The Well of Tears

A fantastic history of Wales is promised but not fully delivered in Trahan’s debut tale of magic, politics, and powerful women. Five centuries after the reign of King Arthur, sorceress Alwen returns from exile and is chosen by the leader of the magical Stewards to serve as his proxy in case of treachery. Alwen, who became a wife and mother while in exile, may have to sacrifice her role in her family in order to preserve the strength of the order. Though Alwen emerges as a complex protagonist, concerned about relationships with and among others as well as her responsibilities to her family and to the world, the antagonists are boringly self-serving and single-minded. While some scenes are poignant, and the depiction of magic is intriguing, the heroes are too good and the villains too evil for the attempts at complex political intrigue to work. Further installments in the series may add greater depth, but the opener has bit off more than it can chew. Agent: Jennifer Schober, Spencerhill Associates. (Sept.)