Touchstone by Melanie Rawn

Fantasy

Melanie Rawn has set Touchstone in a world with humans and humans mixed with the older races like the Elves, Trolls, Giants, Wizards, and Fae.  The four main characters are a theater troupe working to become the best troupe in the kingdom.  All theater troupes are composed of four members who use magic to create the illusion in each play.  Each member has a specific role to play.

When the story starts Cayden, Rafcadion and Jeschenar are old friends who are searching for a fourth member who will fit into their troupe.  Mieka joins them in a trial to see if he fits and they finally have the four members who fit together.  From there it is a journey to become the best in the land.  Cayden is the main character in the story.  He has dreams that tell a possible future.  Some of his dreams are about the members of the troupe.  Those dreams and his actions after dreaming as well as his interaction with Mieka are the heart of the story

This is the first time I have read a Melanie Rawn book.  I was in a world where I was lost for most of the first third of the book.  This is the first book in a new series but I wonder if this is an extension of a world she created in a previous series. 

Touchstone is filled with dialog and is very character driven.  There is conflict but it is mostly internal.  There were hints of external conflict but nothing was developed.  I was left a little puzzled about where the series is going.  I guess I will read the next book to see if my question is answered.

Touchstone is an ARC I received from Amazon Vine.

Tor will release Touchstone by Melanie Rawn in February of 2012.