I just finished reading Tamshi's Imp last night, and I can whole-heartedly recommend it to one and all, especially the avid fantasy fan. Jonathan really does a superb job of spinning a tale that is original, captivating, and a just-plain-great read. And even the best guesser will be thrown by the major plot twist-- it's worth the read just to see if it fools you too! Likeable characters, great descriptive narration, and true originality make this book a winner. Fantastic!

"Jonathan Fesmire continues to grow as the fantasist of the new generation. Tamshi's Imp is a blend of magic and mayhem, heartbreak and heroism, sorcery and suspense, but at its heart, it's also a story of redemption and the undying power of love. It is an adventure not to be missed!"
-James Clemens, author of Wit'ch Gate

Some of you may have already discovered Jonathan Fesmire's work from his many magazine appearances, his first novel Children of Rhatlan, or his collection of short fiction Seeds of Vision. In Tamshi's Imp he returns to his best-known setting, with new characters and conflicts.

Meet Tamshi, a powerful sorceress, assigned to study a village to see if it harbors a dangerous cult or just a group of harmless flakes. Meet Blue, an ice imp, Tamshi's familiar. Thought they met under awkward circumstances--Blue disrupted the spell that Tamshi had intended to cast on a squirrel--they have become deeply devoted to each other. Along with their friends, they must somehow solve the mysteries before them.

This is a story more of questions than of answers. Who is the true deity, or deities—Unneyer; or Lothay, Moreri, and Rhatlan? What is faith, and how do you tell that you've put it in the right place? What do you have left to hold on to, when you've lost everything? Why has Tamshi lost almost all her memory, and how can she get it back? Where is Blue? How much time do they have to figure things out before it's too late?

Jonathan Fesmire has created a rich and detailed world, inhabited by quirky yet lovable people. The action arises naturally from interactions between setting and characters. They will take you by surprise; they will steal your heart; they will leave you hungry for more.

Tamshi's Imp is pure fantasy, sure to appeal to fans of that genre. Those of you who also have a taste for mystery should definitely give it a look; while it isn't about solving a murder, it is very much about putting clues together to solve crucial puzzles. It isn't really about romance, either, although there are hints of that too in some places; but it's very much about relationships and the challenges of interacting with people. It's a story of love, and loyalty, and courage, and sacrifice. Long after you close the covers and set this book carefully on the shelf, you'll find yourself thinking about it at odd moments. Highly recommended.
--Elizabeth Barrette, Managing Editor of PanGaia, for the "Hypatia's Hoard" review column in Spicy Green Iguana

Having some familarity with Fesmire’s fertile imagination, it’s almost impossible to guess what subject he will turn his prose powers to next. That Tamshi’s Imp is a lush fantasy comes as no surprise, but that’s only means he has hidden his twists and turns inside the story. True, Tamshi’s Imp is loaded with magic, wizards, and the usual fairy folk, but it harbours a mystery in it’s depths.

Tamshi is a sorceress of no small power, which she is using to bring a dark magic into the world. Or is she? Tamshi herself is confused about exactly what she is doing with the god Unneyer’s worshippers. Something is seriously wrong, though she cannot explain precisely what, only that she is in danger and she wants to escape the iron grip of Gentriu, the high priest. But, escape to where? And why is it so important she must run from a group she was supposed to be dedicated to?

Fesmire has a talent for creating beautiful and dangerous mental landscapes and the settings in his latest novel are no exception. From the claustrophobic and menacing grounds of the temple to the snow-covered wilderness beyond the city’s walls, every location is vividly evoked.

Fans of Fesmire’s work will no doubt be pleased that Tamshi’s Imp is firmly rooted in the world of Rhatlan, Moreri, and Lothay. Though no duals put in an appearance, it is the countryside of Children of Rhatlan and Seeds of Vision, Fesmire’s earlier books. The author is no fool; he knows the value of a universe entirely his own.

This latest effort lacks some of the dramatic tension of Fesmire’s previous work. There is danger, deception, and magic in the air, but the strong point of the story is the startling secret uncovered in almost the final act. It’s a bit of sorcery the author handles beautifully, given as he is to a fascination for magical devices. How many readers will see the truth before it is unveiled, I wonder? I certainly don’t intend to spoil it for anyone...

Enjoy the suspense of the chase and take in the vivid details that bring the character of Fesmire’s world to life. Slip into and out of secret hideouts and realities. Puzzle it over with Tamshi as she struggles to make sense of her situation, before it is too late for her and for her world. Imagine the devastation that will ensue if she fails in her attempts to thwart Unneyer’s resurrection.

And, get ready for that surprise that awaits you within the covers of Tamshi’s Imp.