Skip
Perrin Briar
Jera just wants to see the world. Sometimes you should be careful what you wish for. Soon she’s on the run and skipping around not just in space, but in time. And she may be called upon to save the fabric of the universe itself…
“Skip” is a sort of mashup of sword-and-sorcery, steampunk, and fairy tale reinterpretation, with more than a touch of humor as well. There’s a huge, mysterious clock cared for by Grandfather Time, a plucky thief, innocent but adventurous beautiful sisters pledged in marriage to men they don’t know, handsome suitors with a dark past, and a plethora of weird and wild magical creatures, not to mention a saving-the-world plot. However, the emphasis is much more on the picaresque than the epic, so while there are definitely dark elements to the story, it’s likely to appeal to younger readers, or anyone looking for some lighthearted adventure. The characters are lightly sketched, with plenty of reliance on fairy-tale cliches, but are all distinct individuals with their own voices nonetheless. Overall, a fun, quick-reading fantasy adventure tale with plenty of magical creatures and a hint of steampunk, as the setting seems to be in kind of 18th-century European-ish world, standing on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution.
E. P. Clark: Author, Book Reviewer, and All-Around Literary Handiwoman 