The Compass Rose, by Gail Dayton

[rachelmanija]

Kallista is a naitan (magic user) of the North school of magic. She can control lightning, and has a hot bodyguard named Torchay who is secretly madly in love with her and carries a lot of knives. Since her magic is only useful for warfare, she's in the army. Her country is invaded, she's in trouble on the front lines, she calls out to God for help

Comments

[kate_nepveu]

I read this on vacation a few years ago and was charmed enough by the poly in a Harlequin-imprint that I liked it at the time. And yet I've never picked up the sequel, which I did buy, which I think is my backbrain realizing it wasn't actually that good after all.

[lnhammer]

The sequel improves things a bit, despite a serious structural flaw -- for one thing, we get the second half of the novel. Not to mention Kallista gets more likeable.

---L.

[minnow1212]

I just saw this in the bookstore and considered it b/c i liked the cover but ultimately decided against. Dodged a bullet there.

[rachelmanija]

Hmm, I dunno. Everyone who commented here liked it more than I did.

[oracne]

My comments:

http://oracne.livejournal.com/760411.html