Jennifer Roberson
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Mitchell Roberson (born in Kansas City
, Missouri
, 26 October 1953) is an author of fantasy
and historical literature.
Roberson has lived in Arizona
since 1957. She grew up in Phoenix
, but in 1999 relocated to Flagstaff
. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Northern Arizona University in 1982 as an adult student. Roberson had spent her final semester in England
at the University of London. This enabled her to do indepth research at castles and cathedrals, museums and estates, and to visit historical sites in Scotland
and Wales
.
This is the story of the Cheysuli, shapechangers who have been hunted
through their homeland, Homana for over twenty years. Now, Alix, a girl who is being courted by the
Crown Prince of Homana, learns that she is Cheysuli. Just as this happens however, Homana is
invaded by its neighboring country of Solinde and the island country of Atvia. However, both the
Cheysuli and the prince are driven into a long exile.
The Song of Homana is the story of the Crown Prince of Homana, Carillon returning form exile to
retake Homana, however he is seduced by Electra, his enemy's daughter and Tynstar's mistress.
Tynstar is the ruler of the sorcerous Ihlini, who are mortal enemies of the Cheysuli.
This novel is about Donal, Alix's son and Carillon's heir. He must fight off Tynstar's son,
Strahan, while Homana is attacked once more by Solinde and Atvia. During this time he marries
Aislinn, Carillon and Electra's daughter.
This volume is about the part Cheysuli and part Homanan Niall, the son of Donal and Aislinn.
He has no shapechanging ability and is sent off to Atvia with his liege man. On the way however,
he is captured by the prince of Erinn and is forced to escape. At Atvia he meets his betrothed,
the mad Gisela. He marries her and returns to Homana, only to find that both Cheysuli and Homanans
want him dead. This, plus a rebellion in Solinde, now a country occupied by Homana and a plague
forces Niall to embrace his shapechanger side and try to kill Strahan.
This volume covers the adventures of Niall's three sons, Brennan, Prince of Homana, Hart, Prince of Solinde, and Corin, Prince of Atvia. After a disastrous tavern fight, Brennan must marry an Erinnish Princess, hart must leave and rule Solinde, and Corin must go to Atvia. Eventually, Corin falls in love with Brennan's bride, Hart loses a hand, and Brennan is seduced by an Ihlini. They all are brought to Strahan and only barely escape with their lives, becoming men in the process.
Daughter of the Lion is the story of Keely, Niall's legitimate daughter and twin sister to Corin of Atvia. She has very vehement ideas about women being considered property and how she would not be. Eventually, she incites problems around the palace and leaves for a while. On the way to Clankeep, home of the Cheysuli, where her power to become any animal is praised, she encounters bandits and first meets Rory Redbeard, an Erinnishman. They fall in love, but keep it secret as she is betrothed to Rory's brother, Sean. Eventually, Strahan captures Keely and Taliesin, a Ihlini who does not worship the dark god. Keely is impregnated and only escapes when Taliesin sacrifices himself. Keely manages to kill Strahan and kill her unwanted baby. Eventually, she finds that Rory was really Sean, and she marries him.
This book is about Aidan, the son of Brennan. He is slightly insane, seeing the Lion of Homana as a beast trying to kill him and the chain of rulers being broken in him. He goes on an adventure through his uncle's lands to find a wife, eventually deciding on Shona, Keely's daughter. They get married and Shona is heavily pregnant when Lochiel, Strahan's son, attacks Clankeep. Shona is slain and Aidan is knocked out, but Shona's child is saved and taken by Lochiel. Aidan recovers and goes to find his son, confronting Lochiel and taking his son, Kellin, back. He then decides to renounce his claim to the throne and become a shar'tal, a Chelsuli priest.
Sword-Dancer is the story of Sandtiger, a famous Southron sword-dancer, who is hired by a
Northern women to guide her through the fierce desert to rescue her brother, a slave in the South.
This woman, Delilah, or Del is a sword-singer who is as good as Tiger, and this grates on Tiger's
Southron ideas.
Sword-singer is about Tiger and Del traveling to the North because Del has been charged with the
murder of her teacher, who she needed to kill to 'blood' her blade and then 'key' it, or awaken
its magical properties.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, 26 October 1953) is an author of fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and historical literature.
Roberson has lived in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
since 1957. She grew up in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, but in 1999 relocated to Flagstaff
Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2010, the city's population was 65,870. The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area was at 134,421 in 2010. It is the county seat of Coconino County...
. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Northern Arizona University in 1982 as an adult student. Roberson had spent her final semester in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at the University of London. This enabled her to do indepth research at castles and cathedrals, museums and estates, and to visit historical sites in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Chronicles of the Cheysuli
- Vol. 1: Shapechangers (1984)
This is the story of the Cheysuli, shapechangers who have been hunted
through their homeland, Homana for over twenty years. Now, Alix, a girl who is being courted by the
Crown Prince of Homana, learns that she is Cheysuli. Just as this happens however, Homana is
invaded by its neighboring country of Solinde and the island country of Atvia. However, both the
Cheysuli and the prince are driven into a long exile.
- Vol. 2: The Song of Homana (1985)
The Song of Homana is the story of the Crown Prince of Homana, Carillon returning form exile to
retake Homana, however he is seduced by Electra, his enemy's daughter and Tynstar's mistress.
Tynstar is the ruler of the sorcerous Ihlini, who are mortal enemies of the Cheysuli.
- Vol. 3: Legacy of the Sword (1986)
This novel is about Donal, Alix's son and Carillon's heir. He must fight off Tynstar's son,
Strahan, while Homana is attacked once more by Solinde and Atvia. During this time he marries
Aislinn, Carillon and Electra's daughter.
- Vol. 4: Track of the White Wolf (1987)
This volume is about the part Cheysuli and part Homanan Niall, the son of Donal and Aislinn.
He has no shapechanging ability and is sent off to Atvia with his liege man. On the way however,
he is captured by the prince of Erinn and is forced to escape. At Atvia he meets his betrothed,
the mad Gisela. He marries her and returns to Homana, only to find that both Cheysuli and Homanans
want him dead. This, plus a rebellion in Solinde, now a country occupied by Homana and a plague
forces Niall to embrace his shapechanger side and try to kill Strahan.
- Vol. 5: A Pride of Princes (1988)
This volume covers the adventures of Niall's three sons, Brennan, Prince of Homana, Hart, Prince of Solinde, and Corin, Prince of Atvia. After a disastrous tavern fight, Brennan must marry an Erinnish Princess, hart must leave and rule Solinde, and Corin must go to Atvia. Eventually, Corin falls in love with Brennan's bride, Hart loses a hand, and Brennan is seduced by an Ihlini. They all are brought to Strahan and only barely escape with their lives, becoming men in the process.
- Vol. 6: Daughter of the Lion (1989)
Daughter of the Lion is the story of Keely, Niall's legitimate daughter and twin sister to Corin of Atvia. She has very vehement ideas about women being considered property and how she would not be. Eventually, she incites problems around the palace and leaves for a while. On the way to Clankeep, home of the Cheysuli, where her power to become any animal is praised, she encounters bandits and first meets Rory Redbeard, an Erinnishman. They fall in love, but keep it secret as she is betrothed to Rory's brother, Sean. Eventually, Strahan captures Keely and Taliesin, a Ihlini who does not worship the dark god. Keely is impregnated and only escapes when Taliesin sacrifices himself. Keely manages to kill Strahan and kill her unwanted baby. Eventually, she finds that Rory was really Sean, and she marries him.
- Vol. 7: Flight of the Raven (1990)
This book is about Aidan, the son of Brennan. He is slightly insane, seeing the Lion of Homana as a beast trying to kill him and the chain of rulers being broken in him. He goes on an adventure through his uncle's lands to find a wife, eventually deciding on Shona, Keely's daughter. They get married and Shona is heavily pregnant when Lochiel, Strahan's son, attacks Clankeep. Shona is slain and Aidan is knocked out, but Shona's child is saved and taken by Lochiel. Aidan recovers and goes to find his son, confronting Lochiel and taking his son, Kellin, back. He then decides to renounce his claim to the throne and become a shar'tal, a Chelsuli priest.
- Vol. 8: A Tapestry of Lions (1992)
Omnibus editions
- Vol. 1+2: Shapechanger's Song (2001)
- Vol. 3+4: Legacy of the Wolf (2001)
- Vol. 5+6: Children of the Lion (2001)
- Vol. 7+8: The Lion Throne (2001)
Sword-Dancer Saga
- Vol. 1: Sword-Dancer (1986)
Sword-Dancer is the story of Sandtiger, a famous Southron sword-dancer, who is hired by a
Northern women to guide her through the fierce desert to rescue her brother, a slave in the South.
This woman, Delilah, or Del is a sword-singer who is as good as Tiger, and this grates on Tiger's
Southron ideas.
- Vol. 2: Sword-Singer (1988)
Sword-singer is about Tiger and Del traveling to the North because Del has been charged with the
murder of her teacher, who she needed to kill to 'blood' her blade and then 'key' it, or awaken
its magical properties.
- Vol. 3: Sword-Maker (1989)
- Vol. 4: Sword-Breaker (1991)
- Vol. 5: Sword-Born (1998)
- Vol. 6: Sword-Sworn (2002)
Omnibus editions
- Vol. 1+2: The Novels of Tiger and Del, Volume I (2006)
- Vol. 3+4: The Novels of Tiger and Del, Volume II (2006)
- Vol. 5+6: The Novels of Tiger and Del, Volume III (2007)
Robin Hood/Marian
- Vol. 1: Lady of the Forest (1993)
- Vol. 2: Lady of Sherwood (1999)
Stand-Alone
- Smoketree (1985)
- Kansas Blood (1986) (as Jay Mitchell)
- Royal Captive (1987) (as Jennifer O'Green)
- Lady of the Glen (1996)
- The Golden Key (1996) (with Melanie RawnMelanie RawnMelanie Rawn is an author of fantasy literature. She received a BA in history from Scripps College and worked as a teacher and editor before becoming a writer....
and Kate ElliottKate ElliottKate Elliott is the pen name of American fantasy and science fiction writer Alis A. Rasmussen .-Writing:Although Rasmussen's first novels The Labyrinth Gate and The Highroad failed to become bestsellers, additional publishers liked her manuscripts but wanted a fresh name unconnected with the...
) - Highlander: Scotland the BraveHighlander: Scotland the BraveHighlander: Scotland the Brave is the third official Highlander novel based on Highlander: The Series. It was written by Jennifer Roberson.-Plot introduction:...
(1996)
Anthologies
- Return to Avalon (1996) (with Martin H. GreenbergMartin H. GreenbergMartin Harry Greenberg was an American speculative fiction anthologist and writer.-Biography:Dr. Martin H. Greenberg was born March 1, 1941, to Max and Mae Greenberg in South Miami Beach, Florida...
) - Highwaymen: Robbers and Rogues (1997) (with Liz DanforthLiz DanforthElizabeth T. Danforth is a figure of note in the game industry. Although primarily recognized as an illustrator, she is an editor, writer, game scenario designer, and game developer.-Creative works:...
) - Out of Avalon (2001) (with Martin H. GreenbergMartin H. GreenbergMartin Harry Greenberg was an American speculative fiction anthologist and writer.-Biography:Dr. Martin H. Greenberg was born March 1, 1941, to Max and Mae Greenberg in South Miami Beach, Florida...
)