Sasha

August 10, 2009
Shephard's epic gets off to a slow start as feisty bladeswoman Sasha, her master, her princely brothers and Jaryd, a local heir, lecture one another about religious differences amid a hodgepodge of names and invented terms. Jaryd saves Sasha from treachery after a fight, and the consequences accelerate toward war between the overlord Hadryn and the common Udalyn. Soon Sasha finds herself at the head of an army, facing her honest but deeply conflicted father. Rumors of war outside the kingdom point to larger conflicts down the road. Sasha is young, impetuous and contradictory, but impassioned about doing the right thing if she can figure out what it is. Once Shepherd (the Cassandra Kresnov series) finds his stride, the second half of the book crackles with intriguing characters, witty banter and vivid, realistic battles, leaving readers optimistic about the planned sequels.

October 15, 2009
Princess Sasha Lenayin assumed her dead brothers place next to Kessligh Cronenverdt, a legendary warrior, one of the Nasi-Keth who is not one of the Goeren-yai, the pagan population, or the Verenthanes, supporters of the dominant urban religion espoused by the ruling class. Renouncing her royal status, Sasha trained long and hard to master the Salvaard, a sword-like weapon with which she can beat multiple opponents at the same time. Politics imperils the Udalyn, who are revered by the rural Goeren-yai, creating a rift in the royal family. Readers may find it a slog as Shepherd sets the scene, introduces the characters, and builds their world, but those who savor the intricacies of rival religions, vividly choreographed fights, and lots of bloody battle will enjoy it, anyway. A helpful list of characters is included and necessary, as naming conventions are obscure, if they exist at all. Becoming quite engrossing after a few hundred pages, this heroic fantasy should please fans of, say, George R. R. Martins Song of Fire and Ice novels.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)