Occasionally, TOR Books publishes a short novel in the Science Fiction or Fantasy genres. Occasionally, Kate Elliott, veteran writer of massive Fantasy novels and series, writes a stand-alone novel. With this first book I’ve read with a 2023 copyright, The Keeper’s Six, these two eventualities intersect.
Esther is the leader of a team–a Hex–who travels between Universes to learn and to trade. But, this being a Kate Elliott book, there are dragons. The dragons in The Keeper’s Six are intelligent and scheming. One of the dragons kidnaps Esther’s son, Daniel (the Hex’s Keeper), and Esther will do anything to rescue him.
Elliott has Esther’s Hex traveling between Realms and facing the menacing Beyond. One of Kate Elliot’s strengths is her ability to create worlds rich with atmospheric challenges and threats.
I read The Keeper’s Six in one sitting. Sometimes short novels are the ideal format for Science Fiction and Fantasy stories. This is one of them. GRADE: A-
I really wish I could read fantasy but stories with dragons wouldn’t work for me. Does Diane read fantasy?
I know there are many women who do and who write fantasy,
Patti, Diane does not read Fantasy or Science Fiction. She loves Romantic Comedies and mysteries. Diane just finished the newest Louise Penny and loved it! Her Book Club tends to read Best Sellers–they’re reading the new Celeste Ng–and World War II novels.
Sounds good. I’ve never read her. To answer Patti, Jackie does read what I guess you would call “comic fantasy romance” novels with dragons (these are shifters who are in dragon form part of the time). I think the humor is the key selling point for her.
Jeff, many of the Fantasy novels I read feature dragons who can shape-shift. Kate Elliott’s Fantasy novels tend to be as big as George R. R. Martin’s so THE KEEPER’S SIX, a slim volume, is a welcome relief from those massive tomes!
And, Patti, there is no requirement for fantasy fiction to feature dragons. That would be about like demanding or insisting all crime fiction feature thieves, and avoid reading it because there are so many thieves in the stories.
Sounds pleasant, George…if she leans toward megabookery, that might be part of the reason I haven’t read her work so far (I believe).
Condolences for the sad events of late.
Todd, Diane and I are shocked by the number of friends who have contracted cancer, Parkinson’s, dementia, and heart disease during the past year. Lately, it seems like we’re going to a Wake or a Funeral every week. In early 2022, two of our friends died of Covid-19 despite being vaccinated and boosted. And then there’s the terrible earthquake in Turkey/Syria…
George, I had not heard of Kate Elliott but this story, and the shorter length, does sound good. I read fantasy less than science fiction but I also think it is how the author writes that makes the most difference for me.
I am also sorry that you have so many friends with serious and life-threatening health problems.
Tracy, I think you would enjoy Kate Ellicott’s Fantasy novels, both long and short. In the past year a cascade of health problems–most of them serious–afflicted many of our friends. Diane and I have been visiting friends in hospitals and attending Wakes and Funerals. Very sad.