Blood Red

April 21, 2014
Lackey’s long-awaited ninth Elemental Masters fairy tale (after Steadfast) will satisfy her eager fans. As a budding Earth mage in 19th-century Europe, young Rosa studied deep in the Schwarzwald forest of Germany under the tutelage of her adopted grandmother, until the day the wolf literally came to her door. Some years later, having come fully into her Mastery of Earth, Rosa is called to hunt the same creatures that haunt her past and who set her on her current path—assuming her training for polite society doesn’t kill her first. The action and dialogue flow freely, mingling with beautiful descriptions of European countryside and just a hint of romance. However, despite a well-developed heroine and engaging story, the novel falls short of its full potential, feeling somewhat like a rewritten role-playing adventure. Agent: Russell Galen, Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency.