Ladylord (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Aided by magic and loyal followers, a young woman fights for her patrimony in this Japanese-flavored fantasy. Raised by the magician Wande-hari to govern in a male-dominated culture, Lady Javere qa Hyasti is named "son" and sole heir by her dying father, Lord Qai qa Hyasti, ruler of the Third Province of Monserria. Before she can take her position, Javere, who comes to be known as Ladylord to her intimates, must be confirmed by the ancient and corrupt Lord Yassai qa Chula. But to protect herself from a forced marriage, she first weds her beloved; she must remain celibate until her confirmation, however, in order to fulfill an ancient prophecy. After avoiding several traps set by the wily Yassai, Ladylord and her followers are sent to the distant south to find a Dragon-warrior's egg; their quest is fraught with both natural perils and treachery. Meanwhile, Ladylord's loyal general, Sigon the Strategist, must battle an unholy alliance, which includes Ladylord's sister, that is trying to take over Third Province. Miller is the author of one previous novel, Falcon Magic, which appeared in the two-novel mass market book On Wings of Magic, volume three of the Witch World: The Turning series. In her skillful hardcover debut, she creates a socially complex world that's as vital as it is mannered, and fills it with captivating characters who are familiar with depravity as well as with grandeur.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

A sensuous fantasy adventure tells of a young woman who becomes heiress to a kingdom ruled by men and who must fight for her honor, her power, and her life. By the author of Falcon Magic.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 382 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (March 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312860501
• ISBN-13: 978-0312860509
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,810,293 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent work from a female perspective in Fedual Japan, March 8, 1999

By	[e-mail] (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ladylord (Paperback)

I thought this was an excellent fantasy novel and have been looking for other books by this author. If you want a fantasy novel with a fresh perspective, this is the one.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Decent Read, January 17, 2000

By	Jerry Goodnough (Eugene, OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

All in all not a bad book. I'd love to see more books by this author, but to date have been unable to find any. Similar to "Daughter of Empire" by Raymond Feist & Jany Wurts.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well researched and well written, April 1, 2003

By	Christopher Ware (Fremont, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Ladylord (Paperback)

This book seems to fall somewhere in between Feist & Wurts' Empire trilogy and James Clavell's Shogun. It has similar thematic elements to the Empire trilogy and the tone and atmosphere of Clavell's seminal work. Miller seems to have done her homework in researching for this book in that the samurai mentality of medieval Japan is ever present. The attitudes and beliefs of the characters add a note of authenticity (not that I'm an expert, but judging from Clavell's book) to the book.

Yes, the plot is almost exactly the same as Feist and Wurts' series: a young woman must fight for her right to assume her father's throne in a medieval Asian setting dominated by men. However, the story elements differ quite a bit. Miller places more focus on the samurai mentality and code of honor than Feist and Wurts did. She also adds elements such as geishas and their behind the throne movements that only enhances the atmosphere of the book.

Miller's strong point is her characters. While many authors attempts at writing in a medival Japanese world result in many characters becoming interchangeable, this is most definitely not the case here. From Javere, the main character, to her court wizard and military leaders, each has their own personality and quirks. The desert people she mixes in also adds to the diversity of the world that is only hinted at in other places. Her dialogue adds to the mixture. Not only is it realistic and authentic in tone, but it also adds to the strong characterization.

Unlike Clavell's book, however, this is definitely a fantastical story. From the court mage to the dragon warriors, this book is firmly rooted in the genre of fantasy fiction. Miller does not overpower the reader with this, though, which makes these elements much more mysterious and engaging. Not only that, but the characters react to them as if they were not unexpected. By making them seem, not common, but rather expected, they seem that much more believable to the reader.

If you enjoyed Feist and Wurts' Empire trilogy, you will most likely enjoy this standalone book. As it is out of print, however, you may have a bit of a time tracking down a copy. I do wish there was a sequel to it as I would enjoy seeing what has happened to the characters and the ending seemed a bit abrupt.