Customer Reviews

A Woman Worth Ten Coppers

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Yim has lived her entire life with a Wise Woman, sheltered and barely loved, until the day the Seer shows up to take her to her destiny. All Yim knows of her destiny is that she is The Chosen, and must bear a child though she has no clue who the father is supposed to be. Yim has visions, and often sees and converses with the Goddess Karm, the Goddess Of Balance. She's seen a name in her visions that means nothing to her now - Theodus. But once on the road, the Seer is set upon and killed by thieves during their travels, and Yim finds herself on the slave blocks in Durkin.

Honus is a Sarf, one who follows and serves a holy man called a Bearer. Honus's face is heavily tattooed, marking him as a master of martial disciplines. When Honus's Bearer Theodus dies, he left only one command for Honus: do not carry your own burden. So Honus must find someone to carry his pack. He begins with Yaun, a cowardly squire who hid in a latrine when the city of Lurwic was destroyed by The Devourer and his followers. But Yaun reneges and Honus must purchase a slave to carry his pack. He purchases Yim for only ten coppers, thus Honus and Yim's paths meet. Honus must travel far south to Bremven to find another Bearer to follow.

Honus soon discovers that Yim is no ordinary slave. Though she tries to escape (you'll love Auntie Flora), she quickly realizes traveling alone through the wasted lands of Luvein is not a good idea. She manages to keep her talents secret from Honus, who can also trance and walk the Dark Path with the dead.

'A Woman Worth Ten Coppers' is saved from being ordinary by it's characters, both of whom you'll fall in love with. They soon begin to learn from one another, and in time each will save the other. The world is nicely built but not overly extravagant, leaving the tale to be character-driven rather than world-driven. Side characters are interesting, and tell interesting tales of their own. Over all lurks the dark danger of Lord Bahl and his service to The Devourer, who threaten to take over the goodness of the Goddess Karm. Honus and Yim vow to uphold The Goddess Of Balance, each in their own separate ways.

This is the first book in Howell's new series, and I can't wait for the second book to come out. At a nicely rounded 324 pages it's neither too long nor too short, leaving no room for any boring interludes or superfluous descriptions. The dialogue is tight and realistic. This is a great start to what promises to be a great series. It's not overdone with too much blood or magic or narrative, and has just the right amount of action and adventure. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers. I can't wait for the next installment. Enjoy!

Morgan Howell's first series, Queen of the Orcs, definitely had its ups and downs, with pedestrian prose but great society-building. With that series complete, what would Howell do for an encore? I bring you the first book in his new series, A Woman Worth Ten Coppers. It's an intriguing book, far better written than his first series, but it still has a few bumps to get over. Unlike his first series, it wasn't written all at once and published in a monthly fashion (the second book is coming out later this year), so there is hope that these bumps will be smoothed out in subsequent books. As it is, Howell sets up an interesting world and tells a pretty good tale.

Introductory books to a series have a lot of setting up to do, and Howell takes that burden on even more than most. There is a lot of setup in A Woman Worth Ten Coppers, and for a while I was annoyed by the seemingly glacial pace of the book. Howell gets Yim and Honus together fairly quickly, but then they start out on their journey and we get a lot of background information on the both of them, or on the world in general and how it works. Each are holding secrets from the other, Honus alternates between being considerate of Yim and being surly and dismissive of her, the latter usually when her questions of him start to get too close to things he doesn't want to talk about. They spend so much time talking past each other, hiding things that the reader is already aware of, that I seriously wanted to reach into the book and knock their heads together.

Things do change as their journey continues, though, and I started becoming more interested in both of them and how their destinies would intersect. This also happens as we learn more about the world in general (one which is much larger than the one he created in Queen of the Orcs, which was one of my criticisms of that series).

It's a good thing that Howell's characterization and mood setting has improved, because sadly the prose hasn't, or maybe I'm just not the intended audience. Most of the sentences are short and a bit stilted. The dialogue (especially the accented way some of the characters speak) seems a bit simple, though it's definitely hiding some adult concepts. It's an adult novel (no explicit sex or language, just ideas), which jars with the more basic prose. It just feels off.

Finally, slavery seems to be a major issue in Howell's books so far, as both series have had a slave as the main character (or one of them). It will be interesting to see how Howell continues to deal with this, considering the fact that Yim herself is given a slave late in the book. She's initially uncomfortable, and it will be interesting to see how that discomfort increases, or whether she will get used to it.

Ultimately, I did enjoy A Woman Worth Ten Coppers, though not as much as I might have otherwise. I'm looking forward to the second book to see where things go from here.

David Roy

I'm rather torn about this author. I enjoyed the first 2 books of the Orc series, while not enjoying the conclusion. This one is even better then the orc series in some respects. Its an engrossing and entertaining read. While telling a dark story, it gives hints of violence, but thankfully steers clear of actually giving descriptions. The suggestions of romance help alleviate to a certain degree the darkness inherent in the overall story.

The one problem I have with the book, is in showing the villains actions. While it gave me a better feel for the overarching story, I've found that theres almost a direct correlation between how much screentime they give the bad guys and how much I enjoy a story. I also dislike having characters be introduced, starting to like them, and then have them be killed off. I sincerely hope the sequels will be as good as this one.

Yim is a young woman who has visions, a gift from the goddess Karm. When she was little a vision told her she was the chosen. She would would bear a child and that child would save the land and the people from the destruction that is slowly tearing them apart. Yim is given into the care of a man, and they set out on a journey. Yim's predicted fate is now before her. But it seems that before her journey even begins, Yim finds herself sold into slavery after her traveling companion is murdured.

Honus is a Sarf. Sarfs are warriors trained to serve the goddess Karm. They are paired with a Bearer. The Bearer is a holy person who serves the goddess, and are also seers. The Bearer carries the burden of the Sarf's pack, as you can guess, Honus purchases Yim for 1o coppers and he treats her as his bearer by making her carry his pack, because his previous Bearer, Theodus, told him someone else should always carry his burden before his death after a battle against the Devourer's followers. A battle that Honus finds only himself and one other man alive.

This world is built quite heavily around religion.There are two deities mentioned in this book; one good and compassionate, and the other evil and destructive. I found it to be rather compelling. As you journey with Yim and Honus, you get a pretty intense look at what the Devourer has created. In his name people thrive on the slightest bit of hate, or animosity, or jealousy, anger, fear, any emotion that could cause a violent outburst. The ones that serve him, feed those emotions within the people as they travel from village to village, destroying everything.

The days pass and they grow closer to their destination; a town that Honus believes is incapable of falling to the devices of the Devourer, where he calls home and trained to be a Sarf, and Yim believes this town is part of her destiny. There she will discover what the goddess Karm intends for her. But what they find nearly destroys Honus. Bent on vengeance against the Devourer and his minions, Yim must stop him. For those actions filled with his hate and pain will only create more power for the Devourer and weaken the goddess Karm in the process.

This is the first book of a new trilogy, and one I will look forward to for the next installments. Yim's and Honus's journey ended in a nice place, without any major cliffhangers. There were some really lovely scenes between Yim and Honus. Very innocent, but perfect for the start of what I assume is going to be a very powerful relationship. There is a romance that will span the three books between them, and I really liked how it all played out in this first book. The two need each other on very deep emotional levels. Intriguing world building and wonderful characters made this an awesome book.

[...]

The Wise Woman leaves young Yim with the the Seer who takes her South across the Highlands from her home near the Cloud Mountains of the Northern Reach so she can serve in the temple although he knows troubles are worse in the direction he leads them; he has no choice because the vision from the Goddess directs him. She asks if he is Theodus as that is the name of her guide as "whispered" to her; he says no insisting the Goddess Karn is her guide. Yim realizes "her father" as she is to call him in front of strangers is trying to hide his fear behind a veneer of calm. His fears prove right when they are attacked on the road; the Seer is murdered and Yim bound and raped by he who calls her scornfully "Ribbon Girl" before selling her to a slaver.

Honus, the Sarf warrior dedicated to Goddess Karm, is rudderless. He prefers to die for he has no purpose in life, but is unable to do so. His reason for living serving the holy Bearer ended when the followers of the evil God Devourer killed her. At the slave market, Honus for no reason he can discern decides to buy a back packer to carry his bags. Thus he travels to the village of Durkin where he buys the youthful Yim for ten coppers. He will soon know why the Goddess sent him to buy A WOMAN WORTH TEN COPPERS as their adventures just begin as nearby Lurwic Castle is burning down and its ducal family dead; Lord Bahl is on the deadly march..

Following up to the exciting Queen of Orcs trilogy, Morgan Howell starts a new saga with a superb quest fantasy starring two intriguing protagonists who both have emotional issues from recent traumas. The story line is fast-paced filled with plenty of action. However, as with Ms. Howell's Orc tales like KING'S PROPERTY the insight into the culture make for a dynamic tale; even the villains seem real. Fans will enjoy the opening gamut, which in many ways is a coming of age tale as the relationship between Yim and Honus change over the course of their escapades.

Harriet Klausner

An enjoyable read I "think" with some depth and character...But now a week later I can't even remember the ending-had to get the book back out to check! Ah- because it didn't end and the sequel is almost a year away....less time than is needed to Forget this one entirely...But I do remember I sort of enjoyed reading it.

I could not put this book down. From the first chapter, I was hooked. So many secrets surround Honus and Yim, and, as the reader, I wanted so much to figure out each and every one right along with the protagonists. However, I felt like nothing ever happened.

First off, the world seemed like such a cold, dark place. Everywhere Honus and Yim traveled, there was nothing but suffering and strife. I felt as if the entire world was just this bleak place with no hope of any kind. Even when the two protagonists reached a town filled with priests and merchant, I felt the utter lack of happiness. It was actually pretty depressing to read, especially when every person the two ran across was down on their luck in some way.

I was also frustrated with the secret keeping. I wanted so much to scream their secrets at each other that it was one of the things that drove me to keep reading. However, whenever any secrets were revealed, it was so anticlimactic that I was just happy it was finally out.

The more I read the novel, the more I couldn't wait for Honus and Yim to reach their destination. When they did, the suffering still continued. Then the novel ended so suddenly that I immediately bought the second one to see what happened.

If you are looking for any romance, look somewhere else. If you want some action, you won't find it hear. However, if you want a dark novel riddled with secrets and unknown futures, Morgan Howell delivers.

A Woman Worth Ten Coppers by Morgan Howell is the first book of the Shadowed Path trilogy. I've owned this book for quite a while, and finally picked it up. I'm glad I did; it definitely helped fill the fantasy craving I don't indulge often enough lately!

Yim is a really special young seer - she has been told now for many years that she is 'Chosen' (with a Capital C) and will fulfill a vital destiny to help save the world. Man, no pressure though, right? She doesn't know a lot of details, but she has the faith that the goddess Karm will guide her. Through an unlucky chain of events, she ends up being forcibly taken and sold into slavery where she is soon purchased by a Sarf named Honus (A clear definition for the Sarfs is hard to pin down - but basically he is a holy man with crazy awesome ninja warrior skills).

Yim is obviously very resentful of her new role as a slave, but she keeps herself mostly in check, waiting to see if Karm will guide her or if she has been abandoned by her goddess. Luckily (or, as she sees it: unluckily) for her, Honus is neither a jerk or an idiot - he can soon tell that there is more to Yim than meets the eye. By the end of the book, their relationship has melded more into a partnership of sorts than a servant/master dynamic. It also seems like Karm had a plan all along - maybe Honus is an integral part of Yim's destiny after all?

So, I really enjoyed both Yim and Honus. I loved the way Yim constantly tries to hide who she really is and Honus constantly tries to figure out what she is doing. The majority of the book is spent with them traveling, and some of their interactions are fairly hysterical as they get to know each other and get used to constantly being together. Romance really isn't much of a factor in this book, although it is introduced toward the end - I think it'll be a bigger plot element in the next books of the trilogy. I also think things are set up for the next book well - I'm pretty sure it'll be as good as - or better than - this introduction to the story!

If you are a fantasy fan, I do recommend picking these books up. I read A Woman Worth Ten Coppers through in one afternoon, not wanting to put it down (it is fairly short for fantasy, clocking in at around 330 pages). It won't make my favorites list and I won't be telling people to read it as their introduction into fantasy - but for people who are already fans, it is a strong addition to the genre!

My interest in the book came from two sources: 1) I enjoy Morgan Howell and 2) I was intrigued by the slave part of the story. I was not disappointed. Yim is a complex character, struggling to stay faithful to a goddess who calls Yim to a destiny overrun with hardships, a goddess who seem powerless to allay those hardships or even protect her people in them. Howell does an excellent job of showing the conflict in Yim. Honus is also a well-constructed character, facing his own past, internal conflict and waining faith. Together, they journey physically and metaphorically towards the truth.
Howell's plot and dialogue are well-crafted and he has an uncanny ability to create horrific villains, dark and evil and creepy. The romance and love in the book is handled delicately but not weakly, and I enjoy the way it dawns on the reader about the same time it does the characters, despite having been there the whole time. It's a rare talent to build in such subtlety to the story. Word of warming - don't get attached to any secondary characters: they tend to die with little warning. While the books ends as it should, the story doesn't stop, but flows into the next book (which I'm already three chapters into). I'm excited to see how things turn out.

Yim is the Chosen of the goddess Karm. She has been raised and trained for her destiny by an unloving Wise Woman. Her visions are vague and unpredictable. As the Chosen, Yim is to undo a great evil by bearing a child. The identity of the father is unknown. Yim knows only that she must be a virgin. Yim soon finds herself a captive and sold as a slave to Honus, a Sarf.

A Sarf is one of Karm's warriors. He is a highly trained killer, normally accompanied by a holy man called a Bearer. The role of a Sarf is to obey and protect his Bearer with his life. Unfortunately Honus's Bearer, Theodus, recently died. Having been told by Theodus to never carry his own pack, Yim is purchased to act as his mule. His fierce face is covered with dark tattoos. His entire back is covered with tiny runes which foretell his destiny. A Sarf never knows what is etched upon his back. Only Theodus has consulted Honus's runes and he could understand little. Since Honus is not allowed to know what is written, Yim keeps to herself the bit she sees and understands. Yet that bit speaks about her, by name, though the text had been written before her date of birth.

As Honus and Yim slowly travel to one of Karm's temples, they notice a dark evil spreading across the land. The priests of a violent and bloody good, known as the Devourer, are corrupting the hearts of humans. Led by Lord Bahl, who has the ability to inflame minds with uncontrollable anger, peaceful people are forsaking Karm and rising up to slaughter their friends and neighbors. During their trek, Yim learns that when Honus meditates, a part of him travels the Dark path, where he can view some of memories of those that have died in the area. Fearing the Sarf would deem her as unholy and kill her, Yim conceals her own abilities from Honus. But for how long can Yim keep her secrets from her intelligent and very observant master?

**** FOUR STARS! The author creates an educated young lady, quickly thrusts her into the hard and lowly role of a slave, and then slowly begins to transform her into something amazing. The story does not follow only one character, yet Yim and Honus are its main focus. I watched as minor characters grew into evil and powerful men by the story's end. These puppets of Lord Bahl will play larger roles in the second book of this trilogy. (Book two is titled Candle in the Storm.) Do not fear the frustrations of a cliffhanger ending. The author has chosen a very good stopping point. Filled with magic, suspense, dark battles, and larger-than-life characters on mystical quests, this story is sure to please. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.