A Ranger's Tale by Mysti Parker
Once upon a time an elven noblewoman longed to leave her gilded cage. A half-breed former pirate wanted nothing more than to escape his guilty past. Easier said than done...
In the fantasy world of Tallenmere, the high elf, Caliphany Aranea, nearly a century old, has never been allowed to travel farther than a few miles out of the capital city of Leogard. Her father, Sirius, leads the Mage Academy, and after losing his only son, he expects Caliphany to take his place one day. The trouble is, she doesn't want to study magic and doubts she'll ever be as good a wizard as her father. She dreams of leaving Leogard to explore the world and strike out on her own--lofty goals for Sirius' daughter, who also happens to be King Leopold's niece.
When two brutes at Leogard Harbor attempt to kidnap her while she dreams of faraway lands, half-elf ship captain and ranger, Galadin Trudeaux, comes to her rescue. From their first chance encounter, to the finale, where Caliphany must decide where her heart truly lies, she and Galadin will face more adventure, more love, more heartache, than they ever thought possible. Through it all, they discover the power of forgiveness and of a love that stands the test of time.
My Review:
Again, this book was not something I am used to reading.. I think the only experience I've had with elves was on the Lord Of The Rings (the movies). It did take me quite a while to read, but only because I had so much going on and wasn't able to read as much as usual. All that being said, I found this story surprisingly very engrossing. I had no real idea what to expect, and I came out knowing that I'd love to read more from this author!
The story is about a beautiful, young (almost 100 yrs old) elf named Caliphany. She is the king's niece and the daughter of the great wizard, therefore certain behavior and a certain future is expected of her. Caliphany is slated to be the next leader of the Mage Academy, taking over for her father one day; and worse, she is betrothed to Aelendyl, a quite nice, but dreadfully dull high elf of good standing. She did not want to marry him, in fact, all she wanted was to get out of Leogard and see the world. Caliphany enjoyed taking strolls along the docks in the harbor, during one such stroll, she ran into some terrible trouble. A couple of sailors attempted to kidnap her, she was helped by Galadin (a halfling ranger). No matter what, she can't seem to get him out of her head and soon employs him to teach her whatever ranger skills he will. She intends to use these skills when she leaves Leogard, something that she is now intent on accomplishing. Caliphany soon stows away on Galadin's ship and when found, she forces them to take her on; beginning an adventure of battles, love, and loss.
There are many twists and turns in this story, just when you think you have it figured out, you don't. Many surprises throughout! A very emotional story that is never dull, all the way to the end. It's a great book that can actually bring tears to my eyes, this one did! As I said before, this is not the typical YA book I usually read, it has sexual situations (just the right amount of detail and wording to make them erotic, but not vulgar) which I would recommend for a somewhat older audience. The book didn't end in a way to suggest a sequel, but I would welcome one! I give this book a solid 4.5 stars!
