The setting in the opening volume is superfi-
cially familiar. A medieval style kingdom is threat-
ened by external forces, requiring a good deal of
political maneuvering both in the open and be-
hind the scenes. In the middle of this, two mes-
sengers arrive, a profession usually reserved for
sexually neutral individuals, but in this case both
are actually women concealing their sexuality. Al-
though the surface plot proceeds conventionally,
with the invaders defeated by subterfuge and force
of arms, the details are what make the novel rich
and interesting. One group is willing to fight but
not to kill, for example, and the roles of the sexes
are contrasted and illuminated by the four major
characters.
The Dancers of Aruntakes place several gener-
ations later and is essentially a coming of age
novel. The protagonist was maimed as a child, so
he cannot serve as a soldier, but he is developing
unusual psychic powers that are not entirely a
blessing. The protagonist of The Northern Girlhas
a similar problem, complicated by the fact that she
is an indentured servant. The three novels exam-
ine issues of pacifism, free will, and sexual equality
in a fresh and noncombative manner. Lynn was
clearly a writer to watch, but unfortunately she
produced very little new fiction between 1980 and
1998, only a children’s fantasy and a handful of
short stories. Tales from a Vanished Country(1990)
brought most of her uncollected short fiction to-
gether in book form for the first time.
In 1998 Lynn returned to fantasy with
Dragon’s Winter.One of a pair of twins runs off
with a magic talisman that would have enabled his
brother to transform himself into a dragon.
Trapped in a mortal body and now an adult, the
latter must find a way to defeat the armies of an
evil sorcerer, who turns out to be his brother, re-
turned at last. The story is continued in Dragon’s
Treasure (2004) with at least one further title
probable. Her return to the field has been warmly
welcomed.Lynn, Elizabeth A. 225