45. Mercedes Lackey - The Black Swan

This story is about Baron Von Rothbart, a powerful sorcerer, his daughter Odile, who is a powerful sorceress in her own right, and the Baron's flock of swans. These are no ordinary swans: they are women who have committed some sort of betrayal and have been placed under the Baron's enchantment to be swans during the day, and only go back to their human form by the light of the moon. The "Queen of the Swans," Princess Odette, believes she has repented enough for her sins and asks the Baron about regaining her freedom. He says that she would be free of his enchantment only if she can find a man that is willing to be faithful to her even though he knows her past sins. Easy enough, eh? Well, Odile who has befriended the flock she is in charge of starts to wonder if the Baron's intentions are good and starts to believe that he won't hold his promise.

I went for pure fantasy this time around and I was pleasantly surprised with this author, whom I had never read before. I had actually been wandering around a Borders trying to find something to read when found this book. I can't wait to read more books by her.