The Song of Mavin Manyshaped

Sheri S. Tepper 1985 Buy from Amazon.com

Written after the True Game trilogy, The Song of Mavin Manyshaped is the first in the Chronicles of Mavin Manyshaped, which is actually a prequel trilogy.

Mavin is the mother of Peter, and this is the story of how she learned to be a Shifter. Escaping from the Danderbat Keep with her brother Mertyn, Mavin must be old enough and wise enough to look after them both until they reach safety. But things change as time passes, and the people she meets along the way influence them both. It is now that she meets Himaggery the Wizard, the love of her life and father of Peter, although she does not realise what the future may hold, and in what ways he may influence her.

When Mertyn becomes dangerously ill, Mavin uses all her Shifter skills to try and save him, meeting the mysterious and charming Shadow People, who write the Song of Mavin Manyshaped to celebrate their adventures.

This is in some ways a coming of age story, but also a delightful adventure, a young girl who uses not just her Talent, but her mind and her heart to battle with both evil ghouls, and the society that tries to containt her.

While this trilogy can easily be read on it’s own without having read True Game, it also explains many things about why Mavin is the way she is and why Peter was not raised by Shifters.

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