Rosemary Kirstein. Actually a reissue of two earlier books, The Steerswoman and The Outskirter’s Secret. This could be thought of as the beginning of a mystery story. There are certainly tantalizing hints that the characters are descendants of people from Earth. Why do the wizards, the steerswomen, and the outskirters have such fragmentary understandings of how things work? Of course, we all have only a fragmentary understanding, but this story is set in a world where someone, once upon a time, had the connections. Or do the wizards actually have a full understanding? Then why are they hiding it?
I guess I’ll just have to keep reading to find out.
Fine, strong female protagonists, by the way.