Author’s real name…serious social non-fiction author, Jeri Freedman? Ellen Foxxe? Apparently this is an unanswered mystery that people have been trying to figure out since the 80s. I thought I was on the case, Paperback Warrior style when I found a publisher who recently reissued the books in e-format but when you go to their website database and search for authors, J.F. Rifkin doesn’t even show up even though they have released books by them. So, either they found out and don’t want to share the information or it’s unauthorized. That would be a good way to figure out who the author is. Publish it and wait to see who comes complaining! **** UPDATE! I shared this review in a FB group and I got a comment with a screenshot of the official copyright info. The authors real names were: Devra L. Kunin & Roberta J. Leibovitz.
All I know is according to the blurb on the back cover by fellow Ace Fantasy author Jessica Amanda Salmonson, Silverglass was written by a woman.
“Rousing adventure by, for, and about women”
Salmonson’s quote is reliable as she is an author herself in the sword and sorcery genre and also has written a book titled, The Encyclopedia of Amazons: Women Warriors from Antiquity to the Present Era (1991).
So, who knows?
Silverglass was a four-part series that ran from 1986 to 1991 starring our hero, Corson brenn Torisk. She is a Conan-esque mercenary warrior who kicks around her world, getting into adventures and undesirably having a hand in the fate of the land when all she wants is to party and get money to buy cool trinkets.
In this first entry to the series, it starts as any session of D&D would, in the tavern. She meets a harp player lady who suckers Corson in to defending her honor. Though she cares not for the harp player she sure isn’t gonna let some bar dude wannabe-warrior challenger her. Pride takes over and she kicks ass. Upon getting 86d from the bar she comes upon harp lady again who now wants to hire Corson to escort her to meet up with her boyfriend who is in another city.
Turns out harp lady is Lady Nyctasia who is really part of the aristocracy and a major player in the ruling of the city Rhostshyl. She went against the family and now she is afraid they will murder her. She is also known as the Witch of Rhostshyl, which she denies being anything of the sort which is good because like Conan, Corson is not a fan of sorcerers and magic.
While this is a series, it’s not an epic quest, like Lord of the Rings or Dragonlance or any of the other thousands of fantasy tomes. At least, after reading this first one, I didn’t find it to be that. It’s more of a sequence of small adventures and random encounters with the overarching storyline popping in every once in awhile to remind you that there is an ultimate mission which is to simply reunite Nyctasia with her boyfriend. As I am a “monster of the week” type fella, I really appreciated this. I don’t want a long-drawn-out storyline that seems to never end. This was a total sandbox D&D session. The two ladies meander through the world almost without urgency which sounds like it would be unexciting, but I found it incredibly enjoyable in its simplicity.
The characters of Corson and Lady Nyctasia are what really matter here. Their relationship goes from animosity to best friends forever. They bicker and joke. Argue and band together to fight the common enemy. There is a camaraderie here that was relatable and made you feel as if you were hanging out with your best friends. Nyctasia is a book reader. Dabbles in magic. Has some thief class skills. Witty tricky and smart. Corson is the warrior. Sword master. She’s got the jokes and the attitude. At times she’s almost childlike, which was adorably charming.
Though it’s laidback in plot the pacing is quick with lots of action and puzzling situations to get out of.
There were quite a few softcore sex scenes in this. The first between the two ladies which I did not see coming. Both ladies often talk of how much they love their significant others but also are hot to trot with whoever gets their girdles going, male or female.
I have two more of the series and will definitely be coming back to it. It was simplistic character driven sword and sorcery that was sexy and violent and was exactly what I was looking for.
I also feel like I should mention that though while I didn’t notice it (which I’m a little ashamed to say) other online reviewers have stated that nowhere in the book does any character say “…for a woman.” Like Corson just kicks ass and no one points out that they are surprised or it’s weird. As the blurbs on the cover state this is a book written by a woman that stars well rounded heroine characters that is filled with action and adventure and I would imagine is an empowering read to a female looking for such.
Cover art by Luis Royo
Ace Fantasy 1986
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