Sara Donati

[diamondlil]

I really love Sara Donati's Into the Wilderness series.

The books in order are:

Into the Wilderness
Dawn on a Distant Shore
Lake in the Clouds
Fire Along the Sky
Queen of Swords

and what is likely to be the final book in the series and called Journey's End is being worked on at the moment.

[Vanessa]

Oooh, good, glad you enjoyed them. I have them on my TBR pile.

[diamondlil]

If there is a weak link in the series it is probably Dawn on a Distant Shore, but other than that they are all good, and the last one was especially good.

[sunnysmileqt]

What are these books really about? I've heard a lot of people say how wonderful they are but I'm not sure if they'd be my type of read. Can you please give a little bit of a description?

[diamondlil]

The first book starts with an English woman ending up living on the wilderness frontier and her experiences of that. Some of the frontier people have close relationships with the American Indian and so there is an interesting mix of characters etc. In a way, it is a spin off from the film of Last of the Mohicans.

If anyone is interested in reading the first book, Rosina/Sara is giving away a copy of the new Trade Paperback edition which is due to be released soon.

You can win it by leaving a comment on this thread on her blog (http://rosinalippi.com/weblog/?p=1827).

[EC2]

I read and loved the first two but I stalled on the third - Lake in the Clouds. Not any fault on the author's part it was just my reading mood at the time. 'Lake' is still on my TBR awaiting pick up. Perhaps next when I've finished the current read - unless something really yummy turns up at the library.

[diamondlil]

Lake in the Clouds is the weakest of the series in my opinion. Queen of Swords, which is the fifth book, is one of the best (and the fourth was good IMO as well.)

[EC2]

Lake in the Clouds is the weakest of the series in my opinion. Queen of Swords, which is the fifth book, is one of the best (and the fourth was good IMO as well.)

Perhaps that's why I didn't get into it. If I was feeling 'meh' in myself re reading at the time it would have been easy to put it down. After I wrote the post re Lake in the Clouds I remembered I also had The Queen's Fool on my TBR (Gregory) which has been waiting forever, so I might skip to that. Oh decisions, decisions!:o

[MLS859]

I actually enjoyed the first one -- INTO THE WILDERNESS -- the best -- I've always been much more interested in Elizabeth and Nathaniel than the rest of the "gang" -- but I have enjoyed the other books in the series as well -- I would highly recommend them.

Lynn

[EC2]

I actually enjoyed the first one -- INTO THE WILDERNESS -- the best -- I've always been much more interested in Elizabeth and Nathaniel than the rest of the "gang" -- but I have enjoyed the other books in the series as well -- I would highly recommend them.

Lynn

I wonder if that was part of it too. Elizabeth and Nathaniel are my preferences also.

[MLS859]

Yeah, as the series went on, Elizabeth and Nathaniel took a back seat and, although I still enjoyed the books, I missed having them be the center of the story.

Lynn

[diamondlil]

There is a new excerpt from Book Six up on Rosina/Sara's weblog:

Excerpt (http://rosinalippi.com/weblog/?p=1840)

[Judith]

My favorite is the first book in the series. The second and third were okay and the third and fourth are much better! Looking forward to to the final book! :)

[MLS859]

INTO THE WILDERNESS has been re-released in paperback (with a lovely headless woman cover!!). It's a great time for folks to discover this wonderful series!!

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h207/MLS859/Bookcovers/ITWcover3.jpg

[Misfit]

Beautiful cover. One of these days.......the last thing I need right now is to discover another series to upset the reading apple cart.

[diamondlil]

I hope that this rerelease is successful for Sara/Rosina. I really love reading her books.

[EC2]

I'm not actually keen on that cover. I preferred the earlier landscape ones.
I really enjoyed the first two Sara Donati books but still have the 3rd one on my TBR. I guess I'm a Nathaniel woman and wanted more of him!

[MrsMorland]

I read the first book when it came out, and did not like it. I suppose i should give it another try. I think i was disappointed because I wanted to love it like the Outlander books and I just didn't.

[diamondlil]

Book 6 now has a title:


The Endless Forest

[Judith]

Book 6 now has a title:


The Endless Forest


And it should be out by the end of the year! :)

[diamondlil]

There's a new excerpt here (http://rosinalippi.com/weblog/?p=2535).

[diamondlil]

Official release date for The Endless Forest is 26 January, and there is a cover image here (http://rosinalippi.com/weblog/?p=2704).

I am not all that sold on the cover but others seem to like it.

[EC2]

Official release date for The Endless Forest is 26 January, and there is a cover image here (http://rosinalippi.com/weblog/?p=2704).

I am not all that sold on the cover but others seem to like it.

I'm not sold either. Perhaps the comments about liking it are there because it would be rude to say 'yuk' on the author's blog, or perhaps it's just that we have different tastes. :cool:

[diamondlil]

I am going with the former!

[Ariadne]

To me the cover says more "YA historical fantasy" than historical fiction; it's the bright color combination and the filmy/ethereal look of the forest backdrop that does it.

The woman's pose reminds me of the cover of Jane Feather's Beloved Enemy (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/jane-feather/beloved-enemy.htm).

[EC2]

To me the cover says more "YA historical fantasy" than historical fiction; it's the bright color combination and the filmy/ethereal look of the forest backdrop that does it.

The woman's pose reminds me of the cover of Jane Feather's Beloved Enemy (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/jane-feather/beloved-enemy.htm).

Ariadne, it's the same picture turned round and photo shopped isn't it?!!

I've looked at the Donati again but clicked to enlarge and I actually like it a lot better full size. It still slightly reminds me of an old fashioned UK saga cover, but it is much more personable when bigged up.

[Ariadne]

Ariadne, it's the same picture turned round and photo shopped isn't it?!!

I have a copy of the Feather and grabbed it to compare! While the images are very close, I don't think it's the same picture; the woman's body shape is different and the folds on the gown and shawl don't match. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was used as a model. I bought the Feather based on the cover art... it's much more attractive than many historical romance covers I've seen. Donati's name alone will sell the book, but this cover will help a lot too!

[annis]

Posted by Ariadne
The woman's pose reminds me of the cover of Jane Feather's Beloved Enemy.

Jane Feather's "Beloved Enemy" is one of my favourite historical romances - her "Widow's Kiss" (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/jane-feather/widows-kiss.htm) is another :) (though i wasn't so keen on the others in that series.)

The blog replies were a bit of a gush-fest, weren't they?

[diamondlil]

I guess the cover art doesn't really matter to me. I will be getting it regardless of what the cover looks like.

[greenery]

I'm afraid that gush-fests are almost de rigeur on author weblogs. I try to encourage constructive criticism, but with limited success.

Given some of the truly fugly, awful covers I've been saddled with over the last ten years (someday I'l post a couple on the weblog), I was thrilled with this one. Also with the re-issue cover for Into the Wilderness. But of course my take on this is very subjective.

[diamondlil]

I'd be interested in seeing some of those covers Rosina!

[javagirl]

I had just learned of this series a couple weeks ago, by browsing at this forum. Since I prefer audiobooks I searched audible and recordedbooks. At that time I was disappointed that audible only had an abridged version of the 1st book and the unabridged of the 5th.

But just today I've noticed that in the past week they've added the unabridged version of the 1st, 2nd and 4th. Although all the unabridged are 2 credits, they're going on my wish list. :)

[diamondlil]

Keep an eye on her blog, because she is regularly updating the status re the audio books.

[Ann Callen]

What woman doesn't want more of Nathaniel!!!!

[diamondlil]

I must say I was pretty impressed by Ben in the last book.

[Ann Callen]

I must say I was pretty impressed by Ben in the last book.

That is a fact!!!!

[javagirl]

Diamondlil kindly pointed out the author's blog, which at the time I proceeded to visit. However, tonight I revisited only to see a somewhat sad message which I'll quote in part:

"The economic downturn and family circumstances being what they are, I find myself in a position I knew might well come some day -- I'm going back on the job market, looking for more traditional employment. This means that I will be putting writing aside for the foreseeable future, and so I've taken down the weblog, for the time being at least."

I wonder if this would have any impact on the release of the 6th book in the series that was slated for Jan 2010 release.

Regardless, I wish her well in being able to return quickly to the writing if that's what she loves and to find something else she enjoys in the meantime.

[annis]

That is very sad. Here's hoping that circumstances improve, so that Rosina can get back to writing those wonderful stories again.

[diamondlil]

I don't think it is affecting the release of The Endless Forest, but it does mean no more books after that, which is really a shame because I do enjoy both Rosina's blog and her books.

[drspoon]

I own the entire series and am eagerly awaiting "The Endless Forest." Actually, I like the cover.

[nona]

I really want to read Queen of Swords but have to wait to buy or request it through ILL which is down to system upgrades till Nov. 1st.

[love_uk]

Was deeply into the Outlander Series when I tried to read Into the Wilderness. Found it boring compared to Gabaldon & never even finished it - a rarity for me.

[javagirl]

I'm about 20 minutes from finishing the unabridged audiobook of the 1st one, Into the Wilderness. It took around 7 hrs or so before I really felt it "grabbed" me but since then (another 23 hours) I've loved it and am sorry that I have only 20 minutes left. Based on this first one, I'm eagerly looking forward to the rest. I will read some other things things in between however, because when I have a series I really love, I like to spread them out to make them last.

Lynn

[nona]

I saw this at B&N the other day but was hesitant to buy it, I'm not big on American based novels. I really want to read her Queen of Swords.

[diamondlil]

Queen of Swrods was an excellent book, but it definitely builds on the rest of the series.

[Vanessa]

I've just finished Into the Wilderness. I loved it, thought it was wonderful. It's definitely Outlander meets the Last of the Mohicans! Even some of the characters are the same. It's a love story but so much more, too. I was very sad to turn the last page. I hope I enjoy the next 5 book just as much.

Question: is Otter the Otter-Tooth who turns up a a sort of ghost in one of the Outlander books? I even thought Robbie McLachlan was familiar, but I don't think he is.

[Madeleine]

I've just got the first book in this series, the "new" cover is lovely although I quite like old ones too, I have three of them on order. Not keen on the new cover of Queen of Swords though.

[diamondlil]

I've just finished Into the Wilderness. I loved it, thought it was wonderful. It's definitely Outlander meets the Last of the Mohicans! Even some of the characters are the same. It's a love story but so much more, too. I was very sad to turn the last page. I hope I enjoy the next 5 book just as much.

Question: is Otter the Otter-Tooth who turns up a a sort of ghost in one of the Outlander books? I even thought Robbie McLachlan was familiar, but I don't think he is.

No, I don't think he is meant to be.

Claire, Jamie and Young Ian make a cameo appearance but that is the only cross over between the two series.

[ellenjane]

I just finished the last novel in this series, "The Endless Forest." It was a bit of a letdown after the nonstop action of the earlier books, but that's probably fine for a series finale. I had a hard time remembering which characters were which at first, but quickly got back into the hang of it. Even with those issues, I finished it up within a weekend, and it was over 600 pages. There is an epilogue that follows the characters in brief after the end of the story, and I will confess to getting all teary during that. ;)

I will probably return to this series and read it again at some point. It will probably be on the list of things I keep an eye out for at used bookstores.