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Horsemistress Saga #1
Schule der Lüfte
In the Duchy of Oc, the most precious of creatures are the winged horses blessed by the goddess Kalla. When one is born, it is immediately taken to the Academy of the Air to be trained and watched over. But this time, the Academy is getting more than it bargained for... At Depping Farm, far in the Uplands, young Larkyn Hamley finds a lone winged horse, starving, exhausted and about to give birth. The headstrong Larkyn saves the newborn from death, But, in the process, the coal-blac foal named Tup bonds with Lark, which the horses only do with one human woman for life. So when Mistress Phillipa Winter arrives to inspect Tup, she has little choice but to take the farm girl to the Academy for a "proper" education. There, Lark realizes that her unlikely good fortune may not be so lucky. For in the elite world of the Academy, lark's kindness and honesty prove to be weak armor against the taunts and cruelty of the high-born girls already there. Now, with Tup as her only ally, Larkyn Hamley is going to show everyone how high she can fly. Because if she falls, it's a long, long way down...
509 pages, Paperback
First published December 26, 2006
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435 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 28, 2011
Oh maaaaaan. I read this book about two years ago. I bought it because of the cover; magical companion animals of any stripe are one of my bulletproof fictional kinks but flying horses are my kryptonite. I'm not proud.
So I bought this and read it.
Ow.
(spoilers below)
On a surface level it's a perfectly good book! He knows how to write. Good rate of revelation, lovely description. I REALLY liked the scene where Lark meets her flying horse and the bit with her family life. LOVED that part. There are lots of female characters! But beneath that there's *so* much subtextual misogyny and other problems. The flying horses will only accept female riders. Fair enough; the society is such that there would be *no* female riders if the horses didn't insist on it. One of the girls at the school gets pregnant; there's no mention of the man who helped her get pregnant, but her horse loses his marbles and is killed and she is expelled in shame. The villain-male of course--has most of the sex depicted 'on-camera' and it is all of the coerced, non-consensual sadistic variety. AND he haaaaates the horsewomen.
Another thing that bothered me is that he wants so desperately to ride one of those horses that he's taking some magical potion to change himself 'female enough' that the horses won't wig out and reject him. So you have a book with a fair amount of rape and/or coerced sex, where the woman who has sex is ALWAYS punished (unless she's a virtuous wife, of course), and a villain who is the only non-straight non-chaste non-cisgendered entity in the novel. AUGH.
There is *maybe* one healthy romantic pairing; the parents of one of the girls at the flying-horse-school. The few male non-villians are the older brothers of the protag (and I LOVED them. I was rooting for one of the teachers to hook up with the oldest brother and be adorable and middle-aged together. But I can't bring myself to read the third book.)
The heroin does hook up with someone she seems fond of in book two but by this point I was very much :/ :/ :/ and I abandoned the series midway through in disappointment.
:C
So I bought this and read it.
Ow.
(spoilers below)
On a surface level it's a perfectly good book! He knows how to write. Good rate of revelation, lovely description. I REALLY liked the scene where Lark meets her flying horse and the bit with her family life. LOVED that part. There are lots of female characters! But beneath that there's *so* much subtextual misogyny and other problems. The flying horses will only accept female riders. Fair enough; the society is such that there would be *no* female riders if the horses didn't insist on it. One of the girls at the school gets pregnant; there's no mention of the man who helped her get pregnant, but her horse loses his marbles and is killed and she is expelled in shame. The villain-male of course--has most of the sex depicted 'on-camera' and it is all of the coerced, non-consensual sadistic variety. AND he haaaaates the horsewomen.
Another thing that bothered me is that he wants so desperately to ride one of those horses that he's taking some magical potion to change himself 'female enough' that the horses won't wig out and reject him. So you have a book with a fair amount of rape and/or coerced sex, where the woman who has sex is ALWAYS punished (unless she's a virtuous wife, of course), and a villain who is the only non-straight non-chaste non-cisgendered entity in the novel. AUGH.
There is *maybe* one healthy romantic pairing; the parents of one of the girls at the flying-horse-school. The few male non-villians are the older brothers of the protag (and I LOVED them. I was rooting for one of the teachers to hook up with the oldest brother and be adorable and middle-aged together. But I can't bring myself to read the third book.)
The heroin does hook up with someone she seems fond of in book two but by this point I was very much :/ :/ :/ and I abandoned the series midway through in disappointment.
:C
November 5, 2012
Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com
Larkyn Hamley lives in the Uplands in the Duchy of Oc. Until recently she's lived a pretty normal life on the family farm with her three brothers. Until she finds Char. Horses are more than rare in the Uplands, and until now Larkyn has never seen a real one. But, here she is, and it's only the beginning. Char dies trying to give birth to her foal. Not just any horse, but a winged horse! Winged horses, by law, belong to the Duke. Their bloodlines are monitored. Winged horses are bred. They don't just show up on farms in the Uplands. Until now.
What Larkyn doesn't know is that winged horses bond for life with one female only. Usually those females are specially chosen, monitored, and trained. All Larkyn knows is that her new friend Tup needs to be fed and cared for, and Tup doesn't really like her brothers. By the time Mistress Phillipa Winter from the Academy arrives, it's too late. Larkyn and Tup are inseparable. There is really no choice to be made. She wasn't chosen, she's not prepared, she's far too young, and she may never fit in, but Larkyn is off to the Academy with Tup, to train for their service to the Duke.
It's quickly apparent that fitting in, while virtually impossible, is the least of Larkyn's problems. And, difficult as the situation is, Larkyn is the least of the Academy's problems. When the Duke dies, and his son takes over, there may be a lot more to worry about, for the entire Duchy.
This book is unbelievably absorbing! At first I found it mildly hard to follow, because it doesn't explain everything outright. Gradually, I realized that all my questions were answered as the story unfolded. By the end I not only appreciated the assumption of intelligent readership, I also realized how much more involved in the story I was, because of the way it was written. Not to mention that it is, plain and simple, a great story. All of the characters are very well formed, very real, and interesting. The Duke's son is incredibly disturbing, as are some of his habits, most of which are only alluded to (and trust me, that's a good thing). But he's kind of pitiful at the same time; you almost feel a little bad for him. Almost.
This is the first in what is planned as a trilogy. Good thing too, otherwise I would have some issues with Ms. Bishop. I hadn't had nearly enough by the end of this book. It doesn't so much end with an "OMG! What happens next?" but more of an "I want to know more. I want to spend more time here." I think I'll end up reading it over and over until the next one comes out!
Larkyn Hamley lives in the Uplands in the Duchy of Oc. Until recently she's lived a pretty normal life on the family farm with her three brothers. Until she finds Char. Horses are more than rare in the Uplands, and until now Larkyn has never seen a real one. But, here she is, and it's only the beginning. Char dies trying to give birth to her foal. Not just any horse, but a winged horse! Winged horses, by law, belong to the Duke. Their bloodlines are monitored. Winged horses are bred. They don't just show up on farms in the Uplands. Until now.
What Larkyn doesn't know is that winged horses bond for life with one female only. Usually those females are specially chosen, monitored, and trained. All Larkyn knows is that her new friend Tup needs to be fed and cared for, and Tup doesn't really like her brothers. By the time Mistress Phillipa Winter from the Academy arrives, it's too late. Larkyn and Tup are inseparable. There is really no choice to be made. She wasn't chosen, she's not prepared, she's far too young, and she may never fit in, but Larkyn is off to the Academy with Tup, to train for their service to the Duke.
It's quickly apparent that fitting in, while virtually impossible, is the least of Larkyn's problems. And, difficult as the situation is, Larkyn is the least of the Academy's problems. When the Duke dies, and his son takes over, there may be a lot more to worry about, for the entire Duchy.
This book is unbelievably absorbing! At first I found it mildly hard to follow, because it doesn't explain everything outright. Gradually, I realized that all my questions were answered as the story unfolded. By the end I not only appreciated the assumption of intelligent readership, I also realized how much more involved in the story I was, because of the way it was written. Not to mention that it is, plain and simple, a great story. All of the characters are very well formed, very real, and interesting. The Duke's son is incredibly disturbing, as are some of his habits, most of which are only alluded to (and trust me, that's a good thing). But he's kind of pitiful at the same time; you almost feel a little bad for him. Almost.
This is the first in what is planned as a trilogy. Good thing too, otherwise I would have some issues with Ms. Bishop. I hadn't had nearly enough by the end of this book. It doesn't so much end with an "OMG! What happens next?" but more of an "I want to know more. I want to spend more time here." I think I'll end up reading it over and over until the next one comes out!
March 4, 2019
This is a pretty good story and a well-written book, but I was a bit disappointed with how much of the conflict happened off the page rather than actually giving us the conflict.
There was also an incident of animal cruelty simply to show how evil the villain is, and the characters weren’t very well rounded overall.
Also, there’s some seriously questionable genderqueer rep that I’m sure would make a LOT of people uncomfortable.
There was also an incident of animal cruelty simply to show how evil the villain is, and the characters weren’t very well rounded overall.
Also, there’s some seriously questionable genderqueer rep that I’m sure would make a LOT of people uncomfortable.
September 25, 2012
"In the Duchy of Oc, the most precious of creatures are the winged horses blessed by the goddess Kalla. When one is born, it is immediately taken to the Academy of the Air to be trained and watched over.
But this time the Academy is getting more than it bargained for...
At Deeping Farm, far in the Uplands, young Larkyn Deeping finds a lone winged horse, starving, exhausted, and about to give birth. The headstrong Larkyn saves the newborn from death. But in the process, the coal-black foal named Tup bonds with Lark, which the horses only do with one woman for life.
So when Mistress Phillipa Winter arrives to inspect Tup, she has little choice but to take the farm girl to the Academy for a 'proper' education. There, Lark realizes that her unlikely good fortune may not be so lucky. For in the elite world of the Academy, Lark's kindness and honesty prove to be weak armor against the taunts and cruelty of the high-born girls already there.
Now, with Tup as her only ally, Larkyn Hamley is going to show everyone how high she can fly. Because if she falls, it's a long, long way down..."
There are actually two story-strands, Larkyn's and Phillipa's, so the story is more about the politics and plotting in the big picture than about Lark being bullied (and that's underplayed more than the blurb suggests).
The books are shelved in SF/F rather than YA, which surprised me at first, but there's a fairly sexually twisted villain, and the horses will only bond with virgins (more accurately, with women who haven't borne children) and this is dealt with perhaps more straightforwardly than some YA selectors might want.
My only complaint at first was that the Good King (Duke really) is being drugged and kept under the thumb of the villain and ... that's a bit too familiar a plot element. It made me want to write something where the Rightful Ruler is actually an idiot or dangerous lunatic and the Evil Vizier is keeping him sedated for the safety of the realm. But that's probably more a writer-reader's issue than a reader's.
At book's end I was left with mixed feelings. On the one hand, there's an underdog heroine learning to fly on horseback, the girls' school setting, a multitude of female characters, all things to love. But on the other hand there's a queasy undercurrent of twisted sexuality, not only the villain's perverseness but the way the horse-and-rider bond depends absolutely on the sexual behaviour of the rider. It left me feeling rather grimy and depressed. And thinking that Kalla was a pretty unpleasant goddess.
The writing is skilful, with evocative details that sometimes slowed the story down.
But this time the Academy is getting more than it bargained for...
At Deeping Farm, far in the Uplands, young Larkyn Deeping finds a lone winged horse, starving, exhausted, and about to give birth. The headstrong Larkyn saves the newborn from death. But in the process, the coal-black foal named Tup bonds with Lark, which the horses only do with one woman for life.
So when Mistress Phillipa Winter arrives to inspect Tup, she has little choice but to take the farm girl to the Academy for a 'proper' education. There, Lark realizes that her unlikely good fortune may not be so lucky. For in the elite world of the Academy, Lark's kindness and honesty prove to be weak armor against the taunts and cruelty of the high-born girls already there.
Now, with Tup as her only ally, Larkyn Hamley is going to show everyone how high she can fly. Because if she falls, it's a long, long way down..."
There are actually two story-strands, Larkyn's and Phillipa's, so the story is more about the politics and plotting in the big picture than about Lark being bullied (and that's underplayed more than the blurb suggests).
The books are shelved in SF/F rather than YA, which surprised me at first, but there's a fairly sexually twisted villain, and the horses will only bond with virgins (more accurately, with women who haven't borne children) and this is dealt with perhaps more straightforwardly than some YA selectors might want.
My only complaint at first was that the Good King (Duke really) is being drugged and kept under the thumb of the villain and ... that's a bit too familiar a plot element. It made me want to write something where the Rightful Ruler is actually an idiot or dangerous lunatic and the Evil Vizier is keeping him sedated for the safety of the realm. But that's probably more a writer-reader's issue than a reader's.
At book's end I was left with mixed feelings. On the one hand, there's an underdog heroine learning to fly on horseback, the girls' school setting, a multitude of female characters, all things to love. But on the other hand there's a queasy undercurrent of twisted sexuality, not only the villain's perverseness but the way the horse-and-rider bond depends absolutely on the sexual behaviour of the rider. It left me feeling rather grimy and depressed. And thinking that Kalla was a pretty unpleasant goddess.
The writing is skilful, with evocative details that sometimes slowed the story down.
May 3, 2018
The ebook omnibus edition I have is a mess. The first book was neither the first book the author wrote, nor the first book in chronological. Thinking the first book might be last (since it's not first), I went to the last "chapter" (book) and it was the series prologue...
If I had been able to read the series in proper order, perhaps I would have enjoyed it more, but I suspect not.
In the book's world, there are flying horses. The horses bond with one rider, but always women (they can't stand the scent of men), and for lord knows what reason, only virgin girls can bond. (What happens if a girl is raped? Is she unable to bond even though it's not her choice she is no longer a virgin? What kind of judgements are the horses making? Why do horses care if people have sex?)
In whichever not-first book of the series I read, there was an attack and lots of politics/arguing was going on. Very little horse stuff, except these magical flying horses were treated just like real horses (kept in a barn, groomed, cooled down by people). If horses can make decisions about sexuality, even if they're doing it on some magical instinct level, shouldn't they at least know they need to cool down after a long run/flight?
The book just didn't work for me. DNF
If I had been able to read the series in proper order, perhaps I would have enjoyed it more, but I suspect not.
In the book's world, there are flying horses. The horses bond with one rider, but always women (they can't stand the scent of men), and for lord knows what reason, only virgin girls can bond. (What happens if a girl is raped? Is she unable to bond even though it's not her choice she is no longer a virgin? What kind of judgements are the horses making? Why do horses care if people have sex?)
In whichever not-first book of the series I read, there was an attack and lots of politics/arguing was going on. Very little horse stuff, except these magical flying horses were treated just like real horses (kept in a barn, groomed, cooled down by people). If horses can make decisions about sexuality, even if they're doing it on some magical instinct level, shouldn't they at least know they need to cool down after a long run/flight?
The book just didn't work for me. DNF
February 9, 2019
I had hoped to really enjoy this series and it started off pretty good - a lovely, descriptive writing style and an interesting setting in the Uplands. Two interesting characters - Mistress Winter and Larklyn, and a nice side cast of lovely brothers. However, quite early on we meet the obvious villain of the piece, the duke's son, and unfortunately are immediately plunged into his disgusting point of view, and I just don't like reading about someone enjoying beating unwilling women with a whip for sexual gratification. I read on a little, in case this was a one-off, but I gained the distinct impression there was going to be more of the same. I understand there has to be some conflict in a story and it's often portrayed through an antagonist, but we could tell the duke's son was a villain from our first meeting with him and personally I don't need this kind of detail to confirm what was already obvious. Anyway, it put me off continuing so it's off to the DNF shelf.
July 1, 2018
The art on the front and description on the back only gives you a glimpse of what the story inside offers.
The wonderful descriptions gives you great mental images and there are some good, interesting characters that you can get invested in.
My one gripe with the writing is the repetitive use of words which feels a bit grating to read, especially towards the end of the book.
Despite this one issue, it was a plesent read and is a book I would recommend to those with an interest in fantasy stories.
The wonderful descriptions gives you great mental images and there are some good, interesting characters that you can get invested in.
My one gripe with the writing is the repetitive use of words which feels a bit grating to read, especially towards the end of the book.
Despite this one issue, it was a plesent read and is a book I would recommend to those with an interest in fantasy stories.
Read
September 20, 2020DNF @ page 100
DNF'ing for now after that scene. The one with the woman who had premarital sex and then had to kill her flying horse as "punishment". I may revisit this later (still in love with the book's concept), but it left a bad taste in my mouth and I was not looking forward to picking it back up at this time. :(
DNF'ing for now after that scene. The one with the woman who had premarital sex and then had to kill her flying horse as "punishment". I may revisit this later (still in love with the book's concept), but it left a bad taste in my mouth and I was not looking forward to picking it back up at this time. :(
September 13, 2024
I enjoyed this read. Winged horses are a weakness!
There are a few discrepancies where details and events don't line up but on the whole it's well written. I look forward to the next in the series!
There are a few discrepancies where details and events don't line up but on the whole it's well written. I look forward to the next in the series!
November 6, 2019
a concept like "magic wingd horses only bond with females" was always going to be a bit iffy in the school of enlightened gender roles where we are all enrolled now but the framing of the main villain feels, uh, a little bit particularly problematique. unfortunate, because the worldbuilding is great and the concept of winged horses is always an automatic +10000 from me! can i have a winged horse without the side of gender weirdity please!
February 11, 2008
Wow this book was hard to get through. i kept stumbling through the first portion, not really being able to set that pace that starts up once i get going for most books i read. there is a definite lack of a sense of urgency, and the pace was kind of like the speed my dad drives at--slow enough to outwalk. it just wasn't fun when there wasn't much excitement going on, not to mention not much of a goal involved--it was like a specific scene in the book, where once philippa and sunny had an objective, their energy was restored because they had a specific destination in mind. there was no destination for the majority of the book, and i struggled a lot with this one.
part of that lack of urgency/destination thing had a lot to do with the plot leaving the reader wondering if everything will actually amount to something. most of the time they talk about being shut in, or raining, or practicing airs--all interesting, if done tastefully. i'd rather read about them flying than about descriptions of their tacks, how it's gleaming, how the fields are iced over, etc etc. throughout the first half i kept thinking to myself, is there really anything amiss? is the villain actually going to do something? or what the hell is he planning? the villain's actions were just that random. of course, at the end, it's actually somewhat wrapped up, but then there are a lot of glaring holes left wide open too. like how did william know where they were? who was the leak? some others which i can't exactly recall right now, but i know for sure they're there. and the "resolved" matters by the end weren't really anything of significance, so it left me thinking, this entire painstaking drag leads up to this? but enough of my whining, i'll try to think of some good points.
umm.. well, i liked the part about the duke's daughter. and the witch. the smallmagics could have been explored more thoroughly, but i didn't mind so much. any part with bramble in it is cute. the duke's state was predictable, though i was simply expecting that he neutered himself, and not something associated with magics and potions. i did like reading about the battle between irina and philippa. although philippa's character annoyed me pretty often. i wonder if i'm being so critical simply because it got a good rating on amazon and i was expecting too much from it. but no matter, i'll find out when i read the second book when my expectations are lower. and god, i want a damn plot next time around. okay, to be fair, a more cohesive plot.
part of that lack of urgency/destination thing had a lot to do with the plot leaving the reader wondering if everything will actually amount to something. most of the time they talk about being shut in, or raining, or practicing airs--all interesting, if done tastefully. i'd rather read about them flying than about descriptions of their tacks, how it's gleaming, how the fields are iced over, etc etc. throughout the first half i kept thinking to myself, is there really anything amiss? is the villain actually going to do something? or what the hell is he planning? the villain's actions were just that random. of course, at the end, it's actually somewhat wrapped up, but then there are a lot of glaring holes left wide open too. like how did william know where they were? who was the leak? some others which i can't exactly recall right now, but i know for sure they're there. and the "resolved" matters by the end weren't really anything of significance, so it left me thinking, this entire painstaking drag leads up to this? but enough of my whining, i'll try to think of some good points.
umm.. well, i liked the part about the duke's daughter. and the witch. the smallmagics could have been explored more thoroughly, but i didn't mind so much. any part with bramble in it is cute. the duke's state was predictable, though i was simply expecting that he neutered himself, and not something associated with magics and potions. i did like reading about the battle between irina and philippa. although philippa's character annoyed me pretty often. i wonder if i'm being so critical simply because it got a good rating on amazon and i was expecting too much from it. but no matter, i'll find out when i read the second book when my expectations are lower. and god, i want a damn plot next time around. okay, to be fair, a more cohesive plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2011
It took me a little longer than I would have liked to read this book, but it was no fault of the book. The premise was interesting -- winged horses a la Pegasus bond only with adolescent females and cannot stand the "stench" of men. Being bonded, of course, has the requisite complication that the horse will die if the bondmate dies, and although the horses eventually die from old age, the human bondmates live on but are never quite as happy. The horsemistresses have autonomy in their kingdom, although they "report" to the Duchy. However, the old Duke is wasting away due to the disappearance of his favoured daughter, and the elder son is a total whack job.
The novel is PG-13 at best due to some violence and implied sadomasochism. Anything else I tell you will give away HUGE plot points, so we'll just leave it at that.
The main storyline is that a young farm girl finds a wingless mare wandering and takes her back to the farm. Unbeknownst to everyone, the mare is pregnant, and she dies giving birth to a winged foal. The foal, of course, is in a bad state due to not having a mom, so the farm girl sets about keeping him alive... and inadvertently bonds to him. This, of course, is a huge no-no since only well-bred young ladies are given the opportunity to bond with horses. How they are given this opportunity is barely touched on in the novel, and really only in the case of one teachers at the Academy.
Anyway, I could go into the basics, but it's pretty obvious -- farm girl, big city, scheming heir.
I really did like the novel. I thought it was well-written, interesting, and fun. The mystery really isn't because you can figure out where things are going pretty easily. And you spend much of the novel wanting it to get to the point. The unfortunate thing is that so much of the "training" of the foal and his bondmate gets lost in the scheming going on around her. And I really wish that one of the main characters would get her head out of her butt a LOT earlier. Still, I plan on reading the next book, and I think it's a trilogy. I like the main characters enough to stick with it (the best friend is particularly wonderful). I will admit, however, that I am glad to have found these at the library. Not sure I would spend money on them.
The novel is PG-13 at best due to some violence and implied sadomasochism. Anything else I tell you will give away HUGE plot points, so we'll just leave it at that.
The main storyline is that a young farm girl finds a wingless mare wandering and takes her back to the farm. Unbeknownst to everyone, the mare is pregnant, and she dies giving birth to a winged foal. The foal, of course, is in a bad state due to not having a mom, so the farm girl sets about keeping him alive... and inadvertently bonds to him. This, of course, is a huge no-no since only well-bred young ladies are given the opportunity to bond with horses. How they are given this opportunity is barely touched on in the novel, and really only in the case of one teachers at the Academy.
Anyway, I could go into the basics, but it's pretty obvious -- farm girl, big city, scheming heir.
I really did like the novel. I thought it was well-written, interesting, and fun. The mystery really isn't because you can figure out where things are going pretty easily. And you spend much of the novel wanting it to get to the point. The unfortunate thing is that so much of the "training" of the foal and his bondmate gets lost in the scheming going on around her. And I really wish that one of the main characters would get her head out of her butt a LOT earlier. Still, I plan on reading the next book, and I think it's a trilogy. I like the main characters enough to stick with it (the best friend is particularly wonderful). I will admit, however, that I am glad to have found these at the library. Not sure I would spend money on them.
January 5, 2016
Winged horses are rare and the Duke of Oc keeps meticulous breeding records of his flights as well as stabling trainees (horses and young women both) at the Academy. When Larkyn Hamley of the Uplands discovers a starving and very pregnant mare (without wings) near her family’s farm, she takes her in and nurses her back to health. Char gives birth, unexpectedly, to a winged foal, whom Lark calls “Tup.” Not realizing the urgency of this unusual circumstance, their prefect sends word by letter, and by the time Horsemistress Philippa Winter arrives to investigate, Tup has already bonded with Lark. The bond is permanent, so after some discussion, Lark is given a place at the Academy where she and Tup begin to train with other girls and winged horses. Lark has trouble fitting in with the other girls (she’s a farm girl, and most of the girls are nobles) and mastering the skills she needs to become a flyer (she can’t get the hang of a saddle). The mystery of Tup’s birth and bloodlines continues to frustrate and bewilder everyone except the powerful and dangerous man responsible for his existence (and a secret breeding program). Neither Larkyn nor Tup will be safe as long as he is working against them.
Toby Bishop has created a world in the Horsemistress’ Academy in which any horse-crazy girl would love to wake up. Except for the shadows cast by the jealous, power-mad Duke who threatens everything, this is practically paradise, and Larkyn is a smart and determined protagonist with heart. Readers will be mad for the next chapter in her story.
Toby Bishop has created a world in the Horsemistress’ Academy in which any horse-crazy girl would love to wake up. Except for the shadows cast by the jealous, power-mad Duke who threatens everything, this is practically paradise, and Larkyn is a smart and determined protagonist with heart. Readers will be mad for the next chapter in her story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2011
Well, I really thought this was a YA novel, and I was very surprised at how adult alot of the content was. After saying as much to Erin, she told me that no, it wasn't meant as a young adult book. Hmmm. Was it just the young, female protagonist? The romantic flying horses that only girls can bond to? The basic evil overlord plot that so many YA novels receive? I don't really know. This really is sort of a Dragonriders of Pern pairing of rider and mount, but without the scientific sophistication that those novels hold. The plot, while basically an overcoming-the-odds through pluck-and-courage is not original, it was enjoyable. In fact, my only real disappointment is that the book appears to end three chapters too soon. There should be a chapter to explain why Pamela was hidden away with the baby and can hardly talk. Another chapter to show that, because Tup and Lark flew so well, the Duke is brought before his peers and found guilty of being a big meany-pants with a magic whip and a bad attitude and an estrogen smoothie. Then, one final chapter to say that they all lived happily ever after with Phillipa as their new lord and the flying horses are protected forever.
November 13, 2013
Synopsis: "In the Duchy of Oc, the most precious of creatures are the winged horses blessed by the goddess Kalla. When one is born, it is immediately taken to the Academy of the Air to be trained and watched over. But when a spirited peasant girl bonds with a winged horse of her own, the Academy gets more than it bargained for."
My Review: This is a fantastic fantasy, it has brought me back into loving the genre. I love Larkyn and her whole family. The characters are all so rich and the world building is great, I can picture myself there. You feel the push and pull on Lark, the constant pressure and the ridicule that pushes her down but then the love of Tup and the dream that drives her. I really enjoyed the story as a whole. The turmoil that the Academy faces not to mention Lark and Tup, will keep me reading the rest of the series.
My Review: This is a fantastic fantasy, it has brought me back into loving the genre. I love Larkyn and her whole family. The characters are all so rich and the world building is great, I can picture myself there. You feel the push and pull on Lark, the constant pressure and the ridicule that pushes her down but then the love of Tup and the dream that drives her. I really enjoyed the story as a whole. The turmoil that the Academy faces not to mention Lark and Tup, will keep me reading the rest of the series.
August 17, 2007
I met the author of this book at a conference, and as she was articulate, witty, and sophisticated, I decided I wanted to see how she wrote. I really wanted to like this book more than I did for her sake, and for the sake of the premise, which is a school for girls to learn to fly winged horses. Does that ever sound like my fantasy!! As it turns out, there is simply not adventure in this fantasy, and many of the characters are rather dull. I think the story would be better as a sub-plot to something bigger. One note: Though it reads like YA, it is not intended as such, having many adult themes. I would not give it to my little cousin to read.
January 15, 2009
I admit it: the cover caught my attention. ^^; But I decided to give it a shot. Winged horses, a girl getting something beyond her wildest dreams, and the obstacles they have to overcome. Perfect light fantasy reading.
Happily, it was just that: perfect light fantasy. Was the plot formulaic? Sure. It's not something we haven't seen before. But there was enough different that it amused me. Did I guess the evil deep dark secret early on? Yep, but that's okay. It didn't detract any from the read, at least to me. There's two more to this series and I'll be looking forward to getting them, and hoping they are just as nice.
Happily, it was just that: perfect light fantasy. Was the plot formulaic? Sure. It's not something we haven't seen before. But there was enough different that it amused me. Did I guess the evil deep dark secret early on? Yep, but that's okay. It didn't detract any from the read, at least to me. There's two more to this series and I'll be looking forward to getting them, and hoping they are just as nice.
January 29, 2009
This is better than you would have expected from looking at the cover: good light subway reading (again, hide that cover) with some interesting sexual politics and enough story arc to carry you into the sequel. Nice job. But, a couple language notes for the author:
(1) I know that technically the dictionary definition of "pinions" includes "wings," but the primary meaning is "feathers." Bat wings are not pinions.
(2) Mares, not stallions, are said to "throw" colts; stallions sire them. If you can't get your horsey terminology right, no one is going to believe your story about super-sensitive winged horses with life-long psychic bonds to a caste of celibate women.
(1) I know that technically the dictionary definition of "pinions" includes "wings," but the primary meaning is "feathers." Bat wings are not pinions.
(2) Mares, not stallions, are said to "throw" colts; stallions sire them. If you can't get your horsey terminology right, no one is going to believe your story about super-sensitive winged horses with life-long psychic bonds to a caste of celibate women.
October 9, 2009
Larkyn Hamley is an Upland farm girl with a special rapport with animals. When she finds a stray mare starving in the cold, she brings it home and tries to restore it to health. However, the mare dies delivering a most unexpected foal. The foal named Tup has wings! Only the royals of her country can own such horses. Before anyone in authority can take over the care of the colt, it bonds with Lark. Now Lark must attend the academy where Horsemistresses are educated and trained even though she is only a common farm girl. Lark soon proves to everyone that the word "common" cannot be applied to her or to Tup.
May 23, 2008
A fun, if rather derivative fantasy. It was complete fluff, but somehow I couldn't stop reading it to find out what would happen to Larkyn, the virtuous young peasant girl who unwittingly bonds with a flying horse, and her somewhat unwilling mentor Phillipa, as they deal with snooty highborn girls, unreasonable instructors, and the creepy Duke's son who just can't wait to be Duke. What? I said it was derivative!
And I know I'm going to read the next one in the series, Airs and Graces--I just can't help myself.
And I know I'm going to read the next one in the series, Airs and Graces--I just can't help myself.
August 6, 2010
Larkyn Hamley is a simple farm girl. until she rescues a pregnat horse who gives birth to a winged foal. Now, untrained and unprepared, she goes from living in a village to living with other girls bonded to winged horses. But. along with the new school she, and The Acadamy of the Air, get caught in the middle of a power strugle and seeds of civil war when the Duke dies and his crazy and evil son, William, takes control.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2012
I bought this book as an irresistable bundle off ebay. I wasn't sure what I was expecting from reading this book. I enjoyed it very much, a good fun read. I didn't think it was much in the first chapter, but the chapters were short and time flew by and I had finished. Lark is a charachter that grows on you much like Phillipa, you can tell who the villans are from quite early on, but this still makes for a great read.
June 10, 2009
This is a weak fantasy read, built off of the tropes and trends of many stories before. I kept thinking of a horsey version of Valdemar (Mercedes Lackey) crossed with the dragons of Pern (Anne McCaffery) while I read this, and the comparison wasn't a good one. I'd say that it's a solid YA book but if you are widely read in the fantasy genre you will likely find this tepid and somewhat boring.
March 16, 2015
I read a German translation of the book originally called Airs Beneath the Moon. I could not get through it. The writing was terrible. I don't know if it's better in the original but the translation is written way, way, WAY too simple.
And the story isn't engaging either. I still don't know how I made it 200 pages into the book.
And the story isn't engaging either. I still don't know how I made it 200 pages into the book.
September 3, 2011
Had a bit of a slow start, but enough to keep me turning the pages. Overall I was pleased with this book and plan on picking up the next after this. The characters grew on me and I liked the main characters development through out. Towards the end things really started to come together nicely and kept me on the edge of my seat to see what would happen next.
August 2, 2011
This was a very easy to read book. This is good for light reading where you don't have to think much. I finished it in about a day. The storyline is very simple and easy to follow. No surprises or twists in the plotline. The characters are kind of flat and without depth. Despite all of this, I would still recommend it for a light, fun read.
September 19, 2011
First of the Horsemistress series and truly delightful. Bishop paints a fairly realistic picture of dealing with horses and then expands it by making the horses winged. The mystery, developed throughout the series, may not be the best, but the characters and the horse parts are really delightful. I've already re-read the first book because I enjoyed it so much.
September 29, 2014
I think if I read this book when I was twelve I would have fallen totally in love with it. And probably read it three hundred times a month.
Now I can still love it but at the same time I get annoyed by the little details of horse managing. This poor horses ridden before they're three, kept in stables most of the time, etc.etc.
Now I can still love it but at the same time I get annoyed by the little details of horse managing. This poor horses ridden before they're three, kept in stables most of the time, etc.etc.
September 22, 2014
In the Duchy of Oc, the most precious of creatures are the winged horses blessed by the goddess Kalla. When one is born, it is immediately taken to the Academy of the Air to be trained and watched over. But when a spirited peasant girl bonds with a winged horse of her own, the Academy gets more than it bargained for.
October 2, 2015
I got this book because I was running out of reading material several days from home! For an impulse emergency buy, it was better than I expected: a good, solid read about girls and their (winged) horses. My only complaint would be that the plot doesn't seem to resolve fully, but that's to be expected from an ongoing series. Much better than the Guardian Herd books.
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