The Ill-Made Mute (The Bitterbynde Trilogy)

In a dark and perilous realm, a nameless outcast seeks a voice, a past, and a future: “A dazzling debut” (Jennifer Roberson). In all of Erith, there is perhaps no one as wretched as the nameless mute foundling confined to the lowest depths of Isse Tower. Abused by many and despised by all, the pathetic creature lives without memories in the shadows. The amnesiac longs to escape—to roam the wild landscape in search of a past, a name, a destiny—but dangers surround the tower. Only flying ships and majestic winged horses carrying important visitors can reach the castle safely, landing high above the ground on its battlements. The local servants whisper about malevolent creatures that roam the forests and bear no love for humankind. Escape seems impossible in this treacherous world of wights and monsters.   Praised as Australia’s J. R. R. Tolkien, Cecilia Dart-Thornton has set a towering new standard for fantasy fiction, earning the respect and acclaim of readers, reviewers, and some of the world’s most renowned fantasists. With roots firmly embedded in the ancient folklore of the British Isles, The Ill-Made Mute—the opening volume of Dart-Thornton’s magnificent Bitterbynde Trilogy—introduces fantasy lovers to an unforgettable character whose remarkable adventures rival the epic trials of the Bagginses and the tales of The Silmarillion.

Amazon.com Review

This first novel by Australian writer Cecilia Dart-Thornton begins the Bitterbynde series, the saga of a young woman's search for her past as well as her destiny. An orphaned refugee taken in as a servant of powerful Isse Tower, a prominent Relay Station in the world's communications network, the main character is a nameless, badly scarred mute with little hope for better--until he escapes by stowing away on a magical Windship and is befriended by cheerful Sianadh, a self-professed madman and adventurer. Sianadh gives his companion two precious gifts: a name, Imrhien, and the knowledge that he is really she, raised as a boy to protect her from even worse treatment. Together, the two journey into the deep green heart of a great forest, defeat the tricky magics of various eldritch wights, and discover a vast treasure that will change their lives forever. When Imrhien learns of Maeve One-Eye, a healer who may be able to repair her scars and restore her memory, the girl is determined to seek her out. On the dangerous trip west, Imrhien meets and falls in love with the Dainnan ranger Thorn, but doubts he could ever return her affections. While this novel doesn't stand well alone, readers who crave long and detailed journeys through fantastic lands filled with magical creatures will enjoy Imrhien's travels. Dart-Thornton's world takes many traditional elements of epic fantasy and manages to stir them into something charming and new. --Charlene Brusso

From Publishers Weekly

The world of Erith, a strange, wild land filled with humans and fey creatures called wights, has its charms, but unfortunately a lack of underlying depth weakens this first novel from Australian Dart-Thornton. To Erith comes a poor unidentified soul who cannot speak and has lost all sense of self, including all memories of a past. This creature without a life has also become shunned by all after being horribly disfigured by an encounter with a poisonous plant. As the plot slowly, disjointedly spins out, the creature acquires a name Imrhien and a new identity. Her story is full of little adventures and unrelated incidents, but the author provides almost no foreshadowing or any real idea why Imrhien has lost her voice and her looks. The girl's travels, which carry her from one end of Erith to the other, include encounters with wights, which can be "seelie" (mostly not harmful) and "unseelie" (evil), and with Sianadh, a friendly man who gives her not only her name but the chance to seek pirate treasure. Later Imrhien and Sianadh's niece try to find Maeve One-Eye, a carlin who might help her recover her memory. Nasty folk try to thwart her, but their motives are never explained. Hopefully future installments will supply more background, but this initial volume makes a decidedly shallow start. (May 23)Forecast: With a blurb from Andre Norton likening this book to Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring, as well as a plug from Elizabeth Hand, this novel may attract a lot of initial attention, but the sequel is going to have to be stronger to sustain interest.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

A misshapen girl, unable to speak and scorned by those who dwell in Isse Tower, makes her escape into the world and seeks a destiny beyond her allotted fate. As the mute Imrhien learns to speak with her hands, she also discovers a deep love for the ranger Thorn even as she plunges into a deadly war against forces of evil. Dart-Thornton's first novel depicts a world that borrows from Celtic mythology but adds a few unique and refreshing twists. Featuring a courageous and unusual heroine, this series opener belongs in most fantasy collections. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Imrhein, a scarred, mute girl, is taken on as a servant in Isse Tower. Eventually, with the aid of a friendly wanderer, she escapes, learns handspeech, and begins her search for the secret of her origin and a way to recover the power of speech. On the way she learns that many of the tales of unworldly and dangerous creatures she has heard are true and that she and the land in which she dwells are in mortal danger. Dart-Thornton is a serious folklorist and has tried to use the British material on Faerie with as much fidelity as the narrative allows; indeed, she even alters the narrative to preserve folkloric authenticity. Hence, the book betrays a tension between being a fantasy tale and being folkloric exegesis that may not appeal to some. Yet enough will be won over by Dart-Thornton's world building and characterization to consume what must be considered an exceptionally proficient first book for its author and the series she launches with it. Roland GreenCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Cecilia Dart-Thornton is the author of numerous bestselling fantasy novels, notably the Bitterbynde Trilogy, which includes The Ill-Made Mute, The Lady of the Sorrows, and The Battle of Evernight. The daughter of an architect and an academic, Dart-Thornton holds a bachelor of arts degree and a post-graduate diploma of education from Monash University. Having started out as a schoolteacher, she became a full-time writer in 2000, after her work was discovered on the Internet and brought to print by a New York publishing house. She is a strong supporter of animal rights and her interests include music, the fine arts‚—particularly Pre-Raphaelite paintings—and edible gardening. Visit her online at www.dartthornton.com and www.leavesofgrasspress.com.

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