Horn Crown

This story starts slowly, then picks up pace to “Go away reality, don't you understand I'mreading!*” levels by the end.

The interesting idea of fantasy colonists passing through portals to settle a new world got me through the first half. This is a scenario more usual in SF and it was a different experience to see it through the eyes of people who have to worry about enchantments as well as if their crops will grow in the soil.

By the second half things had kicked off with our magic using hard-as-nails heroine and determined if naive warrior off on their quest (avoiding spoilers), travelling through the ruins of a vanished civilisation with wonderfully used pseudoceltic references.

A great read!