Review: Excellent novella; excellent introduction to some interesting characters
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 26, 2014
This short novella introduces two new characters to the Hearts and Thrones series. It takes place between the 2nd and 3rd books (which means that I read it out of order--after #1). The two major  characters are war mages who meet at an archery competition, both desperately in need of the prize--a job with the city guard. Nalica and Justien are both clan members from eastern Kjall, and this is Nalica's first trip to the capital. They accidentally stumble across a mystery involving a poisoned race horse which demands that they put themselves in jeopardy if they are to report it to the authorities.The characters are quite interesting and behave more reasonably than some heroes in romance fantasies. The plot develops nicely, keeping multiple narratives going cleanly. If you have not read anything by Raby, this short piece will give you a nice sense of how well she can write. Give it a go.