I just finished The Chalice by Robin McKinley, one of my favorite writers. I loved this book; as usual, her characters are divine, the environment lush and alien, and the story kept me from putting it down much. There is also a side romance which is sweet and exactly how I like romance…not part of the main story, somewhat of a surprise, but if you think about it afterwards its not.
One of the many things I enjoy about McKinley’s prose is how she thoroughly, yet slowly, immerses the reader into her world. As a fantasy writer, I know how tempting it is to launch into big explantions. Ideally, you give the reader just enough so there is no frustrating confusion without so much information that it distracts from the story.
McKinley is a master at this. Chalice is not set on Earth, at least, not the earth I know. The land, the politics, the cultural mores, are all her invention. Weaving all of that into her tale without overwhelming the reader is a real talent. And no one, in my opinion, does it better.
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