The Warrior's Path

This trilogy is one of those rare gems you find by accident and then want to tell the entire world about. Others have written reviews containing detailed descriptions of the characters and plot, so I will not do that here. The story follows Tamras, a young woman on her way to becoming a warrior. But it's also so much more.

This is not a story packed with action and epic battles. It's a story about so many things but in its essence, it's about different relationships between very different women. This book will have some elements and hints of romance (between two women mainly, which is why I read this in the first place) in it but it's not a romance-focussed story. It's more about how a mentor and a student get along or how they don't. show more It's about friendship and deep bonds that you wouldn't call one. It's about loyalty, different definitions of family and ah so much more.

The worldbuilding is solid, it doesn't give as extensive detail as other books but it's still beautifully done and more than enough to make everything believable. Not for a second did I doubt any of what I was seeing before my mind's eye. The characters are the driving force in these books so of course they are fantastically written as well. Overall Wilsons writing style is beautiful, elegant and wonderful to read. It just sucked me in and didn't let me go.

This reads like something that should be on the shelves in every book store and would have been such an important read for me as a teenager. But I enjoy it just as much as an adult and I highly recommend it! show less

Really loved this series. Complex, thoughtful, sweet, adventurous, lyrical; full of emotion and history, love and spirit. I immediately bought the sequel.

When Women Were Warriors is a trilogy, but it reads as one book split into three volumes, (down to the chapters, which start at 1 in book one and continue sequentially through book three.) Yes, there are plot arcs in each volume, but the story of Tamras and Maara continues over the course of the entire series.

There was little chance that I would not love this series. Here are some of the things it had that I love to read about:
* Neolithic/pre-Celtic historical setting (with, granted, some fantastical/mythological elements included)
* A location that feels like the ancient British Isles, show more although it might be somewhere else - or even a fantasy world
* Strong female characters, and lots of them
* Intense relationships between women, both romantic and otherwise
* Matrilineal culture/society, with women in positions of power and leadership
* Seasonal cultural cycles and holidays
* Wise women, shamanic journeying, sacred groves, goddesses
* Storytelling, and epic tales
* Travel and living off the land

Given that I love to read about exactly the kind of setting the author created, it's no surprise I liked the series. But I also got enjoyed the story and found it to be well-written. It is a coming-of-age novel depicting young Tamras growing into her own, learning what she loves and values and standing by it with a fierce loyalty.

One thing that really stood out to me about these volumes was the the thoughtfulness of Tamras and other characters who were reflective after moments of conflict or learning that helped them take the next step. This isn't often modeled in our modern society, but it resonates with my personal style, so I loved seeing it.

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At the opening of the volumes, Tamras is a young woman heading out to be fostered and trained as a warrior at the house of the Lady who is the leader of her people. Tamras is assigned to be an assistant to Maara, a warrior who comes from outside their lands, who isn't too keen on the the idea of having an assistant. Tamras has to navigate a new world, friendship and strangers, and unexpected political and alliance pressures, all while she learns and gains skills and comes into her own.

The Warrior's Path, the first volume in the trilogy, focuses on the challenges and rewards that arise as Tamras begins her journey to become a warrior. show less

When I started this book I did not think I would like it, the first few pages seemed somehow out of sorts, however I persisted and was glad I did. The author has a wonderful way with words that completely dispels cliche. It reminded me of Clan of the Cave Bear but with more of an intimate relationship between the story and the reader. You can truly disappear into this book and I am looking forward to reading the rest in the series.

Simply Beautiful. When Women Were Warriors is quite simply a beautiful book. The words flow like music, the story is slow and unfolds before your eyes like a delicate flower but the pacing doesn't suffer from the lack of action. Far from it, the story is actually the better for it. So many books rely on action to drive the story and that's not necessarily a bad thing but with this book the elegant words and the characters themselves drive the story. I've rarely read a book by independent or published authors that was so beautifully written. I'm getting the next two tomorrow and I'm looking forward to reading them very much.

I've always enjoyed the winter time, in fact it's always felt more like a time of renewal to me than spring ever show more has and it just seemed fitting that I started this book at the start of winter while it was nice and cold outside with stars shining brilliantly overhead although I have a feeling that any season would be the right season for this book. The story reminded me of home, of being wrapped in a warm blanket in front of a cozy fire, of the very heartbeat of the world. At it's heart it is a story of life and of learning. It is a story of love, courage and honor. Of making your own path yet being a part of a larger picture. Of friends and enemies, lessons learned, wisdom and destiny. And magic, there is plenty of magic in this book but it is as subtle as life itself. It was beautiful and I feel like a better person who lives in a better world after reading it.

I would rather talk about how the book made me feel than the story itself so that's what I've tried to do although words always fail to fully capture how any given story makes me truly feel. Discover it for yourself and prepare to go on an unforgettable journey back in time to When Women Were Warriors and discover a time and place that feels so much like coming home. show less

This book lacked "conflict," by which I mean that a number of plot threads were started that involved possible "conflict" between the characters but that these plot threads never followed through to anywhere. It makes the whole story of Book One (The Warrior's Path) fall flat. I've read a review on Amazon, though, that suggests that this really isn't a trilogy but instead one single, long book that's been separated into three parts, which would explain why The Warrior's Path doesn't come to any kind of conclusion, whether a "cliff-hanger" conclusion or a lesser one, such as a reader would expect from an individual book in a trilogy.

That said, the book's extremely well-written, especially for a book that seems to have been self-published show more by a first-time writer who's definitely (like myself) already beyond "middle age" (which you can tell from the fact that her Amazon author page shows her as an adult in 1968). Hence the 3*** rating despite my criticism of the lack of "conflict." Here's hoping that Wilson can get a good editor if she continues writing in this vein, because she has a great deal of promise but needs some professional guidance.

I'm not sure I'm going to read the remaining two volumes. I wouldn't have read The Warrior's Path had it not been a Kindle freebie and I doubt I'm going to spend $9.99 apiece on the two additional Kindle volumes of what really constitutes a single book. Maybe, maybe not, but there really is an awful lot else to read out there. show less

This is a very sweet coming-of-age story, set in an interesting culture.

I'd give it 3.5 stars, but rounded up because of how refreshing it was to read a fantasy novel in which every significant character was a woman, and the men have only bit parts.

I'll probably read the sequels at some point.

I enjoyed this; the characters are nicely defined, the settings evocative and consistent, and the story keeps moving. I enjoyed it so much I bought the two sequels. Catherine M. Wilson is an assured writer who should be picked up by mainstream publishers. Well done.