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J. C. Hall

Author of Lady of the Lakes

6+ Works 15 Members 5 Reviews

About the Author

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Works by J. C. Hall

Lady of the Lakes (1995) 6 copies
Legends of the Serai (2000) 5 copies
Edwin Muir (1973) 1 copy

Associated Works

New World Writing: First Mentor Selection (1952) — Contributor — 11 copies
The Penguin New Writing No. 36 (1949) — Contributor — 11 copies

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Reviews

Outcast from his own people due to his odd colored eyes and their superstitious beliefs, Corryn had waited four seasons by the lake to pledge himself as a liegeman to the warrior he had once helped. Now the warrior returned as if from nowhere, locked in a deadly battle out on the lake. Afterward Corryn discovers something about his long awaited warrior he never expected.

Known as "The Lady of the Lakes" Jessarna has many tasks ahead of her. Not the least of which is the recovery of her infant cousin, entrusted to her care and lost to a wicked enemy. Although she has not the time nor inclination to take on a liegeman she acknowledges a debt to Corryn and agrees to allow him to accompany her so that she may teach him and absolve her duty for his assistance.

Together Corryn and the Lady undertake a quest to find both an infant and a deadly traitor, never expecting where the road ahead might lead them.

Although we are only into February, I think that this book might find a place among my favorites of the year. Certainly it is my favorite read so far this year. I really liked Corryn a lot. He certainly wasn't perfect, which I rather like, but he was earnest and brave, totally dedicated to his Lady. Jess seemed a lot like a hedgehog, all prickly on the surface, but pretty soft and warm underneath. They were both very sympathetic characters. The plot moved along nicely and although there is a rather large host of supporting characters, for the most part I was able to keep them all straight, which is an accomplishment for me LOL! The only point I can really say was a little off putting was a typesetting error, an underline that kept appearing throughout the text. But, it certainly wasn't enough to keep me from really enjoying this story. I think that those who like the quest style fantasy stories, without their being overly epic, will really enjoy this book.
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½
 
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Jenson_AKA_DL | 3 other reviews | Feb 7, 2008 |
Lots of clever twists and turns in this fantasy. Liked the heroine, she's a battling babe--my kind of gal. Ostensibly set in some mythical land, but lots of contemporary themes.
Tom Scott Whittaker
 
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TomScottWhittaker | 3 other reviews | May 25, 2007 |
A Must Read Fantasy--Superbly Written

J.C. Hall is one of the more talented and unheralded fantasy authors in North America. Lady of the Lakes is a classic sword and sorcery fantasy, but one that rises well above the usual because of the the author's dedication to a level of writing very few bestsellers possess.

Two unforgettable characters, Corryn and Lady Jess, rise up from the pages. Hearkening back to Sir Walter Scott's classic tale with a similar name (The Lady of the Lake) the two lead characters meet beside the shores of a magnificent lake. The young fugitive Corryn has been waiting a year for a young lord he met there to reappear, hoping to be taken on as a vassal.

When an infant is abducted in a fierce battle, the young lord is injured and Corryn realizes he has been waiting not for a man, but for an alluring woman clad in armor, the Lady Jess. The reader is swept up in an enthralling adventure, as they pursue their quest while denying the growing hunger in their hearts for each other.

The author has the poet's gift with language and the writing varies stylistically, to the point where "how" the story is told is often as important as "what "is being told. Few writers could have carried this off successfully, but Hall makes it work through her command of the written word.

It takes a fantasy writer of rare power and discipline to carry off an achievement like Lady of the Lakes. Hall proves here she deserves a place with the best.

Review of revised and updated edition from Zumaya
Cheryl Swanson, author and reviewer with Gotta Read

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CherylSwanson | 3 other reviews | May 25, 2007 |

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Works
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Rating
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