"Not even Necessity knows all ends." ~ from Jo Walton's The Philosopher Kings
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| Fool's Quest: Book II of the Fitz and the Fool Series by Robin HobbEpic Fantasy. Picking up where Fool's Assassin left off, Fool's Quest reunites FitzChivalry "Fitz" Farseer and his long-lost friend, the Fool -- and just in time, as the Fool has sustained life-threatening injuries at the hands of their enemies. Worse, Fitz's young daughter has been kidnapped. The former royal assassin and his companion set out to rescue her -- a quest that coincides with the Fool's own desire for vengeance. This atmospheric and dramatic 2nd installment of a trilogy features numerous characters introduced in author Robin Hobb's previous Farseer and Tawny Man series. |
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| Killing Pretty: A Sandman Slim Novel by Richard KadreyNoir Fantasy. Since saving the universe in The Getaway God, nephilim James Stark -- a.k.a. "Sandman Slim" -- has been working as a private investigator in Los Angeles. When someone traps Death in human form and attempts to murder the body, it's Stark's job to track down the would-be killer. Teaming up with the only mortal ever to have outwitted his client, Stark investigates the crime, increasingly aware that failure could have cosmic repercussions. Gritty and violent, yet darkly humorous, Killing Pretty is book 7 in a series that begins with Sandman Slim. |
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| Daughter of the Blood by Anne BishopDark Fantasy. A matriarchal society in which women rule and men serve, the Three Realms -- Terreille (Light), Kaeleer (Shadow), and Hell (Darkness) -- are inhabited by a race known as the Blood, whose magic (called Craft) is contained within Jewels, whose colors indicate caste and rank. An ancient prophecy foretells the arrival of a new Queen in Hell, Jaenelle Angelline, whose extraordinary Witch power is rivaled only by her youth and innocence. Which means that whoever controls Jaenelle controls Darkness itself. Fans of Tanith Lee and Storm Constantine's books should appreciate the intricately plotted and highly sensual Black Jewels series, which continues with Heir to the Shadows and Queen of the Darkness. |
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| The Magicians' Guild: The Black Magician Trilogy, Book One by Trudi CanavanEpic Fantasy. Angry at being evicted from her home in the slums of Imardin during the King's annual Purge, Sonea hurls a rock at the Magician's Guild of Kyralia -- and penetrates their magical shield, something no commoner should be able to do. Now, Sonea is on the run from the Guild's most powerful members, who search every nook and cranny of the city to find her. Sonea does not believe their claim that they have no wish to harm her, for what have magicians ever done for ordinary people? However, she may have no choice but to trust them: if she doesn't learn to control her newfound magic, it will consume her. The Magician's Guild is the 1st book in the Black Magician trilogy, which continues with The Novice and concludes with The High Lord. |
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| Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline CareyEpic Fantasy. Raised among the isolated Maghuinn Dhonn of Alba, Moirin knows nothing of the wider world until she undergoes her people's traditional rite of passage and discovers that her destiny lies in Terre D'Ange. As a servant of Naamah, goddess of desire, Moirin develops her innate magical powers with the help of mentors and lovers. In the process, she encounters numerous individuals who will influence her life's path, but none who can dictate it, try though they might. Naamah's Kiss is the lush, sensual opening installment of a stand-alone trilogy within the Kushiel's Legacy series. Moirin's adventures continue in Naamah's Curse, and Naamah's Blessing. |
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| Foundation: The Collegiate Chronicles by Mercedes LackeyHigh Fantasy. Thirteen-year-old orphan Magpie ("Mags") is a slave in the gem mines of Velgarth until he's Chosen to become a Herald of Valdemar by Dallen, a telepathic, horse-like creature known as a Companion. With its well-drawn, sympathetic characters and detailed world-building, this atmospheric and lyrical coming-of-age story stands on its own. However, longtime fans of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books will enjoy learning about the founding of the Heralds' Collegium in this five-volume series, which continues (in order) with Intrigues, Changes, Redoubt, and Bastion. |
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