The Dark Ferryman

April 28, 2008
In the languorous second installment of Rhodes's Elven Ways saga (after 2007's The Four Forges
), civil war threatens to destroy the Vaelinar, a magical race that was mysteriously displaced to the sprawling realm of Kerith generations earlier. Several factions among the native races, angry and fearful at having to share the land and all its riches with the strange and powerful Vaelinar, have begun to plot their demise. As an all-out war looms, lovers Sevryn and Rivergrace must solve problems close to home before they can engage with their many adversaries: Sevryn battles the residue of demon within his soul, while Rivergrace tries to find peace with an elemental goddess who has become a vital part of her being. The intricately plotted, character-driven saga of the Vaelinar's desperate struggles finds anchors in folklore and legend, appealing to fans of slower pacing and detailed world building.

June 15, 2008
As the land of Kerith stands ready to go to war, the ruling Vaelinar, possessors of elemental magic and long life, find themselves victims of internal treachery. The love between Rivergrace, a Vaelinar raised by a Dweller familyone of the indigenous races of Kerithand Sevryn, a half-breed warrior who has served the Vaelinar Warrior Queen Lariel, is tested as the lovers are declared traitors and forced to flee, taking separate paths to seek justice. Both encounter the mysterious Ferryman, a creature of power who controls travel along the river, and both find their lives dependent on his will or whim. Continuing the panoramic saga begun in "The Four Forges", Rhodes develops her world both politically and emotionally, filling it with complex and compelling characters. A good addition to most fantasy collections.

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.