Star of the morning

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<a style="color: #007bff;" href="http://www.lynnkurland.com/">Kurland, Lynn</a> ~ Star of the Morning ~ Berkley, 2010 ~ 26 chapters, 315 pages ~ Audience: teens, adults ~ Rating: very good.

Opening:

‘It was a splendid day to be dealing out death. Adhemar, king of Neroche, nodded to himself over the thought, though he suspected that nothing so exciting would actually come to pass.”

Publication History:

This is the first volume in the novels of the Nine Kingdoms series. The second volume is the Mage’s Daughter, and the third is the Princess of the Sword. Others follow.

Setting:

The story begins in the Kingdom of Neroche, but then moves to other locations in the Nine Kingdoms. This is a medieval world with kings and princes along with the nobility and the others typically found in this setting. Magic plays a major role in both setting and plot. While there is little in the setting that is unique or different, the author does a good job of creating a landscape that interests and provides an appropriate stage for challenges or adventures. Except for swords and sword play, there is little mention of weapons. Technology, government, economics, and the rest receive little attention. There is notable emphasis on history and genealogy of major magical families.

For many, many years a few powerful magicians have dominated the Nine Kingdoms. Some are good and some are evil. Often, they live for hundreds of years.

Plot:

Neroche, is located to the North and seems to be somewhat isolated from the other Kingdoms. An evil and most powerful wizard, Lothar, has waged war, both visible and invisible on Neroche. So far, he has been held at bay by a magic sword held by the King of Neroche, Adhemar. On a “simple jaunt” along the border, Adhemar and his elite guardsmen are attacked. They win the battle, but Adhemar discovers that he has lost his magic powers as has his great sword.

Neroche has been protected for many years by two great magical swords. One wielded by the King and the other to be used by a female warrior. Lacking that warrior, this sword is simply displayed in the castle. With the magic gone from the King's sword and its bearer, the Kingdom is in great peril. Almost immediately, Miach, the King’s youngest brother and the Archmage of Neroche, begins to further develop magical defenses against Lothar. Adhemar travels south on a quest to find that one person who can handle the remaining magical great sword.

After some time, Adhemar fails to return and Micah sets out to find him. He soon finds his brother in a small company far to the South. This group includes Adhemar and a small group of skilled warriors, including an elite female mercenary [Morgan of Meklsham]. They are on a mission to return a magical object to a northern destination. Miach joins the group. Their journey involves various adventures both magical and more ordinary threats.

Characters

Adhemar:  Although the story begins with Adhemar, the focus quickly shifts to Miach and Morgan. Adhemar has an enhanced sense of his worth and his military skill. In fact, he is not especially likable and lacks the skills to be a truly successful king. Especially, when compared to his younger brother, Adhemar is seen as a blowhard.

Miach:  He is everything that his brother is not. While being more than an adequate warrior, he has been trusted with protecting the Kingdom from evil wizardry since he was a teen. He is well read with considerable knowledge of the history of the Nine Kingdoms and the various wizards. His own magic is powerful and thoughtfully used. His life has been devoted to study and magical practice. Miach does not take himself too seriously and has a notable sense of humor.

Morgan: She is a most unusual woman. Perhaps the finest warrior in any of the Kingdoms, she is marked as a graduate of the most rigorous military training anywhere. Few, if any, men could defeat her in one to one combat. Morgan cannot remember her parents or life before she was found and adopted by mercenaries. From there, she attended a school for orphans where she found love and some learning. Uncomfortable with her situation, she then left to train as a soldier. After that, she found employment here and there as an elite soldier. Now, she has been called by the head of the orphanage to take a magical artifact to Neroche to be given only to the King. It will be the most challenging task of her life.

There are many secondary characters and they are generally quite well done. One of Kurland’s strengths is the development of appropriate and interesting interactions between the characters. In this case, the slowly developing relationship between Morgan and Miach becomes the central focus of the book. It is especially challenging and interesting because Morgan has very strong negative feelings about magic and magicians. For most of the story, Miach pretends to be a farmer with very limited magical skill.

Physical Book:

Star of the Morning is a trade paper edition with the usual attributes. At the end, is a print preview of a new and related volume in the Nine Kingdoms series. The story would have been much easier to follow and understand if there had been a map of the Nine Kingdoms and a list with brief description of the wizards [and their families] Jacket art by One by Two shows Morgan prettily dressed holding two swords with the Neroche castle in the background. It is nicely done, but Morgan is a soldier and that costume would have been more appropriate. Too, the forehead mark for the elite soldier is missing.

Recommendation:

Kurland is known for her romance stories, especially intriguing interactions between characters that might seem to have little in common. The setting is quite well done and she has done a very nice job of creating a substantial history to serve as context and background for the present story. In particular, the slowly growing romance between Morgan and Miach is very appealing.

There is some action and always an undercurrent of threatening black wizardry by an unknown source. The relationship between Morgan and Miach is handled quite well and there is considerable humor as well as expected tension.

This is the first volume in at least a trilogy so there is much to learn and many unknowns. This volume does end with a cliff-hanger so the reader should have the second volume close at hand.

This is an enjoyable,comfortable fantasy with considerable appeal for teens as well as adults. Morgan is a very strong female character so the story may appeal to those who typically read romance fiction rather than heroic fantasy. This also a strong selection for young adult collections although some of the complicated wizardry history may trouble a bit.

Note that Kurland also writes romances that are not quite so much traditional fantasy. Most public libraries should already have a collection of her earlier works. As more of her work becomes available in trade paper editions, it may become more selectable by libraries.