Dark Fantasy

[pinkalienfred]

I am trying to find a book I read when I was a young teen, that I found in the teen section of my local library. This would have been 1999-2005 era, though the book may have been published before that. It was a fantasy novel taking place in another world, and the societies involved were more of a desert tribal people. There were a male and female protagonist, and it was a love story. In my recollections, I am not sure how much this was actually appropriate for a young reader, as I recall their being some very dark and near death scenes. There was magic, but not a flashy spell casting kind, and their was a romance between the protagonists (who were either older teens or young adults). I want to say one of them was cursed, and there were scenes where they separated due to misunderstandings (some cultural) and they definitely had to overcome societal/magical/warring clans to come together. I of course remember no ones name, nor the title...

can anyone help??

Comments

[flexagon]

Is there any chance this was Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre? It's older than the dates you quoted, but it won the 1979 Hugo Award, the 1979 Nebula Award, and the 1979 Locus Award. And the rest all fits.

I dont think so

[pinkalienfred]

Nothing about the book seems to be ringing a bell, I do remember it being more fantasy than science fiction, and I think the main protagonist was the male? It was more hero's journey styled.

That being said, this book looks really good and I may have to go read it now!!

Re: I dont think so

[flexagon]

Oh well, I tried! Yeah, it was honestly a lot better than expected. I only picked it up as part of a quest to read all the novels that had won both the Nebula and the Hugo, but was pleasantly surprised.

[archangelbeth]

The Blue Sword?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Sword
https://www.amazon.com/Robin-McKinley-Blue-Sword/dp/B006L7SECM

Not this one

[pinkalienfred]

I think the protagonist was male, but this book looks pretty good!!

Re: Not this one

[kinetikatrue]

Any chance it's one of Jennifer Roberson's Sword-Dancer books, then? I believe they tick off most of your points!

Re: Not this one

[archangelbeth]

Hm hm hm...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/367335.City_of_Bones

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/259897.The_Will_of_the_Wanderer (Probably not, if it was low-key magic.)

Another longshot: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1261014.Daughter_of_the_Desert

This one almost certainly isn't it, but now I'm going to have to see if the ebooks are reasonably priced, since I read one and need the rest. >_>
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/293395.Wolf_Tower

I hope you at least get some others that are good reading! *wry*