But, of course it slowly becomes clear that these are the same people and that we are seeing the start of the entanglement that keeps them reappearing in each other's lives down the centuries. At this point it feels a bit difficult to muster any enthusiasm for these new people and their woes. The first manifestation of this is when about 20% if the way in you are hauled unceremoniously from the story and characters you're enjoying into a whole new story with new characters and no obvious connection. This is a story that revolves around reincarnation (into new people) and tracks a small group of souls over many centuries. The only thing that may put people off, and did give me pause, is the very thing that becomes the book's (and the series') strength. To top it off, the story is engaging, exciting, and unpredictable.

Add to that an intriguing imagination and strong world building, and you have the foundation of a great book. She can paint a picture or evoke strong emotion with a few deft lines. Setting the story aside for a moment, Kerr is an excellent writer of prose. *However*, I'm very pleased to report that this book has aged extremely well. Dump a few decades on a man and that'll happen. And of course as much as general reading tastes and expectations have changed, I've changed too. They've grown dated either by style and focus, or simply by the quality of the writing.

Many of the fantasy books I loved from my teens and twenties have not withstood the test of time. Re-reading can be a troubling experience. I first read this book over twenty-five years ago and have just finished my first re-reading of it. For long-standing fans of Deverry and those who have yet to experience this exciting series, Daggerspell is a rare and special treat.

Here in this newly revised edition comes the incredible novel that began one of the best-loved fantasy series in recent years-a tale of bold adventure and timeless love, perilous battle and pure magic. and a quest to fulfill the destinies determined centuries ago. Then and there he vowed never to rest until he'd righted that wrong-and laid the foundation for the lives of Jill and all those whom she would hold dear: her father, the mercenary soldier Cullyn the exiled berserker Rhodry Maelwaedd and the ancient and powerful herbman Nevyn, all bound in a struggle against darkness. Four hundred years-and many lifetimes-ago, one selfish young lord caused the death of two innocent lovers. Little did she know her extraordinary friends represented but a glimpse of a forgotten past and a fateful future. Even as a young girl, Jill was a favorite of the magical, mysterious Wildfolk, who appeared to her from their invisible realm.

Daggerspell by katharine kerr