The Element Of Fire by Martha Wells

To be perfectly honest, the only reason this book is obscure is that it was Ms. Wells first book and they just didn't print that many of them. There's been talk of a reprint - in paperback - for years. But to my knowledge it hasn't happened yet. And, by golly, they should reprint this book! Its EXCELLENT!

This is the first of Ms. Wells' Ile-Rien (for those French challenged individuals - "Nothing Isle") stories, set in what amounts to 16th century France with magic and fay. The last king, while fighting off the "spaniards", had two children; Roland - His heir through his wife, the Queen Mother, and Kade - an illegitimate daughter conceived with the fay Queen of Air and Darkness. Kade is flatly ignored by her fay mother, and the King literally can't stand the pain of being reminded of his evidently tempestuous affair with the fay Queen. Kade is always a bit of an outsider no matter where she is.

As the story begins, the king has pined away and died. Roland has ascended the throne. But because of his father's lack of interest, he's not a very effective king. The real powers behind the throne are his mother and her sometimes lover, the very dour and handsome Captain of the Guard. Kade's mother, who took her in when she left Ile-Rien, has lost a bet and has literally gone to hell as the price of loss. Kade has become, in effect, the Queen of Air and Darkness. But she remains curious of her human family, most particularly Roland, whom she loved very much as a brother.

The problems begin when Kade decides to visit, incognito. You see, she's Roland's older sister, and has a legitimate claim to the throne of Ile-Rien. Roland himself doesn't help because he seems incapable of making his own decisions. But just as Kade shows up, the castle's defenses against the fay begin to fail, a criminal madman who hates Ile-Rien and magic has shown up and is a VERY powerful sorcerer, and Roland's cousin is making his bid for power....

As fantasies go, this is some of the best out there. While its not Lord of the Rings, neither is Lord of the Rings this book. But it is every bit as entertaining and attention holding. This is a superbly written book. Read this one! Its a 5-star book! Get it! Read it!