A Strange and Stubborn Endurance (The Tithenai Chronicles Book 1)

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Reminiscent of Ursula K. Le Guin, An Accident of Stars will take you to a lush, magical new world.” – Laura Lam That being settled within me, I found myself admiring the new vin Aaro lands—which is to say, the old vin Mica lands—as a traveller might, without thought to their upkeep or earnings. We’d passed a small township earlier on, and since ignored the diversions of smaller, only occasionally signposted roads that presumably led to the various other farms and hamlets now under Father’s purview. Before vin Mica’s folly, trade had flourished along this route, goods moving to and from neighbouring Tithena and Khytë through a single pass in the otherwise forbidding Snowjaw Mountains. Though tenants and traders here had likely suffered for their previous lord’s mismanagement, the physical beauty of the land, at least, remained untouched. The road on which we travelled wound prettily through late-fruiting orchards and gentle hills, the bright grass dotted with flowers. The autumn sky was powder blue, shading to lilac around the gleaming caps of the distant peaks, which shone white this late in the year. Pleasant birdsong coloured the air like music. Velasin vin Aaro never planned to marry at all, let alone a girl from neighboring Tithena. When an ugly confrontation reveals his preference for men, Vel fears he’s ruined the diplomatic union before it can even begin. But while his family is ready to disown him, the Tithenai envoy has a different solution: for Vel to marry his former intended’s brother instead. My reply was forestalled by the sudden appearance of the man himself, trailed by a nursemaid carrying baby Jarien. Remarriage certainly suited Father; I hadn’t seen him so hale in years. His paunch was gone, new muscle firming his arms and shoulders, eyes bright, skin clear. Even before the awful wrangling of what was now called the Dissension, the decade or so in which a loose cadre of antagonistic nobles had stoked political strife within Ralia, and which had finally ended, somewhat anticlimactically, with the exposure of Lord Ennan vin Mica’s plans for rebellion and the arrest, imprisonment and/or execution of his various co-conspirators, my mother’s death had wearied him on a level I’d been too young to fully comprehend, for all that I witnessed it daily. But not even civil peace had eased him as Lady Sine did; or perhaps that was Jarien’s doing, if not the two in combination. Either way, his positive transformation threw into sharp relief my own, inverse trajectory, and in that moment, had he asked for the truth, I would have confessed to everything—even, perhaps, beyond my culpability.

Aye, my lord,” said the elder, head jerking towards the house. “The butler will see you right.” He eyed the meagre bags strapped behind our saddles, one brow rising in surprise. “Should I have your things brought up, my lord?” I saw what happened,” Cae said, into the silence. “From the parapets of the Aida. I was coming to help.” Ren Vaia. This is the new Tiern Velasin vin Aaro, and this –” he looped the bay’s reins over its head as Velasin dismounted, “—is his faithful steed. He’s just arrived from Ralia, so treat him kindly, you understand?”How?” I finally managed. “And to whom? My sinecure cannot be increased so greatly as all that, surely!” Thank you!” Velasin gasped, and then they were riding together, horses snorting as they cantered up the slope. Which, thanks to the unusual emptiness of the courtyard, left Cae alone with Velasin. The injured tiern took a step forward, paled and almost fell over, remaining upright seemingly through sheer stubbornness. Only then did Cae realise the extent of the problem: Velasin’s left thigh was wet with blood, the dark stain spreading across his breeches. Most likely, he’d pulled his stitches open. Hissing in dismay, Cae moved to help him. A Tithenai girl,” I echoed faintly. I could no more swallow the concept than water could swallow oil. “You—that is, you mean—I—”

Inwardly, Cae sighed; outwardly, he straightened. “Tiern Caethari Aeduria,” he said, softly. “Or Cae, if you like.”

See a Problem?

With the plot against them foiled and the city of Qi-Katai in safe hands, Velasin and Caethari have begun to test the waters of their relationship. But the wider political ramifications of their marriage are still playing out across two nations, and all too soon, they’re summoned north to Tithena’s capital city, Qi-Xihan, to present themselves to its monarch. Recognising Cae, the arguing guards snapped to attention, but before either Raeki or Ru Zairin could speak, Velasin stumbled between them, shoving his way to the bedside. I snorted. “Much as fine lace is different to canvas, yes.” And then, in signs—for use of the skill kept it fresh for me—“We should see the main house, soon.”

Varus is quite fond of it, actually,” she said. “He thinks of it as an investment piece.” She hesitated, then said, “There’s plans to reopen the Taelic Pass to trade with Tithena, and hopefully that will bring Khytoi trade, too. They’ve always been famed for their artifex as well as furs, and if all goes well, he’s hoping it’ll make a good impression on their merchants. And, well.” She laughed. “He likes that Jarien likes it.” Many a reader longing for a sense of homecoming in the realm of romantic fantasy will find it in A Strange and Stubborn Endurance." - Jacqueline CareyTruly, we are living in a golden age of queer fantasy. From continent-spanning epics and fairytale reimaginings to seemingly futuristic dystopias and worlds built on complex systems of magic, these are stories that run the gamut from thrillers to romance and everything in between. The best of the lot, however, are usually those that mix various genres and elements in a way that feels fresh and new or gives readers something they haven’t seen before. From the exceptional pen of Foz Meadows comes another masterpiece in fantasy literature – "All the Hidden Paths." This book takes us on a spectacular voyage through worlds both surreal and strikingly human, weaving a tale of adventure, self-discovery, and the intertwined destinies that connect us all. I dare to say this sequel is even BETTER than “A Strange and Stubborn Endurance.” That is saying a lot for me, as that was my top read for 2022! Markel is wonderful, loyal character. He cannot speak, and he and Vel have developed their own sign language. They care deeply for each other, as Markel has stood beside him since they were children, when Vel took him in from one of the poor areas of Ralia. He desperately wants Vel to be happy, and tells him he can allow himself to feel again. Their relationship was truly touching. There were many other characters in the book. The envoy, Keletha, is gender fluid, and they are quite disgusted at how their relationships were treated when they arrive at Ralia. Two of the women soldiers accompanying them were married for five years, but given Ralian views on same sex relationships, they were not allowed to be together. It is Keletha who says “fifteen days on mountain roads, and I had rather ride them over again than subject myself to his [Vel’s father] hospitality.” They were such an amazing character.

BT] Which stories have had a considerable effect on you? I know you are a fan of The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison; who else do you love? At this, my lungs and brain forgot how breathing worked, denying me that function for seconds that passed like minutes. My poleaxed expression must have been the expected response, however, for Father waited out my breathlessness with no apparent chagrin. That will doubtless please my lord to hear,” said Lady Sine, and for a moment, her gaze was shrewd as Markel’s. “Though he might wonder at the occasion.” BT] A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is a lot of things: a love story, a story about healing, friendship, cultural roles and the damage they can do, and recovery from trauma. How did you balance everything so well? Did the story organically grow as you wrote it?Sorry,” he muttered, flushing at the error, and promptly snugged his arm around Velasin’s ribs. “There. You can lean on me, now.” Of course,” said Cae. “But you’ll have to trust me at least enough to lean on, tiern. That leg won’t hold your weight.”