Book Log 21/2013 - Kate Elliott: Jaran

The beginning of a series which sees Tess dumped into a Cossack-type horse-lord culture when she stows away on an alien spacecraft. Much of this novel is taken up with Tess' integration into that culture and her growing attraction for Illya, but though that part of it reads like fantasy, it's definitely science fiction with an alien plot thread running through the whole lot.

I swallowed this book whole. The writing is well-paced and crisp and the characters, not just Tess and Illya but the supporting characters as well, are thoroughly rounded. The world-building is superb.

Highly recommended.