REVIEW: Sing the Four Quarters by Tanya Huff

More often than not, I tend to gravitate towards big, towering works of epic fantasy. I love to just sit under a tree, or languish in the tub, and totally lose myself in a book. Of course, every once in a while I love to pick up something light and easy – one of those books you can thoroughly enjoy without having to invest in an author’s efforts at world building.

Sing the Four Quarters is one of those light reads, but it’s also an important one. Tanya Huff presents us with a world where homosexuality isn’t an issue. In fact, it’s almost the norm. A bisexual relationship between two female bards and a male duc drives much of the plot, but it’s never allowed to overshadow things. Huff never beats you over the head with the rainbow stick, and it’s nice to read about such an open, welcoming society.

Really, not a lot happens in this book, but that’s OK. It’s a traditional quest story, but with one imporant twist. Our bisexual heroine is not only pregnant, she’s running from what she believes to be a death sentence for treason, and doing it alongside the father of her child, whom she’s helped escape from the king’s dungeon in order to clear his name. As if that weren’t enough, she’s also racing to rescue her lesbian lover, who has been taken captive by those who framed the duc.

Fun, fast, and very touching. I’m very much looking forward to the next volume in the series (No Quarter), which apparently introduces some male/female body-swapping. :)
♥