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Jack of Kinrowan #1-2
Jack of Kinrowan: Jack the Giant-Killer / Drink Down the Moon
Jack of Kinrowan An acknowledged classic of contemporary fantasy, Jack of Kinrowan brings together in one volume Charles de Lint's rollicking saga of wild faerie magic on the streets of the city. Hurled into the mythical land of Faerie by a faceless gang of bikers, young Jacky Rowan is stunned when she is immediately hailed as the legendary hero Jack of Kinrowan and directed to save the land from a treacherous evil force.
Contents:
Jack, the Giant Killer: A faceless gang of bikers on Wild Hunt through the streets of present-day Ottawa hurtles young Jacky Rowan across the threshold into the perilous land of Faerie. There, to her dismay, she is hailed as the Jack of Kinrowan, a once-and-future trickster hero whose lot is to save the Elven Courts from unimaginable evil.
Drink Down the Moon: Once the realm of Faerie drew its power from the Moon herself. But now a ghastly creature has stolen that power and enslaved the Fair Folk--and Jacky Rowan herself. Only Johnny Faw, a handsome fiddler unaware of his magical gifts, has the power to set them free.
.
Contents:
Jack, the Giant Killer: A faceless gang of bikers on Wild Hunt through the streets of present-day Ottawa hurtles young Jacky Rowan across the threshold into the perilous land of Faerie. There, to her dismay, she is hailed as the Jack of Kinrowan, a once-and-future trickster hero whose lot is to save the Elven Courts from unimaginable evil.
Drink Down the Moon: Once the realm of Faerie drew its power from the Moon herself. But now a ghastly creature has stolen that power and enslaved the Fair Folk--and Jacky Rowan herself. Only Johnny Faw, a handsome fiddler unaware of his magical gifts, has the power to set them free.
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412 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
16 people are currently reading
2118 people want to read
About the author
Charles de Lint
446 books3,993 followersCharles de Lint is the much beloved author of more than seventy adult, young adult, and children's books. Renowned as one of the trailblazers of the modern fantasy genre, he is the recipient of the World Fantasy, Aurora, Sunburst, and White Pine awards, among others. Modern Library's Top 100 Books of the 20th Century poll, conducted by Random House and voted on by readers, put eight of de Lint's books among the top 100.
De Lint is a poet, folklorist, artist, songwriter and performer. He has written critical essays, music reviews, opinion columns and entries to encyclopedias, and he's been the main book reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction since 1987. De Lint served as Writer-in-residence for two public libraries in Ottawa and has taught creative writing workshops for adults and children in Canada and the United States. He's been a judge for several prominent awards, including the Nebula, World Fantasy, Theodore Sturgeon and Bram Stoker.
Born in the Netherlands in 1951, de Lint immigrated to Canada with his family as an infant. The family moved often during de Lint's childhood because of his father's job with an international surveying company, but by the time Charles was twelve—having lived in Western Canada, Turkey and Lebanon—they had settled in Lucerne, Quebec, not far from where he now resides in Ottawa, Ontario.
In 1980, de Lint married the love of his life, MaryAnn Harris, who works closely with him as his first editor, business manager and creative partner. They share their love and home with a cheery little dog named Johnny Cash.
Charles de Lint is best described as a romantic: a believer in compassion, hope and human potential. His skilled portrayal of character and settings has earned him a loyal readership and glowing praise from peers, reviewers and readers.
Charles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.
—Holly Black (bestselling author)
Charles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.
—Alice Hoffman (bestselling author)
To read de Lint is to fall under the spell of a master storyteller, to be reminded of the greatness of life, of the beauty and majesty lurking in shadows and empty doorways.
—Quill & Quire
His Newford books, which make up most of de Lint's body of work between 1993 and 2009, confirmed his reputation for bringing a vivid setting and repertory cast of characters to life on the page. Though not a consecutive series, the twenty-five standalone books set in (or connected to) Newford give readers a feeling of visiting a favourite city and seeing old friends.
More recently, his young adult Wildlings trilogy—Under My Skin, Over My Head, and Out of This World—came out from Penguin Canada and Triskell Press in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Under My Skin won 2013 Aurora Award. A novel for middle-grade readers, The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, published by Little Brown in 2013, won the Sunburst Award, earned starred reviews in both Publishers Weekly and Quill & Quire, and was chosen by the New York Times Editors as one of the top six children's books for 2013. His most recent adult novel, The Mystery of Grace (2009), is a fascinating ghost story about love, passion and faith. It was a finalist for both the Sunburst and Evergreen awards.
De Lint is presently writing a new adult novel. His storytelling skills also shine in his original songs. He and MaryAnn (also a musician) recently released companion CDs of their original songs, samples of which can be heard on de Lin
De Lint is a poet, folklorist, artist, songwriter and performer. He has written critical essays, music reviews, opinion columns and entries to encyclopedias, and he's been the main book reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction since 1987. De Lint served as Writer-in-residence for two public libraries in Ottawa and has taught creative writing workshops for adults and children in Canada and the United States. He's been a judge for several prominent awards, including the Nebula, World Fantasy, Theodore Sturgeon and Bram Stoker.
Born in the Netherlands in 1951, de Lint immigrated to Canada with his family as an infant. The family moved often during de Lint's childhood because of his father's job with an international surveying company, but by the time Charles was twelve—having lived in Western Canada, Turkey and Lebanon—they had settled in Lucerne, Quebec, not far from where he now resides in Ottawa, Ontario.
In 1980, de Lint married the love of his life, MaryAnn Harris, who works closely with him as his first editor, business manager and creative partner. They share their love and home with a cheery little dog named Johnny Cash.
Charles de Lint is best described as a romantic: a believer in compassion, hope and human potential. His skilled portrayal of character and settings has earned him a loyal readership and glowing praise from peers, reviewers and readers.
Charles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.
—Holly Black (bestselling author)
Charles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.
—Alice Hoffman (bestselling author)
To read de Lint is to fall under the spell of a master storyteller, to be reminded of the greatness of life, of the beauty and majesty lurking in shadows and empty doorways.
—Quill & Quire
His Newford books, which make up most of de Lint's body of work between 1993 and 2009, confirmed his reputation for bringing a vivid setting and repertory cast of characters to life on the page. Though not a consecutive series, the twenty-five standalone books set in (or connected to) Newford give readers a feeling of visiting a favourite city and seeing old friends.
More recently, his young adult Wildlings trilogy—Under My Skin, Over My Head, and Out of This World—came out from Penguin Canada and Triskell Press in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Under My Skin won 2013 Aurora Award. A novel for middle-grade readers, The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, published by Little Brown in 2013, won the Sunburst Award, earned starred reviews in both Publishers Weekly and Quill & Quire, and was chosen by the New York Times Editors as one of the top six children's books for 2013. His most recent adult novel, The Mystery of Grace (2009), is a fascinating ghost story about love, passion and faith. It was a finalist for both the Sunburst and Evergreen awards.
De Lint is presently writing a new adult novel. His storytelling skills also shine in his original songs. He and MaryAnn (also a musician) recently released companion CDs of their original songs, samples of which can be heard on de Lin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
February 18, 2023
This was a disappointment. I loved Charles de Lint's first Newford book, but this was lacking the charm and magic of that world.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things that were fun:
-The lore. Love me some fae stories.
-UF with a twist. One of the things I like about his writing is that he plays with urban settings and fantasy worlds without relying on the PI or cop part of the trope.
-Friendship. Nice to see gals bein' pals!
The mundane:
-Dialogue. This was terribly pedestrian.
-The solutions. I never felt Jaky or her friends to be in any real danger, as there was always a convenient out.
-Telling not showing. Jacks are meant to be clever and quick. Jaky...certainly had ideas.
-Exposition. I laughed out loud as at one point we spent more time talking about which roads to take through Ottawa than we did in the killing of a mythical brute.
Not for me, sadly. Sweet, short, boring.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things that were fun:
-The lore. Love me some fae stories.
-UF with a twist. One of the things I like about his writing is that he plays with urban settings and fantasy worlds without relying on the PI or cop part of the trope.
-Friendship. Nice to see gals bein' pals!
The mundane:
-Dialogue. This was terribly pedestrian.
-The solutions. I never felt Jaky or her friends to be in any real danger, as there was always a convenient out.
-Telling not showing. Jacks are meant to be clever and quick. Jaky...certainly had ideas.
-Exposition. I laughed out loud as at one point we spent more time talking about which roads to take through Ottawa than we did in the killing of a mythical brute.
Not for me, sadly. Sweet, short, boring.
April 19, 2011
In Jack the Giant Killer, the first of two novellas in this book, Jacky Rowan has just realized that her life is not going where she wants it to go. She drifts along, refusing to take care of her life and just staying at home doing nothing. She decides to change her life after a nasty breakup. In a fit of pique, she goes out drinking alone. Staggering home, she sees a little man being chased by 9 men on motorcycles. She tries to help him, but the little man is killed. She runs to a nearby house to try to get help, but no one answers the door. She runs back to where the little man's body was, only to see it disappear, leaving behind only a red cap.
The next day, she almost convinces herself that the alcohol was just making her see things that weren't there, but she can't explain where she got the cap from. She puts it on and starts to see people straight out of Faerie. She eventually finds out that the Unseelie Court has been getting stronger and stronger and has actually stolen the local Laird's daughter. The Seelie Court is so weak that everyone is afraid to go in search of the poor girl. Jacky decides to just go looking herself. With a hob's stitcheries giving her invisibility and swiftness, the help of her best friend Kate, and a whole heap of a Jack's luck, Jacky sets out to set the local Faerie courts to rights.
I loved how Jack becomes Jacky in this story. Who says women can't be clever, lucky tricksters? She fills the role of Jack perfectly, coming up with ingenious solutions to problems and avoiding pitfalls in the tradition of the best fairy tales. I also loved how Jacky reached out and took control of her life. It obviously can be done, but it's usually easier to just keep going with the flow. It takes real bravery to make a real change.
What I have always loved about Charles de Lint is the way he weaves fantasy into modern life. Yeah, urban fantasy is common now, but de Lint was one of the earliest authors in the genre. Reading this for the first time years ago, I loved how urban Faerie have developed a tolerance for iron. And why wouldn't the Wild Hunt appear on Harleys? This is taking place in the 20th century after all. I just liked the idea that there is more to the world than meets the eye, and fairies are not fragile creatures who can only survive in the wilds. They would have to be adaptable.
I love Charles de Lint because of his characters. I can't say that Jacky and her friend Kate are some of my favorites, but I do love to read about their friendship. They are silly and brave and honest with each other, and neither would ever abandon the other.
The other novella, Drink Down the Moon, was not as strong for me. Jacky has gotten a little over-confident and makes some big mistakes. As a result, an evil force has wrought havoc on the wild faerie and has started causing big damage in her area of Faerie, Kinrowan. Kate is the true hero who realizes what's going on and starts acting on it.
There are two parallel plots throughout most of this story. I was most interested in Jacky and Kate's story. On a straight read, it gets a little old to read about the humans Johnny and Henk going through the same bewilderment that Jacky and Kate went through as they adapted to Faerie in Jack the Giant Killer. The books were published years apart and reprinted together later, so that's not entirely de Lint's fault.
The wild faeries that Johnny and Henk stumble onto are a little too belligerent and blood-thirsty for my taste. They have been through a lot, but it's not the humans' fault. I did like mercurial Jemi and her relationship with Johnny, but the rest were very angry and bitter.
So, 4 stars for Jack the Giant Killer and 3 stars for Drink Down the Moon. I'll round up to 4 because I love de Lint so much. His Newford books are still my favorites, but this was a very strong entry in his body of work.
The next day, she almost convinces herself that the alcohol was just making her see things that weren't there, but she can't explain where she got the cap from. She puts it on and starts to see people straight out of Faerie. She eventually finds out that the Unseelie Court has been getting stronger and stronger and has actually stolen the local Laird's daughter. The Seelie Court is so weak that everyone is afraid to go in search of the poor girl. Jacky decides to just go looking herself. With a hob's stitcheries giving her invisibility and swiftness, the help of her best friend Kate, and a whole heap of a Jack's luck, Jacky sets out to set the local Faerie courts to rights.
I loved how Jack becomes Jacky in this story. Who says women can't be clever, lucky tricksters? She fills the role of Jack perfectly, coming up with ingenious solutions to problems and avoiding pitfalls in the tradition of the best fairy tales. I also loved how Jacky reached out and took control of her life. It obviously can be done, but it's usually easier to just keep going with the flow. It takes real bravery to make a real change.
What I have always loved about Charles de Lint is the way he weaves fantasy into modern life. Yeah, urban fantasy is common now, but de Lint was one of the earliest authors in the genre. Reading this for the first time years ago, I loved how urban Faerie have developed a tolerance for iron. And why wouldn't the Wild Hunt appear on Harleys? This is taking place in the 20th century after all. I just liked the idea that there is more to the world than meets the eye, and fairies are not fragile creatures who can only survive in the wilds. They would have to be adaptable.
I love Charles de Lint because of his characters. I can't say that Jacky and her friend Kate are some of my favorites, but I do love to read about their friendship. They are silly and brave and honest with each other, and neither would ever abandon the other.
The other novella, Drink Down the Moon, was not as strong for me. Jacky has gotten a little over-confident and makes some big mistakes. As a result, an evil force has wrought havoc on the wild faerie and has started causing big damage in her area of Faerie, Kinrowan. Kate is the true hero who realizes what's going on and starts acting on it.
There are two parallel plots throughout most of this story. I was most interested in Jacky and Kate's story. On a straight read, it gets a little old to read about the humans Johnny and Henk going through the same bewilderment that Jacky and Kate went through as they adapted to Faerie in Jack the Giant Killer. The books were published years apart and reprinted together later, so that's not entirely de Lint's fault.
The wild faeries that Johnny and Henk stumble onto are a little too belligerent and blood-thirsty for my taste. They have been through a lot, but it's not the humans' fault. I did like mercurial Jemi and her relationship with Johnny, but the rest were very angry and bitter.
So, 4 stars for Jack the Giant Killer and 3 stars for Drink Down the Moon. I'll round up to 4 because I love de Lint so much. His Newford books are still my favorites, but this was a very strong entry in his body of work.
November 6, 2023
Excellent, I love the use of many folk and fairy tales. So well done.
June 8, 2024
Rollicking good time in urban fantasy! I enjoyed Jacky and Kate's adventures with giants
April 25, 2009
I wish Goodreads allowed half stars because I think this book is really a 3.5.
Jack the Giant-Killer retells the Jack motif from folklore. de Lint has a good twist by making this Jack, a Jacky. The strange thing it that the more interesting character, for me at least, is her friend Kate "Crackernuts" Hazel. Kate seems to be more of a living character. The story makes wonderful use of fairy motif and allusions (and what de Lint book doesn't). The one weak spot was that romance, in particualr the closing pair, seemed not so much forced, as put in the belief that readers want it.
The second book, Drink Down the Moon isn't totally Jacky's story, in fact she feels absent even though she is there. There is a fairy romance, of a sorts, but while it doesn't feel forced, it lacks depth. The saving grace is the character of Kate and her trick with her book. It's a nice book.
Jack the Giant-Killer retells the Jack motif from folklore. de Lint has a good twist by making this Jack, a Jacky. The strange thing it that the more interesting character, for me at least, is her friend Kate "Crackernuts" Hazel. Kate seems to be more of a living character. The story makes wonderful use of fairy motif and allusions (and what de Lint book doesn't). The one weak spot was that romance, in particualr the closing pair, seemed not so much forced, as put in the belief that readers want it.
The second book, Drink Down the Moon isn't totally Jacky's story, in fact she feels absent even though she is there. There is a fairy romance, of a sorts, but while it doesn't feel forced, it lacks depth. The saving grace is the character of Kate and her trick with her book. It's a nice book.
September 24, 2024
3.5 stars. I originally thought this was a too derivative child of Labyrinth and Neverwhere but then looked at the publication date.
This is in fact the parent work so I should probably bump the review up to a 4 star.
Still I feel that the children did it better. Labyrinth more fantastical and magic and Neverwhere more punk and surreal.
Overall a good story and a well realized contemporary fairy tale world. The characters lacked nuance but that could just be because fairy tales work in that mode.
This is in fact the parent work so I should probably bump the review up to a 4 star.
Still I feel that the children did it better. Labyrinth more fantastical and magic and Neverwhere more punk and surreal.
Overall a good story and a well realized contemporary fairy tale world. The characters lacked nuance but that could just be because fairy tales work in that mode.
July 4, 2024
Audiobook. Sadly, did not finish, possibly because of the reader Taylor Meskimen who seemed OK at first, but gradually began to get on my nerves with a soft, even voice. I’ll probably give it another go later because generally I’m a big fan of Charles de Lint’s urban/faerie fantasies.
September 28, 2013
This is an omnibus edition containing "Jack the Giant-Killer" and its sequel, "Drink Down the Moon." I'd read the first novel before, but not the second.
Both concern two young human women – Jacky, and her best friend Kate, who turn out to be destined to be particularly useful to Faerie – the magical world which co-exists with our own, but which most people do not see. Although much reduced in modern times, the Seelie and Unseelie courts are still in conflict with one another – not to mention there may be other and greater threats. Although untried and seemingly unlikely heroes, Jacky and Kate may be the only ones who can save Kinrowan.
Both concern two young human women – Jacky, and her best friend Kate, who turn out to be destined to be particularly useful to Faerie – the magical world which co-exists with our own, but which most people do not see. Although much reduced in modern times, the Seelie and Unseelie courts are still in conflict with one another – not to mention there may be other and greater threats. Although untried and seemingly unlikely heroes, Jacky and Kate may be the only ones who can save Kinrowan.
July 19, 2019
Solid urban fantasy, set in Ottawa, and sticking pretty close to the traditional British Isles faerie creatures: Sidhe, the Slaugh, trolls, kelpies, giants, hobs, spriggans, the Wild Hunt, shapechangers, dwarves, pooka, hags, bogans, swan maidens (and swan-men), and goblins. Characters in these two books do mention that the fae came across to the New World with European settlers to find that the natives had their own magical beings already, but these beings are never seen in these stories. Jack of Kinrowan is actually two books, originally published separately.
October 9, 2016
The two books contained in this omnibus edition are about Jacky and Kate, two ordinary Ottawa women who get drawn into the machinations of Faerie. Definitely not my favorites by de Lint.
January 4, 2016
Charles De Lint is a fairly well known name among urban fantasy authors and seems to be highly regarded. As I've read most of the books by his contemporaries (Emma Bull, recently, but I'd also include Tim Power and James Blaylock amongst that list) it seemed like someone worth trying at some point, especially since he has a decently fervent fan base.
This is an omnibus of sorts, collecting two novels based around the same character, Jacky Kinrowan, a young woman recently reeling from a breakup who decides to cut her hair and fall into the world of faerie, in that order but not intentionally so. Along the way she finds she has to deal with the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and their endless war against each other, navigate her role as "The Jack" despite the fact she has no magical abilities although she does have the accidental luck of Inspector Gadget on her side. Oh, and she's Canadian, which means she's probably nicer than anyone you know.
These are somewhat early novels by De Lint but not super early in his career (apparent beloved fan favorite "Moonheart" was published almost three years before the first novel here, in 1984) and they definitely come across as a combination of someone still figuring out his style and a collection of moments that remind you of other, better moments in other fantasy novels (even ones that were done later). In De Lint's world, much like a lot of other fantasy writers, the faerie world exists alongside ours but can't really be seen but once seen brings the protagonist into a world of magic and wonder and danger that involves them in a situation they don't ask for but with a variety of pluck and friends in the right places, they manage to overcome all the stuff that should be working against them.
The problem is that a lot of it feels weightless, without much depth to it. Problems abound from the opening scenes of "Jack, the Giant Killer", where a boyfriend bereft Jacky witnesses the Wild Hunt, a bunch of guys on motorcycles, which only reminded me of a similar and more effective scene in Matt Wagner's comic series "Mage". It doesn't take long for Jacky to get involved in a rescue situation where she has to save the daughter of a powerful ruler from the Unseelie Court, enlisting the help of new friends in the process and relying on the fierce sassy attitude of her best friend, Kate.
De Lint has clearly done his research and even if he does get bonus points for setting the action in Ottawa of all places, there are times when it seems that the story exists to depict the various members of the world of faerie and give us reasons to go meet them all, leading eventually to slight "plot coupon" feel, where Jacky has to collect the new magical object or talk to the next interesting person to move forward in her plans, most of which seem to fall into place by happenstance anyway. She comes across as nice and willing, but innocuous (with the hint of romance between her and another faerie oddly chaste and lacking almost all chemistry anyway) so for the most part you're more impressed at the scenery, as the parade of various denizens of the mystical realms appear to either help or harass poor Jacky. The problem is that De Lint often has a hard time making this feel magical. Where a John Crowley can imbue such a situation with a dreamy weight that feels like a half-remembered dream or Neil Gaiman can impart a feeling of impending lost innocence and deadly menace, De Lint mostly plods along without breaking a sweat too much, relying more that we want to see Jacky succeed because her and Kate are nice people and the other court is capital E evil than anything anyone does or earns. While he gets credit for including two women as lead characters, stripped of any sense of the personal that the best fantasy can have (whether it's Matt Wagner basically writing a metaphorical version of his autobiography in "Mage" or Emma Bull constructing a version of her life that never existed in "War for the Oaks" and making it feel real through her connection with the music scene) you're left with a story where the magic is all in the funny names and bizarre situations. While Jacky does her best to struggle it never feels like anything is at stake in the same way that "War for the Oaks" where the decision to stick it out versus running for her life felt like a choice with real consequences for everyone involved. It all lopes along easily but the closest it comes to actual magic is the character of the gruagargh, the only person that seems to have a sense of weight and age and mystery that the rest of the novel seems to lack, the hint that there are mysteries that can't be explained and probably won't be, something that "Little, Big" and even Holdstock's "Mythago Wood" seem to do effortlessly. The only thing effortless seems to be the climax which achieves Gaiman levels of "But it's the journey that's important, right?" But it's a pleasant read, even if it's not super memorable.
Unfortunately once the shock of the new wears off, you're left with another story in pretty much the same style when he returns to the characters for "Drink Down the Moon". Jacky and Kate have roles in their new jobs but for the most part the story focuses on new characters, a fiddler that gets caught up in events when someone tries to steal the power of the moon, and a friend who is half faerie but has a sister who is fully in the realm of faerie. De Lint spends too much time focusing on them and not enough on what could be the far more interesting story, Jacky screwing up her first real crisis and all the consequences that stem from that, and how everyone has to deal with the fact that the girl in charge they're all trusting to solve their problems doesn't have the slightest idea what she's doing. But again it all slides down easily, as everyone romps around in situations that don't hold any surprises. As lacking in inner lives as Jacky and Kate are at times, Kate's wacky best friend shtick is light years more entertaining than the often colorless supporting characters that the novel introduces. Even the villain, who is supposed to be dangerous enough to ruin everything, holds none of the mystery and swaggering menace that he barely gathers to himself before he's revealed and afterwards isn't much better than a B-grade villain ranting and raving (his one trick, briefly taking Jacky out of the picture, isn't something he apparently is able to repeat even after he's in a position to do it again), giving everyone time to fumble together a way to stop him. And once again, the climax comes far too easily and quickly, ending it on a note so lightweight you might find yourself wondering if you somehow missed the climax (a variation on "music brings out the real magic" done far better and more viscerally in the rock and roll oriented "War for the Oaks").
But both these novels stand as missed opportunities . . . given a chance to really evoke a world of wonder and mystery, De Lint often seems like he's coasting on our memories of other, better novels and is willing to hope that his audience is so eager to read more stories like what they already adore that they'll devour anything that even partially resembles it, even if the result is a more hollow facsimile, trapping the echoes of other works inside itself and hoping that if the structure warps the sound enough, you won't recognize it from its source. If you've exhausted your fantasy library and absolutely have to read something that mentions faeries then this is a harmless but toothless option, never raising its pulse over "pleasant". But there's other work far more worth your time, perhaps even stuff by De Lint himself. This is merely a shadow.
This is an omnibus of sorts, collecting two novels based around the same character, Jacky Kinrowan, a young woman recently reeling from a breakup who decides to cut her hair and fall into the world of faerie, in that order but not intentionally so. Along the way she finds she has to deal with the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and their endless war against each other, navigate her role as "The Jack" despite the fact she has no magical abilities although she does have the accidental luck of Inspector Gadget on her side. Oh, and she's Canadian, which means she's probably nicer than anyone you know.
These are somewhat early novels by De Lint but not super early in his career (apparent beloved fan favorite "Moonheart" was published almost three years before the first novel here, in 1984) and they definitely come across as a combination of someone still figuring out his style and a collection of moments that remind you of other, better moments in other fantasy novels (even ones that were done later). In De Lint's world, much like a lot of other fantasy writers, the faerie world exists alongside ours but can't really be seen but once seen brings the protagonist into a world of magic and wonder and danger that involves them in a situation they don't ask for but with a variety of pluck and friends in the right places, they manage to overcome all the stuff that should be working against them.
The problem is that a lot of it feels weightless, without much depth to it. Problems abound from the opening scenes of "Jack, the Giant Killer", where a boyfriend bereft Jacky witnesses the Wild Hunt, a bunch of guys on motorcycles, which only reminded me of a similar and more effective scene in Matt Wagner's comic series "Mage". It doesn't take long for Jacky to get involved in a rescue situation where she has to save the daughter of a powerful ruler from the Unseelie Court, enlisting the help of new friends in the process and relying on the fierce sassy attitude of her best friend, Kate.
De Lint has clearly done his research and even if he does get bonus points for setting the action in Ottawa of all places, there are times when it seems that the story exists to depict the various members of the world of faerie and give us reasons to go meet them all, leading eventually to slight "plot coupon" feel, where Jacky has to collect the new magical object or talk to the next interesting person to move forward in her plans, most of which seem to fall into place by happenstance anyway. She comes across as nice and willing, but innocuous (with the hint of romance between her and another faerie oddly chaste and lacking almost all chemistry anyway) so for the most part you're more impressed at the scenery, as the parade of various denizens of the mystical realms appear to either help or harass poor Jacky. The problem is that De Lint often has a hard time making this feel magical. Where a John Crowley can imbue such a situation with a dreamy weight that feels like a half-remembered dream or Neil Gaiman can impart a feeling of impending lost innocence and deadly menace, De Lint mostly plods along without breaking a sweat too much, relying more that we want to see Jacky succeed because her and Kate are nice people and the other court is capital E evil than anything anyone does or earns. While he gets credit for including two women as lead characters, stripped of any sense of the personal that the best fantasy can have (whether it's Matt Wagner basically writing a metaphorical version of his autobiography in "Mage" or Emma Bull constructing a version of her life that never existed in "War for the Oaks" and making it feel real through her connection with the music scene) you're left with a story where the magic is all in the funny names and bizarre situations. While Jacky does her best to struggle it never feels like anything is at stake in the same way that "War for the Oaks" where the decision to stick it out versus running for her life felt like a choice with real consequences for everyone involved. It all lopes along easily but the closest it comes to actual magic is the character of the gruagargh, the only person that seems to have a sense of weight and age and mystery that the rest of the novel seems to lack, the hint that there are mysteries that can't be explained and probably won't be, something that "Little, Big" and even Holdstock's "Mythago Wood" seem to do effortlessly. The only thing effortless seems to be the climax which achieves Gaiman levels of "But it's the journey that's important, right?" But it's a pleasant read, even if it's not super memorable.
Unfortunately once the shock of the new wears off, you're left with another story in pretty much the same style when he returns to the characters for "Drink Down the Moon". Jacky and Kate have roles in their new jobs but for the most part the story focuses on new characters, a fiddler that gets caught up in events when someone tries to steal the power of the moon, and a friend who is half faerie but has a sister who is fully in the realm of faerie. De Lint spends too much time focusing on them and not enough on what could be the far more interesting story, Jacky screwing up her first real crisis and all the consequences that stem from that, and how everyone has to deal with the fact that the girl in charge they're all trusting to solve their problems doesn't have the slightest idea what she's doing. But again it all slides down easily, as everyone romps around in situations that don't hold any surprises. As lacking in inner lives as Jacky and Kate are at times, Kate's wacky best friend shtick is light years more entertaining than the often colorless supporting characters that the novel introduces. Even the villain, who is supposed to be dangerous enough to ruin everything, holds none of the mystery and swaggering menace that he barely gathers to himself before he's revealed and afterwards isn't much better than a B-grade villain ranting and raving (his one trick, briefly taking Jacky out of the picture, isn't something he apparently is able to repeat even after he's in a position to do it again), giving everyone time to fumble together a way to stop him. And once again, the climax comes far too easily and quickly, ending it on a note so lightweight you might find yourself wondering if you somehow missed the climax (a variation on "music brings out the real magic" done far better and more viscerally in the rock and roll oriented "War for the Oaks").
But both these novels stand as missed opportunities . . . given a chance to really evoke a world of wonder and mystery, De Lint often seems like he's coasting on our memories of other, better novels and is willing to hope that his audience is so eager to read more stories like what they already adore that they'll devour anything that even partially resembles it, even if the result is a more hollow facsimile, trapping the echoes of other works inside itself and hoping that if the structure warps the sound enough, you won't recognize it from its source. If you've exhausted your fantasy library and absolutely have to read something that mentions faeries then this is a harmless but toothless option, never raising its pulse over "pleasant". But there's other work far more worth your time, perhaps even stuff by De Lint himself. This is merely a shadow.
January 15, 2024
These books clearly show Charles de Lint's development as a writer. In the first one, Jacky blunders into Faerie and some danger there, and her friend Kate insists on joining her in the adventures that follow. Jackie finds out that she is a Jack, a useful skill in Faerie. They meet some interesting fae folk, fight some baddies (yes, she kills giants), and end up committed to continuing involvement.
The book is written well, but de Lint had not yet developed his amazing skill of getting the reader to empathize strongly with the characters. Jacky started out wimpy, and it wasn't easy to see how she developed into the perky, confident giant killer. I never got much of a sense of Kate, except as a loyal friend. For this book alone, I would give three stars.
The second book was written a few years later, and is done better. While Jacky and Kate are still major characters, the book starts with is a set of new ones, most importantly the human Johnny, who didn't know that his recently deceased grandfather was involved in Faerie, and Jemi, a half-pook half-human who is mourning her sister. We follow both sets of characters as they try to figure out how to deal with a problem that is threatening Faerie. They each work on their end of the problem and don't meet until the climax of the book, where they work together to defeat the baddie. Johnny and Jemi are characterized much better than Jacky and Kate were in the first one. Jacky and Kate are both rounded out more. So are the structures and ways of Faerie.
It also shows music as having a vital connection with magic, as de Lint did in most of his later books, especially the Newford ones. Both books are set in Ottawa, and you can see where Newford came from. Setting later books in an imaginary city gave De Lint more leeway in describing places and giving characters a connection to them. I'd give this second book four stars, even though it's not as captivating as his later works.
Don't get me wrong. Compared to similar stories by anyone but Charles de Lint, these are great!
The book is written well, but de Lint had not yet developed his amazing skill of getting the reader to empathize strongly with the characters. Jacky started out wimpy, and it wasn't easy to see how she developed into the perky, confident giant killer. I never got much of a sense of Kate, except as a loyal friend. For this book alone, I would give three stars.
The second book was written a few years later, and is done better. While Jacky and Kate are still major characters, the book starts with is a set of new ones, most importantly the human Johnny, who didn't know that his recently deceased grandfather was involved in Faerie, and Jemi, a half-pook half-human who is mourning her sister. We follow both sets of characters as they try to figure out how to deal with a problem that is threatening Faerie. They each work on their end of the problem and don't meet until the climax of the book, where they work together to defeat the baddie. Johnny and Jemi are characterized much better than Jacky and Kate were in the first one. Jacky and Kate are both rounded out more. So are the structures and ways of Faerie.
It also shows music as having a vital connection with magic, as de Lint did in most of his later books, especially the Newford ones. Both books are set in Ottawa, and you can see where Newford came from. Setting later books in an imaginary city gave De Lint more leeway in describing places and giving characters a connection to them. I'd give this second book four stars, even though it's not as captivating as his later works.
Don't get me wrong. Compared to similar stories by anyone but Charles de Lint, these are great!
December 29, 2025
Two books for the price of one! I’d read Jack the Giant Killer before, but not the sequel, Drink Down the Moon. Overall, I enjoyed it almost as much as the first book. I think Jacky’s character development backslid a bit and she made a few very stupid mistakes, but progress isn’t linear, so I guess that’s fair. I did like that the “secondary characters” (Kate first and then Henk) took a more prominent role, especially with Henk being the one to lead the rade instead of Johnny. It was unexpected.
One thing I loved about each book is that the big climax at the end of the story happened and was over in less than 2 pages each time. In Jack the Giant Killer, Jacky’s friends are about to be killed, she randomly spots the horn mixed in with a bunch of junk on the floor, grabs it, and boom—action stops. In Drink Down the Moon, they’re all about to die, Jemi grabs the droichan’s heart from around his neck, Johnny randomly bursts in and provides exactly enough disctraction for Jemi to destroy the heart and boom—action stops. Both books had very anticlimactic climaxes, which worked really well because the stories emphasize the role of luck so heavily. Each time all their plans had failed and they were saved in the nick of time by pure good luck. Loved it!
One thing I loved about each book is that the big climax at the end of the story happened and was over in less than 2 pages each time. In Jack the Giant Killer, Jacky’s friends are about to be killed, she randomly spots the horn mixed in with a bunch of junk on the floor, grabs it, and boom—action stops. In Drink Down the Moon, they’re all about to die, Jemi grabs the droichan’s heart from around his neck, Johnny randomly bursts in and provides exactly enough disctraction for Jemi to destroy the heart and boom—action stops. Both books had very anticlimactic climaxes, which worked really well because the stories emphasize the role of luck so heavily. Each time all their plans had failed and they were saved in the nick of time by pure good luck. Loved it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2024
This was an up and down thing for me. Three stars because two seemed unfairly low, but there were a couple of things I struggled with in this book.
It's unfair to judge this compared to all the urban fantasy I've read before I got to this book. This was clearly one of the very early on versions of the genre. The age of the book showed because of all that has come along since then.
There was no kindle version listed on Goodreads, but that's the version I read. I don't think the text was edited or changed, but if not that means there was a continuity issue in the very first chapter. There's a time when Jackie doesn't leave the house for two days, and the very next statement about her leaving indicates a much shorter timeline (as in, she went out yesterday when it was stated to be at least 2 days ago).
I struggled with it because of all that came after it. IF you're looking for early urban fantasy with 'figures of myth' from our past, this is a book worth checking out.
It's unfair to judge this compared to all the urban fantasy I've read before I got to this book. This was clearly one of the very early on versions of the genre. The age of the book showed because of all that has come along since then.
There was no kindle version listed on Goodreads, but that's the version I read. I don't think the text was edited or changed, but if not that means there was a continuity issue in the very first chapter. There's a time when Jackie doesn't leave the house for two days, and the very next statement about her leaving indicates a much shorter timeline (as in, she went out yesterday when it was stated to be at least 2 days ago).
I struggled with it because of all that came after it. IF you're looking for early urban fantasy with 'figures of myth' from our past, this is a book worth checking out.
December 8, 2018
I liked this book. It’s rough around the edges — apparently it’s one of de Lint’s earlier works — but it’s a great adventure, just the same.
Jacky Rowan is the main character in this collection of two novels. She’s a “Jack” in the old sense of the word; she’s full of tricks and a lot of luck.
If you’re a fan of de Lint, you know what comes next. Faeries are everywhere and they’re under attack. Jacky wants to help... but is she lucky enough for THIS?
I'm a sucker for old-school fantasy and this fits the bill. It's a romping adventure that features faerie, biker gangs, and god-like fiddlers. I recommend to anyone who loves urban fantasy.
Giving it three stars for a good story. I only wish it were more polished.
Jacky Rowan is the main character in this collection of two novels. She’s a “Jack” in the old sense of the word; she’s full of tricks and a lot of luck.
If you’re a fan of de Lint, you know what comes next. Faeries are everywhere and they’re under attack. Jacky wants to help... but is she lucky enough for THIS?
I'm a sucker for old-school fantasy and this fits the bill. It's a romping adventure that features faerie, biker gangs, and god-like fiddlers. I recommend to anyone who loves urban fantasy.
Giving it three stars for a good story. I only wish it were more polished.
July 22, 2025
Book One: 4 stars
Pretty good, like the lore. Jack and Kate and great!
Book Two: 3.5 stars
Not as engaging as the first. I felt like it needed more buildup with the sidhe and their history with the humans (Tom, Johnny, Henk). Henk’s sudden elevation to a larger player felt a bit out of the blue, though that quote about Arn made it worth it.*
All in all I think this book needed more context and to be filled in a bit more. Also I want more Eilian, I need more Eilian.
*“you have faced your fears, now it is time to heal the scars they left behind. The night is for the strong and you have earned the right to take joy in its shadows.”
Pretty good, like the lore. Jack and Kate and great!
Book Two: 3.5 stars
Not as engaging as the first. I felt like it needed more buildup with the sidhe and their history with the humans (Tom, Johnny, Henk). Henk’s sudden elevation to a larger player felt a bit out of the blue, though that quote about Arn made it worth it.*
All in all I think this book needed more context and to be filled in a bit more. Also I want more Eilian, I need more Eilian.
*“you have faced your fears, now it is time to heal the scars they left behind. The night is for the strong and you have earned the right to take joy in its shadows.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2023
Having read other titles by the author, this felt like a precursor to his other works. Fun, easy read, with a good sense of humour. Regret having waited so long to read it.
Time and again, reminded me of the character *Jillycorn*. Kind of wish these characters could have become a part of cast in his other works. Certain themes and ideas appear that recur in other books.
Some what dated, in that it certainly has an '80s feel to it, still I would recommend this to as an introduction to the genre of *Urban Fantasy*
Time and again, reminded me of the character *Jillycorn*. Kind of wish these characters could have become a part of cast in his other works. Certain themes and ideas appear that recur in other books.
Some what dated, in that it certainly has an '80s feel to it, still I would recommend this to as an introduction to the genre of *Urban Fantasy*
June 11, 2025
idk it just feels weird, he's a guy writing as a female lead, all the characters have like a weirdly specific knowledge of at least one obscure fairy tale, Seelie and Unseelie aren't very well characterised. It feels like something's missing. A butter sandwich of a book. I can't help but think of similar books I enjoyed better, which is probably a little unfair. I feel like I should like it.
October 25, 2017
I thought I’d found all the magic worlds I could love and believe in but this book proved me wrong. It feels like it wasn’t written by a man and I mean that as a compliment since the protagonists are women. He did well.
May 20, 2018
One of the best of the best. This book was my introduction to the writing of Charles de Lint. One of the very best authors ever. I started with his Jack of Kinrowan and then read Moonheart and ... never left.
February 20, 2023
Action packed book containing 2 separate stories. This should have been 2 books really. Feels very rushed and juvenile. Characters are static here, black and white sides, no real depth. Just a diverting story set among better books by the author.
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June 19, 202320% into the first book and it feels like such lazy story telling. This is my second attempt at reading this author and I'm just as underwhelmed as the first time.
50% the story seems too rushed and the ending of the first part has no foreshadowing in terms of the relationships.
50% the story seems too rushed and the ending of the first part has no foreshadowing in terms of the relationships.
March 2, 2025
The bio here justly calls de Lint a trailblazer.
The first of these two bound together--with a gorgeous cover by Thomas Canty--is the one where he put the Wild Hunt on motorcycles.
The first of these two bound together--with a gorgeous cover by Thomas Canty--is the one where he put the Wild Hunt on motorcycles.
November 26, 2017
I'm re-reading all the Charles de Lint books I own and setting them free through BookCrossing.
March 26, 2019
I enjoyed these two books, but was very disappointed in the ending. Still, I’ll read more from this author.
July 12, 2020
Enjoyed these two books in one - 'Jack The Giant Killer' and 'Drink Down The Moon', because they were interesting, fast paced, and it did not drag on to the climax.
November 11, 2020
Not my favorite de Lint, but still a fun read.
March 15, 2021
Jack Jack Jack!!!
December 30, 2021
A great re telling if Hack and the Beanstalk
November 13, 2022
I liked this one because it's a collection of three of his earlier pieces. It's s a bit more rough around the edges and sketches out the setting of his other novels.
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