The Temple at Landfall

I am not a big fan of the sci-fi genre, in general, but I was drawn to the romance premise in "The Temple at Landfall" - two individuals, who would otherwise never cross paths, brought together on an extended journey. It's a classic "road romance", bringing to mind the good "bad movie" First Knight, with roguish Ranger Kim Ramon assigned to deliver the innocent Imprinter Lynn safely to her new home. The romance doesn't disappoint, as Kim and Lynn have fabulous chemistry! The setting was also quite intriguing - a society dominated by the Church, Temple Guards, the Sisterhood, etc. - which immediately evoked images of Margaret Atwood's masterpiece The Handmaid's Tale (Everyman's Library). Indeed, the similarities are startling, particularly Celaeno as a theocracy and the state's focus on controlling human reproduction. The "technology" of the time period, however, is more like the middle ages than the future. Jane Fletcher does considerably more than simply put a new spin on well-trod literary territory; she creates a vivid alternate world, so richly developed and textured, seemingly without weighing down the book with too much backstory. Fletcher does a great job doling out historical details during the story through her characters and then gives us a Celaeno timeline of sorts at the end, which fills in many of the blanks but is not necessary reading in order to enjoy the main story. I would heartily recommend that readers start with "The Temple at Landfall" prior to reading the rest of the Celaeno series. I purchased it as part of volume one of a three-book, e-book compilation of the series, but didn't realize that the first book in the compilation was the second Celaeno book written by Fletcher. Many of the series' recurring characters are introduced in "The Temple at Landfall". Also, don't miss Chip and Katryn's backstory in Rangers at Roadsend!

There are two basic premises to fantasy storytelling. One: the possibilities are endless. Two: don't lose your audience. This book can be held up as the paradigm for all fantasy storytellers. Jane Fletcher creates an engaging central character in Lynn so well that a reader forgets the words and begins to experience the tale. Lynn has an extraordinary skill that is beautifully balanced by grounded, natural human feelings. Fletcher knows her craft and executes it well. Too often, writers attempt to hide their shortcomings with an excess of superflous words or a bombardment of technological wizardry. Fletcher has no need to employ such smoke and mirrors. She is a first class author with an enchanting imagination. I'm glad that this book was written and I'm definitely going to read Rangers at Roadsend and Wall at Westernfort.

Lori Lake gave a thorough review so I'll just add my opinion. This series I believe belongs with the best of sci-fi/fantasy writing. The plot, the history of the planet and the characters all measure up to great writers like Anne McCaffrey and Marion Zimmer Bradley. To leave these stories in the niche of 'lesbian writing' is to do them a great disservice. Like those other authors, Ms. Fletcher's stories entertain while also giving us something to think about as far as our own world is concerned. All-in-all, I think that all of her books are worth having on your shelf to read again and again.

In the Temple in the city of Fairfield, a young woman named Lynn does the important work of helping women reproduce. She is a sort of psychic DNA-knitting doctor/priest and is called an imprinter. Imprinters are chosen very young for their psychic abilities and are taken from the families to serve Celaeno, the great goddess of the people. Everything about Lynn's world is focused on prayer, imprinting, and the teachings of Celaeno. The imprinting skill she shares brings in a fortune in "offerings" (required by the Church) from eager women desperate for children.. There is no separation of Church and State; they are one and the same. After a couple of decades of this mind-numbing, psychologically draining work, the book opens with Lynn in a state of depression. Once a month during a religious ritual on the steps of the Temple, she sees the outdoors. Otherwise, she is locked into the tomb-like environment of the Temple, never to have a lover, never to have freedom, never to know anything but a life of service. She is basically held captive, a prisoner of her own abilities-until the day Sister Smith, from the larger Temple in Landfall, appears and wrangles with the authorities to take the talented imprinter far away to a bigger, more powerful Temple. Lynn is excited to make the long journey during which, perhaps for the last time, she can enjoy the forests, the cool air at night, and the freedom to walk on the woodland paths and see the moon. A squadron of Rangers, including Lt. Kimberly Ramon, is assigned to escort the Sisters and Lynn on the long journey over the mountains and to the south. And this is where the adventure begins. For the first time since childhood, Lynn is among real and interesting women, and she is quite taken with Ramon, who has her own secrets and griefs. "As much as anything, Lynn enjoyed the honest, open banter, although the jokes were frequently bawdy. To Lynn's mind they were fair less offensive than the conversation of the sisters; the intimidation by pious quotes, the political backstabbing disguised in religious platitudes. The soldiers spoke of a world Lynn would never know, but it didn't matter. Their stories were like breathing fresh air after years of choking in incense" (p. 76). The soldiers are also brave, and when they are attacked on the journey, everything about the trip changes. Lynn's ability to envision herself as a free woman begins to grow. But can she shake free of the grip of the Church? How far will the powers-that-be go in order to keep her to themselves? This fundamentalist society, operating based upon bits and pieces of lore, abridged history, inaccurate facts, and misguided good intentions, is all the more frightening because it is peopled only by women. In Fletcher's world of Celaeno, it's not men with the compulsion to render matters of life into simplistic and often bone-crushing black and white; women can be and are just as dangerous. With rich, glorious prose, Jane Fletcher has created