I’ve never had a Publishers’ Weekly review — until this week.  For those of you who don’t know much about these reviews, it’s the one that is sometimes featured on the Amazon.com page for a book. They are often critical or a bit tongue in the cheek, hinting at — rather than stating outright — that the reviewer really didn’t like the book. Most authors desire a PW review, at the same time as dreading getting one…

The ultimate accolade is to get a “starred” review. Just the one star, but you can’t get better than that. And no, my review was not starred, but as my publicity manager said: “Any review that repeats the word “exciting” twice in one paragraph is definitely going to be a good one…”

Here’s the whole thing:

“Families are divided, heroes are made, and the fate of the world is decided in the exciting conclusion to Australian conservationist Larke’s Watergiver trilogy (after 2010’s Stormlord Rising). In the desert-dry Quartern nation, only a cloudmaster can keep people alive by calling the rains. Lord Jasper Bloodstone, once a commoner, is the last surviving cloudmaster, but he is unable to manipulate salt water. His waterpainter lover, Terelle, wants to help, but a magical compulsion draws her away. Jasper’s brother, Sandmaster Ravard, is killing every rainlord he can find–even targeting Jasper–in hopes of bringing back the Time of Random Rain. In poignant counterpoint, transgender warrior Rubric Verdigris struggles with his conscience and what it means to be a man. Themes of family and identity dominate a story line that is both intimate and world-spanning. Series fans will love the exciting action and well-developed characters; new readers will want to seek out the earlier books.”

UK Orbit cover

Australian Voyager cover

US Orbit cover