The Fire Rose

Rating:
Summary: Women's Lib, Steam Engines, and Low Fantasy
Review: Those who are looking for dwarves, dragons, and high adventure are advised to look elsewhere. As with many of Mercedes Lackey's books the magic elements of the story take a very distinct back seat to character development. And rightly so, for Lackey has a talent for bringing what could easily be cookie-cutter characters fully to life and leading them through periods of change and growth.

In this book Rose, the main character, is a female scholar in a time where opportunities for women are few. Set in Gilded Age San Francisco the overarching theme of the book is her struggle against her own lack of options. Of course, there must be a fantasy element, happily provided by a wizard who employs Rose to help him research his way out of a lycanthropic predicament that has left him unable to read. The predictable romance between the two is slightly stilted, but perhaps appropriate for two characters who are in almost every way extremely reserved. The real treat in this book is Rose's running internal dialog, which gives us a believable glimpse of what a highly intelligent woman must feel in highly unusual circumstances.

Overall this book lacks large amounts of magic, action, and ancient mysteriousness, while supplying a healthy portion of social commentary and a side dish of romance. I found it relaxing summer reading, but the little boy in me wanted more things to blow up!

Rating:
Summary: Women's Lib, Steam Engines, and Low Fantasy
Review: Those who are looking for dwarves, dragons, and high adventure are advised to look elsewhere. As with many of Mercedes Lackey's books the magic elements of the story take a very distinct back seat to character development. And rightly so, for Lackey has a talent for bringing what could easily be cookie-cutter characters fully to life and leading them through periods of change and growth.

In this book Rose, the main character, is a female scholar in a time where opportunities for women are few. Set in Gilded Age San Francisco the overarching theme of the book is her struggle against her own lack of options. Of course, there must be a fantasy element, happily provided by a wizard who employs Rose to help him research his way out of a lycanthropic predicament that has left him unable to read. The predictable romance between the two is slightly stilted, but perhaps appropriate for two characters who are in almost every way extremely reserved. The real treat in this book is Rose's running internal dialog, which gives us a believable glimpse of what a highly intelligent woman must feel in highly unusual circumstances.

Overall this book lacks large amounts of magic, action, and ancient mysteriousness, while supplying a healthy portion of social commentary and a side dish of romance. I found it relaxing summer reading, but the little boy in me wanted more things to blow up!