The world is woven of secrets.
I was born with lightning in one hand and mercy in the other, but what I need is the pattern to my tapestry of power.
Danger drove me from the primeval American wilderness to Windward Academy, where the Wizard of Manhattan offers me one last chance to learn magical control. Windward--where every word, every breath is a test. Every lesson can be deadly. And every challenge can explode out of the schoolroom and into the realms of demons.
Sometimes a shadow is so dark it arrives before the sun.
Reviews:
"enjoy the total immersion in Kimbriel’s alternate early America" —Publishers Weekly
"Magic and treason form a deadly maze for Alfreda, one of my favorite heroes, returning to public life in one of my favorite fantasy series. It's alternate early America; Alfreda is savvy to the life and magic of the forest, the rivers, and winter, but powers know she is alive and able, to be recruited or destroyed." —Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
“…once in a very great while I find something I wish I'd read thirty years before it was ever published. … These books do not let you rest.” —Sleeping Hedgehog
“Every book in the…series has had me racing for the end and wishing for more. Spiral Path is no exception. Ms. Kimbriel’s enticing and lyrical prose and knowledge of the arcane will hook new readers and delight old ones as well.” — Rebecca McFarland Kyle, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer
“A gem: …Crafted with precision and heart, this tale shimmers with imagination, adventure, and characters who burst alive from the page. More, please!” — Sara Stamey, author of Islands
“Much of the adventure here is the adventure of boarding school with a magical twist, but there are other things going on in the background, and Allie can no more avoid trouble than she can avoid breathing. She's just far too intelligent, inquisitive, and brave, not to mention impetuous. This is a lot of fun. Recommended.” —Lis Carey’s Library
“...SPIRAL PATH...is about finding yourself, even if the person you are consists of layers within layers without end . . . a spiral path indeed. Bottom line: SPIRAL PATH was most definitely worth the wait, and is a worthy addition to the outstanding Night Calls series.” —Shiny Book Review
“Once I started reading I think I looked up when I was finished, realized I was starving and then discovered it was after 8 at night and I hadn’t had dinner yet. Nothing was able to pull me out of Alfreda’s latest adventure. …I am seriously hooked on this series and I can’t wait for the next installment.” —The Book Pushers
Katharine Eliska Kimbriel reinvents herself every decade or so. It's not on purpose, mind you-it seems her path involves overturning the apple cart, collecting new information & varieties of apple seed, and moving on. The one constant she has reached for in life is telling stories.
"I'm interested in how people respond to unusual circumstances. Choice interests me. What is the metaphor for power, for choice? In SF it tends to be technology (good, bad and balanced) while in fantasy the metaphor is magic-who has it, who wants or does not want it, what is done with it, and who/what the person or culture is after the dust has settled. A second metaphor, both grace note and foundation, is the need for and art of healing.
"A trope in fantasy is great power after passing through death. Well, at my crisis point, I didn't die. That means that I'm a wizard now. Who knows what I may yet accomplish?"
Kimbriel is also the author of the Night Calls series (Night Calls, Kindred Rites, and Spiral Path)The Chronicles of Nuala series, and many short stories. A John W. Campbell Award nominee. Spiral Path is appropriate for ages 12-120. After 120, you're probably a vampire and may not spend much time reading.
