"Exciting fantasy"
When the Sainnites left their homeland and marched into
Shaftal, they came as conquerors, believing that the
barren, mostly cold kingdom would be easily taken since it
had no standing army. Battles were fought, lives were
lost and after thirty five years the Sainnites believed
they were in control of the land. The Palladin force
consists mostly of Shaftal farmers that are not strong
enough to destroy their enemy especially since at heart
they are a peace loving people. Although the Sainnites believe they have destroyed the
mages and it no longer exists, it has just been hidden
waiting for the right time to surface. Karis the new
G'deon is an earth witch who has the power to heal the
land but she chooses to stay in the background, helping
her people in small ways until the right moment comes to
make a stand. Even then the Sainnites must be willing to
live in peace with the Shaftal and that will take a
miracle since they see no need to lay down their arms to a
conquered people. Aside from the talking ravens that let Karis and her group
spy on the Sainnites, the magic in EARTH LOGIC is muted
because it would just get in the way of trying to find a
way to peace. Karis is a good leader, a smart technician
who is approachable to those close to her but keeps others
at a distance so readers don't really feel like they know
her. Laurie J. Mark's fantasy novel is exciting because
of the clash between two different cultures and this
differentiation makes this book a fascinating look at a
world in flux. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted February 27, 2004
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A sweeping drama of war, intrigue, magic, and love With Earth Logic, Laurie J. Marks continues the epic of her
stunningly imagined world of Shaftal, which she first
introduced in Fire Logic. Shaftal has a ruler again, a woman with enough power to
heal the war-torn land and expel the invading Sainnites
from Shaftal. Or it would have a ruler if the earth witch
Karis G'deon consented to rule. Instead, she lives in
obscurity with the fractious family of elemental talents
who gathered around her in Fire Logic. She is waiting for
some sign, but no one, least of all Karis herself, knows
what it is. Then the Sainnite garrison at Watford is attacked by a
troop of zealots claiming to speak for the Lost G'deon, and
a mysterious and deadly plague attacks the land, killing
both Sainnites and Shaftali. Karis must act or watch her
beloved country fall into famine and chaos. And when Karis
acts, the very stones of the earth sit up and take notice.
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