The Poisoned Crown - Amanda Hemingway

[Mark Robson]

Just finished this last night - the final book of an excellent trilogy. Much of the book is set in a world with no land. An intriguing conflict is brewing between the selkies and the merpeople, fuelled by the dark goddess of the sea. This is a problem for the hero, Nathan, for he's not that comfortable in water. When his uncanny ability to dream himself between worlds brings him to Widewater, he finds himself somewhat out of his depth! (Sorry, I couldn't resist the pun!)

Anyone else read any of the Sangreal books? I'd be interested to know what you thought of them. I found elements of the plotting a little predictable at times, but Amanda's solutions to the problems she set her characters were not always the most obvious.

There is a richness to Amanda's writing style that I would love to be able to incorporate into my own stories one day. Her descriptions are wonderful, and her characters have plenty of depth. If you haven't tried any of her work yet, I'd heartily recommend this series, which starts with The Greenstone Grail.

[Cricket - Best Sport]

I have read The Greenstone Grail. A pretty engaging story which suffered from a distinct lack of characterization and awkward prose. IIRC, at the time of reading, the book's depiction of the stereotypes associated with teenagers also annoyed me. I'd rate it around 5/10.