Drinking Sapphire Wine

Tanith Lee 1977 Buy from Amazon.com

In this sequel to the first Four Bee Book, Don’t Bite the Sun, the protagonist seems to have found some measure of contentment, although not a perfect adjustment by any means. Although predominately female, she has spent quite some time now as a male, which is causing friction with the other males of the group, who are feeling jealous and territorial.

The main character has matured somewhat since the first novel, but still doesn’t fit in. Her friends find her disturbing and confusing, and are often involved in arguments with her. When she accidentally becomes the first murderer in living memory she is exiled from the cities for the term of her life.

What she does with her desert exile, and what she learns about herself outside of the antiseptic confines of the city, are what makes this a most intriguing story of survival and love. This novel compliments the first Four Bee novel perfectly, and is a very satisfying read.

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