Luck of the Wheels [Paperback]

Megan Lindholm (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2002

A reissue of classic backlist titles from the author of the best selling Farseer Trilogy and The Liveship Traders books. The fourth book in the Megan Lindholm (Robin Hobb) backlist. LUCK OF THE WHEELS is the fourth and final book in THE WINDSINGERS series, following HARPY'S FLIGHT, THE WINDSINGERS and THE LIMBRETH GATE, which introduced her popular gypsy characters, Ki and Vandien. Ki and Vandien should've known the money was too good to be true. Three georns and a full orn to be paid on arrival -- just to transport cargo to Villena! The cargo, however, was human, a boy called Goat, and his family seemed just a little bit too anxious to be rid of him. It smelled like trouble. And it was. Not to mention a few other problems Ki and Vandien never imagined!like a lovesick stowaway, an army of rebels and road bandits and a magical detour with death itself.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Megan Lindholm: 'A bright new talent in the fantasy field' Charles de Lint 'Lindholm has created a refreshingly different magic' Locus 'Fascinating, absorbing and well written' Fantasy Review

From the Author

Although out of print in the US, Luck of the Wheelshas been re-issued in the UK by HarperCollins. (ISBN 0007112556) For this and other newly reissued Megan Lindholm books, visit Amazon.co.uk.

Thanks! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Voyager (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0007112556
• ISBN-13: 978-0007112555
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,532,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Megan Lindholm lives and writes in Tacoma, Washington. Her website is at www.meganlindholm.com She also writes as Robin Hobb, but the two voices are distinctively different from one another.

Her novel Wizard of the Pigeons was a Nebula finalist, as were her short stories "A Touch of Lavender" and "Silver Lady and the Fortyish Man." "A Touch of Lavender" was also a Hugo finalist. In addition, her short work has received the Asimov's Reader Award.

Although most of her book length work is produced as Robin Hobb these days, she continues to write short stories as Megan Lindholm.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Windsinger's Quartet, August 29, 2001

By 

"kayjlo" (Queensland, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Luck of the Wheels (Windsinger, Bk 4) (Paperback)

The fourth of the books about Ki and Vandien - previously met in the Windsinger's Trilogy (Harpy's Flight, The Windsingers, The Limbreth Gate), which is now obviously a quartet.
If you have never read any of them and you like lots of fighting, plenty of blood, minimal plot, unbeatable musclebound heroes, and a story about as deep as a puddle, then don't bother with these. However - if you enjoy fantasy which is fresh and well-drawn, is packed full of interesting characters, creates a world that you will want to visit and explore, and has an outstanding and complex pair of heroes in Ki and Vandien - you will love Lindholm's work. Vandien is a fun-loving and surpisingly honorable rogue with an eye for a pretty girl and a penchant for getting himself into and out of trouble. He meets and ends up travelling with Ki, who appears to have no discernible sense of humour, doesn't trust anyone, can hold her own in any fight, and carries a secret even she isn't aware of.
If you love the books as much as I do you will be greatly disappointed that there are no further Ki & Vandien adventures. Lindholm now writes as Robin Hobb and her books under this name are so popular I doubt we'll end up with a Windsinger's Quintet.
For those who have shared the couple's previous adventures, this is a worthy addition to them - and we learn a great deal more about Vandien's fighting skills, sense of honour, and love for Ki. There is also a certain amount of softening in Ki's character - not only does she actually show that she cares for Vandien, but she has also developed a sense of humour! This addition to the series is, as in the other books, packed with plenty of humour, lots of action, and great characters - many of whom could star in their own trilogy or quartet. I loved it and found it a worthy addition to the others - but I would still like to know what happened to the Windsingers!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Luck is what you make of it, January 21, 2000

By 

Sharron Albert - See all my reviews

This review is from: Luck of the Wheels (Windsinger, Bk 4) (Paperback)

Book four of this series finds Ki and Vandien far to the South, trying to make a living as teamsters in unknown territory. Breaking their own rules, they take on passengers and find out more about this region than they wanted. If you liked the first tales of this egalitarian couple that started in the outstanding Harpy's Flight, you should enjoy this adventure. Characters are complex, alien races abound, conspiracies and oddities are everywhere, and Ki and Vaiden's relationship continues to change and grow. I only hope that the author, now writing as Robin Hobb, will one day return to the world of Ki and Vandien.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A slow start but a gripping ending., October 8, 2010

By 

Stephanie Noverraz "crooty" (Lausanne, Switzerland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Luck of the Wheels (Paperback)

This is the fourth and final book in the Windsingers quartet (after Harpy's Flight, The Windsingers and The Limbreth Gate).

In this volume, Ki and Vandien, having trouble finding employment in the South, accept an unusual cargo: they must bring Gotheris, the teenage son of a local villager, to his uncle in the city of Villena where he is to become a healer.

What should have aroused their suspicions was that everyone seemed happy to get rid of "Goat". He'll turn out a strange and tortured boy indeed. That combined with all the rest (the despotic local Duke's Brurjan patrols, the rebellion, the runaway girl Willow) will turn what seemed like an easy stroll into quite an adventure. The money was just too good to be true!

I found the first half of Luck of the Wheel rather slow, with just the team plodding through the countryside and Goat and Willow being difficult, and I was wondering where the story would be going to. Eventually, the pace picked up and the last third proved genuinely gripping. I now realize I grew quite fond of Ki and Vandien and I'm pretty sad to leave them behind.