Book review: Truth-Teller's Tale and Dream-Maker's Magic by Sharon Shinn

[rynncameron]

Truth-Teller's Tale and Dream-Maker's Magic are Sharon Shinn's second and third books in the trilogy that began with Safe-Keeper's Secret. Truth is about twins (very well written mirror twins), one ends up being a Safe-Keeper and the storyteller becomes a Truth-Teller. Wonderful but slightly predictable to this veteran reader of fairy tales (I'm not saying this is a bad thing). As one reviewer quoted on the book said, readers who liked Robin McKinley's Beauty would like these. And I'd add readers who liked Patricia Wrede's Dragon fantasies, too. Cozy fantasies and comforting fairy tales with happy endings.

Dream-Maker's Magic wraps up the trilogy, with the tale of a broken boy and the girl-raised-as-a-boy narrator who cares about him. It's good but almost too heavy with Significance To Modern Society.

The world is quiet and cozy and all the world-building is behind the scenes as it generally is in fantasies. I liked these books, but it's the first one that I'll reread most often.

Recommended.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/The-Truth-Tellers-Tale-Sharon-Shinn/9780142407844-item.html?ikwid=sharon+shinn&ikwsec=Home

and

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Dream-Makers-Magic-Sharon-Shinn/9780670060702-item.html?ikwid=sharon+shinn+dream&ikwsec=Home