Rating: 4 stars

By uttering a single word, the Djinn Cassiel has doomed herself. By refusing to obey her ruler, her Conduit’s will, she incurred his wrath. Infuriated by her unwillingness to cave, Ashan cast Cassiel out of the aetheric plane and stripped her of her energy form, only to thrust Cassiel into (shudder!)…meat.

A dying Cassiel is discovered by David, a Djinn who spends much of his time among humans. As humans must eat, so must Djinn – and although Cassiel has been stripped of most that made her Djinn, no amount of human food will nourish her dying body. Cassiel must have a connection to the aetheric plane. Through trial and error, it’s discovered that a select group of elemental sorcerers called the Weather Wardens can serve as Conduits for Cassiel … if they can overcome the fear that she will drain them dry.

But one brave soul chooses to step forward, and a tenuous trust is formed.

In Cassiel, Rachel Caine has created a unique blend of jaded and naiveté that readily engages the readers interest. With the ‘new eyes’ of an infant to this plane, Cassiel’s attempts to successfully interact with her new Conduit, Manny, and his family are at times laughable, but most times adorable – and at times will bring a tear to your eye. Cassiel’s interactions with his daughter are the most telling in Cassiel’s inner growth as a ‘human’ as Caine beautifully illustrates the emotional thawing and growth a young child can unknowingly and innocently cause in the most ‘frozen’ of hearts.

Be warned! This addictive read ends with a quite literal ‘to be continued’. For those of you who’d like to read on, Cassiel’s story will be continued in Outcast Season: Unknown.

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ISBN: 978-0-451-46261-9
Publication date February 2009, through Roc Fantasy