This volume is the third book about Daine, the orphan girl who has wild magic, a special ability to understand and heal animals. She is specially chosen for a peace mission to Carthak, a threatening enemy to Tortall, because the beloved birds of the emperor of Carthak are sick. A complex, carefully crafted and suspenseful adventure with an appealing heroine who is developing an enthusiastic following.

Starred Review Following Wild Magic (1992) and Wolf-Speaker (1994), this third entry in the Immortals series again centers on the adventures of Daine, now 15. Because of her wild magic, which gives her a strong affinity with animals and the ability to heal them, Daine is part of a delegation sent to work out a peace treaty with a barbarous emperor whose beloved captive birds are deathly ill. Pierce continues to build on the universe she created for the Song of the Lioness series about Alanna, who's a secondary character here, and as Daine grows in her powers so does the power of the narrative. Daine's ability to communicate with animals and to shape shift into animal form is comparable with that of characters in Andre Norton's renown tales involving human-animal communication. Daine's companion, the irrepressible, incurably curious young dragon, Kitten, is appealing as a character, as is the resourceful marmoset, Zek, whom Daine rescues and takes under her wing. The climactic scenes in which Daine brings to life the bones of the long-dead dinosaurs and fellow creatures in the great natural history hall and leads them in the destruction of the castle and downfall of the emperor are truly riveting. This impressive entry in Pierce's saga will leave fans clamoring for more. (Reviewed June 1 & 15, 1995)