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Over Where #3
House of Rough Diamonds
Beware the Book Wraith!
No one is at all sure what a book wraith might be, but whatever it is definitely has the battered tomes in the Library of the Sapphire Wind very worried indeed.
Figuring out what a book wraith could be is hardly the least of the challenges that the newly formed House of Rough Diamonds will face as the motley assortment of members—including three women who are literally “out of this world”—attempt to secure ownership of the Library.
Enemies old and new, both within and without the contested property, will strain the Rough Diamonds ingenuity and resources, forcing the small group to recruit new and possibly dangerous allies.
No one is at all sure what a book wraith might be, but whatever it is definitely has the battered tomes in the Library of the Sapphire Wind very worried indeed.
Figuring out what a book wraith could be is hardly the least of the challenges that the newly formed House of Rough Diamonds will face as the motley assortment of members—including three women who are literally “out of this world”—attempt to secure ownership of the Library.
Enemies old and new, both within and without the contested property, will strain the Rough Diamonds ingenuity and resources, forcing the small group to recruit new and possibly dangerous allies.
371 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 5, 2023
About the author
Jane Lindskold
130 books658 followersJane Lindskold is the author of more than twenty published novels, including the eight volume Firekeeper Saga (beginning with Through Wolf’s Eyes), Child of a Rainless Year (a contemporary fantasy set in Las Vegas, New Mexico), and The Buried Pyramid (an archeological adventure fantasy set in 1880's Egypt).
Lindskold is also the author of the “Breaking the Wall” series, which begins with Thirteen Orphans, then continues in Nine Gates and Five Odd Honors. Her most recent series begins with Artemis Awakening, released in May of 2014. Lindskold has also had published over sixty short stories and numerous works of non-fiction, including a critical biography of Roger Zelazny, and articles on Yeats and Synge.
She has collaborated with several other SF/F writers, including Roger Zelazny, for whom, at his request, she posthumously finished his novels Donnerjack and Lord Demon. She has also collaborated with David Weber, writing several novellas and two YA novels set in his popular ”Honorverse.” She wrote the short story “Servant of Death” with Fred Saberhagen.
Charles de Lint, reviewing Changer, praised "Lindskold's ability to tell a fast-paced, contemporary story that still carries the weight and style of old mythological story cycles."[1] Terri Windling called Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls "a complex, utterly original work of speculative fiction." DeLint has also stated that “Jane Lindskold is one of those hidden treasures of American letters; a true gem of a writer who simply gets better with each book.”
Lindskold was born in 1962 at the Columbia Hospital for Women, the first of four siblings and grew up in Washington, D.C. and Chesapeake Bay. Lindskold's father was head of the Land and Natural Resources Division, Western Division of the United States Justice Department and her mother was also an attorney. She studied at Fordham, where she received a Ph. D. in English, concentrating on Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern British Literature; she successfully defended her Ph.D. on her 26th birthday.
Lindskold lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband, archaeologist Jim Moore.
Lindskold is also the author of the “Breaking the Wall” series, which begins with Thirteen Orphans, then continues in Nine Gates and Five Odd Honors. Her most recent series begins with Artemis Awakening, released in May of 2014. Lindskold has also had published over sixty short stories and numerous works of non-fiction, including a critical biography of Roger Zelazny, and articles on Yeats and Synge.
She has collaborated with several other SF/F writers, including Roger Zelazny, for whom, at his request, she posthumously finished his novels Donnerjack and Lord Demon. She has also collaborated with David Weber, writing several novellas and two YA novels set in his popular ”Honorverse.” She wrote the short story “Servant of Death” with Fred Saberhagen.
Charles de Lint, reviewing Changer, praised "Lindskold's ability to tell a fast-paced, contemporary story that still carries the weight and style of old mythological story cycles."[1] Terri Windling called Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls "a complex, utterly original work of speculative fiction." DeLint has also stated that “Jane Lindskold is one of those hidden treasures of American letters; a true gem of a writer who simply gets better with each book.”
Lindskold was born in 1962 at the Columbia Hospital for Women, the first of four siblings and grew up in Washington, D.C. and Chesapeake Bay. Lindskold's father was head of the Land and Natural Resources Division, Western Division of the United States Justice Department and her mother was also an attorney. She studied at Fordham, where she received a Ph. D. in English, concentrating on Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern British Literature; she successfully defended her Ph.D. on her 26th birthday.
Lindskold lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband, archaeologist Jim Moore.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 15, 2024
Another cozy-ish adventure for Meg, Teg and Peg. This one focused more on the library and trying to restore it, there were various challenges for our cast of characters to figure out. I enjoyed this one as much as the last two, although it felt like there wasn't as much concrete plot as the others.
3/5 stars.
3/5 stars.
September 22, 2023
So happy to return to the wondrous world of Over Where!
Three women from Over There (that is, our Earth) were summoned at the beginning of book one in this fantasy series. They were needed as mentors to three young adult Over Where denizens who needed guidance to complete their tasks/quests. Meg is a career librarian, Teg is a career field archeologist, and Peg has raised plenty of her own children (plus two sets of step-children) whose years playing Dungeons & Dragons with her kids (among other skills) come to stand her in good stead!
By the end of book two, the group had found the legendary lost Library of the Sapphire Wind. In book three, our protagonists get to find out if they can keep it.
They take a page out of Earth's history by filing to homestead the property. They will have to live on the property (and crucially IMPROVE it), plus defend against would-be trespassers for a set time period before ownership passes to them.
What I like best about this fantasy series is how the characters come to depend on one another. How they do their best to support each other, as well as the group's needs. I also like how they respect one another whether they have magical talents or are skilled warriors with swords, etc.
Can't wait for the next installment of adventures in Over Where!
Highly recommended for portal fantasy lovers, character-driven action, and as a fellow librarian, I'm partial to library adventures!
Three women from Over There (that is, our Earth) were summoned at the beginning of book one in this fantasy series. They were needed as mentors to three young adult Over Where denizens who needed guidance to complete their tasks/quests. Meg is a career librarian, Teg is a career field archeologist, and Peg has raised plenty of her own children (plus two sets of step-children) whose years playing Dungeons & Dragons with her kids (among other skills) come to stand her in good stead!
By the end of book two, the group had found the legendary lost Library of the Sapphire Wind. In book three, our protagonists get to find out if they can keep it.
They take a page out of Earth's history by filing to homestead the property. They will have to live on the property (and crucially IMPROVE it), plus defend against would-be trespassers for a set time period before ownership passes to them.
What I like best about this fantasy series is how the characters come to depend on one another. How they do their best to support each other, as well as the group's needs. I also like how they respect one another whether they have magical talents or are skilled warriors with swords, etc.
Can't wait for the next installment of adventures in Over Where!
Highly recommended for portal fantasy lovers, character-driven action, and as a fellow librarian, I'm partial to library adventures!
October 21, 2023
After the Slicewind returns from a rescue mission the heroes need to do something about the Library. Looking into the ownership they see there is none and decide to homestead it. This means doing upkeep and protecting it from treasure hunters. In order to do this they'll need help and decide to get it by retrieving some of the archived. This requires them to do some research to find out who would be a help rather than a burden. The refurbishment is the story until they have to deal with more threats.
It's only been a year since I read Aurora Borealis Bridge, but long enough for it to no longer be fresh in my mind. A little bit of a slower start than if I read these back to back. 4.0 stars.
It's only been a year since I read Aurora Borealis Bridge, but long enough for it to no longer be fresh in my mind. A little bit of a slower start than if I read these back to back. 4.0 stars.
November 5, 2023
The first two books in this series were good, but this story just went flat. The protagonists now possess the magic library and they are trying to restore it, and the story was mostly day-to-day "we cleaned up this mess" and "maybe we'll remodel that corner." It was just so pedestrian and unengaging. It looks like the author is setting up for a forth book, but after this, I am not sure I even want to bother.
April 22, 2025
Really 4.5 stars. This series is extremely entertaining. There is real drama but it's not really "death-related". The Library of the Sapphire Wind is a great setting for this adventure. And Meg, Peg, and Teg are just delightful humans in another earth-adjacent world. Very satisfying read. Incredible creatures. Believable characters and dialogue. Really a triumph of fun and adventure.
October 29, 2023
I enjoyed this series. The author did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life (even an animate, organic cargo hauler that looks like giant wet carpet!) A fun, exciting book!
November 6, 2023
3rd in the series is pretty weak.
January 6, 2024
A great new entry into the series. Building on what came before in this case literally. As the team expands into the Library discovering new magic and lore. Excellent character and world building.
May 2, 2024
She saved the best for last! Very real characters with very real problems. Sorry to see the series end. Would be interesting if she had other authors write follow up books from the 'youngsters' POV.
July 23, 2025
I still like the world “Over There” and the characters, but this episode was more of a cozy ‘how we cleaned up the library’ with a few challenges thrown in.
July 24, 2025
Nice, cozy, good to read!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews