Good afternoon, friends and neighbors out there in Internet Land! And, to those family members who may have dropped by: if you have a recipe for catfish stew, OR for Mama's Chicken Garden Skillet, could you get in touch with me?
Allegedly, the cover art is by one "Darko Paganus." (No comment.) Immediately UNDER the cover arty is an Amazon Associates link to the Kindle book on Amazon. Click on the link, then buy something, and I get some coins.
As far as I could tell, there is no link, whatsoever, to Princess Bride. However, the title HAS to be in homage to the characters. Feel free to correct my misapprehension.
Things I don't like: I don't like having to fool around with How-To-Make-My-Computer-Work when I am trying to get some work done. Had to do that. You'd think copying and pasting would be EASY. Not always.
Things I love. I LOVE it when an author throws in something wonderful. It can be a DELIGHTFUL choice of phrase; maybe a throw-away line that tells you EVERYTHING; or, probably my favorite, when the author shows a gifted insight into the way people work. When I find a passage like that, I want to run to someone, and READ it to them, because it's just that good. And that last thing I love? Stovall presents it here in this book, in a most excellent gift package. There may be bonbons attached; I wouldn't be surprised.
The rest of the review is going to be me, striving to tell you what she did, without spoilers. Rest assured; I will deprive the review of the best reveal, BUT you MUST read the book!
In this second book in the Frith series, Master Arcanist Zelfree has taken on six apprentices with their bonded eldrins:
Volke, with Luthair, the Knightmare; Ilia, with Nicholin, the Rizzel; Zaxis, with Forsythe the Phoenix; And, I don't remember the names of the last three eldrins, and don't want to stop writing to do the needful search: Atty, with a Phoenix; Adelgis, with an Ethereal Whelk; Hexa, with a Hydra.
A starting competition, to find apples, reveals the personalities of the six, and also shows protagonist Volke that he is relying too much on his physical abilities, and not on his magic.
This artificial task is immediately followed by a task of significant importance: find two missing griffins, magical creatures who were to be present at a bonding. This one becomes sinister in a hurry, and it sets up the tasks for the remainder of the book.
The second task also reveals much about the character of Volke and Zaxis, particularly the latter. He has always come across as a shallow, self-centered braggart, but he begins to reveal other sides as well.
Meanwhile, there are other feelings just below the surface within the group; some reciprocated, some not. It's romance stuff, and it's what you would expect in a mixed group of apprentices. However, this appears to be a highly moral culture, at least in some respects, so the only late-night visits are for plots, fears, and support, and not for smooching.
And another thing that is becoming more evident is just how WIERD the master arcanist is. His primary presentation is that of a grump, but sometimes, it's clear that he has great concern and affection for his students. But mostly, he works overtime to distance himself from them. But, if he doesn't like apprentices, why did he take SIX?
I have to stop now, because to go further would be getting into MAJOR spoiler land. Without getting into specifics, though, I'll tell you that Stovall has a very clear insight into how much devastation can come, when you try to keep a lie hidden, even from people you should be close to.
Yes, there are more books in the series, and they should make excellent reading as well.
Peace be on your household.
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