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"King Richon, who returns to his human form, aims to make amends for his tyrannical rule. Chala, choosing to give up her hound state, must reconcile herself to her human limitations as she wonders if she sacrificed too much. Their mutual respect and deep friendship subtly and convincingly grow into love while they explore their magical shape-shifting powers and restore peace to the kingdom. Told in third person, the chapters alternate between the points of view of the bear and the hound. The plot pacing is even and taught. Deep exploration of the main characters' flaws and values blends smoothly with an exploration of good versus evil. Some well-drawn descriptions of bloody battles between animals and humans may be too intense for some readers, but the love story is as compelling as the characters are strong and complex. The message of ecological responsibility is slightly heavy-handed but readers will find the relationship between independent Chala and pensive Richon appealing." Amy J. Chow

In this stand-alone companion novel to The Princess and the Hound, Harrison weaves an unusual tapestry from the strands of a folktale in which humans and animals shift forms, a fairytale in which kings and princesses outwit evil, and a moral tale in which the redemptive power of love heals great wounds, enables harrowing sacrifices, and provides unexpected reservoirs of strength. The novel begins slowly as the omniscient narrator alternates chapters between the hound's and the bear's perspective. In addition, readers expecting a conventional princess tale may be put off as this heroine loves long chases and the taste of warm blood, but Harrison's vision of female strength and courage is refreshing on its own terms, and the bear's growth toward true humanity is equally empowering." Megan Lynn Isaac

Coming Soon! The Princess and the Snowbird , the sequel to The Princess and the Bear will be available in 2010. It is the story of Liva, the daughter of the hound and the bear, and Jens, an ordinary boy with no magic at all who does extraordinary things, and of course, a mythical creature called a snowbird who returns to help save magic at the end of the world.

I have a monthly writing column called "Chopsticks" at Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show. In October it was on "Point of View" and in November it is on "Backstory."

My fantasy short story "Through the Blood" is available in issue (#16) of Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show.