Winter Moon by Mercedes Lackey, Tanith Lee, and C.E. Murphy
What they say:
Three enchanting stories set during the magical winter solstice.
"Moontide" by Mercedes Lackey: In an isolated land where the lure of the "Moontide" leads to shipwrecks, a woman is torn between obeying her father or her king. When she chooses to follow a Fool, she discovers magic she'd never expected...at a price that might be too high.
"The Heart of the Moon" by Tanith Lee: Clirando, a warrior priestess unready to face the powers trapped within her, struggles under the curse of a dead comrade until "The Heart of the Moon" reveals what has been hidden.
"Banshee Cries" by C.E. Murphy: Ritual murders under a full moon lead Jo Walker to confront a Harbinger of Death. Maybe this "gift" she has is one she can't ignore--the next life she has to save might be her own...
Commentary:
I really just borrowed this book from the library because of Ms. Lackey's inclusion in the anthology. I've heard of Tanith Lee but never really bothered looking up any of her works. These stories are centered on events that happen to three different women during the winter solstice.
Luckily for me, Lackey's contribution to this anthology was quite well written. The main character, Moira, is the daughter of a sea-keep lord. She was fostered to the Countess Vrenable as one of her Grey Ladies, trained in the arts of battle and assasination. When her father suspiciously sends for her, she realizes that there may be something evil afoot. She eventually discovers her father's plan to cause havoc to the kingdom, and it's only with the help of Kendric, her father's Fool, that she can stop that from happening.
This story was actually the precursor to all of the Five Hundred Kingdoms stories, and truth be told, it's one of the better stories in the group.
Tanith Lee's story -- to be honest, I just read the first half, and then gave up and skipped all the way to the end to figure out what happened. The premise was actually quite interesting. Clirando's a warrior priestess (think something in the lines of Xena?) who catches her (male) lover and her childhood friend in a compromising position. As befits the law of their land, she challenges them both to a duel; she obviously wins so both cheaters are exiled. Unfortunately for Clirando, her friend curses her just before leaving -- saying that she'll never again sleep for the rest of her life. When she and her band of warriors are sent to a mission on the Moon Isle, Clirando realizes that the moon has certain ways of enforcing curses.
Like I said, interesting start, but Tanith Lee just has far too much -angst- for my liking. Clirando's supposed to be a tough warrior, yet she spends a good chunk of the introductory chapters dwelling in guilt and self-pity. The ending was equally predictable too, so I'm glad that I didn't waste too much time reading it.
Skipped the C.E. Murphy story since urban fantasy just isn't my thing.
Three enchanting stories set during the magical winter solstice.
"Moontide" by Mercedes Lackey: In an isolated land where the lure of the "Moontide" leads to shipwrecks, a woman is torn between obeying her father or her king. When she chooses to follow a Fool, she discovers magic she'd never expected...at a price that might be too high.
"The Heart of the Moon" by Tanith Lee: Clirando, a warrior priestess unready to face the powers trapped within her, struggles under the curse of a dead comrade until "The Heart of the Moon" reveals what has been hidden.
"Banshee Cries" by C.E. Murphy: Ritual murders under a full moon lead Jo Walker to confront a Harbinger of Death. Maybe this "gift" she has is one she can't ignore--the next life she has to save might be her own...
Commentary:
I really just borrowed this book from the library because of Ms. Lackey's inclusion in the anthology. I've heard of Tanith Lee but never really bothered looking up any of her works. These stories are centered on events that happen to three different women during the winter solstice.
Luckily for me, Lackey's contribution to this anthology was quite well written. The main character, Moira, is the daughter of a sea-keep lord. She was fostered to the Countess Vrenable as one of her Grey Ladies, trained in the arts of battle and assasination. When her father suspiciously sends for her, she realizes that there may be something evil afoot. She eventually discovers her father's plan to cause havoc to the kingdom, and it's only with the help of Kendric, her father's Fool, that she can stop that from happening.
This story was actually the precursor to all of the Five Hundred Kingdoms stories, and truth be told, it's one of the better stories in the group.
Tanith Lee's story -- to be honest, I just read the first half, and then gave up and skipped all the way to the end to figure out what happened. The premise was actually quite interesting. Clirando's a warrior priestess (think something in the lines of Xena?) who catches her (male) lover and her childhood friend in a compromising position. As befits the law of their land, she challenges them both to a duel; she obviously wins so both cheaters are exiled. Unfortunately for Clirando, her friend curses her just before leaving -- saying that she'll never again sleep for the rest of her life. When she and her band of warriors are sent to a mission on the Moon Isle, Clirando realizes that the moon has certain ways of enforcing curses.
Like I said, interesting start, but Tanith Lee just has far too much -angst- for my liking. Clirando's supposed to be a tough warrior, yet she spends a good chunk of the introductory chapters dwelling in guilt and self-pity. The ending was equally predictable too, so I'm glad that I didn't waste too much time reading it.
Skipped the C.E. Murphy story since urban fantasy just isn't my thing.
