The Shattered Vine
Laura Anne Gilman
Gallery/Pocket, Oct 18 2011, $26.00
ISBN: 9781439101483
In the Lands Vin, the Vinarts create and shape the magic into wine to sell the spells to those who want it. They are isolated remaining on their lands and cannot interfere with the political structure. The land-lords protect humanity and the vinelands because they want to benefit from the magical spells. The Washers have the power to insure everyone adheres to the god Sim-Wander’s laws. Those who fail to do so become apostate.
After an enemy of the Lands Vin killed his mentor, Jerzy the former apprentice became the newest Vineart. He believes Ximan who is the Exiles’ leader is responsible for the subtle dark magic permeating the land, which has led to land-lords fighting one another with a widening schism between the Washers. Though he accepts the evil practitioner tainting the Lands Vins with foulness is more powerful than he will ever be, Jerzy begins a quest to find the source of the taint and neutralize him. Helping Jerzy are Ao the trader, Mahault the intelligent self-exile and Kainam the former heir to an island that is on the brink of magical induced lunacy.
The third Vineart War fantasy (see Flesh And Fire and Weight of Stone) continues the spellbinding magical saga with its unique system as two types of magic battle for supremacy in an exciting good vs. evil scenario. The reluctant hero prefers not to deal with the dark arts but he has no choice as his nation appears heading to destruction if he and his teammates fail. Readers will toast Laura Anne Gilman for her refreshing magic of the vines.
Harriet Klausner
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