Genre: Fantasy, Cozy Fantasy, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Scott
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About The Book
The Isle of Skiy, surrounded by ocean, is a beautiful, prosperous land where no one ever arrives and no one ever leaves. According to myth, mysterious ocean-dwellers protect the isle, but no one’s ever seen them, and seeking to disturb the peace is forbidden.
But Kevane, the newest and youngest Lord of Skiy, can’t help asking questions. And he isn’t the only one. His outwardly tidy household minister Rill possesses radical tendencies and a family secret. Kev’s mother refuses to share what she knows. And the sea-folk have their own reasons for guarding this particular island.
Together, Kev and Rill will uncover the truth of a legend, fall in love, and change two worlds: sea and Skiy.
The Review
I’m a sucker for a K.L. Noone story, and so I grabbed a copy of The Isle of Skiy as soon as it was available. Noone has an amazing style, sketching her worlds with deceptive ease, an artist whose cursor is her brush.
This one is no exception. It’s a beautifully written love story set on the titular Isle of Skiy, a lovely, isolated place where longevity is commonplace, the people are peaceful, and life proceeds at a stately pace.
Lord Kevane lost his father a year earlier, and now he’s asking the question no one is supposed to ask. What happens to the bodies of the dead, when they are left on the island’s shore at night? He puts the question to his Household Minister, Rill, who insists he never speak of it again. When his mother tells him the same thing, Kev is more determined than ever to find out.
But when something sparks between Kev and Rill, they give in to the feelings that had been under the surface the whole time. And Rill son becomes a willing accomplice in Kev’s quest.
The Isle of Skiy is a cozy fantasy mystery. It was originally written ten years ago. Noone recently pulled it out of her trunk and revised and released it for the first time. This is a beautiful, charming love story set in a magical place – damn you, KL, for making me want to go to a place that doesn’t exist!
If there’s one thing to gripe about here, it’s the short length of this tale. Kev and Rill’s romance is a little insta-love, and the resolution comes a smidge too easily. The story might be better served in a longer format, with a little more room to breathe.
Still, these are trifles. The consummate skill of the Noone’s worldbuilding, and her glorious mastery of the language, make this a must-read. Highly recommended.
The Reviewer
Scott is the founder of Queer Sci Fi, and a fantasy and sci fi writer in his own right, with more than 30 published short stories, novellas and novels to his credit, including two trilogies.