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The Finest Choice: book two of the Finest trilogy by [Jean Rabe]

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Jean Rabe

The Finest Choice: book two of the Finest trilogy Kindle Edition

by Jean Rabe (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 13 ratings

Book 2 of 3: The Finest Trilogy

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They are the Finest Creations - mystically forged creatures of perfection sent by the Creators to aid the Fallen (humankind) during their mortal existence.

Though they resemble horses and ponies they are supremely bright, communicate telepathically, and are moral. They are assigned to bond with individuals of great potential and to protect them from harm while guiding them along a path of virtue.

This is as it has been for years unto creation ... until a Finest is separated from his mentor before he has been invested with a charge. The young equine takes on the care of two orphans, not realizing that man's potential may rest in their future.

In their path: an evil mastermind whose manipulation of court politics could bring a dark age.

The Finest Choice was originally published by Tor Books in 2005.

Book 2 of 3

The Finest Trilogy
Print length

309 pages
Language

English
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Publication date

April 16, 2018
File size

4304 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Jean Rabe has not only garnered many awards in the field of imaginative games, but she has also some dozen role-playing novels to her credit, plus numerous short stories and articles. Her store of knowledge concerning war (in all periods), strange civilizations, and magic--white and black--is indeed prodigious."--Andre Norton

Praise for The Finest Choice

"The fairy tale landscape, driven by the eternal mortal struggle between good and evil, evokes a darker Narnia….J.K. Rowling and Garth Nix fans should find this trilogy exciting and memorable."--Publishers Weekly

"This sequel to The Finest Creation expands on a world in which a race of psychically powerful equines work behind the scenes to save humans from their own faults. Rabe's storytelling and an appealing heroine make this a solid addition to most adult and YA fantasy collections."--Library Journal

"Gripping."--Booklist

"J.K. Rowling and Garth Nix fans should find this trilogy exciting and memorable."
(Publishers Weekly)

"Rabe's storytelling and an appealing heroine make this a solid addition to most adult and YA fantasy collections."
(Library Journal)

"Gripping."
(Booklist) --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Telepathically-gifted horses star in this fluidly-moving second installment (after The Finest Creation) to Rabe's breathtaking and horrific YA fantasy trilogy, along with assassin birds, hungry wolves, a monstrous Bishop Therland DeNogaret and a brave, young orphan, Kalantha Montoll. The Bishop, with help from his supernaturally controlled birds, plans to kill the fugitive princess and her older brother, Meven Montoll, the bewitched boy-King of Galmier, so he can rule the entire island continent of Paard-Peran. He plots their murders with a chilling glee that would be comical were it not carried out with merciless viciousness by his fine-feathered servants: Eyeswide, a creepy owl, and the falcon, Ninéon, whom Eyeswide trains to serve in his vile quest. But the Bishop doesn't count on the fierce resistance of Kalantha, who's aided by Gallant-Stallion ("Rue"), one of the Finest Creations (equestrian guardian angels who protect "Fallen" humans). The fairy tale landscape, riven by the eternal mortal struggle between good and evil, evokes of a darker Narnia. Though the avian killers and body count might alarm younger readers, J.K. Rowling and Garth Nix fans should find this trilogy exciting and memorable.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Booklist

Rabe continues the adventures, begun in The Finest Creation (2004),of two young royals marked for death. Kalantha and Meven have been secretly shepherded by Gallant-Stallion, one of the Finest--divinely forged, horselike creatures with the ability to communicate telepathically with humans (the Fallen Favorites) given them to protect and keep. Meven, 14, is the youngest king of Galmier and has been an easy pawn for his legal guardian, greedy, power-hungry Bishop DeNogaret, long aligned with the dark gods and intent on uniting Paard-Peran through war and declaring himself king. Kalantha, 12, is fleeing DeNogaret, who wants her dead. Although formidably protected by the Finest, she and Meven are repeatedly attacked and nearly undone by flocks of malevolent birds controlled by another servant of evil, Eyeswide the owl. For courageous, strong-willed Kalantha, doing what is right, if not easy, is the most important thing, and she is the only one who can save Paard-Peran. But she is tired of running and sick at heart, and not even a Finest can save her from self-defeat. Gripping. Paula Luedtke
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Finest Choice
1 · Alone Together
The world was born perfect, my mother told me. But the people crawling across its rocky surface and navigating its seas are, for the most part, flawed~avaricious, needful, prideful, never satisfied. Still, there are some among them worthy of salvation, she claimed. And for these the Finest Creations are intended.~Nimblegait, first foal of the Old Mare
The horse was the color of wet clay, with a slightly lighter blaze running from between his ears to just short of his black muzzle. He had a coarse mane and tail as dark as the mud puddles he was tromping through, and he had none of the attractive feathering around his legs that most of the horses from the north displayed. Called a suffolk-punch, or simply a punch, he was considered an “old breed,” who traced his line back more than a thousand years and had been used primarily for farming and hauling timber.His sturdy legs looked overly short for his massive body and powerful quarters. He had a large head with kind, expressive eyes; a thick, muscular neck; and a deep, broad chest that was crisscrossed with cuts from a flock of birds he’d fought off.He was not a pretty horse, not compared to the magnificent mares and stallions that were warm and dry in the royal stables on the palace grounds in Nadir—where he’d been staying until yesterday. But he was a strong creature, and despite being terribly weary, he continued to plod through the marshy land many miles south of where Meven Montoll was about to be crowned King of Galmier.Meven’s sister sat astride the punch’s wide back, leaning against his neck. Kalantha had fought sleep all of last night and this morning. It had only recently claimed her. She slept soundly now, despite the rain that fell gently, and so the punch chose what appeared to be the most level course, keeping his gait slow and regular now so she wouldn’t be disturbed.Though cold, the rain felt good against the punch’s hide and gave him something to listen to. It rat-a-tat-tatted softly against the branches and oak leaves and downed logs he navigated around. It echoed faintly when it thrummed against puddles that dotted the ground as far as he could see. There were few paths to follow where the water didn’t come up above his hooves. The horse gathered it had been raining on and off here for many days, the ground too saturated to soak up any more water.The punch had been traveling with the girl since late the previous evening. At first he galloped, trying to get her far away from the palace as quickly as possible. He didn’t slow until after well more than an hour, when his sides ached from the effort and when the woods thickened and knobby, exposed roots threatened to trip him and spill her.A normal horse would have needed rest before now. But the punch wasn’t truly a horse—though no person native to this land would see him as anything but. He was called a Finest creation, sculpted by the good powers of Paard-Peran. His kind was charged with secretly guiding and guarding the Fallen Favorites—the select few people who possessed some inner spark that would lead them, and thereby perhaps some of their fellows, to salvation.“Rue?” The girl on his back stirred. “Where are we, Rue?” She was the Fallen Favorite he was destined to protect. That this slight girl of twelve years could have any impact on the world seemed doubtful … but the Finest was not one to question his mission.“The sky’s awfully dark, Rue, for this time of the day. I think it’s going to keep raining forever.” She yawned and stuffed her hand against her mouth, shook her head and tipped her face up into the rain. The canopy was denser here, with tall pines, and with plenty of oaks that kept their leaves this late into the fall. And so the rain that made it to the forest floor seemed to bleed slowly from the sky. It grayed the air in front of her and the punch, making it look like they were passing through a veil of smoke.As she glanced around, she saw a small hawk drop from a branch high overhead and dive on something hiding in a patch of stunted evergreens. Claws outstretched, beak open, its black eyes were as shiny as fresh ink and were fixed on whatever was making the needles of the spreading ground cover quiver. The hawk’s movement and sudden cry startled a flock of bluebirds that flew from the cover of a nearby willow, scattering and throwing bits of color into Kalantha’s view. She focused on one small bird in particular. It was puffed up and angry-looking, and had settled on a low branch directly ahead, scolding the hawk and Kalantha and the punch for disturbing it. A moment later it flew off, still scolding. The hawk climbed and disappeared in the canopy, a large ground squirrel skewered on its talons.Kalantha shuddered. “Birds worry me, Rue.”Since she was awake, the punch picked up his pace, managing to find his way around submerged roots when the water deepened to his knees.“Aren’t you tired, Rue? You must be tired. We should stop so you can rest.”He came to a stretch of ground that felt comfortably spongy beneath his hooves, but for the most part was devoid of standing water. He galloped across it, mud and grass flying up behind him. Then he slowed when he reached thin clumps of birch trees at the edge of a large stand of black walnuts.“Do you know where we are, Rue?” She twined her fingers in his mane and clamped her legs tighter when he vaulted over a fallen river birch and edged deeper into the thickening woods.Safe, the punch told her finally. We are safe, Kalantha. And we are thankfully away from the assassin-birds and your brother, Meven. He cannot reach you here. We are to the south in the forest, where the trees cut the cold and the rain. And we are near the river. I can smell it.“I can, too,” she said, yawning again. “It smells good.”Yes it does, Kalantha.“Maybe we should go to the river, Rue. I don’t think we’d get lost if we followed the river.”I would like that.The punch’s Finest name was Gallant-Stallion. Like other Finest creations that traveled Paard-Peran, he was also given a human name. Meven named him Rue some time ago, referring to him as an ugly, rueful-looking horse. Gallant-Stallion hadn’t liked the connotation then, but he didn’t mind the name when Kalantha used it. “Rooooo,” she pronounced it, the word sounding like a beautiful purr that reminded him of a songbird’s sweet call.Gallant-Stallion angled toward the river. The Sprawling River’s tendrils spread like the outstretched fingers of a hand through Galmier and the country to the south. Gallant-Stallion considered the river the best feature of the country, shiny and musical, and following it south was as good as anything to do right now. The river might keep him from becoming completely lost in these woods.The sky was turning from gray to green with the onset of afternoon. It was the shade willow leaves take on toward the end of their lives before yellowing and dropping. And its hue hinted that the rains would worsen. A storm was definitely coming, the Finest knew, and the rain that had been falling on and off throughout the day had simply been a prelude.Gallant-Stallion could smell the water thick in the swollen clouds, the scents of the river and wet tree bark, and sodden fallen leaves and mud and creatures that had drowned and were starting to rot. The river was the most favorable smell, so he brought it to the fore.Soon he reached a bloated tributary. Small bushes were completely submerged along the banks, and the water was well up the trunks of hickories and maples. Something prickled at him as he watched a catfish circle around the base of a pin oak and then dive deeper out of sight. He set his ears forward.What? he wondered. What bothers me? Something I smell? Something I smell and cannot put a name to? It is nothing I hear. There was the faint rustle of oak leaves, stirred by the falling rain and a slight breeze. The flutter of wings … this unnerved him for a moment, but then the sound ceased. It had been only one bird, and not an especially large one. There was the river, sloshing at its muddy banks, wearing away at the earth in an effort to grow wider still. Across the river he could see a road, precariously close to the far bank and looking like a glistening snake weaving amid the stark outlines of birches and honey locusts.Kalantha slipped from his back and carefully edged toward the water, barely avoiding a tangle of holly. Branches caught at her tunic, and she roughly tugged it free. The clothes were worn and dirty and had belonged to a boy in Nadir’s poor quarter. She stole them to replace worse ones she’d been wearing, and had felt bad for it. “But my other clothes were falling apart. I needed these,” she’d told Gallant-Stallion yesterday, finding it necessary to justify her thievery to someone.He watched her cup her hands to drink. Those threadbare clothes were not keeping her warm now, he was certain, and she shouldn’t spend another cold, rainy night in them. That would mean finding people who might help her.After several moments, Gallant-Stallion let the scent of the river fade to the back of his mind, and he tried to stop worrying about his charge. He thought that perhaps he indeed smelled something that was disquieting, something only vaguely familiar. But he still couldn’t put a name or an image to it, and now the wind was shifting and he lost whatever it was. He knew it wasn’t birds, he’d... --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

A former journalist and news bureau chief, Jean Rabe has written seventeen fantasy novels and more than three dozen fantasy, science-fiction, mystery,
and military short stories. Among her works are the Finest trilogy from Tor and numerous Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms books for TSR/WotC. She has edited several anthologies and has collaborated with Andre Norton on Return to Quag Keep and A Taste of Magic. She lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with her husband, two dogs, and a miniature macaw.

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07C84TWKZ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boone Street Press (April 16, 2018)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 16, 2018
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4304 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 309 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #2,221,468 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #4,872 in Teen & Young Adult Coming of Age Fantasy eBooks
- #8,138 in Coming of Age Fantasy eBooks
- #13,617 in Coming of Age Fantasy (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 13 ratings

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My home is filled with dogs and books. Lots of dogs and books.
I wear bedroom slippers or worn out sandals to work everyday.
I'm a mystery writer living in a tiny Midwestern town that has a gas station, a Dollar General, and a marvelous pizza place with exceedingly slow service.
Always working on a new project or three.
I have more than four dozen books published in the fantasy, science fiction, urban fantasy and mystery genres, and more than one hundred short stories.
But I'm concentrating on mysteries now.
In my spare time I dabble in roleplaying games and boardgames.
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4.5 out of 5

13 global ratings

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Katinka

Mom Kat Reads

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 1, 2019

Verified Purchase

Kalantha has run away from her brother Meven and the bishop yet again. She isn’t aware of it, but this act of defiance has managed to save her life. Had she done as was expected of her, she would never have arrived at the religious settlement to which she was being sent.

The bishop needs her dead if he is to retain control of her brother’s rule. Meven has unknowingly been controlled by the bishop and used as a pawn in his evil schemes for a long time, with the bishop working from behind the scenes to rule the country as he sees fit.

Kal has never been one to do simply as she has been told, and having had a taste of freedom, even though things have not been easy, she cannot simply roll over and give in. She feels a need to find out who has sent the assassin birds after her and why, and though finding such information is not easy, she keeps looking. Can she find her answers before they find her? And what will happen when she learns the truth of who is behind all the hardships and killing that has been stalking her family before it is too late?

I very much enjoyed reading this story, though I do wish it had gone through another round or two of editing before publication. Although the story was amazing, there were more typos than I am used to seeing in this author’s books.

I am planning on continuing to read this series as I really want to know how it will end. There are plots within plots in this story and I am very interested in seeing how it will all come together in the end.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 29, 2018

Verified Purchase

In this trilogy, guardians, in the form of sentient horses known as Finest, aid and shepherd their human charges, the Fallen Favorites.

The second book in the trilogy does not disappoint. The action is non-stop, the plot twists are startling and intriguing, and who doesn’t love sentient horses and evil birds?

The fate of Galmier and the surrounding kingdoms are at stake as the young girl Kal - aided by Gallant-Stallion (called Rue), the Finest who shepherds her - races to expose the evil forces behind the assassin birds and stop the war her brother, Meven, the young King of Galmier, has been duped into starting.

As in book one, Rabe’s eye for detail and her meticulous descriptions, made me feel like I was in the middle of the action. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes horses, birds, or magic, who is a fan of Jean Rabe’s writing, or who appreciates good writing and a captivating story.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Verta Bostic

An interesting twist on a classic arcetype.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 9, 2019

Verified Purchase

The characters are vivid and the settings both grim and beautiful. A great read for fantasy and horse lovers alike.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Book 2

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 26, 2005

They look like regular horses, but they are not. They are the "Finest Creations", mystically forged by the creators to aid mankind during their mortal existence. Each Finest is given a human charge to lead, without directly interfering. Humans must have free choice. A human is only granted the honor of Finest if the human has great potential.

Meven Montoll is being crowned King of Galmier at the beginning of this novel. but Meven is the pawn of a murderous man, Bishop DeNogaret, who intends to rid the world of the Montoll line before crowning himself ruler. But first the bishop will use his dark arts to persuade King Meven into war with the other kingdoms, thus enlarging the Galmier realm.

Gallant-Stallion "Rue", a Finest, has a young girl named Kalantha "Kal" Montoll as his charge. Rue has removed Kal from the bishop's grasp and they travel the land almost aimlessly until Destiny arrives. Rue and Kal communicate telepathically, thinks to their magical bond. In this novel, the second of a trilogy, the two must learn about the assassin birds from the Vershan Monastery. The problem is locating the monastery and then finding the one, old, needed book for answers. During it all, those of the dark arts hunt Rue and Kal with murder in their black hearts.

**** Like other second books within a trilogy, this one is not as great as the first. It is mainly to continue the first novel and set things up for the third. Yet the author, Jean Rabe, did a wonderful job in keeping my attention. I never found myself growing bored. People and events begin to come together. I can see where the story is going and am eagerly waiting until I can find out how it wraps up. Excellent book! ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Donald J. Bingle

Book 2 of The Finest Trilogy

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 12, 2005

Jean Rabe continues her magical young adult adventure, following Meven as he becomes king and Kal as she seeks to escape both the evil birds that have continued to attack her and the strict, monastic life that the Bishop would have her follow. But as interesting and adventurous as the two young royals are, the real star of the piece is Gallant Stallion, the Finest sent to shepherd young Kal, but unsure how to perform his task. Gallant Stallion's wonderment at the world of men (the Fallen) and the sights and smells and interactions of nature make this much more than a simple adventure yarn. While Kal's impetuous nature can be a bit abrupt at times to adult readers, it is appropriate for her age and circumstance. Much more is set up for resolution in the final volume than is actually resolved at the end of Book 2, but such is the nature of trilogies. Jean's vivid descriptions of the flora and fauna that Gallant Stallion and Kal encounter and her action-packed fight scenes are a true delight. I am certainly looking forward to the final volume. Highly recommended for young adults and lovers of fantasy. Donald J. Bingle, Author of Forced Conversion.

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