Tarr, Judith. Daughter of Lir.

Tor, Forge. 415p. c2001.0-312-87625-4. $15.95. SA

In this sequel to White Mare's Daughter, Tart again focuses on the goddess-centered society of a pre-technological world. The Cities of the Mothers are once again under the threat of war. In the village of Long Ford, Rhian has grown up as the daughter of a potter but knows that the priestess at the choosing ceremony in the village will select her as a servant of the goddess. At the ceremony, Rhian is betrayed when the priestess recognizes Rhian's power but chooses another young woman to receive the title. Refusing to forgo her destiny, Rhian decides to leave her home and follows the priestess and the king's son out of town. On her journey, the White Mare comes to Rhian, and its companionship seems to affirm that Rhian is truly a servant of the goddess. Born with the gift of "seeing," Rhian dreams of chariots while Emry, the King's son, has actually seen the deadly transports in action, To protect their land, Rhian and Emry team up to stop this impending invasion. The invaders include two brothers, Minas and Dias, whose relations with their father, the tribe's king, are strained due to his almost total domination by Etena, the daughter of a witch and one of their father's many wives. The lives of both tribes intertwine as the novel progresses and Minas and Rhian begin to understand each other's worlds.

The novel will have appeal to teens who enjoy coming-of-age tales with characters finding themselves by the story's end. Although the plot and characters tend to be standard fare, Tarr excels at providing a strong heroine that female fantasy readers will appreciate and a realistic ancient world with a strong sense of the past. Recommended for fans of White Mare's Daughter and for devoted readers of Judith Tart. Ginger Armstrong, Prin. Lib. Assoc., County PL., Chesterfield, VA