Description:
Are you among the many whose first fantasy book was an Andre Norton young adult novel? Scent of Magic is the latest in a long line of good old-fashioned Norton sword-and-sorcery tales. As always, Norton provides an intriguing premise: in this world, both good and evil magic are tied to plants and their scents. The orphan Willadene has "the ability to recognize and name the most subtle of mixed scents," including the taint of evil. After she saves Hawice the Herbmistress from a magical trap, Hawice brings her to the Ducal castle. There Willadene meets the Duke's sheltered daughter Mahart, who is preparing for a marriage that will give her father an heir. Willadene also works with Nicolas, who spies for the Duke. When Mahart is abducted after meeting Prince Lorien, her intended fiancé, Willadene, Nicolas, and the Prince set out to find her and track down those responsible. Mahart and Willadene prove brave and resourceful, equal partners in the final struggle. The writing isn't always up to Norton's standards; sentences are sometimes of baroque complexity. But fans of the Witch World series and those nostalgic for fairy-tale fantasy should seek out Scent of Magic. --Nona Vero
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