Resnick brings her outstanding two-part fantasy saga, which began with White Dragon: In Fire Forged, Part One
(2003), to a fully satisfying conclusion. After the defeat of the Valdani conquerors, the land of Sileria faces a threat from its most powerful caste, the Waterlords, who through their control of the water supply can extort obedience from a thirsty populace. Tansen, Sileria's greatest warrior, and Mirabar, a prophetess and fire wizard, lead the rebellion against the water cartels. Mirabar's visions suggest that for Sileria to be truly free, water magic cannot simply be vanquished—it must remain a part of Sileria's future. Tansen, with his deep-seated hatred of Waterlords, may find this notion hard to accept, she realizes. Fast-paced, witty and full of action, the book is a marvel of storytelling, but it's the credible, complex relationships among the characters that elevates this far above the usual fantasy standard. One of the book's greatest accomplishments is the humanization of the mad Waterlord Baran. At its heart, this is a story of family ties—those we choose, and those that choose us. Resnick fans have cause to rejoice. (Dec. 24)
Forecast:
The daughter of prolific SF/fantasy author Mike Resnick (and author of romance novels under the pseudonym Laura Leone), Resnick won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Fantasy or SF Writer for
In Legend Born (1998), also set in Sileria. She should rise far in the SF firmament.
