Cast in Courtlight by Michelle Sagara

[meganbmoore]

This is the second book in Michelle Sagara’s (aka Michelle West) Chronicles of Elantra series. While the Sun Sword series she writes as Michelle West is epic fantasy focusing on women and with cultures based on a broad variety of cultures, Elantra is more urban fantasy in a high fantasy setting.

Our heroine, Kaylin, is a Hawk-the equivalent of a police officer-who was once a street child. Currently, she’s chafing against expectations that she learn magic after coming under the wing of one of the city’s lords. She gets pulled into the affairs of the Barrani-the immortals who rule the city-when Teela, a Barrani who works with the Hawks, and so is something of a black sheep, asks her to help with a private matter that turns out to be saving the life of the High Lord’s heir.

Cast in Shadow focused on Kaylin’s backstory and developing the world of Elantra’s lower classes. Cast in Courtlight focuses more on the upper classes and the Barrani (a society that chafes at Kaylin’s delicate street sensibilities) and the history of the city, kicking off what seems to be the main plotline of the series.

I like the Elantra books, and how they catch the better aspects of urban fantasy and use them in a high fantasy setting, but I miss the scope of the Sun Sword books, and the larger world and how it bends genre expectations for the roles of women. And am I the only person to read both series and think that Kaylin is a lot like Jewel? Especially when confronted with arrogance?

Comments

[magicnoire.livejournal.com]

Nope, I think Kaylin is a lot like Jewel too.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Braintrust strikes again.

[estara.livejournal.com]

I read both, too, but it's been so long since I read SunSword (in the late 80ies and 90ies, when they came out -) that I can't answer that impression, because I'm no longer so familiar with Jewel.

I'm planning a big reread when the second House novel comes out in hardcover this year and then I'll go all the way from the Hunter books via House to the Sunsword series.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Did it take that long for them to come out? I honestly haven't been looking at the copyright dates.

[estara.livejournal.com]

I just checked the publication dates and Broken Crown came out 97, which means the Hunter books must be 95 and 96, so I'm half-right only ^^. It's only been 12 - 14 years, heh.

I haven't reread them since the first time, because I wanted the story to be finished and she's been plugging the holes (with the House novels last year and this), but she did say that the storyline would continue after Sunsword (if she could get a contract for it)... which is why I'll reread once I have the timeline up to the end of Sunsword at least, when the second House hardcover comes out this summer ... (just like I'll reread P.C. Hodgell completely once her newest Kencyrath book comes out this year from BAEN).

[darkelf105.livejournal.com]

I have got read the Sun Sword stuff. They were gifted to me a looooooooooong time ago and I haven't picked them up...despite being very pretty.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

READ THEM! READ!

[animeshon.livejournal.com]

These sound pretty interesting. I'll have to see if I can get them to read

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

READ THEM! READ!

[kakkobean.livejournal.com]

must...pick...up...these...books...*flails*