32. Fire in the Mist by Holly Lisle

Fire in the Mist by Holly Lisle
ISBN:0671721321
Baen, New York, 1992
291 pages
Adult Crossover

Teaser: Faia is a simple country girl with talent for simple country magic. Then, while she is away watching the sheep, her whole village falls to illness. Unable to bury so many dead, Fiai calls magefire to turn the entire town into a funeral pyre, a magical working that catches the attention of the mage university. With her village gone, Faia and her magical gifts apparently much stronger than she realized, Faia joins the mage university and begins learning to harness her magic.

Summary: Faia has long been able to use simple charms to keep her flock of sheep safe from wolves and other predators. However, when her village is destroyed by a deadly Plague carried in by a traveling merchant, Faia can do nothing but ensure that the scavengers will not desecrate the bodies of her loved ones and neighbors. She intends to call magefire to burn the village, but ends up calling a fire so strong that even the stone foundations of the houses melt. This burst of energy catches the attention of the mage's university, who end up bringing Faia to their school to learn about her magic. Faia, a country peasant, does not fit in at this university. She does not understand the sharp divide between the males with magic, Sages, and the females with magic, Mages, and she is far too willing to point out stupidity when she sees it. However, greater troubles than Faia's social status loom. Amid the magic of winged horses and cats with hands, something is calling women away to their deaths. Will Faia be able to keep from being devoured by the evil power that is awakening?

Evaluation: An adult crossover, this book would nonetheless appeal to advanced teen fantasy readers. The clashes between men and women, country barbarians and city scholars, and the struggle of good versus evil create several fronts for Faia to struggle against. With her practical bluntness, Faia does not censor her opinions about stupidity or the, to her, needless mysticism surrounding magic. The discrepancy between Faia's opinions and those of her city-born roommate are fascinating, and help to emphasize the difference in their worldviews. The quirky cat with hands is a hilarious side story, as the curious feline discovers all the wonderful things that opposable thumbs allow him to get into, much to his creator's dismay. I enjoyed reading this book, and look forward to reading the next in the series.

Challenge issues and age recommendation: As this book was written for adult, it has somewhat stronger themes than some teen books. Gender segregation, magic, murder, references to sex, violence, mild gore, and the start of a war are some of the possibly objectionable subjects in this book. Despite this, I think the story shines and would be an enjoyable book for advanced readers. I would recommend this book for fantasy readers age 16 and up.