The Winged Assassin

Winged Assassin #1

by Catherine Cooke

When Arris predicts that the Khalif will be found poisoned, he is exiled and his father Lord Areyta, falsely accused of the crime

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, Slash Fiction, Gay

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 1987

About the author

I live in Oklahoma, but grew up in Laramie, Wyoming. My first book, "Mask of the Wizard," was published in 1985 when I was in college, and is followed by "Veil of Shadow" and "The Hidden Temple." These are adventure fantasies, sword and sorcery-style. My second fantasy trilogy, "The Winged Assassin" series, was written under the influence of the Arabian Nights, Mary Renault's books, Michael Moorcook, and my love for ancient history. All six books came out when I was in my twenties. Raising two kids, teaching college, and lots of community theater happened after that! More recently, "The Wendigo Border" by Catherine Montrose came out in 1995, a contemporary dark fantasy set in Laramie. I'm writing a new epic trilogy and a young adult series currently, and hope to see them in print in the next few years.

Reviews

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting ideas for the world, the characters and the plot all around (if not terribly unique), but not really fleshed out on the page.

There were occasional flashes of something truly great in there like for example a spell to numb your feelings after a traumatic event so you can function long enough to get yourself to safety or a believable Stockholm Syndrom plot and hey, let's throw in a bisexual main character (with a slight preference for men) in there, cause there aren't that many... But while it was entertaining and readable enough, there wasn't really that spark that makes a story come alive not only in your brain but also your heart.

Hence the 3 stars.

[Furio · Rating 1 out of 5]

After reading the barely professional and very trite "The Mask of the Wizard" I did not expect much from this later book and read it only because I already owned the book.

I have to admit, though, that the plot is excellent and the pace of the story fairly good.
The main character is gay even if he craves two women he cannot have: a girl who despises him and the avatar of an all powerful goddess (how is someone supposed to resist a divine female, gay or not?).

That said, it is hardly to be expected for Ms Cooke to have turned into an interesting writer. Her writing is as neat as it is cold, it pushes the story on well but it stirs no emotion.
Characters lack depth, interesting emotional issues are sadly neglected. The love between the hero and the emperor (a potentially wonderful character) is stated and sometimes described, but curtly and icily. Many plot points feel like they would have welcomed further discussion.

In the hands of a competent writer (I am thinking about Lynn Flewelling) this could have been a much longer and better book. As it is it has left me dissatisfied, the many open knots of the ending so much the worse for it.