Heartstone

#1 Heartstone

Elle Katharine White

$35.95

Paperback

In stock
Ready to ship

QTY:

English

Harper US
23 January 2017

Fantasy; Cultural & Period Fantasy; Dragons Fantasy

Series: Heartstone Series

GALAXY BOOKSELLER PICK ----- As an Austen fan, I was drawn to this fantasy retelling of Pride and Prejudice and was far from disappointed. White takes the framework of the original, so the proposals, the separations, the misconceptions are all still there, however she breathed new life into this classic with the inclusion of dragons, warriors and the constant threat of supernatural predators. Although they are not the exact same characters with the same dynamics as in Pride and Prejudice, you can recognise Austen's influence in White’s creation, only with less formality and comedic ridiculousness. White seamlessly added supernatural characters with distinct personalities to the mix. I loved the combination of the familiar and the new, where although I had a pretty good idea of where the story was going, thanks to White retaining the hallmark events of Pride and Prejudice, my journey went down different roads and the reading experience still felt fresh. It reads lighter than the original, but also puts a different spin on why characters made the choices they did. White surprised me at times. And best of all, she demonstrated a far, far greater respect and understanding of her story's source than Seth Grahame-Smith did when he clumsily Frankensteined zombies into the story. Although the writing and setting was not as Austenesque as Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamorist Histories, Heartstone stands as a worthy retelling of a classic and a fun fantasy read in its own right. Allison Rogers

-----

A debut historical fantasy that recasts Jane Austen's beloved Pride & Prejudice in an imaginative world of wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom: gryphons, direwolves, lamias, banshees, and lindworms.

They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay-and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters.

Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she's already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. So when Lord Merybourne hires a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her home will soon be safe again.

Her relief is short-lived. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider, Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle; what she doesn't expect is a romantic clash of wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. Nor does she anticipate the mystery that follows them from Merybourne Manor, its roots running deep as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers... something far more sinister than gryphons.

It's a war Aliza is ill-prepared to wage, on a battlefield she's never known before: one spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart.

Elle Katharine White infuses elements of Austen's beloved novel with her own brand of magic, crafting a modern epic fantasy that conjures a familiar yet wondrously unique new world.

By: Elle Katharine White
Imprint: Harper US
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 203mm, Width: 135mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 304g
ISBN: 9780062451941
ISBN 10: 0062451944
Series: Heartstone Series
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 23 January 2017
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for Heartstone (#1 Heartstone)

Calling all fans of dragons and Jane Austen! While White stays faithful to most of the classic story's plot elements, she add hers own twists and turns as Aliza Bentaine's world grows ever more dangerous. Definitely an author to watch! -- RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars)