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Elemental Masters #7
Home From the Sea
Fledgling Water Master Mari Prothero rebels against her expected arranged marriage at age eighteen until she learns that her family's magical heritage is actually protected by these unions.
375 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
126 people are currently reading
2503 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
441 books9,532 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 364 reviews
September 6, 2012
Lackey's gotten fairly formulaic at this point, especially with her retellings of fairy tales in Victorian settings. But that's not necessarily a terrible thing. While there's nothing here that will surprise you, for those who like her warm, slightly angsty characters and well-earned happily-ever-afters, this is as familiar and comforting as a cup of cocoa.
Mari is pleasant enough, and has enough backbone to get a few good jabs in. Meanwhile, it's nice to see Sarah and Nan grown up and on their own, along with their birds. The stakes aren't particularly high, compared to some of the other novels in the series (Mari risks losing her family, but it's not like all of England is threatened by monsters this time). And as Lackey villains go, the bumbling constable and one dimensional clan chief are rather flat. But they're serviceable enough, I suppose. I suspect part of the problem is that Lackey usually lets us get a bit into the heads of her villains, even the mustache-twirling variety, which makes them a bit more interesting. Perhaps because the focus was already split between Mari and the Sarah/Nan pair, we never get more than other people's guesses as to what the villains are thinking, which make them rather one dimensional. With all the talk of Robin Goodfellow the Land-Ward, I'd really kind of expected an epic Puck vs Llyr showdown, whereas everything about Llyr seems to have just been a reason to keep Puck from interfering in a relatively minor conflict.
I have to admit, I'm wildly curious about the mysterious umbrella-wielding archaeologist Sarah and Nan met offstage in Egypt. Did Lackey just slip in a hat tip to Gail Carriger's Soulless series?
Anyway, undercomplicated but sweet.
Mari is pleasant enough, and has enough backbone to get a few good jabs in. Meanwhile, it's nice to see Sarah and Nan grown up and on their own, along with their birds. The stakes aren't particularly high, compared to some of the other novels in the series (Mari risks losing her family, but it's not like all of England is threatened by monsters this time). And as Lackey villains go, the bumbling constable and one dimensional clan chief are rather flat. But they're serviceable enough, I suppose. I suspect part of the problem is that Lackey usually lets us get a bit into the heads of her villains, even the mustache-twirling variety, which makes them a bit more interesting. Perhaps because the focus was already split between Mari and the Sarah/Nan pair, we never get more than other people's guesses as to what the villains are thinking, which make them rather one dimensional. With all the talk of Robin Goodfellow the Land-Ward, I'd really kind of expected an epic Puck vs Llyr showdown, whereas everything about Llyr seems to have just been a reason to keep Puck from interfering in a relatively minor conflict.
I have to admit, I'm wildly curious about the mysterious umbrella-wielding archaeologist Sarah and Nan met offstage in Egypt. Did Lackey just slip in a hat tip to Gail Carriger's Soulless series?
Anyway, undercomplicated but sweet.
July 8, 2012
Not one of her best. I usually really like this series, but the dramatic tension wasn't there this time. The two 'villans' come across as petulant little boys. They can cause a great deal of trouble, but they hardly seem to know why they're doing it. The first 75% of the book is full of daily life. Another reviewer her compared it to Little Women, which I think is absolutely fair. It's Little Women with magic, which is neat, just not what I thought I was getting. So, I'm not sorry I read it, but I don't think I'll be rereading this one like I do The Fire Rose or The Serpent's Shadow.
December 20, 2013
I think this may well become my favourite of the "Elemental Masters" series.
Unlike most of the other books in the series, in this the conflicts are relatively small, domestic affairs. The bad guys have mildly sensible reasons for their behaviour, and are not yet more "hurt people for power" types, which is a great relief.
It's also something of a sequel to "The Wizard of London", and it's nice to meet the grown-up Sarah and Nan.
Then there's the domestic minutiae that the author does so well, and the sympathetic characters, and the village gossip, and...well, it's all just sort of low-key, no messing about saving the world or anything, and it's really rather lovely.
(Even if she clearly hasn't the faintest idea what sea-coal actually is.)
Unlike most of the other books in the series, in this the conflicts are relatively small, domestic affairs. The bad guys have mildly sensible reasons for their behaviour, and are not yet more "hurt people for power" types, which is a great relief.
It's also something of a sequel to "The Wizard of London", and it's nice to meet the grown-up Sarah and Nan.
Then there's the domestic minutiae that the author does so well, and the sympathetic characters, and the village gossip, and...well, it's all just sort of low-key, no messing about saving the world or anything, and it's really rather lovely.
(Even if she clearly hasn't the faintest idea what sea-coal actually is.)
July 24, 2012
Three stars because I enjoyed it, if I was doing a literary critique it would have got two.
I liked the main character ‘Mari’ and her father, I liked the fact it was set in Wales. I suspect that a lot of research went into this book and I think a fair bit of the detail of the life of a fisherman in a small Welsh Fishing town was true – it was certainly very interesting as were the train trips around Britain.
I am fond of the elemental series, I think I have read them all so far but in this book there was a clear indication that they are coming to the end of their entertainment factor for me and for much the same reasons that the Valdemar series did;
Mercedes Lackey is not good at character development; she IS exceptionally good at quickly and lightly sketching a character so that you feel you know them, but with very few exceptions she is unable to develop that character beyond a set point. No further emotional depth, learning or growth occurs once the character is “set”.
This would not be too much of a problem if she could stay away from reusing characters. In this book however almost all of the characters have appeared in previous books. Nan, Neville, Sarah, Grey, Memsa’b, the wizard of London, Puck... All recycles and none with any character development at all, despite some of them having travelled around Africa and done all manner of new things. Just figures to put on the page and move through their routines. It is a great shame because the story is very engaging. This lack of development touches the main character, Mari (Surely falling in love, being married, having twins, losing them and your husband and gaining control of your power enough to win them back would result in SOME changes to a person? Just a TINY bit? They do in real life) but not enough to be truly annoying in a single novel.
On the whole a fun light read.
I liked the main character ‘Mari’ and her father, I liked the fact it was set in Wales. I suspect that a lot of research went into this book and I think a fair bit of the detail of the life of a fisherman in a small Welsh Fishing town was true – it was certainly very interesting as were the train trips around Britain.
I am fond of the elemental series, I think I have read them all so far but in this book there was a clear indication that they are coming to the end of their entertainment factor for me and for much the same reasons that the Valdemar series did;
Mercedes Lackey is not good at character development; she IS exceptionally good at quickly and lightly sketching a character so that you feel you know them, but with very few exceptions she is unable to develop that character beyond a set point. No further emotional depth, learning or growth occurs once the character is “set”.
This would not be too much of a problem if she could stay away from reusing characters. In this book however almost all of the characters have appeared in previous books. Nan, Neville, Sarah, Grey, Memsa’b, the wizard of London, Puck... All recycles and none with any character development at all, despite some of them having travelled around Africa and done all manner of new things. Just figures to put on the page and move through their routines. It is a great shame because the story is very engaging. This lack of development touches the main character, Mari (Surely falling in love, being married, having twins, losing them and your husband and gaining control of your power enough to win them back would result in SOME changes to a person? Just a TINY bit? They do in real life) but not enough to be truly annoying in a single novel.
On the whole a fun light read.
July 9, 2012
It takes a little while to get the ball rolling on this 8th Elemental Masters book... we jump from one set of characters to a second set, back and forth, until *something* happens that gives cause to unite the two to a common purpose.
Sometimes I find myself wishing that Lackey would save the "happily ever after" stories for her other series (the Five Hundred Kingdoms) in lieu of scrounging up some of the danger and the NEED in these Elemental Masters books. What I didn't get from Home From the Sea was what danger, if any, would exist if Sarah and Nan hadn't interfered with Mari's story -- I mean, I know Mari's happiness was in danger, but Lackey alluded to the effect that "dark eyes" were watching Mari, yet the only bad joker to pop out of the proverbial woodwork was the unwelcome constable and a rather grumpy Selkie chieftain. Had Mari learned enough magic from her bargain to cause a lot of damage and pain in her grief of losing her husband and children?
All told, an interesting story that caught me up once Sarah, Nan & the Selkies got involved. A good, quick read for a day spent at home, in the A/C avoiding the heat.
Sometimes I find myself wishing that Lackey would save the "happily ever after" stories for her other series (the Five Hundred Kingdoms) in lieu of scrounging up some of the danger and the NEED in these Elemental Masters books. What I didn't get from Home From the Sea was what danger, if any, would exist if Sarah and Nan hadn't interfered with Mari's story -- I mean, I know Mari's happiness was in danger, but Lackey alluded to the effect that "dark eyes" were watching Mari, yet the only bad joker to pop out of the proverbial woodwork was the unwelcome constable and a rather grumpy Selkie chieftain. Had Mari learned enough magic from her bargain to cause a lot of damage and pain in her grief of losing her husband and children?
All told, an interesting story that caught me up once Sarah, Nan & the Selkies got involved. A good, quick read for a day spent at home, in the A/C avoiding the heat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2019
Of course I read this without knowing it was part of a series, and not the first part, and of course I haven't read the others.
Nonetheless, it was a quaint study of characters, which shows that Lackey can write traditional courting tales, and put twists on fae myths and delicate forms of fantasy. It was not an action-packed story, but it didn't need to be. Curiously, this is the second Lackey audiobook I've listened to, and the second in which there is a production of Midsummer Night's Dream. Perhaps it will become a motif throughout her immense body of work, or perhaps it was a coincidence.
I know with time and considering the large number of her audiobooks available at my library, I'll be able to piece together many more elements of her style and world-building. Even so, this was a satisfying listen, if only for the fact that it offered plenty of Welsh and British flavoring as regards the atmosphere and dialogue.
The characters are not as stand-out as the ones I met in Hunter, but I would obviously need to find the other myriad volumes in this intricately plotted series of element masters, or wizards, really, and I am not opposed to doing so.
Nonetheless, it was a quaint study of characters, which shows that Lackey can write traditional courting tales, and put twists on fae myths and delicate forms of fantasy. It was not an action-packed story, but it didn't need to be. Curiously, this is the second Lackey audiobook I've listened to, and the second in which there is a production of Midsummer Night's Dream. Perhaps it will become a motif throughout her immense body of work, or perhaps it was a coincidence.
I know with time and considering the large number of her audiobooks available at my library, I'll be able to piece together many more elements of her style and world-building. Even so, this was a satisfying listen, if only for the fact that it offered plenty of Welsh and British flavoring as regards the atmosphere and dialogue.
The characters are not as stand-out as the ones I met in Hunter, but I would obviously need to find the other myriad volumes in this intricately plotted series of element masters, or wizards, really, and I am not opposed to doing so.
September 14, 2012
This book could have greatly benefited from an editor, and I'm surprised to find myself saying that given how long Mercedes Lackey has been a big name in the fantasy genre. At some points she had characters discussing knowledge that they couldn't possibly know, and she also gave the same information to the reader several times as though she had forgotten what she had written a few chapters ago. I generally don't make a big point of noticing or commenting on the crafting of a story, but in this case it's too darn obvious. I find that the poor story craft made the actual story hard to enjoy.
The actual story seemed more like an epilogue to "the Wizard of London" with several characters showing up again. I think this gave the new characters less room to be built and they tend to suffer for it. None of the tension that was supposed to be built was there and it seemed as though both villains were a set up for a main villain that never showed. Despite my love of this series I don't think I would read this book again, and I might not pick up the next one either.
The actual story seemed more like an epilogue to "the Wizard of London" with several characters showing up again. I think this gave the new characters less room to be built and they tend to suffer for it. None of the tension that was supposed to be built was there and it seemed as though both villains were a set up for a main villain that never showed. Despite my love of this series I don't think I would read this book again, and I might not pick up the next one either.
September 25, 2012
Too much rehashing of past scenes between Nan and Sarah from The Wizard of London. The villain(s) felt half-baked and other parts of the story felt rushed, but if you're looking for a quick read this book is alright.
April 21, 2015
I am so disappointed.
The story of Mari, destined to be wife to a selch and a water master in her own right, had potential. And honestly, I have loved the Elemental Masters series, especially since I find that they're based on faerie tales utterly charming.
However, this book has been infuriating.
Lackey has been especially formulaic and feel-good with this book. Gone is even the slightest hint of darkness. I'm disappointed with that -- Lackey used to be genuinely good at creating genuinely human characters who confront painful topics. Maybe this is just more young-adult than usual.
I'm also more than halfway through the book (page 170) and I don't know who the villain is. I guess it could be the new constable, but we've only really seen him once. Puck's mentioned a couple of times that there are dark powers interested in Mari, but I've seen little to no evidence of it.
There has been hashing and rehashing of the same information, both information from Sarah and Nan from The Wizard of London, the way magic works, and of the information Mari has been given. I just stumbled over the second instance where she discovers the selch aren't immortal. Yes, twice. And the first one was only twenty pages or so ago.
Sarah and Nan are seeming especially powerless in this book, too; they came to town, toddled around, found the bookshop, declared themselves incapable of finding their quarry, and called on Puck to help after saying over and over that they didn't want to. For two young women reputedly trained in the Sherlockian methods of investigation, it seems especially wishy-washy.
This is honestly the very first Mercedes Lackey book that I have genuinely disliked. These books tend to be my go-to comfort books; I know what I'm getting and I like what I get, but this seems rushed and ill-thought out. It's like she settled on The Tempest but couldn't figure out how to deal with it, rather than writing the story and letting it fall out.
Anyway, grump. I'm only halfway through, and if by some miracle the book redeems itself in that time, I'll update my review. As it stands, I'm really sad, especially since Lackey is one of my top ten favorite authors.
Updated: the conflict in this book was so weak. I finished it, but I'm still really sad. I have LOVED the Elemental Masters series, and this one fell so flat. Some parts were really rushed, some were really slow, the villains were more..well..not very villainous, and Lackey left major characters out of the book (Daffyd) for long periods of time to just spontaneously pop up out of nowhere later. Grump. :/
The story of Mari, destined to be wife to a selch and a water master in her own right, had potential. And honestly, I have loved the Elemental Masters series, especially since I find that they're based on faerie tales utterly charming.
However, this book has been infuriating.
Lackey has been especially formulaic and feel-good with this book. Gone is even the slightest hint of darkness. I'm disappointed with that -- Lackey used to be genuinely good at creating genuinely human characters who confront painful topics. Maybe this is just more young-adult than usual.
I'm also more than halfway through the book (page 170) and I don't know who the villain is. I guess it could be the new constable, but we've only really seen him once. Puck's mentioned a couple of times that there are dark powers interested in Mari, but I've seen little to no evidence of it.
There has been hashing and rehashing of the same information, both information from Sarah and Nan from The Wizard of London, the way magic works, and of the information Mari has been given. I just stumbled over the second instance where she discovers the selch aren't immortal. Yes, twice. And the first one was only twenty pages or so ago.
Sarah and Nan are seeming especially powerless in this book, too; they came to town, toddled around, found the bookshop, declared themselves incapable of finding their quarry, and called on Puck to help after saying over and over that they didn't want to. For two young women reputedly trained in the Sherlockian methods of investigation, it seems especially wishy-washy.
This is honestly the very first Mercedes Lackey book that I have genuinely disliked. These books tend to be my go-to comfort books; I know what I'm getting and I like what I get, but this seems rushed and ill-thought out. It's like she settled on The Tempest but couldn't figure out how to deal with it, rather than writing the story and letting it fall out.
Anyway, grump. I'm only halfway through, and if by some miracle the book redeems itself in that time, I'll update my review. As it stands, I'm really sad, especially since Lackey is one of my top ten favorite authors.
Updated: the conflict in this book was so weak. I finished it, but I'm still really sad. I have LOVED the Elemental Masters series, and this one fell so flat. Some parts were really rushed, some were really slow, the villains were more..well..not very villainous, and Lackey left major characters out of the book (Daffyd) for long periods of time to just spontaneously pop up out of nowhere later. Grump. :/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2012
When I read the description for this book, I was intrigued. Unfortunately, all Home From the Sea was is a disappointment. To start off with, Daffyd is not a Water Master. He isn't even much more than a side character used at first to explain why Mari has to marry at 18, and later as a reason for Nan, Sarah & Puck to cause mischief to the constable.
Mari had a vague notion that she would marry when she was 18, but that was no different than the other young women of her small town. It wasn't until her 18th birthday that her father finally worked up the nerve to tell her she would have to have 2 kids with a selkie for their good fortune to continue. Oh, and by the way, he'd be arriving soon. After this revelation, we only see Daffyd sporadically. Mari manages to make a deal with the selkies that she will get a Water Master teacher & she will choose who she ends up. She falls in love with her teacher instead of one of her prospects, and things with the selkie clan go down hill from there. When they take her twin sons & her husband, she follows and has to pass a series of tests: the first is Tam Lin's where she must hold onto him through whatever shape he takes; when he gets loose it turns into the Two Magicians and she has to catch him through various forms; once that is over, she has to answer questions trufully with decite (I'm not sure which tale this is from); and lastly, is the East of the Sun-she has to find her children & husband in their seal shapes mixed in with the others.
Notice how I didn't mention Nan, Sarah, or Puck? They weren't needed for the story to progress. Each time the story went to their point of view was annoying. They could have been some good supporting characters, but they were made into dual heroines with Mari, and I was frustrated that they kept interferring with the flow of the story. Granted, with out their sections the book book would be half the size, and more of a novella, but I would have preferred that.
The only reason I am rating this 2 stars is because I liked Mari as a character, and while there are still a few unanswered questions, I enjoyed the ending.
Mari had a vague notion that she would marry when she was 18, but that was no different than the other young women of her small town. It wasn't until her 18th birthday that her father finally worked up the nerve to tell her she would have to have 2 kids with a selkie for their good fortune to continue. Oh, and by the way, he'd be arriving soon. After this revelation, we only see Daffyd sporadically. Mari manages to make a deal with the selkies that she will get a Water Master teacher & she will choose who she ends up. She falls in love with her teacher instead of one of her prospects, and things with the selkie clan go down hill from there. When they take her twin sons & her husband, she follows and has to pass a series of tests: the first is Tam Lin's where she must hold onto him through whatever shape he takes; when he gets loose it turns into the Two Magicians and she has to catch him through various forms; once that is over, she has to answer questions trufully with decite (I'm not sure which tale this is from); and lastly, is the East of the Sun-she has to find her children & husband in their seal shapes mixed in with the others.
Notice how I didn't mention Nan, Sarah, or Puck? They weren't needed for the story to progress. Each time the story went to their point of view was annoying. They could have been some good supporting characters, but they were made into dual heroines with Mari, and I was frustrated that they kept interferring with the flow of the story. Granted, with out their sections the book book would be half the size, and more of a novella, but I would have preferred that.
The only reason I am rating this 2 stars is because I liked Mari as a character, and while there are still a few unanswered questions, I enjoyed the ending.
October 9, 2016
Finally I am able to go back and read this one. For a while, I had left this world because it was just *meh*. After reading a few of the more current ones, I had to dive back and see what I missed. I am glad I went back and found this one. I loved it. Of course, I am totally biased because it is water based. I loved the water shifters in this story, the selkies. I enjoyed the fairy tale romance for Mari as she needs to fulfill an ancient bargain.
The way this ties into the elemental masters works out quite nicely. I loved the characters as well as the struggles. The constant theme lately for these books is the inherent sexism perpetrated by the all knowing London elemental masters. It is a product of the times and I'm a bit wary of having it slapped into my face constantly. Yes we know men are sexist. Yes we know for the most part, women are kept stupid and helpless. It is really not too different in current times. Sometimes when people are empowered, they don't like the accompanying accountability that comes with empowerment. Fortunately for Mari, she has no problems being accountable and like her all the better for it. This is a magical tale written by a spell binding author who carries people away into a rich world of magic and sorrow. Recommended for fantasy readers who enjoy water creatures.
The way this ties into the elemental masters works out quite nicely. I loved the characters as well as the struggles. The constant theme lately for these books is the inherent sexism perpetrated by the all knowing London elemental masters. It is a product of the times and I'm a bit wary of having it slapped into my face constantly. Yes we know men are sexist. Yes we know for the most part, women are kept stupid and helpless. It is really not too different in current times. Sometimes when people are empowered, they don't like the accompanying accountability that comes with empowerment. Fortunately for Mari, she has no problems being accountable and like her all the better for it. This is a magical tale written by a spell binding author who carries people away into a rich world of magic and sorrow. Recommended for fantasy readers who enjoy water creatures.
August 27, 2013
I enjoy the Elemental Masters series in general, but let's be honest: Mari Prothero did not need any help from Lord A. While I will admit that I would have questioned why nobody in London was concerned about an unknown Water Master on the Welsh coast, I probably wouldn't have missed Nan and Sarah at all in this book if their section had been left out. I don't say this often, but I believe this book would have benefited from being longer. Mari, Daffyd, and the Selch are interesting characters, and the constable and the Selch villain (can't remember his name, which goes to show how unremarkable he was) could have been as well, if the book really had anything to do with the Welsh mining strikes and if the Selch villain had done more than enforce the bargain. Additionally, I was disappointed that such an adept worldbuilder as Mercedes Lackey failed to give adequate detail about the land of the Selch that Mari traveled to in order to win back Idwal and the babies. Plus, if the book were longer, maybe the gratuitous Shakespeare quotations (what is this, NaNoWriMo?) and recaps of previous events would be less annoying. In conclusion, this is a decent book that could have been a good one if a little more care had been taken with the plotting.
December 11, 2015
The main character of this instalment is Mari Prothero, who lives with her father, Daffyd, in a tiny fishing village on the coast of Wales. Daffyd is a fisherman, who calm or storm, always returns with a full catch. On her 18th birthday Mari learns the reason for her father's luck and of the bargain made by the Prothero family with the Selkies. Meanwhile in London Nan and Sarah are despatched to Wales to investigate the presence of a new Water Mage.
I read this alongside the audio edition as I have the rest of the series. I have always had a soft spot for stories with a sea theme and certainly enjoyed this tale that wove together elements of a variety of original sources, including Tam Lin and East of the Sun and West of the Moon. I was pleased with the return of Sarah and Nan, now as adults, along with Puck.
Also, I was delighted when the girls mentioned meeting an amazing woman with a parasol while in Egypt, which was clearly a tip of the hat to Amelia Peabody Emerson.
I read this alongside the audio edition as I have the rest of the series. I have always had a soft spot for stories with a sea theme and certainly enjoyed this tale that wove together elements of a variety of original sources, including Tam Lin and East of the Sun and West of the Moon. I was pleased with the return of Sarah and Nan, now as adults, along with Puck.
Also, I was delighted when the girls mentioned meeting an amazing woman with a parasol while in Egypt, which was clearly a tip of the hat to Amelia Peabody Emerson.
June 26, 2012
Confusing and disjointed, Home From The Sea is a rather disappointing addition to the Elemental Masters series. A fusion of old fairy tale lore and fantasy introduces us to a young Welsh lass, Mari Prothero. As the usual strand of these tales go, she find herself to be half Selkie and bound to marry a Selkie husband to satisfy an old family promise.
The premise isn't original, but done well with a strong female lead. What doesn't work with the novel is the strange entwining with the two young English girls whose backstory I still don't understand. Even worse a third of the novel was used up explaining the back story before any of our protagonists even met one another.
The premise isn't original, but done well with a strong female lead. What doesn't work with the novel is the strange entwining with the two young English girls whose backstory I still don't understand. Even worse a third of the novel was used up explaining the back story before any of our protagonists even met one another.
November 30, 2016
Quite enjoyed this entry in the Elemental Masters series, mostly because Nan and Sarah had major roles. This one seemed to be based on a combination of the stories of "The Seal Wife" and "The Judgement of Paris".
I am finding though, that reading them backwards that some of the earlier ones aren't as good as the later ones. Apart from Nan and Sarah (and Puck), I didn't much care for the characters. The constable just seemed like a badly drawn plot device who served no discernible role in the story.
Still, worth 4 stars on the basis of the interactions of the characters I do like.
I am finding though, that reading them backwards that some of the earlier ones aren't as good as the later ones. Apart from Nan and Sarah (and Puck), I didn't much care for the characters. The constable just seemed like a badly drawn plot device who served no discernible role in the story.
Still, worth 4 stars on the basis of the interactions of the characters I do like.
April 5, 2015
While it is certainly interesting to see more of Sarah and Nan (now graduated from Harton School) the story just seems to limp. The villains were more like a couple of bullies with too much power than real adversaries. I did enjoy some of the scenes but it felt as if the book were written as a juvenile, only with adults (well 18 yo) as the main characters.
January 21, 2021
Actually improves on a re-read. The first time I was annoyed by the story flitting away from Mari to |Nan & Sarah. This time I don't mind the digressions. Would probably be better if I'd read other books in the series where they appear.
A sweet tale of magic in Wales with a slow pace and no dark villainy.
A sweet tale of magic in Wales with a slow pace and no dark villainy.
September 1, 2023
Formulaic but still fun. Typical of the Nan and Sarah books that Puck just happens to be involved and to want to help. He is quite the plot helper as he can do all sorts of things that would make the story quite difficult else.
March 20, 2018
Another great entry in the series, and I loved the nod to Elizabeth Peters legendary Amelia Peabody!
January 5, 2024
If I had known my favorite characters in this series, Nan, Sara and the birds, were in this, I'd've read it a lot sooner! Plus I loved Mari and her growth into who she is, and her love.
February 25, 2022
Originally read in hardcover in 2012 when I rated it 4 stars. Still very enjoyable but only "I liked it" (3 stars) this time around instead of "I really liked it".
December 23, 2019
Very good tale
I loved this one. Very good story, moved right along, good character development with the new protagonists. And nice to have nan and Sarah and their wonderful birds in another tale. Well worth the read.
I loved this one. Very good story, moved right along, good character development with the new protagonists. And nice to have nan and Sarah and their wonderful birds in another tale. Well worth the read.
Read
July 13, 2023Short take: Victorian Tam Lin but with selkies instead of faeries.
Grabbed this hoping it would refresh without requiring much thought (after three exhausting weeks). And it did turn out to be one of my favorites in the series, of which I've now read all but two. Familiar characters play major roles, more humor than darkness (which suits my tastes), and the plot moved along (except for a doubtful five minutes when whole pages of a previous book were suddenly reproduced for exposition--but they were set in italics, so I knew I could skip and skim).
Grabbed this hoping it would refresh without requiring much thought (after three exhausting weeks). And it did turn out to be one of my favorites in the series, of which I've now read all but two. Familiar characters play major roles, more humor than darkness (which suits my tastes), and the plot moved along (except for a doubtful five minutes when whole pages of a previous book were suddenly reproduced for exposition--but they were set in italics, so I knew I could skip and skim).
February 1, 2016
Mari Prethero is a water master who has never been trained and thinks she's going mad. That is until her father tells her of the selchi bargain she I bound to fulfill.
I liked this different perspective. Mari is not the typical elemental master. She is not surrounded by other masters and trained thoroughly from a young age. We have always heard tell that some untrained mages can go mad and its interesting to have a character that has this issue.
I also appreciate this romance a bit more than in some of the previous books that I've read. Sometimes these romances pop up out of nowhere at the very end. A character suddenly realizes that she loves this man with 10 pages left in the book. I enjoy watching Mari fall in love with her selchi teacher.
I also enjoyed Nan and Sarah as a lovely addition to the story as well. However. I have not been reading the storyies 1) in order and 2) one right after the other. So I feel I have forgotten some characters and that maybe I'm missing out on some background or history of the two young lasses. It would have been helpful to just have a paragraph or two reminder of their history. I'm not saying an entire explanation of every previous detail bc I got so sick of the Dresden books for doing that. I don't need you to repeat and reexplain everything. But a quick little reminder of who their parents are. Who's married to who and what not would be appreciated.
I also really hoped that Nan and Rhodi would have a little more of a romance. There were definitely some sparks there but and even flirtations but then the story ended and nothing happened? Lackey never addresses it. So what are they going to stay friends? Long distance romance?
Lastly I think this Villian and culminating battle is better than previous books. Other books I feel it is hurried and too much buildup and not enough climax. I also don't really enjoy the back and forth between good guys and bad guys of previous books. I often times find myself frustrated if I know to much about what the bad guy is going to do. So I enjoyed that we are surprised as a reader about the bad guys plan. I feel it makes it more interesting and dramatic. However I do wish there was a little more fae trickery. The stories reiterate that you have to be very careful about the bargain you make with the fae because they stick to letter and find loopholes and what not. And I feel like a little more trickery would be very helpful.
Also I couldnt hell but remember the little boy that Nan was teaching at school. He would always find loop holes and ways around the rules and orders Nan set. Lackey made a point of talking about him that once I heard about the bargain I felt certain this littler smart alick would come into play somehow. So I was a bit disappointed that he didn't. Would have been a cool plot twist. Haha.
Lackey also made reference to "other dark forces that may be interested in an untrained Mage". She made that comment a few times. So it led me to believe that maybe some dark wizard would be our Villian, that maybe the constable was sent to the little village to seek out the poor untrained naive water master. But the selchi Chief was a fitting Villian. That brings me to the constable. I found his presence simply tacked on. His character was a joke, a characture of an English enforcer. And I'll admit it. It gave me childish glee to see him get punished. But he served no purpose to the story. Maybe the editor felt the selchi chief wasn't a strong enough Villian that they wanted lackey to add another hinderance to Mari and her group. I just felt he was useless and annoying. And I never really understood why he was there and what he was trying to do.
TLDR. Nice characters. Nice romance. Better Villian and culminating battle than previous books.
I liked this different perspective. Mari is not the typical elemental master. She is not surrounded by other masters and trained thoroughly from a young age. We have always heard tell that some untrained mages can go mad and its interesting to have a character that has this issue.
I also appreciate this romance a bit more than in some of the previous books that I've read. Sometimes these romances pop up out of nowhere at the very end. A character suddenly realizes that she loves this man with 10 pages left in the book. I enjoy watching Mari fall in love with her selchi teacher.
I also enjoyed Nan and Sarah as a lovely addition to the story as well. However. I have not been reading the storyies 1) in order and 2) one right after the other. So I feel I have forgotten some characters and that maybe I'm missing out on some background or history of the two young lasses. It would have been helpful to just have a paragraph or two reminder of their history. I'm not saying an entire explanation of every previous detail bc I got so sick of the Dresden books for doing that. I don't need you to repeat and reexplain everything. But a quick little reminder of who their parents are. Who's married to who and what not would be appreciated.
I also really hoped that Nan and Rhodi would have a little more of a romance. There were definitely some sparks there but and even flirtations but then the story ended and nothing happened? Lackey never addresses it. So what are they going to stay friends? Long distance romance?
Lastly I think this Villian and culminating battle is better than previous books. Other books I feel it is hurried and too much buildup and not enough climax. I also don't really enjoy the back and forth between good guys and bad guys of previous books. I often times find myself frustrated if I know to much about what the bad guy is going to do. So I enjoyed that we are surprised as a reader about the bad guys plan. I feel it makes it more interesting and dramatic. However I do wish there was a little more fae trickery. The stories reiterate that you have to be very careful about the bargain you make with the fae because they stick to letter and find loopholes and what not. And I feel like a little more trickery would be very helpful.
Also I couldnt hell but remember the little boy that Nan was teaching at school. He would always find loop holes and ways around the rules and orders Nan set. Lackey made a point of talking about him that once I heard about the bargain I felt certain this littler smart alick would come into play somehow. So I was a bit disappointed that he didn't. Would have been a cool plot twist. Haha.
Lackey also made reference to "other dark forces that may be interested in an untrained Mage". She made that comment a few times. So it led me to believe that maybe some dark wizard would be our Villian, that maybe the constable was sent to the little village to seek out the poor untrained naive water master. But the selchi Chief was a fitting Villian. That brings me to the constable. I found his presence simply tacked on. His character was a joke, a characture of an English enforcer. And I'll admit it. It gave me childish glee to see him get punished. But he served no purpose to the story. Maybe the editor felt the selchi chief wasn't a strong enough Villian that they wanted lackey to add another hinderance to Mari and her group. I just felt he was useless and annoying. And I never really understood why he was there and what he was trying to do.
TLDR. Nice characters. Nice romance. Better Villian and culminating battle than previous books.
May 20, 2021
The seventh in the Elemental Masters series and this one connects with the old ballads and songs of Tam-Lin and The Great Silkie from Scottish legends. The heroine, Mari, lives in a small cottage on the Welsh coast with her father Daffyd. Her mother and brother died many years ago when a rogue wave washed them out to sea. Daffyd is a fisherman with phenomenal luck not only with his catches but being seemingly safe in the most vicious storms.
Mari soon becomes eighteen and her father tells her the truth regarding her mother and brother - the Prothero made a bargain with the Selch water clan (half human, half fae/sea changelings) generations ago and in exchange for prosperity as fisher folk, the men of his family have wed a Selch maiden and fathered children - one for the land and one for the sea. And the one that stays on the land is required to marry a Selch and renew the bargain. And it is Mari that must fulfill it this time.
Oh, and the little creatures she used to see as a child - she still sees them but had stopped telling her Da about them when she saw how upset he got. But they are still around and Mari shows that she has magic - the element of water.
Nan and Sarah have just returned from visiting Sarah's parents in Africa and they are attempting to find something to do with their lives when Lord Aldercroft asks them to investigate this new water elemental/master in Wales. To verify that he is being trained as well as not going over to the proverbial 'dark and evil' pathways. Robin Goodfellow makes several appearances mostly helping the girls evade a rather nosy constable who is determined to find something wrong in the tiny village of Clogwyn - they have to be supporting the mine strikers and anarchists. They simply have to!! He's a bully and the elemental spirits and sprites take great joy in driving him practically insane.
Anyway, Mari finds a teacher among the Selch as well as a husband. But the clan leader of the Selch does not like this headstrong woman telling him how she's going to do things and eventually it becomes a quest to find her children and her bewitched husband along with a Trial of Wisdom Solomon would have difficulties with and a marathon riddle contest.
Happy-ever-after eventually arrives - have you any doubt? Nan and Sarah have found a place for themselves as well as jobs beyond being teachers at the Harton School and have plans to visit Mari, Idwal and their children. Daffyd continues to fish with one of Mari's former suitors, Rhodri and the constable is taken away likely to a psychiatric institute with this tales of ghosts and water flowing through his cottage and something dancing on his roof (earth spirits).
One thing I was surprised was that Mari didn't appear to show any interest in seeing her mother and brother. Maybe I missed that part/discussion but it did seem odd. Yes, her mother made the bargain with her Da but her brother never really had a choice since he was quite young when taken into the sea.
Fun read especially since Lackey has only just started to focus her stories around the White Lodge, Lord Aldercroft with Nan and Sarah.
2021-098
Mari soon becomes eighteen and her father tells her the truth regarding her mother and brother - the Prothero made a bargain with the Selch water clan (half human, half fae/sea changelings) generations ago and in exchange for prosperity as fisher folk, the men of his family have wed a Selch maiden and fathered children - one for the land and one for the sea. And the one that stays on the land is required to marry a Selch and renew the bargain. And it is Mari that must fulfill it this time.
Oh, and the little creatures she used to see as a child - she still sees them but had stopped telling her Da about them when she saw how upset he got. But they are still around and Mari shows that she has magic - the element of water.
Nan and Sarah have just returned from visiting Sarah's parents in Africa and they are attempting to find something to do with their lives when Lord Aldercroft asks them to investigate this new water elemental/master in Wales. To verify that he is being trained as well as not going over to the proverbial 'dark and evil' pathways. Robin Goodfellow makes several appearances mostly helping the girls evade a rather nosy constable who is determined to find something wrong in the tiny village of Clogwyn - they have to be supporting the mine strikers and anarchists. They simply have to!! He's a bully and the elemental spirits and sprites take great joy in driving him practically insane.
Anyway, Mari finds a teacher among the Selch as well as a husband. But the clan leader of the Selch does not like this headstrong woman telling him how she's going to do things and eventually it becomes a quest to find her children and her bewitched husband along with a Trial of Wisdom Solomon would have difficulties with and a marathon riddle contest.
Happy-ever-after eventually arrives - have you any doubt? Nan and Sarah have found a place for themselves as well as jobs beyond being teachers at the Harton School and have plans to visit Mari, Idwal and their children. Daffyd continues to fish with one of Mari's former suitors, Rhodri and the constable is taken away likely to a psychiatric institute with this tales of ghosts and water flowing through his cottage and something dancing on his roof (earth spirits).
One thing I was surprised was that Mari didn't appear to show any interest in seeing her mother and brother. Maybe I missed that part/discussion but it did seem odd. Yes, her mother made the bargain with her Da but her brother never really had a choice since he was quite young when taken into the sea.
Fun read especially since Lackey has only just started to focus her stories around the White Lodge, Lord Aldercroft with Nan and Sarah.
2021-098
June 21, 2012
Even though I give this book 5 stars, its faults should be addressed:
Mercedes Lackey is definitely past her prime. Nevertheless, I read her books religiously anyway because they're enjoyable, and her truly *wonderful* works in the past still deserve some respect by recognizing her mediocre works of the present.
The villains of Home From the Sea were never fleshed out. To the point that you weren't even sure they *were* villains until late in the game, when you realized that the lack of emotional depth wasn't meant to conceal a heart of gold. It was just a lack of emotional depth.
In fact, halfway through the novel I wasn't even certain what exactly the "problem" of the story was meant to be. Mari, the protagonist, had agreed to a magical deal that did not seem manifestly unfair at face value. Nan and Sarah from "The Wizard of London" showed up again and waxed on about how their greatest problem was a bad case of idle hands. Halfway through the novel I felt myself enjoying Lackey's typical sensory details focusing on food and practicality, but I found myself seriously questioning whether the plot was going to go anywhere. After "Reserved for the Cat," I can say I have been burned by Lackey before.
Part of Lackey's problem is that she does not even pursue the interesting plot points she includes, half the time. In this novel it is established that the Prothero family is in the habit of taking selq brides, bearing two children, and giving over the selq bride and one child back to the sea in seal form. It is established early on that this took place with Mari's mother and brother. Early in the novel Mari learns of this family secret and meets with the selq folk. And... absolutely no character ever thinks to pursue the possibility that Mari could actually *talk* to her mother or brother. Or at least want to. What one would expect to be an *obvious* plot point to address, Lackey ignores entirely without explanation.
I was glad that the final quarter --perhaps final 8th?-- of the book resolved itself with at least *some* sense of suspense and an actual problem to be solved. But again, I feel like it has been years since Lackey wrote a proper novel with sufficient plot twists and suspense. It would help if she embraced a more Whedon-esque habit of killing main characters. Something. Anything. If another 100 pages could have been added to this novel with more nitty-gritty urban fantasy details, I would have been satisfied.
It should also be noted that I adore selkies above all other magical creatures so was dying to read this book as soon as I saw what it was about. So, I am infinitely grateful for the concept of the novel, if not the execution.
Mercedes Lackey is definitely past her prime. Nevertheless, I read her books religiously anyway because they're enjoyable, and her truly *wonderful* works in the past still deserve some respect by recognizing her mediocre works of the present.
The villains of Home From the Sea were never fleshed out. To the point that you weren't even sure they *were* villains until late in the game, when you realized that the lack of emotional depth wasn't meant to conceal a heart of gold. It was just a lack of emotional depth.
In fact, halfway through the novel I wasn't even certain what exactly the "problem" of the story was meant to be. Mari, the protagonist, had agreed to a magical deal that did not seem manifestly unfair at face value. Nan and Sarah from "The Wizard of London" showed up again and waxed on about how their greatest problem was a bad case of idle hands. Halfway through the novel I felt myself enjoying Lackey's typical sensory details focusing on food and practicality, but I found myself seriously questioning whether the plot was going to go anywhere. After "Reserved for the Cat," I can say I have been burned by Lackey before.
Part of Lackey's problem is that she does not even pursue the interesting plot points she includes, half the time. In this novel it is established that the Prothero family is in the habit of taking selq brides, bearing two children, and giving over the selq bride and one child back to the sea in seal form. It is established early on that this took place with Mari's mother and brother. Early in the novel Mari learns of this family secret and meets with the selq folk. And... absolutely no character ever thinks to pursue the possibility that Mari could actually *talk* to her mother or brother. Or at least want to. What one would expect to be an *obvious* plot point to address, Lackey ignores entirely without explanation.
I was glad that the final quarter --perhaps final 8th?-- of the book resolved itself with at least *some* sense of suspense and an actual problem to be solved. But again, I feel like it has been years since Lackey wrote a proper novel with sufficient plot twists and suspense. It would help if she embraced a more Whedon-esque habit of killing main characters. Something. Anything. If another 100 pages could have been added to this novel with more nitty-gritty urban fantasy details, I would have been satisfied.
It should also be noted that I adore selkies above all other magical creatures so was dying to read this book as soon as I saw what it was about. So, I am infinitely grateful for the concept of the novel, if not the execution.
October 11, 2012
I am a big fan of ML's Elemental Masters series and Five Hundred Kingdoms series, and was excited to read Home from the Sea. I mostly enjoyed it, but not as much as I expected.
Synopsis: Mari Prothero's father is the luckiest fisherman in their little Welsh village. When Mari learns that she must marry a Selch (seal-person) to maintain the luck, she uses her strength of mind and her latent mastery of water magic to strike a bargain more to her liking. Can her new allies from London, and from a previous Elemental Masters story, help her keep her family together?
Good things: I liked the Welsh setting and Mari Prothero. Welsh heritage is big at my house, and I found the milieu very enjoyable, from the village, the isolated cottage, to the Manor and environs.
Bad things: ML really set me up for some great plot twists that never happened.
•First, what about all those dark magicky things with their eyes on her? (The constable doesn't count; he's merely annoying.) I thought the evil Mari Lwyd had some good potential, but alas, it was a non-starter.
•Second, the contract with the selches specifies one child goes with the selch parent and one stays with the human parent. Since Gethin snatched both children, Mari had a strong case for serious payback, especially after all the tit-for-tat business about dealing with magical folk. I was excited to see how that would play, but it never came up. This would have been a good time for Llyr to show up and wield some Oldest magic.
•Third, with all the Selch cousins/kinfolk rallying around her in Selchland, where was Mari's mother & brother? Not so much as a nod? I was watching for some kind of reunion to warm the sea-chilled cockles of my heart, even though Mari no longer mourned her lost kin. But nothing. Another plot strengthening device, wasted.
•Fourth, Puck keeps hanging around, but won't interfere with his counterpart, Llyr. Kind of expected Llyr to make an appearance, even in passing (see Second), but no.
I'm not sure how I feel about Nan and Sarah. My recollection of them is pretty dim, so I cannot rely on my previous reading of The Wizard of London to strengthen Home from the Sea. I find the girls less interesting, and don't feel their whole storyline did a whole lot to advance the plot, aside from tying it to the White Lodge thread of the series. Maybe if I remembered them more, it would help, but it's not my job to remember, it's ML's job to make the story stand on its own.
In short, I almost loved it, but the disappointments are real.
Synopsis: Mari Prothero's father is the luckiest fisherman in their little Welsh village. When Mari learns that she must marry a Selch (seal-person) to maintain the luck, she uses her strength of mind and her latent mastery of water magic to strike a bargain more to her liking. Can her new allies from London, and from a previous Elemental Masters story, help her keep her family together?
Good things: I liked the Welsh setting and Mari Prothero. Welsh heritage is big at my house, and I found the milieu very enjoyable, from the village, the isolated cottage, to the Manor and environs.
Bad things: ML really set me up for some great plot twists that never happened.
•First, what about all those dark magicky things with their eyes on her? (The constable doesn't count; he's merely annoying.) I thought the evil Mari Lwyd had some good potential, but alas, it was a non-starter.
•Second, the contract with the selches specifies one child goes with the selch parent and one stays with the human parent. Since Gethin snatched both children, Mari had a strong case for serious payback, especially after all the tit-for-tat business about dealing with magical folk. I was excited to see how that would play, but it never came up. This would have been a good time for Llyr to show up and wield some Oldest magic.
•Third, with all the Selch cousins/kinfolk rallying around her in Selchland, where was Mari's mother & brother? Not so much as a nod? I was watching for some kind of reunion to warm the sea-chilled cockles of my heart, even though Mari no longer mourned her lost kin. But nothing. Another plot strengthening device, wasted.
•Fourth, Puck keeps hanging around, but won't interfere with his counterpart, Llyr. Kind of expected Llyr to make an appearance, even in passing (see Second), but no.
I'm not sure how I feel about Nan and Sarah. My recollection of them is pretty dim, so I cannot rely on my previous reading of The Wizard of London to strengthen Home from the Sea. I find the girls less interesting, and don't feel their whole storyline did a whole lot to advance the plot, aside from tying it to the White Lodge thread of the series. Maybe if I remembered them more, it would help, but it's not my job to remember, it's ML's job to make the story stand on its own.
In short, I almost loved it, but the disappointments are real.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2012
This is an excellent Mercedes Lackey story, and I'm giving it five stars even though I know that if someone else had written it I'd give it only four. What can I say? I'm well aware of Lackey's faults, but she's given me a lot of pleasure over the years (I've read all the books she's written herself and most of the ones she co-authored with other people) and I tend to judge her work by a separate set of standards. I know that's not fair. If you really can't be doing with a book where the two bad guys are Horrid People who do Horrid Things because they like being Horrible and where the three heroines are loved by one and all and possess not only all the virtues of their own societies but all the virtues of ours as well, go read something else. Seriously, this book will give you a migraine. But if you are willing to over look all that (plus one rather unfortunate chapter where key plot points of an earlier book in the series are told in tooth-grinding flashback) this is a glorious tale, full of Lackey's charm and her awe-inspiring attention to the minutiae of her character's domestic arrangements. Have you ever wondered how a magic raven & a magic parrot would manage to defecate on a long Victorian railway journey? Mercedes Lackey has, and she'll tell you not only how they manage it in first class but how they would have managed if they were traveling in less style as well.
This is the latest in the Elemental Masters series, and a sequel to the Wizard of London - you don't need to have read that to read this, owing to the extensive use of flashbacks, but you'll get a lot more out of it if you read them in order. Here we get to meet Sarah & Nan all grown up, back from a tour of Africa and looking to start their adult lives. At the same time we are introduced to Mari Prothero, the daughter of a Welsh fisherman, who is just starting to come into her power and who is faced with a distressing choice on her 18th birthday. Eventually the three of them meet and manage to sort things out together. There's a lot of delicious Welsh social history in here, and the whole comes together as a truly charming story.
I have this as an audiobook too, I alternated reading this book with listening to it, and I thoroughly enjoyed Kate Reading's performance, which is especially strong for the Welsh parts of the story.
This is the latest in the Elemental Masters series, and a sequel to the Wizard of London - you don't need to have read that to read this, owing to the extensive use of flashbacks, but you'll get a lot more out of it if you read them in order. Here we get to meet Sarah & Nan all grown up, back from a tour of Africa and looking to start their adult lives. At the same time we are introduced to Mari Prothero, the daughter of a Welsh fisherman, who is just starting to come into her power and who is faced with a distressing choice on her 18th birthday. Eventually the three of them meet and manage to sort things out together. There's a lot of delicious Welsh social history in here, and the whole comes together as a truly charming story.
I have this as an audiobook too, I alternated reading this book with listening to it, and I thoroughly enjoyed Kate Reading's performance, which is especially strong for the Welsh parts of the story.
July 3, 2012
This book follows the fairly predictable pattern of the other Elemental Masters books, but there is enough variation to keep it interesting. I like that the main villain(s) are different from those of previous books...no evil mages (or vindictive aunts/stepmothers who also happen to be evil mages) here, just elemental creatures and a bullying constable. I also enjoyed the return of Sarah and Nan from The Wizard of London as young adults, figuring out what they are going to do with their lives.
There were a few things that threw me out of what was generally an enjoyable story. Firstly, the reference to the "family of archaeologists" who aid Nan and Sarah in Egypt pulled me out of the story a bit, since they were clearly the Emerson family from the Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters. Not that it's a bad thing, but it was a thinly veiled reference and I would have liked it better if it was more obscured. Mentioning a pair of archaeologists who live on a houseboat with their son would have implied the connection...telling us that they call the lady "Sitt Hakim" and that she has a sword parasol is pretty much a dead giveaway, if you've read any of Peters' books.
The other thing that threw me off is a case of bad editing...one of the minor characters is introduced as "Siarl", referred to that way a few times in the subsequent paragraph, and then a few chapters later he shows up as "Niarl". He is called "Niarl" too many times for it to be a one time typo, and a few chapters after that he's "Siarl" again. If I can catch that as a reader, someone in the publishing business should have caught it first.
Overall I liked this book more than some of the others in the same vein...it was much better than The Gates of Sleep but Phoenix and Ashes is still my favorite.
There were a few things that threw me out of what was generally an enjoyable story. Firstly, the reference to the "family of archaeologists" who aid Nan and Sarah in Egypt pulled me out of the story a bit, since they were clearly the Emerson family from the Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters. Not that it's a bad thing, but it was a thinly veiled reference and I would have liked it better if it was more obscured. Mentioning a pair of archaeologists who live on a houseboat with their son would have implied the connection...telling us that they call the lady "Sitt Hakim" and that she has a sword parasol is pretty much a dead giveaway, if you've read any of Peters' books.
The other thing that threw me off is a case of bad editing...one of the minor characters is introduced as "Siarl", referred to that way a few times in the subsequent paragraph, and then a few chapters later he shows up as "Niarl". He is called "Niarl" too many times for it to be a one time typo, and a few chapters after that he's "Siarl" again. If I can catch that as a reader, someone in the publishing business should have caught it first.
Overall I liked this book more than some of the others in the same vein...it was much better than The Gates of Sleep but Phoenix and Ashes is still my favorite.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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