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Fantasy. Fiction. Science Fiction. Thriller. HTML:Gillengaria seethes with unrest. In the south, hostility toward magic and its users has risen to a dangerous level, though King Baryn has ordered that such mystics are to be tolerated. It is whispered that he issued the decree because his new wife used her magic powers to ensnare him� The King knows there are those in the noble Twelve Houses who could use this growing dissent to overthrow him. So he dispatches the mystic Senneth to assess the threat throughout the realm. Accompanying her is a motley band of magic-users and warriors including Tayse, first among the King�s Riders�who holds a hard view of mystics in general, and Senneth in particular. But as the unlikely allies venture farther into the south, they will face death in a land under the sway of a fanatical cult that would purge Gillengaria of all magic users. And they will come to realize that their only hope of survival lies in standing together�.… (more)
Pages
432
DDC/MDS
| 813.54 |
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User reviews
LibraryThing member b00ksonthebeach
This is the first book in the series and the first of Sharon Shinn's that I ever read. Like a Tamora Pierce for adult (and older teen) readers, Shinn captivated me from the first. Her characters evolve, and I can't turn pages fast enough to find out what will happen. Bliss!
LibraryThing member jessicawest
Over the past two weeks I have read the first three books of the series of The Twelve Houses, by Sharon Shinn. I was forgetting to do book reviews individually for them, so I thought I would just do them as a group. The three books are Mystic and Rider, The Thirteenth House, and Dark Moon Defender.
The basic plotline for the entire series is that there is rebellion brewing in the southern houses, who do not believe that the king will live much longer. They have no faith in his daughter to rule after him, and so have plans to depose her once the king dies. The king's death seems to be a foregone conclusion, although he is in perfectly good health. The other issue that is causing unrest in the kingdom is the presence of mystics. Mystics are people who have various types of magical powers, and they have been around for as long as anyone can remember. But a new religious cult is spreading fear and distrust of mystics throughout the land. Because the king favors mystics, he is seen as weak, and perhaps even under their control.
Each book follows through this plotline, revealing more information and developing the story as time passes. All three books follow the same six characters that are introduced as traveling companions in the first book. These are the central characters to the story, although a few others are introduced along the way. Each book centers on one or more of these central characters, telling the story from their point of view. The relationships between the characters are very well developed, and very complex. There is also a good amount of romance, that fits in very well with the overall plot of the series, and does not seem in any way out of place. Shinn includes at least one romance in every one of the books I've read by her, and she always does a lovely job of making you really feel connected to the characters. This series is just as inventive and entertaining as her Archangel series, and I look forward to reading any new books that come out.
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They take place in a fantasy world called Gillengaria. (Gillengaria is actually the name of the country; their are a handful of other lands in this world, where the action does not take place.) This country is made up of twelve houses, each house owning the majority of the land under their control. The politics within these noble houses are as in depth as many other fantasy novels.The basic plotline for the entire series is that there is rebellion brewing in the southern houses, who do not believe that the king will live much longer. They have no faith in his daughter to rule after him, and so have plans to depose her once the king dies. The king's death seems to be a foregone conclusion, although he is in perfectly good health. The other issue that is causing unrest in the kingdom is the presence of mystics. Mystics are people who have various types of magical powers, and they have been around for as long as anyone can remember. But a new religious cult is spreading fear and distrust of mystics throughout the land. Because the king favors mystics, he is seen as weak, and perhaps even under their control.
Each book follows through this plotline, revealing more information and developing the story as time passes. All three books follow the same six characters that are introduced as traveling companions in the first book. These are the central characters to the story, although a few others are introduced along the way. Each book centers on one or more of these central characters, telling the story from their point of view. The relationships between the characters are very well developed, and very complex. There is also a good amount of romance, that fits in very well with the overall plot of the series, and does not seem in any way out of place. Shinn includes at least one romance in every one of the books I've read by her, and she always does a lovely job of making you really feel connected to the characters. This series is just as inventive and entertaining as her Archangel series, and I look forward to reading any new books that come out.
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LibraryThing member Tiffmeister
I think I've found a new favorite fantasy author. Shinn develops a great central character and combines prejudice with magic as the figure head for trouble. I loved the tension created as a civil war brews under the guise of good vs. evil. The evil being anyone with magic, of course. It reminds me
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a lot of the Deryni books by Katherine Kurtz. I recommend this book for anyone that loves magic in their fantasy realms. Show Less
LibraryThing member crazybatcow
I'll give it 4 stars because it's part of a series so one is expected to keep reading in order to reach fulfillment. If it were a stand alone novel, I'd probably give it 3.5 stars.
It's a fast read and not very "deep". Shinn's Archangel series has much more "meat" to it than this... there are no
That being said, it's not a bad story, and it's pretty quick and easy to read, so perfect for a lounge in the sun on those days you don't feel like thinking too much.
It's a fast read and not very "deep". Shinn's Archangel series has much more "meat" to it than this... there are no
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hidden plots, the tension between the characters is weak, and the "good versus evil" theme is mild as well - big difference between the wrath of God and some farmers who don't like magic.That being said, it's not a bad story, and it's pretty quick and easy to read, so perfect for a lounge in the sun on those days you don't feel like thinking too much.
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LibraryThing member mmillet
A wonderful fantasy epic introducing us to the world of the Twelve Houses -- a group of 12 families in a kingdom -- poised on the brink of civil war. A powerful mystic, Senneth, with a mysterious past has been commissioned by the King to discover the source of discontent and is escorted by two of
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his personal guards (highly trained Riders) and a few other mystics. Senneth is a powerful heroine who is used to relying only on herself but quickly sees how much she needs her companions on this perilous quest. I was continually astounded by the ingenuity of the plot and the humanness of the characters. Such a great book and I'm so glad it's a series because I can't wait to read the rest! Show Less
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
I'm giving this book a relatively low score because this first one struck me as a rather generic Sword and Sorcery. The backdrop is faux pseudo-European. The King's Riders reminded me of Lackey's Heralds (albeit without the magical trappings) and as for the dilemma of the mystics? I can't agree
That said, I do find this a good "comfort read" that bears rereading. It has the kind of world, like Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover or McCaffrey's Pern that has me doodling its details and wanting to find out more about the 12 Houses. And it gets better. I actually started not with this book, but the fifth book, Fortune and Fate, whose description intrigued me when it came out in hardcover. I found out then that Shinn has that trait that makes me grab whatever books an author writes--she creates characters you care about and root for. Senneth, who is the protagonist of this book, among them, yes, but the other characters too. Good thing, given each book is centered around different characters. So while I wouldn't put these books in the first rank of books of high fantasy, I do recommend them as enjoyable reads. If you like this one, the others won't disappoint.
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with the reviewer who wrote that fantasy don't commonly tackle social intolerance, particularly paired with religious fanaticism. Such themes are common, particularly when dealing with magic users. The history of persecution of witches isn't lost on fantasy writers or readers. One reviewer, for instance, brought up Katherine Kurtz's Deryni books, which personally I think deals with the themes with more subtlety and complexity. For that matter the whole driving force of the plot of the Harry Potter deals with intolerance.That said, I do find this a good "comfort read" that bears rereading. It has the kind of world, like Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover or McCaffrey's Pern that has me doodling its details and wanting to find out more about the 12 Houses. And it gets better. I actually started not with this book, but the fifth book, Fortune and Fate, whose description intrigued me when it came out in hardcover. I found out then that Shinn has that trait that makes me grab whatever books an author writes--she creates characters you care about and root for. Senneth, who is the protagonist of this book, among them, yes, but the other characters too. Good thing, given each book is centered around different characters. So while I wouldn't put these books in the first rank of books of high fantasy, I do recommend them as enjoyable reads. If you like this one, the others won't disappoint.
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LibraryThing member Krumbs
I enjoyed this. The characters were rich and interesting, and some how Shinn makes politics and military theory not boring. After finishing it, I'm still not entirely certain which physical description fits which character name (not so great) but I think that's the biggest detractor. From what I
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understand, each book in the series focuses on a different character and that makes me a little reluctant to read the next one. I was looking forward to reading the rest of this particular character-based story. Show Less
LibraryThing member BittyCornwell
Sharon Shinn creates an exciting world where people must learn to work through their preconceived notions if they are to save the kingdom. One of the twelve powerful families is getting ready to revolt, and is using religious fervor to gain followers. Can the mystics that are being persecuted work
I enjoy the characters and discovering their abilities. When I read this book I don't want to put it down. It is a book I have read several times, and plan to read several more.
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with the king's elite force to save the kingdom?I enjoy the characters and discovering their abilities. When I read this book I don't want to put it down. It is a book I have read several times, and plan to read several more.
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LibraryThing member Steph1203
I loved this book, right from the beginning it pulled me in. I could not put it down, the story was really well done and the characters were amazing. I loved how the story began after they had started their journey; and all through the book you can see how they are coming to finally trust each
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other and learn about their pasts. Senneth and Tayse are definatly my favorite characters in the book, although I really like Kirra too. I'm really glad that the other books have the same characters just from someone else's perspective, it'll make them more interesting but I really want to see Senneth and Tayse again. Show Less
LibraryThing member zjakkelien
Loved it. This was very easy to read, which is always a good thing. I really liked the characters, especially Senneth (the main character) of course, but I also liked Kirra, Cammon, and later the two riders. In the beginning the riders are behaving annoyingly prejudiced, of course, but they stay
I'm not happy that the next book doesn't follow Senneth, but follows Kirra instead, but I suppose I'll try to get over it. This one was very good, in any case.
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relatively respectful. When they are not, it's because they do not like mystics, not because they have a problem with powerful women. The women are strong and realistic: they have skills (and impressive ones too), they have flaws, and they have emotions. When they need help, they accept it without fuss, not getting into a power struggle, or acting stupidly out of pride. The same can be said for the men, although one of them is a bit surly about it on one occasion. Not much though, and he totally expected to be rescued by Senneth, after making the smart decision of not fighting when the odds are not on his side. I like the camaraderie of the group, and how they grow closer together. This is mostly shown through incidents on the road, and although that works, it got a bit repetitive halfway through the book. Fortunately, the pacing changed a bit a little later.I'm not happy that the next book doesn't follow Senneth, but follows Kirra instead, but I suppose I'll try to get over it. This one was very good, in any case.
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LibraryThing member pwaites
From the cover blurb: “Gillengaria seethes with unrest. In the south, hostility toward magic and its users has risen to a dangerous level, though King Baryn has ordered that such mystics are to be tolerated… The King knows there are those in the noble Twelve Houses who could use this growing
Like the other Sharon Shinn books I’ve read, Mystic and Rider is most certainly character based. There wasn’t a whole lot of suspense or action; instead, it was the enjoyable characters who made me keep picking up this book.
The “motley band” that makes up the center of this book is composed of six distinct characters: Senneth, Tayse, Kirra, Donnal, Justin and Cammon.
Senneth is the “Mystic” of the title. She has a mysterious and difficult past and possesses powers that relate to fire and the sun. She’s cool headed and collected, but also possesses a fierce passion to do the right thing and to protect the defenseless, even if it endangers herself and her mission. She’s handy with a sword and not someone you’d want to mess with in a fight. She’s also one of the better female characters I’ve read and my favorite written by Sharon Shinn.
Tayse is the “Rider” of the title. As the cover blurb says, he distrusts mystics, particularly Senneth because he sees her as not having any fixed allegiances. Over the course of the book, he starts to reconsider his world view and his attitude towards mystics.
I liked that Senneth was not the only female character of the band – there was also Kirra. And not only that, but Kirra was so different from Senneth. She’s the sort of character who is not often seen as a protagonist in fantasy novels or well created if she is. Namely, Kirra is much more traditionally feminine. She’s outgoing and beautiful and never picks up a sword in the course of the book, but she’s far from useless or helpless. Often times she is the one who gathers important information or soothes the group’s way through her charm and noble connections. Plus, she’s a talented mystic with the powers of shapeshifting and healing. Underestimate her at your peril.
I felt Donnal to be the least well developed of the characters. He’s a shapeshifter who’s devoted to Kirra, but I never got much of a sense of his personality.
Justin was the other King’s Rider of the group. From the outset, he doesn’t trust any of the others besides Tayse and is openly disdainful and fearful of some of them. But over the course of the story, he grows to befriend and admire the mystics he travels with.
The others picked up Cammon in the first chapter of the book. He’s a “sensitive,” or a mystic with the abilities of picking up the emotions and desires of the people and animals around him.
As the title makes clear, Senneth and Tayse are at the center of the story. As is also obvious to anyone familiar with Sharon Shinn’s work, their romance and relationship slowly develops throughout the narrative. She’s one of those authors that I can always rely upon not to write stories where the main characters fall immediately and inexplicably in love at first sight.
The magic system is also noteworthy. While I don’t want to spoil the revelations of later in the book, it’s an interesting set up that I hope will be explored more later in the series, because in the end, Mystic and Rider did feel like the first in a series. This chapter of the plot may be closed, but plenty has yet to be discovered and questions are still up in the air.
I would recommend this book to people looking for a slower paced fantasy story with likable characters. It may not have the shades of grey and grit that seems to be infusing the fantasy genera lately, but it’s still a wonderful book with merits of it’s own. That being said, if action and an addicting plot are what you look for, you’d be best off seeking elsewhere.
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dissent to overthrow him. So he dispatches the mystic Senneth to assess the threat throughout the realm. Accompanying her is a motley band of magic-users and warriors including Tayse, first among the King’s Riders—who holds a hard view of mystics in general, and Senneth in particular.”Like the other Sharon Shinn books I’ve read, Mystic and Rider is most certainly character based. There wasn’t a whole lot of suspense or action; instead, it was the enjoyable characters who made me keep picking up this book.
The “motley band” that makes up the center of this book is composed of six distinct characters: Senneth, Tayse, Kirra, Donnal, Justin and Cammon.
Senneth is the “Mystic” of the title. She has a mysterious and difficult past and possesses powers that relate to fire and the sun. She’s cool headed and collected, but also possesses a fierce passion to do the right thing and to protect the defenseless, even if it endangers herself and her mission. She’s handy with a sword and not someone you’d want to mess with in a fight. She’s also one of the better female characters I’ve read and my favorite written by Sharon Shinn.
Tayse is the “Rider” of the title. As the cover blurb says, he distrusts mystics, particularly Senneth because he sees her as not having any fixed allegiances. Over the course of the book, he starts to reconsider his world view and his attitude towards mystics.
I liked that Senneth was not the only female character of the band – there was also Kirra. And not only that, but Kirra was so different from Senneth. She’s the sort of character who is not often seen as a protagonist in fantasy novels or well created if she is. Namely, Kirra is much more traditionally feminine. She’s outgoing and beautiful and never picks up a sword in the course of the book, but she’s far from useless or helpless. Often times she is the one who gathers important information or soothes the group’s way through her charm and noble connections. Plus, she’s a talented mystic with the powers of shapeshifting and healing. Underestimate her at your peril.
I felt Donnal to be the least well developed of the characters. He’s a shapeshifter who’s devoted to Kirra, but I never got much of a sense of his personality.
Justin was the other King’s Rider of the group. From the outset, he doesn’t trust any of the others besides Tayse and is openly disdainful and fearful of some of them. But over the course of the story, he grows to befriend and admire the mystics he travels with.
The others picked up Cammon in the first chapter of the book. He’s a “sensitive,” or a mystic with the abilities of picking up the emotions and desires of the people and animals around him.
As the title makes clear, Senneth and Tayse are at the center of the story. As is also obvious to anyone familiar with Sharon Shinn’s work, their romance and relationship slowly develops throughout the narrative. She’s one of those authors that I can always rely upon not to write stories where the main characters fall immediately and inexplicably in love at first sight.
The magic system is also noteworthy. While I don’t want to spoil the revelations of later in the book, it’s an interesting set up that I hope will be explored more later in the series, because in the end, Mystic and Rider did feel like the first in a series. This chapter of the plot may be closed, but plenty has yet to be discovered and questions are still up in the air.
I would recommend this book to people looking for a slower paced fantasy story with likable characters. It may not have the shades of grey and grit that seems to be infusing the fantasy genera lately, but it’s still a wonderful book with merits of it’s own. That being said, if action and an addicting plot are what you look for, you’d be best off seeking elsewhere.
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LibraryThing member les121
Mystic and Rider is an outstanding fantasy with a strong romantic subplot. The worldbuilding and the political intrigue is complex and nuanced without ever being boring. The story itself is very character driven; the camaraderie and relationships between the characters are the major highlight.
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Overall, it’s very well done. I would be interested to read more in this series, especially if we get to see more of Senneth and Tayse. This novel is clearly just the first installment in a broader story arc. Show Less
LibraryThing member janemarieprice
This is a good first book in this series. The characters are well developed and you can’t wait to find out what happens to them next.
LibraryThing member rivkat
It’s been a while since I read a Shinn book; this one had a lot of plot and a subsidiary romance between a mystic—a person with magical powers, here to control fire—and a King’s Rider, a soldier assigned to guard her. Senneth is a mysterious emissary from the king, sent to poke around the
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country and figure out whether the king is in danger; along with Rider Tayse, she assembles certain other companions and they investigate the religious, anti-mystic fervor sweeping half the country. I quite enjoyed it. Show Less
LibraryThing member PerpetualRevision
A fairly traditional fantasy tale, with strong female characters and a sweet love story between two older characters. I will definitely continue to listen to the books in this series.
LibraryThing member SandyAMcPherson
Strong beginning lead into an intriguing world and interesting characters. This book develops 2 of the 6 main characters; they're well-rounded with good backstories hinted.
LibraryThing member shadrachanki
This is a fun fantasy adventure with a hefty dose of political intrigue and a good amount of romance. I still have a bit of trouble keeping all the Houses and factions straight in my head, however.
LibraryThing member whatsmacksaid
EXQUISITE AND LOVELY AGONY.
LibraryThing member humouress
This is the first in the 'Twelve Houses' series, which refers to the twelve major noble families, who each govern a region of the island of Gillengaria.
King Baryn is growing old, and has only one heir, the young Princess Amalie. Although he has remarried, there are rumours that his new wife has
I liked this story. I found it engaging, but the tone of the book was light, making it an easy read, and hard to put down.
The only criticism I have is that (on my book) the cover illustration didn't quite match the author's description of Senneth; I imagine her as looking something more like Debbie Harry of Blondie, with short white blonde hair and tight black leather clothes. The cover for 'Reader and Raelynx', though - which I saw in the library, and which, in fact, piqued my interest in the 'Twelve Houses' series - does look quite stunning.
King Baryn is growing old, and has only one heir, the young Princess Amalie. Although he has remarried, there are rumours that his new wife has
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ensorcelled him, and the people of Gillengaria are not entirely comfortable with mystics (mystics being people with a degree of magical power). The Twelve Houses, consequently, seem restless, so the king has sent the mystic, Senneth, on an undercover mission to investigate the mood of the country. Travelling with her, to protect her, are two of the King's Riders - an elite group of fighters who usually guard the royal family - and two other mystics, to help in her mission.I liked this story. I found it engaging, but the tone of the book was light, making it an easy read, and hard to put down.
The only criticism I have is that (on my book) the cover illustration didn't quite match the author's description of Senneth; I imagine her as looking something more like Debbie Harry of Blondie, with short white blonde hair and tight black leather clothes. The cover for 'Reader and Raelynx', though - which I saw in the library, and which, in fact, piqued my interest in the 'Twelve Houses' series - does look quite stunning.
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LibraryThing member Isana
Another book my Sharon Shinn that I could not put down. I was just reading and reading. She has this amazing ability to pull me in and she makes the world so vivid and accessible. I have authors that I love because they write so gorgeously but they often make me tired. But everything Shinn writes
What a talented woman. I can't wait for more time to clear up so I can spend another day with a book by her.
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just give me energy and I can't stop. That characters are wonderful and I actually loved pretty much all of them which very rarely happens to me when I read something. What a talented woman. I can't wait for more time to clear up so I can spend another day with a book by her.
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LibraryThing member elenaj
This book is a delight all the way through. Engaging writing, characters that are a joy to spend time with, and an intriguing plot.
LibraryThing member Pascale1812
Fun mix of travelling adventure, political maneuverings, and character-driven shenanigans. Technically speaking, the writing did not feel as smooth as it could have been - at times I was distracted from the story due to syntactical choices - but the narrative was overall immersive and colorful.
LibraryThing member Tikimoof
I enjoyed it! The world is very interesting, the characters all feel like they go well together, and I'm interested in the intrigue as it develops.
I had absolutely no hope of keeping all of the family names straight, though. Yeesh.
I had absolutely no hope of keeping all of the family names straight, though. Yeesh.
LibraryThing member alspachc
So, very, meh. Starting out, I appreciated the cozy, nostalgic tone of the writing, reminiscent of stuff from my childhood: wrede, feist, pierce &c. But there's just no *there* there. It isn't, 'flawed' per-se, the characters, the romance, the plot are all good enough for a solid supporting role,
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but none of them are good enough to pull the weight of a whole novel and it's just - flat. This was touted as a calm, positive, character-focused book, so I wasn't expecting excitement, but the characters just aren't strong enough to support that, though they'd be perfectly fine in a book with a more compelling plot. Or for contrast, see *The Goblin Emperor* for a book where even *less* happens that still feels satisfying because the protagonist is compelling enough. Show Less
LibraryThing member wealhtheowwylfing
OK, first line: "Kardon stood at the back of the tavern, surveying the night's clientele, and smiled with a brutal satisfaction."
Shinn's writing is clunky and cliched, and she cannot seem to handle nuance or subtlety. After a few chapters of reading about a mismatched band of adventurers out to
Shinn's writing is clunky and cliched, and she cannot seem to handle nuance or subtlety. After a few chapters of reading about a mismatched band of adventurers out to
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save "Gillengaria" from "clouds of unrest," I gave up on the book. It's mediocre, and there are so many better things to do with my time. Show Less
Publication
Ace Books (2006), Edition: 1st, 421 pages
Original language
English
Original publication date
2005
Physical description
432 p.; 6.71 inches
ISBN
0441013031 / 9780441013036