by Marc Secchia
Genre: Fantasy (Grand Fantasy, in all senses!)
Review:Feynard is an uninhibited, fully realised grand fantasy and
engages the reader in a wonderful, complex story. The land of Driadorn is under
threat from a mysterious blight, and a saviour must be found.
Kevin Jenkins is the quintessential unlikely hero - weak,
sickly, abused and hopeless. He spends his life in his room, or in the library
of Pitterdown Manor with the books he loves, when he's not recuperating from
being the family whipping boy. Sometimes he has strange dreams, and
increasingly he dreams of a barefoot girl dressed in leaves. Then there's
Great-grandmother Victoria's distinctly strange legacy...
Kevin finds himself in the world of Feynard, an invalid in
the care of a honeybear (a healer named Zinfandir), a unicorn and a dryad, who
seem to believe that he's some kind of warrior (ha ha). Feynard is in trouble,
and someone needs to save the world. Kevin's focus is on wondering how long it
will be before he dies of asthma without his pump.
The unicorn is Zephyr, intelligent, amusingly arrogant, and
kind. The disturbingly attractive dryad is Alliathiune - whom Kevin
irreverently calls "Thooney" when he gets drunk. Alliathiune seems to
have the kind and gentle nature of a bramble bush, at least on first
acquaintance. Then again, brambleberries are delicious! Among other notable
character creatures is the large and endearing swamp Lurk from Mistral Bog
nicknamed 'Snatcher'.
The world of Feynard is a wonderfully rich and original
creation, which I felt was fully realised. There is a great diversity of lands
and creatures, and of the kinds of magic that are used. Flora and fauna of
Driadorn and elsewhere are referred to and described, casually or in detail, in
a way that comes across as completely natural and as if of a world one has
really visited. I find it hard to get across just how well developed every
creature is. The dryads in particular, and the unicorns, are revealed in every
facet of who and what they are: biology, society, magical abilities, lifestyle
and character.
The monsters are scary and their characters are almost as
fully developed as those creatures of the 'good' side, with complex motives and
their own plans and tactics. The good allies are also not simplistically
depicted, and co-operation must sometimes be obtained in spite of divergent
motives and priorities.
The story offers
grand fantasy adventure, daunting challenges and a complicated romance - very
complicated, because humans and dryads, while related, are not the same species!
This is an important part of the amazing - excuse me! - climax to the whole
wonderfully complex tale.
Criticisms are hard to point out and frankly I don't really
want to criticise this book because I loved it so much! However, I did notice
that some character responses, rarely, are a little implausible. Snatcher's
heartache, for example, is too readily healed.
The writing, as always with Marc
Secchia, flows well and is easy to read; however, in this book he uses a
somewhat larger and more old-fashioned vocabulary than in his more recent
books. I prefer this style which I feel is appropriate to the fantasy setting,
and the editing seems flawless.
The pace of the book is very good, although
some may feel that the early parts drag a little, especially where Kevin is
whining and feeling sorry for himself. Personally, I was very happy with the
pace throughout, and hoped for a slightly slower ending - but perhaps that was
because I was running out of book, and just didn't want it to end at all!
I have not read such a good fantasy book since Tolkien. Were
I to compare this to something, it would be to Terry Pratchett's original
Landover book: Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold!, except that this is far bigger,
better and more satisfying. I cannot understand why Feynard is not much more
widely known except that, of course, it's Indie.
This is for anyone who loves fantasy - or even just likes it
in a lukewarm sort of way. Get Feynard. Read Feynard. Love Feynard. Tell the
world!
My thanks to Marc, who provided me with a free review
copy for an honest and objective review.
Review: Romance in Four Seasons
by M. D. Gardner
Genre: Romance, Short Stories
Review:
Delight in Four Seasons
A delightful collection of four romantic cameos: the reader is surprised by Gardner's originality, delighted with the wit, wooed by the charm of each story and, most essentially, moved emotionally. In at least one case the being charmed by the story is wickedly deceptive; in another it's pleasurably satisfying.
The stories in order are: Bus Stop, The Big Four-O, Checkout and Ideal Match. I don't have a favourite, they're all good - but I must confess I needed a tissue at the end. Just one; I'm a man.
Gardner writes in a clean and subtle style; one is easily deceived into thinking the writing simple. Only when you consider the impact the author has had on the reader do you begin to realise how carefully the words have been put together. The editing is absolutely professional, although I feel that the quality of the current cover image is well below what the collection deserves.
If you enjoy romance, or good short stories, and especially if you'd like something other than the usual formulaic output of the big romance publishers, grab this one!
Currently Reading:
The Girl Who Sang with Whales
by Marc Secchia
