Airs Beneath the Moon (Horse Mistress Saga)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 336 pages
• Published by: Ace December 26, 2006
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0441014623
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0441014620
• Book Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Weighs: 0.2 ounces

From Booklist
Larkyn Hamley, a 14-year-old farm girl with a special affinity for animals, finds a lost, starving, pregnant mare and cares for her. The mare dies giving birth to a colt that, much to Lark's surprise, has wings. She lovingly cares for him, and he bonds with her. A bond with a winged horse is for life, and when Horsemistress Philippa Winter arrives for the colt, she realizes she must take Lark, too, to the Academy of the Air, which trains winged foals and their riders-to-be. There Lark faces snobbery and hostility on the part of young women of noble birth, and she runs afoul of the devious plans of the power-hungry, sadistic eldest son of the dying duke, owner and protector of the birth lines of the winged horses. Bishop enables us to visualize the horses in solo flight and complicated formations, scenes at the academy are utterly real, and the characters have dimension. In short, this is a thoroughly satisfying read, fortunately with enough loose ends to justify a sequel. Sally Estes
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description
In the Duchy of Oc, the most precious of creatures are the winged horses blessed by the goddess Kalla. When one is born, it is immediately taken to the Academy of the Air to be trained and watched over. But when a spirited peasant girl bonds with a winged horse of her own, the Academy gets more than it bargained for.

Reader Reviews
Larkyn Hamley lives in the Uplands in the Duchy of Oc. Until recently she's lived a pretty normal life on the family farm with her three brothers. Until she finds Char. Horses are more than rare in the Uplands, and until now Larkyn has never seen a real one. But, here she is, and it's only the beginning. Char dies trying to give birth to her foal. Not just any horse, but a winged horse! Winged horses, by law, belong to the Duke. Their bloodlines are monitored. Winged horses are bred. They don't just show up on farms in the Uplands. Until now. What Larkyn doesn't know is that winged horses bond for life with one female only. Usually those females are specially chosen, monitored, and trained. All Larkyn knows is that her new friend Tup needs to be fed and cared for, and Tup doesn't really like her brothers. By the time Mistress Phillipa Winter from the Academy arrives, it's too late. Larkyn and Tup are inseparable. There is really no choice to be made. She wasn't chosen, she's not prepared, she's far too young, and she may never fit in, but Larkyn is off to the Academy with Tup, to train for their service to the Duke. It's quickly apparent that fitting in, while virtually impossible, is the least of Larkyn's problems. And, difficult as the situation is, Larkyn is the least of the Academy's problems. When the Duke dies, and his son takes over, there may be a lot more to worry about, for the entire Duchy. This book is unbelievably absorbing! At first I found it mildly hard to follow, because it doesn't explain everything outright. Gradually, I realized that all my questions were answered as the story unfolded. By the end I not only appreciated the assumption of intelligent readership, I also realized how much more involved in the story I was, because of the way it was written. Not to mention that it is, plain and simple, a great story. All of the characters are very well formed, very real, and interesting. The Duke's son is incredibly disturbing, as are some of his habits, most of which are only alluded to (and trust me, that's a good thing). But he's kind of pitiful at the same time; you almost feel a little bad for him. Almost. This is the first in what is planned as a trilogy. Good thing too, otherwise I would have some issues with Ms. Bishop. I hadn't had nearly enough by the end of this book. It doesn't so much end with an "OMG! What happens next?" but more of an "I want to know more. I want to spend more time here." I think I'll end up reading it over and over until the next one comes out! Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman