The Bone Doll's Twin
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Book Cover
Mass Market Paperback
Recommended By
Nikki, namigami, Julie Carter, and Lissla Lissar.
Planning on Reading
Wil.
Book Details
Written by Lynn Flewelling.
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($7.50)
Editorial Review (from Amazon.com)
Sometimes the price of destiny is higher than anyone imagined....Dark Magic, Hidden Destiny
For three centuries a divine prophecy and a line of warrior queens protected Skala. But the people grew complacent and Erius, a usurper king, claimed his young half sister’s throne.
Now plague and drought stalk the land, war with Skala’s ancient rival Plenimar drains the country’s lifeblood, and to be born female into the royal line has become a death sentence as the king fights to ensure the succession of his only heir, a son. For King Erius the greatest threat comes from his own line — and from Illior’s faithful, who spread the Oracle’s words to a doubting populace.
As noblewomen young and old perish mysteriously, the king’s nephew — his sister’s only child — grows toward manhood. But unbeknownst to the king or the boy, strange, haunted Tobin is the princess’s daughter, given male form by a dark magic to protect her until she can claim her rightful destiny.
Only Tobin’s noble father, two wizards of Illior, and an outlawed forest witch know the truth. Only they can protect young Tobin from a king’s wrath, a mother’s madness, and the terrifying rage of her brother’s demon spirit, determined to avenge his brutal murder....
User Reviews (2) Login or create an account to write a review.
Lissla Lissar thinks this book is Worth Reading.
I read this and its companion novels ( Hidden Warrior and The Oracle's Queen) two weeks ago, on the recommendation of a friend. It's nicely-written dark fantasy, set in the world that Flewelling created in her previous trilogy, the Nightrunner series.
It centers around the kingdom of Skala, and a prophecy that as long as a woman of a certain lineage ruled, Skala would never be subjugated by her enemies. Several years before the beginning of the story, a King overthrew his mother, and murdered all the female heirs except his sister, Ariani.
Plague, drought, and continuous war are gradually destroying the land, and the king slides slowly into madness, burning and killing loyal subjects.
By blood magic, a pair of wizards and a hill witch have disguised Ariani's daughter as a boy, to save her from the king, and to in time provide a rightful queen. The magic, and its necessary consequences, drive his mother to madness and his father to despair. The isolated, melancholy Tobin does not know his true sex, or the reason why his brother's murderous spirit haunts him.
A very good story, with likeable characters, interesting plot, and a beautifully detailed world.
Nikki thinks this book is Excellent.
The entire series that goes along with "The Bone Doll's Twin" is fantastic. With an interesting twist on a hero tale, Flewelling really immerses the reader into her world she created. By the end of the series, I felt like I was going to miss the characters and I was sad it was over. And even the battle scenes are interesting. I defiantly recommend this book and the others for any fantasy lover.