Rating: 4.5⭐️
“You’re never too old to make a bad decision.”
That was the line that hooked me. And one I may have printed out on a sweatshirt.
From there I tumbled gently into the fantasy world of Tanyth Fairport, a older woman who’s been traveling around for 20 years, learning her craft, teaching others, and hoping for word of her son who got away from his abusive father as soon as possible.
Her backstory is one that unfolds along with the other characters she encounters, as the situation develops.
She travels alone, dresses in clothing that could be either gender, disguising herself on the road from those who would victimize a woman. That’s a perfect representation of her on the cover, with her metal tipped staff.
She has a goal to achieve. She wants to learn from one of the last Witches of the Woods before that woman dies. If Hermit of Lammas Wood will teach her. And she must reach there before the winter comes.
Of course, things will not go as planned. People will need help. And as Tanyth must decide whether to stay or go, we learn about the herbal remedies and medicines, communities, and religious rituals in a way that is real and meaningful. It’s built slowly and carefully grounded in these characters and their lives and beliefs.
And then comes the magic, seeping into the world and storylines on the wings of a Raven.
For a novel that was a slow start I was absolutely absorbed by the concept, characters and the journey that Tanyth was taking midway through. By the end I was sorry to see this stage end but excited for the next chapter to come.
I’m late to the writing of Nathan Lowell but I’m so impressed by the stories and worlds I’ve encountered.
Here’s one more recommendation I’m happy to share.
Tanyth Fairport Adventures (3 book series) :
Ravenwood #1
Zypheria’s Call #2
The Hermit of Lammas Wood #3
I wish I knew who did that amazing cover and artwork. That’s a perfect illustration of Tanyth on the road right down to her staff.
Buy link
Book 1 of 3: Tanyth Fairport Adventures
Blurb
You’re never too old to make a bad decision.
After twenty winters on the road, Tanyth Fairport makes one last pilgrimage in her quest to learn all she can about the herbs and medicinal plants of Korlay before settling down to write her magnum opus. Her journey is interrupted when she decides to help a small village and learns that much of what she knows of the world may not be quite as it seems.
Nathan Lowell blends wiccan tradition and shamanistic lore into a fantasy quest for a new – if unlikely – heroine. She learns that the familiar sometimes hides the fantastic and that, even when you think you’ve made your decisions, life doesn’t always agree.
Publisher
Durandus
Publication date
October 26, 2011
Language
English
Print length
382 pages
Book 1 of 3
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 