Spiritwalker Trilogy by Kate Elliott

I lick up books for lunch, slurp them for supper, and dine on them for dessert. I go through books so quickly that even I have a hard time keeping up with what book I'm reading. It's a rare book that keeps me reading for more than two days. I just finished a trilogy that kept me reading for more than a couple of days.

I cannot say enough good things about this trilogy. It was a Steampunk fantasy-loving feminist's dream. It also helped that one of the main characters shares my name!

It had romance to please my sappy romantic heart. The romance was not an overwhelming part of the series, but enough to satisfy. There were two remarkable things. One of the cultures in the book allowed women to have TWO husbands. The women in the novels also were able to have sexual assignations without anyone in the book calling them sluts. At the same time, the women in the novels were mostly without the right to own property.

I loved the Steampunk aspect, of course! Trolls were portrayed in a way that is very different from the way they have been in any other book I've read. I have always thought of them as being huge, hulking creatures with little intelligence. They were learned, brilliant beings who were scientists and lawyers. The author described them as something I imagine being a cross between a velociraptor and a giant bird. They conveyed themselves by way of airships and experimented with black powder.

There were political undercurrents that jive with my current political leanings. In addition to the main plot, there was political fomentation going on. There were pamphlets printed and speeches given on the corner, complete with hecklers who were easily dismissed by the female orator. Women demanded the same rights as the men. I loved watching the progress of the "radicals" and their ideals.

This is the third in the Spiritwalker Trilogy, so if you're interested in reading, start with Cold Fire, the first in the series. If you're a feminist, a Steampunk lover, a romantic, or a fantasy lover, this is the trilogy for you!