Book Review: Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn

Lynda Williams of Okal Rel Universe fame has written this book review.

Lynda Williams Reviews Summer at Castle Auburn

Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn is a charming tale of disillusionment and romance set in a classical fantasy setting with some unique touches.

I picked it up second hand for the sake of the endorsements from Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn, and I wasn't disappointed.

Image used with permission.

It's a gentle story, although the protagonist has to live through discovering the ugliness behind her rosy childhood vision of the courtly relatives. I enjoyed the fey species called the aliora, prized as slaves for their unfailing kindness even in captivity, and the many well integrated subplots.

Like many strong-minded heroines in medieval fantasies, the heroine Corie gets away with more than might be historically justified, but not so much that her choices are easy ones. Corie's training in the healing arts of her grandmother, a village wise woman, makes her independence more believable.

A manageable read for young lovers of romantic fantasy and entertaining for adults, also.

by Lynda Williams
Author Okal Rel Universe

More About Sharon Shinn

Sharon Shinn's website lists this book in the novels section where it is described as, "Named to the ALA list of Best Books for Young Adults."

Sharon Shinn writes fantasy for adults and young adults alike. On her website she lists 5 novels and 1 short story written specifically for young adults. Among these, 3 deserve special mention.

• The Safe-Keeper's Secret, first published in 2004, "was named to the ALA list of Best Books for Young Adults."
• The Truth Teller’s Tale was "named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age and made it onto the 2006 Bank Street Children’s Book List."
• The short story "Wintermoon Wish" was published in the young adult anthology Firebirds Rising 

I enjoyed exploring Sharon Shinn's beautiful website and reading the extremely interesting descriptions of her books. Who knows, maybe I will begin to read more fantasy, a feat that I currently do on a limited basis as I am such a die-hard hard SF fan. Am I mellowing as I age? Of course, I have always loved a good romance novel!

Thanks, Lynda, for this introduction to another spec fiction author.

~Valerie

Krysia Anderson, A YA herself, Writer and Poet: her new Poem and new Novel

This post: the Novel; the Poem; Krysia's words.

Elizabeth Wood writes of the novel Misfit Leaves Home by Krysia Anderson, "Woven in the intricate fabric of the ORU, Misfit explores the themes of class and discrimination, duty and individual choice, heredity and destiny."[personal communication, Oct. 2010]

A lofty challenge for the best of authors, an impressive accomplishment for a young woman who can only recently vote, she is so young. Currently, Ms. Anderson is touring local schools, talking to English classes about her work.

This novel is written in the Okal Rel Universe, invented and copyrighted by Lynda Williams, an active RFF member and mentor to Ms. Anderson and other aspiring writers. Learn more about the Okal Rel Universe and both authors.

Krysia Anderson, of Canada, had this to say about her interest in science fiction,

"My love affair with reading really started when I was in grade 4. Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone was the very first real book I read on my own and ever since then I can't stop. At first I mostly read fantasy, but as I got older I branched out into science fiction and now I even enjoy non-fiction. Although science fiction is definitely my favourite."

Krysia Anderson shared her newest poem with the Reading For the Future page on Facebook and graciously allowed it to be reprinted here.~Valerie

Books are Masochists 

a poem by Krysia Anderson

Books are Masochists
They call out from the shelves
Screaming harlots of a medium
Saying
Hold me
Bend me
Love me
Abuse me
Just so you can soothe me
Throw me across the room if necessary
Stay with me long into the night
and when you're done and satisfied
cast me aside and pick up another one

Open and shut me until my spine breaks
And my pages fall out
Scattering themselves everywhere
They whisper
Read me
And I am eager to oblige

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