Knowing that I like reading her stories, Ann kindly sent me a copy of her novel Many Roads Home and asked that I review it. I'm happy to say it was a very enjoyable read. As per her dedication, I'm also very glad Samhain has given her the opportunity to be published "for real" because she certainly deserves an audience.

Many Roads Home
$6.50, 245 pages, currently available as an ebook.

In a very well-developed fantasy setting, Yveni is heir to a ducal throne, fleeing for his life from his would-be regent. A loyalist helping Yveni escape dies, leaving the young man stranded-- but not without brains.

The book begins slowly, setting up Yveni's predicament and (as a parallel) the life of Paole, Yveni's love interest-- answering the question "Where have you been all my life?" ahead of time. The two don't even meet until 65 pages into the tale. I usually give books a 30-page probation to keep my attention and this one certainly set up some interesting characters and dilemmas to keep me reading in spite of the slow start.

One of the 'warnings' on the book's info. page is "interminable UST" (unrequited sexual tension) and that's no joke! It drags out for a really long time, (personally, I think it lasts almost inhumanly long) but it makes the final capitulation very sweet.

Fortunately, the book has a lot more going for it than romance. It deals with international social problems, slavery, politics, differing cultures, psychic people, and a military coup! I don't want to say too much about the action and spoil events, but once the story gets rolling, it's fun to read.

If you're unfamiliar with Ann Somerville's writing, or undecided about making a purchase, I urge you to check out her website and sample her work. She has great short stories, fantasy-- including an excellent (epic!) series, and several sci-fi offerings from very dark to humorous.