ISBN: 0-345-43527-3 Order from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com
An entertaining adventure, heavier on sex and melodrama than on real plot.
Reviewed by David on April 28, 2002
Genre: Fantasy (Intrigue, Mystery, Alternate Reality, Elfpunk)
Synopsis: In an alternate world, Thomas Jefferson, a great fan of the Fey, has invited the Seelie and the Unseelie Courts to settle in the United States. Now, centuries later, the magical courts still intrigue and perform wonders in the Cahokia Hills in Illinois.
Meridith is the only Fey princess born in America. Quarter-human, she has weaknesses that other Sidhe exploit. However, her heritage—for she is related to both courts—thrust her in the middle of deadly political and magical intrigue.
In the long-lived race of Sidhe, children are rare and precious. Royal ones are doubly so. Thus, Princess Meridith is given a choice: if she can produce a child, she will inherit the Unseelie Crown. Plenty of others in both courts are intriguing: some want Merry dead, others want to control her in case she becomes a Queen. However, there are plenty of other intrigues, and some are so deadly they threaten even the bystanders. Merry must survive and win if she wants to protect her friends and allies.
Full Review: Hamilton is the author of the very popular Anita Blake series. As in the Anita Blake series, here the modern life and convention serve as the backdrop to the magic and cruelty of another society, almost human but endowed with near-immortality, strange powers and weaknesses.
The politics and intrugue are ferocious, and powerful, long-lived opponents become dangerous allies or even more dangerous enemies based on a fight, an argument, or a night of sex.
The series so far is full of sex, which is treated differently among the Fey. Sex is used for alliances or magic, and only rarely for love or affection. Merry herself is descended from fertility goddesses—and derives some of her power from sex.
There is a bit of a mystery here, full of magic and old schemes. Unlike the previous novel, Merry becomes more active, as her powers and responsibilities grow, and thus enjecting more excitement into the plot. While still being very pragmatic and abasing herself to avoid destruction, Merry growing strength and influence mean that she negotiates more.
Despite excessive melodrama, this novel provides a fast plot, likable if somewhat baroque characters, and plenty of color. One looks forward to the next book in this dark fantasy series.
Overall: 6.5; Plot: 6; Characters: 5.5; Style: 6; World-building: 6; Originality: 6.5;
Copyright date 2002, Ballantine Publishing Group (Ballantine), April 2002, Cloth, 326 pages
ISBN: 0-345-43527-3 Order from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com