Passion Play by Beth Bernobich

CLASSIFICATION: Passion Play is a novel that blends together romance, classic fantasy tropes and political intrigue. Some comparisons have been made to Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel series, and while there are a few similarities, Passion Play is not nearly as grandiose, sensual, or elegantly written. Instead, the book reminded me at times of Robin Hobb’s early stuff, some Kate Elliott, and C.E. Murphy’s Inheritors' Cycle, although Beth Bernobich has her own style. From an age-suitable standpoi... Read More

Passion Play by Beth Bernobich

I have to confess, when Beth Bernobich’s new book Passion Play arrived in my mailbox (unsolicited), I was kinda wondering who the publisher thought they were sending their book to. The title, combined with the hot looking young woman in a dress that reveals the top of a shapely and (I assumed) heaving bosom, made me think someone in the PR department had gotten their signals crossed and somewhere, some romance reviewer was looking at a book with a dragon on the cover and thinking “huh?” But I didn’t let the cover (or the fact that “passion” appears twice on the cover) deter me, and what I discovered was a very solid read, one with flaws but which did leave me by the end interested in picking up the sequel.

The young girl on the cover is Therez Zhalina (our third-person narrator for the book’s entirety), who in relatively quick fashion: learns s... Read More

Passion Play  by Beth Bernobich

I enjoy court-intrigue plots and, having read some good books in that vein lately, I was craving more. Then I remembered Passion Play languishing on my bookshelf. I’ve had it for over a year, and tried to read it once before but couldn’t get into it. Now seemed like a good time to give it another shot.

Passion Play tells the story of Therez Zhalina, a merchant’s daughter who runs away from home when her father promises her in marriage to the much older Theodr Galt, in whom Therez sees alarming hints of cruelty. She changes her name to Ilse and intends to travel to the capital city, Duenne, to seek clerical work. Instead she is brutalized by the men of the caravan she’s traveling with, escapes, and ends up in the city of Tiralien where she is taken in by Raul Kosenmark, a nobleman who runs a pleasure house and is secretly involved in politi... Read More

Queen’s Hunt by Beth Bernobich

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Beth Bernobich's first book, Passion Play, a combination of having received it unasked-for and its romance-like cover. While it had its flaws, I found the main characters, Ilse and Kosenmark, intriguing and captivating both individually and with regard to their burgeoning relationship. In the end I gave it four stars and said in my review that I looked forward to its follow-up. That sequel, Queen's Hunt, recently arrived in my mailbox — expected this time, but unfortunately, still a bit of a surprise upon reading as I found it a disappointing continuation of the story.

Ilse and Kosenmark continue to work for what they see as the benefit of their country, Veraene, though it puts them at odds with their king and especially his mage advisor. It also makes them advers... Read More