The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

A Facebook friend turned me on to this author, and specifically this book, and all I can say is "Where have you been all my life????".  I really, really, really enjoyed this story.  The writing was top-notch and the story was a classic adventure/fantasy with a strong female lead.  These books have been around for a really long time, I just never heard of them before.  Which, I find odd.  I did not even recognize the author and she's been writing in this genre since I was a kid.  This particular book is aimed at the "young adult" audience which may not be where I tend to look for books so perhaps that is why I missed it but as I have said before, specifically about The Hunger Games which is one of my favorite books, young adult fiction should really not be pigeon holed as such-its a self-limiting description which truly should be tossed out the door. 

I read this book second, on the heels of The Blue Sword, and at first I was a little miffed at myself that I did not read this one first.  The blue sword of the other book's title plays a key role in this story, set generations before, and as I started to read it I was like, aww, had I read this one first I would have known the backstory!  But by the time I finished I actually decided that I did indeed read them in the right order.  It was not important to know the backstory to appreciate the book and I think I actually appreciated the prequel (if its fair to call it that; its not really a prequel at all) more for having known how a future hero would utilize the sword in her time of peril.

If you have a youngster that likes adventure/fantasy, sic them on this book.  It was delightful.  If you are a grown up who enjoys adventure/fantasy, take a gander-its not too long and its worth your time.  If you are a person who scoffs at reading young adult literature, your loss.  

Rating:  #3 Enjoyed It Very Much