Status
Available
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Publication
Del Rey (1994), Mass Market Paperback
Description
New York Times-bestselling author: After a premonition of death, a young wizard-in-training attempts to stop her sister's wedding. It's normal for a young girl to be jealous of her sister's impending wedding, and Kyra is jealous indeed. A plain looking young magic student whose incipient wizardly abilities have done nothing to attract the attentions of the boys of her town, she is not surprised to learn that her sister has caught the eye of one of the city's wealthiest merchants. But she is alarmed by some of the signs that are coming up in her prognostication lessons. Water turns to blood, the death card haunts her tarot practice, and finally she has a specific vision: that her sister will die the day she takes her vows. Using every trick in her small magic arsenal, Kyra attempts to disrupt the wedding, going up against a force more powerful than any magic: an impatient bride. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Barbara Hambly, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author's personal collection. … (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member T_K_Elliott
This book takes place shortly after 'Dog Wizard', the third book in the Windrose Chronicles. However, it is not at all necessary to have read the preceding books; although this book takes place in the same universe and some of the characters are the same, the action centres around Kyra Peldyrin,
Kyra lives in a world where those who are born with the power of sorcery have the choice between a career as a 'dog-wizard' - basically a hedge-wizard, doing little spells, and probably quite poor - or an Academy wizard. The problem is that by joining the Academy, a wizard cuts all ties with his or her home and family. In this world, Hambly has obviously thought about the likely effects of the existence of magic-workers on commerce and trade, and has decided that wizards would not be allowed to sign contracts - all too easy for a wizard's enemies' business dealings to go awry. This means Academy wizards live almost completely apart from the rest of society and devote their time to studying - they swear not to interfere in the events of the world 'either for evil or for that which seems to me to be good', on the grounds that even when a wizard means well, it's all too easy for unfortunate events to result from the best intentions when magic is involved. So, for a merchant to suddenly find that his daughter - whom he had been planning to make his successor, and for whom he had been planning a good marriage - is a wizard is NOT welcome. By the time the book opens, Kyra has almost been disowned by her family under what, as we discover during the book, were more than usually complex circumstances.
When the book opens, Kyra's magic has been going awry, and she receives news that her sister is about to be married. She believes that a curse has been cast and that her sister will die on her wedding night. The trouble is, how can Kyra find the curse and break it in time to save her sister's life? The only way is to delay the wedding...
The world in which this book is set is just embarking on its industrial revolution, which makes a pleasant change from the usual high-medieval setting. Kyra's family social circle is upper middle class trying to ape the nobility; there is plenty of social strutting and keeping up with the Joneses. The characters are well-written, from the clever, sarcastic misfit Kyra, to the appalling Earthwygg family, the Peldyrins' patrons at Court. The plot moves on a breakneck pace, moving from humour to horror as past events are recounted and Kyra closes in on the unknown enemy who is trying to kill her sister.
This book is an excellent standalone fantasy novel; original setting, interesting characters whom you like enough to care about, and a plot that's pretty devious and nasty.
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known as Kyra the Red, who only gets about two lines in the previous books.Kyra lives in a world where those who are born with the power of sorcery have the choice between a career as a 'dog-wizard' - basically a hedge-wizard, doing little spells, and probably quite poor - or an Academy wizard. The problem is that by joining the Academy, a wizard cuts all ties with his or her home and family. In this world, Hambly has obviously thought about the likely effects of the existence of magic-workers on commerce and trade, and has decided that wizards would not be allowed to sign contracts - all too easy for a wizard's enemies' business dealings to go awry. This means Academy wizards live almost completely apart from the rest of society and devote their time to studying - they swear not to interfere in the events of the world 'either for evil or for that which seems to me to be good', on the grounds that even when a wizard means well, it's all too easy for unfortunate events to result from the best intentions when magic is involved. So, for a merchant to suddenly find that his daughter - whom he had been planning to make his successor, and for whom he had been planning a good marriage - is a wizard is NOT welcome. By the time the book opens, Kyra has almost been disowned by her family under what, as we discover during the book, were more than usually complex circumstances.
When the book opens, Kyra's magic has been going awry, and she receives news that her sister is about to be married. She believes that a curse has been cast and that her sister will die on her wedding night. The trouble is, how can Kyra find the curse and break it in time to save her sister's life? The only way is to delay the wedding...
The world in which this book is set is just embarking on its industrial revolution, which makes a pleasant change from the usual high-medieval setting. Kyra's family social circle is upper middle class trying to ape the nobility; there is plenty of social strutting and keeping up with the Joneses. The characters are well-written, from the clever, sarcastic misfit Kyra, to the appalling Earthwygg family, the Peldyrins' patrons at Court. The plot moves on a breakneck pace, moving from humour to horror as past events are recounted and Kyra closes in on the unknown enemy who is trying to kill her sister.
This book is an excellent standalone fantasy novel; original setting, interesting characters whom you like enough to care about, and a plot that's pretty devious and nasty.
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LibraryThing member Fiamme
A love story, from the same world as Antryg Windrose, but without characters from that series. I loved the story, with the painful history revealed in pieces. I would especially recommend the Curse of Chalion series (particularly book 2) by Lois McMaster Bujold, if you enjoyed this one.
LibraryThing member pwaites
Stranger at the Wedding is a female led second world fantasy novel that I enjoyed but am unlikely to ever feel the urge to read again.
In the world of Stranger at the Wedding, wizards are feared and legislated against. The only protection is to join the Citadel, home of academically minded wizards
To save her sister, Kya has to venture back to the home that disowned her and do some meddling, putting her at risk from the Inquisition.
For the most part, the book is structured like it’s a mystery. Who’s trying to kill Alix? Unfortunately this doesn’t work well because information necessary to guess the killer is being held back. The pacing also slows down in some sections because of this.
I liked the world building and thought it was well realized. The descriptions of the city really helped it come alive and give it a sense of place. The world was undergoing industrial revolution, which was a nice touch and made it something different than the standard “medieval Europe” fantasy. That element probably stood out the most. While everything else was well realized, it didn’t feel particularly unique.
I liked Kyra as a protagonist, but I never really loved her. For whatever reason, I just never felt a strong emotional connection to her. However, I did like how she wasn’t the only sympathetic female character. Alix easily could have been written as the mean pretty girl or the dumb blond, but instead she was kind and smart in her own way.
The romance wasn’t great, but it wasn’t horrible either. I could tolerate it. For the most part, it just felt very predictable and sudden. The heroine clumsily trips and falls into the arms of a nearby man? Hmm, I wonder who’s the love interest? What’s annoying is this “trips and falls into his arms” gag is used numerous times. Although to be fair, she did fall flat on her face at other sections of the book too.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
In the world of Stranger at the Wedding, wizards are feared and legislated against. The only protection is to join the Citadel, home of academically minded wizards
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who vow not to take part in the affairs of ordinary people. Kya is studying for her exams at the Citadel when she becomes aware of strange portents in her magic. She eventually figures out that her sister Alix is going to die on her wedding night.To save her sister, Kya has to venture back to the home that disowned her and do some meddling, putting her at risk from the Inquisition.
For the most part, the book is structured like it’s a mystery. Who’s trying to kill Alix? Unfortunately this doesn’t work well because information necessary to guess the killer is being held back. The pacing also slows down in some sections because of this.
I liked the world building and thought it was well realized. The descriptions of the city really helped it come alive and give it a sense of place. The world was undergoing industrial revolution, which was a nice touch and made it something different than the standard “medieval Europe” fantasy. That element probably stood out the most. While everything else was well realized, it didn’t feel particularly unique.
I liked Kyra as a protagonist, but I never really loved her. For whatever reason, I just never felt a strong emotional connection to her. However, I did like how she wasn’t the only sympathetic female character. Alix easily could have been written as the mean pretty girl or the dumb blond, but instead she was kind and smart in her own way.
The romance wasn’t great, but it wasn’t horrible either. I could tolerate it. For the most part, it just felt very predictable and sudden. The heroine clumsily trips and falls into the arms of a nearby man? Hmm, I wonder who’s the love interest? What’s annoying is this “trips and falls into his arms” gag is used numerous times. Although to be fair, she did fall flat on her face at other sections of the book too.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
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LibraryThing member Katissima
A book set in the same world as the Windrose Chronicles, but no Antryg or Joanna. Kyra, the protagonist, gets a cameo in Dog Wizard though!
LibraryThing member Black_samvara
Turns out I have read this before, forgot enough to read it with the odd weird déjà vu moment. I love how relationships are important but how the women always have lives and priorities that have to be woven in as well. Kyra left her family to pursue magic but is drawn back when she discovers that
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her sister’s wedding night will be her death. Show Less
LibraryThing member cissa
Nice complicated plot, well-paced. I'd thought I'd read it before, but I hadn't.
LibraryThing member navelos
This is my first book by Barbara Hambly and I had my doubts about it when I started. The main character, Kyra, seemed a little too excessive, almost a caricature. I also generally don't like books that do long flashbacks. But by mid-way through the book I was drawn in and found the plot to be more
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interesting than I had expected and Kyra to be more likeable. I was happy with the ending. Overall, an enjoyable read. I'll be likely to look up more by this author. Show Less
LibraryThing member wealhtheowwylfing
Ignore the terrible cover. This is an excellent, sophisticated book.
Kyra's magical studies are interrupted by premonitions of her sister's death. Determined to save her younger sister, Kyra returns to her merchant family's home, even though they killed her teacher and disowned her years before.
Kyra's magical studies are interrupted by premonitions of her sister's death. Determined to save her younger sister, Kyra returns to her merchant family's home, even though they killed her teacher and disowned her years before.
LibraryThing member Herenya
A fantasy comedy of manners, in which Kyra returns home for the first time in six years, since she left to be educated as a wizard, for her sister's wedding.
This sounded like it was exactly my cup of tea, right down to the delightfully predictable romance and the unexpected (and serious)
This sounded like it was exactly my cup of tea, right down to the delightfully predictable romance and the unexpected (and serious)
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revelations about the characters' histories. But it wasn't my cup of tea. I enjoyed reading it, but I found myself feeling frustrated with it, because I wanted it to be something more but I couldn't identify what or why. (Something about the prose?) Show Less
LibraryThing member humouress
When trainee wizard Kyra Peldyrin receives a letter from her younger sister Alix, informing her of her upcoming wedding, Kyra gets such an impression of danger that she travels back to Angelshand as fast as she can, in spite of having left home under a black cloud six years ago. In a world where
This is a well written story, and one of my all-time favourites. Partly, I think, because sceptical, unlovable (so she feels) Kyra falls passionately in love - I do like a bit of romance, especially against the odds. The affection between the sisters also resonates with me, and the descriptive writing makes the story feel very real.
I know that the story is set in the same world as others by Barbara Hambly, but I wouldn't mind seeing more books about these particular characters, especially to find out what happens to Kyra next.
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wizards are looked at askance, Kyra's father is not pleased to see her, in case she upsets the marriage he has worked to arrange to unite two important merchant houses. Now Kyra has to avoid detection by the church's witchfinders as she races against time to uncover a curse and save her sister's life.This is a well written story, and one of my all-time favourites. Partly, I think, because sceptical, unlovable (so she feels) Kyra falls passionately in love - I do like a bit of romance, especially against the odds. The affection between the sisters also resonates with me, and the descriptive writing makes the story feel very real.
I know that the story is set in the same world as others by Barbara Hambly, but I wouldn't mind seeing more books about these particular characters, especially to find out what happens to Kyra next.
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LibraryThing member zjakkelien
This was not a very good book. The story is ok (sorceress needs to find out who wants to kill her sister at her wedding night without letting anyone know she's illegally using magic), but Hambly is overdoing it with the descriptions. Mind you, I'm not anti-description. But in this case, things get
She waited while Joblin fetched a silver crown and a few silver bits from one of the blue-and-yellow porcelain crocks on the shelf above the bin-table.
Why do we need to know how much money he is taking? Why do we need to know that the money is in a porcelain crock? Why do we need to know the thing is blue and yellow? Or that is in on a shelf? Or that said shelf is above the bin table?
And this is only a one-sentence example. There are whole paragraphs like this. In my case,it makes my mind zone out and I soon started to read the entire book diagonally.
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described that really have nothing to do with the story and that you don't really want to know. I'll give you a very small example:She waited while Joblin fetched a silver crown and a few silver bits from one of the blue-and-yellow porcelain crocks on the shelf above the bin-table.
Why do we need to know how much money he is taking? Why do we need to know that the money is in a porcelain crock? Why do we need to know the thing is blue and yellow? Or that is in on a shelf? Or that said shelf is above the bin table?
And this is only a one-sentence example. There are whole paragraphs like this. In my case,it makes my mind zone out and I soon started to read the entire book diagonally.
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Awards
Otherwise Award (Long list — 1995)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1995)
Language
Original publication date
1994-04
Physical description
341 p.; 6.8 inches
ISBN
0345380975 / 9780345380975
DDC/MDS
| Fic SF Hambly |