Monsters In Our Midst

Elfhome #1.6

by Wen Spencer

The third novella in the Pittsburgh Backyard & Garden arc.

This story takes place immediately after the events of Chased by Monsters in July while Tinker is still being held prisoner by the oni. Jane Kryskill has so many secrets to keep. There’s the huge one; that Pittsburgh is being besieged by beings from another world, unleashing giant monsters upon the unsuspecting city. There’s the secret that she found and rescued not only her baby sister—kidnapped eight years earlier—but the little tengu boy, Joey Shoji, nephew of the Chosen One. And on the personal side, she’s keeping her upcoming marriage to Taggart from Hal Rogers, star of Pittsburgh Backyard and Garden. Now Nigel Reid has dropped yet another secret on the team—somewhere in the city is a box filled with baby dragons, locked in a magical sleep.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

133 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 28, 2023

About the author

John W. Campbell Award Winner Wen Spencer resides in paradise in Hilo, Hawaii with two volcanoes overlooking her home. Spencer says that she often wakes up and exclaims "Oh my god, I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific!" This, says Spencer, is a far cry from her twenty years of living in land-locked Pittsburgh.

The Elfhome series opener, Tinker, won the 2003 Sapphire Award for Best Science Fiction Romance and was a finalist for the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Fantasy Novel. Wolf Who Rules, the sequel to Tinker, was chosen as a Top Pick by Romantic Times and given their top rating of four and a half stars. Other Baen books include space opera thriller Endless Blue and Eight Million Gods.

Reviews

[Olga Godim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella is part of the ELFHOME series, #3 in the Pittsburgh Backyard & Garden sub-series. You can read it free on Baen website: https://www.baen.com/monsters-in-our-...

The story is interesting, but it is not a stand-alone. If you haven't read any of the author's ELFHOME books (starting with Tinker), and especially if you haven't read the first 2 Pittsburgh Backyard & Garden stories, both published in Project Elfhome, don't read this one. It will be incomprehensible to you. But if you're a fan, like I am, this novella is a must-read. It brings you the conclusion of the story arc of Jane, Hal, and Taggard.
The only negative thing I must say about this book: it should've had a better editor. It reads like the first draft. Nevertheless, it made me happier when I discovered that it was available to all the Spencer's fans on Baen website, and not just selectively to her Patreon subscribers.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Direct sequel to "Pittsburgh Backyard and Garden," which you should probably read first (that one's a freebie). MONSTERS is a short novella. It's better than PB&G, but still, maybe more for Elfhome completists. The author explains she was working out continuity for the Elfhome storyline. Jane proposes to Taggart, the handsome Hawaiian. Her Mom gets very excited and starts getting ready to bake a LOT of cookies (a Pittsburgh tradition). Jane tries to figure out how to let down Hal easily. He's VERY unhappy at the news, but doesn't start drinking, thank heavens. Jane, Taggart and Hal invade the Carnegie museum. Hal with dynamite. It's quite a story. But reads like a first draft.

Worth reading: 3.3 stars.
Free copy: https://www.baen.com/monsters-in-our-...
Cute Kindle quote: https://www.goodreads.com/notes/20452...

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fabulous! Can’t wait for the next book which is coming out very soon. Such a great series!

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Free on Baen website https://www.baen.com/monsters-in-our-...
Should be read before Harbinger.

[Stacy Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A seriously good read!! Now I have to reread the series in it's entirety!! What the heck did I do with my copy of Tinker?!!

[Lisa Subia · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many important characters in the Elfhome series it has got to be hard to update them all in one book. This is book is the perfect solution. It fills in a lot of holes while keeping the story arc on track for the reader. I would love to see more of these so the books could focus on the main characters. Plus it really helps to alleviate my impatience for more, more, more!

I really enjoyed reading this short story. Any story with Hal and dynamite is bound to be funny, and now I really want to go to Pittsburg. I wonder if anyone has started an Elfhome Tour for non-natives? Sign me up!

[Mercurybard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is absolutely mandatory reading for the series. Yumiko explaining that the Skin Clan created the sekesha by rending down the dragon Honor should have been in Harbinger and should have been conveyed to Tinker or Oilcan or the twins. The idea of dueling seers - Tooloo and Pure Radiance - should have been in Harbinger, chapters before the big reveal about Tooloo.

This story itself is well-written. It just makes Harbinger look so poorly done in comparison.

[Hope Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming Novella

If you follow Wen Spencer’s Elfhome series, this Novella fills in some of the pieces of what was happening in Pittsburgh among the humans during the Woodsprites novel. Not a standalone, but a great addition to the overall arch with close ups on the awesome “PBG” and “Chased By Monsters” crews. An excellent set up for Harbinger.

[ReadKnitHoard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very satisfying free online read. Must read before Harbinger.

[Willuknight Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omfg, I had no clue this novelette existed until reading Harbinger for a 2nd time after rereading the entire fucking series and just hitting walls of recap that made only slightly more sense than the first time round.

This is essential reading to understand this sub quest.... Gahhh
Uh, good book.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long live Elfhome

Honestly, I think if Wen Spencer wrote a dictionary, I'd read it. Luckily, she write totally entertaining stories. And this is Elfhome from Jane's perspective. Wonderful.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this look at what is happening to the people outside the royal orbit during the whole Tinker/Windwolf stuff. Also, Jane is an interesting character.

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://www.baen.com/monsters-in-our-...

[Zaphied · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ties up some side story stuff that now makes a lot more sense in Harbinger. Not a fantastic start point to this universe but fairly easy to follow along with.

[Karsten Stiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice addition to the Elfhome-Universe.

[Arthur L Spain · Rating 4 out of 5]

what fun

Wen Spencer writes such fun books. She has a slightly crazy imagination. I confess I’m completely lost in the Elfhome universe. I think I’m going to go back and collect all her books so I can put them in proper order and reread them.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fr Jane, chaos is everywhere

I have loved this series since I first read Tinker. I love the zany antics of the PB&G crew! Can't wait for the next chapter.

[William Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

been a long time

Been a few years since I last visited Elfhome. Man, I have missed it.

Hal tossing dynamite (where did he get dynamite?!?!!), Nigel riffing on history or zoology, Taggart filming, and Jane preparing to (beat Hal/shoot something/handle authorities)…good stuff.

I can hardly wait for Storm Furies!

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun Jane adventure!

Note: this novella is only available on the Baen website and Wen's patreon

[ReadKnitHoard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite. Also, a necessary prequel to Harbinger. I'm happy to now own my own copy of the novella (available for my reading pleasure whenever), having previously read it online at Baen.