Silver Ravens

Fletcher (Isle of Broken Years) serves up tasty, trope-filled political intrigue with a side of wholesome lesbian love in this fun but unsubtle romantic fantasy. Computer programmer Lori follows clues hidden in a gaming magazine that lead her to the Silver Ravens, an elite force of warriors employed by Queen Rianna of Annwyn—more commonly known as fairyland. The Silver Ravens, led by the alluring Tamsin, bring Lori to Annwyn to decode an ancient scroll. Lori falls for Tamsin while accompanying the Silver Ravens on a follow-up mission to capture Rianna’s escaped enemy, Gilwyn. But Lori struggles to reconcile Tamsin’s devotion to her queen with the realities of the inequalities she’s seen in Annwyn. Fletcher’s depiction of the Boggarts, Annwyn’s servant class who respect each other no more than the Fay respect them, will make some readers cringe even with the weak redemption of Lori’s compassion for their struggles. Despite this, Fletcher succeeds in crafting a gentle, fanciful lesbian love story about questioning cultural bias. Readers will be entertained. (July)