I am posting because I desperately need your help. There’s a book on my mind, but I can’t remember enough of it to identify it:
It’s epic fantasy, probably written in the late 80s or possibly the 90s. The main characters were a bard and mercenary. They fell in love over the course of the book and had adventures, both together and separately. Because the country was at war, the mercenary (or soldier) did many brave things. He was a bit older, battered and scarred, possibly missing an eye. He was elevated to nobility by the end, and they could not be together officially because (a) she was a bard and (b) she was also barren. It was a lovely, bittersweet story. I’d like to revisit it but I can’t remember who it’s by! (I’m sure it’s not Mercedes Lackey.) Does this ring any bells for anyone?
Help!
Oh, and Happy New Year.
Not a clue.
If no one figures it out here, I recommend trying the LJ community “whatwasthatbook”. They’re GOOD at this.
Maybe Diana L. Paxson? It kind of sounds a bit like something she’d write.
Are you sure it’s not part of the Thieves World series? Or by Mary Gentle? Those are my best guesses. Good luck! I hate these kinds of haunting mysteries- I have one of those stuck in my head too :)
Happy New Year!
No idea but wow that sounds good! :)
Unfortunately, I do not have a guess what it would be, but I hope that it rings a bell and someone figures out what it is. I hate when you cannot remember the title of a book that you really want to know.
I hope that you had a safe and wonderful New Year’s celebration.
Happy New year!
Hm I came to think about Elizabeth Moon, but that girl was a soldier so can’t be it, hm
Dear Ann,
Happy New Year, and many thanks for your great article in this month’s RWR.
Everything you say about productivity is true! Thank you for refocusing me for the next year of writing.
Stella
A Child Changes Everything, A Child Changes Everything, Harlequin Super Romance August 2010
Don’t have any idea but sending you wishes for a Happy New Year. You could try HaBo at Smart Bitches, it often finds the book you’re looking for.
Probably not it, but there’s a lot of similarities between that and a secondary plot in Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera.
Argh, this DOES tease the back of my brain, but I can’t quite pin it down. Some suggestions, though, none of which fit entirely right:
In Barbara Hambly’s “Sun Wolf and Starhawk” series, both characters are mercs at the beginning (Starhawk is actually Sun Wolf’s lieutenant). Sun Wolf loses an eye, and over the course of things becomes a wizard… don’t recall if Starhawk is barren, but with the sort of life she leads it wouldn’t surprise me. The series is comprised of The Ladies of Mandrigyn (1984), The Witches of Wenshar (1987) and The Dark Hand of Magic (1990). (Heck, even if it’s not what you’re looking for, this is a fine series, if you can get ahold of it.)
Come to think, Hambly’s “Dragonsbane” series also features a pair of frequently star-crossed lovers– Jenny is mage-born, and gives up greater magics to be human dragonslayer John’s mistress and mother to his sons (so, erm… not barren, then, I guess
); her decision (and their relationship) goes through many heartbreaking tests in the series.
The other suggestion vaguely swimming up from my memory is Jennifer Roberson’s “Tiger and Del” series– both are sword-dancers, and iirc children are part of what Del gave up to become a sword-dancer. Tiger is (much later in series) possible heir to a fortune back in his homeland, but I don’t recall if this threatens to split the couple up. The first title, Sword-Dancer, was published in 1986, and the series ended in ’99.
Hope this helps, or at least gives you good reading fodder! Happy New Year!
If you hadn’t said that it wasn’t a Mercedes Lackey book I would have said it was A Cast of Corbies from her Bardic Choices series.
However if you had added shapeshifter to the mix I would have said it was one of Jennifer Roberson’s Cheysuli series. A number of them have the hero and heroine having seperate adventures and also not being allowed to be together.
I would be interested to know what the book is. Please let us all know when you find out. I have an idea that we will all be looking for it to buy :D
Geez. I’m with Ilona on this one. If you hadn’t said *not* Misty, that’s where I would have gone, too.
I just wanted to drop in and briefly say Happy New Year and let you know how much my husband and I (yes, he actually read it) enjoyed your RWR article about productivity. Also looking forward to seeing you at RT and RWA this year.
Good luck finding the book!
Happy New Year.
From the description, this sounds a little bit like Andre Norton’s ‘Ware Hawk
Is it possibly a dragon lance novel, I got rid of most of my books due to lack of storage, but other than old tsr books from that period most of the female bards I can think of are from Valdemar with the horses.
Good luck finding it,
ben