Of Swords and Parasols

So! Many! Characters! And! Subplots!

AND THE NAMES!!!

( but it was still good ) 
In short:  good series with a great female lead and a lot of interesting ideas, but suffers from too many subplots being added to existing subplots, and cramming enough ideas for 2-3 series into one, resulting in the series somewhat falling apart in the last book and a half.  Still, pretty good and worth reading.

SO!
MUCH!
HAPPENED!

Departing almost completely from the plotline of the first three novels, Lindskold heads for more exotic pastures.  During a celebration, Firekeeper, Blind Seer and Derian are abducted.  Waking up caged in a ship, they find themselves bound for an exotic land as "honored guests," and soon learn that they-or rather, Firekeeper's ability to speak to the Noble Beasts have been sold out by their old nemesis, Waln Endbrook.  Arriving at their destination, they find themselves in a land that worships magic, and where the Noble Beasts(they call them something else, but I'm not going to try to spell it) are treated as holy creatures.  But are they there of their own free will, or is it another form of slavery?  What affect will this have on Firekeeper and Blind Seer's relationship? What about the legends of beasts in human form, and firekeeper's own views about her nature?  And will Derian finally meet a girl not named Firekeeper or Elise who doesn't drop him like a hot potato?

 Tedric, the king of Hawk Haven, has a bit of a problem.  His two children, and heirs, are dead, leaving every relative he has clamouring to be named heir.  While the king busies himself with the greedy mob, one member of the mob, Earl Kestrel, has a bright idea.  You see, Tedric had a third child, a son named Barden who he had disinherited years ago.  Barden, his wife, infant daughter and several followers had left Hawk Haven to attempt to colonize wild lands where giant animals were said to roam.  What if, though, Kestrel, some brave soul were to seek out Barden, and return to Tedric his granddaughter, young Lady Blysse.  In fact, with well over a decade having passed and the king's other children having died, a reconciliation might be possible.  And, naturally, both parties would be eternally beholden to the man who made any such reunion possible.  Sure, it's not the crown, but it'd be pretty close to the next best thing.

So odd Earl Kestrel goes to the great beyond, accompanied by...well, a fair number of people, actually, but here are the more important ones:  Derrian, the horse master's assistant, Race, a Forrester, Jared, a lesser noble and doctor, and Earl Kestrel's valet.  In the wilderness, they find the remains of Barden's settlement, which had been destroyed in a fire over ten years ago, soon after they settled. In the days that followed, Kestrel and his men examined the ruins, hoping for some sign that Barden or his family had survived.  Eventually, they got better, in the form of a wild young woman accompanied by a wolf almost as large as a man, and a large falcon.  The girl has only three possessions: a cloak made of animal skins, a pouch made of firemaking tools, and Barden's knife.

Kestrel, of course, is utterly delighted, thinking he's found the missing Blysse, and seeks to civilize the girl(not really realizing that the only reason she's there is because the wolves had promised her mother to return her to her own race if any ever appeared.)  Soon, they learn that the wolves call her Firekeeper, or so she claims, because she can strike a flint, and Early Kestrel declares her his ward and prepares to present her to the king, reluctantly accepting that the wold, Blind Seer, and the falcon, Elation, come with the girl.

And here is where the typical "beautiful wild child raised by wolves and returned to civilization to learn she's a long lost princess and finds true love" story stops.