, her eventual magic lessons, and one or two other things) but even those were written to still be interesting. Though the following books in the series look like they get way more into the fantasy elements, almost too much from the look of them, this one makes for a great stand alone if you don't want to get into the heavy-handed magical fantasy stuff. I highly recommend reading this one.
June 2, 2014
This is an older fantasy book I picked up. It is from TSR and I was very happy the story line did not feature the classic D&D style magic. (I've played and enjoyed D&D for years, but the rules of magic in the game are for balancing character power, not telling fiction.)
The story features primarily Gabria, a young woman, who is the last survivor of her clan which was massacred. She had a twin brother, whom she assumed the identity of in order to move about a very male dominated society.
The story also features intelligent horses that are larger and more powerful than their brethren. One of these horses befriends Gabria and in doing so, grants her a great deal of status (as long as she continues her disguise as a man). I would have liked to see a little more develop from their relationship.
Magic features strongly in the story, where it is outlawed, but Gabria has the skill for sorcery.
The plot overall is not bad. There are a few POV switches that were rough, but I kept track of who was thinking at the time, so not fatal. It feels like something written in the late 80s / early 90s (published in 1990).
It was an easy read; I knocked the book out in one day. If you are looking for an something that can be read quickly, this is a reasonable choice. There is a sequel and I will probable pick it up and read it as well (actually, there looks to be 7 books in the series, all the way up through 2003, though based on the names of the books, I am not sure they will feature Gabria).
I would probably give it 3.5 stars instead of 4, but I rounded up.
The story features primarily Gabria, a young woman, who is the last survivor of her clan which was massacred. She had a twin brother, whom she assumed the identity of in order to move about a very male dominated society.
The story also features intelligent horses that are larger and more powerful than their brethren. One of these horses befriends Gabria and in doing so, grants her a great deal of status (as long as she continues her disguise as a man). I would have liked to see a little more develop from their relationship.
Magic features strongly in the story, where it is outlawed, but Gabria has the skill for sorcery.
The plot overall is not bad. There are a few POV switches that were rough, but I kept track of who was thinking at the time, so not fatal. It feels like something written in the late 80s / early 90s (published in 1990).
It was an easy read; I knocked the book out in one day. If you are looking for an something that can be read quickly, this is a reasonable choice. There is a sequel and I will probable pick it up and read it as well (actually, there looks to be 7 books in the series, all the way up through 2003, though based on the names of the books, I am not sure they will feature Gabria).
I would probably give it 3.5 stars instead of 4, but I rounded up.
Read
November 2, 2023Sometimes you just HAVE to read a paperback fantasy novel with some cheap-o-looking artwork on the cover. As far as that goes, Dark Horse fit the bill.
After judging this book by its cover, then, the story itself: no real surprises: orphaned when a evil sorcerer destroys her entire nomadic clan, young Gabria takes on the identity of her twin brother and vows revenge. Add a sentient horse, budding forbidden magical talent, a handsome leader of another clan threatened by the evil sorcerer, and I imagine you know how it all turns out.
A workmanlike addition to the genre.
After judging this book by its cover, then, the story itself: no real surprises: orphaned when a evil sorcerer destroys her entire nomadic clan, young Gabria takes on the identity of her twin brother and vows revenge. Add a sentient horse, budding forbidden magical talent, a handsome leader of another clan threatened by the evil sorcerer, and I imagine you know how it all turns out.
A workmanlike addition to the genre.
February 28, 2008
I love this book. I have reread it many times and it never gets old. I think Herbert's writing is exciting and fun. I'm sad that it's out of print, as well as the other books in the series.
While Gabriella is lost in the woods, her family and clan are murdered. She knows by who, and as the only survivor she sets out to revenge their death by taking on the identity of her brother, Gabriel.
While Gabriella is lost in the woods, her family and clan are murdered. She knows by who, and as the only survivor she sets out to revenge their death by taking on the identity of her brother, Gabriel.
April 24, 2010
Very well written first book in a fantasy trilogy. I read it the first time when i was fifteen and it remains an absorbing read even today. Her characters are strong, especially the female protagonist and her horse, and what is especially touching, is the slow maturation of her relationship with the young wertain of her new clan.
May 11, 2015
So I've read book with magic horse before, and it made my opinion in horse higher (Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey). At first, the book shows promises, perfect setting for meeting our new friend the horse, but it just need one moment to turned from one intelligent, divine horse onto normal speaking horse. So I couldn't continue my journey. Farewell horse!
July 8, 2007
The plot was decent but felt overly cliched at times. Herbert's writing style made me grit my teeth: telling not showing and shifting POVs made the whole book seem awkward and cumbersome to read. I have the second book but I don't think I'll be reading it.
June 2, 2008
Horses, telepathy and magic another good combination. One of the books kind of reminded me of some elements of the Lord of the Rings series.
July 25, 2011
I have read this book dozens of times. Its absolutely fantastic, this is the book that got me addicted to fantasy stories with epic journies. Gabria is incredibly strong as a character. Never read the other two in the series but recently have managed to get them so will be reading them as well.
July 30, 2021
As horse fan I could not resist this book and I do not regret it.
It's about girl, the only survivor of massacre, seeking revenge. She will need all her strength and more to achieve that goal.
Maybe I'm a little overrating this book, because story is naive and predictable. Even so, I like it.
It's about girl, the only survivor of massacre, seeking revenge. She will need all her strength and more to achieve that goal.
Maybe I'm a little overrating this book, because story is naive and predictable. Even so, I like it.
May 30, 2013
This book has stayed with me for many years. I have been able to grow into my life because of this book. I often thank my sister for sharing it with me. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I am not exaggerating when I say this book has shaped my views and beliefs.
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