Sea Change

Dave Jenkinson is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba and the author of the “Portraits” section of Emergency Librarian.

This sequel to Wind Shifter finds apprentice wizard Kerstin Speller, now
16Ѕ, visiting Islandia (the Misty Isles) with her wizard father,
Morgan. They will learn healing from the Wise Women while Kerstin’s
fellow apprentice, Alaric, 19, goes to neighboring Uglessia to teach
magic to some of that land’s youth. “Governing” Islandia is the
Circle, a sisterhood of nine women, each with a special magical gift.
According to Islandia mythology, “there is only one born in each
generation who has the full power of one of the nine gifts, only one who
can join our sisterhood,” and that person has always been female.

When a storm-damaged Freyan ship anchors in Islandia, the sailors tell
local men that in Freya, males hold power. This knowledge leads some
Islandia men to confront the Circle and demand a share of the power.
More importantly, Kerstin discovers that an Islandia boy, Raven,
actually has the healing gift, but the Circle will not believe her until
a situation demands Raven’s skills. Romance enters Wind Shifter as
Morgan and Rilka, the Circle’s Healer, fall in love, and Kerstin
realizes her feelings for Alaric are more than friendship.

Those unfamiliar with Wind Shifter are not disadvantaged for Smith
utilizes an opening “The story so far” chapter. As with all good
fantasies, Smith has created a believable and consistent new world, and
readers will eagerly await the concluding volume, if only to discover
whether Kerstin’s love for Alaric will be reciprocated. Highly
recommended.