She’s the One Who Thinks Too Much
(Book
One of the War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters)
by S.R. Cronin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Historical Fantasy
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BLURB:
It’s
the 1200’s, and the small realm of Ilari has had peace and prosperity for
generations. That doesn’t mean everyone is happy, however.
Ryalgar, a spinster
farm girl and the oldest of seven, has always preferred her studies to
flirtation, yet even she finally meets her prince. Or so she thinks, until she
discovers he’s already betrothed. Embarrassed, she flees her family’s farm to
join the Velka, the mysterious women of the forest known for their magical
powers and for living apart from men.
As a Velka, she
develops her telekinesis and learns she has a talent for analyzing information.
Both are going to come in handy. For she’s continued to meet her prince at the
forest’s edge, thinking being his mistress isn’t such a bad deal. Then she
learns more about his princely assignment. He’s tasked with training the army
of Ilari to repel the feared Mongol horseman who’ve been moving eastward for years,
killing all in their path. And, her prince is willing to sacrifice the outer
farmlands where she grew up to these invaders, if he has to.
Ryalgar isn’t about
to let that happen.
She’s got the Velka
behind her now, as well as a multitude of university intellectuals, a family of
tough farmers, and six sisters each with her own unique personality and
talents.
Can Ryalgar organize
all that into a resistance that will stop the Mongols? She thinks she can.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
“Would you be interested in joining us if this thing with
the Svadlu doesn’t work out?” I wasn’t sure how I felt about the possibility,
but I suspected my grandmother could make it happen for Sulphur like she had
for me. She’d already greeted Sulphur with warmth and they’d had lunch
together. Sulphur said it had gone well.
“No. I’m going to be a Svadlu.”
“You know, you could be joining them right before the most
dangerous time in our history.”
“Yup. The horrible Mongols are coming.” She made a face.
“It’s not a joke, Sulphur. Nevik thinks it could be this
winter. They’ve defeated many a strong army, based on what traders and
travelers have told us.”
“I know. It’s one of the reasons I want to join now. To be
there, to help defend Vinx. Surely you can see how the rivers and the mountains
keep us safe to the north and west, and the south.”
It looked like my sister’s analysis of how our realm would
be attacked matched mine.
“I know. Any well-thought-out attack on Ilari has to come in
through the east,” I said. “Through Vinx.” I wondered if the inevitable scared
her as much as it did me.
“Horsemen could charge right through the grazing pastures of
Biru. That fence the Biruites have up is a joke.”
“It’s only meant to keep cattle in,” I said.
“Obviously. And the Mongols will blow right by those cows
and into the grain-growing fields of Vinx. It’s going to take strength to stop
them. I want to be part of this.”
“So do I.” I didn’t realize it until I said it. “I don’t
want to hide in the forest while my homeland is raided and my people are
killed.”
“Hiding is what civilians usually do,” she said. Then, as
she watched my face. “But you’re not a normal civilian, are you? Hey. Maybe you
can get better at that oomer stuff.”
“Oomrush.”
“Yeah, that. Is there a way it can be used in battle?”
“Not that I know of. But maybe.”
“You want to help? Find a way to use that thing you do and
get really good at it. You stop a skilled army with an even more skilled army,
but having something extra in your back pocket never hurts.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pre-Order Link -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BY4RLX1
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Sherrie
Cronin is the author of a collection of six speculative fiction novels known as
46. Ascending and is now in the process of publishing a historical fantasy
series called The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters. A quick look at
the synopses of her books makes it obvious she is fascinated by people
achieving the astonishing by developing abilities they barely knew they had.
She’s made a
lot of stops along the way to writing these novels. She’s lived in seven cities, visited
forty-six countries, and worked as a waitress, technical writer, and
geophysicist. Now she answers a hot-line. Along the way, she’s lost several
cats but acquired a husband who still loves her and three kids who’ve grown up
just fine, both despite how odd she is.
All her life
she has wanted to either tell these kinds of stories or be Chief Science
Officer on the Starship Enterprise. She now lives and writes in the mountains
of Western North Carolina, where she admits to occasionally checking her phone
for a message from Captain Picard, just in case.
Author Social
Media Links:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/cinnabar01
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/46Ascending
Goodreads:
www.goodreads.com/author/show/5805814.Sherrie_Cronin
Amazon:
www.amazon.com/Sherrie-Cronin/e/B007FRMO9Q
Author Blog:
https://sherriecronin.xyz/
Book Series
Blog: https://troublesome7sisters.xyz/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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