Unnatural Issue: An Elemental Masters Novel by Mercedes Lackey

 

Unnatural Issue: An Elemental Masters Novel by Mercedes Lackey (also availabe as ebook) was released earlier this month. (I don't know why I thought it was a July release.) I enjoyed the early Elemental Masters books, such as The Fire Rose and The Serpent's Shadow, but the more recent ones fell flat for me so I haven't rushed to read them. Also, there used to be many less fairy tale inspired novels each year and that has changed, too. I have a hard time keeping up.

But it is intriguing that Lackey chose Donkeyskin for her inspiration this time. There are so few Donkeyskin based novels that this one certainly tweaks my interest. Then there's the blurbs about the salute to Dorothy Sayers and her Lord Peter Wimsey.* Now, you may not know this, but Lord Peter is a dear friend of mine so I have to read things that pay homage to him. Harriet Vane is missing, it appears, which is sad, but this one will certainly enter my reading pile sometime soon.

Problem is that anything that evokes Lord Peter will make me want to read some of Sayers' books which I did some in the winter when The Attenbury Emeralds was released. But that's far enough off topic now, back to the book at hand.

Oh, I always enjoy elemental magic, too, so that is another bonus for this series. It's imperfect but I enjoy more than I don't with it. Lackey has another release upcoming in her other fairy tale related series although I don't enjoy that one nearly as much as this one. Beauty and the Werewolf (Five Hundred Kingdoms) is due out in October.

Book description from the publisher for Unnatural Issue:

A brand-new Elemental Masters novel from the national bestselling author Mercedes Lackey.

Richard Whitestone is an Elemental Earth Master. Blaming himself for the death of his beloved wife in childbirth, he has sworn never to set eyes on his daughter, Suzanne. But when he finally sees her, a dark plan takes shape in his twisted mind-to use his daughter's body to bring back the spirit of his long-dead wife.

Anyone else plan to read this one?


*Really and truly, if you haven't read Strong Poison, Have His Carcase, Gaudy Night and Busman's Honeymoon, I envy you and your future joy in reading them. Not that I don't experience it every time I reread them and even when I watch the wonderful series that lamentably is missing Busman's Honeymoon, but it's never the same as the first time. My husband doesn't read voraciously like me, but all the Lord Peter DVDs are in his regular rotation. I knew I chose the right man when he adored Peter and Harriet almost as much as I do.