Once again, Mercedes Lackey has created a rich, lush
depiction of England's Elemental Masters, combining
elemental magic, fantastic creatures, coming-of-age
elements, and the realities of war.
Renounced by her father, Susanne Whitestone has been raised
by the servants around her; they've tried their hardest to
teach her
everything they know, but where they lacked knowledge, she
had a more powerful instructor. Although Susanne lacks the
pretty or fluffy attitude and aptitudes of a lady of her
station, she is an Earth Master because of the interest of
a particular teacher. However, despite her need to keep the
area around her home from spreading with the blight caused
by her father's increasing descent into darker magics,
Susanne realizes her father's first interest into her life
after twenty years does not bode well for her. Meanwhile,
Lord Peter Almsley has been ordered to discover the
paranormal evil stalking the land as the rest of the
Elemental Masters prepare themselves for the more "mundane"
evil of human war.
Filled with themes of class awareness,
the devastation of war, and magical theory, UNNATURAL ISSUE
is another excellent tale of the Elemental Masters. Novices
to the series do not need to have read the prior works to
understand this one, but they will get more joy if they
know many of the characters already. It was about time for
Lord Almsley to have a book all to himself, and his
attempts at settling in the countryside in two guises are
worth reading. Lackey's elegant wordcraft combines humor
with the knife edge of desperation; she doesn't romanticize
the horrors of war, but those horrors contribute to the
development of her characters, so neither aspect gets lost
in the telling. I highly advise people to read this book,
and I desperately urge Mercedes Lackey to keep writing the
Elemental Masters Novels.
A brand-new Elemental Masters novel from the national
bestselling author Mercedes Lackey.
Richard Whitestone is
an Elemental Earth Master. Blaming himself for the death of
his beloved wife in childbirth, he has sworn never to set
eyes on his daughter, Suzanne. But when he finally sees
her, a dark plan takes shape in his twisted mind-to use his
daughter's body to bring back the spirit of his long-dead
wife.