Mystic and Rider

[joshwriting]

Yesterday, I finished a new paperback by Sharon Shinn, of whom I have written before. She is the author of Archangel among other books. Mystic and Rider is a more common tale than her Archangel tales. A band of folks, with some magic users and some fighters, are off on a mission for the king and deal with assorted obstacles including themselves on the mission.

Sounds pretty boring when put like that.

It was not. Interesting treatments and reactions, relationships, etc. I won't claim it is brilliant or unique. But I did find it was a good read.

Comments

[ratesjul.livejournal.com]

I picked up her "Truth Teller's" something (I can't read the rest of the title from where I am relative to it) the other day ... Good?

[dragongstone.livejournal.com]

It is her Young Adult fiction. Yes, it is fabulous. You picked up the second book in the "series," but it doesn't really matter barring level of exposition she provides about the world.

The first book is Safe-Keeper's Secret. I actually advise you begin with that one simply because you really do need the exposition. The next in the series is Truth-Teller's Tale, which you already have so hang on to it.

The newest book in the series is Dream-Maker's Magic and that will not be published until May 4th.

[ratesjul.livejournal.com]

*wanders off to library website, tossing a "Thank you!" at Dragon*

[dmnsqrl.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I haven't read that one yet. I've read all the Archangel books and Wrapt in Crystal (or something Crystal) and the Shapechanger's Wife and I really liked them all. Maybe I'll look into it.

[dragongstone.livejournal.com]

How many cliches can Shinn fit into one book? This book is full of amatuer cliches and it was horrible. I've read fanfiction much better than this crap. I don't know when she wrote the story, but I think it is too awful to be brand new. That's my two cents.

Well, the sequel, called Thirteenth House, is out in hardcover right now. You possibly already know that. I hope it is an improvement.

Thirteenth House

[(Anonymous)]

That's the first one of her books that I've ever read and I enjoyed it enough to find Mystic and Rider in the library, and then start working my way through the archangel ones.

For me to finish a novel I have to get involved with the characters and want to know what happens to them. This explains why I practically always read the conclusion first. And my addiction to romance novels because they have happy endings.

/J

Re: Thirteenth House

[dragongstone.livejournal.com]

I found it disappointing. I would not be as disgusted as I am with Mystic and Rider had I not read her previous work. However, I knew she could do work so much better than that. Some of my friends could write so much better than that (Tammy not included in that group).

I also read for the characters. These were flat, cliche characters which leads me to believe that Mystic and Rider is an older work that needed to be published before she could publish the sequel. That is just a theory though.

Tell me, is Thirteenth House better than Mystic and Rider?

[beccal.livejournal.com]

I, too, enjoy her writing. Try 'Jenna Starborne', if you want to appreciate 'Jane Eyre'.