Another Fantasy Rec

So I mentioned Pamela Freeman's Castings trilogy yesterday in my post about Alison Sinclair's Darkborn, but I mistakenly thought I had talked about Freeman's books before -- double mistake because I usually check and link to any previous posts if I have mentioned them before. 

So I'll do it here. Actually, this will be a post about book one of the trilogy, Blood Ties, which was released in '07. Blood Ties was followed Deep Water last fall (on my bedside table) and book three, Full Circle, will be released later this year. Now I know that I've mentioned the fabulous Orbit imprint over at Hachette before, and I highly recommend you check out their site for a list of available titles if you're a fantasy/sci-fi/urban fantasy fan. They have it all, and they have some of the best, including Pamela Freeman.

I received and reviewed Blood Ties when it was first released and thought it was fabulous and intense. Now, I remind you that although I am a big fantasy fan, I've not read as much as I should have. But I think what I have read of the genre has left me with pretty high standards. I especially enjoyed how Freeman has built a wonderful world filled with original characters and an in-depth history. Like many epic fantasy tales, Blood Ties follows multiple characters as they journey towards their conclusion, with alternating chapters in each different perspective. 

Anyway, here's a bit about the book from my review for the BB:

In a world ruled by warlords, where ghosts walk amongst the living, one man is planning an act of revenge that has been generations in the making. Thousands of years ago, Acton and his troops spread throughout what would become the Eleven Domains, raping, plundering, and murdering the original inhabitants. Those who survived took to the road, becoming known from then on as the Travelers. Bramble and Ash both carry Traveler blood within them and though they lead very different lives, their fates are intertwined and their paths will finally intersect in this first book of the Castings Trilogy. This story is primarily theirs - Freeman weaves their tales together, telling their separate histories and the trials that will lead to their involvement in the events to come. Their stories are interspersed with that of Saker, the enchanter who helps to set events into motion, and others that are met along the way. This is Freeman’s first adult title and marks the beginning of what promises to be a fascinating fantasy trilogy that melds together political intrigue and magic. 

Pamela Freeman had previously written both children's and YA titles before the Castings trilogy was released. This is her kid's site and this is the site devoted to the Castings books. Check them out for news, reviews, interviews, and everything else Pamela Freeman. 

I would put Freeman in the category with Greg Keyes's and his Kingdom of Thorn and Bone series -- readers who enjoy one will enjoy the other. As always, I promise to keep you updated as I read the other books in the series. 

Happy reading!