Leopard Lord (Paperback)

by Alanna Moreland (Author), Alanna Morland (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
To escape a bargain made by his father with an evil god, Lord Varian promises to sacrifice his future wife in return for his freedom. When he falls in love with a red-haired beauty named Cathlin, however, he searches desperately for a way to break his dark pact. Morland's first novel, despite a predictable ending, combines elements of Gothic romance with high fantasy. Large libraries may want to add this title to their fantasy collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
This story is Beauty and the Beast with a twist. Morland is an author to watch, as this premier novel shows she has the potential to be one of the better fantasy writers. Her characters are more than cardboard cut-outs as they struggle with difficult moral choices; she humanizes them with believable problems that lead to plausible solutions. There are no "surprises" pulled out of the hat at the last moment to save the characters, but rather a logical progression throughout the story. A good buy for any fantasy collection. VOYA Codes: 4Q 4P S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult). -- Vicky Burkholder - VOYA

[R]elatively lightweight, but often touching. A promising first novel -- Carolyn Cushman, Locus. April 1999

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Ace (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044100606X
• ISBN-13: 978-0441006069
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,566,429 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating..., July 12, 1999

By A Customer

The characters are wonderfully real. They ARE people, who feel and react as real people. The concept is fabulous, but I think she could have done more with it. It starts and ends well, but the middle is somewhat drawn out; too much setting and not enough action. But the characters make you want to see how things work out in the end. And the climax is well worth the time to read through it.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finished it in one day, August 26, 1999

By A Customer

I picked this book up a month ago for a little light reading sometime - WOW, was I ever surprised! It was engrossing enough that I finished it in a day. This is an enjoyable book in a mythos fantasy style. Yes, similar things have been done before, but this is a storytelling style, a hero with a true moral conflict and the very human choices to be made. Yes, it was a fast read, mainly due to a well paced plot that didn't bog down too much in unnecessary description or overkill. Yes, it could be better, but it was still very enjoyable and a great first novel. If you like old-style storytelling of gods and heroes, you'll like this one.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth Watching, May 24, 1999

By A Customer

Why is it that just because a book leaves you refreshed and cheerful it's "light reading" meaning "junk book/waste of time"? This is such a book, but that doesn't mean it is a waste of time -- quite the contrary. For a first book this shows a lot of promise. Her characterization is good, her world shows a lot of thought and her writing is smooth flowing. The pacing seemed choppy at times, but that comes with experience. The Leopard Lord was a very credible effort and I'll buy her next book, whether it is about these characters or different ones.