"terrific opening return to the Nine Kingdoms fantasy realm"

Ever since the last battle with Lothar the evil black mage, spells by the archmage Miach and the two magical swords keep the Kingdom of Nieroche safe for now. However, Miach's brother King Adhemar panics when he realizes his tie to the magic especially one of the swords has abruptly ended as if a spell occurred to sever this link. Miach worries that a new war with Lothar is coming with the kingdom in peril. The royal siblings seek out someone who can use the Sword of Angesand as they know the only way to prevent Lothar from overwhelming Nieroche is with the two magical swords.

Lord Nicholas sends his trained mercenary Morgan to deliver a dagger to the king. To their royal surprise the king and the archmage may have found the Sword of Angesand wielder, but the mercenary warrior is a she, who rejects magic as skill and training is the way of combat for Morgan. Still she is the one as Miach and Glides, one of her traveling companions, are falling in love with the female warrior, but first they must save the kingdom.

STAR OF THE MORNING is a terrific opening return to the Nine Kingdoms as Lynn Kurland provides fantasy readers with a delightful quest tale starring likable heroes. Morgan is fascinating as the focus of the story line (and the men in her life) because she is so guileless yet strong, brave and feisty. Her courage makes for a magical beginning to what looks like will be a superb romantic fantasy trilogy.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted November 28, 2006

Summary

From the USA Today bestselling author comes the first in a magical romantic fantasy trilogy.

Darkness covers the north, since the black mage has begun his assault on the kingdom of Neroche. Legend has it that only the two magical swords held by Neroche's king can defeat the mage. Now the fate of the Nine Kingdoms rests in the hands of a woman destined to wield one of those blades...

In this land of dragons and mages, warrior maids and magical swords, nothing is as it seems. And Morgan will find that the magic in her blood brings her troubles she cannot face with a sword-and a love more powerful than she has ever imagined.