A Public Apology

Dear Robin Hobb,

I am so, SO sorry that I never picked up your books before. I apologize deeply for considering, then deciding not to purchase Assassin's Apprentice about twenty times. I emphatically regret having been turned off by the names of the noble characters, and deciding that any author who named characters "Chivalry" and "Regal" and "Shrewd" must clearly be doing little more than caricaturing the stereotypic fantasy novel.

Having finished your first trilogy, I now know the error of my ways. I humbly repent, and will be devouring your next two trilogies shortly.

I hope you will forgive the brief delay while I finish the third book of another most excellent series that has recently and belatedly come to my flagging attention. (Please direct any blame to Ms. Naomi Novik.)

Sincerely,

Elisel

(So, yeah. Favorite not-so-new authors to come to my attention: Robin Hobb and Naomi Novik. I've DEVOURED five books in the past week and a half. They are the best thing I have read in a long, LONG damn time. Copious thanks to selchi and eriustobin for calling my attention to them.)