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

Have you read the latest from the Liaden Universe?

 Book Reviews

  

A Quick Word from Valerie

I am a huge fan of Lee and Miller's Liaden Universe series. This mix of sweeping sci fi space opera, romance, alien cultures, and fantasy--with a bit of military sci fi thrown in--keeps me begging for more. For years I wanted to know Theo's story after she was introduced in I Dare.

Well, the wait is over for most. For me, the wait ended last year when I read the working draft of these two novels as they were serialized online, along with the network of fans who were invited to critique the novels as they were written. Maybe Lee and Miller started a trend. Hope so. You can find out more about it on their site korval.com .

It was with great pleasure that I received these 2 book reviews from an RFF, Inc., volunteer to tell you what the two novels are about and how they fit in with the mission of RFF, Inc.

~Valerie, rff-blogmaster

Two Book Reviews by Laura Swift Lind


Fledgling by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

Theo Waitley is a young woman who, although she likes learning, isn't doing well in school. It doesn't help that her dad is from another planet and doesn't care about fitting into the university culture, or that her parents have been together her whole life on a planet where most kids don't even know who their dad is, or that she is always getting in accidents. When her mom has to travel to another planet for research, Theo goes with her, and begins to learn about who she is and why she has always had trouble at school.

Saltation by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

In the sequel, Theo Waitley goes off to college. She does much better, but still has trouble with math, until an upperclassman sees her knitting while trying to work out a knotty problem. This gets her an interview with one of the top administrators; and all of a sudden, Theo is on the fast track to be an interstellar pilot. Unfortunately, the planet she's on doesn't like outsiders, and with all her studying, Theo's still not fitting in with the culture.

These two new books set in the Liaden Universe created by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller are geared towards teenagers with the school settings and coming-of age-themes, but will still appeal to adults. It is not necessary to know anything about the previous books to enjoy these, as the main character doesn't know about any of that history, herself. If you have read I Dare, though, you will recognize the final scene.

~Laura Swift Lind

 

Visit Laura Swift Lind at the StarHouse Discovery Center

http://starhousediscovery.org