Tamras, a young woman hailing from a small village, arrives at Merin’s house to be fostered and forged into a warrior. Here, her strength, resilience, and spirit will be tested and honed as she treads the path that leads from adolescence to womanhood. Her journey is a reflection of the tumultuous heart, as she must reconcile herself with the shadows of her lineage. Through the glistening morning mists and beneath the silver gaze of the moon, Tamras’s endurance and wisdom will be her stalwart companions.
Not alone in her quest, Tamras finds herself amongst a myriad of indomitable characters. There’s Maara, the reticent warrior with a past as shadowed as the night. Her silent strength belies a soul that has seen the turmoil of a thousand storms, and yet, the unyielding resolve to forge ahead. Merin, who presides over the household, is a towering figure whose wisdom and valor have woven countless tales. Her knowledge is a guiding star for those under her roof. With a roster of ancillary characters, each with their individual tales woven with a finesse that’s akin to the delicate threads of a silken cloth, Catherine M. Wilson conjures an otherworldly realm.
As shadows lengthen and challenges mount, alliances are forged and rivalries are kindled. Tamras must not only draw upon her growing skills as a warrior but on the compassion and understanding of what it means to be part of something greater than oneself. The ethereal whispers of the past and the echoing drumbeat of a future yet to be written entwine as the tale reaches its crescendo.
The very timbre of Janis Ian’s voice the one that narrated Rogues and Dangerous Women, seems to weave spells around the characters, giving voice to their innermost yearnings and trepidations. The culminating tempest of the story’s culmination is not just an ending, but a promise of legends still singing through the trees and over the hills, as When Women Were Warriors Book I leaves an indelible mark upon the soul.