The Women of Fantasy

Catherine Asaro, well know for her science fiction novels, really shines when it comes to fantasy. Unlike the dark and intense sexually charged sado-masochist themes in her sci-fi works, her fantasy novels are lighter and just as page-turning - without being "fluff." Asaro, a physicist, writes about magical abilities in a way that makes sense. Called "shape-mages," her powerful characters focus on geometrical shapes for their abilities to manifest. The more perfect the shape, the better the focus - with some interesting exceptions.

In Charmed Sphere, the first in the Misted Cliffs trilogy, we read about Chime. In the Misted Cliffs and Dawn Star we read about Chime's daughter, Mel. I started this series with The Misted Cliffs, not realizing there was a previous book. Misted Cliffs and Dawn Star are really more of a book and it's sequel, while Charmed Sphere is more standalone - but it will help you catch on faster in the other two books.

This is a fascinating world Asaro has created that I really enjoyed.