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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
'Passion, politics and powerful magic in a faraway land', October 22, 2007
This review is from: Unveiling The Sorceress (Paperback)
"Unveiling the Sorceress" is set in a land that feels rather like ancient Persia with slaves, empresses and concubines (as well as names and places that sound rather Persian). Elishiba is the daughter of the Emperor of Aleem, a country that has often been threatened by its neighbour Karseedia. Elishiba understands that to safeguard her country she needs to make some kind of an alliance with Karseedia and has agreed to a betrothal with the Emperor, Hanrah. The story follows Elishiba as she welcomes the delegation from Karseedia who are to prepare her in the courtly manners and behaviour of Karseedia before returning her to that country for her wedding to Hanrah.
Things aren't all as they seem, however. Hanrah is a rather ineffectual emperor with his mother, Mehmet, really in charge of the country, assisted by her evil sidekick mage Sibias. Hanrah has no desire for the wedding with Elishiba as he has another love, one who is under threat of death, and Elishiba finds that a member of the Karseedian delegation has attracted her attention. Amshazar is also known as 'the Nomad'; he arrived in Karseedia some time ago and worked his way up to advisor to Hanrah and yet he is clearly an unusual man.
As the story moves from Elishiba's palace in Aleem to the journey and finally to the palace in Karseedia we learn more about sorcery, the skills that both Amshazar and Sibias have and that Elishiba is beginning to discover in herself. There is intrigue amongst the slaves, the evil Mehmet has a trump card in which to have her way, and Hanrah's weakness seems likely to mean that he will have to submit to his mother's choices for him and his kingdom. Yet there are more powers involved in the struggle between Aleem and Karseedia than the individuals on the ground know, Amshazar's very presence there is part of a plan by the gods, and his and Elishiba's relationship may be a pivotal part of that plan.
The setting of this book was very engaging with the different lives of the Emperors and Empresses, with their servants, guards, warriors and concubines. The magical element wasn't overpowering in the book, much of the plot instead revolved around political machinations and Elishiba's own learning and understanding. Elishiba is a great heroine with pluck and sympathy and care for others as well as the ability to learn and grow and to trust when trust must be difficult. The relationship with Amshazar sometimes felt rather rushed with their connection being based on a few scorching looks rather than actually knowing each other, but this was a relatively short novel and perhaps didn't have the time to delve more deeply into their feelings.
There were perhaps some rather pantomime-level villains in Mehmet and Sibias who fulfilled all the traditional roles of evil characters without any different characteristics to make them seem more believable. However the overall story was enjoyable and the setting added considerably to that, the political elements were never boring and Elishiba and the other main characters usually very interesting. Amshazar's tendency not to speak directly but to offer Elishiba riddles was a bit annoying but she didn't seem to mind, perhaps that added to his allure and mystical nature. This is a good read in the fantasy genre with sensual overtones but a decent, solid plot underpinning it.
Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unveiling The Soceress, February 8, 2008
This review is from: Unveiling The Sorceress (Paperback)
Elishiba finds herself at a crossroads in her life and her choices
will not only affect her, but the future of her country and its
people. Her country Aleem is surrounded by unfriendly neighbors and
if she wishes to avoid outright warfare. she must align herself to
Karseedia - hopefully through a peace treaty but if all else fails
through a marriage to the Karseedian Emperor. However, when she sets
out to the capital of Karseedia, Elishiba believes it is to negotiate
what terms both sides will abide by, but what she finds is a trip
surrounded by possible enemies and constant intrigue and manipulations
by the Machiavellian Empress of Karseedia. In the midst of all these
events that threaten to overwhelm Elishiba, she begins to discover
powers beyond imagination within herself - but will Elishiba be able
to use them for her benefit? Will Elishiba be able to save her
country and herself or will she be the sacrifice required to keep the
peace in Aleem?
Unveiling the Sorceress is an incredible magical tale that weaves all
the elements of a wonderfully sensual fantasy - love, magic, intrigue,
murder, true evil and gods who are not above influencing the outcome
of events. Ms. Walker does a wonderful job of creating such vivid
characters and a world so full of magic that it will leave you wishing
it were real so you could visit. Elishiba is an amazing character who
will have you turning the pages to find how she will face and overcome
all the challenges in her path. She is left constantly wondering who
her allies truly are and it is entertaining to watch Elishiba navigate
the intrigue and test her mettle against all the forces aligned
against her. Pick up Unveiling the Sorceress for a truly entrancing
read that will transport you to a world where magic is real and the
gods interact directly in the lives of their people.
Sabella
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Imagery and romance, October 30, 2007
This review is from: Unveiling The Sorceress (Paperback)
To stop an impending war and create unity among countries, Elishiba, Empress of Aleem, consents to an arranged marriage to the Emperor of Karseedia, Hanrah. Unknown to Elishiba, the motivation for the union actually stems from the greed of Hanrah's mother. Mehmet will use any means necessary to gain power, even if it means sacrificing her son's happiness. That is exactly what is happening, as Hanrah's heart belongs to a slave and marriage to a stranger belies his nature.
In preparation for Elishiba's journey to Karseedia and the forthcoming marriage, Mehmet sends dowry offerings via courtly messengers. These messengers are also charged with leading the Empress and her attendants back to Karseedia to meet the groom and make negotiations for the betrothal. One such escort immediately captures Elishiba's attention. Amshazar carries with him a power and mysticism that reaches the Empress' core and awakens a repressed sorcery within her. He is an emissary of authority other than Mehmet, however, and takes special interest in helping Elishiba recognize the power she holds. Her kingdom's peace and well being relies on this, for she is about to meet the most threatening adversaries she has ever faced.
Unveiling the Sorceress is Saskia Walker's second fantasy romance for Juno Books. It follows a similar pattern as The Strangeling, her first fantasy romance, narrating a young woman's discovery of unrecognized power through love. Once again, a strong female lead takes control of her destiny while a wise male counterpart nudges her along. While The Strangeling followed the self actualization of a peasant, Unveiling the Sorceress chronicles the trials of the privileged.
The only complaint I had for The Strangeling was the romance overshadowed the fantasy storyline, which was not surprising since Walker was first an author of erotic fiction. However, Unveiling the Sorceress takes advantage of Walker's talent for imagery and allows the romance to complement the storyline rather than commandeering it. The novel is a shining example of Walker's creativity and talent, and draws on the reader to participate emotionally during periods of loss and melancholy. It is evident that Saskia Walker has the ability to branch out and master many facets of literature.
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