This book was published in 1982, but it isn’t dated at all, which is what I most worry about when picking up old books. It turned out to be just a really, really good book.

I struggled to get oriented with the world at first. One geographic area is literally called Home, and that was super confusing. So was the fact that it was obviously high fantasy but there’s also trains. This was mostly just a problem in the first couple chapters, though, and once I got past it the story was amazingly absorbing.

Harry is the main character. She’s the classic misfit I’d-rather-be-riding-than-doing-ladylike-things trope, but she does have a lot of self-control and is able to at least act like a lady when she has to. When the book opens she’d recently moved to the desert of Damar with her brother after the death of her parents, and she actually kinda likes it. She catches the attention of Corlath, king of the mysterious Hill People, when he comes to her town to do some diplomacy. The diplomacy does not go well, but before Corlath returns to his people, he kidnapps Harry and takes her with him. (I don’t feel like this is a spoiler because it happens in chapter two or three.)

Harry is remarkably chill with this new development, which I actually really enjoyed. It was so much fun to watch her earn the respect of the Hill People, get to know their culture, and learn some of their skills without a bunch of panicked what-is-going-on-take-me-back or simpering homesickness moments. Harry is really good at keeping her emotions bottled up – but there actually is a logical and plot-relevant reason for it. Mostly it keeps drama out of the way and puts the focus on the Hill People culture and Harry learning all sorts of awesome skills. Harry’s just a character that definitely has feelings but doesn’t display wild and dramatic emotions, and I actually really liked that about her.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot because watching it unfold is the best part. A lot of different things happen as Harry becomes more and more a part of the Hill People, and it’s absolutely fantastic. Each new happening is better than the last one, to the point where the climax made my eyes literally tear up from … epicness? Is “I’m reading something epic” an emotion? Either way, I unequivocally loved it.

My only real problem with the book was the denouement (the part after the climax), and that’s really a personal thing. Harry leaves warrior-ing behind her, gets married, and has kids. I did not like that ending at all, mainly because that’s not a choice that I would have made. If I defeated a demon hoarde singlehandedly, there is no way in hell I would give up being a warrior to raise kids. I understand some people actually want to raise kids, but that seems like a major downgrade to me.

I don’t actually think I’m going to read book two, which is actually a prequel focusing on Lady Aerin. I’m sure it’s good, but I don’t really feel any need to read it – this book was perfectly self-contained and supremely satisfying. This book was really, really good and I wholeheartedly recommend it.