About the Author

Fiona McIntosh was raised in the U.K. but left London to explore the world and found herself in Australia, where she fell in love with the country and one person in particular. She has since roamed the planet for her work in the travel industry but now writes full-time and continues to draw inspiration from her travels. McIntosh lives with her husband and teenage sons, splitting her time between city life in South Australia and the wilderness of Tasmania.

Reviews

Wyl Thrisk was meant to be a general and the right-hand man of a king. He was raised to be like a brother to the young prince Celimus. Duty and friendship would bind the king and his senior general together, as their fathers and grandfathers had been bound. But Celimus has other, darker plans: plans for war and conquest that require the removal of the young, and far too moral, Wyl. A witch, condemned to die by Celimus, is touched by Wyls’ compassion and bestows a gift upon him. When Celimus’ plans come to fruition and Wyl is murdered, Wyl finds himself in the body of his killer. Standing over his own corpse Wyl realises he must still find a way to thwart the plans of the ruthless prince. But how do you set the world to rights when everyone thinks you’re dead and you’re in the body of a known assassin? Myrren’s Gift is an innovative fantasy story. The ‘quickening’, as the soul transfer is termed, offers a wonderful new perspective for fantasy readers. This is an excellent recommendation to anyone fond of the work of Robin Hobb, Lynn Flewelling or J V Jones. Expect frequent and frantic requests for information on forthcoming releases in this series. Stefen Brazulaitis is a bookseller for Dymocks Carousel in Western Australia. C. 2003 Thorpe-Bowker and contributors

Fantasy fans will welcome Australian author McIntosh's gripping first installment in her Quickening trilogy, a tale of the eternal struggle between good and evil filled with magic, blood and jealousy. When 14-year-old Wyl Thirsk inherits the generalship of the Morgravian legions on his father's early death, he's fortunate to possess both the good habits and wise judgment that have helped the Thirsk family remain commanders of the legions for generations. These virtues will serve him well in his dealings with King Magnus of Morgravia's wayward son, Prince Celimus, whom Wyl is duty-bound to protect. After both boys achieve adulthood, the cruel Celimus orders Wyl to witness the torture and execution of a young woman, Myrren, accused of being a witch because she has mismatched eyes. Before her death, Myrren passes on to the empathetic Wyl a most unusual gift. Some readers may feel frustrated by the lack of information about Myrren or the purpose of her gift, though no doubt future volumes will fill in the gaps in an otherwise delightful and fast-moving story. Agent, Chris Lotts. (Mar. 15) Forecast: A bestseller in Australia, this fantasy faces stiffer competition in the U.S., but a blurb from Robin Hobb will give it a lift. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Following the tradition of his father before him, young Wyl Thirsk becomes general of the Morgravian army and sworn companion to Crown Prince Celimus, a cruel and ruthless monarch-to-be. When a dying witch gives Wyl a "gift" for his kindness to her, he discovers his destiny is he will be the only one who can save his country from destruction by its power-hungry leader. This series opener establishes McIntosh as a talented storyteller with the ability to create strong characters and a compelling plot. For most fantasy collections. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.