Victoria Goddard

Hal has been Duke of Fillering Pool since he was seven, and now that the test scores have come out, he finds himself deciding between what's expected of him and where he wants to go to college.

A fun novella focusing on one of the side characters of the Greenwing & Dart series a few years before the events of that series. Though it means the end result isn't all that surprising (if you've read the series, you know where he went), it was especially fun to see his first meeting with some of the characters from the main series.… (mere)

In the second novella about the Sisters Avramapul, Sardeet recovers from her ordeal by living with her father's family in the city. Her sister Pali arrives, still a Warrior of the First Veil, and must make her return after righting the injustice of her sister's husband's treachery.

An enjoyable continuation of the story, with more details of the culture the sisters' family is a part of. We get some hints of where Pali's story may go, and I'll look forward to seeing how it may connect to the larger Nine Worlds/Red Company story.… (mere)

Once there were three sisters: the first went off to earn her fortunate making carpets, the second became a fighter, and the youngest was stolen away by the wind to be his wife. She is allowed to ask him anything, but must spend a day in silence for each question. When she becomes unhappy, her two older sisters come to rescue her.

Another delightful story from Victoria Goddard, who really impresses me with her ability to write different story lengths and tones that fit what she's trying to do. This one reads like a fairy tale, and what an inventive tale it is. I was carried along by how it all unfolded and enjoyed the writing. It's not my favorite of hers - I prefer to get to know the characters a little more, and as in most fairy tales they're sort of kept at arm's length - but she does what she sets out to do well.… (mere)