Are You Reading T. Kingfisher?

Are You Reading T. Kingfisher?

Are you reading T. Kingfisher? If not, you should be. She’s an amazing writer. One of my friends called her a “generational writer,” and I feel that is exactly right. I’ve also heard she is a lovely person and I can’t wait to meet her at DragonCon over Labor Day weekend.

What Makes Her So Great?

This is an interesting and complex question. One of my friends says that her characters feel so real, even when in a fantasy setting or a historical setting. They are people you can relate to. They feel like friends and neighbors.

And this is totally true. The main character in Swordheart, Halla, babbles when she’s nervous. Who hasn’t done that? Sarkis the male main character, finds himself strangely drawn to her but doesn’t understand it because she is so different than anyone he’s known before. They are fully realized, three-dimensional characters. Nay, not characters–people. You want to invite them over for tea.

Language

In addition, Kingfisher’s language is what makes her stand out. She uses words in interesting and novel ways. She combines words that don’t usually go together to create sentences that make you stop for a second and re-read. For example, the opening line of Swordheart:

“Hall of Rutger’s Howe had just inherited a great deal of money and was therefore spending her evening trying to figure out how to kill herself.”

And also consider the first line of Nettle & Bone, my personal favorite T. Kingfisher book:

“The trees were full of crows and the woods were full of madmen. The pit was full of bones and her hands were full of wires.”

And this gem from Palladin’s Grace:

“Stephen’s god died a little after noon on the longest day of the year.”

I mean, come on! Her use of language is so skilled that you can’t help but be drawn in. Her books, even the novella length ones are exactly and precisely the right number of words. You wouldn’t want to take a single word away nor add a word. She knows her story and how to tell it.

Where to start?

So, are you reading T. Kingfisher? I would start with Palladin’s Grace or Swordheart. If you like horror, check out some of her other works. Note that this is a pen name and she writes also under Ursula Vernon, which I believe is her actual, real name. Check out all her works, including her children’s books here.