Saturday, February 7, 2026

Audiobook Review: From a High Tower by Mercedes Lackey

From a High Tower

Author:
Mercedes Lackey
Narrator: Jennifer Van Dyck
Series: Elemental Masters (Book 10)
Publication: Audible Studios (June 2, 2015)
Length: 11 hours and 47 minutes

Description: The tenth novel in Mercedes Lackey's magical Elemental Masters series reimagines the fairy tale Rapunzel in a richly-detailed alternate Victorian world

Giselle had lived fourteen years of her life in an abandoned tower. Her mother kept Giselle, a young Air Master still growing into her abilities, isolated for the sake of herself and others.

This life left her unprepared when a handsome young man appeared at the base of her tower. But when the young stranger entered her window, he tried to force himself on her. She was saved by Mother, an Earth Master, who hurled the man out the window he had climbed in.

The Foresters of the Black Forest were Earth Masters whose job it was to cleanse the ancient forest of evil elementals, and over the next four years, they shared their fighting expertise to teach Giselle self-defense. By the age of twenty, Giselle was an expert markswoman, and it was this skill that she used to survive when Mother died. Cutting her long hair, she masqueraded as a boy to enter shooting competitions and used the prize money to support herself.

But she could not forget the first man who assaulted her, for when that stranger had fallen from her tower long ago, his body had never been found. In Giselle’s heart, she was certain his magic had helped him to survive the fall. Surely, it was only a matter of time before he found her and sought revenge. Was she prepared to stand against him?

My Thoughts: This is a riff on Rapunzel and is set in Victorian Germany. Giselle was purchased by her mother from a poor family because she recognized Giselle's potential magic. Her mother was an Earth Master and Giselle is a budding Air Master. 

When Giselle was fourteen and while her mother was away gathering supplies, a handsome young man arrives and tricks Giselle into letting her into her tower. He assaults her and Giselle is only rescued by her mother's convenient return. Her mother has the Foresters teach her self-defense skills including marksmanship. Giselle becomes an expert marksman which lets her survive when her mother dies.

At twenty, Giselle is out disguising herself as a man in order to enter shooting contests to earn money. A local army commander sees her and wants her in the Army. Giselle uses her air spirits to get away from him, but he dies in the escape which fills Giselle with guilt. She goes to a local Earth Master for healing, and the Earth Master introduces her to a traveling American Wild West Show where she is treasured for her shooting. 

However, the man who assaulted her is not finished with her. When Giselle brings the Show home with her to winter over at her isolated home, the masters in the company have to fight off the villains who are determined to capture Giselle and her supposed treasure. 

This was an engaging coming of age story with ties to the ninth book in the series. Giselle becomes friends with that story's heroine who assists her with her problems, teaches her about her magic, and provides a course to the future for Giselle. 

I bought this one September 28, 2021. You can buy your copy here.

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