I want to read a book that

[mer]

...is without cynicism
...is wildly romantical without being romance-focused
...is entanglingly character-driven
...has characters with swords
...has mysterious religions
...is written with transparent prose so I don't have to fight my way through it going, "Wait, this is what I wanted, but it's not."
...has assassins. Good assassins.
...and gruff old men with hearts of gold
...and lost heirs in disguise
...and is basically all wish-fulfillment fantasy, all the time, but for girls who used to like unicorns but don't anymore
...and maybe there's a desert. And if there's no desert, there's a mountain fastness. And if there's no mountain fastness, there's a some other fancy, dominating landscape.

I want, basically, The Blue Sword again for the first time. Plus a little Seven Daughters for Seven Sons and a lot of Crown Duel, and maybe even a tiny bit of Dragonsong, with a dash of David Eddings and Mercedes Lackey (no really). And little tiny bit of I Capture the Castle, but only in the voice.

Anyone know where I can find that?

Comments

[sarah-prineas.livejournal.com]

I am reading The Blue Sword for the first time right now!! Lucky me, huh?

Everything on your list is on mine.

[merriehaskell.livejournal.com]

I wonder how it holds up for an adult writer to read it for the first time...

[sarah-prineas.livejournal.com]

Well, I just read Hero and the Crown for the first time and liked it pretty well.

I assume you've read Megan Whelan Turner's The Thief and sequels?

[merriehaskell.livejournal.com]

Some of my favorites, those books... but those fall into a slightly different subcategory, with

• angst
  
• dangerous gods
  
• appendages being chopped off
  
• wily, spry thieves
  

Hm... A similar, but distinct genre. :)