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SERRAted Edge #2
Wheels of Fire
Al and Bob work as mechanics for a race car driving team. There's just one catch - Al happens to be a centuries old elf and Bob a human fosterling brought up after being abused by his father. Al has a soft spot for children as it happens....
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1992
5 people are currently reading
741 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
432 books9,562 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 28, 2014
Second in the SERRAted Edge urban fantasy series (part of Lackey's Elves on the Road super series) and revolving around race-car-driving elves and their human friends. The focus is on Alinor in Hallet, Oklahoma.
My Take
I can't believe Cindy's been so stupid. I'd'a cleaned out those accounts weeks ago, and why didn't she change Jamie's school! And talking about stupid, it's hard to believe there could be that many gullible people out there who actually buy into what Brother Joseph sells.
I get a little confused about various scenarios in here. Why would Alinor live in a dirty pit of a trailer when he has construct servants who could be cleaning it? Besides, he has all this magic, why doesn't he wave a hand and make it all disappear. There's Sarah. The timing of her death is all over the place. Joe says that she died long ago and gives me the impression that it's been years, but then it seems as if she only died three months ago.
It's a story from three different perspectives: young Jamie's torture and brief bits of relief when he "chats" with Sarah with side notes from Joe to fill in the rest of the horror; Alinor's background and purpose with SERRA; and, Cindy's frantic efforts to find her son.
The fun comes in with the elves, magic, and car racing to entice you into reading, but the underlying theme about child abuse is what drives these stories in the SERRAted Edge series. So far Lackey and her co-authors have come up with some horrific scenarios. You don't want to believe that people this evil can exist, but still, you know they do.
It's greed for money and power that motivates these bad guys. Heck, it's what motivates most wicked people to do what they do.
It's a moral dilemma for Joe when he gets the promotion, and Lackey/Shepherd do a reasonable job of making us feel the conflict.
An interesting bit of Alinor's background history sheds light on what this Black Thing is. It also sets up a different sort of reason for the Children's Crusade. Made me wonder if that could have been the "reason" for the other crusades. Well, at least in the world of Underhill in Lacky-land.
It's an interesting premise, elves participating in car racing and building engines. I do wish the writing were a tad less juvenile.
The Story
It's a desperate mother who stumbles onto the Hallet track. Her ex-husband and Jamie love race cars, and she's hoping someone has seen them. And once Alinor learns of Cindy's plight, he and Bob are pulled right in.
It's just the sort of problem that will attract the elves' attention, for they adore children and will do anything to protect them.
The Characters
Cindy Chase is a mother desperately searching for her kidnapped eight-year-old boy, Jamie. He's psychic and the focus of the Church's interest. James is her weak-kneed husband, caught up in drink and the Chosen Ones.
Sieur Alinor Peredon, Knight-Artificer in the service of Elfhame Outremer, a.k.a., Al Norris, is one of the Folk, a High Court elven mage and mechanic working for Fairgrove Industries in Savannah where Keighvin Silverhair is his boss. Andur is his elvensteed; Nineve is his twin sister and willing to help out as a van. Dierdre Brighthair is one of their best mechanics. Liam Silverbranch is his father; His mother, Melisande, has kin in Elfhame Joyeaux Garde in France. Elaine du Lac was his grandmother on his mother's side; she fostered Lancelot du Lac. Huon was the elf king in France.
Bob Ferrel is human and a mechanical genius. He's one of the children rescued from his brutal father, Joe, and his useless mother. Gundar is his foster father. Tannim is a human mage.
Deputy Frank Casey is based in Pawnee, and he's desperate for any evidence that will let him invade the compound. Old George is still flipping burgers at Granny's Kitchen. Peggy is still the waitress. Lieutenant Summer will take Bob under his wing.
The Chosen Ones
Brother Joseph has been reinventing his preacher persona for years now; it figures that he started with the Ku Klux Klan. He's finally got it right with the Sacred Heart of the Chosen Ones. Miss Agatha is the nasty teacher, one of the many who've bought into the Kool-Aid. Sarah is, at first, Jamie's only friend at the compound, and she's trying to save Jamie. Joe is Brother Joseph's son, although that doesn't cut him any slack. He has psychic abilities that he's keeping secret. He's also in command of the Junior Guard. Bill is one of the new guards and not too happy about one of the Church's revenue streams. Other guards include Billybob and Jimmie among others. Claudius Williams III is from Detroit and the flock's lawyer. Luke is Brother Joseph's pervert of a second-in-command. General Plunkett commands the Guard. Lieutenant Fisher had been Joe's instructor in making bombs.
The Children's Crusade
The Black Thing, a.k.a., the Holy Fire, is the Salamander that Alinor had first encountered in the Children's Crusade hundreds of years ago. Its presence brings out the ugliest emotions of humans. Al-Hazim, a.k.a., the Mad Arab, was the old man, an alchemist, who took Alinor on as an apprentice during his year of exile. Peter the Hermit was as much a magician as the Mad Arab. Both had their little boxes of bad ju-ju. Albert was the young son of a knight who joined the Crusade.
Robert Weil is the loser private investigator. Janet Travis was the young girl Alinor fell in love with 150 years ago.
SERRA is the South Easter Road Racing Association. Alfar and Sidhe are other terms for elf.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a light royal blue background with a manly Alinor, arms crossing his chest, dressed in a black Nomex suit. In the backgorund is a greenish gray dragon and a white race car while in front of him, the ghostly Sarah reaches out to Jamie. The title looks like one of those decals from the side of a race car with a light brown background and a red border providing a background for the black of the "wheels of" while the "fire" is in red against a mostly black background, the font slanted forward and looking like tire tracks or the wind as it rushes through it.
The title is a confusion. I'm guessing it's meant to refer to the speed of racing, the Wheels of Fire.
My Take
I can't believe Cindy's been so stupid. I'd'a cleaned out those accounts weeks ago, and why didn't she change Jamie's school! And talking about stupid, it's hard to believe there could be that many gullible people out there who actually buy into what Brother Joseph sells.
I get a little confused about various scenarios in here. Why would Alinor live in a dirty pit of a trailer when he has construct servants who could be cleaning it? Besides, he has all this magic, why doesn't he wave a hand and make it all disappear. There's Sarah. The timing of her death is all over the place. Joe says that she died long ago and gives me the impression that it's been years, but then it seems as if she only died three months ago.
It's a story from three different perspectives: young Jamie's torture and brief bits of relief when he "chats" with Sarah with side notes from Joe to fill in the rest of the horror; Alinor's background and purpose with SERRA; and, Cindy's frantic efforts to find her son.
The fun comes in with the elves, magic, and car racing to entice you into reading, but the underlying theme about child abuse is what drives these stories in the SERRAted Edge series. So far Lackey and her co-authors have come up with some horrific scenarios. You don't want to believe that people this evil can exist, but still, you know they do.
It's greed for money and power that motivates these bad guys. Heck, it's what motivates most wicked people to do what they do.
It's a moral dilemma for Joe when he gets the promotion, and Lackey/Shepherd do a reasonable job of making us feel the conflict.
An interesting bit of Alinor's background history sheds light on what this Black Thing is. It also sets up a different sort of reason for the Children's Crusade. Made me wonder if that could have been the "reason" for the other crusades. Well, at least in the world of Underhill in Lacky-land.
It's an interesting premise, elves participating in car racing and building engines. I do wish the writing were a tad less juvenile.
The Story
It's a desperate mother who stumbles onto the Hallet track. Her ex-husband and Jamie love race cars, and she's hoping someone has seen them. And once Alinor learns of Cindy's plight, he and Bob are pulled right in.
It's just the sort of problem that will attract the elves' attention, for they adore children and will do anything to protect them.
The Characters
Cindy Chase is a mother desperately searching for her kidnapped eight-year-old boy, Jamie. He's psychic and the focus of the Church's interest. James is her weak-kneed husband, caught up in drink and the Chosen Ones.
Sieur Alinor Peredon, Knight-Artificer in the service of Elfhame Outremer, a.k.a., Al Norris, is one of the Folk, a High Court elven mage and mechanic working for Fairgrove Industries in Savannah where Keighvin Silverhair is his boss. Andur is his elvensteed; Nineve is his twin sister and willing to help out as a van. Dierdre Brighthair is one of their best mechanics. Liam Silverbranch is his father; His mother, Melisande, has kin in Elfhame Joyeaux Garde in France. Elaine du Lac was his grandmother on his mother's side; she fostered Lancelot du Lac. Huon was the elf king in France.
Bob Ferrel is human and a mechanical genius. He's one of the children rescued from his brutal father, Joe, and his useless mother. Gundar is his foster father. Tannim is a human mage.
Deputy Frank Casey is based in Pawnee, and he's desperate for any evidence that will let him invade the compound. Old George is still flipping burgers at Granny's Kitchen. Peggy is still the waitress. Lieutenant Summer will take Bob under his wing.
The Chosen Ones
Brother Joseph has been reinventing his preacher persona for years now; it figures that he started with the Ku Klux Klan. He's finally got it right with the Sacred Heart of the Chosen Ones. Miss Agatha is the nasty teacher, one of the many who've bought into the Kool-Aid. Sarah is, at first, Jamie's only friend at the compound, and she's trying to save Jamie. Joe is Brother Joseph's son, although that doesn't cut him any slack. He has psychic abilities that he's keeping secret. He's also in command of the Junior Guard. Bill is one of the new guards and not too happy about one of the Church's revenue streams. Other guards include Billybob and Jimmie among others. Claudius Williams III is from Detroit and the flock's lawyer. Luke is Brother Joseph's pervert of a second-in-command. General Plunkett commands the Guard. Lieutenant Fisher had been Joe's instructor in making bombs.
The Children's Crusade
The Black Thing, a.k.a., the Holy Fire, is the Salamander that Alinor had first encountered in the Children's Crusade hundreds of years ago. Its presence brings out the ugliest emotions of humans. Al-Hazim, a.k.a., the Mad Arab, was the old man, an alchemist, who took Alinor on as an apprentice during his year of exile. Peter the Hermit was as much a magician as the Mad Arab. Both had their little boxes of bad ju-ju. Albert was the young son of a knight who joined the Crusade.
Robert Weil is the loser private investigator. Janet Travis was the young girl Alinor fell in love with 150 years ago.
SERRA is the South Easter Road Racing Association. Alfar and Sidhe are other terms for elf.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a light royal blue background with a manly Alinor, arms crossing his chest, dressed in a black Nomex suit. In the backgorund is a greenish gray dragon and a white race car while in front of him, the ghostly Sarah reaches out to Jamie. The title looks like one of those decals from the side of a race car with a light brown background and a red border providing a background for the black of the "wheels of" while the "fire" is in red against a mostly black background, the font slanted forward and looking like tire tracks or the wind as it rushes through it.
The title is a confusion. I'm guessing it's meant to refer to the speed of racing, the Wheels of Fire.
August 30, 2012
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Al and Bob work as mechanics for a race car driving team. There's just one catch - Al happens to be a centuries old elf and Bob a human fosterling brought up after being abused by his father. Al has a soft spot for children as it happens, and when he finds out Jamie is missing, he does everything he can to help.
This is one of the few books in this series that is told mainly from the perspective of an elf, Al. I found the extent of this a little disappointing to be honest - I didn't feel a real connection to Al, and I didn't feel like there was a real difference in the way he and Jamie thought.
The focus on all of these books seems to be the respect of children. There are some pretty horrifying things going on in this book - starvation and sensory deprivation of children under the age of 10 is not exactly nice. Not to mention torturing them with summoning the 'Holy Fire'.
I liked Jamie. And you're not really sure right up until the end whether he is going to survive or not. Joe is a bit of a dark horse, but it's nice to hear some things from his perspective too. There's a good balance here again, you don't feel limited to only Al, yet the transitions are smooth.
The salamander in this novel is one of the few actual strange occurrences - once you get past the fact that there are urban elves. The flashback recounting Al's previous experiences with salamanders is fascinating, and feels genuine and well researched. As a sometimes writer myself, I appreciate the effort that goes into writing a novel like this. I can't believe that this book is a collaboration of three writers! It doesn't come across that way at all, although I would have said that the dominant style would be that of Mercedes Lackey.
This book (the one I'm actually reviewing here, Wheels of Fire) can be found in an omnibus with the next in the series When the Bough Breaks. The novels have been grouped like that because of the authors involved, but the next two reviews I have done of The Chrome Bourne novels actually occur in between.
I'd recommend this book for adults, and mature teenagers. The cult does some very disturbing things that really aren't for polite company. A warning for drugs, violence and supernatural themes I suppose!
Al and Bob work as mechanics for a race car driving team. There's just one catch - Al happens to be a centuries old elf and Bob a human fosterling brought up after being abused by his father. Al has a soft spot for children as it happens, and when he finds out Jamie is missing, he does everything he can to help.
This is one of the few books in this series that is told mainly from the perspective of an elf, Al. I found the extent of this a little disappointing to be honest - I didn't feel a real connection to Al, and I didn't feel like there was a real difference in the way he and Jamie thought.
The focus on all of these books seems to be the respect of children. There are some pretty horrifying things going on in this book - starvation and sensory deprivation of children under the age of 10 is not exactly nice. Not to mention torturing them with summoning the 'Holy Fire'.
I liked Jamie. And you're not really sure right up until the end whether he is going to survive or not. Joe is a bit of a dark horse, but it's nice to hear some things from his perspective too. There's a good balance here again, you don't feel limited to only Al, yet the transitions are smooth.
The salamander in this novel is one of the few actual strange occurrences - once you get past the fact that there are urban elves. The flashback recounting Al's previous experiences with salamanders is fascinating, and feels genuine and well researched. As a sometimes writer myself, I appreciate the effort that goes into writing a novel like this. I can't believe that this book is a collaboration of three writers! It doesn't come across that way at all, although I would have said that the dominant style would be that of Mercedes Lackey.
This book (the one I'm actually reviewing here, Wheels of Fire) can be found in an omnibus with the next in the series When the Bough Breaks. The novels have been grouped like that because of the authors involved, but the next two reviews I have done of The Chrome Bourne novels actually occur in between.
I'd recommend this book for adults, and mature teenagers. The cult does some very disturbing things that really aren't for polite company. A warning for drugs, violence and supernatural themes I suppose!
August 30, 2019
Definitely not up to the quality of her various other series.
Why am I reading it you ask? Because it's entertaining, and I already own 1-5, do I might as well read them before getting rid of them. I guess I should have asked the person who gave them to me why she was purging them. Ah well. It's entertaining to read what kind of odd, unbelievable character is going to show up this time.
It's kind of depressing to read about all of the child abuse in the series, though.
Basically the premise is that there are elves, and they don't have kids much, so they really treasure them, so they get ticked when humans don't take care of them, so they go on rampages and crusades to save the children. Every book has at least one and usually multiple unfortunate children that are saved by elves and magic wielding humans driving really cool cars. Okay. Whatever, it's a niche, there must be a market for it since there are like NINE books in this series. (I won't last that long, I can tell already).
But...even though that's the premise, there are glaring internal contradictions. Elves help kids. Elves love kids. Kids are precious to elves. So one of their kids goes off and lives as a human for three months, scares the living crap out of his parents, and to punish him they banish him to a year more of living as a human?!? If it scared the crap out of them because of how dangerous it was...why on earth would they sentence him to more of it with no help? The whole reason they were mad at him was because he didn't contact them, so they abandon him for a year?!?!?!? I question the parenting choices.
Not to mention, Al, is just a pathetic attempt at a character. He's basically just a prop to explain the...interesting...take on the Peasant's Crusade as being motivated by an evil demon like creature. Which is now in the current age creating a brainwashing cult that kills kids by sacrificing their souls to it. Okay, but elves love kids, why didn't he do anything about this sooner? Why didn't he call for help as soon as he noticed it was a problem? Oh, because he's strong and independent and doesn't need anyone. Let alone the fact that he literally doesn't know how to shop, or use a pay phone, or pay a bill, or how to call the cops, or clean his own RV, or even what a mop is called, he somehow maintains that he is independent....
Yeah, first one was better.
Ah well, it helped pass the time on the airplane.
Why am I reading it you ask? Because it's entertaining, and I already own 1-5, do I might as well read them before getting rid of them. I guess I should have asked the person who gave them to me why she was purging them. Ah well. It's entertaining to read what kind of odd, unbelievable character is going to show up this time.
It's kind of depressing to read about all of the child abuse in the series, though.
Basically the premise is that there are elves, and they don't have kids much, so they really treasure them, so they get ticked when humans don't take care of them, so they go on rampages and crusades to save the children. Every book has at least one and usually multiple unfortunate children that are saved by elves and magic wielding humans driving really cool cars. Okay. Whatever, it's a niche, there must be a market for it since there are like NINE books in this series. (I won't last that long, I can tell already).
But...even though that's the premise, there are glaring internal contradictions. Elves help kids. Elves love kids. Kids are precious to elves. So one of their kids goes off and lives as a human for three months, scares the living crap out of his parents, and to punish him they banish him to a year more of living as a human?!? If it scared the crap out of them because of how dangerous it was...why on earth would they sentence him to more of it with no help? The whole reason they were mad at him was because he didn't contact them, so they abandon him for a year?!?!?!? I question the parenting choices.
Not to mention, Al, is just a pathetic attempt at a character. He's basically just a prop to explain the...interesting...take on the Peasant's Crusade as being motivated by an evil demon like creature. Which is now in the current age creating a brainwashing cult that kills kids by sacrificing their souls to it. Okay, but elves love kids, why didn't he do anything about this sooner? Why didn't he call for help as soon as he noticed it was a problem? Oh, because he's strong and independent and doesn't need anyone. Let alone the fact that he literally doesn't know how to shop, or use a pay phone, or pay a bill, or how to call the cops, or clean his own RV, or even what a mop is called, he somehow maintains that he is independent....
Yeah, first one was better.
Ah well, it helped pass the time on the airplane.
November 28, 2024
SERRAted Edge is an urban fantasy world where elves exist. They are long lived and can do magic but choose to hide their existence from humanity. Being long lived they can get bored easily and often come from their dimension to challenge humans. In the modern era this takes the form of car racing.
Elves have a low birth rate so cherish children. In this world, when there's a story of Sidhe stealing children, it was from abusive homes.
The books in this series often deal with troubled children. The idea is a abused child or runaway might come across the book, see parallels to their own situation and get encouragement it's not their fault, and help is available. The end of the books contain contact information for runaways, kids kidnapped by non-custodial parents, abused kids, etc.
The plot of this is one of the elves, Alinor, helping a woman rescue her young son, Jamie, from a dangerous apocalyptic cult (in the vein of the Branch Davidians). Her divorced husband kidnapped their son to be in the cult because he's a perfect vessel for the evil spirit manipulating the cult and egging them on to violent action.
I originally bought this back in the 90s and was re-reading to add to Goodreads. I'll be honest, I had some trouble with it. Not due to quality, but the depiction of abuse Jamie suffers (nothing sexual, but starvation and isolation) and the cult itself. At the time, groups like that were fringe and could be stopped by legitimate authorities. Unfortunately, the last few decades have shown these groups gain more power and authority.
Elves have a low birth rate so cherish children. In this world, when there's a story of Sidhe stealing children, it was from abusive homes.
The books in this series often deal with troubled children. The idea is a abused child or runaway might come across the book, see parallels to their own situation and get encouragement it's not their fault, and help is available. The end of the books contain contact information for runaways, kids kidnapped by non-custodial parents, abused kids, etc.
The plot of this is one of the elves, Alinor, helping a woman rescue her young son, Jamie, from a dangerous apocalyptic cult (in the vein of the Branch Davidians). Her divorced husband kidnapped their son to be in the cult because he's a perfect vessel for the evil spirit manipulating the cult and egging them on to violent action.
I originally bought this back in the 90s and was re-reading to add to Goodreads. I'll be honest, I had some trouble with it. Not due to quality, but the depiction of abuse Jamie suffers (nothing sexual, but starvation and isolation) and the cult itself. At the time, groups like that were fringe and could be stopped by legitimate authorities. Unfortunately, the last few decades have shown these groups gain more power and authority.
March 21, 2021
Once again, Mercedes Lackey, and Mark Shepherd, have written a story that has a real hit to it.
Not only is this a great story about elves, who have an irresistible urge to help human children, but it is also a story about greed, finding moral boundaries, and faith - but a faith that is so skewed, that it's almost unrecognisable!
There was much in the story that brought me to the realisation of just how easy it is, for people to be pulled into something that seems to be right, but is so very wrong.
It made me uncomfortable, to the point that I had to stop reading a few times - but then I'd face up to what made that happen, and read on because, no matter what, we do have to face the bad in humanity, as well as the good.
I think that this kind of writing is why I go back to Misty as often as I can, as she both entertains, but also shows just how human we all are - plus the elves, of course!
I loved being introduced to SERRA, and the Fairgrove elves, too!
So, now I'm off to the third in the Serrated Edge series: When the Bough Breaks.
Not only is this a great story about elves, who have an irresistible urge to help human children, but it is also a story about greed, finding moral boundaries, and faith - but a faith that is so skewed, that it's almost unrecognisable!
There was much in the story that brought me to the realisation of just how easy it is, for people to be pulled into something that seems to be right, but is so very wrong.
It made me uncomfortable, to the point that I had to stop reading a few times - but then I'd face up to what made that happen, and read on because, no matter what, we do have to face the bad in humanity, as well as the good.
I think that this kind of writing is why I go back to Misty as often as I can, as she both entertains, but also shows just how human we all are - plus the elves, of course!
I loved being introduced to SERRA, and the Fairgrove elves, too!
So, now I'm off to the third in the Serrated Edge series: When the Bough Breaks.
May 22, 2020
A lot of the subject matter in this series is hard to read. The fact is that it should be. And the book does not hide from that fact. It is well done. The protagonists are as human as they can be (for all they are not human). The issue is good vs evil, right vs. wrong. And who gets to decide what is and is not good, evil, right and wrong. It makes you think. Or it should. And it should make you look at yourself, your own actions and/or non actions in regards to this.
September 7, 2023
Better writing than the first book in the series, though any troops attacking the army of Peter the Hermit in the 11th century would have been Greek (or "Roman"), not Turkish. The opposition is pretty cartoonish, but cults were the bogeyman of the early '90s, so that's not too much of a surprise. The Sidhe protagonist here is more interesting and better drawn than that in the first book.
Not stellar, but not terrible.
Not stellar, but not terrible.
July 11, 2020
More Elves and cars and magical rescues.
November 16, 2023
A strange pulpy book. A little slow but agreeable.
March 2, 2010
I read this book awhile back, it was a novel approach to the fantasy genre. It mixes the world of elves with muscle cars and runaway teenagers. I thought it was unique in how it mixed the magis of the ancient elves with the power of a classic Mustang. Part of the appeal to me was the Ford Mustang as the lead character's transport. The book's plot is now somewhat dated, as runaway teens are no longer in the popular news. That and the idea that Tannim ( the lead character ) has adventures in a Battlestar Galactica Viper Pilot's jacket (circa 1970's!!)!
July 21, 2012
A wonderful book that shows the pain of children and how it can be healed. This series is one of the good ones that I think everyone should read, as it draws awareness to abuse...but remember, you don't have to an elf to help.
August 3, 2008
So much fun. I love this series!
March 3, 2010
Elves in our world, elven steed hiding themselves as race cars, sounds bad but its oh so good!
January 8, 2011
Hot fae men, fast cars, what else does a woman in trouble need? This was a good paced story which I would recommend to anyone who likes the fae and a hero to save the day.
Read
July 29, 2011Auto racing, magic, cults and child abduction.
March 8, 2013
I read this first in 2005. Enough stayed with me for it to be vaguely familiar second time through. This story has abuse, alcoholism, non-custodial parent kiddnapping and a cult.
March 31, 2014
More great fantasy transplanted into a modern setting.
August 15, 2015
love this series would love to see more
September 22, 2015
Lackey really knows how to bludgeon a point, which makes parts of this book really tedious, but it's got an excellent dramatic rescue at the end.
Of course.
Of course.
Read
April 5, 2013Elves, elves and more elves...yeah baby !
September 8, 2017
The 2nd of the Serious Social Problems books, this time it involves abduction of a child by the non-custodial parent. Warning: child abuse.
The race car driving elf is Al, who's a bit of a prick. Lackey might have been better served to make Tannim the hero in all of these novels since he is infinitely more likeable than Al here or Mac from When the Bough Breaks.
The other hero, the 18 year old son of a cult leader, Joe, is much more sympathic. His conflict between caring for the abducted and abused little boy who he has come to see as a little brother and the training instilled in him by his father is the emotional core of the book. Al's long-running fear of the Salamander doesn't even come close to that sort of resonance.
Plus, Al's attitude towards Cindy makes me want to slap him.
The race car driving elf is Al, who's a bit of a prick. Lackey might have been better served to make Tannim the hero in all of these novels since he is infinitely more likeable than Al here or Mac from When the Bough Breaks.
The other hero, the 18 year old son of a cult leader, Joe, is much more sympathic. His conflict between caring for the abducted and abused little boy who he has come to see as a little brother and the training instilled in him by his father is the emotional core of the book. Al's long-running fear of the Salamander doesn't even come close to that sort of resonance.
Plus, Al's attitude towards Cindy makes me want to slap him.
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