"Enchanting fantasy"
The city of Ukiny in the kingdom of Adara is besieged by
warriors of Tibre who depend on cannons, guns, and
gunpowder instead of magic to take over the realm. Kallista
Varyl, a captain and a naitan (witch) prays to the One for
a victory and when she uses her magic, to her amazement
every Tibre soldier on Adara is killed except for Stone who
is taken prisoner. Both Stone and Kallista are god-marked
and as they sail on the same ship to the capital city, they
realize something inside them has intrinsically changed. Aisee, a Tibran slave girl attaches herself to Kallista on
the boat ride to the capital and once there another god-
marked person, the rich merchant Obed finds them. The ruler
orders all the players, including Kallista's bodyguard
married in a special ceremony that will make them an
instant family. Kallista acquiesces because she needs all
the magic that she can command because her new family is
going to the capital city of Tibre to kill the demon that
pushed them into going to war. THE COMPASS ROSE is a sword and sorcery fantasy that
concentrates as much on the characters as it does on the
battles. The Adara use magic as another sense believing it
is a gift from the One and they are one in harmony with the
earth as opposes to the repressive caste society of Tibre.
Gail Dayton has created a world that is so colorful and
vivid readers will feel they made an adventurous visit to
this enchanting realm. Harriet Klausner
Posted February 26, 2005
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted January 1, 2007
|
