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Gallow and Ragged #2
Roadside Magic
New York Times bestselling author Lilith Saintcrow returns to dark fantasy with a new series where the fairy world inhabits diners, dive bars and trailer parks.
The Seelie and unSeelie Courts are both in plague-ravaged tatters. The Wild Hunt roams unchecked, taking who and what it will, and the walls between the human world and the world of the sidhe are thinning rapidly. Gallow is the only hope of human and sidhe both.
But all Jeremy wants to do is find Robin Ragged . . . and survive. Unfortunately, everyone who meets him has other plans. Including the Ragged, who is fleeing for her life—and the King of Unwinter, whose poisoned blade has cut deep into Jeremy's flesh...
The Seelie and unSeelie Courts are both in plague-ravaged tatters. The Wild Hunt roams unchecked, taking who and what it will, and the walls between the human world and the world of the sidhe are thinning rapidly. Gallow is the only hope of human and sidhe both.
But all Jeremy wants to do is find Robin Ragged . . . and survive. Unfortunately, everyone who meets him has other plans. Including the Ragged, who is fleeing for her life—and the King of Unwinter, whose poisoned blade has cut deep into Jeremy's flesh...
323 pages, Paperback
First published January 26, 2016
41 people are currently reading
742 people want to read
About the author
Lilith Saintcrow
132 books4,512 followersLilith Saintcrow was born in New Mexico, bounced around the world as a child, and fell in love with writing stories when she was ten years old. She and her library co-habitate in Vancouver, Washington.
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July 9, 2024
Roadside Magic
By Lilith Saintcrow
Another entertaining fantasy with fae and other creatures. This is book #2 of the series. I do have book #3 and will start on it soon. These are entertaining but not spectacular, like some of her books. A good beach book, vacation book, or book on the go.
By Lilith Saintcrow
Another entertaining fantasy with fae and other creatures. This is book #2 of the series. I do have book #3 and will start on it soon. These are entertaining but not spectacular, like some of her books. A good beach book, vacation book, or book on the go.
Read
January 21, 2016Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.
I’m not one to swear off a series after a single book, so although I had some hang-ups about ROADSIDE MAGIC, I still requested a review copy. Having a more realistic outlook going into my second Lilith Saintcrow experience helped. I knew that there would be zero levity, and that her writing style was going to be my biggest speed bump. Both proved true, but the story also took a bit of a detour, and there was no improvement in the pacing.
The marketing of GALLOW AND RAGGED continues to mislead readers. The covers suggest action, and the blurbs promote humour; however both titles have contained neither. TRAILER PARK FAE was all about the sidhe plague, and yet that plot thread was kicked to the curb in this follow-up. Instead, the theme of this novel was capture the flag with Summer & Unwinter as the teams, and Robin as the prize. Sadly, the chase wasn’t that exciting.
I enjoyed the mortal snippets that were scattered throughout this installment which arose every time a mortal crossed paths with one of the fae. They were either gifted with incredible luck or horrible misfortune, and I welcomed that additional angle. Once again, the author snared me with her ending, and the promise of more thrilling things to come, although I already fell into that trap once, and I’m not sure that it bears repeating.
A couple of new characters were brought in with Pepperbuckle and Crenn being the most notable. The latter has a long history with Jeremy, and the former is tied to Ragged, so they did shake things up marginally. There wasn’t much in the way of romance which was good because quite frankly all of the candidates are yucky in their own disturbing way. I think that Saintcrow is going for shock value here, but father, brother-in-law or freak? Umm…
ROADSIDE MAGIC will be it for me I think.
I’m not one to swear off a series after a single book, so although I had some hang-ups about ROADSIDE MAGIC, I still requested a review copy. Having a more realistic outlook going into my second Lilith Saintcrow experience helped. I knew that there would be zero levity, and that her writing style was going to be my biggest speed bump. Both proved true, but the story also took a bit of a detour, and there was no improvement in the pacing.
The marketing of GALLOW AND RAGGED continues to mislead readers. The covers suggest action, and the blurbs promote humour; however both titles have contained neither. TRAILER PARK FAE was all about the sidhe plague, and yet that plot thread was kicked to the curb in this follow-up. Instead, the theme of this novel was capture the flag with Summer & Unwinter as the teams, and Robin as the prize. Sadly, the chase wasn’t that exciting.
I enjoyed the mortal snippets that were scattered throughout this installment which arose every time a mortal crossed paths with one of the fae. They were either gifted with incredible luck or horrible misfortune, and I welcomed that additional angle. Once again, the author snared me with her ending, and the promise of more thrilling things to come, although I already fell into that trap once, and I’m not sure that it bears repeating.
A couple of new characters were brought in with Pepperbuckle and Crenn being the most notable. The latter has a long history with Jeremy, and the former is tied to Ragged, so they did shake things up marginally. There wasn’t much in the way of romance which was good because quite frankly all of the candidates are yucky in their own disturbing way. I think that Saintcrow is going for shock value here, but father, brother-in-law or freak? Umm…
ROADSIDE MAGIC will be it for me I think.
Read
March 17, 2016My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.
DNF
This is the not the first series that I’ve read from Lilith Saintcrow. I read and really enjoyed both the Jill Kismet and Dante Valentine series. I read both of these before blogging, so I don’t have review. I also read them before I was such the audiobook junkie so I haven’t tried them on audio yet, but I would like to revisit the series sometime on audio. This Gallow and Ragged series just isn’t for me. I listened to the first book and thought it was okay. I decided to pick up the second book because many times the books get better for me throughout a series.
For me, Roadside Magic just didn’t seem to be going anywhere. I actually DNF this story at 65%, which left 3 hours and 10 minutes left. I rarely DNF any books, but I really just wasn’t feeling this one. I even tried to speed up the narration so that I could get through it quicker.
In this story, Robin is running from both Summer and Unwinter. Jeremiah Gallow is trying to hunt her down to protect her from both. Robin is worried that Gallow just wants to protect her because he is trying to bring back her sister and his former lover.
The addition of Pepperbuckle was interesting. He was a dog-like fae creature that is tied to Robin. I couldn’t tell you exactly what kind of fae he was. There was a lot of creature and fae names dropped about and I couldn’t keep them all straight.
I will say that the dialogue was much easier to read. There were bits and pieces of action, but these scenes didn’t hold through. Who knows, maybe I would’ve enjoyed this more if I had re-listened to Trailer Park Fae for a refresher. I don’t think this is a bad story and I definitely don’t think Saintcrow is a bad author, this series just isn’t for me. As I said above, I’ve read two series from this author before, which I loved. I just haven’t done a lot of series where fae are the sole characters of the series, so maybe this just isn’t my thing.
If you want to check out some other reviews for Roadside Magic here are some other people’s opinions:
Wicked Little Pixie
Vampire Book Club
Rabid Reads
DNF
This is the not the first series that I’ve read from Lilith Saintcrow. I read and really enjoyed both the Jill Kismet and Dante Valentine series. I read both of these before blogging, so I don’t have review. I also read them before I was such the audiobook junkie so I haven’t tried them on audio yet, but I would like to revisit the series sometime on audio. This Gallow and Ragged series just isn’t for me. I listened to the first book and thought it was okay. I decided to pick up the second book because many times the books get better for me throughout a series.
For me, Roadside Magic just didn’t seem to be going anywhere. I actually DNF this story at 65%, which left 3 hours and 10 minutes left. I rarely DNF any books, but I really just wasn’t feeling this one. I even tried to speed up the narration so that I could get through it quicker.
In this story, Robin is running from both Summer and Unwinter. Jeremiah Gallow is trying to hunt her down to protect her from both. Robin is worried that Gallow just wants to protect her because he is trying to bring back her sister and his former lover.
The addition of Pepperbuckle was interesting. He was a dog-like fae creature that is tied to Robin. I couldn’t tell you exactly what kind of fae he was. There was a lot of creature and fae names dropped about and I couldn’t keep them all straight.
I will say that the dialogue was much easier to read. There were bits and pieces of action, but these scenes didn’t hold through. Who knows, maybe I would’ve enjoyed this more if I had re-listened to Trailer Park Fae for a refresher. I don’t think this is a bad story and I definitely don’t think Saintcrow is a bad author, this series just isn’t for me. As I said above, I’ve read two series from this author before, which I loved. I just haven’t done a lot of series where fae are the sole characters of the series, so maybe this just isn’t my thing.
If you want to check out some other reviews for Roadside Magic here are some other people’s opinions:
Wicked Little Pixie
Vampire Book Club
Rabid Reads
May 10, 2018
Second in the Gallow & Ragged urban fantasy series and revolving around Robin Ragged and those who want to capture her.
My Take
Saintcrow uses a third person global subjective point-of-view from the perspectives of Robin, Gallow, and Crenn, so we know their fears, wonders, desires, and past knowledge. A darn good thing, as we wouldn’t know how much Robin fears the “real” reason that Gallow wants to protect her, and Gallow has his own doubts about a woman raised in Summer’s Court while Crenn has his own past eating away at him no less than that promise of Summer’s to make him whole again.
While Gallow & Ragged is a compelling perspective on the sidhe, it could be a more fascinating and tension-filled story, if Saintcrow had worked Ragged’s fears that Gallow was out for himself. It’s an equal palement when set beside Alastair’s curiosity and desire for vengeance, as he tracks both Robin and Gallow. It’s all too soft. The oddness of it is what pulls me in and want to know what happens, but it is simply too much like a dream.
There are some titillating hints of plague spreading in Summer, with me hoping Summer gets it. Serve the bitch right. And I do love how Saintcrow provides us with back history on the characters. Very nicely done without those dreaded info dumps.
Saintcrow brought my attention back to the our world with scattered snippets of human encounters with the fae that could go well or ill. These tiny tales kept my heart a'flutter for there was no indication of which way the luck would fall.
Primarily, Roadside Magic is a chase with Crenn set on Robin with Gallow as an unexpected bonus while Gallow wants to protect Robin, for he’s falling in love with her — and nothing to do with Daisy, thank-you-very-much! Ah, now Crenn, Crenn had thought it was all set in stone until he encounters his prey and begins to doubt what he’s been told, what he thinks, and what he wants.
The Story
Summer’s borders are broken, the plague is spreading. And Unwinter, Summer’s assassin, Gallow, and Puck are chasing our Ragged, for reasons that twine and twist.
Summerhome is recovering but slowly from Unwinter’s raid and furious with Ragged, angry enough to promise Crenn his beauty if he brings her to him unharmed.
Yet Robin finds friends along the way, when she visits Sean’s family home, when she names the changeling, even her assassin…
And Unwinter flies the black flags of war.
The Characters
Robin Ragged loved her Sean, a young boy stolen from our world. Robin may be only half-fae, but she’s a Realmaker who has a VOICE that can kill, and she lives, lived?, at Court in service to Summer. Daisy was her human sister, lured into a crash. Daddy Snowe had been their nasty stepfather. The hound became with a power Robin should not have had; now it answers to Pepperbuckle and protects his Robin.
Jeremiah Gallow, a.k.a., Gallow-my-glass, is another who is half-fae and yet he’d been strong enough, wily enough to have been Summer’s Armormaster for a time. Until he fell in love with a human, Daisy. He still carries the dwarven-inked lance no Finnion dwarf had expected him to survive. Now he also carries Unwinter’s Horn and Ragged’s life as a boon from Summer.
The Fae
Robin Goodfellow, a.k.a., the Fatherless, Eldest, or Puck, never learns that there is a time and a place for mischief, especially if it’s bad.
Summer is…
…the Seelie side ruled by Eakkanthe of Summer, her true personality opposite the beauty of her season. Braghn Moran is a highblood, and high in Summer’s favor, having forgotten his former lover, Feathersalt. Broghan Trollsbane is the Armormaster. Dryads; naiads; goatborn; dwarves; nymphs; brughnies; the troll Master of the Drums with his taiko, Heartbeat; selkies; wights; and, the Tainted are at home in the Summer realms.
Alastair Crenn, the Huntsman of Marrowdowne, is a Half knight assassin, half-fae, half-human who suffered a horrible disfigurement decades ago. Back when he’d still been friends with Gallow, a friendship begun in that orphanage. Madge the Wanderer had made his footwear. Sarah had been the schoolteacher he loved.
Unwinter is…
…the Unseelie side, ruled by Lord Harne of Unwinter, Lord of the Hunt, lord of the Unhallowed. Broghan the Black, a glassmaster formerly known as Cailas Redthorn, is the envoy sent. Some of the Unseelies include wights, trolls, and drow.
The dwarves are…
…neither Seelie nor Unseelie. It’s said that the uglier the dwarf, the more beautiful their work.
Hilzhunger is a dwarf and the Red Clan chieftain, the Unclean, a clan who specializes in glasswork and usually sides with Summer. Findergast is an excellent chirugeon who helps Gallow.
The Goblin Markets are…
…many and one: a Moroccan alleyway, a Parisian cobblestoned corner, a bodega, anywhere really, and ordered by the Vene Venesa Clan. Medvedev Dadalo the Builder is the lord of the Markets, a goblin prince, a.k.a., the Head Gobbler, who owes a favor or three.
In Our World
Eddie Sharnaham is grateful for his insurance and for Juniper, his black-and-white cat. Clyde is a work buddy. Natty owns a diner where Mike Ramirez works as a busboy. Bill is the bigoted cook. Pete Craddock is a homeless man, crazy from the war. Jimmy McClintock had been a friend of the street. Bad Mandy whispers about things in the dark. Father Ernest McKenzie does what he can to help. Amelia had been the lady to whom he would have proposed.
The carnies
Timmo the Greek plays guitar. Acacia works the ring-tosses. Leo is the manager. More carnies include Matilda who is a fortune-teller, Joey, Marylou is the cook, Guster who always wears red-checked flannel, Rick, Kastner is a barker with a preference for pot, and the drunken Marlon.
The Savoigh Limited is…
…an aging dowager of a building brought back into a life.
Realmaking is the ability to make something REAL that lasts past dawn unlike the chantments a fullblood can make from nothing. Jacob Henzler had been Summer’s prize scientist. Shusweed shoved in someone’s mouth will silence them.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a cheerful sort of grim with speed in a starry (and muddy) green background. I know, what a contradiction! It’s Gallow in black leather pants, motorcycle boots, and a black tank top, Ragged’s necklace swinging from his neck as he leans low over a black motorcycle, his face in profile, grim and determined, his spear in gloved hand. His tattoos swirl up his arms with the right encased in a determined fiery spin of parallel lines, the flame of his spear flowing back to join them. The title is justified left at the top in a greenish yellow while the author’s name spreads across the bottom in white surrounded by a red glow with a couple of testimonials just above it in white.
The title encompasses the good and the bad, the Roadside Magic that can take you up or spit you out.
My Take
Saintcrow uses a third person global subjective point-of-view from the perspectives of Robin, Gallow, and Crenn, so we know their fears, wonders, desires, and past knowledge. A darn good thing, as we wouldn’t know how much Robin fears the “real” reason that Gallow wants to protect her, and Gallow has his own doubts about a woman raised in Summer’s Court while Crenn has his own past eating away at him no less than that promise of Summer’s to make him whole again.
While Gallow & Ragged is a compelling perspective on the sidhe, it could be a more fascinating and tension-filled story, if Saintcrow had worked Ragged’s fears that Gallow was out for himself. It’s an equal palement when set beside Alastair’s curiosity and desire for vengeance, as he tracks both Robin and Gallow. It’s all too soft. The oddness of it is what pulls me in and want to know what happens, but it is simply too much like a dream.
There are some titillating hints of plague spreading in Summer, with me hoping Summer gets it. Serve the bitch right. And I do love how Saintcrow provides us with back history on the characters. Very nicely done without those dreaded info dumps.
Saintcrow brought my attention back to the our world with scattered snippets of human encounters with the fae that could go well or ill. These tiny tales kept my heart a'flutter for there was no indication of which way the luck would fall.
Primarily, Roadside Magic is a chase with Crenn set on Robin with Gallow as an unexpected bonus while Gallow wants to protect Robin, for he’s falling in love with her — and nothing to do with Daisy, thank-you-very-much! Ah, now Crenn, Crenn had thought it was all set in stone until he encounters his prey and begins to doubt what he’s been told, what he thinks, and what he wants.
The Story
Summer’s borders are broken, the plague is spreading. And Unwinter, Summer’s assassin, Gallow, and Puck are chasing our Ragged, for reasons that twine and twist.
Summerhome is recovering but slowly from Unwinter’s raid and furious with Ragged, angry enough to promise Crenn his beauty if he brings her to him unharmed.
Yet Robin finds friends along the way, when she visits Sean’s family home, when she names the changeling, even her assassin…
And Unwinter flies the black flags of war.
The Characters
Robin Ragged loved her Sean, a young boy stolen from our world. Robin may be only half-fae, but she’s a Realmaker who has a VOICE that can kill, and she lives, lived?, at Court in service to Summer. Daisy was her human sister, lured into a crash. Daddy Snowe had been their nasty stepfather. The hound became with a power Robin should not have had; now it answers to Pepperbuckle and protects his Robin.
Jeremiah Gallow, a.k.a., Gallow-my-glass, is another who is half-fae and yet he’d been strong enough, wily enough to have been Summer’s Armormaster for a time. Until he fell in love with a human, Daisy. He still carries the dwarven-inked lance no Finnion dwarf had expected him to survive. Now he also carries Unwinter’s Horn and Ragged’s life as a boon from Summer.
The Fae
Robin Goodfellow, a.k.a., the Fatherless, Eldest, or Puck, never learns that there is a time and a place for mischief, especially if it’s bad.
Summer is…
…the Seelie side ruled by Eakkanthe of Summer, her true personality opposite the beauty of her season. Braghn Moran is a highblood, and high in Summer’s favor, having forgotten his former lover, Feathersalt. Broghan Trollsbane is the Armormaster. Dryads; naiads; goatborn; dwarves; nymphs; brughnies; the troll Master of the Drums with his taiko, Heartbeat; selkies; wights; and, the Tainted are at home in the Summer realms.
Alastair Crenn, the Huntsman of Marrowdowne, is a Half knight assassin, half-fae, half-human who suffered a horrible disfigurement decades ago. Back when he’d still been friends with Gallow, a friendship begun in that orphanage. Madge the Wanderer had made his footwear. Sarah had been the schoolteacher he loved.
Unwinter is…
…the Unseelie side, ruled by Lord Harne of Unwinter, Lord of the Hunt, lord of the Unhallowed. Broghan the Black, a glassmaster formerly known as Cailas Redthorn, is the envoy sent. Some of the Unseelies include wights, trolls, and drow.
The dwarves are…
…neither Seelie nor Unseelie. It’s said that the uglier the dwarf, the more beautiful their work.
Hilzhunger is a dwarf and the Red Clan chieftain, the Unclean, a clan who specializes in glasswork and usually sides with Summer. Findergast is an excellent chirugeon who helps Gallow.
The Goblin Markets are…
…many and one: a Moroccan alleyway, a Parisian cobblestoned corner, a bodega, anywhere really, and ordered by the Vene Venesa Clan. Medvedev Dadalo the Builder is the lord of the Markets, a goblin prince, a.k.a., the Head Gobbler, who owes a favor or three.
In Our World
Eddie Sharnaham is grateful for his insurance and for Juniper, his black-and-white cat. Clyde is a work buddy. Natty owns a diner where Mike Ramirez works as a busboy. Bill is the bigoted cook. Pete Craddock is a homeless man, crazy from the war. Jimmy McClintock had been a friend of the street. Bad Mandy whispers about things in the dark. Father Ernest McKenzie does what he can to help. Amelia had been the lady to whom he would have proposed.
The carnies
Timmo the Greek plays guitar. Acacia works the ring-tosses. Leo is the manager. More carnies include Matilda who is a fortune-teller, Joey, Marylou is the cook, Guster who always wears red-checked flannel, Rick, Kastner is a barker with a preference for pot, and the drunken Marlon.
The Savoigh Limited is…
…an aging dowager of a building brought back into a life.
Realmaking is the ability to make something REAL that lasts past dawn unlike the chantments a fullblood can make from nothing. Jacob Henzler had been Summer’s prize scientist. Shusweed shoved in someone’s mouth will silence them.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a cheerful sort of grim with speed in a starry (and muddy) green background. I know, what a contradiction! It’s Gallow in black leather pants, motorcycle boots, and a black tank top, Ragged’s necklace swinging from his neck as he leans low over a black motorcycle, his face in profile, grim and determined, his spear in gloved hand. His tattoos swirl up his arms with the right encased in a determined fiery spin of parallel lines, the flame of his spear flowing back to join them. The title is justified left at the top in a greenish yellow while the author’s name spreads across the bottom in white surrounded by a red glow with a couple of testimonials just above it in white.
The title encompasses the good and the bad, the Roadside Magic that can take you up or spit you out.
June 7, 2016
4 Stars
Full Review:
Even though I enjoyed this book, I didn’t love it quite as much as the first one in the series.
I still liked the pretty, flowery writing, and even though I didn’t find it to be a struggle in Book 1, it was even easier to understand this time because I already knew what all the specific fae things were (e.g. the different creatures, the fae objects, etc.).
I also still liked Jeremiah. I liked his roughness, but I also liked his humor. A lot of people find these books to be really dark, but honestly, I don’t feel like they’re particularly dark. Maybe it’s just because I read a lot of dark books and have become desensitized to it, but I actually found this book, much like the first, to have some humor. It wasn’t a laugh-out-loud type of book, and maybe it’s not the type of humor the whole trailer park theme suggests, but I had some chuckles, and that was mostly due to Jeremiah and his POV. He has this very dry humor and sarcasm, and I guess it just clicks with me.
I also really liked a new character, Crenn, and his relationship with Jeremiah. He was so interesting to me, and I really wanted to know more about him. Plus I love those types of complicated relationships in which two people used to be the closest of friends but then something happened and now they’re enemies, except some part of them still cares about each other because of that strong bond they once had. I’m still not quite sure exactly what led to the terrible event that happened or why Crenn blamed Jeremiah, but I’ll be really happy if I get to see more of their ex-friendship in the next book.
Robin, however, was again a hard character for me to connect with. I loved that she was such a fighter and never gave up, but she was just so serious all the time. I understand why, but it still makes it hard to connect.
The main problem I had though was that the plot seemed kind of repetitive. It was really just Robin and Jeremiah running from the cruel faeries who were hunting them. I don’t think the book really had a goal other than “don’t get caught.”
So overall, even though I found the plot a bit lacking, I still found the characters interesting and enjoyed the book, and I definitely look forward to the next one!
Recommended For:
Fans of Book 1 in Lilith Saintcrow's Gallow and Ragged series. Anyone who likes beautiful, lyrical writing, the cruel side of faeries, and gritty, flawed, complex characters.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Full Review:
Even though I enjoyed this book, I didn’t love it quite as much as the first one in the series.
I still liked the pretty, flowery writing, and even though I didn’t find it to be a struggle in Book 1, it was even easier to understand this time because I already knew what all the specific fae things were (e.g. the different creatures, the fae objects, etc.).
I also still liked Jeremiah. I liked his roughness, but I also liked his humor. A lot of people find these books to be really dark, but honestly, I don’t feel like they’re particularly dark. Maybe it’s just because I read a lot of dark books and have become desensitized to it, but I actually found this book, much like the first, to have some humor. It wasn’t a laugh-out-loud type of book, and maybe it’s not the type of humor the whole trailer park theme suggests, but I had some chuckles, and that was mostly due to Jeremiah and his POV. He has this very dry humor and sarcasm, and I guess it just clicks with me.
I also really liked a new character, Crenn, and his relationship with Jeremiah. He was so interesting to me, and I really wanted to know more about him. Plus I love those types of complicated relationships in which two people used to be the closest of friends but then something happened and now they’re enemies, except some part of them still cares about each other because of that strong bond they once had. I’m still not quite sure exactly what led to the terrible event that happened or why Crenn blamed Jeremiah, but I’ll be really happy if I get to see more of their ex-friendship in the next book.
Robin, however, was again a hard character for me to connect with. I loved that she was such a fighter and never gave up, but she was just so serious all the time. I understand why, but it still makes it hard to connect.
The main problem I had though was that the plot seemed kind of repetitive. It was really just Robin and Jeremiah running from the cruel faeries who were hunting them. I don’t think the book really had a goal other than “don’t get caught.”
So overall, even though I found the plot a bit lacking, I still found the characters interesting and enjoyed the book, and I definitely look forward to the next one!
Recommended For:
Fans of Book 1 in Lilith Saintcrow's Gallow and Ragged series. Anyone who likes beautiful, lyrical writing, the cruel side of faeries, and gritty, flawed, complex characters.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
March 31, 2016
Even I don't really get my fascination with this series. It could really have gone either way. These books start slow (real talk : I was sorta bored for the first hundred pages, but my hazy recollection of book one probably didn't help matters) but similar to what I remember of my experience with TRAILER PARK FAE, by the middle of ROADSIDE MAGIC I was devouring every page. I'm totally here for the Ragged & Gallow ship. There wasn't enough of the two of them in this middle installment, I'm hoping for a lot more in the final chapter. This is one twisty politic fae tale and it's so weird and wonderful and convoluted. Yet it works for me.
August 24, 2024
Such a step-up from the first book! The writing is less flowery and nonsensical, and leaned more into the humour which I loved. The worldbuilding is really cool but it feels like we’re only seeing the surface and I’d love to dig more into it and the politics as this is how I want more fae to be depicted. A middle book for sure, lots of travel and moving characters into place but I loved it and am deeply excited for Wasteland King.
Read
January 26, 2016When we last saw Robin Ragged, former servant of the Summer Queen, she had killed her father Puck—or at least thought she had—and left her protector Jeremiah Gallow, Summer’s former armormaster, recovering from poison in the trailer he once shared with her dead sister. Now she’s on the run from both Summer and Unwinter, who want revenge for the destruction she and Gallow wrought in the battle at the end of Trailer Park Fae. And when they realize that the cure for the plague she delivered them is fake, they’ll want her for that as well.
When Gallow wakes to find her gone, he also sets out in pursuit of Robin, wanting to protect her from the others who hunt her. One of those is his childhood friend Crenn, sent by Summer to bring Robin back alive and unharmed. Gallow, meanwhile, is pursued by the Wild Hunt as Unwinter seeks a resolution to that same battle.
Just by summarizing the plot, I’ve realized my biggest issue with Roadside Magic—it just doesn’t stand on its own. In order to explain why Gallow and Ragged are being hunted, I had to re-read part of the first book. The ending is very much a ‘To Be Continued’ as well. And the cure for the plague, which Robin recovered from Puck, just doesn’t come up much.
That said, I did enjoy the action-adventure aspect of the book. Gallow and Crenn are both expert fighters, which made for exciting battle scenes. They also visit some fun new Fae locations like a goblin market and the dwarves’ underground lair. But I felt like the action didn’t really get started until Gallow and Ragged are reunited, which is almost halfway through the book.
I also felt like Roadside Magic was easier to read than Trailer Park Fae. The language is more modern, though it’s still highly stylized, as Lilith Saintcrow’s writing usually is. It’s also more consistent throughout the book—the technique from book one of using the language style to indicate the character’s Fae-ness seems to have been abandoned. I actually liked that device, but maybe I was in the minority there.
If you read and enjoyed Trailer Park Fae, then you’ll definitely want to give Roadside Magic a try. If you haven’t, I don’t think this is the place to start.
- See more at: http://vampirebookclub.net/release-da...
When Gallow wakes to find her gone, he also sets out in pursuit of Robin, wanting to protect her from the others who hunt her. One of those is his childhood friend Crenn, sent by Summer to bring Robin back alive and unharmed. Gallow, meanwhile, is pursued by the Wild Hunt as Unwinter seeks a resolution to that same battle.
Just by summarizing the plot, I’ve realized my biggest issue with Roadside Magic—it just doesn’t stand on its own. In order to explain why Gallow and Ragged are being hunted, I had to re-read part of the first book. The ending is very much a ‘To Be Continued’ as well. And the cure for the plague, which Robin recovered from Puck, just doesn’t come up much.
That said, I did enjoy the action-adventure aspect of the book. Gallow and Crenn are both expert fighters, which made for exciting battle scenes. They also visit some fun new Fae locations like a goblin market and the dwarves’ underground lair. But I felt like the action didn’t really get started until Gallow and Ragged are reunited, which is almost halfway through the book.
I also felt like Roadside Magic was easier to read than Trailer Park Fae. The language is more modern, though it’s still highly stylized, as Lilith Saintcrow’s writing usually is. It’s also more consistent throughout the book—the technique from book one of using the language style to indicate the character’s Fae-ness seems to have been abandoned. I actually liked that device, but maybe I was in the minority there.
If you read and enjoyed Trailer Park Fae, then you’ll definitely want to give Roadside Magic a try. If you haven’t, I don’t think this is the place to start.
- See more at: http://vampirebookclub.net/release-da...
February 11, 2016
2.75 stars? Maybe?
It took me a long time to read this one. I'm having trouble putting my finger one what I don't like about this series. The prose is very well crafted in terms of sentence structure and beautiful word choices. I love that whenever I read something by Saintcrow I inevitably reach for a dictionary. This story meandered, though. It was essentially just a chase scene that didn't leave us anywhere farther along in the story other than having met a new character and seen a few more of the sideways realms.
I hated the ending, not a true cliff hanger but essentially a fish hook for the next book that a year ago I would have given a single star.
I still don't completely understand what is happening or why. I have only a vague notion of where it's going and why, and I can't decide if this is intentional on Saintcrow's part. The book certainly maintains a sort of vague-around-the-edges feeling that is reminiscent of what traveling in fae realms might be like.
I'll probably read the next one, but I can't say I know why.
It took me a long time to read this one. I'm having trouble putting my finger one what I don't like about this series. The prose is very well crafted in terms of sentence structure and beautiful word choices. I love that whenever I read something by Saintcrow I inevitably reach for a dictionary. This story meandered, though. It was essentially just a chase scene that didn't leave us anywhere farther along in the story other than having met a new character and seen a few more of the sideways realms.
I hated the ending, not a true cliff hanger but essentially a fish hook for the next book that a year ago I would have given a single star.
I still don't completely understand what is happening or why. I have only a vague notion of where it's going and why, and I can't decide if this is intentional on Saintcrow's part. The book certainly maintains a sort of vague-around-the-edges feeling that is reminiscent of what traveling in fae realms might be like.
I'll probably read the next one, but I can't say I know why.
February 1, 2016
I'm really enjoying the detail in these books.
June 25, 2017
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Robin is being hunted, can Gallow reach her before the hunter does?
Opening Sentence: The thing lying before her was no longer sidhe.
The Review:
Robin is planning her revenge against Summer for Sean and Puck for Daisy. Daisy, the little sister that Gallow married and loved, and now he attempts to court her as well. But Robin is haunted as well as hunted and as she revisits her childhood haunts, she finds that the her old home has been attacked as well. It doesn’t surprise her that Summer is so vindictive. Robin then remakes the changeling that took Sean’s place into a cu sidhe.
Gallow is chasing Robin, but he is moving slower as the wound he took for her is spreading poison throughout his body. He is pissed when he finds that his childhood friend Crenn is hunting Robin as well. When they find her at the goblin’s market they work together to save her from Unwinter, then Crenn steals her away. Gallow makes a deal with Unwinter for Robn’s protection, but it is too late with her being taken into summer.
He finds Puck alive and well and wanting to work with him to find Robin, but during the course of that he finds that Puck was behind Daisy’s death and their alliance falls apart. Meanwhile, the plague has unleashed itself full force in Summer’s boundaries. Gallow is racing against time with his poisoned wound to find and save Robin. Will he be able too?
I found this second book in the series to be much better than the first one, and it tied things together nicely. It also cleared up some of the questions you get in the first book. I will not of course reveal those because I hate spoilers. I am really looking forward to seeing what happens in book 3, because so far the plague just seems to be a background issue. It’s really more about Robin and Gallow and how they are tied together and their sort of love story.
There is no romance in this book either, but they do dance quite a bit more in this one. I see why Robin is leery as she is a dead ringer for Daisy, her little sister and his dead wife. I still like them though and I still feel like there is quite a bit of untapped potential in this series. I am still not sure if I get the trailer park references because other than occasionally, the series really seems to have nothing to do with trailer parks.
Notable Scene:
Certainly Summer had sworn so there were two possibilities: The Queen had a further use for the Ragged… or vengeance. And while Summer had uses for all who came into her snow-white, grasping hands, only the latter would move a queen to spend such attention on a small nagging detail when her wider realm was in danger of rotting on the vine.
FTC Advisory: Orbit provided me with a copy of Roadside Magic. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Robin is being hunted, can Gallow reach her before the hunter does?
Opening Sentence: The thing lying before her was no longer sidhe.
The Review:
Robin is planning her revenge against Summer for Sean and Puck for Daisy. Daisy, the little sister that Gallow married and loved, and now he attempts to court her as well. But Robin is haunted as well as hunted and as she revisits her childhood haunts, she finds that the her old home has been attacked as well. It doesn’t surprise her that Summer is so vindictive. Robin then remakes the changeling that took Sean’s place into a cu sidhe.
Gallow is chasing Robin, but he is moving slower as the wound he took for her is spreading poison throughout his body. He is pissed when he finds that his childhood friend Crenn is hunting Robin as well. When they find her at the goblin’s market they work together to save her from Unwinter, then Crenn steals her away. Gallow makes a deal with Unwinter for Robn’s protection, but it is too late with her being taken into summer.
He finds Puck alive and well and wanting to work with him to find Robin, but during the course of that he finds that Puck was behind Daisy’s death and their alliance falls apart. Meanwhile, the plague has unleashed itself full force in Summer’s boundaries. Gallow is racing against time with his poisoned wound to find and save Robin. Will he be able too?
I found this second book in the series to be much better than the first one, and it tied things together nicely. It also cleared up some of the questions you get in the first book. I will not of course reveal those because I hate spoilers. I am really looking forward to seeing what happens in book 3, because so far the plague just seems to be a background issue. It’s really more about Robin and Gallow and how they are tied together and their sort of love story.
There is no romance in this book either, but they do dance quite a bit more in this one. I see why Robin is leery as she is a dead ringer for Daisy, her little sister and his dead wife. I still like them though and I still feel like there is quite a bit of untapped potential in this series. I am still not sure if I get the trailer park references because other than occasionally, the series really seems to have nothing to do with trailer parks.
Notable Scene:
Certainly Summer had sworn so there were two possibilities: The Queen had a further use for the Ragged… or vengeance. And while Summer had uses for all who came into her snow-white, grasping hands, only the latter would move a queen to spend such attention on a small nagging detail when her wider realm was in danger of rotting on the vine.
FTC Advisory: Orbit provided me with a copy of Roadside Magic. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
June 8, 2018
Today's post is on Roadside Magic by Lilith Saintcrow. It is the second in her Gallow and Ragged trilogy. It is 315 pages long and is published by Orbit. The cover has Gallow on a motorcycle with his tattoos and spear out and glowing. The intended reader is someone who likes urban fantasy and a new, darker spin on the Fae. There is foul language, sexuality, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the characters moving from one to the next per chapter. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- Robin Ragged has revenge to wreak and redemption to steal. As for Jeremiah Gallow, the poison in his wound is slowly killing him, while old friends turn traitor and long-lost enemies return to haunt him.
In the dive bars and trailer parks, the sidhe are hunting. War looms, and on a rooftop in the heart of the city, the most dangerous sidhe of all is given new life. This new hunter has only one thought: Where is the Ragged?
Review- Another fast paced story into the dark world of the Fae and the Halfs that try to survive them. The story picks up just hours after the ending of Trailer Park Fae with Puck not dead but not alive either. Robin still doesn't believe that Jeremiah can withstand the pull of the Fae Queen of Summer. She thinks that he will betray her to Summer. Jeremiah just wants to protect her and to understand what Puck has on Robin. Add in everyone from both sides hunting for both of them and we get our plot. Some character growth happens in this volume by way of a new character that Jeremiah had been friends with many years before so we get to see more of Jeremiah before he knew what he is. But the picture on the cover does not come to be as it is not Jeremiah on the bike. But that is a small matter. In the end our heroes are separated and war is coming to the Fae lands.
I give this book a Four out Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.
From the back of the book- Robin Ragged has revenge to wreak and redemption to steal. As for Jeremiah Gallow, the poison in his wound is slowly killing him, while old friends turn traitor and long-lost enemies return to haunt him.
In the dive bars and trailer parks, the sidhe are hunting. War looms, and on a rooftop in the heart of the city, the most dangerous sidhe of all is given new life. This new hunter has only one thought: Where is the Ragged?
Review- Another fast paced story into the dark world of the Fae and the Halfs that try to survive them. The story picks up just hours after the ending of Trailer Park Fae with Puck not dead but not alive either. Robin still doesn't believe that Jeremiah can withstand the pull of the Fae Queen of Summer. She thinks that he will betray her to Summer. Jeremiah just wants to protect her and to understand what Puck has on Robin. Add in everyone from both sides hunting for both of them and we get our plot. Some character growth happens in this volume by way of a new character that Jeremiah had been friends with many years before so we get to see more of Jeremiah before he knew what he is. But the picture on the cover does not come to be as it is not Jeremiah on the bike. But that is a small matter. In the end our heroes are separated and war is coming to the Fae lands.
I give this book a Four out Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.
April 5, 2025
Rating 3.5/5
Content Warning:
Graphic: Violence, gore, death
Moderate: --
Minor: Cursing, Alcohol, self harm, animal cruelty, fire injury, child abuse, drug abuse
The begining chapters of **Roadside Magic** is a recap of most of **Trailer Park Fae** ending chapters.
The sequel was a definite improvement over the first book. The plot was more engaging, and I am very excited to finish the series soon.
You could technically skip the first book in the trilogy, but I do not recommend it. It's better to get the development and exposition from the first book, but the second book will mostly fill you in or remind you if you are late returning to the series.
Because the author's settings and creatures are descriptive and complex, I had a hard time getting a steady flow in reading at first. It can be a challenging quick read. The chapters are relatively short.
The author is not one for info dumping, as she plunks the reader in like an Oreo.
It is told from a 3rd person POV with multi perspective. This is my absolute favorite POV. She also overlaps events. The two main protagonists are Ragged & Gallow. The plot is heavily character driven mostly by a handful or so the characters.
The chapters do not name which character will be leading the POV, so there were some times I confused myself, and I had to reread, but not too much.
There are likable characters, and there are characters I am eager to learn more about!
Content Warning:
Graphic: Violence, gore, death
Moderate: --
Minor: Cursing, Alcohol, self harm, animal cruelty, fire injury, child abuse, drug abuse
The begining chapters of **Roadside Magic** is a recap of most of **Trailer Park Fae** ending chapters.
The sequel was a definite improvement over the first book. The plot was more engaging, and I am very excited to finish the series soon.
You could technically skip the first book in the trilogy, but I do not recommend it. It's better to get the development and exposition from the first book, but the second book will mostly fill you in or remind you if you are late returning to the series.
Because the author's settings and creatures are descriptive and complex, I had a hard time getting a steady flow in reading at first. It can be a challenging quick read. The chapters are relatively short.
The author is not one for info dumping, as she plunks the reader in like an Oreo.
It is told from a 3rd person POV with multi perspective. This is my absolute favorite POV. She also overlaps events. The two main protagonists are Ragged & Gallow. The plot is heavily character driven mostly by a handful or so the characters.
The chapters do not name which character will be leading the POV, so there were some times I confused myself, and I had to reread, but not too much.
There are likable characters, and there are characters I am eager to learn more about!
December 23, 2016
I stared this, and then picked it up the next night and read through till the wee hours of the morning. The imagery and writing of this book is out of this world. The use of myth and creation of such a pulsating, poignant world is amazing. The characters are fantastic as well -- I wish we had more time with them. The books reads so fast I feel like I barely have a moment to really start to enjoy the characters before it's over. Guess that means I need to get Wasteland King!
January 2, 2018
I continued to devour this series!
I am not a huge fan of the modern GRIM GRIM GRIM aesthetic, but I do like Lilith Saintcrow. I would rank this series as grimmer than Jill Kismet but less than Dante Valentine, so be advised this will not be sparkles and sunshine fantasy. But if you're willing to deal with that, this is an engaging read.
I am not a huge fan of the modern GRIM GRIM GRIM aesthetic, but I do like Lilith Saintcrow. I would rank this series as grimmer than Jill Kismet but less than Dante Valentine, so be advised this will not be sparkles and sunshine fantasy. But if you're willing to deal with that, this is an engaging read.
October 22, 2020
In the first part of the story I grew impatient for Gallow and Ragged to actually meet face to face. Once they did the story picked up, but it's still very much a middle book full of chase-chase-chase. I liked Gallow's frenemy relationship with Crenn, the tower sequence and, of course, the fae doggy.
June 27, 2021
This one lives mostly in the other world, and it moves fast. There is so much hidden and half spoken, that you think if you read another page it will finally all be clear only to find another twist to the tale. Looking forward to finding the third.
August 21, 2017
I liked this one much better than the first in the series. The flowery language is much less forced, the new characters are engaging and Jeremiah spends a little less time in his own head.
September 22, 2017
Sadly I did not care for this as much as the 1st in the series.
January 1, 2018
Enjoyed reading
Kevin Hearne author choices are wonderful. Must read for shear enjoyment but you have to read book 1 to understand. Pick them up to read
Kevin Hearne author choices are wonderful. Must read for shear enjoyment but you have to read book 1 to understand. Pick them up to read
April 26, 2018
The saga continues to be somewhat interesting but still exhausting to read. At least this time I was prepared for the non-ending ending.
January 10, 2019
Good trilogy about a war between the Seelie and Unseelie Courts (Summer and Unwinter) and the half-human/half-fae who get caught in the middle.
June 9, 2019
Great Pageturner
Complex cast that makes the decisions you expect them to, but not the ones you want them to. Excellent plot twists
Complex cast that makes the decisions you expect them to, but not the ones you want them to. Excellent plot twists
December 4, 2019
I would give this 6 stars if I could! Read this series in order, much depends on what has gone before.
December 18, 2019
Series review as a whole: As lovely for the overarch as for the wee internal tales.
April 30, 2020
This is one exciting series! A fantastic, convoluted flat out wild race of a fractured fairytale. Peter Jackson should film this trilogy.
November 11, 2021
IT CANT END THERE WTF?!
This book was incredible, I actually liked it more than the first. Pepperbuckle is my favorite character, I would die for him.
This book was incredible, I actually liked it more than the first. Pepperbuckle is my favorite character, I would die for him.
March 14, 2023
Alright book. Just a continuation chase in the series. Nothing much happens except Crenn got handsome again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2025
Just as good as the first.
May 10, 2017
I found this book far more intriguing than the first book. We got more of Robin's story very little of Gallows. Hope the third book is even better
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