Genre: Sci-Fi, Solarpunk
LGBTQ+ Category: Bi, Gender Fluid, Non-Binary, Transgender
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
In a lush solarpunk future, plants have stripped most of the poison from the air and bounty hunters keep resource hoarders in check. Orfeus only wants to be a travelling singer, famed and adored. She has her share of secrets, but she’s no energy criminal, so why does a bounty hunter want her dead?
Not just any bounty hunter but the Wolf, most fearsome of all the Order of the Vengeful Wild. Orfeus will call in every favor she has to find out, seeking answers while clinging to her pride and fending off the hunters of the Wild.
But she isn’t the only one at risk: every misstep endangers the enemies she turns into allies, and the allies she brings into danger. There are worse monsters than the Wolf hiding in this new green world.
The Review
Orfeus is waiting to meet with Primrose, who she wants. But Primrose is married to Bellan. Even though they seem to have an open relationship, Primrose declares her love for Bellan and tells Orfeus she cannot give her everything she wants. Primrose is ready to leave the dining hall, but Orfeus persuades her to stay for one more drink while she searches for daisies.
As Orfeus is admiring all the beautiful greenery, she is attacked by Wolf/Faol, a representative of the Order of the Vengeful Wild. Someone has put a contract out on her. The fight between her and Wolf is overpowering, and she is almost defeated. But being “Blooded” and using all of her energies gives her a chance to escape, and to make Wolf promise that he will leave her alone.
All Orfeus has ever really wanted was to be a traveling performer, singing and playing her guitar. She lives in Tinctura, a not-so-thriving city, but she likes it that way. She only knows about being “Blooded” because of what her mother Maylis had told her. As she recovers from her wounds, she visits her neighbor Linden, a carpenter and his companion Splodge. But they are not true friends
After Wolf’s attack, Orfeus is determined to find out who ordered the contract on her life. She seeks out Threadgall Weaver, who works the hub of communication, and makes a request for the information from the library in Eldergrove. She gets an answer, and an escort by the name of Rivasoa, who doesn’t seem to like her very much.
Once in Eldergrove, she meets with the counsel of Elders, who are elected by the people of the city: Margaux, Amanda, Othmar, Latafale, Significance O’Hallow and Rivasoa, who she has dealt with previously. Margaux knows that Orfeus is “Blooded” and has magic, but they don’t believe it came from Maylis. The Elders want a sample of her blood, but Orfeus doesn’t agree. But mysteriously she realizes someone has taken a sample.
Orfeus is in the midst of many dilemmas: The Elders, Order of the Vengeful Wild, the Leader and the Wolf. She will have to make a choices, not knowing which will bring danger and betrayal to those she knows, and to herself.
Wigmore has written an a epic novel with a cast of diverse characters and the society that they live in, filled with right and wrongs, failures and accomplishments, and a religion, politics and organizations which seek to make things better. The world building is fantastic and complex, but Foxhunt is also fast-paced, with plenty of action.
Orfeus is an outstanding character, who will deal with danger, torture, guilt, deception, and betrayal as she tries to decide who she can trust, and to gain an understanding of all those around her. There’s even a surprising slow-burn romance.
I loved the diverse characters: Linden, Splodge, Em and Bright, Wolf there’s Luga, Hyena, Shark, Dormarch, Boarhound, Ocelot, Owl, Wasp and Otter. There’s a great diversity here, as well as some information about the usage of their pronouns. The Introduction is well worth reading.
I highly recommend Foxhunt, an immensely entertaining, diverse and dynamic novel.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.