by Tanya Huff
November 1, 2011
Alysha Gale's cousin Charlotte is a Wild Power, who allies herself with a family of Selkies in a fight against offshore oil drilling. The oil company has hired another of the Gale family's Wild Powers, the fearsome Auntie Catherine, to steal the Selkies' sealskins. To defeat her, Charlotte will have to learn what born to be Wild really means in the Gale family...
Man, that's kind of an awful synopsis!
Here, read the synopsis of the first book: The Enchantment Emporium:
Alysha Gale is a member of a family capable of changing the world with the charms they cast. Then she receives word that she's inherited her grandmother's junk shop in Calgary, only to discover upon arriving that she'll be serving the fey community. And when Alysha learns just how much trouble is brewing in Calgary, even calling in the family to help may not be enough to save the day.I loved the first book so much. The Gale magic is less magic than it is a force of nature, and it's one of the most original - and far reaching! - magic systems I've seen for a while. I loved the magic, I loved Alysha and her cousins, I loved the family in general and their intertwining relationships and customs. I loved the general pronouncements like "All Gale girls cook" or "Gales never worried about having a taxi available." Just by the fact of their magic and heritage, the world bends to their will, and I loved how well it was done.
So I was doubly thrilled when I saw that a second book was coming out next week! I so hope Allie and Jack show up again, but if not her cousin was another awesome character, and I just can't wait to have more Gale issues and awesome.
Also I'll read anything by Tanya Huff. I've greatly enjoyed the vast majority of her books (We won't talk about the last Victoria Nelson book...), and the lady herself is both gracious and incredibly sweet.
If you haven't read anything by her, there's a multitude of places to start. I'd encourage The Enchantment Emporium right now, but there's the Blood books about a police detective and four-hundred year old vampire in Toronto, there's the Quarters series which is a high fantasy with another really cool magic system, or you could go for the Confederation/Valor books about a female Staff Sargeant in a hard military sci fi setting. Seriously, the author can do anything.
And eeeee, new Gale book! I can't wait to get it!
Your right the synopsis doesn't do this book justice at all! Thanks for the info on the first book! This series sounds like it could be really good...plus I love the Canadian focus! I rarely find books that are set in my home country so its nice to see that this author stuck with Canada rather then setting it in the US just to appeal more to that demographic! Great blog! New follower :)
ReplyDeleteOh man, you're in for a treat then! The only books by Tanya Huff that aren't set in Canada are the high fantasy/military sci fi. There's a series in Toronto, the Gales are based in rural Ontario (plus then Calgary for the first), a series in Vancouver. It's pretty excellent.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you! I hope you enjoy Huff's books if you decide to read!