The Mistress of the Jewels

A little about me. . . I have read nearly everything by Diana Paxson, starting with her more recent works (e.g., "Wolf and the Raven," "Dragons on the Rhine," the "Hallowed Isle" series). It wasn't until recently that I could acquire all of the Westria novels and read them.I disagree with the negative comments by another reviewer. The Westria series was one of Diana Paxson's first novels and, as an early novel, is quite good. It may help to understand how "Mistress of the Jewels" fits into the entire series. While other authors give you a short, brief descent into chaos/evil from which the hero/heroine must emerge, in "Mistress" Ms. Paxson shows you the descent and the contributing factors. It isn't until "Silverhair the Wanderer" (pt. 3 of the Westria series) that you are truly introduced to all of the heroes and heroines and begin to see their struggle to emerge from chaos/evil. As such, "Mistress" is truly a 'prequel,' and it is in later books of the Westria series that Ms. Paxson's character and plot development truly shine.All in all, the entire series is a good read.

i disagree with the above review. i have never read the short stories, but i loved this book. i found the characters deep and compelling. i loved the premise and the story.