Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Review: The Unfinished Song: Initiate by Tara Maya

Synopsis (via Goodreads):
A DETERMINED GIRL...
Dindi can't do anything right, maybe because she spends more time dancing with pixies than doing her chores. Her clan hopes to marry her off and settle her down, but she dreams of becoming a Tavaedi, one of the powerful warrior-dancers whose secret magics are revealed only to those who pass a mysterious Test during the Initiation ceremony. The problem? No-one in Dindi's clan has ever passed the Test. Her grandmother died trying. But Dindi has a plan.

AN EXILED WARRIOR...
Kavio is the most powerful warrior-dancer in Faearth, but when he is exiled from the tribehold for a crime he didn't commit, he decides to shed his old life. If roving cannibals and hexers don't kill him first, this is his chance to escape the shadow of his father's wars and his mother's curse. But when he rescues a young Initiate girl, he finds himself drawn into as deadly a plot as any he left behind. He must decide whether to walk away or fight for her... assuming she would even accept the help of an exile.
My Thoughts:  I have to admit that this book really caught my fancy.  In fact, it has the worst cliffhanger ending EVER.  No, that's not quite right.  It has a ending that made me sit up and frown.  I can't stop thinking about it.  I really want to know how things turn out for Dindi and Kavio.

Dindi's world is an interesting blend of traditional fairy-type creatures, magic and a tribal society.  Exile is a feared punishment and when the tribes go to war blood stains the land.

As the first in a series, there are quite a few characters and plot threads that are laid out.  The use of dancing to channel magical energy is fun and interesting.  The legend of the Corn Maiden, told in flashback visions, lends the story depth and a sense that this world is well developed.

Now, of course, I have to wait for the second book so I can see how Dindi manages to get herself out of the problem she finds herself in.

More books by Tara Maya

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1 comment:

  1. Great review.. I need to check out this one.. Had never heard of it before.. Love the cover :D

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