Alphabet of Thorn

I would warn you though, because as soon as I started reading it, I got as obsessed with this book as Nepenthe, the 16-year-old translator, got with her book of thorns! Once I picked it up, I wanted to constantly read it. Although I didnt enjoy all of the charactres as much as I enjoyed Nepenthe, Bourne-a mage from a floating school of wizardy, and the characters that Nepenthe reads about, Axis and Kane. In my opinion, Vevay, a very powerful mage, wasnt that interesting to read about. But since every chapter the book changes viewpoints, youre never with someone you dont like to long, and there is a bit of variety.

I also think that a certain romance between two of the characters was much too rushed. Yes, they belonged together, and they had "chemistry", but I think that the author should have slowed it down a bit.

Otherwise, this book is definitley one of my favorites of hers. She is such a good writer; if youre already a fan, you dont need to be worried, and if youre just getting into her, this is a good place to start out. Have fun!

I recomend reading "In The Forest of Serre" by the same author instead.

As to the Alphabet of Thorn in particular, I found it surprisingly grounded in reality (as real as fantasy gets, anyways!) for one of McKillips stories. (Never fear, it was still occasionally obtuse and mystifying, but less so than her previous works.) It was an interesting premise, and had me hypothesizing until nearly the end. Once the mystery was revealed, the book quickly drew to a close in a moderately anticlimactic finish. Dont get the wrong impression; this was more of a disaster-averted-at-the-final-moment sort of anticlimax rather than a disappointing conclusion. This is also one of the few of her books Id be willing to reread at some future date (once Ive forgotten the answer to the riddle of thorns). Give it a try.