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Westria #1
Lady of Light
It was the sixth century after the Cataclysm...
...and in the fair coastal kingdom of Westria, the dashing young King set out to find a bride, a lady who could be not only mistress of his heart, but also Mistress of the Jewels.
The Jewels of Westria: whoever could master their mysteries controlled the awesome power of the elements – and ensured the survival of fair Westria.
And in a windswept northern province, a frail girl named Faris, beautiful but meek, humbly hid a secret beneath her cloak and told no-one of the powers she had long felt struggling within her. For she never dreamed she would be the King's choice.
...and in the fair coastal kingdom of Westria, the dashing young King set out to find a bride, a lady who could be not only mistress of his heart, but also Mistress of the Jewels.
The Jewels of Westria: whoever could master their mysteries controlled the awesome power of the elements – and ensured the survival of fair Westria.
And in a windswept northern province, a frail girl named Faris, beautiful but meek, humbly hid a secret beneath her cloak and told no-one of the powers she had long felt struggling within her. For she never dreamed she would be the King's choice.
261 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1982
2 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Diana L. Paxson
170 books410 followersDiana L. Paxson (born 1943) is a novelist and author of nonfiction, primarily in the fields of Paganism and Heathenism. Her published works include fantasy and historical fiction novels, as well as numerous short stories. More recently she has also published nonfiction books about Pagan and Heathen religions and practices.
In addition to her multiple novels and collaborations, she has written over seventy short stories. Her best-known works are the Westria novels, and the later books in the Avalon series, which she first co-wrote with Marion Zimmer Bradley, then took over sole authorship of after Bradley's death.
Paxson was nominated for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards twice, in 1989 for the "White Raven" and in 1983 for "Lady of Light".
Paxson's non-fiction books include Taking Up the Runes, Essential Asatru, and Trance-Portation. She writes a regular column for the women's spirituality magazine, Sagewoman.
Paxson has been active in the leadership of a number of organizations. She hosted the first activities of the Society for Creative Anachronism, and was subsequently among that group's founding Directors and Corporate Officers when it incorporated[1]. She was the western regional director of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, and is a frequent panelist at science fiction conventions, especially Baycon, where she was the 2007 Fantasy Guest of Honor.
A leader in the Neopagan and Heathen revivals, Paxson is the founder of the The Fellowship of the Spiral Path and has served as First Officer of the Covenant of the Goddess. She has been Steerswoman of the Heathen group, The Troth, a member of its Board of Directors, and currently edits its journal, Idunna. She is a pioneer in the revival of Oracular Seidh, which she has taught and performed at many Neopagan and heathen festivals and retreats.
She composes and plays music for the harp. She currently lives at her home, Greyhaven, in Berkeley, California.
More can be found on her blog: http://dpaxson.livejournal.com
In addition to her multiple novels and collaborations, she has written over seventy short stories. Her best-known works are the Westria novels, and the later books in the Avalon series, which she first co-wrote with Marion Zimmer Bradley, then took over sole authorship of after Bradley's death.
Paxson was nominated for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards twice, in 1989 for the "White Raven" and in 1983 for "Lady of Light".
Paxson's non-fiction books include Taking Up the Runes, Essential Asatru, and Trance-Portation. She writes a regular column for the women's spirituality magazine, Sagewoman.
Paxson has been active in the leadership of a number of organizations. She hosted the first activities of the Society for Creative Anachronism, and was subsequently among that group's founding Directors and Corporate Officers when it incorporated[1]. She was the western regional director of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, and is a frequent panelist at science fiction conventions, especially Baycon, where she was the 2007 Fantasy Guest of Honor.
A leader in the Neopagan and Heathen revivals, Paxson is the founder of the The Fellowship of the Spiral Path and has served as First Officer of the Covenant of the Goddess. She has been Steerswoman of the Heathen group, The Troth, a member of its Board of Directors, and currently edits its journal, Idunna. She is a pioneer in the revival of Oracular Seidh, which she has taught and performed at many Neopagan and heathen festivals and retreats.
She composes and plays music for the harp. She currently lives at her home, Greyhaven, in Berkeley, California.
More can be found on her blog: http://dpaxson.livejournal.com
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 26, 2020
6/10
Obviously, the first book of a series sets the stage and opens the action, and this book does that, but not much more than that. The characters, at this point, are somewhat two-dimensional, with the exception of the king’s seneschal, Caolin, who has a bit more depth.
A map would have been helpful.
Obviously, the first book of a series sets the stage and opens the action, and this book does that, but not much more than that. The characters, at this point, are somewhat two-dimensional, with the exception of the king’s seneschal, Caolin, who has a bit more depth.
A map would have been helpful.
April 8, 2011
This is not a sweet, gentle happily ever fantasy. This book kicks your ass. I can't remember ever crying over a fantasy book as I did this one.
April 2, 2025
I picked up Lady of Light at a used book store. It appears this is book 1 of 8 in the Westria series.
I wanted to like this book, and I did find parts of it charming, but overall this feels like a set up for future installments in the series. Much of what happens felt like prologue at best.
I was also not impressed with the love story. There are several romances in this novel, but all of them really feel like they come out of nowhere. Characters appear in the same scene as one another, and later are just stated to be in love without any build up or even dialogue sometimes. In the main love story between Faris and the King, they share a single conversation before professing their love and getting married.
I don’t mind star crossed lovers or love at first sight tropes, but when that is the only thing going on for the entire book it gets old.
Overall, not amazing but I am interested to see where the series goes from here. The page count is short so not terribly disappointed.
I wanted to like this book, and I did find parts of it charming, but overall this feels like a set up for future installments in the series. Much of what happens felt like prologue at best.
I was also not impressed with the love story. There are several romances in this novel, but all of them really feel like they come out of nowhere. Characters appear in the same scene as one another, and later are just stated to be in love without any build up or even dialogue sometimes. In the main love story between Faris and the King, they share a single conversation before professing their love and getting married.
I don’t mind star crossed lovers or love at first sight tropes, but when that is the only thing going on for the entire book it gets old.
Overall, not amazing but I am interested to see where the series goes from here. The page count is short so not terribly disappointed.
May 16, 2024
*
When the time comes for King Jehan to take a wife, he chooses the meek Faris, who is expected to not only be Jehan's wife and queen, but to also be magically trained to help Jehan use the four elemental crystals.
Having enjoyed several of Paxson's works over the years, I finally decided to finally try a Westria book. Unfortunately, I shouldn't have bothered. This book was drawn out, boring, and Faris is one of the most unlikable characters I have ever encountered, mostly because she is so weak-willed and has absolutely no agency. She's more of a plot device than a character. I had a difficult time to find the will to even finish the book.
Personal history: Purchased in a used book lot.
When the time comes for King Jehan to take a wife, he chooses the meek Faris, who is expected to not only be Jehan's wife and queen, but to also be magically trained to help Jehan use the four elemental crystals.
Having enjoyed several of Paxson's works over the years, I finally decided to finally try a Westria book. Unfortunately, I shouldn't have bothered. This book was drawn out, boring, and Faris is one of the most unlikable characters I have ever encountered, mostly because she is so weak-willed and has absolutely no agency. She's more of a plot device than a character. I had a difficult time to find the will to even finish the book.
Personal history: Purchased in a used book lot.
October 28, 2020
I don't remember why this book was on my TBR list but it was, and had been for a very long time, so I finally looked it up and ordered a used copy.
I may try again later but I just could never get into it. It's a short book and it took me two months to finish. I dunno. Maybe I'll find a strange wind that compels me to give it a go again and I'll love it but as for now I feel less than meh about it.
I may try again later but I just could never get into it. It's a short book and it took me two months to finish. I dunno. Maybe I'll find a strange wind that compels me to give it a go again and I'll love it but as for now I feel less than meh about it.
March 19, 2024
I was quite disappointed with this book. I have really enjoyed other books by this author and have been looking for a complete set of Westria books for more than 20 years. I will continue this series in the hopes that the "set up" in book 1 will bear fruit in future volumes.
August 22, 2021
The book just sort of ends, without resolving several story lines.
April 18, 2024
Męczące i nudne
December 6, 2013
Faris is an unusual young lady. She has been in the shadows for most of her life. Now she has come into the light as she moves from being treated as inferior to being one of the most important women in the land of Westria.
This tale is a good mixture of the magical and the mundane. It is easy to imagine this world and to believe that it is just out of sight over the horizon.
This tale is a good mixture of the magical and the mundane. It is easy to imagine this world and to believe that it is just out of sight over the horizon.
April 9, 2015
An interesting read. It takes this story a little bit to get up to pace for me, and I was worried that our heroine was going to need saving, but it turns out it's not unreasonable for a woman who's never done BIG PLOT THINGS LIKE THIS before to take some time to get into it and kick ass.
Want to read
April 27, 2015Cant remember a thing about this book.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews