A coming-of-age fantasy novel inspired by a classic fairy tale and set in medieval Russia before the Tsars. Ilya, the son of a Russian prince, is banished when he tries (and fails) to capture the Firebird who is visiting his father's cherry orchard. He travels through a fantastical Russia full of magic and danger, gains the power to speak to animals, falls in love with an enchanted princess, and battles and evil wizard.
It's been a while since I read this, but it was pretty good. I like most of what I read by Lackey. Stephen King says of her "She'll keep you up long past your bedtime." An interesting pair, a writer who gives you nightmares and one who keeps you awake!

Books by Mercedes Lackey:
Firebird
Bardic Voices I: The Lark and the Wren
Bardic Voices II: The Robin and the Kestrel
The Ship Who Searched (with Anne McCaffrey)
Fiddler Fair
Werehunter
Sacred Ground

Released on Friday, August 01, 2003 at The Book Rack in Anniston, Alabama USA.

I traded this book in at The Book Rack and used the credit to buy the following books:

Dragon's Egg by Robert L. Forward
Fletch and the Widow Bradley by Gregory McDonald
Phantoms by Dean Koontz