From Publishers Weekly
At first glance, Strauss's sequel to The Arm of the Stone appears to be a standard medieval fantasyAcomplete with a cardboard theocracy, an inquisition, and a stolen sacred artifact, a stone that has the power to reunite the worlds of Mindpower (the realm of magic) and Handpower (technology). Within a few chapters, readers will realize that the author's execution of these popular themes is anything but average. A professional assassin, Cariad is the daughter of Bron, the hero who reclaimed the stolen stone; she leads the resistance against the theocracy of the Guardians, who still control the separated worlds. While Cariad attempts to infiltrate the Guardian's Fortress to restore world balance, she sends Konstant, her trusted soldier, to the world of Handwork to find Bron and help him return to Mindwork with the stone. The plot is complex yet convincing, and the abundant, well-chosen details of the settingsAas well as the carefully developed charactersAmake this high fantasy a superior and original novel. (Dec.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Anne McCaffrey on The Arm of the Stone
"Compelling...a really brilliant novel...a most unusual and fascinating novel, exceedingly well done."

Katherine Kurtz, author of The Deryni Chronicles
"A worthy continuation of what I have no doubt will be sparkling career in the fantasy field. Strauss handles the language with lyric dexterity and grace. The world of the Stone is well realized and often surprising. A very satisfying read."

Carolyn Cushman, Locus Magazine, February 2000
A powerful tale of repression, rebellion, and prophecy where nothing turns out quite as expected.

Publisher's Weekly, November 8, 1999--starred review
A superior and original novel.

Book Description

At the heart of the fortress lay the Garden. At the heart of the Garden lay the Stone. -- a living entity of power beyond understanding. Then came Bron, his arrival long foretold as the one who would restore the balance to a world torn asunder centuries ago. But Bron had other plans. He stole the Stone...and vanished.Now Bron's daughter Cariad, a skilled empath and assassin, must follow the footsteps of a father she's never known into the depths of the same fortress. Waiting there is Jolyon, her father's greatest enemy, a man whose thirst for domination is matched only by his taste for blood. Cariad must learn the secret of Jolyon's strength before it is too late. For just as her father's arrival was prophesied, so too is his return.

About the Author
Victoria Strauss was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, and graduated from Vassar College with a B.A. in Comparative Religion. She wrote her first novel when she was seventeen, during a year off between high school and college. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her husband and three cats.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

At the heart of the fortress lay the Garden. At the heart of the Garden lay the Stone. — a living entity of power beyond understanding. Then came Bron, his arrival long foretold as the one who would restore the balance to a world torn asunder centuries ago. But Bron had other plans. He stole the Stone...and vanished.

Now Bron's daughter Cariad, a skilled empath and assassin, must follow the footsteps of a father she's never known into the depths of the same fortress. Waiting there is Jolyon, her father's greatest enemy, a man whose thirst for domination is matched only by his taste for blood. Cariad must learn the secret of Jolyon's strength before it is too late. For just as her father's arrival was prophesied, so too is his return.

Author Biography:

Victoria Strauss was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, and graduated from Vassar College with a B.A. in Comparative Religion. She wrote her first novel when she was seventeen, during a year off between high school and college. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her husband and three cats.

SYNOPSIS

"Compelling...a really brilliant novel...a most unusual and fascinating novel, exceedingly well done."

Anne McCaffrey on The Arm of the Stone

"A worthy continuation of what I have no doubt will be sparkling career in the fantasy field. Strauss handles the language with lyric dexterity and grace. The world of the Stone is well realized and often surprising. A very satisfying read."

Katherine Kurtz, author of The Deryni Chronicles

Victoria Strauss lives in Poughkeepsie, New York, with her husband.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

At first glance, Strauss's sequel to The Arm of the Stone appears to be a standard medieval fantasy--complete with a cardboard theocracy, an inquisition, and a stolen sacred artifact, a stone that has the power to reunite the worlds of Mindpower (the realm of magic) and Handpower (technology). Within a few chapters, readers will realize that the author's execution of these popular themes is anything but average. A professional assassin, Cariad is the daughter of Bron, the hero who reclaimed the stolen stone; she leads the resistance against the theocracy of the Guardians, who still control the separated worlds. While Cariad attempts to infiltrate the Guardian's Fortress to restore world balance, she sends Konstant, her trusted soldier, to the world of Handwork to find Bron and help him return to Mindwork with the stone. The plot is complex yet convincing, and the abundant, well-chosen details of the settings--as well as the carefully developed characters--make this high fantasy a superior and original novel. (Dec.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

KLIATT