HEIR OF SEA AND FIRE (Mass Market Paperback)

A year has passed since Morgan of Hed vanished at Erlenstar Mountain, and suddenly the land-rule passes to Morgan's brother -- a sign that Morgan is dead, that the harpist Deth has betrayed him. As he was the Star-Bearer, assorted people are extremely upset. And a few refuse to believe that it can be true.

Raederle's father is one of them; after he leaves, his daughter meets the Morgul of Herun, and her brother in Caithnard. There she teams up with the Morgul's daughter, Lyra (whom Morgan met in "Riddlemaster") who is angry at Morgan's supposed death, and eager to accompany Raederle wherever she goes. They set off on a ship, going to Erlenstar Mountain, and soon find that aside from Raederle, Lyra, and Lyra's fellow guards, they also have Tristan of Hed stowed away (who is promptly seasick).

Raederle finds out that Morgan has recently appeared, kept captive by the mysterious and evil Ghisteslwchlohm, and betrayed by Deth -- who is now on the run from everyone. But as Raederle's questions are answered, more pop up. She encounters a shapechanger, and then runs into Deth camping in the woods. Answers about the High One, about Morgan, and about her own abilities and heritage begin to come to light, as the dead of An begin to blaze back into existance. Raederle must bargain with fate and a dead king, using only her newfound powers and a crowned skull, to save Morgan -- and the rapidly unraveling world.

Wow, where to begin? Well, for one thing, Patricia McKillip delivers a wallop in book two of three, explaining many of the things she brought up in "Riddlemaster" and starting the buildup to the huge climax in book three (which I am now twenty pages into). This book (thankfully) does not end on a cliffhanger like "Riddlemaster"; also, if you are looking for an immediate answer to the cliffhanger previously shown, then you will be frustrated enough to give the Great Shout.

In addition, we are given another character who is as realistic as Morgan: Raederle, the second-most beautiful woman in An. Her looks are only brought up a couple times, as it's her strength, brains, and search for the truth and for Morgan that catch the reader -- and are most often displayed. The explanation for her growing power and the use she makes of it is as breathtaking as Morgan learning how to become a tree or a vesta. The scenes where she dangles the crowned skull to get that dead king to bargain with her was priceless, and the climax is shattering. McKillip's skill in describing magic grows even further; the descriptions of what Raederle is doing are like poetry. In addition, she does not remain a static character as she learns shattering truths and encounters strange people; she grows more mature and stronger.

We don't see Morgan much, though we hear a lot about him, and his sudden growth of power. More we see of Raederle and Lyra, who is fleshed out from the more shadowy character from "Riddlemaster." It's a rare gift to write strong women convincingly. Deth remains strange and ambiguous -- he betrayed Morgan, yet makes no excuses for himself. Other characters like the Morgul and Morgan's siblings are more absent (though what Tristan does is a bit unforgettable).

McKillip's writing is a bit more flowery than in "Riddlemaster," more descriptive and dreamy in parts. We get a few more puns on "Hel," such as that the Star-Bearer's path was leading straight into Hel. (Hel being a region)

Overall, an astounding piece of work and a worthy sequel to "Riddlemaster." I'm itching to read more of "Harpist in the Wind."