There were so many things to love about this book. First off, our young hero-in-the-making doesnt suddenly come into magnificent powers. No, she has to work for it, and overcome several obstacles such as poisoning, the hatred and distrust of her fathers people for her dead mother and her people. Over time, she bonds with the lamed war horse, Talet, and he becomes such an integral part of the story with his own personality. Equine lovers will especially enjoy Talet being treated as a full character in this novel.

With time and training, Aerin becomes an accomplished horse woman, sword master, dragon slayer, and herbalist. Yet, this is not enough. Her quest to save her fathers kingdom takes her far, and she looses much. Shes not invulnerable and when she is hurt, she is truly hurt, requiring mending and time before she can go out adventuring again. This tale was not about one single quest, but rather about several challenges a young lady faces as she comes of age.

The narrator, Roslyn Alexander, was an excellent voice for this story. She had the perfect auntie story-telling voice. I could almost see her with knitting needles in a comfy chair by the fire spinning me a yarn.

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