So this is what I did yesterday! Much as I love reading new books, sometimes it’s nice to spend a day with an old favourite. Anne McCaffery’s first Pern novel, Dragonflight, is one I keep coming back to when I need a quick pick me up. Of course, having just finished the third book in Naomi Novik’s awesome Napoleonic Wars + Dragons series, Black Powder War, I was probably pretty skewed towards something else with dragons!
Others on my list of well-loved and frequently re-read favourites are:
Green Rider by Kristen Britain
“I’m a messenger…Green Rider.” The young man’s body spasmed with pain, and blood dribbled over his lip and down his chin. “The satchel on the saddle…important message for…king. Life or death. If you love Sacor… Sacoridia and its king, take it. Take it to him.”
The dying messenger is found – with two black arrows in his back – by Karigan G’ladheon, a merchant’s daughter, who has just been cast out of the renowned school at Selium for retailiating to the torments dolled out by an aristocrat. Unwillingly, she is caught up in the designs of a deadly mage who would release ancient evils into the world, and his human cat’s-paws whose aims are more immediate. Flying from the archer whose black arrows capture the souls of their victims, and other enemies, both human and monstrous, Karigan must come of age immediately if she is to survive and warn her king of his peril.
I first picked this up in high school and fell in love with Karigan, Condor, King Zachary and pretty much everyone else in the book. So much intrigue! So many plots! The only downside to this series is the rate that new books appear, though it has been getting more frequent! The fifth installment, Mirror Sight, is due for release next month so I’ll probably be rereading the whole lot beforehand in preparation.
Sabriel by Garth Nix
For many years Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the random power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who won’t stay dead. But now her father, the Mage Abhorsen, is missing, and to find him Sabriel must cross back into that treacherous world – and face the power of her own extraordinary destiny.
To be fair, it’s not just Sabriel that I love. If I read this book I have to re-read the rest of the series as well. Who doesn’t love fully realised, three dimensional female protagonists on a mission to save the world? Plus there are zombies and magic.
In addition to already being totally awesome, there is a new Old Kingdom book coming! Clariel, a prequel to the series is going to be released in October this year along with these gorgeous new covers. Since my current set of novels are starting to disintergrate I will clearly have to acquire a new set!
Protector of the Small by Tamora Pierce
‘Protector of the Small’ actually covers four books, First Test, Page, Squire and Lady Knight, all of which follow Keladry of Mindelan as she strives to follow in the footsteps of her hero Lady Alanna and become a knight of Tortall. Unlike Lady Alanna, she won’t have to attempt it in secrecy by disguising herself as a boy for eight years but there are still plenty of people who would see her fail.
I think this might be my favourite Tamora Pierce series. I think it’s the one I have read the most anyway, though it’s hard to keep track since I reread a lot of her books every year. These books are full of witty dialogue and you also get to spend more time with familar characters from Pierce’s other Tortall books. Other favourite series for me would be The Circle Opens quartet and Beka Cooper books.
Do you have facourite books or series you read again and again?
Mhairi Reads 