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Faery Swap
Warrior faery princes can be very stubborn. Especially when they possess your body. Fourteen-year-old Finn just wants to keep his little sister out of Child Protective Services--an epic challenge with their parentally-missing-in-action dad moving them to England, near the famous Stonehenge rocks. Warrior faery Prince Zaneyr just wants to escape his father's reckless plan to repair the Rift--a catastrophe that ripped the faery realm from Earth 4,000 years ago and set it adrift in an alternate, timeless dimension. When Zaneyr tricks Finn into swapping places, Finn becomes a bodiless soul stuck in the Otherworld, and Zaneyr uses Finn's body to fight off his father's seekers on Earth. Between them, they have two souls and only one body... and both worlds to save before the dimensional window between them slams shut.
Faery Swap is an action and druid-magic filled portal fantasy, told by both a runaway faery prince and the boy he's tricked into taking his place.
Prince and the Pauper meets Warrior Faeries tale is suitable for all ages.
Faery Swap is an action and druid-magic filled portal fantasy, told by both a runaway faery prince and the boy he's tricked into taking his place.
Prince and the Pauper meets Warrior Faeries tale is suitable for all ages.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2013
83 people are currently reading
922 people want to read
About the author
Susan Kaye Quinn
101 books996 followersCLICK HERE for a FREE STORY
Susan Kaye Quinn has designed aircraft engines and researched global warming, but now she uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. Her works range from hopeful climate fiction to gritty cyberpunk. Sue believes being gentle and healing is radical and disruptive. Her short fiction can be found in Grist, Solarpunk Magazine, Reckoning, and all her novels and short stories can be found on her website. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast.
SOLARPUNK
collections
Bright Green Futures: 2024 (edited by SKQ)
Halfway to Better
novels
Nothing is Promised series
When You Had Power
You Knew The Price
Of Kindness and Kilowatts
Yet You Cry When It Hurts
short stories
A Moon Goddess to Watch Over Me (Luna Station Quarterly) (hopepunk)
It's in the Blood (Reckoning 8)
Once and Future Kilowatts (Solarpunk Magazine)
Rewilding Indiana (Little Blue Marble)
Seven Sisters (Grist)
The Joy Fund (DreamForge Magazine)
SCI-FI
Singularity Novel Series
The Legacy Human
The Duality Bridge
The Illusory Prophet
The Last Mystic
Stories of Singularity
Restore
Containment
Augment
Awakening
Harvest
Defiance
Resistance
YA SF
Mindjack Series
Open Minds
Closed Hearts
Free Souls
Locked Tight
Cracked Open
Broken Wide
Mindjack Short Story Collection
WATCH the award-winning live-action Mindjack Book Trailer!
STEAMPUNK ROMANCE
Royals of Dharia
Third Daughter
Second Daughter
First Daughter
CYBERPUNK
Debt Collector
LIRIUM (Season One)
WRAITH (Season Two)
WATCH the Debt Collector Book Trailer
ANTHOLOGIES
Synchronic
Telepath Chronicles
AI Chronicles
Dark Beyond The Stars
Future Chronicles
Cyborg Chronicles
CLONES: The Anthology
MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
Faery Swap
WATCH the Faery Swap Book Trailer
CONTACT SUSAN
Susan's Website | Sue on Bluesky | Sue on Mastodon
Susan's Email: sue@twistedspacepub.com
Susan Kaye Quinn has designed aircraft engines and researched global warming, but now she uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. Her works range from hopeful climate fiction to gritty cyberpunk. Sue believes being gentle and healing is radical and disruptive. Her short fiction can be found in Grist, Solarpunk Magazine, Reckoning, and all her novels and short stories can be found on her website. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast.
SOLARPUNK
collections
Bright Green Futures: 2024 (edited by SKQ)
Halfway to Better
novels
Nothing is Promised series
When You Had Power
You Knew The Price
Of Kindness and Kilowatts
Yet You Cry When It Hurts
short stories
A Moon Goddess to Watch Over Me (Luna Station Quarterly) (hopepunk)
It's in the Blood (Reckoning 8)
Once and Future Kilowatts (Solarpunk Magazine)
Rewilding Indiana (Little Blue Marble)
Seven Sisters (Grist)
The Joy Fund (DreamForge Magazine)
SCI-FI
Singularity Novel Series
The Legacy Human
The Duality Bridge
The Illusory Prophet
The Last Mystic
Stories of Singularity
Restore
Containment
Augment
Awakening
Harvest
Defiance
Resistance
YA SF
Mindjack Series
Open Minds
Closed Hearts
Free Souls
Locked Tight
Cracked Open
Broken Wide
Mindjack Short Story Collection
WATCH the award-winning live-action Mindjack Book Trailer!
STEAMPUNK ROMANCE
Royals of Dharia
Third Daughter
Second Daughter
First Daughter
CYBERPUNK
Debt Collector
LIRIUM (Season One)
WRAITH (Season Two)
WATCH the Debt Collector Book Trailer
ANTHOLOGIES
Synchronic
Telepath Chronicles
AI Chronicles
Dark Beyond The Stars
Future Chronicles
Cyborg Chronicles
CLONES: The Anthology
MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
Faery Swap
WATCH the Faery Swap Book Trailer
CONTACT SUSAN
Susan's Website | Sue on Bluesky | Sue on Mastodon
Susan's Email: sue@twistedspacepub.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
February 9, 2014
Wow what a wonderful MG Fantasy book! Finn finds himself in the middle of a tug of war between to Other World and Earth. In order to get back before the end of Summer Solstice he must work with the Faeries of the House of Anna. Prince Zaneyr tricked him into a body swap just after he dropped his little sister off at school.
Non-stop action (the tale takes place in a 24 hour period. This is one book for the reluctant MG reader, it captures you and keeps you turning pages from beginning to end.
Non-stop action (the tale takes place in a 24 hour period. This is one book for the reluctant MG reader, it captures you and keeps you turning pages from beginning to end.
February 12, 2014
My kids and I love the Mind Games series, so we celebrated the release of Faery Swap. It did not disappoint. Susan Quinn's MG writing is every bit as satisfying as her YA titles. Faery Swap is a quick read full of non-stop action, two likeable main characters, interesting magic (with Susan's signature math brilliance thrown in), and just the right touch of humor. I have no doubt this story will be equally enjoyed by both boy and girl readers of all ages. I plan to recommend this to the reluctant readers in my classes--I know they'll love it.
December 17, 2015
Finn is the protective older brother, but he can no longer protect his little sister when he’s tricked into the Otherworld by a faery Prince. Zaneyr doesn’t mind humans and performs the soulswap with Finn with little remorse because his plans are to save the human species. Zaneyr is in up to his elbows and the human world is much more complicated than he thought, but his father wants to merge the faery world with the human world and Zaneyr will stop at nothing to keep that from happening. Zaneyr is a warrior but with Finn consumed with getting his body back from the faery, things just got a bit more complicated.
This book was fun to read, surprisingly fun to read as an adult since it’s marketed for a middle-grade crowd. It had more intent and attempted violence and evil than I would have thought for a typical middle-grade novel, more like a young adult novel actually.
The genre was also not quite a typical fairy fantasy because there were wizards and spells and wands. This book had everything! There were even creatures that were different. The fantasy world was separate from the human world and action took place in both. There was world building but it wasn’t off-putting because much of the action and the beginning of the novel took place in the close to reality human world.
There was only one true female but only because it’s about someone else, she isn’t a strong female type or a damsel in distress. Her character could almost also be another boy, she isn’t gender stereotyped into a female corner.
This book covered a lot in its longer than you would expect for a middle grade novel pages. There was a glimpse at friendship and family dynamics and loyalty as well as grief and emotional turmoil over loss and perceived loss of loved ones.
I liked Finn just as much as I liked Zaneyr and even though the faery boy was doing something seemingly wrong by soul swapping with Finn, I understood and was able to sympathize with his motives later on.
This book was fun to read, surprisingly fun to read as an adult since it’s marketed for a middle-grade crowd. It had more intent and attempted violence and evil than I would have thought for a typical middle-grade novel, more like a young adult novel actually.
The genre was also not quite a typical fairy fantasy because there were wizards and spells and wands. This book had everything! There were even creatures that were different. The fantasy world was separate from the human world and action took place in both. There was world building but it wasn’t off-putting because much of the action and the beginning of the novel took place in the close to reality human world.
There was only one true female but only because it’s about someone else, she isn’t a strong female type or a damsel in distress. Her character could almost also be another boy, she isn’t gender stereotyped into a female corner.
This book covered a lot in its longer than you would expect for a middle grade novel pages. There was a glimpse at friendship and family dynamics and loyalty as well as grief and emotional turmoil over loss and perceived loss of loved ones.
I liked Finn just as much as I liked Zaneyr and even though the faery boy was doing something seemingly wrong by soul swapping with Finn, I understood and was able to sympathize with his motives later on.
December 22, 2013
I got a copy in exchange for an honest review
Faery Swap is a fun and enjoyable story. I don't read a lot of Middle Grade books, but books like this really make me wonder why I don't read MG more often. It's so different from YA and NA, it's less drama and more epic adventures and a fun story. Faery Swap is a great story about a human boy and a faery warrior prince who swap places and have to save the world (sort of) and stop the evil guy from carrying out his plans. It's a bit cliché at some points, but also has some great original touches to it. Like the way magic worked, the importance of knowledge and magic and the Otherworld.
The focus of Faery Swap is mostly on the story. It's told in third person perspective with chapters from Zaneyr and Finn his perspective. They swap early in the story and Finn has to figure out how the Otherworld works an how to get home, while Zaneyr has to figure out how to act normal in the human world, which leads to some hilarious situations. There are some precitable scenes, but there where also some plot twists I didn't see coming. This story was a lot of fun and I read it in one day.
I liked both Finn and Zaneyr, although at first I thought Zaneyr was a bit annoying. He was running away from his problems, without solving them, but luckily he realized that later on. Finn was a nice guy who cares a lot about his family and takes on a lot of responsibility already. He cares for his little sister and makes sure they don't end up in child protective services, because his father isn't really there for them. I really felt bad for them, they basically didn't have a mother and a father. Erin, Finn's sister, is adorable and she was the cause of some great scenes in the book. I also liked Fix, the Spriggan, he talked about himself in a weird way and for some reason he was just adorable.
The world building is done well, giving enough information without overdoing it. I would've liked to learn more about the world, but I think this book has the right amount of world building for the audience. The things we need to know get explained and there are some great ideas of what the Otherworld is like and the different type of faeries and houses. I really liked the world Susan created in this book. The magic in this book is also kinda unique, it uses the elements, but there is also dimensional magic. And the more knowledge and mathematics you know the better your magic.
I also loved the fact how great the cover matches the story, it has Stonehenge, both main characters, the wands and on the back is even the Spriggan Fix and all these things play an important role in the book.
The ending wraps the story up nicely, providing with a good ending, while still leaving open the possibility for a sequel would the author ever want to write one. It wrapped up all the important storylines and it left me feeling happy about how things ended.
To conclude: This is a fun and enjoyable story. The story was a bit predictable at times, but it had enough original elements to keep it interesting and there where some plot twists I didn't see coming. I liked the characters and the world building was done well, although I would've liked to learn even more about the world. All in al this was a fun and enjoyable story!
Faery Swap is a fun and enjoyable story. I don't read a lot of Middle Grade books, but books like this really make me wonder why I don't read MG more often. It's so different from YA and NA, it's less drama and more epic adventures and a fun story. Faery Swap is a great story about a human boy and a faery warrior prince who swap places and have to save the world (sort of) and stop the evil guy from carrying out his plans. It's a bit cliché at some points, but also has some great original touches to it. Like the way magic worked, the importance of knowledge and magic and the Otherworld.
The focus of Faery Swap is mostly on the story. It's told in third person perspective with chapters from Zaneyr and Finn his perspective. They swap early in the story and Finn has to figure out how the Otherworld works an how to get home, while Zaneyr has to figure out how to act normal in the human world, which leads to some hilarious situations. There are some precitable scenes, but there where also some plot twists I didn't see coming. This story was a lot of fun and I read it in one day.
I liked both Finn and Zaneyr, although at first I thought Zaneyr was a bit annoying. He was running away from his problems, without solving them, but luckily he realized that later on. Finn was a nice guy who cares a lot about his family and takes on a lot of responsibility already. He cares for his little sister and makes sure they don't end up in child protective services, because his father isn't really there for them. I really felt bad for them, they basically didn't have a mother and a father. Erin, Finn's sister, is adorable and she was the cause of some great scenes in the book. I also liked Fix, the Spriggan, he talked about himself in a weird way and for some reason he was just adorable.
The world building is done well, giving enough information without overdoing it. I would've liked to learn more about the world, but I think this book has the right amount of world building for the audience. The things we need to know get explained and there are some great ideas of what the Otherworld is like and the different type of faeries and houses. I really liked the world Susan created in this book. The magic in this book is also kinda unique, it uses the elements, but there is also dimensional magic. And the more knowledge and mathematics you know the better your magic.
I also loved the fact how great the cover matches the story, it has Stonehenge, both main characters, the wands and on the back is even the Spriggan Fix and all these things play an important role in the book.
The ending wraps the story up nicely, providing with a good ending, while still leaving open the possibility for a sequel would the author ever want to write one. It wrapped up all the important storylines and it left me feeling happy about how things ended.
To conclude: This is a fun and enjoyable story. The story was a bit predictable at times, but it had enough original elements to keep it interesting and there where some plot twists I didn't see coming. I liked the characters and the world building was done well, although I would've liked to learn even more about the world. All in al this was a fun and enjoyable story!
May 15, 2014
Finn didn’t know what had happened. All he knew was that there was a strange kid in front of his sister’s school and the kid wanted Finn to hand him a coin that was laying on the road. Finn picked it up and gave it to him. The next thing Finn knew, his aman (his soul) was sent to a timeless world and the strange kid (a faery named Zaneyr)took over his body, impersonating him. Finn, with help from the faery Liranna, plans to get back to Earth. But all is not as it seems…
Well, if it takes a rocket scientist to write a good book, Dr. Quinn fits the bill. ;) Dr. Quinn has a PhD in Engineering and she combined Faeries, adventure, math and science into a fabulous story. Hmm I wonder if she can help me design Tomato and Pea’s rocket ship they need to get back to planet Oarg in my next book… – but that’s not the point! This is a great book! I really like Finn. He’s a good boy, practically being a parent to his younger sister, because after their mom died, their dad became reclusive. Zaneyr is actually pretty cool. You can understand why he does what he does. I really like the ending of the book – it was well done, and no questions are left with answers floating around. The story is well done and encourages math – this book is a winner in my book!
*NOTE -I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Well, if it takes a rocket scientist to write a good book, Dr. Quinn fits the bill. ;) Dr. Quinn has a PhD in Engineering and she combined Faeries, adventure, math and science into a fabulous story. Hmm I wonder if she can help me design Tomato and Pea’s rocket ship they need to get back to planet Oarg in my next book… – but that’s not the point! This is a great book! I really like Finn. He’s a good boy, practically being a parent to his younger sister, because after their mom died, their dad became reclusive. Zaneyr is actually pretty cool. You can understand why he does what he does. I really like the ending of the book – it was well done, and no questions are left with answers floating around. The story is well done and encourages math – this book is a winner in my book!
*NOTE -I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
October 18, 2020
Title: Faery Swap
Author: Susan Kaye Quinn, Narrated by Mark Mullaney
Publisher: Twisted Space LLC
ISBN: B00HBY9AH2
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Faery-Swap-Mid...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Warrior faery princes can be very stubborn. Especially when they possess your body. Fourteen-year-old Finn just wants to keep his little sister out of Child Protective Services—an epic challenge with their parentally-missing-in-action dad moving them to England, near the famous Stonehenge rocks. Warrior faery Prince Zaneyr just wants to escape his father’s reckless plan to repair the Rift—a catastrophe that ripped the faery realm from Earth 4,000 years ago and set it adrift in an alternate, timeless dimension. When Zaneyr tricks Finn into swapping places, Finn becomes a bodiless soul stuck in the Otherworld, fighting spriggans with sharp teeth and rival faery Houses. Back on Earth, Zaneyr uses Finn’s body to fight off his father’s seekers and keep the king’s greatest weapon—himself—out of his hands. Between them, they have two souls and only one body… and both worlds to save before the dimensional window between them slams shut. Faery Swap is an action and druid-magic filled portal fantasy, told by both a runaway faery prince and the boy he’s tricked into taking his place. This Prince and the Pauper meets Warrior Faeries tale is suitable for all ages. Includes four interior illustrations.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Finn thought his life was difficult enough between his absentee father, ducking social services to keep his little sister with him, to the school bullies who seem determined to make to new kid in towns life miserable. That was until his good deed helping a strange boy led him to being ripped form his body and sent to the faery realm where danger lurks around every corner.
Warrior faery Zaneyr is determined to prevent his father’s plan to reunite the human and faery realm by taking a human body and never returning home.
The two worlds collide in the most unexpected way as Finn and Zaneyr learn to navigate a world they no little about. Finn found out that the differences between him and Zaneyr are not that different as he struggles to return home. Zaneyr is forced to choose what he wants versus what is needed may not be that different.
This was an amazing children's story that holds the reader riveted form the very beginning. I enjoyed learning about all of the magical creatures and how the past in the story effected the present. I was funny how Finn’s use of magic was different as he used a phrase like “Their is no place like home” instead of the words the faery’s used. It added comical relief as the faery’s couldn’t understand what he was saying. I would definitely recommend this. The audio-book version brought the story alive for the listener.
Author: Susan Kaye Quinn, Narrated by Mark Mullaney
Publisher: Twisted Space LLC
ISBN: B00HBY9AH2
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Faery-Swap-Mid...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Warrior faery princes can be very stubborn. Especially when they possess your body. Fourteen-year-old Finn just wants to keep his little sister out of Child Protective Services—an epic challenge with their parentally-missing-in-action dad moving them to England, near the famous Stonehenge rocks. Warrior faery Prince Zaneyr just wants to escape his father’s reckless plan to repair the Rift—a catastrophe that ripped the faery realm from Earth 4,000 years ago and set it adrift in an alternate, timeless dimension. When Zaneyr tricks Finn into swapping places, Finn becomes a bodiless soul stuck in the Otherworld, fighting spriggans with sharp teeth and rival faery Houses. Back on Earth, Zaneyr uses Finn’s body to fight off his father’s seekers and keep the king’s greatest weapon—himself—out of his hands. Between them, they have two souls and only one body… and both worlds to save before the dimensional window between them slams shut. Faery Swap is an action and druid-magic filled portal fantasy, told by both a runaway faery prince and the boy he’s tricked into taking his place. This Prince and the Pauper meets Warrior Faeries tale is suitable for all ages. Includes four interior illustrations.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Finn thought his life was difficult enough between his absentee father, ducking social services to keep his little sister with him, to the school bullies who seem determined to make to new kid in towns life miserable. That was until his good deed helping a strange boy led him to being ripped form his body and sent to the faery realm where danger lurks around every corner.
Warrior faery Zaneyr is determined to prevent his father’s plan to reunite the human and faery realm by taking a human body and never returning home.
The two worlds collide in the most unexpected way as Finn and Zaneyr learn to navigate a world they no little about. Finn found out that the differences between him and Zaneyr are not that different as he struggles to return home. Zaneyr is forced to choose what he wants versus what is needed may not be that different.
This was an amazing children's story that holds the reader riveted form the very beginning. I enjoyed learning about all of the magical creatures and how the past in the story effected the present. I was funny how Finn’s use of magic was different as he used a phrase like “Their is no place like home” instead of the words the faery’s used. It added comical relief as the faery’s couldn’t understand what he was saying. I would definitely recommend this. The audio-book version brought the story alive for the listener.
May 22, 2025
Finn is only 12, but he is basically his little sister Erin's guardian. Ever since their mother passed away, their father has locked himself away doing math and science experiments, calculations, and studies.
On what seemed like a normal day, Finn walks Erin to her school. He then encounters a strange boy who "lost his coin." When Finn attempted to give him the coin, they switched places sort of. Zaneyr( who lost the coin) is a fairy from another world, and with this spell, Zaneyr's essence now sat inside Finn's body, and Finn's essence was back on Zaneyr's planet.
None of this goes as planned. Zaneyr has no idea how to be a human or how to blend in. I assume he was hoping to find a way to hide from his dad on Earth. His Dad is planning on fusing the two worlds and doesn't care how many would die.
Then Zaneyr gets the shock of his life. Honestly, I think this shock is the best part of the book. I didn't see it coming, but it explained so much.
Back on the fairy planet, Finn was trying hard to get home. All he cares about is Erin. He would move mountains, even kill for her. So when he meets Zaneyr's girlfriend, he lets her take him to the king.
That's where the previously mentioned surprise helps get Finn back, except now there are two Finns. After a lot of fighting, Zaneyr explains why he is here, and Finn explains why Zaneyr is a coward.
They call a truce and work on fixing Zaneyr's problem together. Finn has an enormous heart because Zaneyr didn't really deserve to be forgiven.
When the story ends, it leaves room for a possible series, and I wonder if that will happen.
On what seemed like a normal day, Finn walks Erin to her school. He then encounters a strange boy who "lost his coin." When Finn attempted to give him the coin, they switched places sort of. Zaneyr( who lost the coin) is a fairy from another world, and with this spell, Zaneyr's essence now sat inside Finn's body, and Finn's essence was back on Zaneyr's planet.
None of this goes as planned. Zaneyr has no idea how to be a human or how to blend in. I assume he was hoping to find a way to hide from his dad on Earth. His Dad is planning on fusing the two worlds and doesn't care how many would die.
Then Zaneyr gets the shock of his life. Honestly, I think this shock is the best part of the book. I didn't see it coming, but it explained so much.
Back on the fairy planet, Finn was trying hard to get home. All he cares about is Erin. He would move mountains, even kill for her. So when he meets Zaneyr's girlfriend, he lets her take him to the king.
That's where the previously mentioned surprise helps get Finn back, except now there are two Finns. After a lot of fighting, Zaneyr explains why he is here, and Finn explains why Zaneyr is a coward.
They call a truce and work on fixing Zaneyr's problem together. Finn has an enormous heart because Zaneyr didn't really deserve to be forgiven.
When the story ends, it leaves room for a possible series, and I wonder if that will happen.
July 6, 2017
Have you ever wished you could swap bodies with someone? Why would you want to do such a thing? In FAERY SWAP by Author Susan Kaye Quinn, we meet Zaneyr, a faery who does just that. In alternate chapters, we see the way the faery and Finn, the human he swapped with, deal with the situation.
Finn, his little sister, Erin, and his Dad, who is seldom around, have moved from California to England where everything is different. Mom is dead and not only does Finn have to be careful to follow the rules about school so Child Protective Services doesn’t take Erin away, he’s about to find out just how different his new life is. When he meets a strange guy, who doesn’t seem to be right in the head, and who’s looking for a lost coin, he and the weird kid swap bodies, not Finn’s choice, by the way, and Finn enters a magical world of faeries. The big question is: how on earth does he get his own body back?
FAERY SWAP is a fun and sometimes a bit scary novel for middle-grade readers, as well as older readers, who like fantasy and faery stories. This would make a good addition to school libraries, as well as your own library.
Finn, his little sister, Erin, and his Dad, who is seldom around, have moved from California to England where everything is different. Mom is dead and not only does Finn have to be careful to follow the rules about school so Child Protective Services doesn’t take Erin away, he’s about to find out just how different his new life is. When he meets a strange guy, who doesn’t seem to be right in the head, and who’s looking for a lost coin, he and the weird kid swap bodies, not Finn’s choice, by the way, and Finn enters a magical world of faeries. The big question is: how on earth does he get his own body back?
FAERY SWAP is a fun and sometimes a bit scary novel for middle-grade readers, as well as older readers, who like fantasy and faery stories. This would make a good addition to school libraries, as well as your own library.
January 8, 2021
Finn is a 14-year-old boy who recently moved to England with his widowed father and his little sister Erin. Dad is still in the midst of grief after Finn's mother died in a car crash, so the care of Erin has ended up as Finn's responsibility. Imagine Finn's distress when, one morning as he is walking Erin to school, his body is hijacked by a fae. The fae is Zaneyr, and his father is king of one of the four houses of fae, and he has a plan to merge the otherworld with Earth so that humans and fae can exist in the same world. Zaneyr wants no part of this, not believing it will do anyone any good, so he decides to run away by moving into Finn's body and leaving Finn's soul wandering around in the otherworld. Finn spends his time trying to get back to his place in the world in time to pick Erin up from school that day. One of the neat things you get with this book is some illustrations, as well as a stress on mathematics, so if you want to confuse your 8-year-old, read this story to them before bed. Maybe they will pay more attention to their arithmetic lessons.
January 26, 2019
Me: I'm too old for Middle Grade stuff. The characters are usually cardboard, the plots are easy to predict, and I'm in college.
Also me: oooo a free book
I'm not gonna lie, I actually enjoyed this little number more than the adult/YA stuff I'm reading right now. There was a lull at work, I opened it up, reasoning I didn't have anything better to do, and actually felt myself getting pulled into the story. The plot was predictable, yes, and the plot twists could be seen a mile away, but the story kept moving, the characters were likable, the sentences weren't dumbed down, and I had a good time with it, which is more than I can say for some of the stuff I've read lately.
Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for anything fairy/celtic but I actually liked this book and how it was executed a lot.
Also me: oooo a free book
I'm not gonna lie, I actually enjoyed this little number more than the adult/YA stuff I'm reading right now. There was a lull at work, I opened it up, reasoning I didn't have anything better to do, and actually felt myself getting pulled into the story. The plot was predictable, yes, and the plot twists could be seen a mile away, but the story kept moving, the characters were likable, the sentences weren't dumbed down, and I had a good time with it, which is more than I can say for some of the stuff I've read lately.
Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for anything fairy/celtic but I actually liked this book and how it was executed a lot.
November 11, 2019
This is a great middle-reader that's sure to grab any kids attention and keep 'em reading/listening all the way to to the end... I've saw somewhere (probably the blurb), that this been likened to The Prince and the Pauper and Warrior Faeries... and yeah, that kinda works, only the Faery Prince didn't even give poor Fynn a choice. And, before Fynn knew it he was whisked right outta this world and into an alternate reality, where trees talk and Faeries are real! You're gonna need to get the book in order to find out what happens next!!! I did have one complaint... even though maelstrom is a great word, the author's over use of said-word lessens it's impact, and it can become downright annoying...
Mark Mullaney was pretty good, the accent was perfect but personally I thought that he rushed the lines a bit!
Mark Mullaney was pretty good, the accent was perfect but personally I thought that he rushed the lines a bit!
March 8, 2018
Because this is middlegrade, I assumed the plot would be simplistic and wasn't expecting a whole lot (as my experience with middlegrade has been mixed in the past), but I liked Quinn's Mindjack series so I figured I'd give it a shot. I was so pleasantly surprised with the complexity and depth of the story and characters, and I was really drawn in. The world and characters are well-developed, and the well-realized motivations of different characters means the story isn't as cut and dry as it would appear on the tin.
I really enjoyed the story and was pretty much glued to the audiobook. The audiobook narrator did a wonderful job - the characters sounded natural even though they are mostly younger people, and I always love an accent!
I really enjoyed the story and was pretty much glued to the audiobook. The audiobook narrator did a wonderful job - the characters sounded natural even though they are mostly younger people, and I always love an accent!
April 17, 2025
Two Worlds Collide—Fairy and Human
Faery Swap is a wonderfully written story by Susan Kaye Quinn. It follows Finn, a fourteen year-old boy who has been swapped out of his body by a Faery Prince, and his soul has been sent to the world of the faeries who separated their world from Earth 4,000 years ago. The story is told from both the Faery Prince's and Finn's points of view, alternating between them, so that you get to experience both worlds as clues about the link between them are revealed. I enjoyed the way Susan used some Old English spelling to show that the Faery Prince isn’t from this time and how this gave him a voice distinct from Finn's. An enjoyable read.
Faery Swap is a wonderfully written story by Susan Kaye Quinn. It follows Finn, a fourteen year-old boy who has been swapped out of his body by a Faery Prince, and his soul has been sent to the world of the faeries who separated their world from Earth 4,000 years ago. The story is told from both the Faery Prince's and Finn's points of view, alternating between them, so that you get to experience both worlds as clues about the link between them are revealed. I enjoyed the way Susan used some Old English spelling to show that the Faery Prince isn’t from this time and how this gave him a voice distinct from Finn's. An enjoyable read.
July 25, 2025
What if it were possible for faeries to come to our world and send someone to theirs when they take over the body? In this middle grade fantasy, Finn gets tricked into being sent to the Otherworld as a Fae decides the only way to keep his father, the King, from fusing the two worlds with consequences for both Fae and Humans. However, Finn isn't just going to accept this, so he sets out to find a way to return to his world and confront the one who stole his body.
This is a fun read with characters who feel real due to complex feelings and reasons for their choices.
This is a fun read with characters who feel real due to complex feelings and reasons for their choices.
November 20, 2019
I got a copy of this audiobook by the author for review.
The story was complex and the magical genre combines its elements in a unique way, the world building throughout the story was great. With good characters are smart and witty, so you get a complete sense of their lives and their thoughts, a lot of twists and turns. Best of all, the story is actually resolved in the one book. It's an easy, engaging and a great narration that will leave you wanting for her next book.
The story was complex and the magical genre combines its elements in a unique way, the world building throughout the story was great. With good characters are smart and witty, so you get a complete sense of their lives and their thoughts, a lot of twists and turns. Best of all, the story is actually resolved in the one book. It's an easy, engaging and a great narration that will leave you wanting for her next book.
May 18, 2020
Interesting Faery concept.
Faeries live in a separate dimension to humans but can cross over to the human world on Midsummer's Eve by swapping souls with a human. If the Faery returns the same day, the human is fine but if the Faery stays, the human is stuck.
A Faery prince is trying to save the humans from the king but the human is doing his best to get home.
It's a story of politics and relationships rather than magic.
Faeries live in a separate dimension to humans but can cross over to the human world on Midsummer's Eve by swapping souls with a human. If the Faery returns the same day, the human is fine but if the Faery stays, the human is stuck.
A Faery prince is trying to save the humans from the king but the human is doing his best to get home.
It's a story of politics and relationships rather than magic.
January 1, 2017
This is a cute story, fun to read, and not just for kids. It's different from the usual run of faery stories as the human character was not searching for a new life. I liked the more complicated premise and the plot. All the characters were interesting, even the bit players. Good for anyone that enjoys reading light fantasy.
December 20, 2024
I started reading this book in 2014.
Yes, it took me 10 years to finish it.
I just kept getting bored, laying it aside, and forgetting about it.
I decided that I would finish it this year, even if I had to force myself.
I think I would have enjoyed this when I was 8 to 10 years old.
1 and a half stars.
Yes, it took me 10 years to finish it.
I just kept getting bored, laying it aside, and forgetting about it.
I decided that I would finish it this year, even if I had to force myself.
I think I would have enjoyed this when I was 8 to 10 years old.
1 and a half stars.
January 27, 2019
Quest Tale with Middle Schoolers
Solid adventure quest with distinct characters and intriguing possibilities for future storylines involving Stonehenge, solstices and dimensional confluences, and affairs of the heart.
Solid adventure quest with distinct characters and intriguing possibilities for future storylines involving Stonehenge, solstices and dimensional confluences, and affairs of the heart.
January 29, 2019
An interesting story
An interesting plot, good interplay between characters and plenty of adventure. I listened to the narration and the narrators swapping of voices between characters was really good and he had a voice that was easy to listen too
An interesting plot, good interplay between characters and plenty of adventure. I listened to the narration and the narrators swapping of voices between characters was really good and he had a voice that was easy to listen too
February 20, 2019
Never a dull moment with Faery Swap!
Author Susan Kaye Quinn has done a masterful job of crafting a vivid world full of dynamic characters, neatly woven plot twists, and so much more. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys young adult novels.
Author Susan Kaye Quinn has done a masterful job of crafting a vivid world full of dynamic characters, neatly woven plot twists, and so much more. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys young adult novels.
May 12, 2020
My review is based on the audiobook. This is a fantastic story with interesting characters. I love the narrators distinct voices - it is very easy to follow which character is speaking. The world the Author has created is very engaging & I Iook forward to more
October 13, 2018
Cute and quick
Cute and quick read. Also quite the twist around the middle of the book. I hope there’s a second book.
Cute and quick read. Also quite the twist around the middle of the book. I hope there’s a second book.
February 11, 2019
Amazing book!
Susan Kaye Quinn is truly an talented writer. Love her book. Would absolutely recommend this book to middle graders. Awesome job! Keep it up!
Susan Kaye Quinn is truly an talented writer. Love her book. Would absolutely recommend this book to middle graders. Awesome job! Keep it up!
July 15, 2021
A very fun read with interesting characters. Had trouble putting it down it was so captivating. Can recommend for all ages. Good story well written.
May 8, 2014
Faery Swap is a fast-paced, fantasy-based adventure steeped in Celtic folklore that wastes no time jumping right into the story. The story centres around Finn, an adolescent boy who moves to England with his little sister and his emotionally-distant father. After dropping his sister off at school, Finn meets a strange boy – the faery prince Zaneyr - who tricks him out of his body and who has his own agenda. Finn finds himself trapped in the Otherworld, a mythical world where “anams” or souls go when they depart their bodies on Earth; and where, coincidentally the faeries live.
Finn must find a way back to Earth and convince Zaneyr to swap their anams so that Finn can once again inhabit his body. But things get complicated when Finn and Zaneyr uncover secrets about their families and must work together to prevent the King from repairing the Rift between Earth and the Otherworld which could result in the loss of all “anams” forever.
Faery Swap is a a page-turner featuring a complex and intelligent plot merging fantasy and science fiction genres with elements of Celtic mythology and theology. This story has so many plots twists and turns that it can best be characterized as pleasantly unpredictable. The author excels at misleading the reader only to have key revelations change the direction of the story. The chapters alternate between Finn’s and Zaneyr’s perspective thus giving the reader insight into their intentions. This approach really helped build the tension in the story and was effective in providing balance between the two main characters.
The character development, especially with regards to the two main characters, Finn and Zaneyr, is rich, deep, and complex. When we first meet Finn, we immediately feel compassion for his situation: his mother is dead; his family moves to England, his father is so distant that Finn feels responsible for his younger sister Erin; and he is the target of the local bullies. So, when Zaneyr comes along and greedily takes Finn’s body, you can’t help but to immediately dislike him. But, the author is very clever. As the plot unfurls, we learn more about Zaneyr and his intentions and we come to appreciate his perspective. Well done!
The story itself is richly complex as the author spends considerable time and effort in world building. Apparently, the origin of the Otherworld is from Celtic mythology and the author does a great job of deswcribing this world filled with fantastical creatures such as talking trees, spriggans, faeries, and a variety of sprites. My favorite part of this world was the kicking and punching grass – something I wish we could grow here on Earth! The book also includes the odd pencil drawing. I really liked the inclusion of these and would have liked to see even more included in the book.
As I’ve mentioned, the plot itself is fairly complex as the author must explain the Otherworld, the Rift, dimensional strings and cubes, and portals which allow for swaps between faeries and humans. The sub-plot of the King’s desire to repair the Rift and the possible consequences of this action was also very complex. There were times that I found myself having to flip back in order to fully understand what was happening. I believe that younger middle graders (i.e., 8 to10 years old) may find the plot too confusing and too complex to fully understand. That being said, I also believe that more advanced readers will appreciate how the author doesn’t “dumb down” the story either. It’s just a matter of matching the book to the appropriate reader.
My Bottom Line:
Faery Swap is a riveting fantasy adventure steeped in Celtic folklore featuring rich character development and a pleasantly complex and unpredictable plot. I highly recommend this book to advanced readers aged 10 years and older who love fantasy, science fiction, or stories bringing myths and legends to life. This one is a real page-turner!
Finn must find a way back to Earth and convince Zaneyr to swap their anams so that Finn can once again inhabit his body. But things get complicated when Finn and Zaneyr uncover secrets about their families and must work together to prevent the King from repairing the Rift between Earth and the Otherworld which could result in the loss of all “anams” forever.
Faery Swap is a a page-turner featuring a complex and intelligent plot merging fantasy and science fiction genres with elements of Celtic mythology and theology. This story has so many plots twists and turns that it can best be characterized as pleasantly unpredictable. The author excels at misleading the reader only to have key revelations change the direction of the story. The chapters alternate between Finn’s and Zaneyr’s perspective thus giving the reader insight into their intentions. This approach really helped build the tension in the story and was effective in providing balance between the two main characters.
The character development, especially with regards to the two main characters, Finn and Zaneyr, is rich, deep, and complex. When we first meet Finn, we immediately feel compassion for his situation: his mother is dead; his family moves to England, his father is so distant that Finn feels responsible for his younger sister Erin; and he is the target of the local bullies. So, when Zaneyr comes along and greedily takes Finn’s body, you can’t help but to immediately dislike him. But, the author is very clever. As the plot unfurls, we learn more about Zaneyr and his intentions and we come to appreciate his perspective. Well done!
The story itself is richly complex as the author spends considerable time and effort in world building. Apparently, the origin of the Otherworld is from Celtic mythology and the author does a great job of deswcribing this world filled with fantastical creatures such as talking trees, spriggans, faeries, and a variety of sprites. My favorite part of this world was the kicking and punching grass – something I wish we could grow here on Earth! The book also includes the odd pencil drawing. I really liked the inclusion of these and would have liked to see even more included in the book.
As I’ve mentioned, the plot itself is fairly complex as the author must explain the Otherworld, the Rift, dimensional strings and cubes, and portals which allow for swaps between faeries and humans. The sub-plot of the King’s desire to repair the Rift and the possible consequences of this action was also very complex. There were times that I found myself having to flip back in order to fully understand what was happening. I believe that younger middle graders (i.e., 8 to10 years old) may find the plot too confusing and too complex to fully understand. That being said, I also believe that more advanced readers will appreciate how the author doesn’t “dumb down” the story either. It’s just a matter of matching the book to the appropriate reader.
My Bottom Line:
Faery Swap is a riveting fantasy adventure steeped in Celtic folklore featuring rich character development and a pleasantly complex and unpredictable plot. I highly recommend this book to advanced readers aged 10 years and older who love fantasy, science fiction, or stories bringing myths and legends to life. This one is a real page-turner!
August 3, 2016
10 words: Finn must help farry destroy King's plans to invade world.
The story is a cute, fun tale about finding those lost, learning powers you didn't know you had, and saving two worlds. Its a safe, fun story that is somewhat predictable but I am also not really its intended audience so it might be less predictable to them...
Overall, I liked it. It was fun and simple but not in a bad way. The thing that I don't get about it is the idea - and almost obsession - that the magic in the book has something to do with Math, and knowledge that the humans have and the faeries don't. It feels like the book was written, and then someone said it was flat/normal. They didn't think it would have any real drive and so they added the idea that it could teach math some how (I haven't figured out really how) in order to give a way to disingenuous it from any other, simple fiction story.
I understand the idea behind making math fun. I like books that make math fun a LOT (if you want this kind of book see Math for Smarty Pants its AMAZING), as a kind I obsessed over them. That was why I wanted to review this book.Aside from saying over and over again how math was important it was never really applied in any way, AND there was still a second, more prominent explanation for the magic. That it came from nature/"elements" (not real elements, but the fire/water/air/earth kind... if something like Chlorine or Nitrogen had been used as the source of magic that would have made me SO happy!). This explanation was much more explained, and prominent part of the story than the Math knowledge part which is stressed so much in the ads / on the authors website. So I don't exactly understand what they were getting at.
The ads claim that math is the key used to stop the king... but its Magic that was used... its half explained that this spell was created through math... but it doesn't attempt to actually show us how (it would have been so cool if they had used some funky 4d geometric shape to trap the king, instead of a cube... or one of these!! (ya they are 2d but so what its MAGIC!)) There are so many interesting things about math that make it feel magical but over that it being said over and over that its important to these fairies its never shown or explained. I know the book is for grade 3-6... but your taking the goal to make math fun you should really include some math. The Math for Smarty Pants book above I bought myself with babysitting money in grade 5. It taught me what factorials are ( N!), they amused me greatly but i had no idea what they could be used for. If you are trying to combine real world math with magic you can make your math do whatever you want, just give me some math.
Aside from the book the author has a few learning things on her website. The game she made is kinda neat, and does attempt to put some of the Math/knowledge thing the book talks so much about into effect... so she is trying but when I was a kid I read 5 books for every book we talked about in class... I wouldn't have found this stuff if I was in grade 5. Also most of it is the normal, english book reviewing stuff.
Overall I liked the story, my biggest problem is I don't find the book matches up very well with the advertisements of it. Which to me, seems strange but a 5th grader wouldn't care and would have a fun time with the story.
The story is a cute, fun tale about finding those lost, learning powers you didn't know you had, and saving two worlds. Its a safe, fun story that is somewhat predictable but I am also not really its intended audience so it might be less predictable to them...
Overall, I liked it. It was fun and simple but not in a bad way. The thing that I don't get about it is the idea - and almost obsession - that the magic in the book has something to do with Math, and knowledge that the humans have and the faeries don't. It feels like the book was written, and then someone said it was flat/normal. They didn't think it would have any real drive and so they added the idea that it could teach math some how (I haven't figured out really how) in order to give a way to disingenuous it from any other, simple fiction story.
I understand the idea behind making math fun. I like books that make math fun a LOT (if you want this kind of book see Math for Smarty Pants its AMAZING), as a kind I obsessed over them. That was why I wanted to review this book.Aside from saying over and over again how math was important it was never really applied in any way, AND there was still a second, more prominent explanation for the magic. That it came from nature/"elements" (not real elements, but the fire/water/air/earth kind... if something like Chlorine or Nitrogen had been used as the source of magic that would have made me SO happy!). This explanation was much more explained, and prominent part of the story than the Math knowledge part which is stressed so much in the ads / on the authors website. So I don't exactly understand what they were getting at.
The ads claim that math is the key used to stop the king... but its Magic that was used... its half explained that this spell was created through math... but it doesn't attempt to actually show us how (it would have been so cool if they had used some funky 4d geometric shape to trap the king, instead of a cube... or one of these!! (ya they are 2d but so what its MAGIC!)) There are so many interesting things about math that make it feel magical but over that it being said over and over that its important to these fairies its never shown or explained. I know the book is for grade 3-6... but your taking the goal to make math fun you should really include some math. The Math for Smarty Pants book above I bought myself with babysitting money in grade 5. It taught me what factorials are ( N!), they amused me greatly but i had no idea what they could be used for. If you are trying to combine real world math with magic you can make your math do whatever you want, just give me some math.
Aside from the book the author has a few learning things on her website. The game she made is kinda neat, and does attempt to put some of the Math/knowledge thing the book talks so much about into effect... so she is trying but when I was a kid I read 5 books for every book we talked about in class... I wouldn't have found this stuff if I was in grade 5. Also most of it is the normal, english book reviewing stuff.
Overall I liked the story, my biggest problem is I don't find the book matches up very well with the advertisements of it. Which to me, seems strange but a 5th grader wouldn't care and would have a fun time with the story.
March 10, 2014
THE FAERY SWAP features two young(ish) boys--Finn, a human, and Zaneyr, a faery--who trade souls on the summer solstice in Amesbury, England--a stone's throw from, you guessed it, Stone Henge.
Finn's whole life is devoted to keeping his sister, Erin, safe and out of foster care. See, they aren't orphans but their mom died a few years ago and their dad, a mathematics professor, is parentally MIA. On the way to school one morning, Finn is tricked into helping a strange boy with the smallest of tasks--picking up a dropped coin--and plummets into a realm of magic and fantasy the likes he never could have imagined.
Zaneyr is determined to thwart his father, King Dageyr, from sealing the Rift--the magical space erected between the human and faery world 4000 years ago. In this breach of space-time, Zaneyr's mother was lost, locked into the mortal human world, while those in the faery Otherworld lived on, never aging. Each summer solstice, emissaries of the faery world are sent to Earth to learn of any advancements in math or science that might lead humans to Otherworld. Due to the time distortions of the Rift, a year in Otherworld equals a century of Earth years, so the advancements move quickly, compared to Otherworld time.
Knowing that sealing the Rift will lead to many mortal lives lost, Zaneyr risks shifting with Finn--even if it means sending Finn's soul to Otherworld forever. One life must be worth more than the thousands that will be lost if King Dageyr's plan is complete, right?
Of course, Finn is unwilling to go without a fight. He is assisted in his effort to return to the human realm by a rock sprite named Pyx and Zaneyr's BFF Liranna, a tough faery who harbors a crush on the impetuous prince. They have less than a day to reverse the swap--by sunset on the solstice the realms will be too far apart for souls to return to their previous realms--so it's handy that Finn develops some magical skills while trudging through the Otherworld.
Just when Zaneyr is getting settled in Finn's life, the unimaginable happens--he meets a fellow faery, one who is desperate to return to Otherworld. And, of course, Finn manages to weave a bit of magic that interfere with Zaneyr's changeling plan.
In the end, it is guidance from Finn's genius father that stops the realms from merging.
This book is a real treat. Complete, interesting plot arcs call into question some very serious moral issues in a subtle way. For example, is it okay to sacrifice some to save many? And, what is the value of life? Most compelling for me was: is it fair to risk the happiness of everyone to fix an act long regretted?
Most importantly, it is the teen characters who save the day--thwarting the mis-guided plots of King Dageyr to correct past mistakes. The HEA occurs two-fold, with both Zaneyr and Finn having a better place in their realms when the sun finally sets. It's written with boys in mind--but I believe girls and fantasy lovers of both sexes will enjoy this wholesome tale.
Finn's whole life is devoted to keeping his sister, Erin, safe and out of foster care. See, they aren't orphans but their mom died a few years ago and their dad, a mathematics professor, is parentally MIA. On the way to school one morning, Finn is tricked into helping a strange boy with the smallest of tasks--picking up a dropped coin--and plummets into a realm of magic and fantasy the likes he never could have imagined.
Zaneyr is determined to thwart his father, King Dageyr, from sealing the Rift--the magical space erected between the human and faery world 4000 years ago. In this breach of space-time, Zaneyr's mother was lost, locked into the mortal human world, while those in the faery Otherworld lived on, never aging. Each summer solstice, emissaries of the faery world are sent to Earth to learn of any advancements in math or science that might lead humans to Otherworld. Due to the time distortions of the Rift, a year in Otherworld equals a century of Earth years, so the advancements move quickly, compared to Otherworld time.
Knowing that sealing the Rift will lead to many mortal lives lost, Zaneyr risks shifting with Finn--even if it means sending Finn's soul to Otherworld forever. One life must be worth more than the thousands that will be lost if King Dageyr's plan is complete, right?
Of course, Finn is unwilling to go without a fight. He is assisted in his effort to return to the human realm by a rock sprite named Pyx and Zaneyr's BFF Liranna, a tough faery who harbors a crush on the impetuous prince. They have less than a day to reverse the swap--by sunset on the solstice the realms will be too far apart for souls to return to their previous realms--so it's handy that Finn develops some magical skills while trudging through the Otherworld.
Just when Zaneyr is getting settled in Finn's life, the unimaginable happens--he meets a fellow faery, one who is desperate to return to Otherworld. And, of course, Finn manages to weave a bit of magic that interfere with Zaneyr's changeling plan.
In the end, it is guidance from Finn's genius father that stops the realms from merging.
This book is a real treat. Complete, interesting plot arcs call into question some very serious moral issues in a subtle way. For example, is it okay to sacrifice some to save many? And, what is the value of life? Most compelling for me was: is it fair to risk the happiness of everyone to fix an act long regretted?
Most importantly, it is the teen characters who save the day--thwarting the mis-guided plots of King Dageyr to correct past mistakes. The HEA occurs two-fold, with both Zaneyr and Finn having a better place in their realms when the sun finally sets. It's written with boys in mind--but I believe girls and fantasy lovers of both sexes will enjoy this wholesome tale.
March 29, 2014
"Having A Bad Time; Wish I Weren't Here"
In lots of "swap" novels the setup starts with an unhappy protagonist who believes that the grass will be greener on the other side, even if the other side consists of a creepy alternate reality. As to heros and heroines, you can run the gamut from the mildly unhappy, (say, Neil Gaiman's Coraline), to the almost psychotically disenfranchised. In the middle there are scores of heroes caught in the midst of domestic and kitchen sink dramas who just want "out". That's O.K. by me, since something has to propel the heroine to take that first step. I just get fed up when the teen angst and drama is over the top or drags on and on to the point that the book is sort of an after-school special that's just set in some half-hearted fairyland.
All of this is the long way of getting around to appreciating this book because it avoids those dreary cliches. Our hero, Finn, has issues and doesn't really like his school, life, or family situation, but he's put on his big boy pants and is soldiering on. He gets tricked into Faerieland, (Otherworld), by a Faery prince, Zaneyr, who needs to come here and needs our hero's body while he's here. So, we have a Faery up to no good here and a boy trapped in Faerieland who has just realized that being here isn't so bad. That's a nice twist on the usual conventions, and it caught my interest.
Finn has a serious challenge ahead because no human transported to the Otherworld has ever made it back. Our Faery prince has complicated issues of his own and difficult choices to make. On top of this basic plot we get to watch Finn figure out the Otherworld and we are amused as Zaneyr tries to get the hang of impersonating a modern fourteen year old boy. There is a lot of room here for humor, action, lessons, challenges, plot twists, and general growing up and the author takes advantage by offering up a rich and satisfying treatment.
I see at various sites that this book has a lot of enthusiastic reviewers/supporters who are themselves middle graders and it is not at all surprising that confident younger readers, boys and girls, have taken to this book. It is fresh, well crafted, and carefully structured and it seems it would be both an entertaining read and a satisfying read. A nice find.
Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
In lots of "swap" novels the setup starts with an unhappy protagonist who believes that the grass will be greener on the other side, even if the other side consists of a creepy alternate reality. As to heros and heroines, you can run the gamut from the mildly unhappy, (say, Neil Gaiman's Coraline), to the almost psychotically disenfranchised. In the middle there are scores of heroes caught in the midst of domestic and kitchen sink dramas who just want "out". That's O.K. by me, since something has to propel the heroine to take that first step. I just get fed up when the teen angst and drama is over the top or drags on and on to the point that the book is sort of an after-school special that's just set in some half-hearted fairyland.
All of this is the long way of getting around to appreciating this book because it avoids those dreary cliches. Our hero, Finn, has issues and doesn't really like his school, life, or family situation, but he's put on his big boy pants and is soldiering on. He gets tricked into Faerieland, (Otherworld), by a Faery prince, Zaneyr, who needs to come here and needs our hero's body while he's here. So, we have a Faery up to no good here and a boy trapped in Faerieland who has just realized that being here isn't so bad. That's a nice twist on the usual conventions, and it caught my interest.
Finn has a serious challenge ahead because no human transported to the Otherworld has ever made it back. Our Faery prince has complicated issues of his own and difficult choices to make. On top of this basic plot we get to watch Finn figure out the Otherworld and we are amused as Zaneyr tries to get the hang of impersonating a modern fourteen year old boy. There is a lot of room here for humor, action, lessons, challenges, plot twists, and general growing up and the author takes advantage by offering up a rich and satisfying treatment.
I see at various sites that this book has a lot of enthusiastic reviewers/supporters who are themselves middle graders and it is not at all surprising that confident younger readers, boys and girls, have taken to this book. It is fresh, well crafted, and carefully structured and it seems it would be both an entertaining read and a satisfying read. A nice find.
Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
February 17, 2015
Finn and his sister are new to England, their father recently having moved the family to near Stonehenge. With his mother newly killed in a car accident, his father has been mostly absence, throwing himself into his work. It’s up to Finn to get his sister to and from school and make sure she’s fed. But Finn’s life is about to get a bit tougher, because Faery Prince Zaneyr needs a human body. Zaneyr’s father, king of the Faery realm, has a crazy plan to reunite Earth and Faery. But many worry that will simply kill many humans and potentially destroy both worlds. So Zaneyr plans to flee the Faery realm and take up permanent residence in the human world.
This was a great listen. I quickly became attached to Finn and then his little sister. The story started off pretty light with just a bit of bullying and a still-grieving father. Once Zaneyr takes Finn’s body, he has to figure out what the human world is all about…and that leads to some funny misunderstandings. While Zaneyr struggles with concepts like enforced schooling and gets sucked into handheld games, Finn is struggling to understand the Faery realm as a disembodied spirit. He runs into a few helpful people…..or perhaps they just want to use Finn for their own means. One such is Pix, who wants to keep Finn around to assist him with his poetic aspirations. Pix was a very amusing side character!
And then things get a little more serious as we learn more about the Faery King’s plans and the potential for destroying lives, if not worlds. Zaneyr’s concern comes through loud and clear at this point and you really feel for the (what feels like) impossible situation he finds himself in. We also learn more about Finn’s father and his latest work with physics, which ties directly into the possibility of the two worlds crashing into one another.
There’s a couple times that Zaneyr and Finn face off and they were some of the most intense scenes in the book. I was a bit torn as to who to route for! The mix of humor, fantasy, action, and intensity was perfect. Definitely a worthy read!
Narration: Mark Mullaney was a great pick for this narration. He did a perfect American-transplanted-to-England Finn voice. Same for his little sister. He also had a handful of British accents to pull off. Then his faery voices, especially for Zaneyr, were great, having a bit of a lilt to them. His voice for Pix was both amusing and menacing.
This was a great listen. I quickly became attached to Finn and then his little sister. The story started off pretty light with just a bit of bullying and a still-grieving father. Once Zaneyr takes Finn’s body, he has to figure out what the human world is all about…and that leads to some funny misunderstandings. While Zaneyr struggles with concepts like enforced schooling and gets sucked into handheld games, Finn is struggling to understand the Faery realm as a disembodied spirit. He runs into a few helpful people…..or perhaps they just want to use Finn for their own means. One such is Pix, who wants to keep Finn around to assist him with his poetic aspirations. Pix was a very amusing side character!
And then things get a little more serious as we learn more about the Faery King’s plans and the potential for destroying lives, if not worlds. Zaneyr’s concern comes through loud and clear at this point and you really feel for the (what feels like) impossible situation he finds himself in. We also learn more about Finn’s father and his latest work with physics, which ties directly into the possibility of the two worlds crashing into one another.
There’s a couple times that Zaneyr and Finn face off and they were some of the most intense scenes in the book. I was a bit torn as to who to route for! The mix of humor, fantasy, action, and intensity was perfect. Definitely a worthy read!
Narration: Mark Mullaney was a great pick for this narration. He did a perfect American-transplanted-to-England Finn voice. Same for his little sister. He also had a handful of British accents to pull off. Then his faery voices, especially for Zaneyr, were great, having a bit of a lilt to them. His voice for Pix was both amusing and menacing.
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