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Finder
Survival along Therk's seedy coast is precarious. Hounds rule the streets with fear and fists. Former highwaymen now call themselves Merchants. Spices, rare since the desert swallowed the Spice Way, are forbidden to all but the wealthy and powerful. Ethen's ability to Find lost objects has helped him survive in this world; now, it's going to make him rich. The Merchant Juddah Luash has offered him a fortune, but not for an object he wants Found. Juddah wants Ethen to Find a person, the escaped slave, Zihariel. To find her brother, sold after the Purge of Calaira, Zihariel has fled her luxurious life as a musician performing for the wealthiest households in the desert. She soon discovers the world is much bigger than she ever suspected, teeming with those who see her only as a pooni, an object to be bought and sold, used until she is used up. Not even her music belongs to her, but to the Dommi-sa who etches his mark onto her skin. From the deserts of Therk to the island of Moscrea and across the Bloodbane Sea, Ethen and Zihariel lie and thieve their way to the great city of Bosbana. There, Ethen's promised fortune and Zihariel's greatest performance await - unless they sacrifice all to flee together into the Dragonbacks and become fugitives for the rest of their lives.
344 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2010
3 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Terri-Lynne DeFino
12 books315 followersTerri-Lynne DeFino was born and raised in New Jersey but escaped to the wilds of Connecticut back in the nineties when her kids were babies and everyone wore flannel. She is the second of four children born to a homemaker and a then-fledgling attorney, in a Paterson, NJ household that included two grandparents and the occasional uncle, where Sunday dinner was a given and the noise level often required earplugs. According to her mother, she started writing stories at the age of seven, and learned to cook at any elbow she could wedge herself under. These days, her famiglia is larger, and louder, which might explain why she's still in Connecticut, but if you knock on her door, she'll invite you in and feed you, because you can take the Italian girl out of Jersey, but you can't take the Jersey Italian out of the girl.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 19, 2013
You know you've enjoyed a book when the second you finish, you already miss your new friends. Such was the case for me when I read FINDER by Terri-Lynne Defino. This magical story left me enchanted as I stepped into a world with unique characters and unusual settings. Suspense and emotion were brought to life through loss, love and music. Ethen is a charming, likeable hero and Zihariel's musical gift brought her own personal drama to life.
Just when I thought I knew the entire story, the author moves us forward in time, where I received the gift of more wonderful characters, many who spoke to my heart, and a chance to revisit some old friends. The reader gets a chance to see the hero and heroine, now a bit older and wiser, continue their journey together.
FINDER is a story about love, loss and how the most important key to what matters in life does come from family. I'd highly recommend this book.
Just when I thought I knew the entire story, the author moves us forward in time, where I received the gift of more wonderful characters, many who spoke to my heart, and a chance to revisit some old friends. The reader gets a chance to see the hero and heroine, now a bit older and wiser, continue their journey together.
FINDER is a story about love, loss and how the most important key to what matters in life does come from family. I'd highly recommend this book.
June 5, 2014
This book surprised and delighted me. I was expecting a secondary-world adventure love story, but it was so much more. The love story is present, and central, but more important than the love story is the theme of families and family relationships. Yes, there's young love--including terribly painful, illicit young love (though that only comes up later in the story)--but there are also husbands and wives, there are children and parents, there are siblings, and the pain and love involved in all these relationships are shown so observantly, so humanely, with real humor and affection. The worldbuilding is also fabulous, with different climates, landscapes, and cultures with their differing customs, all working to support the story. It's exciting, moving, and unique.
March 12, 2016
Wow! I thought I would not enjoy reading fantasy, but because I have enjoyed other books by Ms. DeFino so very much, and because the reviews of her fantasy books were such strong and wonderful reviews I took the plunge! I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK! I will be reading everything this very talented author writes. This book is filled with life, love, human flaws and cruelty, but most of all this book is filled with heart. I cannot begin to say enough about the structure of this tale and the journey the writer takes the reader on. It simply played in my mind's eye like a fabulous picture on a screen. I could see every detail, felt every emotion, heard every musical note, and connected with the characters on each page. It is an utter delight that I highly recommend to everyone.
September 4, 2013
I just read a wonderful fantasy called Finder by Terri-Lynne Defino, which is odd for me – Fantasy isn’t a genre that I’m drawn to very often. If they were all written like this one that might just change.
Ms. DeFino created a fascinating world I pictured as a combination of desert and mountainous Middle Eastern countries sprinkled with a touch of exotic India. The society, its class system, language, food and customs all flowed naturally.
The story revolves around Ethen Finder, a sly and clever street urchin who has the ability to “find” things and Zihariel, the runaway slave he’s hired to find. Find her he does, and they fall in love. Ethen is a genuine hero. He likes the ladies, until Zihariel, then he’s fiercely loyal, adventure and takes chances but his heart is good and always in the right place.
Zihariel is a slave with a secret. She has three keys sewn to her clothes given to her as a child before her family and land were taken and her people enslaved. She possesses the wonderful gift of music. She can mesmerized the most horrid of people with her seemingly magical eflaute.
Together Zihariel and Ethen embark on a soul-searching journey spanning two decades.
I’m not one for revealing the whole plot in a review. What I will say is Finder has everything. It doesn’t shy away from the tough issues, slavery, the exploitation of women for sex and breeding and the treatment of homosexuals.
But at it's heart it's a tale of true love, trust, redemption, believing in who you are no matter what others say, all things magical and soul striking music wrapped up in a beautifully written package called Finder.
Ms. DeFino created a fascinating world I pictured as a combination of desert and mountainous Middle Eastern countries sprinkled with a touch of exotic India. The society, its class system, language, food and customs all flowed naturally.
The story revolves around Ethen Finder, a sly and clever street urchin who has the ability to “find” things and Zihariel, the runaway slave he’s hired to find. Find her he does, and they fall in love. Ethen is a genuine hero. He likes the ladies, until Zihariel, then he’s fiercely loyal, adventure and takes chances but his heart is good and always in the right place.
Zihariel is a slave with a secret. She has three keys sewn to her clothes given to her as a child before her family and land were taken and her people enslaved. She possesses the wonderful gift of music. She can mesmerized the most horrid of people with her seemingly magical eflaute.
Together Zihariel and Ethen embark on a soul-searching journey spanning two decades.
I’m not one for revealing the whole plot in a review. What I will say is Finder has everything. It doesn’t shy away from the tough issues, slavery, the exploitation of women for sex and breeding and the treatment of homosexuals.
But at it's heart it's a tale of true love, trust, redemption, believing in who you are no matter what others say, all things magical and soul striking music wrapped up in a beautifully written package called Finder.
December 19, 2015
When I started reading this novel I expected an adventure, and it is there, beautifully portrayed in vivid descriptions and engaging characters. But as the tale progressed I also encountered superb storytelling, where clever clues and loose ends planted throughout two decades of struggle and hope are ultimately woven into a rewarding conclusion. As the author – Terri-Lynne DeFino – describes in the story, the experience does not just come full-circle, but rather it spirals upward, elevating the reader to a new level of understanding and appreciation.
For me, what set this story apart from other adventure tales is the influence on the characters of the eighteen-year gap that comes in the middle of the story. For the protagonist, Ethen, it highlights his transition from a young man who takes chances and dodges responsibility – primarily because he has gotten away with things in the past – to a mature adult who has suffered the ramifications of poor decisions and has learned to plan wisely. And for Zihariel – his heart’s desire – it highlights the painful maturity that comes too early for those subjected to a devastating childhood. Where Ethen evolved, Zihariel was forced into adulthood at a very young age and that trauma helps her survive the insults and injuries to come.
Add to that a wealth of intriguing personalities – some endearing and others malevolent – and a journey that takes the reader through poor alleys, splendid cites, bawdy taverns, rich homes, deserts and seas, and you have a delightful tale that touches on many of the highs and lows of mankind. The reader is sure to find themselves somewhere within the pages.
For me, what set this story apart from other adventure tales is the influence on the characters of the eighteen-year gap that comes in the middle of the story. For the protagonist, Ethen, it highlights his transition from a young man who takes chances and dodges responsibility – primarily because he has gotten away with things in the past – to a mature adult who has suffered the ramifications of poor decisions and has learned to plan wisely. And for Zihariel – his heart’s desire – it highlights the painful maturity that comes too early for those subjected to a devastating childhood. Where Ethen evolved, Zihariel was forced into adulthood at a very young age and that trauma helps her survive the insults and injuries to come.
Add to that a wealth of intriguing personalities – some endearing and others malevolent – and a journey that takes the reader through poor alleys, splendid cites, bawdy taverns, rich homes, deserts and seas, and you have a delightful tale that touches on many of the highs and lows of mankind. The reader is sure to find themselves somewhere within the pages.
March 21, 2017
OMG! This book was the best thing I have read in years! I couldn't put it down!! The author had be hooked in the first few pages. I was in a whole different world, it was so exciting that I literally could not get anything done until I finished this book (sorry to my family, lol). The characters, the food, the spices, the customs, the landscape, and the adventure itself were so unique and riveting that I am sure they will turn this into a huge mind-blowing movie soon. I can't wait to read the next one!!!
December 10, 2010
I was fortunate enough to wrangle an ARC of Finder away from my publisher, and what a treat! DeFino's world is lush, creative, and, set in an exotic desert world, not your traditional fantasy. Against this amazing backdrop she explores the themes of love and loss, slavery and freedom, friendship and family, and how the choices we make affect our own destiny. DeFino is a writer to watch, and I cannot wait for the sequel!
February 1, 2011
I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this book ahead of time, and it was a total treat. It starts off like a rollicking fantasy, which is fun - but I really enjoyed how it's not just a romance and adventure, but what comes *after* the adventure. There's lots of excitement to be found here, but also broken promises, the lies we tell ourselves with the best intentions, and best of all: second chances.
June 24, 2015
Finally a fantasy book where the characters, who are the "little people" in the richly-imagined world, hold the spotlight. I highly recommend this story, for that reason and many others. This book was a treat; it gives a snapshot of a middle-eastern-flavored fantasy world that kept me engaged. There are issues of race, slavery, politics, and illegal trafficking woven into what is, at its heart, a story about love and relationships between unexpected people.
December 30, 2010
A great book with characters that make you fall in love and indentify with them. With an interesting plot and fabulous subplots that will have you reading until the last page.
Terri-Lynne has a beautiful way of making you feel , smell , hear and see everything she writes.
One of the best books I ever read.
Terri-Lynne has a beautiful way of making you feel , smell , hear and see everything she writes.
One of the best books I ever read.
May 7, 2013
This is a wonderful piece of fiction. It is absolutely thick with incredible world-building that makes the mind savor every detail. DeFino is a unsung master of her genre, driving characters into the forefront of her fiction in a backdrop of love, magic, and loss. I highly recommend this book.
January 8, 2011
Wow awesome book. It sucked me in and transformed the world around me until I looked up and was shocked to be in Colorado. Highly recommend this one to anyone who likes Fantasy.
February 12, 2011
I loved this book! Very engaging, and a great read :) DeFino's world is amazingly described, and her handling of characters and their relationship is fantastic. I highly recommend this book!
March 17, 2011
Loved, loved, loved the book.
Love the author. I lost myself in the story and the world it created.
Love the author. I lost myself in the story and the world it created.
October 24, 2013
This book was SO GOOD! Go buy it and read it right now. Why are you still reading this?? Go read this book!
Read
September 28, 2013A wonderfully engrossing story, and an object lesson in fantasy cliche avoidance.
June 25, 2015
such an amazing story
January 21, 2012
Set in a richly imagined, Middle-Eastern flavored fantasy world, Finder is at heart a complicated, decades-long love story between Ethen and Zihariel, two star-crossed lovers from very different backgrounds. Ethen is the eponymous hero with a special power: he can “find” any sort of objects or people just by concentrating on them. During the course of the book he transforms from a streetwise urchin to a rich and relatively respectable middle-aged man. Zihariel is a beautiful woman with an amazing power all her own: an incredible gift for music. She begins the book as the pampered, sheltered slave of a rich merchant (her people have been systematically “purged” from Ethen’s native land and turned into slaves), who shows her off like a prize songbird for others’ pleasure—but Zihariel finally runs away, and Ethen is hired to “find” her.
Ethen tracks Zihariel down, but once he finds her, he also finds something totally unexpected: love. He no longer wants to fulfill his Finder’s contract, but what can they do, where can they flee? Nowhere seems safe for an escaped slave. Together, they set off on a series of adventures that bring them to the mighty city of Bosbana. Once there, just when things seem to finally be going right and we begin to hope that the lovers can craft a life together, both Ethen and Zihariel each independently decide that in order to keep their loved one safe, they’ll have to leave that loved one behind. This leads into the second half of the book, eighteen years later, when both have grown and changed and yet through the whim of fate, they meet up again and have to fumble their way back from pain and sorrow and distance to rediscover the connection and love they once shared.
Yes, there’s a plot here too, involving (among other things) illegal spice trafficking, blackmail, forbidden relationships and tangled politics, and it’s deftly handled even when we start to see the reveals coming before they happen; but the core of this book is a true-feeling and moving love story complicated by culture, time and individual psychology.
I loved the world-building of this book, and its beautiful Middle-Eastern feel (a refreshing change from the more frequent generic European medieval fantasy setting we all know and love). DeFino is terrific at throwing in interesting names and details (even down to food and drink) that add flavor and a sense of place without having to go into big explanatory info-dumps about the way things are.
I also enjoyed the way that DeFino used a love story to address complex, significant issues like slavery and freedom, trust and betrayal, family and loyalty, loss and sacrifice, self-worth and self-determination. This was a book that took a good clear look at some of the big obstacles we encounter in relationships, and did so in a compelling, honest way.
DeFino’s characters are also people I enjoyed coming to know and empathizing with. No one is perfect, everyone has their flaws, but overall their hopes and fears and desires and motivations felt realistic and reasonable to me. I especially liked Ethen and Zihariel, of course, but I also thought the author did a great job with her supporting cast (lots of interesting people in this world!) It was a rare treat to experience within the course of one book the way that characters grow over time and change as a result of their choices—I thought DeFino handled this well.
On a personal note, I also always appreciate characters who are artists of some sort—I thought Zihariel’s relationship with her music was fascinating, and I really felt for her when she lost her music and celebrated with her when she got it back.
There were a few things I got impatient about as the book progressed, because I’d already guessed how things would play out or who certain people were, but I didn’t mind too much because I was enjoying the journey even if I was pretty sure I knew the destination. And there were some good plot twists that surprised me too.
Overall Impression:
I very much enjoyed this book, and would certainly recommend it. If you like love stories and you also like well-written, imaginative fantasy worlds peopled with interesting, sympathetic characters, this is a book for you. I hear there’s a sequel in the works and I am looking forward to it!
Ethen tracks Zihariel down, but once he finds her, he also finds something totally unexpected: love. He no longer wants to fulfill his Finder’s contract, but what can they do, where can they flee? Nowhere seems safe for an escaped slave. Together, they set off on a series of adventures that bring them to the mighty city of Bosbana. Once there, just when things seem to finally be going right and we begin to hope that the lovers can craft a life together, both Ethen and Zihariel each independently decide that in order to keep their loved one safe, they’ll have to leave that loved one behind. This leads into the second half of the book, eighteen years later, when both have grown and changed and yet through the whim of fate, they meet up again and have to fumble their way back from pain and sorrow and distance to rediscover the connection and love they once shared.
Yes, there’s a plot here too, involving (among other things) illegal spice trafficking, blackmail, forbidden relationships and tangled politics, and it’s deftly handled even when we start to see the reveals coming before they happen; but the core of this book is a true-feeling and moving love story complicated by culture, time and individual psychology.
I loved the world-building of this book, and its beautiful Middle-Eastern feel (a refreshing change from the more frequent generic European medieval fantasy setting we all know and love). DeFino is terrific at throwing in interesting names and details (even down to food and drink) that add flavor and a sense of place without having to go into big explanatory info-dumps about the way things are.
I also enjoyed the way that DeFino used a love story to address complex, significant issues like slavery and freedom, trust and betrayal, family and loyalty, loss and sacrifice, self-worth and self-determination. This was a book that took a good clear look at some of the big obstacles we encounter in relationships, and did so in a compelling, honest way.
DeFino’s characters are also people I enjoyed coming to know and empathizing with. No one is perfect, everyone has their flaws, but overall their hopes and fears and desires and motivations felt realistic and reasonable to me. I especially liked Ethen and Zihariel, of course, but I also thought the author did a great job with her supporting cast (lots of interesting people in this world!) It was a rare treat to experience within the course of one book the way that characters grow over time and change as a result of their choices—I thought DeFino handled this well.
On a personal note, I also always appreciate characters who are artists of some sort—I thought Zihariel’s relationship with her music was fascinating, and I really felt for her when she lost her music and celebrated with her when she got it back.
There were a few things I got impatient about as the book progressed, because I’d already guessed how things would play out or who certain people were, but I didn’t mind too much because I was enjoying the journey even if I was pretty sure I knew the destination. And there were some good plot twists that surprised me too.
Overall Impression:
I very much enjoyed this book, and would certainly recommend it. If you like love stories and you also like well-written, imaginative fantasy worlds peopled with interesting, sympathetic characters, this is a book for you. I hear there’s a sequel in the works and I am looking forward to it!
November 13, 2010
I am lucky in that I got to read this book before a publisher set eyes on it. I fell in love with the story. Ethen, a thief has the uncanny ability to find things. He is hired by a wealthy man to find Zihariel, a musically gifted, escaped slave. But that aspect of the story is a fraction of the story. There is political intrigue surrounding the smuggling of banned spices. There are two powerful loves stories. The reader gets to watch the characters age 18 years. This adds depth to the story because you get to see how the decisions of youth impact a person's life...but not their heart.
Big issues are tackled, but not in a preachy way. How do you define freedom? How do you deal with betrayal? How do you face your demons and still love yourself and dare to love others? The description of places and people and music is awe inspiring. The writing is lyrical, it sings to your soul. I just cannot say enough about this book. Maybe this will help put it into perspective. I read two to three books a week, which means I have read A LOT of books so far this year. I read this book in January or February. It remains in the top two favorite reads of my year. If you want ot fall in love. If you want to travel to a different place and time. If you want to experience something magical. If this is what you want, need, then you MUST read this book.
Big issues are tackled, but not in a preachy way. How do you define freedom? How do you deal with betrayal? How do you face your demons and still love yourself and dare to love others? The description of places and people and music is awe inspiring. The writing is lyrical, it sings to your soul. I just cannot say enough about this book. Maybe this will help put it into perspective. I read two to three books a week, which means I have read A LOT of books so far this year. I read this book in January or February. It remains in the top two favorite reads of my year. If you want ot fall in love. If you want to travel to a different place and time. If you want to experience something magical. If this is what you want, need, then you MUST read this book.
December 7, 2010
This new author has given us a look into an amazing world. And what a world she has created for us... I was lost in emotions. Some much that I could smell the spices that were forbidden, loved those who later would need forgiveness. You become a person you never understood until you felt the love of other. My heart sang with those longing to be heard. Ached for those who had to endure. And swooned at the promising moments sealed with a hungry kiss.
How do you feel about a map in the beginning of a book? I always study it. Run my finger across its roads ~ listen to the waves from its sea ~ I start hearing & feeling the roar of the wind blowing the sand from the deserts all around me until a soft whisper …. Readying me for an adventure. A fairy tale of sorts. “Once upon a time, in a far away land…lol
LOVE?? Its concepts are a never ending story of an open book of experiences. It holds our hand through the impossible until we become patient…Makes us care for the things we’re told to hate..all awhile forgiving! It can make us stronger or weaker. Love is giving someone the power to break your heart, but trusting them not to.
Thank you Terri…you took me to a land far, far away…..and brought me back safe, happy and loved!!!
This is a must read for those that love LOVE…
How do you feel about a map in the beginning of a book? I always study it. Run my finger across its roads ~ listen to the waves from its sea ~ I start hearing & feeling the roar of the wind blowing the sand from the deserts all around me until a soft whisper …. Readying me for an adventure. A fairy tale of sorts. “Once upon a time, in a far away land…lol
LOVE?? Its concepts are a never ending story of an open book of experiences. It holds our hand through the impossible until we become patient…Makes us care for the things we’re told to hate..all awhile forgiving! It can make us stronger or weaker. Love is giving someone the power to break your heart, but trusting them not to.
Thank you Terri…you took me to a land far, far away…..and brought me back safe, happy and loved!!!
This is a must read for those that love LOVE…
December 18, 2010
A fine first offering by a new author. In depth characterization and an original, conquered world makes for an exciting and easy read. Make no mistake, this book is about what I call, the "little people." No princes, kings, or massive warlocks bent on destruction here. Just average folks that would fit right in some fantastic market square in a truly original world--one of whom is slave. I love this. The more I read, the less I want to hear about Princes or Wizards. I want to hear from the valet, the cook, or the lowly guardsmen trying to do their job, and this book fits the bill perfectly. So cuddle up in a comfy place with a warm beverage of your choosing, and be swept away.
I could easily identify with the motivations of these folk as they made their way through their world, and in turn created a world of such as their own. There is plenty crammed into this slim novel, at times I wished it to be a bit longer, to allow the reader a little more time and exploration of each of the various cities and areas presented. The characters at times too, seem to be a bit glossed over, and just as we get to know them, they are killed off in the subsequent chapters.
It is an open-ending story, with more promised yet to come, and a story that I am certainly looking forward to.
I could easily identify with the motivations of these folk as they made their way through their world, and in turn created a world of such as their own. There is plenty crammed into this slim novel, at times I wished it to be a bit longer, to allow the reader a little more time and exploration of each of the various cities and areas presented. The characters at times too, seem to be a bit glossed over, and just as we get to know them, they are killed off in the subsequent chapters.
It is an open-ending story, with more promised yet to come, and a story that I am certainly looking forward to.
June 11, 2016
Finder is a bit different from other fantasy novels I've read. I was expecting this to be about a teen, but was surprised to find the main character was an adult. Overall I liked it. It was almost like reading two books in one. The second part happens 18 years after the first part. I wasn't sure how I was going to like that, but it ended up offering great insight into the growth and changes in the characters. The author did a really good job of pulling this off without losing the feel of who the characters were.
My main issue would be the main character being promiscuous just for the sake of being that way. I could live with it through the first part because I understood why he would be that way, but then later in the second part of the book he is still at it and I thought he surely should have learned something by then after the heartbreaking thing that happened earlier in the first part of the book.
This book is a lot about choices we make and the consequences of them. Some lessons were learned well and others not so well.
My main issue would be the main character being promiscuous just for the sake of being that way. I could live with it through the first part because I understood why he would be that way, but then later in the second part of the book he is still at it and I thought he surely should have learned something by then after the heartbreaking thing that happened earlier in the first part of the book.
This book is a lot about choices we make and the consequences of them. Some lessons were learned well and others not so well.
September 17, 2011
Ethen has lived his youth on the streets, learning to survive through cheating and thievery. Yet he has a gift that promises him a future of wealth and prosperity: He is a Finder. Upon contact with simple objects, maps unfold in his mind and locations reveal themselves. Elite families of Pashni’it pay well to have that which was lost to them Found, and Ethen’s first commission is a simple one: Find the runaway slave Zihariel.
So begins this adventure through the Mediterranean-style world of Therk, Moscrea and Greater Argoa. When at last Ethen tracks down Zihariel, it will be the end of his innocence and the beginning of a long and difficult journey through the endlessly complex terrain of his own heart.
This story, woven against the backdrop of a rich and beautiful culture characterized by great compassion and great violence, is a great read for followers of fantasy and magical realism. The characters and their world spring to life from the pages; and while the fantastical elements of FINDER stretch our imaginations, there is an authenticity to the novel that makes Ethen’s world as a place that might once have been part of our own history.
This is truly an engaging and satisfying read; the kind of story that will stay with you for a very long time.
So begins this adventure through the Mediterranean-style world of Therk, Moscrea and Greater Argoa. When at last Ethen tracks down Zihariel, it will be the end of his innocence and the beginning of a long and difficult journey through the endlessly complex terrain of his own heart.
This story, woven against the backdrop of a rich and beautiful culture characterized by great compassion and great violence, is a great read for followers of fantasy and magical realism. The characters and their world spring to life from the pages; and while the fantastical elements of FINDER stretch our imaginations, there is an authenticity to the novel that makes Ethen’s world as a place that might once have been part of our own history.
This is truly an engaging and satisfying read; the kind of story that will stay with you for a very long time.
January 11, 2011
Largely desert-based fantasy adventure about discovery, love, loss, slavery, self-worth, acceptance, forgiveness, and many other fine things. Has more twists and turns than a twisty-turny thing... the novel never quite goes where you expect it to go, but it always goes where it should go.
The best twist of all, in retrospect, (spoiler) is that the second half of the novel takes place many years after the first. This did seem quite jarring at first, while I was reading, but in hindsight, is the best route for the novel to take. It allows things to happen that couldn't have if it had kept to the span of just one or two years - the characters grow and reflect on their pasts in a way you don't often see outside of much longer works.
Highly recommended! Seek it out (indeed, Find it) if you can!
The best twist of all, in retrospect, (spoiler) is that the second half of the novel takes place many years after the first. This did seem quite jarring at first, while I was reading, but in hindsight, is the best route for the novel to take. It allows things to happen that couldn't have if it had kept to the span of just one or two years - the characters grow and reflect on their pasts in a way you don't often see outside of much longer works.
Highly recommended! Seek it out (indeed, Find it) if you can!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2011
I reviewed this book for Adopt an Indie Month in November 2011. Ethen is a Finder. Hand him something related to something lost, and he will immediately see in his head the place where it's located and a map of how to get there.
He is asked to find a runaway slave named Zihariel -- a pooni who has a remarkable musical talent. He tracks her down, and they discover they are soul mates. But fate, and their own headstrong ways, conspire against them. Ethen and Zihariel must go through many changes before they have a chance at happiness.
I especially liked the second half of this book, when Ethen and Zihariel are no longer ruled by adolescent hormones. Fantasy has way too many books about hotheaded teenagers on a hero's journey, and way too few about mature adults whose own journeys are just as compelling.
He is asked to find a runaway slave named Zihariel -- a pooni who has a remarkable musical talent. He tracks her down, and they discover they are soul mates. But fate, and their own headstrong ways, conspire against them. Ethen and Zihariel must go through many changes before they have a chance at happiness.
I especially liked the second half of this book, when Ethen and Zihariel are no longer ruled by adolescent hormones. Fantasy has way too many books about hotheaded teenagers on a hero's journey, and way too few about mature adults whose own journeys are just as compelling.
November 10, 2010
Not your stock Tolkienesque fantasy novel:
—Finder's hero has an interesting talent—the ability to locate things and people—that I don't believe I've seen before.
—The novel's second half takes place 18 years after the first half, allowing the reader a rare look into how people's choices worked out and how they try to fix them.
—Social issues are an important subtext in the novel.
I enjoyed the unusual and well-constructed world, the interesting characters, and the different perspectives of the characters in youth and in middle age.
—Finder's hero has an interesting talent—the ability to locate things and people—that I don't believe I've seen before.
—The novel's second half takes place 18 years after the first half, allowing the reader a rare look into how people's choices worked out and how they try to fix them.
—Social issues are an important subtext in the novel.
I enjoyed the unusual and well-constructed world, the interesting characters, and the different perspectives of the characters in youth and in middle age.
September 13, 2011
A nicely written YA-feeling fantasy about gifted-musician slave who runs from her owner and the young man with the talent to Find things who is hired to bring her back. The world-building is well done, down to the level of small details and word choices, the characters are interesting and flawed enough to seem real. Actions have real-world consequences, including pregnancy and death. The plot has several twists and turns (although perhaps a few too many narrow escapes) and it held my interest throughout.
June 2, 2014
Mind Bending!
Finder used imagery and characterization to create a whole new world. With an interesting plot and engaging events, I was always sitting on the edge of my seat. The world seemed so real and the characters felt like my friends. Ms. DeFino created this wonderful escape into a land that we have never yet seen.
Finder used imagery and characterization to create a whole new world. With an interesting plot and engaging events, I was always sitting on the edge of my seat. The world seemed so real and the characters felt like my friends. Ms. DeFino created this wonderful escape into a land that we have never yet seen.
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July 10, 2014Original fantasy exploring racial and slavery issues.
November 12, 2023
There are lands that I never knew existed: Calaira and Bosbana, the white coasts and purple-red Dragonback mountains, the Iabba desert that swallowed the Spice Way, places where you eat warm, sugared popoveh from your pocket. And if you keep walking toward the town square, you might hear an eflaute playing the most beautiful music the world has ever heard, music that reaches deep inside each person, calling up their lives and what's deepest in their heart.
This is the music of Zihariel, which plays in Terri-Lynne DeFino's novel The Finder, and I have to remind myself that Zihariel and these lands aren't real. That's how vivid this book is, a fantasy world that unfolds organically from fantasy characters to give us a story of love and loyalty and the need for individual freedom.
DeFino's success in creating the world of The Finder, I think, is in part her curious details: "Spidering up Babsi Cliffs, Bosbana's greatest defense, rose a great stone staircase to the city above. The famous lifts were positioned at precise intervals, raised and lowered by means of pulleys and gears ..." But also it's the way in which she reveals the details. In the above description, the word "famous" creates a sense of history, and also there is movement through the pulleys and gears. The world opens as characters experience it, rather than straightforward description alone, and in that we are with the characters, immediately in place.
But it's not creativity and authenticity alone that drew me in; it's the immediate likability of these characters. Ethen, the Finder, is a young man having to make his own way, the crafty street urchin with the noble heart. Zihariel is a talented musician stuck in her heritage of slavery, who, though frustrated and unhappy with the choices stripped from her, continues to see the world's beauty and express the heart of everyone in her music.
Minor characters, too, possess a friendliness and good-heartedness, and are colorfully drawn so that when they vanish and then return later, we're glad to see them. I was also thrilled when my expectations of stereotypical family dishonor was replaced with surprising and welcome compassion. The Finder is one of those books in which, as you near the end, you start looking at the number of pages remaining--because it's only that much longer you get to stay with characters who've begun to feel like friends.
I came upon this book when I was looking for a fun read that I could immerse myself in, eager to return to it each time I had to leave. It met all my expectations.
This is the music of Zihariel, which plays in Terri-Lynne DeFino's novel The Finder, and I have to remind myself that Zihariel and these lands aren't real. That's how vivid this book is, a fantasy world that unfolds organically from fantasy characters to give us a story of love and loyalty and the need for individual freedom.
DeFino's success in creating the world of The Finder, I think, is in part her curious details: "Spidering up Babsi Cliffs, Bosbana's greatest defense, rose a great stone staircase to the city above. The famous lifts were positioned at precise intervals, raised and lowered by means of pulleys and gears ..." But also it's the way in which she reveals the details. In the above description, the word "famous" creates a sense of history, and also there is movement through the pulleys and gears. The world opens as characters experience it, rather than straightforward description alone, and in that we are with the characters, immediately in place.
But it's not creativity and authenticity alone that drew me in; it's the immediate likability of these characters. Ethen, the Finder, is a young man having to make his own way, the crafty street urchin with the noble heart. Zihariel is a talented musician stuck in her heritage of slavery, who, though frustrated and unhappy with the choices stripped from her, continues to see the world's beauty and express the heart of everyone in her music.
Minor characters, too, possess a friendliness and good-heartedness, and are colorfully drawn so that when they vanish and then return later, we're glad to see them. I was also thrilled when my expectations of stereotypical family dishonor was replaced with surprising and welcome compassion. The Finder is one of those books in which, as you near the end, you start looking at the number of pages remaining--because it's only that much longer you get to stay with characters who've begun to feel like friends.
I came upon this book when I was looking for a fun read that I could immerse myself in, eager to return to it each time I had to leave. It met all my expectations.
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