In the alternate Renaissance world of Point of Dreams, the dead return with the ghost-tide to haunt the living, and when a ghost fails to appear, it may mean the person was murdered. Though a dead judge's ghost is missing, the regents of the city of Astreiant forbid Pointsman Nicolas Rathe to investigate. And that's not the detective's only problem. His suddenly homeless partner is moving in with him. The city is in a frenzy over a popular play, "The Drowned Island," and the dangerous spell book it has popularized. His assigned case, an actor's murder, appears unsolvable--the actor drowned in a theater in which there is no water. And another body has just been found in the theater.

Point of Dreams is an accomplished and entertaining fantasy mystery, written with the same rigor as the best nonmagical mysteries. Since Point of Dreams is the sequel to The Armor of Light and Point of Hopes, its early pages may be tough going for some readers unfamiliar with the previous novels, but all readers will find themselves captivated by the novel and unwilling to put it down before they reach the end.

Melissa Scott received the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer and has twice won the Lambda Literary Award for best science fiction novel. --Cynthia Ward


From Publishers Weekly
What do gardening, astrology, the theater, magic and fantasy have in common? In this fine sequel to the authors' well-received Point of Hopes (1995) and The Armor of Light (1988), the common thread is murder. Scott and Barnett have created an unusual and successful blend of fantasy and mystery, set in the Renaissance-like city of Astreiant during the production of a midwinter masque. Based on The Alphabet of Desire, a manual of magic using flowers and plants, the masque is the talk of the city. When dead bodies start to turn up on stage, however, it's up to Nico Rathe, who's a sort of chief constable called an "adjunct point," and his leman, Philip Eslingen, to follow the clues and find out who's behind the murders. Each death appears to be unrelated, but the sleuths (you can't really call them anything but) know there has to be a link somewhere. That this is the season when ghosts are out in force serves to complicate the investigation. Familiarity with the previous books in the series isn't necessary, as the authors provide just the right amount of background on Astreiant for readers to get their bearings. Having deftly, and gratifyingly, entwined two different genres, Scott and Barnett have produced a page-turner that is sure to win them new fans. (Feb.)John W. Campbell Award.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Inauspicious stars herald the coming of the ghost-tide, when the silent spirits of the dead visit the world of the living and chaos reigns in the streets of the city of Astreiant. Coauthors Scott and Barnett return to the quasi-Renaissance world depicted in Point of Hopes, relating another installment in the life of Pointsman Nicholas Rathe as he struggles to uncover the forces behind a series of mysterious theater-related murders. Alchemy, herbal magic, and mystery work together to create a fascinating and exotic tale of fantasy intrigue. Recommended for most libraries. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
In Scott and Barnett's third novel of Astreiant, a city resembling those of Earth's European Renaissance but in which magic enhances medicine and many more women hold positions of authority and profit, the stars have declared a time of madness and folly to coincide with the time of year when ghosts walk and an annual masque is performed. The last thing pointsman (policeman) Nicholas Rath needs under such circumstances, which occur at the same time that his personal life is already giving him enough headaches, is for a dead body to turn up in the theater. But it is his duty to investigate, and he carries it out skillfully. At heart, this fantasy novel is a mystery. If it is unlikely to convert newcomers into Astreiant advocates, neither will it alienate series followers. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
"Alchemy, herbal magic, and mystery work together to create a fascinating and exotic tale of fantasy intrigue."-Library Journal

"An unusual and successful blend of fantasy and mystery. . . . Familiarity with the previous books in the series isn't necessary, as the authors provide just the right amount of background on Astreiant for readers to get their bearings. . . . A page-turner that is sure to win them new fans." - Publishers Weekly

"A fantasy of manners, a mystery, and a swashbuckler all at the same time. Through it all it maintains an almost Shakespearian sensibility, infused with the spirit of the theater where much of the action occurs." - Lambda Book Report



Review
"Alchemy, herbal magic, and mystery work together to create a fascinating and exotic tale of fantasy intrigue."-Library Journal

"An unusual and successful blend of fantasy and mystery. . . . Familiarity with the previous books in the series isn't necessary, as the authors provide just the right amount of background on Astreiant for readers to get their bearings. . . . A page-turner that is sure to win them new fans." - Publishers Weekly

"A fantasy of manners, a mystery, and a swashbuckler all at the same time. Through it all it maintains an almost Shakespearian sensibility, infused with the spirit of the theater where much of the action occurs." - Lambda Book Report



Book Description
The city of Astreiant has gone crazy with enthusiasm for a new play, The Drowned Island, a lurid farrago of melodrama and innuendo. Pointsman Nicolas Rathe is not amused, however, at a real dead body on stage and must investigate. A string of murders follow, perhaps related to the politically important masque that is to play on that same stage. Rathe must once again recruit the help of his soldier lover, Philip Eslingen, whose knowledge of actors and the stage, and of the depths of human perversity and violence, blends well with Rathe's own hard-won experience with human greed and magical mayhem.

Their task is complicated by the season, for it is the time of year when the spirits of the dead haunt the city and influence everyone, and also by the change in their relationship when the loss of Philip's job forces him to move in with Nicolas. Mystery, political intrigue, floral magic, astrology, and romance--both theatrical and personal-- combine to make this a compelling read.



About the Author
Lisa Barnett and Melissa Scott live in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The city of Astreiant has gone crazy with enthusiasm for a new play, The Drowned Island, a lurid farrago of melodrama and innuendo. Pointsman Nicolas Rathe is not amused, however, at a real dead body on stage and must investigate. A string of murders follow, perhaps related to the politically important masque that is to play on that same stage. Rathe must once again recruit the help of his soldier lover, Philip Eslingen, whose knowledge of actors and the stage, and of the depths of human perversity and violence, blends well with Rathe's own hard-won experience with human greed and magical mayhem.

SYNOPSIS

These two well-regarded authors collaborate again on another fantastical adventure set in the oddly familiar, yet magically different, world of City-State Astreiant, where murder and magic threaten the royal city and a wild blend of theatre, mystery and investigation, necromancy and astromancy, politics and swordplay, makes for a lively and entertaining second visit to an already well-loved world.

This sequel to Point of Hopes is set in the same detailed, late-Renaissance world where magic works, where astrologers and necromancers are the pundits and powerbrokers. Once again it features Pointsman Nicolas Rathe, who functions as a sort of policeman and who ends up with a magical mystery to solve. The city of Astreiant has gone crazy with enthusiasm for a new play, The Drowned Island a lurid farrago of melodrama and innuendo. Rathe is not amused, however, at a real dead body on stage and must investigate. This is much complicated by the time of year: The ghosts of the dead appear and linger, and though they cannot speak, their presence and appearance influence everyone.

Rathe must once again recruit the help of his close friend Philip Eslingen, whose knowledge of actors and the stage, and of the depths of human perversity and violence, blends well with Rathe's own hard-won experience with human greed and magical mayhem. Murder, magic, and the theatre in combination make this fantasy novel a compelling and entertaining read.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

What do gardening, astrology, the theater, magic and fantasy have in common? In this fine sequel to the authors' well-received Point of Hopes (1995) and The Armor of Light (1988), the common thread is murder. Scott and Barnett have created an unusual and successful blend of fantasy and mystery, set in the Renaissance-like city of Astreiant during the production of a midwinter masque. Based on The Alphabet of Desire, a manual of magic using flowers and plants, the masque is the talk of the city. When dead bodies start to turn up on stage, however, it's up to Nico Rathe, who's a sort of chief constable called an "adjunct point," and his leman, Philip Eslingen, to follow the clues and find out who's behind the murders. Each death appears to be unrelated, but the sleuths (you can't really call them anything but) know there has to be a link somewhere. That this is the season when ghosts are out in force serves to complicate the investigation. Familiarity with the previous books in the series isn't necessary, as the authors provide just the right amount of background on Astreiant for readers to get their bearings. Having deftly, and gratifyingly, entwined two different genres, Scott and Barnett have produced a page-turner that is sure to win them new fans. (Feb.) FYI: Scott has twice won the Lambda Award for SF as well as a John W. Campbell Award. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

KLIATT - Ginger Armstrong

In this novel, taking a line from Shakespeare, the play is really the thing. A new masque is debuting in Point of Dreams and while the city prepares for the new play to debut, the pointsmen are in charge of keeping fake copies of the play as well as dangerous copies of The Alphabet of Desire out of circulation. Due to political maneuvering and clever planning, nobles and relatives of those in power have become members of the play's chorus. The entire city is in frenzy and in the midst of ghost-tide, during which ghosts of those who have departed this world visit and make their presence known. In the midst of these activities, Adjunct Point Nicolas Rathe is thrown into the mix and struggles to solve the cases of some mysterious theater-related deaths. With the help of his lover, Philip Eslingen, a soldier hired to train the actors in drills and fights, Rathe discovers that an earlier case involving an unseen ghost during ghost-tide may be related to the theater deaths. In this sequel to Point of Hopes, authors Scott and Barnett have deftly created a unique world where politics intertwine with entertainment. Those who appreciate Scott's writing style in The Jazz will feel right at home with this novel. Readers of mysteries as well as fantasies will appreciate the authors' complex plotting and the originality of the setting. A first-rate literary fantasy! KLIATT Codes: SA￯﾿ﾽRecommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2001, Tor, 352p.,

Library Journal

Inauspicious stars herald the coming of the ghost-tide, when the silent spirits of the dead visit the world of the living and chaos reigns in the streets of the city of Astreiant. Coauthors Scott and Barnett return to the quasi-Renaissance world depicted in Point of Hopes, relating another installment in the life of Pointsman Nicholas Rathe as he struggles to uncover the forces behind a series of mysterious theater-related murders. Alchemy, herbal magic, and mystery work together to create a fascinating and exotic tale of fantasy intrigue. Recommended for most libraries. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Another in the authors' series of gumshoe fantasies (Point of Hopes, 1995) set in a Renaissance world where both magic and astrology work. Winter approaches; it's the time of the ghost-tide when ghosts become visible and crowd the streets of Astreiant. Newly promoted Adjunct Point (policeman) Nico Rathe receives a request to investigate a death. City lawyer Kurin Holles found his lover dead. Now the lover's ghost has failed to appear: it's been magically bound, therefore with a strong suspicion that the man was murdered. Rathe has great difficulty in persuading city officials to agree to an investigation. And when they finally, reluctantly, do, the investigator assigned is Voillemin, Rathe's subordinate. Voillemin quickly demonstrates his intention of doing nothing whatsoever to progress the case. Meanwhile, ex-soldier Lieutenant Philip Eslingen finds a new situation teaching actors how to fight, duel, drill, etc., for the midwinter masque, The Alphabet of Desire. First, however, he must qualify by combat for membership in the Masters of the Guild of Defense. There are complications: another book, also called The Alphabet of Desire, contains spells that, alarmingly, may even work; plus, there will be fraudulent copies printed and sold. The two cases may be linked: Rathe's dead man had in his possession a copy of the magic Alphabet. More murders swiftly follow. If replete with rather fussy detail, the scenario's unusually well developed and intricately plotted: a solidly engrossing entry in this tolerably persuasive series.