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The Beggar Queen –Lloyd Alexander

Finishing up the “Westmark” trilogy is “The Beggar Queen.” For the last two years, Theo has been acting as Queen Augusta’s consul, wishing they could go back to the days when she was just Mickle and they could be together. As her consul, they can’t get married until his term of service is over. But things are about to get even more treacherous – Cabbarus is planning his return to power in Westmark, acting in concert with Duke Conrad of Regia. Together the two men have plotted the death of King Constantine, but the young king figured out the plot … Continue reading →

The Passing of Lloyd Alexander

I honestly feel like I’m going to cry. I just found out a few minutes ago that Lloyd Alexander passed away this last May, just two weeks ago. Alexander has been one of my favorite authors since I was twelve. I started with the Chronicles of Prydain, then moved on to the Westmark trilogy, and tonight while at the library, I found a whole new series of his, called the Vesper Holly series, that I’ve never read. I snatched up every one of them, and when I went online just now to discover what order they come in, I saw … Continue reading →

The Kestrel – Lloyd Alexander

“The Kestrel” is the sequel to Lloyd Alexander’s young adult fantasy novel, “Westmark.” Mickle, once a street urchin but revealed to be the long lost daughter of the king and queen, is now the ruler of Westmark. Her father passed away and the crown came to her, making her Queen Augusta. Still more comfortable in breeches than in a crown, she doesn’t want to merely sit on her throne; she wants to make a difference in the country. Cabbarus, exiled former cabinet minister of Westmark, has a plan for revenge. He has gone to the neighboring country of Regia and … Continue reading →

The Golden Compass – Philip Pullman

I recently reread The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. It’s the first book of a trilogy called His Dark Materials. Although it’s a young adult book, with a preteen protagonist, the themes are mature and deep enough to interest adult readers – especially those of us who enjoy fantasies. The protagonist is Lyra, a young girl who is being alternately raised and ignored by the scholars of Oxford University. This England and this Oxford are different than ours in many ways. The technology is different. Magic and religion are closely related, and religion organizations control the universities and political positions. … Continue reading →