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Pixie for Hire #1
Pixie Noir
You can't keep a tough Pixie down… Lom is a bounty hunter, paid to bring magical creatures of all descriptions back Underhill, to prevent war with humans should they discover the strangers amongst them. Bella is about to find out she's a real life fairy princess, but all she wants to do is live peacefully in Alaska, where the biggest problems are hungry grizzly bears. He has to bring her in. It's nothing personal, it's his job… "They had almost had me, that once. I’d been young and foolish, trying to do something heroic, of course. I wouldn’t do that again anytime soon. Now, I work for duty, but nothing more than is necessary to fulfill the family debt. I get paid, which makes me a bounty hunter, but she's about to teach me about honor. Like all lessons, this one was going to hurt. Fortunately, I have a good gun to fill my hand, and if I have to go, she has been good to look at." Dave Freer, author of Dog and Dragon, The Forlorn, and many others, ""To those of you who thought there was nothing new worth reading in Cedar Sanderson’s Pixie Noir proves that you are wrong. The author plainly knows and loves her setting and characters, and this carries through to the reader. The pace picks up throughout, so save this book for a weekend, or you’ll be complaining about a lack of sleep at work. A very good read!"
356 pages, ebook
First published November 27, 2013
80 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Cedar Sanderson
128 books61 followersI hate writing bios, even though I love to write. If you're that interested, read my blog, where I natter on at length on writing, publishing, research, and life in general.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
November 13, 2015
I am so glad I finally got to this book. The writing is very capable and the mythology is sound.
For the most part the story is written in the first person POV. The main protagonist is Lom, a male pixie who works for the Underhill in rounding up rogue fae on the human side of the veil. This time he's tasked with bringing in one of the candidates for fairy queen. And this is where he meets Belladonna. Or Bella as he comes to know here.
When he first meets her he stands eye level with her chest. I happen to love this because you just don't see many short heroes, do you? And Lom is definitely a hero. He's had to become very knowledgeable and clever in order to survive and thrive since a magical attack rendered him severely magically handicapped. He has some decent allies though, and he's smart enough to know how to keep them.
Bella is a very strong character in her own right. She's smart and resourceful. I would not have minded a look at some of the events from her POV too, but it was fun to see her surprise all those around her even after they got to know her. She's a force in her own right, but she's not a self-absorbed harpy which many authors seem to mistake for strength. She's a warm, supportive character who can both take the lead and take orders as needed. Refreshing.
My only complaint was that I felt all the battle/action scenes were completed just about a beat before they really could have kicked it out of the park. I just didn't feel the tension I think I might have felt if there was just a little more to them.
There are two more books in this series and I'm definitely going to read them. Trickster Noir is next up and I'm very interested to see what this character (we met him in this book) has in store.
These books are not part of the Big Publishing high pricing extravaganza going on right now, so it's well worth it to take a look.
For the most part the story is written in the first person POV. The main protagonist is Lom, a male pixie who works for the Underhill in rounding up rogue fae on the human side of the veil. This time he's tasked with bringing in one of the candidates for fairy queen. And this is where he meets Belladonna. Or Bella as he comes to know here.
When he first meets her he stands eye level with her chest. I happen to love this because you just don't see many short heroes, do you? And Lom is definitely a hero. He's had to become very knowledgeable and clever in order to survive and thrive since a magical attack rendered him severely magically handicapped. He has some decent allies though, and he's smart enough to know how to keep them.
Bella is a very strong character in her own right. She's smart and resourceful. I would not have minded a look at some of the events from her POV too, but it was fun to see her surprise all those around her even after they got to know her. She's a force in her own right, but she's not a self-absorbed harpy which many authors seem to mistake for strength. She's a warm, supportive character who can both take the lead and take orders as needed. Refreshing.
My only complaint was that I felt all the battle/action scenes were completed just about a beat before they really could have kicked it out of the park. I just didn't feel the tension I think I might have felt if there was just a little more to them.
There are two more books in this series and I'm definitely going to read them. Trickster Noir is next up and I'm very interested to see what this character (we met him in this book) has in store.
These books are not part of the Big Publishing high pricing extravaganza going on right now, so it's well worth it to take a look.
April 16, 2024
This is the seventeenth volume by Sanderson that I have read. I first encountered the works of Cedar in Cracked: An Anthology of Eggsellent Chicken Stories, and after reading her piece there knew I had to track down and read something else from her pen. I had picked this one up a while ago, but had not got around to reading it. When Sanderson rebranded the series with new covers, I was far more intrigued and started reading it right away. I loved the new cover so much, I even returned my original eBook and bought it again to have the new cover, and I picked up the trilogy with the new covers, before even reading this one. It was well worth the read, and my loss that I had not read it when I first picked it up.
The description of this volume states:
“You can't keep a tough Pixie down…
Lom is a bounty hunter, paid to bring magical creatures of all descriptions back Underhill, to prevent war with humans should they discover the strangers amongst them. Bella is about to find out she's a real life fairy princess, but all she wants to do is live peacefully in Alaska, where the biggest problems are hungry grizzly bears. He has to bring her in. It's nothing personal, it's his job…
"They had almost had me, that once. I’d been young and foolish, trying to do something heroic, of course. I wouldn’t do that again anytime soon. Now, I work for duty, but nothing more than is necessary to fulfill the family debt. I get paid, which makes me a bounty hunter, but she's about to teach me about honor. Like all lessons, this one was going to hurt. Fortunately, I have a good gun to fill my hand, and if I have to go, she has been good to look at."”
This was an incredible read, and in the best sense of that word. It is an extraordinary story of triumph and a tale of tragedy. But a tragedy worked through and overcome. And It is the beginning of a series, I cannot fathom where the story goes from here but I look forward to finding out!
The characters are wonderfully written. Lom and Bella just wow. Watching them meet, then learn to work together. The story is written in such a way that you become completely enthralled in the story. You will find it near impossible to put the book down. The pace is excellent. And the action, oh my the action; trolls, ghouls, goblins and more. This story is an excellent beginning and leaves you wanting more!
I have been impressed with all of Sanderson’s writing that I have read to date, and have greatly enjoyed her recently works published under the name of Lilania Begley. The quick way IO would describe this volume is Epic fantasy meets Mike Hammer or Spenser! A hard working guy trying to get a job done, a job no one else could likely do, and one involving a beautiful dame, but a dame with great power, strength of character and brilliant mind. It was incredibly hard to put down. Sanderson spin on folk tales, fairy tales, and native legends to creates a masterfully written story. It is an epic adventure where myths and legends come to life both above and Underhill. I can easily recommend this novel it is a great read.
The description of this volume states:
“You can't keep a tough Pixie down…
Lom is a bounty hunter, paid to bring magical creatures of all descriptions back Underhill, to prevent war with humans should they discover the strangers amongst them. Bella is about to find out she's a real life fairy princess, but all she wants to do is live peacefully in Alaska, where the biggest problems are hungry grizzly bears. He has to bring her in. It's nothing personal, it's his job…
"They had almost had me, that once. I’d been young and foolish, trying to do something heroic, of course. I wouldn’t do that again anytime soon. Now, I work for duty, but nothing more than is necessary to fulfill the family debt. I get paid, which makes me a bounty hunter, but she's about to teach me about honor. Like all lessons, this one was going to hurt. Fortunately, I have a good gun to fill my hand, and if I have to go, she has been good to look at."”
This was an incredible read, and in the best sense of that word. It is an extraordinary story of triumph and a tale of tragedy. But a tragedy worked through and overcome. And It is the beginning of a series, I cannot fathom where the story goes from here but I look forward to finding out!
The characters are wonderfully written. Lom and Bella just wow. Watching them meet, then learn to work together. The story is written in such a way that you become completely enthralled in the story. You will find it near impossible to put the book down. The pace is excellent. And the action, oh my the action; trolls, ghouls, goblins and more. This story is an excellent beginning and leaves you wanting more!
I have been impressed with all of Sanderson’s writing that I have read to date, and have greatly enjoyed her recently works published under the name of Lilania Begley. The quick way IO would describe this volume is Epic fantasy meets Mike Hammer or Spenser! A hard working guy trying to get a job done, a job no one else could likely do, and one involving a beautiful dame, but a dame with great power, strength of character and brilliant mind. It was incredibly hard to put down. Sanderson spin on folk tales, fairy tales, and native legends to creates a masterfully written story. It is an epic adventure where myths and legends come to life both above and Underhill. I can easily recommend this novel it is a great read.
April 18, 2014
In the late 1970s, an animated movie named Wizards came out. I don't remember anything about the movie except a scene toward the end where one wizard confronts another wizard. And you might expect a big fight with magic being thrown back and forth. Instead, one wizard pulls out a revolver and puts daylight through his opponent. Gunplay in a magical fantasy story was a brand new thing and it had shock value. The scene was as surprising as later when Indiana Jones aborts a sword fight with a big scimitar wielding dude using his sidearm.
In the decades that have followed, this sort of blending of firearms and magic has become a little more common. Larry Correia does a great job of describing with loving detail the firearms used to dispatch evil in his Monster Hunter stories.
In Larry Correia's world you might not take down a werewolf with a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, but you'll slow him down enough to drop a desk on him. And Larry Correia doubled-down with his magical private eye in his Warbound stories wherein John Moses Browning supplies the firearms.
The mix of fantasy and noir goes well together and Cedar Sanderson adds a twist in her mystical bounty hunter, Lom. Whereas Larry Correia builds his stories around big dudes--a towering "combat accountant" and a magical "heavy"--Lom is a pixie.
As in shorter of stature and slight of build.
When I say a story is about a bounty hunter, one doesn't immediately think of a pixie. Which is cool.
But all the other things you would expect of a noir protagonist are present. He's got a past. He's been betrayed by those close to him and thus he doesn't trust anyone.
That includes the dame in trouble with great gams. He meets Bella in the opening scene of Pixie Noir. Like a good noir story, the dame is more than a pretty face and smoking hot body.
Trouble takes the form of various magical monsters who want her dead. Lom's inner demons and his unhappy past add to his internal conflict. They run a gauntlet of evil monsters as Lom tries to deliver Bella to his client. Along the way they use guns, lots of guns.
Lom and Bella undergo some changes on their road trip and the nature of the relationship becomes more complicated as well.
It's a fun read and I recommend it heartily. Five stars.
BUT FIRST a word from our Grammar Nazi. (What good noir story doesn't have Nazis?)
English Grammar does not use grammatical cases as much as other languages. When I learned English grammar in school, I cheated. My mom spoke grammatically correct sentences, and thus I never learned English Grammar, I just gave the answer that "sounded good." There were exceptions. Nobody says "whom" any more, so any usage with "whom" did not sound right. Thus it was only in the last few years that I learned that "who" is used in a subjective case, and "whom" is used in an objective case.
Moreover collections of names and pronouns like "Joe and I went to breakfast" combine names and pronouns with the case of the pronoun depending upon the usage of the collection. If the collection is used in a subjective way, you say "Joe and I" and if it is an objective use, you say, "Joe and me."
Thus we say, "Joe and I went to breakfast. The waitress brought toast to Joe and me." It is a common mistake to use the subjective pronoun in a collection when one ought to use the objective pronoun. Objects of a prepositional phrase are invariably subjective case. Ms. Sanderson needs to hire an editor to catch these things in her final draft.
For this reason, the Grammar Nazi insists that I deduct a half-star from Pixie Noir: four point five stars.
In the decades that have followed, this sort of blending of firearms and magic has become a little more common. Larry Correia does a great job of describing with loving detail the firearms used to dispatch evil in his Monster Hunter stories.
In Larry Correia's world you might not take down a werewolf with a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, but you'll slow him down enough to drop a desk on him. And Larry Correia doubled-down with his magical private eye in his Warbound stories wherein John Moses Browning supplies the firearms.
The mix of fantasy and noir goes well together and Cedar Sanderson adds a twist in her mystical bounty hunter, Lom. Whereas Larry Correia builds his stories around big dudes--a towering "combat accountant" and a magical "heavy"--Lom is a pixie.
As in shorter of stature and slight of build.
When I say a story is about a bounty hunter, one doesn't immediately think of a pixie. Which is cool.
But all the other things you would expect of a noir protagonist are present. He's got a past. He's been betrayed by those close to him and thus he doesn't trust anyone.
That includes the dame in trouble with great gams. He meets Bella in the opening scene of Pixie Noir. Like a good noir story, the dame is more than a pretty face and smoking hot body.
Trouble takes the form of various magical monsters who want her dead. Lom's inner demons and his unhappy past add to his internal conflict. They run a gauntlet of evil monsters as Lom tries to deliver Bella to his client. Along the way they use guns, lots of guns.
Lom and Bella undergo some changes on their road trip and the nature of the relationship becomes more complicated as well.
It's a fun read and I recommend it heartily. Five stars.
BUT FIRST a word from our Grammar Nazi. (What good noir story doesn't have Nazis?)
English Grammar does not use grammatical cases as much as other languages. When I learned English grammar in school, I cheated. My mom spoke grammatically correct sentences, and thus I never learned English Grammar, I just gave the answer that "sounded good." There were exceptions. Nobody says "whom" any more, so any usage with "whom" did not sound right. Thus it was only in the last few years that I learned that "who" is used in a subjective case, and "whom" is used in an objective case.
Moreover collections of names and pronouns like "Joe and I went to breakfast" combine names and pronouns with the case of the pronoun depending upon the usage of the collection. If the collection is used in a subjective way, you say "Joe and I" and if it is an objective use, you say, "Joe and me."
Thus we say, "Joe and I went to breakfast. The waitress brought toast to Joe and me." It is a common mistake to use the subjective pronoun in a collection when one ought to use the objective pronoun. Objects of a prepositional phrase are invariably subjective case. Ms. Sanderson needs to hire an editor to catch these things in her final draft.
For this reason, the Grammar Nazi insists that I deduct a half-star from Pixie Noir: four point five stars.
January 13, 2022
This is an "urban fantasy" although it does not take place in cities except for short sections passing through. Most of it is in rural areas or the realm of the fae. Lom (short for his real full name) is a pixie bounty hunter of sorts, mostly hunting rogue monsters and wizards, who is sent to bring a young woman to the faerie court.
The book does not tell you much at first, only revealing bits as they are important to the story as it unfolds, so much is not clear why things are taking place initially. Complicating matters is that the narrator Lom is very close mouthed and does not care to explain things, particularly to Bella, the young lady in question.
The book is carefully paced, with tight action sequences between interesting flashbacks and information as Lom's past and abilities are revealed, and the young lady's nature and destiny is shown.
Much of the book takes place in the realm of the faeries, where things are not going particularly well. Bella learns to use magic and proves quite effective at it, and Lom shows his incredibly determined, dogged, and focused nature as a leader, fighter, and thinker.
Overall the story is well told, and the main characters are fairly distinct and developed. Many of the side characters are either simple sketches or very similar, which serves to make the main characters stand out more.
It took me a bit to enjoy this book mostly because it didn't feel very compelling a setting until the end, and the main Pixie character didn't feel particularly pixyish in any remotest sense, more a dwarf or some disgruntled other sort of character. He's short and magical but mostly is just a tough guy.
This was interesting enough I wouldn't mind reading the two followup books as a result.
The book does not tell you much at first, only revealing bits as they are important to the story as it unfolds, so much is not clear why things are taking place initially. Complicating matters is that the narrator Lom is very close mouthed and does not care to explain things, particularly to Bella, the young lady in question.
The book is carefully paced, with tight action sequences between interesting flashbacks and information as Lom's past and abilities are revealed, and the young lady's nature and destiny is shown.
Much of the book takes place in the realm of the faeries, where things are not going particularly well. Bella learns to use magic and proves quite effective at it, and Lom shows his incredibly determined, dogged, and focused nature as a leader, fighter, and thinker.
Overall the story is well told, and the main characters are fairly distinct and developed. Many of the side characters are either simple sketches or very similar, which serves to make the main characters stand out more.
It took me a bit to enjoy this book mostly because it didn't feel very compelling a setting until the end, and the main Pixie character didn't feel particularly pixyish in any remotest sense, more a dwarf or some disgruntled other sort of character. He's short and magical but mostly is just a tough guy.
This was interesting enough I wouldn't mind reading the two followup books as a result.
September 7, 2014
The free sample of Pixie Noir by Cedar Sanderson grabbed me. The “buy with one-click” button was my ticket to adventure with Lom and Belladonna.
Lom is a rarity among pixies. He often walks the human world, hunting monsters. This time, his mission requires him to escort Belladonna Traycroft to the High Court of the Folke, regardless of her feelings in the matter. Belladonna seldom thinks about her fairy heritage, and would rather continue life among her closeknit extended human family on the Alaskan frontier. Winning her agreement to the journey is the first of Lom’s problems…but not his last. With the fate of the Folke riding on his success, and a past that haunts him, he really shouldn’t be falling in love with Bella. As they wade through monsters on the way to Court, it’s a good thing Lom is used to winning battles. But he’s dismayed to realize he’s lost the war with his heart.
Sanderson deftly combines humor, world-building, and fast-paced action with the deeper emotions of characters you can root for. I was happy to see Pixie Noir is the first of a series. I’ll be back!
Lom is a rarity among pixies. He often walks the human world, hunting monsters. This time, his mission requires him to escort Belladonna Traycroft to the High Court of the Folke, regardless of her feelings in the matter. Belladonna seldom thinks about her fairy heritage, and would rather continue life among her closeknit extended human family on the Alaskan frontier. Winning her agreement to the journey is the first of Lom’s problems…but not his last. With the fate of the Folke riding on his success, and a past that haunts him, he really shouldn’t be falling in love with Bella. As they wade through monsters on the way to Court, it’s a good thing Lom is used to winning battles. But he’s dismayed to realize he’s lost the war with his heart.
Sanderson deftly combines humor, world-building, and fast-paced action with the deeper emotions of characters you can root for. I was happy to see Pixie Noir is the first of a series. I’ll be back!
April 9, 2014
Lom, a pixie bounty hunter, is tasked with collecting a fairy princess who may be next in line to be the queen... but she's not necessarily interested in cooperating. They move from the wilds of Alaska to the crazy environment of Underhill (essentially Fairyland), all the while combating trolls, orcs, goblins, and manifold other evil creatures.
This was a fun take on the world of Faerie and how it might be intersecting with our world now. I liked Lom and Bella; they were engaging and endearing, and I found myself wholeheartedly on their side in the (many!) conflicts within the book. Good stuff -- I'm looking forward to picking up the next volume.
This was a fun take on the world of Faerie and how it might be intersecting with our world now. I liked Lom and Bella; they were engaging and endearing, and I found myself wholeheartedly on their side in the (many!) conflicts within the book. Good stuff -- I'm looking forward to picking up the next volume.
November 3, 2014
I now have a new author to add to my favorites list. Awesome story.
January 4, 2015
Love Cedar's writing and this story. And the series.
February 11, 2016
A fun little book about a tough pixie and his latest charge. I'm looking forward to getting the others in this series.
August 8, 2017
Well Worth Reading
This find was an unexpected and deeply satisfying read. I am still smiling, my mind, heart, and spirit content and satiated. The people and plot are complex but not confusing. There is more than the fae world involved, adding another layer of depth. I cannot wait to learn more about this world and these people. I am happy to report the main character is an educated, experienced, and talented woman who believes herself to be human with a bit of fae. That is not exactly accurate, to my delight. She has the strength to carry her role in this tale well.
The ending was full of twisty turns, yet every turnabout follows seemlessly from the core narrative. Read it twice: there are profound revelations subtly woven in.
This book is complete, the main storylines wrapped, with no cliffhanger, yet it is clear at the end there is more magic and mayhem on the way.
Content: There is no explicit sexuality and sexuality is not a theme. There is an attacking enemy, so there are battle scenes with a certain amount of gore, but no explicit details, unless you find the mention of non-specific goblin "corpse bits" too much.
There is almost no foul language: I noticed one, so there were probably a few more. Didn't count; too interested in what was happening.
Favorite element: These characters and the plot center on caring about doing the right thing and being honorable, even if there are people around you who are not at all honorable.
This is a book worth reading. Enjoy!
This find was an unexpected and deeply satisfying read. I am still smiling, my mind, heart, and spirit content and satiated. The people and plot are complex but not confusing. There is more than the fae world involved, adding another layer of depth. I cannot wait to learn more about this world and these people. I am happy to report the main character is an educated, experienced, and talented woman who believes herself to be human with a bit of fae. That is not exactly accurate, to my delight. She has the strength to carry her role in this tale well.
The ending was full of twisty turns, yet every turnabout follows seemlessly from the core narrative. Read it twice: there are profound revelations subtly woven in.
This book is complete, the main storylines wrapped, with no cliffhanger, yet it is clear at the end there is more magic and mayhem on the way.
Content: There is no explicit sexuality and sexuality is not a theme. There is an attacking enemy, so there are battle scenes with a certain amount of gore, but no explicit details, unless you find the mention of non-specific goblin "corpse bits" too much.
There is almost no foul language: I noticed one, so there were probably a few more. Didn't count; too interested in what was happening.
Favorite element: These characters and the plot center on caring about doing the right thing and being honorable, even if there are people around you who are not at all honorable.
This is a book worth reading. Enjoy!
September 27, 2017
Mixed opinions
This book is rather odd. The storyline was pretty interesting, and the characters are pretty trippy but I never felt an actual romance build between the two main characters. In fact, I thought the book was written by a guy originally due to the lack of emotions in the book. I read all three books in the series, and I do think it's worth a read. The third book was actually my favorite. Don't expect any sexual tension, or romance, but if you want to entertaining story that's pretty original and not like any other book out there, then go ahead and read all three.
This book is rather odd. The storyline was pretty interesting, and the characters are pretty trippy but I never felt an actual romance build between the two main characters. In fact, I thought the book was written by a guy originally due to the lack of emotions in the book. I read all three books in the series, and I do think it's worth a read. The third book was actually my favorite. Don't expect any sexual tension, or romance, but if you want to entertaining story that's pretty original and not like any other book out there, then go ahead and read all three.
June 29, 2020
I'm not sure how this book ended up in my "to read" pile, but I finally got to it.
It's a fun, good world building self pub start to a series. Had fun action sequences, interesting interactions with characters, and overall was enjoyable to get through.
It also needed to be edited a bit more, and probably something like 25-50 pages worth of material removed to get the pacing tighter. This wasn't a specific "this scene sucked" commentary, just there were lines and paragraphs interspersed throughout the book that didn't add to the story that could have made it even stronger with them out.
Worth a read, especially at the Kindle Unlimited or low $3 price.
It's a fun, good world building self pub start to a series. Had fun action sequences, interesting interactions with characters, and overall was enjoyable to get through.
It also needed to be edited a bit more, and probably something like 25-50 pages worth of material removed to get the pacing tighter. This wasn't a specific "this scene sucked" commentary, just there were lines and paragraphs interspersed throughout the book that didn't add to the story that could have made it even stronger with them out.
Worth a read, especially at the Kindle Unlimited or low $3 price.
January 13, 2024
Ms Sanderson has her own view of the worlds of ordinary humans, and that of a magical plane. One reviewer called her viewpoint “odd”. Absolutely, and thank goodness for it.
Unlike most self-published rubbish, Ms Sanderson has actually mastered the writing of English, creating characters that are both real and interesting, and constructing a storyline that is both intriguing and not obvious by the third paragraph.
An altogether fun read…..
Unlike most self-published rubbish, Ms Sanderson has actually mastered the writing of English, creating characters that are both real and interesting, and constructing a storyline that is both intriguing and not obvious by the third paragraph.
An altogether fun read…..
December 10, 2018
10 stars. I loved this fantasy setting. We have high and low court, pixies, faeries, goblins and brownies and a great cast of baddies some hidden in plain sight, other lurking in the shadows. It is beautifully crafted writing, rich characters most with depth. I am a huge fan of this series, and this writer. This fantasy is a pure delight.
May 15, 2020
Yes, Yes, Yes
Yes; I loved it..... A Lot
Yes, I now care about most of the characters and want to know what will happen next
Yes, it was very well written and hard to put down
Fairy stories are so much more frightening than more common paranormals. Just got the dark edge and it was just right!!!
Yes; I loved it..... A Lot
Yes, I now care about most of the characters and want to know what will happen next
Yes, it was very well written and hard to put down
Fairy stories are so much more frightening than more common paranormals. Just got the dark edge and it was just right!!!
October 8, 2023
Grows on reader
It took me a while to warm to the story, at first expecting the usual fae lost heir and impossible lover. However by the end I was fully invested in the main characters and appreciated how the author brought them forward growing in emotion and strength without being too textbook.
It took me a while to warm to the story, at first expecting the usual fae lost heir and impossible lover. However by the end I was fully invested in the main characters and appreciated how the author brought them forward growing in emotion and strength without being too textbook.
April 26, 2020
Good story, terrible writing (or maybe typing)!
It's very difficult to read when the narrator changes from "he" to "she" in the same sentence, or shifting from third person (he/she/it is) to first person (I am).
It's a really fun story, but for the love of little green men from Mars, please proof before you publish.
This has been a PSA from someone with too much time on his hands.
It's very difficult to read when the narrator changes from "he" to "she" in the same sentence, or shifting from third person (he/she/it is) to first person (I am).
It's a really fun story, but for the love of little green men from Mars, please proof before you publish.
This has been a PSA from someone with too much time on his hands.
January 3, 2021
Engrossing high fantasy with a modern twist
I've read this twice now, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The character development is outstanding, as is the storytelling. It's easy to feel as if Underhill actually exists, and the story is very engaging.
I've read this twice now, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The character development is outstanding, as is the storytelling. It's easy to feel as if Underhill actually exists, and the story is very engaging.
June 28, 2021
Excellent story!!
Good words in a row! Sometimes, I get confused when reading, but this was a clear "coming into her powers", " combat " and " love story " type of novel and there is more!
Good words in a row! Sometimes, I get confused when reading, but this was a clear "coming into her powers", " combat " and " love story " type of novel and there is more!
October 12, 2022
Surprisingly good
I reserve a 5 for LOTR or War and Peace class lit. But nevertheless I give this a 4+. Merging fairy with modern human world done well. A fun read from start to finish.
I reserve a 5 for LOTR or War and Peace class lit. But nevertheless I give this a 4+. Merging fairy with modern human world done well. A fun read from start to finish.
October 18, 2017
It's fun. I wasn't sure when I started it, but I enjoyed it and have the 3rd one in my pile of books to read soon.
March 3, 2024
Pixie
I thought it was a fun read what with all the badies, goblins, and such. Look forward to the next book
I thought it was a fun read what with all the badies, goblins, and such. Look forward to the next book
November 9, 2025
Good
Fun little romp. A little pat in places and a bit rushed in others but all in all excellent! I definitely recommend and will read the next one in the series.
Fun little romp. A little pat in places and a bit rushed in others but all in all excellent! I definitely recommend and will read the next one in the series.
December 4, 2013
Fans of pixies, elves, fairies and fantasy will find much to love about this novel. Bella is a tall, sturdy, straight-shooting Alaskan with lots of big, strong men in her life (all relatives) to protect her, not that she isn't marvelous at doing that herself. Her grandma has filled her head with stories of fairies and magic, but Bella thinks they're just stories, until a little man comes knocking at her door. She greets him with a gun and cuts him no slack.
The little man is a bounty hunter for the hidden, magical world known as Underhill, accessible from the human world by secret doorways. Thom is a humorous, wry narrator, sometimes self effacing, mostly very confident of his prowess and legendary talents as a hunter of things evil. What hope does he have of winning a tall, beautiful young woman like Bella when he is half her height and hundreds of years old? He's still mourning the loss of his wife and has a doting housekeeper, Ellie, to keep him fed and mended after his battles. A creature of his rank has no right to imagine a future with a princess, much less a princess of Bella's extraordinary beauty, talent, skill and potential power.
He does have a job to do, though, and that's getting Bella "Underhill," underground, into the world of Underhill, where she'll meet the King, learn who the enemy is, fight goblins, start fires, put out fires, keep Lom from getting killed, make friends and learn more about magic than any human before her.
The battle scenes are numerous and bloody, and of little interest to a reader like me, who wants to know the villain firsthand. Who's sending the goblin armies to Underhill, and why? We'll have to read the next book to get the rest of the story.
And to get more of those men from Alaska. Guys, you're tall, but there must be room for you in Underhill. Bring 'em on!
The little man is a bounty hunter for the hidden, magical world known as Underhill, accessible from the human world by secret doorways. Thom is a humorous, wry narrator, sometimes self effacing, mostly very confident of his prowess and legendary talents as a hunter of things evil. What hope does he have of winning a tall, beautiful young woman like Bella when he is half her height and hundreds of years old? He's still mourning the loss of his wife and has a doting housekeeper, Ellie, to keep him fed and mended after his battles. A creature of his rank has no right to imagine a future with a princess, much less a princess of Bella's extraordinary beauty, talent, skill and potential power.
He does have a job to do, though, and that's getting Bella "Underhill," underground, into the world of Underhill, where she'll meet the King, learn who the enemy is, fight goblins, start fires, put out fires, keep Lom from getting killed, make friends and learn more about magic than any human before her.
The battle scenes are numerous and bloody, and of little interest to a reader like me, who wants to know the villain firsthand. Who's sending the goblin armies to Underhill, and why? We'll have to read the next book to get the rest of the story.
And to get more of those men from Alaska. Guys, you're tall, but there must be room for you in Underhill. Bring 'em on!
April 15, 2015
I liked the story a lot. The main character was interesting enough to follow through the entire book, and the fairy princess was a hoot.
However, I felt that the entire "cleansing the great halls" sequence could use better editing. The pace seemed different from the rest of the book. Also, the author tried to show a big emotional impact on the hero due to some of the losses in the battle, but it didn't ring true to me, since most of the team were throwaway characters, some of whom weren't even named.
Lastly, the chapter from the ancient wizard's point of view, while possibly necessary due to the hero's circumstances, was very jarring. It was the only chapter in the entire book that was from someone else's viewpoint and thus third rather than first person, and then we went back to the hero again. Also, there were a number of he/I switches that were missed, often in the same sentence.
I would read another book in this series if it's written, but I would encourage more editing before publication.
However, I felt that the entire "cleansing the great halls" sequence could use better editing. The pace seemed different from the rest of the book. Also, the author tried to show a big emotional impact on the hero due to some of the losses in the battle, but it didn't ring true to me, since most of the team were throwaway characters, some of whom weren't even named.
Lastly, the chapter from the ancient wizard's point of view, while possibly necessary due to the hero's circumstances, was very jarring. It was the only chapter in the entire book that was from someone else's viewpoint and thus third rather than first person, and then we went back to the hero again. Also, there were a number of he/I switches that were missed, often in the same sentence.
I would read another book in this series if it's written, but I would encourage more editing before publication.
June 19, 2025
Lom is a pixie, and a bounty hunter for Underhill. His latest case is a fairy princess. No really! But Bella isn't anything like you might think of a fairy princess, probably because she's only part fairy and was raised in the wilds of Alaska (sort of). She knows her way around a gun, she's tall, and of course she's smart and beautiful and Lom pretty much falls for her instantly. She might not want to go, but he has a job to take her back to Underhill to meet her destiny....
The premise was fine and I didn't mind Lom and Bella at first. But first Lom got on my nerves, then just as I was accepting his obsession with Bella, I realized I really hated her. She is a winy brat who then apologizes and beats up trolls and stuff so that makes her cool, I suppose, but the like 5th time she storms off in a huff I had to give up. Also, he has to teach her magic but conveniently someone gives her a spell/ability to access the entire library of fae and suddenly she can do magic. Yay, no training required! (It's ok he still has to train her to shoot stuff with fire.)
Bored. Will not finish.
The premise was fine and I didn't mind Lom and Bella at first. But first Lom got on my nerves, then just as I was accepting his obsession with Bella, I realized I really hated her. She is a winy brat who then apologizes and beats up trolls and stuff so that makes her cool, I suppose, but the like 5th time she storms off in a huff I had to give up. Also, he has to teach her magic but conveniently someone gives her a spell/ability to access the entire library of fae and suddenly she can do magic. Yay, no training required! (It's ok he still has to train her to shoot stuff with fire.)
Bored. Will not finish.
July 22, 2016
Pixie Noir defies classification. It has urban fantasy elements. It has traditional fantasy elements. It has noir crime elements.
The main character, Lom, is, believe it or not, a pixie. He is also the fairy King's prime troubleshooter, and he is one tough, hard-bitten fellow indeed. He has been dispatched to bring in, Bella, who is a real-life fairy princess (though she doesn't know it at first). Bella is a very attractive and very smart young woman. She is also tough as fishhooks and nails; she carries weapons and knows how to use them. The action in this book is pretty much non-stop, and the premise is something genuinely new (to me at least).
I quite enjoyed this book and will be looking for more from Cedar Sanderson.
The main character, Lom, is, believe it or not, a pixie. He is also the fairy King's prime troubleshooter, and he is one tough, hard-bitten fellow indeed. He has been dispatched to bring in, Bella, who is a real-life fairy princess (though she doesn't know it at first). Bella is a very attractive and very smart young woman. She is also tough as fishhooks and nails; she carries weapons and knows how to use them. The action in this book is pretty much non-stop, and the premise is something genuinely new (to me at least).
I quite enjoyed this book and will be looking for more from Cedar Sanderson.
August 19, 2016
Terrific fun
If anyone had told me I'd enjoy reading a romantic adventure featuring a wee pixie and a fairy princess... who *sparkles* no less, I'd've said they were nuts. But from the opening scenes when the Dashiell Hammet-style Summer Court gumshoe is taken aback by the dame with legs that go on forever, and the stunning rack conveniently located at eye-level (He IS a pixie) I was hooked. Our hero is non too happy with the messenger-boy / escort duty he's been handed by The Powers that Be, but a job's a job. Get the gal to sign off on her inheritance, and never mind that she's making him feel guilty about the nest of magic, murder and obligation he'll be sending her into.
The Fae princess is a wildlife biologist in the Alaskan Bush who knows her way around a rifle. Or a grenade launcher. Handy thinking to have when Ogres are hunting you.
Great fun. Highly recommended. Now I'm off to read book 2.
If anyone had told me I'd enjoy reading a romantic adventure featuring a wee pixie and a fairy princess... who *sparkles* no less, I'd've said they were nuts. But from the opening scenes when the Dashiell Hammet-style Summer Court gumshoe is taken aback by the dame with legs that go on forever, and the stunning rack conveniently located at eye-level (He IS a pixie) I was hooked. Our hero is non too happy with the messenger-boy / escort duty he's been handed by The Powers that Be, but a job's a job. Get the gal to sign off on her inheritance, and never mind that she's making him feel guilty about the nest of magic, murder and obligation he'll be sending her into.
The Fae princess is a wildlife biologist in the Alaskan Bush who knows her way around a rifle. Or a grenade launcher. Handy thinking to have when Ogres are hunting you.
Great fun. Highly recommended. Now I'm off to read book 2.
February 19, 2014
This is the first Novel of this genre I have ever read. I really didn’t know what to expect. I can’t rate this in comparison to other fantasy Novels so I will rate it as a stand-alone book. Oh my gosh was this thing fun. I figured I would be confused not knowing a pixie from a fairy, a goblin from a troll but the story built. Slowly but with unbroken interest I was taken into a new world of the Authors creation. Characters of good and evil, kindness and hatred, and some bold while others cautious. This was a flat out good time. I’m glad I read this book from this genre first because my experience of it was sort of like a first kiss. Clumsy and unsure but the more I read and the more practice I got the more unforgettable it became. Great Job, I hope to read more of the Adventures of Lom and Bella.
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