That cover blurb summarizes the plot. However, we are rereading the opening sentence (see here) to find out how much information it imparts to a first time reader.
"Corporal": a familiar military rank.
"Maiden": a virgin or young woman but why include it with her ranks, titles etc?
"Barbara Whitley": a familiar kind of name.
"...of Freetoon": Free Town?
"...hereditary huntress": a hunting society in which such roles are hereditary?
"wing leader of the crossbow cavalry": explanatory enough.
"novice in the Mysteries": archaic Mystery religion?
"her orsper": something that she is riding.
We will be told that an "orsper" is a "horse-bird," a large domesticated flightless bird. Near the bottom of the page, Barbara is described as an "...arbalester.."
The blurb says that the planet is ruled by women. In fact, it is inhabited only by women. We have yet to be told why.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
It would be spoilers if I explained too soon why Barbara Whitley was called a "Maiden," and was a "hereditary huntress." And we will find out more about the "Mysteries" as the story advances.
Sean
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