Pre-numbered label used for registration.

A great book. The first in a planned trilogy, and I'll be sure to look for the others.
The tale of Alex, a slave and recent graduate of the College of Animism. He is talented but naive, and goes out on a quest to find his Anim, an animal which which he will bond for life, sharing an empathic bond that will allow them to detect and resist magic. But the College spent a lot of money training him, and they want it back. Until he returns with a useful Anim and works off his debt, they won't teach him the technique of Separation. Without Separation, if his Anim dies, so will Alex.
Alex travels through a world of islands, an Archipelago populated by a variety of creatures. In addition to the Humani, there are the furry, tree-dwelling Lemyri, who distrust magic and helped found the College of Animists; the ratlike Rodeni, who are everywhere and are constantly persecuted; the playful Delphini, who guard ships; and more.
In seeking his freedom, Alex bonds with a supposedly useless (though brave and loving) Anim, and falls into the middle of a war.

Books by Eve Forward:
Animist (copy 2)
Villains By Necessity

Bookcrosser Mandali also has a copy of this book, and has linked to my review. Here's Mandali's copy of Animist, which is about to be sent out in a bookray.
Also take a look at N8an's copy of Animist, which has an interesting story.

When I send Harlan Ellison's I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream to avanta7, I'll include this book as a bonus. Avanta7 has a cat named Mote (shown in her profile picture), the same name as Alex's Anim, so I thought this would be appropriate.

Oh boy! Lagniappe! Phantomreader42 thoughtfully included this "something extra" with an agreed-upon trade, with the following charming note attached: "Here's a bonus book in honor of your cat. Hope you like it."

I hope so too. Thank you very much!

Thought I would upload a picture of the "honored" kitty, because the profile photo will eventually change. Here's Mote! I always catch him napping when it's picture time.

BTW, this book is promised to SpikesMom.

Caveat: Normally I don't much like and don't usually read the magic/sorcery or sentient animal species variety of fantasy. (The exception, of course, being Tolkien.) Since this novel combined both, it wasn't something I would have ever chosen for myself. The best thing about BookCrossing, however, is being exposed to books outside one's normal comfort zones.

This book surprised me. I actually enjoyed it. And although I'm not overwhelmed with appreciation for nor am I inclined to pursue more of Ms. Forward's work, she writes with an engaging, entertaining style - her scenes are well-detailed, her characters well-realized, and her plotting, while confusing from time to time, moves along at a brisk pace. I liked Alex and his Anim, Mote, a great deal, and gasped out loud at one scene near the middle of the book, when Mote and Alex are duelling with a powerful magician with apparently tragic consequences.

Thank you, PhantomReader42, for sending me this little surprise. It's off to SpikesMom in short order.

Mailed to Spikesmom today.

Just arrived! Off to Mt. TBR...

I'd say that this was entertaining, although nothing special. Alex has some real issues that are interesting -- he's a slave -- and the set-up with his Animist is complex and should lend a sense of urgency to the story. The story itself is kinda neat. Makes an interesting commentary on race relations, but without being pedantic or boring.

Oooo, this book comes with a journal featuring some of BookCrossing's finest! I will endeavor to live up to the three masters before me, but I think it will be deep winter before this makes it to the top of the pile. Thank you SpikesMom for holding onto this and I am glad we finally met.