I saw this at the San Buenaventura Friends of the Library September booksale and couldn't resist buying it. This is one of my all-time favorite books by one of my all-time favorite authors. My copy is going to remain in my permanent collection, but I like this story so much that I picked up this paperback to share.

The book tells the story of Harry (a girl), a teenaged orphan sent to live at the army post her brother is stationed at in the boonies. It is a coming of age story, one I discovered somewhere in my pre-teen/early teen years, but it remains one of my regular re-reads. This book is the first in a series of two. The Hero and the Crown, another fabulous McKinley book, is the prequel published two years later. However, the order they're read in doesn't really matter, and you can easily read one without ever reading the other.

Int'l Bookray

Thanks for participating in this bookray. I hope that you will enjoy this book as much as I did. I request that you complete the following four steps during this bookray. I'd enjoy it if you posted an entry once you've finished the novel with a book rating and your thoughts, but that's certainly not required.

1. Journal when you receive the book and PM the next person in line to get their address so that you'll have it when you're done.
2. Try and read the book promptly - ideally, within a month of receiving it. If it's taking longer than you'd planned to get through it, I'd appreciate a journal entry to let myself and the other ray members know that you haven't forgotten it.
3. Journal when the book leaves and is traveling on to the next reader.
4. Last person in the ray is free to do whatever they wish with the book.

elytra (Canada-BC) - Int'l ship, prefer not US/Canada
Mytilus (UK) - Europe preferred
bilbi (France) - Europe preferred
AngelfireStar (US-NE) - US only (have email address)
KateKintail (US-VA) - Not first, Int'l ship
ladilee24 (US-PA) - Last

I put this one in the mail to elytra this morning. It should arrive in 7-10 postal days.

Um, sorry everyone, I got this quite a while ago, and what with this and that, haven't got on here 'til now. I love this book (I paused momentarily over the love, but I came to the conclusion it is true.) I really like all of McKinley's stuff. She's a great writer and this book didn't disappoint. I'll get it on it's way by the end of next week.

I was delighted to find The Blue Sword in my post on Friday. Apologies for not logging the book sooner. I have no internet access at home.

Robin McKinley is a born story teller. Her writing has a seemingly effortless quality and is so warm and engaging that I suspect she could write about any character in any given situation and make you want to read more, regardless of your preferred genre.

The Blue Sword is no exception. I was captured from the first page (something that doesn’t happen all that often nowadays). I was quite excited to discover, at the end of the book, that there’s another Daria novel. Excuse me whilst I rush off to Amazon!

Thank you so much for sending this out on a ring.

Received today ! Just a book to read before starting The Blue Sword.
Thanks for sharing ! \o/

I'm a particular SciFi reader : either I get into the book from the start or I can't reach page 50...
I'm sorry, I didn't finish the book :-\
Well, that's not completely true because I read the end of the book to know what happened to Harry and the other characters. Yes, this is mere curiosity ;-)

Thanks for sharing anyway. Let the book cross the ocean now !

Will read ASAP.

Got it Saturday finally. My sister was logged in though so I couldn't catch it until today.

RELEASE NOTES:

sent to KateKintail

sorry for the wait!

Received in the mail today. I read The Hero and the Crown about a year ago and really liked it, so I hope this will be just as interesting and exciting.

I have one bookring book ahead of it, but this is up immediately after that. Thanks!

Sorry for the delay (I got distracted by Harry Potter for much of July).
I''m more than halfway done with the book now, and liking it. I''ll speed up my reading and have it done this week without fail.

I''ll PM ladilee24 right now for an address and post here when I send it on. Again, I''m so sorry for taking so long with it.

Again, many apologies for having this longer than I should have.

I enjoyed the book, though. I read The Hero and the Crown last year and absolutely fell in love with Harry and her world. I liked seeing Harry slowly becoming Harimad-sol, a rider, in this book. All the little elements such as the water of sight and the sashes and the sword/Aerin were wonderful. I felt a bit bogged down at the beginning with all the history/politics but I understood at the time it would be necessary to understand the rest of the book. I was especially intrigued by Corlath :-)

Thanks for giving me a chance to read this. I''ll be sending it out tomorrow morning and will post the DC# here as soon as I have it.

Mailed out just now.

DC# 0306 3030 0001 9955 8255

Just arrived today. I am the last one on this ray, so it may be a little longer until I read it, since I won''t be holding up anyone. I''ll wild release it or offer as a RABCK when I am done.

I have to admit I enjoyed the Hero and the Crown more than this earlier book, but this was well written fantasy with a strong female character, something I enjoy. I found that the beginning of this book dragged a bit, but once I was into the story I was anxious to see how Harry would develop and fare in the her journey as a warrior and bearer of the Blue Sword.

Mailing to sunnybrook301 to continue this book's journey. Enjoy!

this was waiting for me in the mail today - thanks!