Family Ties – B.R. Kingsolver

Diane is a half-Elf who works out of the Crossroads - an enormous market at the center of the local multiverse. Like her father, she is a Smith. (She claims to be the best sword smith in the Crossroads, and we have no reason to doubt her.) Like her mother, she doesn’t start trouble - but she does tend to finish it. She is an engaging protagonist - competent, fun, occasionally funny.

In this case, trouble comes visiting in the form of a would-be assassin. In fact, it comes visiting a number of her relatives, and she travels to her mother’s homeland to find out who has been reaching out. (Turns out her mother renounced a throne, but at least some of her Elven relatives would like the line of succession to be uncluttered.)

“Family Ties” is what you hope for in a good series starter. It tells a mostly-self-contained story that introduces the series without being blatant about it.