Pathfinder Tales: Starspawn

Former pirate Jendara has been enjoying the quiet of motherhood, staying home to raise her twelve-year-old son and foregoing her former life of adventure. But everything changes abruptly when a giant tsunami heralds the arrival of a mysterious island, an island covered in riches. Jendara, her husband Vorrin, and their crew set sail to explore the island, but nothing goes as planned: not only are they not the only dungeon delvers, but there are mysterious creatures afoot, including terrifying giant spiders. Now, Jendara just wants to recover her crew and get out before it’s too late.

Wendy N. Wagner’s newest addition to the Pathfinder Tales library is Starspawn, and while it’s the second novel featuring Jendara and her family, reading the first is not necessary to enjoy this one! This story starts off as a solid fantasy adventure but soon gets downright creepy, with elements of horror woven into the island experience. Jendara is a relatively level-headed protagonist, but her humanity shows clearly in the mistakes she makes while dealing with these unforeseen dangers. As the danger ramps up, this book becomes impossible to put down.