Customer Reviews

Sword of the Guardian (Legends of Ithyria)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sword of the Guardian is a romantic fantasy story by first-time author, Merry Shannon. The story centers on Shasta, the young, spoiled heir to the Ithyrian throne after her twin brother's murder. She would have been dead herself were it not for the efforts of Talon, a member of an acrobatic troupe visiting the palace. Talon, who has been passing as a man to protect herself and her sisters, is assigned as personal bodyguard to Shasta. While initially the two do not see eye to eye, they eventually form a strong bond. But that bond is tested repeatedly by the continued threats to Shasta's life and the political deterioration of Ithyria's provincial leaders. But this is not a simple tale of survival and retribution. The guiding forces for Ithyria and Ithyria's enemies are the Goddess and God pair who fight for dominion through their human followers.


Shannon's first novel is journey of self-discovery for Shasta, Talon, and Talon's sisters. Each character transforms through the novel, but the most pronounced character journey centers around Shasta.


Shannon creates a believable, fascinating world that marks this as a fantasy setting that the author will hopefully return to in future novels. As a romance novel, Sword of the Guardian accurately presents the twisting trail that two people sometimes travel in the course of finding true love. Shannon's skill as a romance writer shines most especially in one of the best choreographed loves scenes in a lesbian fiction story.

I was excited to finally get to sit down and read the book. It's actually somewhere around 380 pages- a pretty hefty adventure story! As I was reading, I found it rather difficult to put it down- by the end of the day, I was finally done and wanting to know when the second novel would be out. Merry Shannon has done a good job of putting out a fun story that didn't wind up seeming full of cliches or camp, and even better- has characters that you can't help but getting involved in.

The only reason I hesitate to give her five stars is because it is her first book, and I'm sure she has much potential to grow into. But I look forward to seeing what sort of Merry Shannon books will line my shelves in the future.

Publisher's Description:
A shocking assassination creates an unconventional bond between a princess and her guardian in a kingdom filled with political intrigue, danger and unexpected romance.

Princess Shasta Soltranis enjoys a pampered life of court dances, elaborate finery, and the occasional secret fencing match with her twin brother, Daric. But in the midst of a birthday celebration, her world shatters when a mysterious assassin takes her brother's life. Shasta, the only remaining heir to the throne, narrowly escapes the assassin's blade thanks to the intervention of a traveling acrobat named Talon.

With the threat of another attempt on Shasta's life imminent, her father declares that the young hero will be come the Princess's bodyguard. But what Shasta doesn't know is that her new guardian has a very well-kept secret: he is actually a she.

Talon and Shasta soon grow closer than anyone, especially her father, could have predicted. Will the truth of her guardian's secret change their relationship forever?

This is such a wonderful, special book. It may be the author's first, and fantasy stories may not normally appeal to you, but this was amazing to me. I completely forgot that this was an "alternative" romance book by a new writer!

This is first and foremost a truly exemplary Adventure and Romance novel. As great as any I've read by Eddings, or Zelazny, or Donaldson. And -just- as touching in it's moments of love and heartbreak. (And there are many.)

The plot points of spoiled young princess, court intrigue and treachery, a loving Goddess, a dedicated, dashing yet torn young hero, are all old and familiar, yet the story is refreshing and above all, new, despite this. And in no small part because the story is told from the author's heart. I could really tell this story has been cherished by the writer, for a long long time.

I started backwards, reading her second book first ("Branded Ann"), and what I said then is doubly true with this, her first book. I really got to care about the two main characters, and I was carried away with their lives. Heck, rumors that I may have gotten teary eyed more than a few times in reading it (and re-reading it) would be difficult to deny.

I love books. Yet I can be honest in being critical of books I don't like. I have just started to discover and enjoy the genre of "lesbian romance" books, and perhaps I'm a bit more comfortable than some in reading them with an open mind and heart, but -this- book truly transcends the genre. I wish I was a better writer, so that I could be more eloquent, and somehow convince you how unimportant it is that the -hero- is secretly a -heroin-. (It's important to the plot, yes, but not to the -book- itself.) This story stands head and shoulders above many other popular fantasy books, on it's -own- merits.

I won't deny, there are a number of pages of, er... "physical intimacy", enough to -more- than fill the needs of one's romantic, and baser instincts, yet without offending.

I honestly think you would enjoy getting to know the people inhabiting this world: Talon, with her self-sacrifice and dedication, and the heartache she endures for the sake of the people she loves; Shasta, shedding her mercurial adolescence, and learning to put her kingdom and the ones she loves ahead of herself; Lyris, overcoming her quiet, shy nature to seek out her destiny serving the Goddess, and in doing so finding a strength she didn't know she had, and; Bria, stumbling through being the youngest sister, and the terrible mistakes she makes.

The list of characters goes on, and yet it is not so long as to be confusing. I was delighted to see the author has a website, and to see there that she will return to the kingdom of Ithyria with the book tentatively entitled "Prayer of the Handmaiden". (Wherein I hope to see the return of the irascible chambermaid Erinda, and the woman she lost to the Goddess's service?? Hint? HINT?!) Ok, I'll shut up now.

Well written and tightly edited epic novel of Medieval Fantasy

Politics, danger and warfare abound in this well written and tightly edited epic novel that has a similar flavour of The Mists of Avalon, as it is set in a world populated by castles, swords and horses, Kings & peasants that are guided by goddesses and gods. The writing is detailed and descriptive, that easily allows the reader to experience the characters and place fully.

The pace of the novel is lovely and the characters evolve over a two year period allowing Princess Shasta Soltranis to develop into a strong caring person. Her guardian, Talon, is a truly epic hero who is so admirable that you read the novel at a break neck pace needing to know what happens to her. Her love for those under her protection is immense and you keep hoping throughout the book that one day she can enjoy a love of her own.

This was a bit of an intense read, I had no idea that fantasy novels were filled with so much violence. In the first half of the novel three young girls are orphaned after their father is murdered and their mother raped than murdered while they cower in a closet. A sixteen year old is murdered in front of his family and a pregnant woman is beaten to death by her owner. A young boy is routinely beaten in lieu of punishment being meted out to the royal children and an 18 year woman's father orders her beaten by 40 strokes of a belt.

I read a lot of books - I can't emphasize this fact enough. I read upwards of ten or fifteen books every month, and the fantasy/high adventure genres are my favourites.

Speaking as someone who HAS read a very great many stories along similar lines as Sword of the Guardian, I have to say that this book was amazing. It had me wishing I could call out of work to keep reading. Tightly edited, well-written, and absolutely enthralling. The characters are deep and well-thought-out, the world setting is detailed enough to understand without overwhelming, and the storyline has a lot of room for further stories.

The only thing that disappointed me was getting to the end, rushing online to look for more of the series, and finding out there weren't any yet!

Princess Shasta is a spoiled young teen who's got everything: royal blood, beauty, wealth, power, and influence. But her life is turned upside down when her dashing twin brother - heir to the kingdom - is murdered at a party in front of the royalty, nobles, and others. If not for the quick intercession of Talon, a young acrobat performing at the party, Shasta would have been stabbed, too. The king decrees that Talon be Shasta's bodyguard, not realizing that "he" is actually a she.

What follows is a terrific adventure, coming of age story, a romance, and tale of courtly intrigue, attempted assassination, and gender confusion as the young princess learns, grows, and comes into her own. This is a rollicking fun book and a must-read for those who enjoy courtly light fantasy in a medieval-seeming time. Merry Shannon is a bright new voice in lesbian fantasy fiction, and this one's highly recommended. ~Lori L. Lake, Midwest Book Review

The first part of the tale of the outlanders sisters and princess Shasta left me very well impressed by Merry Shannon's talent.
I followed with excitement everything shared with those already familiar with her short stories on her website, but the experience of reading a full-lenght novel was much more than I could expect.
Romance, adventure, spirituality in precise amounts. Passion and intrigue enough to leave you asking for more without frustration.
That was the first time I read a lesbian story (you don't find much on the subject on my country on regular bookshelves), and I believe I couldn't find a best introduction to this delicate and interesting universe as the author's words.
In fact, I remember blushing on the subway, on my way to work, while reading specific passages on the story and wondering if anyone could imagine how much love and desire I was finding in those apparently ordinary pages.
I traveled with my heroines for many days, and when the book ended (but thankfully, not the story), I knew I had found good friends and an excellent story teller.

This book was a delightful read. I picked it up on a whim and mostly out of curiousity. And I'm glad that I did. I couldn't put it down. The writing was amazingly detailed. I laughed, and cried along with the characters. I'm looking forward to reading Merry Shannon's future works.

It seems like I've been reading a lot of books with medieval settings lately. Fortunately, they're mostly quite good. In fact, SWORD OF THE GUARDIAN is better than good. Princess Shasta is the almost-victim of an assassination attempt in which her brother was killed. Narrowly saved by circus performer Talon, the princess is placed under heavy guard. In the meantime, the decidedly masculine and injured Talon is taken into the castle to heal. Finding out "he" is really a "she", the king offers a life in the palace for Talon and her sisters if she'll be the princess' personal bodyguard. There are two conditions. First, Talon must never reveal her true self to anyone. Second, if the princess is ever harmed, Talon's sisters will be tortured or killed.



Shasta resents her new bodyguard, particularly when the man is required to share her sleeping chambers. However, a reluctant relationship eventually develops between the two. Shasta, not knowing Talon's secret, repeatedly puts her own life in danger and wreaks havoc at the palace and beyond.



The protagonists are likable and lovely. The supporting cast rounds out the story and the final pages reveal the answers to many questions. A great book with the potential for a sequel, GUARDIAN is highly recommended by this reader.

Being a teenager in the 1970's, I searched for books with strong female characters. My daydreams were filled with heroic women who saved the day, but the stories I found were filled with women who needed to be rescued, found love with the male hero and had to die in the end, or who were seductresses who used their feminine charms usually for evil reasons. It even got harder to find a good Fantasy read when I realized that I was a lesbian and a hopeless romantic. I found my soulmate when I was 25, but I still couldn't find many books that didn't kill off one of the lesbian characters at the end of the story. I like happy endings, remember this is supposed to be fantasy not real life. Thus, I was ecstatic to find Merry Shannons' 'Sword of the Guardian'. At first I was a little put off by the ages of the two main characters, Talon is 19 and Shasta is 16 at the beginning of the story, this would have been great when I was a kid, I'm fortyfive now and I felt a little leacherous, but you soon begin to care about the characters and forget their ages. The story unfolds quite well and includes all the elements of a great sword & sorcerer type fantasy tale, there is a handsome hero/heroine, a spoiled princess who comes into her own, several well crafted assassinations & attempts, magical powers, swords, armies, war, intrigue, betrayal, longing, and love. You will find, as the story unfolds, you are drawn deeper and deeper into the life and loves of the people of Ithyria. I enjoyed the book so much it was difficult to put down and I am hoping Ms. Shannon is working on another book with these wonderful characters. Give them a visit and you will find it hard to leave.