The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia A. McKillip; fantasy; 336 pages
I love all things Patricia McKillip. Her writing style is very dreamlike and figurative--so much so that it's sometimes possible to lose track of the action, but at that point I'm so lost in the poetry of her prose that I don't care anymore.
I've read most of McKillip's books, and this one was heavily reminiscent of my favorite, The Alphabet of Thorn. Bards is two linked stories: In one, a student researches ancient legends for his final paper, and slowly becomes obsessed with Nairn, the mythic bard who cannot die. In alternating chapters, Nairn's real story is laid out--his rise to fame, his obsession with a forgotten language, and the epic contest whose loss cursed him forever. The story isn't something to be read quickly, but savored in small portions--a chapter or two at a time. The prose is beautiful, as always.
If you love Robin McKinley's books, or C. J. Cherryh's fantasy novels, give McKillip a try.
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