I picked this one up off my own bookshelf--not sure if it floated in on my husband's fantasy collection, or I picked it up in a used bookstore, but there it was. This is pure popcorn for ladies who like fantasy and romance, nothing too exceptional, but I was entertained. ( )

This is an unusual book; it's a romance set in a fantasy world (which may be post-apocalyptic North America) with supernatural creatures and magic.

Tevra, a Colonel of Light Cavalry is sent by the King to what used to be a separate kingdom but is now the Northern province of the Empire. As Viceroy, she needs to sort out problems there - the province has been going it's own way for some time and now needs reining in. She is accompanied by her long-time second in command, Hetwith.

In the Forest Kingdom, she capably sets about relieving the famine, plague and supernatural attacks, and is assisted by Dard, grandson of the last Forest King. He hopes to make her his queen of an independent Forest Kingdom but Hetwith has other ideas.

Light, but charming. In some ways, the story and setting remind me of the Sharing Knife series by Lois McMast Bujold.

Recommended.

I love old-school thrift store fantasy gems! This is a romance at its core with an adorable love triangle. The heroine, Tevra, fights against female stereotypes in the kind of unsubtle way that reminds me of Jennifer Roberson’s Tiger and Del books. She's a capable, badass commander who excels at combat and politicking, but completely flounders in the love department. Overall, Taming the Forest King is a very short book - there’s hardly any time for worldbuilding or fleshing out supporting characters - but it’s a fun, entertaining read. I recommend it for fans of light, character-driven fantasy romance. ( )

I searched this book out after one of my favorite authors suggested it in a post I read somewhere and I'm glad I did. It was a rather enjoyable romantic fantasy read.

Tevra, a colonal in the Kingdom's light cavalry is sent to the Forest Province to deal with the ongoing corruption and failing economy of the region. She spends her days traversing the region with her small contingent of soldiers including her trusted second in command, Hetwith, and ends up being aided by Dard, the forest king himself. Together they must prepare the people for the coming winter while dealing with bandits and more dangerous supernatural threats all the while dealing with the growing romantic tensions between themselves.

I enjoyed the characters as well as the world building in this rather short novel. The romance was just enough to not overwhelm the story. ( )

I wavered between three and four stars for this one - it's a strong three stars or a weak four. I'm going to go with three, just because the book left me sort of indifferent. I wouldn't avoid another book by Claudia J. Edwards, but neither would I seek one out.

It's an old-style book, written back when third-person narration allowed for a little bit of authorial distance. That, I admit, was refreshing. I like "close" third person narration, but I also like variety. The main character, Tevra, is a woman who's worked her way up far enough in the military to become a Colonel entrusted with a mission that requires a great deal of integrity and diplomacy. She's been sent to the Forest Kingdom to deal with corruption and, potentially, rebellion.

Tevra is refreshingly frank and mature. She's thirty-seven, with a practical, no-nonsense personality. She's built along the lines of Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard or Galactica's Admiral Adama, impossibly inspiring and hardworking and moral, totally incorruptible. She shows up in the Forest Kingdom ready to do whatever it takes to stamp out poverty and hunger, end plague, and restore good relations between the forest people and the central government. This goes over well with everyone except the corrupt nobility, who really, really want her to stop the good works and go away.

The book is called "Taming the Forest King" but it's a misnomer, really. The Forest King doesn't appear until a third of the way through the book or so, and he's rather civilized. No taming required. There's a question of whose side he's really on - the corrupt nobles? the downtrodden citizenry? - but mostly there's a question of how much trouble Tevra will get into if she has an affair with him.

The really funny thing about the book, it's big running gag, is that Tevra is right smack in the middle of a love triangle...of which she is totally unaware. Her second in command, Hetwith, is always warning her away from the Forest King and getting into spats with the Forest King - Hetwith and the Forest King have very explicit conversations about the competition they're involved in - but regulation says that military officers should never be sexually involved with their subordinates, so it never occurs to Tevra that Hetwith is interested in her.

There just wasn't enough juice for me. The bad guys are bad but Tevra's got military might and strategy on her side, along with righteousness. And the good guys are mature adults who stumble their way to the right answer with a fair bit of dignity and a minimum of angst. Which, you know, kudos to them & the book wasn't bad at all. Just didn't drive me wild.
( )