Sorcery Rising: Of Fools Gold Bk.1 (Fool's Gold) (Paperback)

Katla has no wish to marry anyone. She wants to remain free to climb the cliffs and rocks that she loves and create beautiful knives and swords with her talent as a smith, but when she arrives at the Allfair and climbs the rock her people call Sur's Castle, she unwittingly sets unforeseen events into motion that might see her burned at the stake and war between bitter rivals.

This story was huge in its vision. Katla is a wonderfully captivating character, as are her brothers and father. Saro Vingo is another character that we feel drawn to. This book deserves its four stars, but the fifth I withheld because there was simply too many good characters. I know that sounds weird, but there were so many different points of view in this book and so many character switches, that I was in danger of getting lost.

Jude Fisher is one talented lady. She would have had all five stars if she had limited the point of view to a handful of characters instead of two handfuls and more. Buy this one now, and then hurry on to the second book called Wild Magic... I'm starting it tonight.

Reviewed by Mark E. Cooper
The Warrior Within

In essence, it is a story of two feuding 'nations', the Eyrans from the North and the Istrians from the South, who have an uneasy truce but who have gathered together for the annual Allfair. Add to this steaming cauldron the nomads - the Footloose - purveyors of charms and until now harmless potions -who have come all over Elda and the Master's runaway apprentice, Virelai, with Beta the cat and the strange but beautiful woman, Rosa Eldi and very perplexing things start to happen. The status quo has well and truly been ripped apart - and no man or woman is untouched by the sorcery pervading the Allfair. Men are possessed, some are reduced to violence, some to powerful obsessions whether it be of women, riches or land and a few realise a power - a 'sixth sense' if you like, that is both beneficial and dangerous. There are some great characters in this story, in fact so many, I hardly have the space to list them. My favourite is the courageous, head-strong, athletic and very gifted Katla. She features strongly in this the first book of the Fool's Gold series and hope that we may see plenty of her in the following books.

I was charmed by the author's magical and poetic use of language. I was gripped by the horrifying and sometimes violent scenes and I adored Jude's sense of place and person. I felt her lands and her characters really did exist - I wish! But most of all, and most importantly, Sorcery Rising is a compulsive page turner and I for one cannot wait for book two. Can someone please hurry Jude up?!

Fiona Swinton

A great debut, by an astounding author. If you miss it, you'll miss one of the greatest works of fantasy out there.