Maledicte, by Lane Robins

Maledicte
by Lane Robins (lanerobins)
434 pages (trade paperback)
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy

This has been on my list for a while, so I jumped at the chance to borrow it from sarahbrand at Alpha. Unfortunately I forgot to note the page count, andThank you, Sarah! I read it very quickly due to time constraints. I wish I'd had time to savor it slowly, because it was an excellent book.

The story opens with Miranda and Janus, two street rats doing small-time robbery in the Relicts district. Janus is unexpectedly kidnapped by a sneering nobleman, as he is the bastard son of Lord Last (who has no other heirs). Broken-hearted and furious, Miranda finds her way to the ruined temple of Black-Winged Ani, who makes a pact with her. Plotting for vengeance ensues; Miranda is given a deadly sword with a black-feathered hilt and stumbles--by chance?--into the home of Last's longtime enemy Vornatti. She secures the sympathy, aid, and friendship of Vornatti's servant Gilly, eventually debuting in the court as a fiery-tempered, beautiful man called Maledicte.

I won't give away anything more, but suffice to say that Ani is a vicious, vengeful goddess and Janus has his own yearning for power. There are other memorable characters, all deeply and expertly drawn. I half-expected the ending for a while, but it was nevertheless satisfying. Highly recommended, especially for like-minded lovers of political fantasy.

Odalisque, by Fiona McIntosh

Odalisque: Book One of the Percheron Saga
by Fiona McIntosh
463 pages (galley proof)
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy

One of the Confluence dealers had a box of ARC/proof/review copy books, at very good prices. I bought both this and Book Two, Emissary (which is an advance copy too, since it comes out in October), for $10 each. Not bad for a trade paperback size. There were a few copyedit errors, but easily ignored. McIntosh is Australian, which perhaps explains why she isn't well-known in the United States yet. This book reminds me of Guy Gavriel Kay, perhaps pre-Fionavar. The quality isn't quite up to GGK's level, but the potential is there. Complex plot, vivid setting, and sympathetic characters all contribute to the greatness. Although the use of omniscient POV baffles me, when the story would be stronger in third person limited multiple point of view.

I picked this title up originally because I was attracted to the idea of a non-medieval society (harem, Zar). The atmosphere is definitely Middle Eastern, which is a nice change from the usual. The religions are completely fantasy, though, so I can't pinpoint any specific country used as the base (one of my caveats about Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series). This is historical-political fantasy, full of intrigue and betrayal. With a little more polishing and experience, I can see Fiona McIntosh joining Guy Gavriel Kay, Ellen Kushner, and George R.R. Martin as one of my favorite authors.

I'm bad at plot summary, so I'll just direct you to the Amazon reviews.