The Garden of the Stone

By Victoria Strauss

At the heart of the Fortress lay the Garden. 

At the heart of the Garden lay the Stone. 

It was a living entity of power beyond understanding--not even by the men who had used its energies to control the unGifted masses, ever since the wrenching cataclysm that shattered the union of Hand and Mind and split the world centuries ago. Then came Bron, his arrival long foretold as the one destined to restore the balance between Hand and Mind. But Bron had other plans. He stole the Stone...and vanished.

Now Bron's daughter Cariad, a skilled empath and assassin, must follow the footsteps of a father she's never known, into the depths of the same Fortress. Waiting there is Jolyon, her father's greatest enemy, a man whose thirst for domination is matched only by his taste for blood...and who possesses the power to satisfy both appetites. Cariad must learn the secret of Jolyon's strength before it is too late. For just as her father's arrival was prophesied, so too is his return. And this time Jolyon is ready--for Bron to die.

At first glance, Strauss's sequel to THE ARM OF THE STONE appears to be a standard medieval fantasy....Within a few chapters, readers will realize that the author's execution of these popular themes is anything but average. The plot is complex yet convincing, and the abundant, well-chosen details of the settings--as well as the carefully developed characters--make this high fantasy a superior and original novel.
-- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

I couldn't stop reading this wonderful novel. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out, it would twist into a new shape. Strauss is a fine writer whose characters have depth and integrity and who has thought through her world with impressive thoroughness. She's a great find! I look forward to her next book.
-- Kate Elliott, author of KING'S DRAGON

A worthy continuation of what I have no doubt will be a sparkling career in the fantasy field. Strauss handles the language with lyric dexterity and grace. The world of the Stone is well-realized and often surprising. A very satisfying read.
-- Katherine Kurtz, author of The Derinyi Chronicles

I thoroughly enjoyed THE GARDEN OF THE STONE as this new and excellent author led us up the "garden path" with a great deal of deftness, imagination, and suspense.
-- Anne McCaffrey

A Science Fiction Book Club Alternate for January 2000