Holly Lisle (1960–) is an American fantasy author. Her first novel, Fire in the Mists, was chosen as the best first novel of the year by the Baltimore SF Society in 1992. Another of her early works, the Glenraven series, was co-authored by Marion Zimmer Bradley, and was among Bradley's last works—Bradley died shortly after the series was finished.
Lisle has written over 30 novels, including several Paranormal Romances, and has also published several non-fiction books about writing. Other authors she has collaborated with include Mercedes Lackey and S. M. Stirling. She is one of only a handful of authors who have been authorized to write stories in the Harold Shea series.
Works with a page on this Wiki:
- The Secret Texts (series)
Selected other works:
- The "Arhel" series:
- Fire in the Mist (1992)
- Bones of the Past (1993)
- Mind of the Magic (1995)
- When the Bough Breaks (1992, with Mercedes Lackey)
- Minerva Wakes (1993)
- The Rose Sea (1994, with S. M. Stirling)
- "Glenraven" series (with Marion Zimmer Bradley)
- Glenraven (1996)
- In the Rift: Glenraven II (1998)
- Hunting the Corrigan's Blood (1997)
- "World Gates" series
- Memory of Fire (2002)
- The Wreck of Heaven (2003)
- Gods Old and Dark (2004)
- Midnight Rain (2004)
- Last Girl Dancing (2005)
- The "Korre" series:
- Talyn (2005)
- Hawkspar (2008)
- “Moon & Sun”
- The Ruby Key 2008)
- The Silver Door (2009)
- The Emerald Sun (upcoming)
Tropes in her other works:
- Art Initiates Life: The title character of Minerva Wakes discovers she'd acquired this ability, while her husband Darryl had gained Rewriting Reality. Learning to use their powers together was about all that saved them, because the powers had been intended for somebody else, and now could only be passed to their "rightful" users by the death of Minerva and Darryl.
- Dirty Harriet: Last Girl Dancing is a textbook example of this trope: the protagonist is a female cop who goes undercover as a stripper to find a serial killer.
- Empowered Badass Normal: In Talyn, the main character of the same name begins with limited use of something called the Hagedwar, a tool which grants the user power restrained only by how well they know how to use said tool. However, as the heat gets turned up, Talyn conveniently learns how to do such extraordinary things with the Hagedwar that she essentially becomes a demigoddess.
- Expendable Alternate Universe: Comes up in the World Gates trilogy, especially when one character talks to the fellow that was her husband, only he's a still-alive version in another universe.
- Have You Seen My God?: Temporary variant: at the beginning of Hell on High, God announces he's taking his first vacation in, well, ever. Two angels take advantage of his not being around to go AWOL to Earth, so they can try to convince a demon they knew before the Fall to repent and return. At the end of the book, God comes back and reveals he was giving them an opportunity to do just that.
- Karma Houdini: The abusive, murderous husband in Midnight Rain does get what's coming to him, but his wealthy family, who switched him with another guy in a coma to fake his death and aid and abet his stalking of the main character, gets off.
- Mama Bear: The cover blurb from Minerva Wakes notes: "Three rules govern life: Never give up on your dreams. Always do what is right. And NEVER mess with the Mommy."
- Missed the Call: In Minerva Wakes, Minerva and her husband were sold wedding rings that were supposed to wake their innate magical abilities and turn them into magical guardians who stand against the Unweaver. When this is finally explained to her, Minerva is startled but ready to step up and meet her destiny; she's less than thrilled when it is further explained that the people who were supposed to get the rings showed up half an hour later.
- Parental Incest: In When the Bough Breaks, a young girl is being molested by her father and develops psychic powers and split personalities. You later find out the dad used to be mentally tortured by his own father, and his eventual comeuppance is very fitting.
- Serial Killer Baiting: In Last Girl Dancing the protagonist is a female cop who goes undercover as a stripper to find a serial killer.
- Unusual Euphemism: Talyn, a fantasy, includes "pogging" to refer to sex. The character's a soldier, so she uses it quite a bit.
