Lady of the Lakes

For some, it is the journey that is the purpose, not the outcome…

Corryn has hidden in the woods surrounding Lake Silvermist for the past year. He is of mixed blood, which shows in his unusual eyes. Not a pure Sandman, he was always viewed warily; it was only a matter of time before an excuse was found to persecute him. So, as an innocent accused of a hideous crime, Corryn fled his people. He is still a youth and has no purpose, so has camped Lakeside to wait for the legendary Sentry of the Lake, hoping to become his liegeman. When the Sentry appears, Corryn does his best to assist him in a violent struggle with a mysterious assailant, but the bundle that the Sentry carries is lost to the foe.

The Sentry is wounded and while unconscious, Corryn treats the wounds and discovers that the Sentry is in fact a woman. The Sentry is irate that he has touched her person. She will not allow Corryn to be her liegeman but begrudgingly allows him to travel with her for a short while because of his insistence that she is weak from her injury. She does not tell Corryn what her travels are for and seems to seek direction from her silver sword. The Lady gains comfort and succour from all sources of water that they come across, and each night she searches the sky for the constellation of Argentene. The Lady is much more than the soldier she appeared to be at first, her background is not spoken of but she is well-respected by the many Princes of the land, she has insight and influence within the royal family. Her many cousins are stationed through the King’s and Princes’ guards and relay political messages to her. Corryn comes to understand that the bundle she lost at Lake Silvermist was her deceased cousin’s only son, the babe Leonthine.

In their travels, Corryn begins to see through her haughtiness and aloof demeanor to the troubled but fair-minded woman who is trying to hold together a kingdom while dealing with troubles within her own large family. Her duties are a heavy and constant burden, and Corryn becomes more determined that she accept his offer of assistance as her trusted servant.

Lady of the Lakes is written as a tale of mythology. Many aspects of “the Lady” are mysterious and are never completely revealed to Corryn or the reader. Her personality is goddess-like with human frailties. Parts of her tasks are never completely fulfilled, leaving the reader to understand the huge responsibilities that accompany a life of privilege. One of the secondary characters falls under the strain of duty, which serves to highlight the inner strength of the Lady, Jessarna. As a myth of fantasy, I found it a little difficult to warm to the characters initially, but the journey for this reader was as fulfilling as Corryn’s relentless course to stay with his Lady. His journey is one of self-discovery; indeed many of the qualities that he possesses are not evident until he reflects back on the mission. Lady of the Lakes is an idealistic fantasy tale, with medieval type undertones; nobility is respected and minions hold to their position, no matter what test or the depth of allegiance. The writing style is a little too wordy at times and goes slightly beyond what is necessary to convey the tone of otherworldliness. I have, however, enjoyed the journey and I would recommend Lady of the Lakes to readers who like to reflect on a book, and can “read between the lines”.

Reviewed by: Naomi