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Death's Lady #1-3
Death's Lady: The Complete Trilogy
A gifted psychiatrist, Daniel Dodson is perfectly aware that he's in a tough place personally following the death of his wife. Then a mysterious new patient offers a welcome professional distraction.
The world of swords and magic that Tenai so vividly remembers obviously isn't real. The deadly enmity and long war that left such deep emotional scars plainly symbolize something else. But Daniel uses the signposts of those confabulated memories to aid Tenai in building a new life for herself in the real world...
...until Tenai's enemies pull her back into her world of dark magic and darker betrayal. Daniel, pulled with her, finds himself fighting to protect Tenai, his own daughter Jenna, and himself in a struggle that threatens to plunge the world back into a war that may never end.
The world of swords and magic that Tenai so vividly remembers obviously isn't real. The deadly enmity and long war that left such deep emotional scars plainly symbolize something else. But Daniel uses the signposts of those confabulated memories to aid Tenai in building a new life for herself in the real world...
...until Tenai's enemies pull her back into her world of dark magic and darker betrayal. Daniel, pulled with her, finds himself fighting to protect Tenai, his own daughter Jenna, and himself in a struggle that threatens to plunge the world back into a war that may never end.
- GenresFantasy
929 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2021
55 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Neumeier
56 books580 followersRachel Neumeier started writing fiction to relax when she was a graduate student and needed a hobby unrelated to her research. Prior to selling her first fantasy novel, she had published only a few articles in venues such as The American Journal of Botany. However, finding that her interests did not lie in research, Rachel left academia and began to let her hobbies take over her life instead.
She now raises and shows dogs, gardens, cooks, and occasionally finds time to read. She works part-time for a tutoring program, though she tutors far more students in Math and Chemistry than in English Composition.
She now raises and shows dogs, gardens, cooks, and occasionally finds time to read. She works part-time for a tutoring program, though she tutors far more students in Math and Chemistry than in English Composition.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 6, 2024
What an excellent story. I binge-read the three books ( and have just bought a fourth set in the same world) Rachel Neumeier has written a saga set in our world and another . The alternate world is so well conceived and believable that I found myself lost in it- seeing and feeling the surroundings. She has brought to life characters of such intensity who become real to the reader- at least they did to me.
If you like fantasy, intrigue and excellent characterization this is definitely a series you will enjoy.
If you like fantasy, intrigue and excellent characterization this is definitely a series you will enjoy.
July 2, 2024
A Very Satisfying Trilogy
I don’t read a *lot* of fantasy novels, but my interest was piqued by the premise of this one and so I figured I would give it a try. I must say that I really did thoroughly enjoy this read! I think what really won me over is how the author intimately developed each of the characters and brought them to life. I really found myself rooting for the good guys and hissing the villains.
I don’t read a *lot* of fantasy novels, but my interest was piqued by the premise of this one and so I figured I would give it a try. I must say that I really did thoroughly enjoy this read! I think what really won me over is how the author intimately developed each of the characters and brought them to life. I really found myself rooting for the good guys and hissing the villains.
June 16, 2024
A great story
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I love the world building that took place and the character development. I would love to be able to read more about the main characters. What happened next? Where did they end up? What happened to them once the story was over?
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I love the world building that took place and the character development. I would love to be able to read more about the main characters. What happened next? Where did they end up? What happened to them once the story was over?
June 6, 2024
Riveting and Moving
This is world building at its finest. The characters ring true and have their own voices. I wish I could begin again for the first time.
This is world building at its finest. The characters ring true and have their own voices. I wish I could begin again for the first time.
June 16, 2024
excellent!
Loved the world view of this trilogy and especially loved the characters. Well-written tale of personal development and adventure. Highly recommend.
Loved the world view of this trilogy and especially loved the characters. Well-written tale of personal development and adventure. Highly recommend.
August 17, 2024
A warrior from a grim fantasy world needs a psychiatrist.
Daniel has a new patient. She is angry and violent, and refuses to speak. Once she does, she says that her name is Tenai, and tells tragic stories of a different world, where she had waged a vengeful war for 400 years. Daniel thinks these stories are metaphors and symbols, of course. (Fantasy readers: yeah, right, mwahaha.)
The conversations between Tenai and Daniel are riveting and well done. They are emotional and frightening.
“I think I had forgotten until I came here that other people also have memory following at their heels like hounds behind the deer.”
“You give me new eyes, doctor, and I thank you, but how am I to endure this new sight you have given me?”
Tenai’s tentative journey towards peace is a great one to follow.
I really liked the novella between books 1 and 2 of the trilogy, in which Tenai is building a new life for herself. The POV’s are Tenai’s employer and Jenna, Daniel’s daughter. I knew from the blurb that Daniel, Tenai, and Jenna will be transported to Tenai’s world. After this novella, I didn’t want this at all. Why couldn’t everyone just get on with their lives and do the found family thing? Oh, well.
Books 2&3 are full of deadly intrigue and danger. This is a grim and strange world, but there are good people here too. Modern people are out of their depth here, and I liked how the author explored this trope. Daniel and Jenna have to be brave, in ways that are new to them both. At the same time, the author never lets the readers forget the cost of violence.
I liked Jenna’s and Emel’s eventful “roadtrip”!
“How is it,” Jenna muttered to Emel, “that we keep winding up disarmed and surrounded? I think we must be doing something wrong. Next time I want to be the one with the weapons and the superior attitude.”
Coming home is not easy for Tenai – when you are transported back to places where you experienced so much trauma, what happens? There is a lot of darkness and heartbreak, and Tenai has to find her humanity again, more than once.
The ending is very nice :)
Overall, the writing, plotting and storytelling are not as polished as in the Tuyo series. As it sometimes happens with independently published books, there were a few strange sentences and turns of phrase. I didn’t mind. Neimeier excels at character interactions and poignant dialogue, and this is what kept me reading. I don’t think I can recommend these books to readers who are new to Neumeier, though. Read Tuyo books instead! (Then you will probably be able to cut the author a lot of slack, he he.)
I must say that I enjoyed this trilogy a lot more than my previous read – traditionally published and well-edited Some Desperate Glory.
929 pages that were worth my while ;)
Daniel has a new patient. She is angry and violent, and refuses to speak. Once she does, she says that her name is Tenai, and tells tragic stories of a different world, where she had waged a vengeful war for 400 years. Daniel thinks these stories are metaphors and symbols, of course. (Fantasy readers: yeah, right, mwahaha.)
The conversations between Tenai and Daniel are riveting and well done. They are emotional and frightening.
“I think I had forgotten until I came here that other people also have memory following at their heels like hounds behind the deer.”
“You give me new eyes, doctor, and I thank you, but how am I to endure this new sight you have given me?”
Tenai’s tentative journey towards peace is a great one to follow.
I really liked the novella between books 1 and 2 of the trilogy, in which Tenai is building a new life for herself. The POV’s are Tenai’s employer and Jenna, Daniel’s daughter. I knew from the blurb that Daniel, Tenai, and Jenna will be transported to Tenai’s world. After this novella, I didn’t want this at all. Why couldn’t everyone just get on with their lives and do the found family thing? Oh, well.
Books 2&3 are full of deadly intrigue and danger. This is a grim and strange world, but there are good people here too. Modern people are out of their depth here, and I liked how the author explored this trope. Daniel and Jenna have to be brave, in ways that are new to them both. At the same time, the author never lets the readers forget the cost of violence.
I liked Jenna’s and Emel’s eventful “roadtrip”!
“How is it,” Jenna muttered to Emel, “that we keep winding up disarmed and surrounded? I think we must be doing something wrong. Next time I want to be the one with the weapons and the superior attitude.”
Coming home is not easy for Tenai – when you are transported back to places where you experienced so much trauma, what happens? There is a lot of darkness and heartbreak, and Tenai has to find her humanity again, more than once.
The ending is very nice :)
Overall, the writing, plotting and storytelling are not as polished as in the Tuyo series. As it sometimes happens with independently published books, there were a few strange sentences and turns of phrase. I didn’t mind. Neimeier excels at character interactions and poignant dialogue, and this is what kept me reading. I don’t think I can recommend these books to readers who are new to Neumeier, though. Read Tuyo books instead! (Then you will probably be able to cut the author a lot of slack, he he.)
I must say that I enjoyed this trilogy a lot more than my previous read – traditionally published and well-edited Some Desperate Glory.
929 pages that were worth my while ;)
July 12, 2024
An unusual approach to time portal fantasy where a psychiatrist in our world treats a woman in his clinic who is in reality an immortal warrior from another world.
The first book starts a little slowly and sometimes Daniel can be a bit irritating but overall the entire approach to the relationship between Daniel and Tenai (not romantic) is really refreshing. And I love his perspective when he gets dragged into her world and the swordplay gets a bit too real.
A bonus is the Father-Daughter relationship, something you don't see often at this level in fantasy.
The trilogy offers a massive and complex read with all the worldbuilding expertise you'd expect from Rachel Neumeier.
The first book starts a little slowly and sometimes Daniel can be a bit irritating but overall the entire approach to the relationship between Daniel and Tenai (not romantic) is really refreshing. And I love his perspective when he gets dragged into her world and the swordplay gets a bit too real.
A bonus is the Father-Daughter relationship, something you don't see often at this level in fantasy.
The trilogy offers a massive and complex read with all the worldbuilding expertise you'd expect from Rachel Neumeier.
November 26, 2022
I wanted to like this book because the writing style is gripping, but I can’t recommend it because it left me feeling sad and empty.
Once started, it’s hard to put down. Be warned that most of the book felt like watching a car wreck happening, you knew the pain and destruction that was coming, but you can’t look away. And it wasn’t a one time occurrence, it was repeated with rollercoaster-like intervals with new twists every time.
The worlds and characters were well written; the repeated battering the reader endures is my biggest gripe.
Once started, it’s hard to put down. Be warned that most of the book felt like watching a car wreck happening, you knew the pain and destruction that was coming, but you can’t look away. And it wasn’t a one time occurrence, it was repeated with rollercoaster-like intervals with new twists every time.
The worlds and characters were well written; the repeated battering the reader endures is my biggest gripe.
July 31, 2025
I was amazed - truly! - at how this trilogy captivated me. Going in, I expected it to be a sedate but pleasing read, and this exceeded all my expectations. The author's style is indeed sedate, but this read was thrilling and immensely satisfying.
I loved how it brought psychological depth to a classic portal fantasy plot. This series is exceptionally character-driven, with deeply compelling characters. It's more than a simple adventure story, although there's plenty of adventure and action. This story - and the world - are meticulously crafted and the premise is masterfully executed.
I loved how it brought psychological depth to a classic portal fantasy plot. This series is exceptionally character-driven, with deeply compelling characters. It's more than a simple adventure story, although there's plenty of adventure and action. This story - and the world - are meticulously crafted and the premise is masterfully executed.
June 5, 2024
An enthralling saga
Daniel and Jenna, father and daughter, meet up with a woman from another world. Tenai is Psychiatrist, Daniel's patient.
She tells him of magic and strange lands, which he regards as delusional, until he and his daughter are transported along with Tenai, into that very world.
Each of the books continues the story and each one is awesome.
Fantastic characters, especially Lord Death, to who Tenai is bound to.
Daniel and Jenna, father and daughter, meet up with a woman from another world. Tenai is Psychiatrist, Daniel's patient.
She tells him of magic and strange lands, which he regards as delusional, until he and his daughter are transported along with Tenai, into that very world.
Each of the books continues the story and each one is awesome.
Fantastic characters, especially Lord Death, to who Tenai is bound to.
July 6, 2024
A beautiful journey
This was my first introduction to Rachel’s body of work. There is great mastery in the depth and intricacy of each character. There is so much intrigue, suspense, awe and mystery throughout. But my favorite aspect is the profound truth about life and power which is woven throughout this amazingly detailed and convoluted story. In the end it became a journey to truth led by the heart. Thank you, Rachel!
This was my first introduction to Rachel’s body of work. There is great mastery in the depth and intricacy of each character. There is so much intrigue, suspense, awe and mystery throughout. But my favorite aspect is the profound truth about life and power which is woven throughout this amazingly detailed and convoluted story. In the end it became a journey to truth led by the heart. Thank you, Rachel!
January 22, 2025
2.5 stars. I think I only finished this because it was the trilogy omnibus. While everything flowed, the story didn't feel resolved. Sure Tennai's arc felt finished but Daniel and Jenna's story arcs felt as if they were just beginning.
Also have a couple bugbears with the story. The unnecessarily racist comment in the first book from a throw away side character that brought nothing to the story, and RN having Tesmeket in this series and similarly named Tasmakat in the Tuyo series.
Also have a couple bugbears with the story. The unnecessarily racist comment in the first book from a throw away side character that brought nothing to the story, and RN having Tesmeket in this series and similarly named Tasmakat in the Tuyo series.
June 6, 2024
Remarkable story and fantastic writing
If only I could have given this book 5 stars, and I would have if not for the many errors. With proper editing, this trilogy would be one of the best I’ve ever read. Well worth it, I gobbled it down within a week, and it was a busy week at that!
If only I could have given this book 5 stars, and I would have if not for the many errors. With proper editing, this trilogy would be one of the best I’ve ever read. Well worth it, I gobbled it down within a week, and it was a busy week at that!
June 13, 2024
Thoroughly good story which is well written, worth a 6*
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews