Wolf Captured (Wolf)

Rating:
Summary: Great Read For Lindskold and Firekeeper Fans!
Review: In this latest story, Derien, Firekeeper, and Blindseer are kidnapped and taken to another country where the humans and Wise Animals (intelligent self aware animals) live in respectful harmony, but obediant to their omens and interpretations of the divine. Firekeeper's ability to speak directly to the Royal Animals of her land has been noted and she and her companions are considered important to the future of Liglim where the Wise Animals are considered conduits of divine will -- but beneath the peaceful surface of the Animal Temples lies dark conspiracies in the Year of the Jaguar. Old enemies and new have joined forces to gain power and riches and power for themselves, and only Firekeeper and her loved ones stand between a coming dark age of blood sorcery and the people who are both captors and friends.

As well as the religious and political dangers that swirl about all our heroes, so too are there dangers to their hearts. The beautiful Raniseeta, servant of the Temple of Cold Ones (reptiles) has caught Derien's eye with both her spirit and strength, but will she choose the marriage bed of the exotic red haired foreign man or the needs of her country? Firekeeper too has her romantic troubles as a strong and beautiful wolf bitch Moon Frost makes her interest in Blindseer known. Though wolf in heart, Firekeeper despairs that her human form is too great an obstacle to the love that lies between her and her pack brother. Meanwhile, Dark Death, a prime male Wise Wolf with deep secrets of his own has seen the beauty and strength of Firekeeper and considers her worthy mate material, Blindseer too will meet challenges for the heart of Firekeeper, as in this new foreign land the difference and content of physical form matter less than those of heart and mind.

five stars from meeeeeeeeeeee... *heart, love, heart*

Rating:
Summary: fascinating fantasy
Review: The Royal animals, sentient beings that use language to communicate with one another, are thought to exist only in myths and legends. Firekeeper knows that is not true as she was raised by wolves, who loved her and treated her as a pack equal. She believes that she is one of them trapped inside a human body. When people find her in the western lands, they take her and her wolf friend Blind Seer to Darien Carter, who teaches her how humans behave. She is adopted into the royal family and given a noble title.

In the south, the Liglimoshti people know about the Wise animals; Members of their priest caste kidnap Firekeeper, Blind Seer, and Derion because she is the only known human who can speak with the sentient animals. They want her to teach them to do so too. Derion must find a way to stop a blood sacrifice cult from flourishing. Firekeeper must refuse the one thing she wants most in the world of turning into an actual wolf because that requires blood sacrifice. At the risk of her life, she must also stop an old enemy from revealing truths that could harm the Wise animals.

Jane Lindskold has written a fascinating fantasy about a land where humans and animals, sentient and non-sentient, live for the most part in harmony with one another. The wise animals play an important role in human society, as they communicate portents and omens to the priest caste, whose superegos of importance prevent them from allowing Firekeeper to teach the commoners besides leading to unemployment. WOLF CAPTURED is another great installment in this fine series.

Harriet Klausner