Sorcery Rising

As other readers have said, this does start slow. But the writer takes time to set up a marvelous world full of exciting characters. As the story unfolds, one becomes so acquainted with each of the main characters, that one can almost predict of what the person will do next. However, with the author and what makes this book so fun is that characters do not always do what you may think. During the book, I would go back and read parts of what I read before because of a twist in the story and the clue that was laden there before. Great story, great characters, and great world!

I just finished reading this book yesterday and can not wait to get the next in the series (Wild Magic, fool's gold book 2) a enveloping plot and awesome chartacters keep you reading to the end where you're left hanging in want of more......i would definatly read this book if you like a good science fiction book to read and are not satisfied with the average sci-fi you normaly find.

Fans of fantasy epics will relish Sorcery Rising, a new beginning of another account of magical journeys, war, and romance. Katla attends an annual celebration, unwitting commits sacrilege, and attracts the attention of an idealistic nobleman. In the process of her flight she will encounter new worlds and disguises in this fast-paced, complex story of sorcery and love.

I must say I started reading SORCERY RISING with a few misgivings: I so rarely find fantasy that really excites me any more, it all seems to be a mishmash of the same old plots and characters, same old quest-structure, same old quasi-Tolkien set-up. And I can't say this one is all brand new, either - there's lots of familiar territory, including a Viking-style culture in the north and a Roman/Mediterranean culture in the south that reminded be a little of some of Guy Kay's work; but the characters just had me hooked!I defy anyone to read this and not love Katla Aransen: she's the feistiest, funniest, most headstrong and contrary female fantasy character I've encountered in years. The Rosa Eldi, that strange, magical creature abducted first by a mage, then by his apprentice, to wreak havoc in the world, is deliciously intriguing, and Selen Issian takes on the role of oppressed women the world over (how interesting that the Istrian women's 'sabatkas' so resemble Afghan 'burqas'; yet this must have been written before the light shone on recent events in that part of the world). This is not to say Fisher goes light on the guys: she offers a wide variety of male characters all the way from utterly vile...(Tanto Vingo and Tycho Issian) to adorable (Saro Vingo and Erno Hamson).Other people have talked about the plot, so I won't go on about that. All I can say is I couldn't stop reading, and that I'm desperate for the next volume. If you like Robin Hobb and George RR Martin, this is next best thing while you're waiting for their new books!

Jude Fisher's debut novel is a classic character-driven fantasy tale, packed with action, suspense, drama, love, lust, magic, heroism, betrayal and all the other elements you'd want to see in a well-written saga. Despite, or perhaps due to its relatively simple setting and compact cast of characters, the story is King in Sorcery Rising, and there isn't a word on the page that doesn't drive the story along, and carry the reader along with it. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys good character fantasy written with humour, flair and style.