Southern Fire

by Juliet E. McKenna

Book Overview

From the author of the popular Tales of Einarinn comes an engrossing new epic of wizardry, intrigue, culture, and politics, in a fantasy setting as alluring as the hint of spices in the air of an exotic port.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765314118
• ISBN13: 9780765314116
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Magical Invaders

Southern Fire (2003) is the first fantasy novel in the Aldabreshin Compass series. It is set in the southern isles of the Einarinn universe. The local cultures in the Aldabreshin Archipelago do not believe in magic, but do believe in killing those accused of practicing it or even being associated with it. Such contradictory belief systems cause most northern magicians to stay far away from these isles. The Aldabreshins do believe in omens. Their soothsayers find signs in many events. Their scholars keep detailed records of natural signs and other Indicators associated with particular consequences. The Aldabreshin domains are ruled by Warlords who lead their warriors in battle and read the omens. The commerce of these domains is controlled by the wives of the Warlords. The politics of the domains are nominally practiced by the Warlords, but with significant counsel and maneuvering by their wives. The great influence of women within Aldabreshin society provides them with significant power in most domains. They can divorce their husbands and even refuse to have sex with their mates. However, some men are boorish enough to deny such rights to their women. In this novel, Daish Kheda is the Warlord of his domains. He was elevated to his present estate rather earlier than expected when his father was killed by falling off his observatory tower. Kheda was fully prepared to take over the domain, having been well trained in reading omens, herbal lore and other skills. His body slave is Telouet. Janne Daish is Kheda's first wife and the mother of his eldest son and heir. She is nine years older than him and was the first woman with whom he had sex. Janne rules the household with wisdom and firmness. Her bodyslave is Birut, the best swordsman in the domain. Rekka Daish is Kheda's second wife and mother of his second son. She is the trader in the family. Rekka is not a passionate lover, but she gives him good advice. Her bodyslave is Andit. Sain Daish is Kheda's third wife and is pregnant with her first child. She was raised in a peculiar domain and has many fears. She is guided by Hanyad, an older, well traveled, and fierce bodyslave who adores her. Daish Sirket is Kheda's eldest son and heir. He does not yet have a bodyslave. Kheda is still looking for the right man to protect his heir. After the bodyslave is found, Kheda and his wives can start looking for Sirket's first wife. Mesil is Kheda's second son. Dau is his eldest daughter. Efi, Vida, Noi and Mie are his younger daughters. All are well loved by their father and mothers. In this story, Kheda is awakened out of sound sleep by news of beacon fires throughout the southern shoreline of his domain. The messenger birds brings news of Chazen Domain ships and refugees coming from the south. Kheda also receives an encoded message mentioning magic. Kheda and Telouet travel south in a fast trireme to learn the cause of this excitement. They find a group of injured Cha

Couldn't put it down!

I'm a 35 year vetern of SciFi/Fantasy, and picked this book up not knowing the author (It was a fetured selection in a book club I belong to and was mailed to me automatically), but was unable to put it down once I started reading. Fast paced, interesting settings and charecters, and a few suprises along the way kept me reading late into the night, unable to wait to learn what happened next! Can't wait for book II in theis new series!