Fantasy -- 4 stars
The Merciful Crow Series - Book 1
In a world governed by a caste system, Crows are the lowest of the low. Their services for the dying and the dead are necessary, but not respected. When Fie's Crow family is called to attend a death at the Phoenix court, nothing is as it seems, and soon Fie and her family find themselves mired in political intrigue and the target of a Queen hell bent on having a throne all to herself. ----- A solid, if not great, beginning to a new fantasy series. Ms. Owen has written the central character as a strong, capable woman with some depth, while leaving room for growth in future books. The people who surround her are a mix of trite and original, but none are weakly portrayed. One central premise of the book--what is the sin plague?--is never really explained which leaves you wishing for more information. While there is obviously more to the story, and this book's plot is simple, it does complete one adventure without an annoying cliffhanger ending. I hope for more intricate plotting in the second volume, coming next year.
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