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Eos, Jan 2003, 25.95, 464 pp.
ISBN: 0380978032
The Riversong villagers assign the lowest lowlife eleven-year old urchin Lale to deliver the golden needles to the princess because no one else is available. The child loses her package while crossing the dangerous Hatch Creek ford. Already considered worthless, the villagers drive the lass away. After a harrowing trek, Lale finds refuge with the “Midnight Mother”, Makina, the ruler of Tamurin. Makina sends her latest “daughter” to the School of Serene Repose. Six years later, Lale attends the School of Three Rivers for ninja training.
A few years later, Makina believes Lale is ready to begin her plan of vengeance on the neighboring ruler Terem Rathai. Lale enters Terem's land Bethiya as an actress. Terem notices her and Lale is quickly becomes his mistress. Lale finds Terem is an enlightened kind monarch and begins to fall in love with him. However, if she changes loyalty, she dies a nasty death by sorcery while as a war fought on two fronts (mundane and magic) is imminent.
THE ASSASSINS OF TAMURIN is a taut, exciting, and well written epic fantasy that works on several levels because the countries seem so authentic as if magic existed in Ancient Asia. This occurs because the characters provide a realistic social environment for the plot, especially the fantasy elements to perch. The first person account by Lale that later becomes a dialogue with Terem enables the audience to understand the key characters. Though the ending seems too rapidly short, this novel towers over much of what the genre offers.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident S.D. Tower Scholar
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Overall Review
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dozens of literary elements, all of which are searchable.
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%
Tone of book
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- fantasy world/fantasy past
Coming of age
Yes
Youngster becomes
- great warrior
Romance
Yes
Romance plotlets:
- falling in love with the enemy
Political power play
Yes
Political plotlets
- preventing/managing clash/war between govts/kingdoms
Inner Struggle
Yes
Plotlet:
- change of heart
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- warrior/knight
Age:
- 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
Earth setting:
- during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue?
- significantly more dialog than descript
