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Mystic and Rider

(Twelve Houses #1)

Sharon Shinn

4.09 · Rating details · 9,621 ratings · 605 reviews

Gillengaria seethes with unrest. In the south, hostility toward magic and its users has risen to a dangerous level, though King Baryn has ordered that such mystics are to be tolerated. It is whispered that he issued the decree because his new wife used her magic powers to ensnare him… The King knows there are those in the noble Twelve Houses who could use this growing diss ...more

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Mass Market Paperback, 432 pages

Published February 28th 2006 by Ace (first published March 1st 2005)

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Mar 03, 2014 Keertana rated it it was amazing

Shelves: swoooon, rainy-day-re-reads, kick-ass-heroines, 2014-favorites

From the ages of six through thirteen, I dreaded Back-to-School Night. Every year, my parents would meet the new teacher I had been assigned that fall and every year, that teacher would repeat the same phrase: "...an advanced and voracious reader, but fails to read diversely." Following those meetings, my parents would return home with a concerned frown on their faces, having been told their daughter was bright and apt in all subjects, but simply refused to pick up a novel outside the fantasy ge From the ages of six through thirteen, I dreaded Back-to-School Night. Every year, my parents would meet the new teacher I had been assigned that fall and every year, that teacher would repeat the same phrase: "...an advanced and voracious reader, but fails to read diversely." Following those meetings, my parents would return home with a concerned frown on their faces, having been told their daughter was bright and apt in all subjects, but simply refused to pick up a novel outside the fantasy genre. In fact, it is thanks to those very same Back-to-School Nights that I've stockpiled on beautiful editions of the classics: everything from Little Women to Anne of Green Gables has made its way under my Christmas tree for years, to no avail.

Eventually, I grew bold enough to venture into contemporary fiction, but to this day, it fails to bring me the same sense of grounding -- of lightness of being, if you will -- as fantasy does. I can't explain it, but there's something incredibly calming about losing yourself in an other world, forced to remember a multitude of names, cities, and countries which don't exist on our plane, but do in another.

Mystic and Rider, after a long and hollow reading slump, has awakened my passion for both reading and writing after a too-fatigued era of empty novels. Inevitably, fantasy never fails to bring me around; I just don't know why it took me this long to remember.

Shinn's introduction into her Twelve Houses Series is a bold and unforgettable story. I dare you to try to put this aside after finishing its first chapter -- it may as well be declared impossible. While many reviewers have claimed Mystic and Rider is slow to start, I found it riveting from beginning to end, unable to turn my eyes away from this tale of political turmoil and religious upheaval. Gillengaria, a country overseen by a king, twelve houses, and home to mystics, is in grave danger. Rumors that the king has been ensnared by a sorceress, his young new queen, have shaken the land and, secretly, the houses prepare for war. Senneth, a mystic in the king's favor, is dispatched with two of the King's Riders, Tayse and Justin, alongside Kirra, another mystic, to travel the kingdom and bring back news of the nation's unrest.

From the surface, Mystic and Rider follows the most basic format known within the fantasy genre. Shinn's novels, as I've learned, though action-packed with plenty of intriguing plot action, are driven primarily by her characters. Senneth, our protagonist, is a powerful mystic, capable of controlling fire. Kirra, a shapeshifter, joins her journey with her bodyguard, Donnal, yet another shapeshifter. Lastly, Cammon, a young boy Senneth finds in captivity and frees, discovers that he, too, is a mystic, capable of sensing those nearby. Accompanied by two King's Riders, deadly bodyguards whose sworn loyalty to the king and weaponry skills are legendary, the six traveling companions are far from friends. Justin mistrusts mystics and aristocrats, Donnal mistrusts anyone who isn't Kirra, and Tayse is wary of Senneth for her secrets and, more importantly, for her lack of allegiances. With the exception of Senneth and Cammon, each of these travelers bears loyalty either for the king or for one of the twelve noble houses they belong to. With a multitude of warring loyalties, the inner politics of this group alone are sufficient to carry forward this story.

But Shinn's world-building is beyond impressive. Mystics, or those who possess magical ability, burn when brought in direct contact with moonstones. As such, a religious sect devoted to the Pale Goddess of the Moon, is bent on eradicating the mystics from Gillengaria. Meanwhile, the twelve houses are torn, some determined to erase mystics while others merely seek to install a different king to the throne. Wherever Senneth and her group of companions travel, they lack no end of deception, intrigue, and danger at every corner. What makes Mystic and Rider a remarkable novel, despite its hefty length, is its sheer presence. Shinn allows her characters to creep under your skin, slowly but surely. Each of these six travelers, remarkably unique and starkly different in their own light, find a way to breach their differences and trust one another, quite unexpectedly, as the story wears on. In most novels, such situations can seem easily contrived but Shinn weaves these into the narrative, never deviating her focus from Senneth's task and the political upheaval of this nation. Yet, the emotional impact of this novel never suffers for that focus, only benefits from it.

Moreover, though, the romance present within the pages of Mystic and Rider stole my breath away. Subtle and slow, wavering but kind, doubtful yet aware; it's a mature, entirely beautiful arc that unfolds carefully, rewarding the reader for their patience. Senneth, the protagonist and one of the main narrators of this tale alongside Tayse, is precisely the type of heroine I crave to read about. While she is powerful, she is no "Chosen One" for her successes are empty without the help of those around her. Yet, it is her strength of will that builds her into such a compelling protagonist. Shinn balances courage alongside vulnerability so well within each of her characters, rendering them incredibly realistic, and then she does it again, balancing their personalities and strong wills alongside a romantic interest in such a way that they complement one another, on perfect ground and equal footing despite the surface inequalities that may lie between them. I remain in awe of her skill, constantly, and can only be grateful for having discovered such characters; characters who not only understand one another, but who -- inexplicably -- understand me.

It is hard to tell if I've enjoyed Mystic and Rider more or Troubled Waters, though I suspect it is the former, after all. Sharon Shinn's novels, even the one I have been disappointed by, always manage to strike a powerful cord within me, likely because of their quiet brilliance. While I heartily love the loud, voracious novels of fantasy, such as The Song of Fire and Ice Series, I find that I equally appreciate -- if not more -- the silent stories; just as strong, just as fiery, just as compelling. ...more

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Sep 21, 2016 Melindam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, audiobook, fantasy-by-female-authors, favourites, wheelaton-5

Highly recommended to fans of the sword & sorcery / romantic fantasy genres.

Trouble may be brewing in the mythical Kingdom of Gillengaria ruled by a king, but divided into 12 fiefdoms of so-called "Great Houses", each headed by marlords or marladies loyal to the king. Or are they?

King Baryn sends his trusted counselor, Senneth in the company of her friends Kirra (a daughter of one of Gillengaria's marlords) & Donnal (Kirra's companion) to suss out how the land lies as he has reason to suspect t Highly recommended to fans of the sword & sorcery / romantic fantasy genres.

Trouble may be brewing in the mythical Kingdom of Gillengaria ruled by a king, but divided into 12 fiefdoms of so-called "Great Houses", each headed by marlords or marladies loyal to the king. Or are they?

King Baryn sends his trusted counselor, Senneth in the company of her friends Kirra (a daughter of one of Gillengaria's marlords) & Donnal (Kirra's companion) to suss out how the land lies as he has reason to suspect that the marlords/ladies from the South are contemplating rebellion to dethrone him. Their reasons are that he is old, has only one daughter & his second wife, a pretty young woman, is most probably a mystic, who bewitched him.
Mystics are people born with some kind of magic affinity (fire bringers, shapeshifters, mind-readers, etc..). They are feared and despised in most parts of the Kingdom -so most of them get cast out as soon as their inheritance manifests in some way - but they are tolerated in some places and actually encouraged in Ghosenhall (the capital of Gillengaria). Meanwhile, Coralinda Gisseltess, sister to marlord Halchon (head of the Great House Gisseltess) has established a convent to worship the Moon Goddess, gaining power and influence all over in Gillengaria. She and her growing number of righteous, zealous followers start persecuting mystics & threatening their very lives.

Senneth is to find out how allegiances are divided, who is for and against the king's rule. The journey is not without dangers, so 2 of the King's most trusted, elite warriors -called the King's Riders- Tayse and Justin accompany them. It is not a pleasant journey socially either, as the Riders don't trust Senneth or her friends because all three are powerful mystics.
On their way they rescue a young mystic boy, named Cammon, from capture and that raises the level of tension considerably.
However, views and values get reconsidered and re-established by the end of their journey that proves more perilous than any of them would have expected. The dangers they all have to face forge between them an unbreakable bond of friendship that will last a lifetime.

Just like most of Sharon Shinn stories, this book draws you in very fast so that you cannot wait to learn more and more about the plot, the characters and their world. Shinn is soooo incredibly good at political intrigue & world-building and as the story goes on, she raises the tension subtly, but gradually and you just want to keep on reading till the very end.

And the way this unlikely group of people turn from mistrustful and hostile to allies, friends or more, is juts wonderful to experience.

I listened to the audiobook version: Jennifer van Dyck does a great job, just like she did with Troubled Waters. I love her style and her ability to bring Sharon Shinn’s world so powerfully to me. ...more

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Nov 25, 2018 Charlotte rated it liked it

Shelves: women-and-nb-of-speculative-fiction, smooches

“You say I have the power to break you- well, you have changed me, and I did not think I was capable of changing again. I only hope you will not abandon me, so altered and strange to myself, because you think I am too proud to accept your love. I would hate for my life to go on like that, empty of you. I think I would be the one to finally break, after that.”

So What’s It About?

There are stirrings of discontent in the southern Houses of Gillengaria, rumors of growing power and terrible acts commi ...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Tarah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: re-reading

Dear sweet lord I loved this book.

I have a hard time getting into a lot of fantasy. It can just seem so, well, silly. You know, like the book you don't want to admit you're reading because you're worried you only like it because it's secretly just a bodice-ripper romance that happens to have dragons and magic... which themselves can make you believe that what you're reading isn't really reading as much as it is wishing you were Harry Potter...

Anyway, I find that in addition to the above anxieti Dear sweet lord I loved this book.

I have a hard time getting into a lot of fantasy. It can just seem so, well, silly. You know, like the book you don't want to admit you're reading because you're worried you only like it because it's secretly just a bodice-ripper romance that happens to have dragons and magic... which themselves can make you believe that what you're reading isn't really reading as much as it is wishing you were Harry Potter...

Anyway, I find that in addition to the above anxieties, I resent that most fantasy because it falls into the following two categories: 1) men who write untouchable, ethereal women who are perfect in every way and aloof until she realizes that our macho dude who slays in the name of justice is secretly good-heated and then she falls violently in love with him and 2) men who write stories in which they imagine women all secretly love macho men who throw them gruffly against the hay and look at them with smouldering eyes, but are also emotionally distant, which, by the way, women secretly want. Bad, fantasy fiction! No biscuit.

Okay, so the Cliffnotes: I generally don't like fantasy... because, in my defense, it's generally sexist and/or crap.

Enter Sharon Shinn. I've simultaneously reading her Angelica series, which is Sci Fi and generally fascinating. But this series is a lot more fun and a lot more engaging. The characters are all interesting and compelling.

There are two strong (but not cliched) women who are interesting, flawed, and funny, but the other characters are also compelling and make a good "ensemble" cast that you genuinely care about by the end of this book. The world is laid out for you in an interesting, but not overwhelming way, and nothing is to obviously simply just a re-write of our reality with a funny-sounding magic name (e.g. a fantasy country that is very clearly American... just in fantasy-world language).

It's a fun book that's light and a fast read, but you need not be embarrassed about it.

Well, mostly not. I do still just really wish I were Harry Potter. ...more

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Apr 11, 2018 Melindam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-by-female-authors, favourites, audiobook

Highly recommended to fans of the sword & sorcery / romantic fantasy genres.

Trouble may be brewing in the mythical Kingdom of Gillengaria ruled by a king, but divided into 12 fiefdoms of so-called "Great Houses". Each are headed by marlords or marladies loyal to the king. Or are they?

King Baryn sends his trusted counselor, Senneth in the company of her friends Kirra (a daughter of one of Gillengaria's marlords) & Donnal (Kirra's companion) to suss out how the land lies as he has reason to suspe Highly recommended to fans of the sword & sorcery / romantic fantasy genres.

Trouble may be brewing in the mythical Kingdom of Gillengaria ruled by a king, but divided into 12 fiefdoms of so-called "Great Houses". Each are headed by marlords or marladies loyal to the king. Or are they?

King Baryn sends his trusted counselor, Senneth in the company of her friends Kirra (a daughter of one of Gillengaria's marlords) & Donnal (Kirra's companion) to suss out how the land lies as he has reason to suspect that the marlords/ladies from the South are contemplating rebellion to dethrone him. Their reasons are that he is old, has only one daughter & his second wife, a pretty young woman, is most probably a mystic, who bewitched him.

Mystics are people born with some kind of magic affinity (fire bringers, shapeshifters, mind-readers, etc..). They are feared and despised in most parts of the Kingdom -so most of them get cast out as soon as their inheritance manifests in some way - but they are tolerated in some places and actually encouraged in Ghosenhall (the capital of Gillengaria).
Meanwhile, Coralinda Gisseltess, sister to marlord Halchon (head of the Great House Gisseltess) has established a convent to worship the Moon Goddess, gaining power and influence all over in Gillengaria. She and her growing number of righteous, zealous followers start persecuting mystics & threatening their very lives.

Senneth is to find out how allegiances are divided, who is for and against the king's rule. The journey is not without dangers, so 2 of the King's most trusted, elite warriors -called the King's Riders- Tayse and Justin accompany them. It is not a pleasant journey socially either, as the Riders don't trust Senneth or her friends because all three are powerful mystics.
On their way they rescue a young mystic boy, named Cammon, from capture and that raises the level of tension considerably.
However, views and values get reconsidered and re-established by the end of their journey that proves more perilous than any of them would have expected. The dangers they all have to face forge between them an unbreakable bond of friendship that will last a lifetime.

Just like most of Sharon Shinn stories, this book draws you in very fast so that you cannot wait to learn more and more about the plot, the characters and their world. Shinn is soooo incredibly good at political intrigue & world-building and as the story goes on, she raises the tension subtly, but gradually and you just want to keep on reading till the very end.

And the way this unlikely group of people turn from mistrustful and hostile to allies, friends or more, is juts wonderful to experience. ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Oct 13, 2020 Linda (not getting friends updates at this time) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: character-driven, what-are-friends-for, deliciously-entertaining, magic-involved, fantasy-adventure, animal-involved, slow-building-romance

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this story as much as I did. Surprisingly, I was in no rush to end my visit with this unusual cast of characters. I could have finished their journey in less than 48 hours. Instead, I paced my reading with a few chapters at a time.

The six members formed a motley group of mystics, shape changers, loyal soldiers and a ‘sensitive’. Their mission? To carry out King Baryn’s request: discover unrest within his country and the reason for it.

At the beginning, the two soldier ...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Sasha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: quotes, reviewed

She loved nothing so much as fire, variegated as autumn and leaping with an uncontainable vitality. To her it was the source of all beauty, all power, all creativity, all destruction. 17

After they’d cleaned up the meal, they all just sat there, by common consent unwilling to seek bedrolls and the nightmares that might come with sleep. 33

People should have someone to mourn them, when they die, someone should be sad. 33

Existing without any pride, what a terrible way to live. 64

She liked the dee ...more

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May 28, 2009 Summer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, romantic-fantasy, magic, romance, favorites, shifters-werewolves, high-fantasy

Mystic and Rider is about three mystics and two King's Riders out on a mission. In their world mystics are what they call people with magical abilities. The three on this mission are a mysterious woman named Senneth, a highborn lady named Kirra, and Kirra's servant Donnal. Senneth intended to go on her quest alone but the king ordered her to have two of his King's Riders guard her on her quest. The two chosen were a young Rider named Justin, and a battle hardened man named Tayse. Neither of thes Mystic and Rider is about three mystics and two King's Riders out on a mission. In their world mystics are what they call people with magical abilities. The three on this mission are a mysterious woman named Senneth, a highborn lady named Kirra, and Kirra's servant Donnal. Senneth intended to go on her quest alone but the king ordered her to have two of his King's Riders guard her on her quest. The two chosen were a young Rider named Justin, and a battle hardened man named Tayse. Neither of these two men however, are particularly trusting of mystics. Senneth's friend Kirra then wanted to follow, and where Kirra goes so does her servant Donnal. Add on to their group a man they saved from a village named Cammon and they have a much larger party than Senneth intended.

Their mission is to wander around the area and the Twelve Houses and find out if there is trouble brewing. In the northern areas where the king lives mystics are tolerated and are generally left alone to do as they please. But the further south you go mystics are tolerated less and less. What they find in their journey however is that things are even worse than they thought. Mystics are not being tolerated almost anywhere but the northern Houses. And the further south they travel the more murderous the people are toward mystics. Also a religion, once near forgotten, is now becoming more and more popular headed by a former highborn lady. And this particular highborn lady also turns out to have an agenda to wipe out magic from the earth and take the king off his thrown.

The mystics and the riders have to stop fighting among themselves and become one as a group if they are to survive the physical dangers of this mission and return home alive.

I was pretty impressed with this book. It started off a bit slow for me and all the complicated world building was hard for me at first to keep straight in my head. But after a while I got into the book and couldn't put it down once I started. There's also a romance in the book between Senneth and Tayse that's sort of understated until the last part of the book. In general I thought this was a really great fantasy book, especially for people looking for more character focused books in that genre. And also for someone looking for a some romance mixed in with their fantasy.
...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Jacob Proffitt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, audiobook

I need to start working through Sharon Shinn's backlist. I can't recall any of her books that I didn't like and many are some of my favorites. This book is a strong contender for future favorite (I have to wait a bit for the afterglow to die down before I can declare a true favorite).

Mystic and Rider features a party of magical mystics and King's Riders working together on a mission of discovery, tasked by the king to find out how the southern parts of the kingdom are doing. The answer they find ...more

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Jan 15, 2011 Melissa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: clean-romances, fantasy, girl-adventure-magic, favorites

AMAZING! I reread this one I like it so much. One of my all time favorite Shinn's! For 16 and up.
Reread 2-20-17- Shin has some amazing books and these are my favorite of hers. This is my 3rd time reading this series. I finally just bought the whole set. Shin has a amazing ability to build a world and place characters in it that come alive. She builds her world around her characters giving you pieces of each as the story unfolds. Senneth is one of my favorite Heroines of all time. She is strong ...more

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Dec 14, 2018 Veronica rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: buddy-read, fantasy, san-marcos-library, schertz-library

This is what I'd call light fantasy...like, really, really light fantasy. It's a good pick for readers new to the genre or for those who don't typically like fantasy stories as a whole. But for fantasy reading veterans, I'd skip this. There's room for a deep dive but the author chose to only skim the surface. ...more

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May 09, 2012 Stephanie rated it really liked it

Shelves: f-sf-for-adults

Shinn does a really interesting thing with the romance in this fantasy novel. For once, it's the heroine who's the mysterious, frighteningly powerful figure, and it's the hero who has to figure out whether *she* is really on the side of good or not, even as he can't help being drawn to her. The dynamic is thoroughly swapped around.

On the other hand, I liked but didn't love the first half of this book because I felt so emotionally distanced from the characters. I understood why we couldn't see de ...more

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Nov 27, 2010 MarsianMan rated it liked it

In a world where magic and magic users (called Mystics) are feared and hated in the South and tolerated at the king’s order in the North. The king sends a mixed group of Mystics and Riders (the king’s martial / trusted representatives) to investigate the rumors of trouble in the south. Leading the party is Senneth the friendly, unknown, and strongly powerful Mystic; not an easy task when even the King’s Riders do not trust Mystics.

The book is a fairly light hearted considering the serious natur ...more

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Aug 09, 2010 Beth rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed

Truly superbly plotted, and impressively paced, too: this feels like a stroll through a fully realized world. It’s so controlled - the writing is rich in detail and structured well; a lot of action-packed events take place, but the narrative is never propelled in their wake. It’s that deliberate pacing that allows the characters’ stories to emerge without feeling manipulated. It creates an almost elemental space, some breathing room, and a degree of inevitability, which shapes the characters and ...more

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Jan 29, 2010 Fani *loves angst* rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobooks, sf-fantasy

Nice combination of romance and fantasy but not very compelling. There was not a lot of action -only a battle or two- and the group seemed to wander undendingly to gather information for the king. The first half was boring: yet another village to visit, yet another disguise to done and off we go on the road again. In the second part the characters were more developed and exposed, the pieces of the puzzle starting to cling together and the stakes starting to rise. I particularly didn't like the a ...more

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Sep 09, 2015 Simply Sam ツ rated it really liked it

Shelves: first-in-series, fantasy

This was a mixed bag for me. There were some wonderful parts. I really liked most of the main cast of characters, though none were perfect. In some cases those imperfections added to their charm but other times it made me want to yell at them. Loudly. Maybe even shake them a little. Or a lot. They were in equal parts frustrating and endearing.

BUT

There was this boring repetitiveness to big chunks of the story and in much of their actions/interactions with one another. I just kept waiting for some ...more

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Oct 05, 2009 Mike (the Paladin) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This book was recommended on lists of people here who have recommended other books I liked. Unfortunately I lost interest by maybe 60 pages in and I just didn't get it back. It may simply be me and that this isn't the type of book I care for, or that I'm looking for right now.

The book revolves around a certain religious order of goddess worshipers, a persecuted group (population) of mystics, and a (sort of) traditional adventuring group with representatives of each group.

Anyway, I just kept dri ...more

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Mar 19, 2014 Head in the clouds rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: fantasy ,romance, swordsmanship, magic, socio-political divisions

Shelves: potential-for-reread, favourites, girlpower, otp, heroines-i-love

WOW. What a stunning read! I literally did not put this down and finished it within a day - and now it is past midnight so no coherent thoughts anymore; but I love this book for its character focused narrative - god dammnit I love Senneth - and Tayse and every one of the motley crew of travellers. The bonds of friendship that forms by the end of this book is absolutely beautiful - I will definitely check out the next books, although I desperately hope they live up to this first one, which in a s ...more

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Jun 29, 2016 Mara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Mara by: Linda

Shelves: fantasy

First, let me thank Linda for the loan.

Great fantasy, an heroine I could root for, an intriguing world building made this a great reading experience. If the sequels had followed the heroine, I would have loved to keep reading to know how the situation evolved.

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Jun 28, 2018 Katey Moore rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, 2019

This series was so hyped, I was leery of it at first. The book seemed a little hard to get into, but once I did, I flew on through. The characters are so well developed, I missed them when I finished Mystic and Rider and harrassed my friend into bringing me book two. The addiction is real.

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Dec 30, 2019 Amanda Belcher rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019, fantasy-magic-supernatural

Probably really a 3.5 but I rounded up because I really enjoyed the last 1/3 and could see myself continuing the series. Saving the rest of my thoughts for book club.

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Dec 23, 2017 loise✨ rated it really liked it

Shelves: ebooks, enjoyed, romance, adult, badass-heroine, magic, high-fantasy

magic. political intrigue. strong heroine. and slow burn romance! what else could i ask?

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Feb 08, 2012 Alexandra rated it it was amazing

*written on the 2nd Aug. 2009

Some books make you dream. Some make you laugh. Some keep you on the edge of your seat with every turn of the page. Some make you anxious and curious. Some make you cry and touch your heart. Sharon Shinn's "Mystic and Rider" novel, though not managing to reunite all the above, simply grows on you, no matter the preference you could have as a reader.

Not being the first fantasy novel I've read by this author, I knew I could expect Shinn to deliver an enthralling tale, *written on the 2nd Aug. 2009

Some books make you dream. Some make you laugh. Some keep you on the edge of your seat with every turn of the page. Some make you anxious and curious. Some make you cry and touch your heart. Sharon Shinn's "Mystic and Rider" novel, though not managing to reunite all the above, simply grows on you, no matter the preference you could have as a reader.

Not being the first fantasy novel I've read by this author, I knew I could expect Shinn to deliver an enthralling tale, yet I knew not what I was REALLY getting myself into...

With a startlingly fresh beginning, in which the narrator unravels the events from a mere inn keeper's perspective, I was caught in the wills of 6 travelers' adventure. The prose is fluid, not overly descriptive and the writing is as touching as I last remembered it to be, though not the most poetic. Shinn captures her characters exceedingly well and develops them with a swift and focused eye. If there is something that can spoil a good plot it's the lack of "good" characters. That evidently not being the case with this author, who always draws out such a lively and varied pallet of characters that simply can't fail. Thus, the reader meets haughty, beautiful, yet surprising mystic healer and shape changer Kirra, her faithful and watchful companion and childhood friend Donnal, also a shape changer, honest and soft-hearted Cammon, who finds his real identity along this adventure, restless and sharp-tongued young Justin, friend and fellow King's Rider along with Tayse, a restrained and seemingly calculated strong man, all of whom follow the lead of a mysterious and secretive woman, Senneth, who carries herself with the grandeur of a queen, yet shows the thoughtfulness and mercy few people do. A mystic above all else, Senneth leads this strangely complementary party of five through their country on a deadly mission in search of vital information for the king.

Does that ring a bell for you too? Well if it does, it's because I've started reading this series as a recommendation for a good follow-up to Lynn Kurland's "Nine kingdom" series. I had no idea what exactly will the similarities be, but I was happy to see that Shinn's series stands true and unique and the only evident parallel that can be drawn between the two being the plot aspect of having a group of people searching the land on a mission for their king. That and the fact that both Shinn and Kurland weave a delightful tale of love and adventure, each of them in their own, wonderful way.

While proving to be a master in characterization, Shinn also faces our expectations of an entertaining plot, riled with just the right amount of suspense. Both are handsomely drawn out, with the exact amount of anticipation a reader needs without turning it into an overly dramatic soap opera version of Lord of the Rings. The main characters have enough perilous encounters along the road to keep both them and the readers wide awake and fighting to go on. I can't remember once being anxious to finish a chapter, getting bored with the events or anticipating the action so fully that I'd lose interest in reading and for all the above I must thank the author for weaving the tale with such mastery and skill.

And since I can't seem to stop singing praises to this author and her novel, I will end by warmly recommending this first installment in The Twelve Houses series. I could find very little to complain about and that in itself is unexpected for me, who enjoys pointing out even the smallest or unimportant defect. Yes, Shin still constructs her villains rather plainly, mostly as linear characters and her prose is not as poetic as Juliet Marillier's or other authors, yet there is nothing beyond this that I could mention as a draw-back to the novel. Mystic and Rider is a jewel worth coveting and as such it is more than worth your reading time. ...more

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Oct 07, 2010 Miss Clark rated it liked it

Recommended to Miss Clark by: Anne Osterlund

Shelves: adventure, fairytale-fantasy-sci-fi-mythology

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3.5/ 4 stars

After a somewhat lukewarm reaction to Fortune and Fate, where the only characters I cared about were Cammon, Senneth and Justin, I was looking forward to having them as the main characters in this volume and I was in no way disappointed. We get to see how each of the main group comes together and bonds over the course of a trying mission on behalf of their King. Magic, religion and politics blend to create a situation rife with tension and nuances that set the stage for the series' m ...more

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Jul 13, 2014 Kathleen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: series-opener, fantastical-romance, audio, heartwarming

I liked this one, but didn't feel thoroughly engrossed. Didn't bond deeply to the characters, but I liked them quite well, and bonding may occur in the sequel. My favorite characters are the wild cat (a ra-lynx?) and the young empathic "sensitive" Cammon. (Spelling may be off, since I listened only.)

The fantasy elements are somewhat interesting. The plot to overthrow the king made sense, and I was intrigued about the old queen's sudden death followed by the king's hasty new marriage. Intrigued b ...more

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Jan 17, 2016 Samantha W. rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-it, favorites, 150books2020, fantasy, 100books2016, book-club, re-reads

This is my second time reading this book, I read it for a really fun new book club I'm a part of.

Rereading fantasy is always interesting to me, because I generally don't reread books at this point in my life, and because frequently fantasy sticks with you (or at least with me). So, while I remembered a lot of the big things that happened in the book the details between characters I'd forgotten. I found that to be a pleasure to rediscover.

Sharon Shinn is definitely one of my favorite authors. I ...more

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Oct 07, 2016 Férial rated it liked it · review of another edition

I was determined to give this book a 2 stars rating but I really really liked strong and yet fragile Senneth and I liked how the characters interacted, how their relationship evolved from distrutful (riders vs mystics) to bonded in friendship (and love). The system of Houses too (though not innovative) was interesting.

If you want something light, if you want magic, friendship, some plotting, some romance (and a lot of riding and camping), then this book is for you.

Will I keep on reading this ser ...more

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Apr 09, 2009 Felicia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

I enjoyed this book a lot, thought it's been so long since I've read it I need to refresh my memory to keep going with the series. To-DO List! ...more

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Dec 13, 2018 Angela rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, swbc-2019

Okay read. A bit too light fantasy for me to want to continue with the series.

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Jan 01, 2021 Amrita Goswami rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-fiction, fantasy, romance, brain-candy

3.5 stars

This was a pleasant surprise. I've been in a bit of a rut lately. I've been too mentally exhausted with work stuff to read anything cerebral, but I was still getting annoyed with any book too trite or saccharine. This fantasy went down easy, with its no-nonsense prose, and its familiar but interesting storyline.

This is the first in a series, and there are many overarching threads left for the next few books. What really shines here is the character development, which I thought was nuan 3.5 stars

This was a pleasant surprise. I've been in a bit of a rut lately. I've been too mentally exhausted with work stuff to read anything cerebral, but I was still getting annoyed with any book too trite or saccharine. This fantasy went down easy, with its no-nonsense prose, and its familiar but interesting storyline.

This is the first in a series, and there are many overarching threads left for the next few books. What really shines here is the character development, which I thought was nuanced and believable. A major theme is that of found family, against the backdrop of intolerance towards mystics (magic users, basically). The book starts out with a group of very different individuals, with often opposing views and allegiances and even thinly veiled mistrust and hatred. The development of strong friendships between them is gradual and not at all rushed- there was a chapter I particularly liked, where the dark undercurrents of dislike erupted to the surface. The relationships grew organically and realistically, with no out-of-character sudden transformations.

But I docked a star because this whole book was basically the account of a travel journey, albeit one I found entertaining. There was a romance, but it never became soppy or cheesy. The romance was of the earnest variety, which usually bores me or makes me roll my eyes, but this one felt believable, probably because of the slow-burn. Even if you're not a fan of romance in general, I didn't think it was too obtrusive.

Senneth, the main character, an enigmatic and powerful mystic, was a very well-written strong female character who was not at all an unpleasant character. This is a refreshing change because many authors mistake 'strength' in female protagonists to be stubbornness, acerbity and selfishness. On the other hand, Senneth was genuinely a good person, without being sanctimonious, and it was easy to root for her. Senneth was saved from being a Mary Sue by having weaknesses and a past that explained her motivations.

The other characters interested me too, though less so. Attention was given to all characters (except perhaps Donnal), although Senneth was the breakout character in my opinion.

Recommended as a breezy light read, with surprising depth and good character development. The plot may seem like nothing too original but the execution pleased me, despite my crabby mood. I will probably check out the next few novels in the series. Add a star if you're fond of slow-burn (clean) romances. ...more

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Saucy Wenches Boo...: Mystic and Rider [November 2018]	16	12	Dec 14, 2018 08:35PM
All About Fantasy!: Twelve Houses series by Sharon Shin	6	15	Jun 11, 2014 12:56PM

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About Sharon Shinn

Sharon Shinn

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I’ve been writing stories and poems since I was eight years old. My first poem was about Halloween: "What is tonight? What is tonight?/Try to guess and you’ll guess right." Perhaps this inauspicious beginning explains why it took me till I was in my thirties to sell a novel. It occurred to me early on that it might take some time and a lot of tries before I was able to publish any of my creative w I’ve been writing stories and poems since I was eight years old. My first poem was about Halloween: "What is tonight? What is tonight?/Try to guess and you’ll guess right." Perhaps this inauspicious beginning explains why it took me till I was in my thirties to sell a novel. It occurred to me early on that it might take some time and a lot of tries before I was able to publish any of my creative writing, so I pursued a degree in journalism at Northwestern University so I’d be able to support myself while I figured out how to write fiction.

I’ve spent most of my journalism career at three trade and association magazines—The Professional Photographer (which, as you might guess, went to studio and industrial photographers), DECOR (which went to frame shop and art gallery owners), and BizEd (which is directed at deans and professors at business schools). My longest stint, seventeen years, was at DECOR. Many people don’t know this, but I’m a CPF (Certified Picture Framer), having passed a very long, technical test to prove I understood the tenets of conservation framing. Now I write about management education and interview some really cool, really smart people from all over the world.

I mostly write my fiction in the evenings and on weekends. It requires a pretty obsessive-compulsive personality to be as prolific as I’ve been in the past ten years and hold down a full-time job. But I do manage to tear myself away from the computer now and then to do something fun. I read as often as I can, across all genres, though I’m most often holding a book that’s fantasy or romance, with the occasional western thrown in. I’m a fan of Cardinals baseball and try to be at the ballpark on opening day. If I had the time, I’d see a movie every day of my life. I love certain TV shows so much that knowing a new episode is going to air that night will make me happy all day. (I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, but in the past I’ve given my heart to shows all over the map in terms of quality: "Knight Rider," "Remington Steele," "Blake’s 7," "Moonlighting," "The Young Riders," "Cheers," "Hill Street Blues," "X-Files," "Lost," "Battlestar Galactica"...you can probably fill in the gaps. And let’s not forget my very first loves, "The Partridge Family," "Here Come the Brides" and "Alias Smith & Jones.")

I don’t have kids, I don’t want pets, and all my plants die, so I’m really only forced to provide ongoing care for my menagerie of stuffed animals. All my friends are animal lovers, though, and someone once theorized that I keep friends as pets. I’m still trying to decide if that’s true.

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