Winter's Orphans

Rating:
Summary: Timeless Tales review
Review: By TT reviewer Shannah Biondine [full review on our website]

Indentured factory worker Mina Cole witnesses a horrible industrial accident. An accident that leaves her badly shaken by the notion that her own mental will may have been what prevented the maiming from becoming fatal. The drive belt on the machinery broke when Mina's mind kept screaming that someone had to stop the grinding machines, someone had to make it stop! Miraculously, they did just that.

Pure coincidence? Mina's not sure. A similar incident had occurred once before. When she's beset by an invisible Hound on the streets of Dere later that same night and saved by two strangers, Mina discovers many things are not what they seem--including her own nature and blood heritage.

Enmeshed in an old power struggle between the Seelie and Unseelie Fae and their part-human offspring, the Faelings, the city of Dere has a wonderful Dickensian brooding darkness. Miss Corvidae's descriptions will have you feeling the oppression of iron collars and debtor's prison, smelling the rank garbage-strewn alleyways and marveling along with Mina as she begins her study of fae magic and lore.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable read, with an unusual heroine who must face long odds and her own dark side as, layer by layer, hard truths are revealed and the battle toll mounts. It's a story of friendship and sacrifice, personal power vs. equality and basic rights, misery and oppression vs. startling beauty and magical glamours. The overall theme centers on a balance of power and the author wisely plants serious limitations on the magical abilities of her faelings. This makes them all the more human and believable.

The plot is well conceived and filled with adventures. Secondary characters are as intriguing as her leads, and I loved the title. Read the book and you'll see why it's dead on perfect.

Rating:
Summary: wonderful fantasy tale
Review: In the land of Niurne, Mina Cole hides her femininity by dressing and working like an indentured boy toiling at the mills. Mina is unaware that she possesses strong magic inherited from her Unseelie father. She is oblivious until an accident at the water powered mill where she in disguise works forces Mina to inadvertently use her innate power.

In the city of Dere, a paralyzed from the waist down Duncan RiDahn is the mentor of the feylings (half-breeds). He teaches his charges how to hide in plain sight because if exposed the Seelie Court will hunt them as they did him thirty-five years ago. Mina's display of magic comes to the respective attention of the Seelie leadership and Duncan. Out of control, her magic could cause devastation, but will Duncan save the frightened Mina not just from the hunters, but from the first stirring of his heart and soul since he lost his beloved when he lost the use of his legs?

The powerfully descriptive WINTER'S ORPHANS is a wonderful fantasy tale focusing on an underground movement of a hybrid race trying to survive while purebreds oppress them out of fear. The strength of the tale resides in the belief that the Seelie, Unseelie, and Feylings exist on the real world of Niurne. Elaine Corvidae accomplishes this difficult feat because the cast, regardless of racial makeup and in spite of the classic romance between Duncan and Mina, seem bona fide so that the audience visits an orb that serves as the center of a fabulous fantasy thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: wonderful fantasy tale
Review: In the land of Niurne, Mina Cole hides her femininity by dressing and working like an indentured boy toiling at the mills. Mina is unaware that she possesses strong magic inherited from her Unseelie father. She is oblivious until an accident at the water powered mill where she in disguise works forces Mina to inadvertently use her innate power.

In the city of Dere, a paralyzed from the waist down Duncan RiDahn is the mentor of the feylings (half-breeds). He teaches his charges how to hide in plain sight because if exposed the Seelie Court will hunt them as they did him thirty-five years ago. Mina's display of magic comes to the respective attention of the Seelie leadership and Duncan. Out of control, her magic could cause devastation, but will Duncan save the frightened Mina not just from the hunters, but from the first stirring of his heart and soul since he lost his beloved when he lost the use of his legs?

The powerfully descriptive WINTER'S ORPHANS is a wonderful fantasy tale focusing on an underground movement of a hybrid race trying to survive while purebreds oppress them out of fear. The strength of the tale resides in the belief that the Seelie, Unseelie, and Feylings exist on the real world of Niurne. Elaine Corvidae accomplishes this difficult feat because the cast, regardless of racial makeup and in spite of the classic romance between Duncan and Mina, seem bona fide so that the audience visits an orb that serves as the center of a fabulous fantasy thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've read all year!
Review: Mina Cole is a faeling, the offspring of a human and fae. She's also the most powerful of her kind to come around in a long while.

The Seelie Court is out to destroy all the faelings by sending out hunters with helish hounds. In order to stay alive the faeling must keep a low profile, not use their powers and hide.

Mina is befriended by Duncan, a crippled man in a wheelchair who teaches the faeling how to stay alive. He insists that Mina must not try to confront the Seelie Court, but she's not one to be cowed or controlled. Duncan fears he may lose his second love to the Seelie Court like he did his first.

Ms. Corvidae has written a wonderful fantasy filled with adventure, romance and lots of action. I look forward to more novels by this talented writer. Count me as a fan!

Rating:
Summary: One of the best fantasy books I've read!
Review: Mina Cole thought she was just another indentured factory slave. But in rare moments of rage or terror she could feel something snap inside her and incredible things happened. Mina had been an orphan for years and the only person in the world who cared about her was Abby, her best friend. Both worked long hours in a factory for small wages in hopes of someday paying off their Contracts of Indenture, a place to sleep, and perhaps one meal a day. But it all changed during a moment of fear. The iron indentured collar Mina wore could no mute the waves of magic Mina released and the Hounds were sent out to hunt her.

Duncan RiDahn used to be a nobleman. Now he was but a crippled old man in a wheelchair who begged for money, squatted in an abandoned theater, and was Mina's only hope of survival. Duncan felt the shock wave of Mina's power and knew the evil Queen Rhiannon would send out the Hounds. He and one of his students, Bryan, rescued her and began to teach her.

The Fae (faery) were usually human-like, but came in two different types. The Seelie could control fire and air, heat and light. The Unseelie could control earth and water, cold and night. Mina was half human, half unseelie. Duncan taught her how to use her powers to hide from the royal family and survive. The royal family was seelie and thought they had either killed at the unseelie or turned them into Knights and Hounds. With Mina's presence felt, the hunt was on for her and all the unseelie faelings feared being found.

But Duncan knew more about Mina than he told. Mina was not only unseelie, she was a dyana! Her magic was more powerful than any other. If Mina ever willed it so, she could control the minds of all the unseelie faelings for her use, and she could create dark things to kill! She was dangerous to everyone! But Duncan's love for Mina refused to let him kill her, no matter what!

***** It gets no better than this! Like all good books, this one started out in the middle of excitement to hook me quickly. The author created characters that I could easily sympathize with and care for. I got so deeply involved in the story that I was startled whenever reality intruded upon my reading! That shows amazing writing talent! This book is destined to win awards, Readers! This one goes on my "Keeper Shelf" to be reread many times. Keep your eye on author Elaine Corvidae! Highly recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

Rating:
Summary: A Superb Original - A Definite Keeper
Review: Set in a dark, early industrial world where magic is common, WINTER'S ORPHANS follows the life of Mina Cole, slave, factory worker and, unbeknownst to herself, a woman of tremendous fae powers. A series of disastrous events trigger these powers, and Mina is forced to search for a mentor before the Court discovers and kills her.

Her mentor is Duncan, an older man, a cripple. He lives hidden in an abandoned theatre, training rogue 'unseelie fae' - those exiled because of their fae heritages.

But Mina isn't the only one with a dark secret. Duncan has one, too. Their ignorance of each other's almost gets them killed, and their world, destroyed.

Corvidae develops the relationship between the two, not only as student and teacher, but as lovers, with some of the most intense and moving scenes I've ever read. When the two are on the same page, the paper is fairly electric.

WINTER'S ORPHANS is a fabulous fantasy novel with a strong romantic plot. But it's truly Mina's story, in many ways, her quest. A definite keeper and well deserving of the awards it's won.

Rating:
Summary: Science Fiction Romance review
Review: Some fantasy novels are medieval in setting; some are urban fantasies where strange creatures slip around in modern sewers. Some take place on strange planets and some in alternate realities. But one, Winter's Orphans, occurs in an industrial Londonesque setting, with belching factories and cobblestone streets, with a polluted river flowing through the middle of the city and a great discrepancy between the rich and the poor.

The main character is Mina, an indentured factory worker, whose faeling (mixed breed human/fae) powers reveal themselves during times of great stress. Mina's uncontrolled magic is so great that the Seelie Court (the bad guys), which dominates the fae world and the human as well through a devious twist, comes to know of her existence. Lucky for Mina so does Duncan RiDahn, a crippled faeling who has devoted his life to teaching other Unseelie faelings (the good guys) how to use their powers hiding from the bad guys.

The setting is one of the best things going for this novel. I do not think I have ever encountered a fantasy novel set against an urban Victorian backdrop, although I cannot claim to have read every book in the world. It was a refreshing change from more typical fantasy stories, not that I mind the typical when it's done well. The world was not Earth from what I could tell; if it was, it was not the Earth we know and inhabit.

The plot of the novel isn't as unique as the setting but still works: extremely powerful magic user who didn't know she had any power realizes she does, hides out from the bad guys for a while, learns to control her power with the help of a rag-tag band of good guys, then uses her power in a face-off against the bad guys, though not without peril and danger along the way. Powerful magic user toys with the dark side because power is corrupting, although as Spiderman might say, "With great power comes great responsibility."

The novel is a quick read, perhaps too quick, which is my primary complaint. Because of the innovative setting, I wanted more worldbuilding, more fleshing out of the surrounding area and the culture which spawned Mina, Duncan and the humans they live among. Unlike in some Tolkien inspired fantasy novels, Corvidae does not resort to the shorthand of "elf" or "hobbit" or "human city" to transport readers into her imagination. There are many intriguing details, like the creepy, flesh-eating horse living in the dirty river or the mysterious father figure who appears to both help and hinder Mina.

But it is a compliment that I did indeed want more. I wanted the book to proceed at a slower pace so that my reading experience lasted longer and I could explore Corvidae's atypical world more fully. Additionally, the characters in the novel were different from your typical romantic fantasy, both flawed and capable of greatness. I mean, our heroine is a vindictive, damaged grouch and our hero is a passive occupant of a wheelchair. Their relationship is believable despite their differences, and I definitely prized that aspect of the story.

Winter's Orphans is a gritty, unusual fantasy novel with characters who go well with their surroundings. Despite my feeling that the book was a bit underdeveloped, I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more books by Ms. Corvidae to see how she steers around what one might consider standard.

Rating:
Summary: Science Fiction Romance review
Review: Some fantasy novels are medieval in setting; some are urban fantasies where strange creatures slip around in modern sewers. Some take place on strange planets and some in alternate realities. But one, Winter's Orphans, occurs in an industrial Londonesque setting, with belching factories and cobblestone streets, with a polluted river flowing through the middle of the city and a great discrepancy between the rich and the poor.

The main character is Mina, an indentured factory worker, whose faeling (mixed breed human/fae) powers reveal themselves during times of great stress. Mina's uncontrolled magic is so great that the Seelie Court (the bad guys), which dominates the fae world and the human as well through a devious twist, comes to know of her existence. Lucky for Mina so does Duncan RiDahn, a crippled faeling who has devoted his life to teaching other Unseelie faelings (the good guys) how to use their powers hiding from the bad guys.

The setting is one of the best things going for this novel. I do not think I have ever encountered a fantasy novel set against an urban Victorian backdrop, although I cannot claim to have read every book in the world. It was a refreshing change from more typical fantasy stories, not that I mind the typical when it's done well. The world was not Earth from what I could tell; if it was, it was not the Earth we know and inhabit.

The plot of the novel isn't as unique as the setting but still works: extremely powerful magic user who didn't know she had any power realizes she does, hides out from the bad guys for a while, learns to control her power with the help of a rag-tag band of good guys, then uses her power in a face-off against the bad guys, though not without peril and danger along the way. Powerful magic user toys with the dark side because power is corrupting, although as Spiderman might say, "With great power comes great responsibility."

The novel is a quick read, perhaps too quick, which is my primary complaint. Because of the innovative setting, I wanted more worldbuilding, more fleshing out of the surrounding area and the culture which spawned Mina, Duncan and the humans they live among. Unlike in some Tolkien inspired fantasy novels, Corvidae does not resort to the shorthand of "elf" or "hobbit" or "human city" to transport readers into her imagination. There are many intriguing details, like the creepy, flesh-eating horse living in the dirty river or the mysterious father figure who appears to both help and hinder Mina.

But it is a compliment that I did indeed want more. I wanted the book to proceed at a slower pace so that my reading experience lasted longer and I could explore Corvidae's atypical world more fully. Additionally, the characters in the novel were different from your typical romantic fantasy, both flawed and capable of greatness. I mean, our heroine is a vindictive, damaged grouch and our hero is a passive occupant of a wheelchair. Their relationship is believable despite their differences, and I definitely prized that aspect of the story.

Winter's Orphans is a gritty, unusual fantasy novel with characters who go well with their surroundings. Despite my feeling that the book was a bit underdeveloped, I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more books by Ms. Corvidae to see how she steers around what one might consider standard.

Rating:
Summary: Not An Orphan Anymore
Review: This is a fabulous book!

I don't know that I ever met a more unlikely heroine or hero, and yet they were strong, appealing, and had me rooting for them to triumph.

I was sucked into this alternate world so deeply I expected faes and faelings to jump out at me while I was enthralled in its grasp. This story gave me a whole new perspective on the fairy kingdom and made our own industrial era come vividly alive.

I highly, highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers and lovers of romance. This book is going on my keeper shelf and it will definitely not be an orphan anymore.