I began this review by looking for a good science fiction book to talk about, but I found that quest sidetracked by a fantasy trilogy I’ve read before, beginning with The Wizard Hunters by Martha Wells. The stories are light fantasy written in casual English, right down to the level of self-doubt, slight indignities, and swear words. It’s also engaging enough that I didn’t want to put it down, even between chapters.

The main character, Tremaine Valiarde, lives in Ile-Rien, a nation under siege by a mysterious enemy known as the Gardier. After a couple of coincidences and a healthy dose of magic, she and three others find themselves transported to another world, and make contact with the more primitive civilization living there. They too are under attack by the Gardier, and Tremaine and the others realize that not only can they not just leave these people to die, they may actually be Ile-Rien’s best hope.

Wells’ characters are well-developed, believable, and again, refreshingly casual. (Not many fantasy books contain the line guess I’m not getting laid tonight!) The world(s) are very well-developed, though the first few chapters of The Wizard Hunters do require the reader to muddle through references to places and culture that haven’t yet been explained. The story itself, while not brilliantly original, manages to come up with interesting twists all throughout, and weaves several subplots together with a minimum of friction. Finally, for those who look for it, there is a romantic subplot; for those who are normally put off by this, it does not dominate the story as it would in many other fantasy novels.

Martha Wells has written two other books in the Ile-Rien universe, both set decades before The Wizard Hunters and its sequels, but it’s not necessary to have read them before starting this trilogy. It’s worth repeating that this book is not high fantasy or a full-on romance. But if you’re looking to try a light fantasy book, The Wizard Hunters is a fun and engaging read.