Airs Beneath the Moon (Horse Mistress Saga)

Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

Larkyn Hamley lives in the Uplands in the Duchy of Oc. Until recently she's lived a pretty normal life on the family farm with her three brothers. Until she finds Char. Horses are more than rare in the Uplands, and until now Larkyn has never seen a real one. But, here she is, and it's only the beginning. Char dies trying to give birth to her foal. Not just any horse, but a winged horse! Winged horses, by law, belong to the Duke. Their bloodlines are monitored. Winged horses are bred. They don't just show up on farms in the Uplands. Until now.

What Larkyn doesn't know is that winged horses bond for life with one female only. Usually those females are specially chosen, monitored, and trained. show more All Larkyn knows is that her new friend Tup needs to be fed and cared for, and Tup doesn't really like her brothers. By the time Mistress Phillipa Winter from the Academy arrives, it's too late. Larkyn and Tup are inseparable. There is really no choice to be made. She wasn't chosen, she's not prepared, she's far too young, and she may never fit in, but Larkyn is off to the Academy with Tup, to train for their service to the Duke.

It's quickly apparent that fitting in, while virtually impossible, is the least of Larkyn's problems. And, difficult as the situation is, Larkyn is the least of the Academy's problems. When the Duke dies, and his son takes over, there may be a lot more to worry about, for the entire Duchy.

This book is unbelievably absorbing! At first I found it mildly hard to follow, because it doesn't explain everything outright. Gradually, I realized that all my questions were answered as the story unfolded. By the end I not only appreciated the assumption of intelligent readership, I also realized how much more involved in the story I was, because of the way it was written. Not to mention that it is, plain and simple, a great story. All of the characters are very well formed, very real, and interesting. The Duke's son is incredibly disturbing, as are some of his habits, most of which are only alluded to (and trust me, that's a good thing). But he's kind of pitiful at the same time; you almost feel a little bad for him. Almost.

This is the first in what is planned as a trilogy. Good thing too, otherwise I would have some issues with Ms. Bishop. I hadn't had nearly enough by the end of this book. It doesn't so much end with an "OMG! What happens next?" but more of an "I want to know more. I want to spend more time here." I think I'll end up reading it over and over until the next one comes out! show less

"In the Duchy of Oc, the most precious of creatures are the winged horses blessed by the goddess Kalla. When one is born, it is immediately taken to the Academy of the Air to be trained and watched over.
But this time the Academy is getting more than it bargained for...
At Deeping Farm, far in the Uplands, young Larkyn Deeping finds a lone winged horse, starving, exhausted, and about to give birth. The headstrong Larkyn saves the newborn from death. But in the process, the coal-black foal named Tup bonds with Lark, which the horses only do with one woman for life.
So when Mistress Phillipa Winter arrives to inspect Tup, she has little choice but to take the farm girl to the Academy for a 'proper' education. There, Lark realizes that her show more unlikely good fortune may not be so lucky. For in the elite world of the Academy, Lark's kindness and honesty prove to be weak armor against the taunts and cruelty of the high-born girls already there.
Now, with Tup as her only ally, Larkyn Hamley is going to show everyone how high she can fly. Because if she falls, it's a long, long way down..."

It's quite good. There are actually two story-strands, Larkyn's and Phillipa's, so the story is more about the politics and plotting in the big picture than about Lark being bullied (and that's underplayed more than the blurb suggests).
The books (there's two so far) are shelved in SF/F rather than YA, which surprised me at first, but there's a fairly sexually twisted villain, and the horses will only bond with virgins (more accurately, with women who haven't borne children) and this is dealt with perhaps more straightforwardly than some YA selectors might want.

SPOILER!

My only complaint is that the Good King (Duke really) is being drugged and kept under the thumb of the villain and ... that's a bit too familiar a plot element. It makes me want to write something where the Rightful Ruler is actually an idiot or dangerous lunatic and the Evil Vizier is keeping him sedated for the safety of the realm. show less

I really enjoyed reading this book. At first I thought it would be a bit childish, since the entire plot of the book is centered around winged horses, but it wasn't. There's a lot of intrigue involved, a lot of mystery, and a dose of suspense.

I am looking forward to reading the next two books, so I can find out how William's plan goes - though I hope it doesn't go well. I also hope to find out more about Pamella and what happened to her.

This book is a very good read, and ...moreI really enjoyed reading this book. At first I thought it would be a bit childish, since the entire plot of the book is centered around winged horses, but it wasn't. There's a lot of intrigue involved, a lot of mystery, and a dose of suspense.

I am looking forward show more to reading the next two books, so I can find out how William's plan goes - though I hope it doesn't go well. I also hope to find out more about Pamella and what happened to her.

This book is a very good read, and Toby Bishop does a great job telling the story. Everything comes together by the end of the book, and what questions may linger are likely addressed in the next two books (I'm hoping). show less

Winged horses are the creation of the goddess Kalla; in this world women ride the horses but only the high-born girls usually go to the Academy. Larkyn Hamley finds a lone pregnant winged horse; the horse is about to give birth and Larkyn helps. The foal bonds with her so she has to train.

She then has to survive the snobbish attitude and nastiness of the girls and teachers in the Academy. The story turns into a tale of hard work and survival.

It's not a bad story, I liked it but there were moments that dragged a bit.

Duke Ferdinand's Duchy of Oc is known far and wide for its winged horses. Their bloodlines are closely monitored and jealously guarded, and their riders are hand-picked and specially trained.

When commoner Larklyn Hamley rescues an obviously purebred mare from the spring floods, she changes the course of her destiny, and possibly Oc's. The half-drowned, mostly starved little mare gives birth to a winged foal, a foal that is not supposed to be born in a cow shed, fostered by a nanny goat, and bonded by a farm girl. Tup, as Lark christens him causes quite a scandal. Lark is quickly installed in the Academy, and Tup in a spotless stall (accompanied by Molly the goat). But the intrigue has only just begun. As Duke Ferdinand's health show more worsens, his conniving son William plots to steal more than just the duchy. Can the horse mistresses keep their kingdom, and their horses, safe?

A promising series opener. Some of the transitions are a bit jerky and the villains are fairly stereotypical, but Lark and her family are likable. It will be interesting to see what trouble and changes straight talking Lark will bring to the stuffy academy. show less

A first book - quite good. An interesting variant on winged horses, with a lot of politics in the story. Also 'outsider girl at school', also nobles vs commoners, also...there's a lot of elements, and sometimes they don't quite seem to come together. But I did enjoy it and will look for the next one in the series.

I bought this book as an irresistable bundle off ebay. I wasn't sure what I was expecting from reading this book. I enjoyed it very much a good fun read. I didn't think it was much in the first chapter, but the chapters were short and time flew by and I had finished. Lark is a charachter that grows on you much like Phillipa, you can tell who the villans are from quite early on, but this still makes for a great read.