Strange Places

Strange Places was an enjoyable fantasy adventure with a handful of interesting major characters and a well realized setting. I would recommend it to other fantasy readers, and I intend to continue the series. Tayna, the protagonist, is a strong, capable girl with an amusing cynical snarkiness. She solves problems and puzzles in ways that feel naturally clever, not contrived. I started rooting for her to succeed quite early on, and she held my interest through the story. The action of the novel never lets you get too comfortable. As soon as you start to settle in with a group of characters, something will happen to pull the group apart and start the plot down another path. While this kept the story from ever becoming boring, I also felt pulled away from the characters I wanted to spend more time with. This book is the first in a series, so I shouldn't be surprised that it ends with a cliffhanger. Actually, very few questions are answered and little is properly resolved by the end. Be warned, if you come to care about these characters, you're going to have to keep reading.