Lindholm, Megan - Harpy's Flight

[oyceter]

I was a little afraid I wouldn't like this book, given that I've been searching for the series in used bookstores for nearly five years now.

I love it!

Ki's husband and two children were killed by Harpies, and thought she avenges them, it does nothing for her. Instead, she must contend with her husband's family and somehow manage to stay alive through a treacherous journey. And then this scrawny guy named Vandien tries to steal her horses and just keeps messing with her plans.

I adore Ki, who is stern and strong and yet bent under so much grief and rage and pain. I very much like that Lindholm doesn't gloss over her pain, that it's such a central part of the narrative, and that it isn't easy to give up. I also adore Vandien. We don't get to see much of him or his POV; Ki's largely concerned with her memories of her husband's family (creepy!) and with her crippling grief. But what we do see is great. Also, it doesn't hurt that this book hits every single one of my strong, cold heroine with happy-go-lucky yet secretly angsty hero kinks.

I should probably say more about the worldbuilding and how Lindholm slowly gives us more and more information about Ki's in-laws and how they are incredibly creepy, but mostly I am just in love with Ki and Vandien and want to see much more of them.

Comments

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I just love this. It's my favorite of the Lindholm/Hobb series.

The worldbuilding is subtle and excellent, but mostly I love Ki and Vandien and their relationship. What's also interesting is that the other three books have it as one which is already established, and shows how strong it is and how it gets stressed without relying on obnoxious romance cliches.

There are some samurai sabre-tooth tigers later on who may annoy you given that they are clearly, well, samurai sabre-tooth tigers. I like them though.

The third (I think) book turns upon one of your favorite cracktastic tropes. I won't tell you which.

[oyceter]

I love it so much! I just started the second book, and it's really interesting seeing Ki and Vandien as established, like you say. I love this book so much because it shows broken!Ki, whom I deeply adore, and I love how slowly and quietly Ki and Vandien develop a relationship, even as Ki's trying to break all her ties to the world.

This hits all my storytelling buttons so hard!

[ellarien]

I must read those again sometime -- I still have my 1985 omnibus edition, which I remember being sucked into in the bookstore in my student days.

I could find it in myself to wish that we hadn't had to lose Megan Lindholm in order to get Robin Hobb, though I've enjoyed most of the Hobb books too. (The latest trilogy, not so much.)

[oyceter]

Yeah... I like some of her Hobb books, but because I tend to enjoy smaller fantasies more than epic fantasies, I am sad she went epic.

[jinian.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I love these. I still don't have them all, but I continue looking locally. (It's just not as much fun to order in.)

[oyceter]

I know, I like the hunt much more. But am dying to read more now! Though I couldn't find Limbreth Gate for a reasonable price online, so I'll keep looking.