Elf Defense

New York #2

by Esther M. Friesner, Peter Elson (Illustrator)

When the elven king Kelerison arrives in Godwin's Corners, Connecticut to reclaim the mortal woman who fled from him, he finds himself face to face with a formidableand unexpectedopponent: divorce lawyer Sandra Horowitz. The author of New York by Knight brings a fresh comic spirit to the fantasy genre in this upbeat story of modern suburbia's battle with the world of faerie.

Genres: Fantasy, Elves, Fae, Fiction, Humor, Urban Fantasy

234 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1988

About the author

Esther M. Friesner was educated at Vassar College, where she completed B.A's in both Spanish and Drama. She went to on to Yale University; within five years she was awarded an M.A. and Ph.D. in Spanish. She taught Spanish at Yale for a number of years before going on to become a full-time author of fantasy and science fiction. She has published twenty-seven novels so far; her most recent titles include Temping Fate from Penguin-Puffin and Nobody's Princess from Random House.

Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in Asimov's, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Aboriginal SF, Pulphouse Magazine, Amazing, and Fantasy Book, as well as in numerous anthologies. Her story, "Love's Eldritch Ichor," was featured in the 1990 World Fantasy Convention book.

Her first stint as an anthology editor was Alien Pregnant By Elvis, a collection of truly gonzo original tabloid SF for DAW books. Wisely, she undertook this project with the able collaboration of Martin H. Greenberg. Not having learned their lesson, they have also co-edited the Chicks In Chainmail Amazon comedy anthology series for Baen Books, as well as Blood Muse, an anthology of vampire stories for Donald I Fine, Inc.

"Ask Auntie Esther" was her regular etiquette and advice column to the SFlorn in Pulphouse Magazine. Being paid for telling other people how to run their lives sounds like a pretty good deal to her.

Ms. Friesner won the Nebula Award for Best Short Story of 1995 for her work, "Death and the Librarian," and the Nebula for Best Short Story of 1996 for "A Birth Day." (A Birth Day" was also a 1996 Hugo Award finalist.) Her novelette, "Jesus at the Bat" was on the final Nebula ballot in the same year that "Death and the Librarian" won the award. In addition, she has won the Romantic Times award for Best New Fantasy Writer in 1986 and the Skylark Award in 1994. Her short story, "All Vows," took second place in the Asimov's SF Magazine Readers' Poll for 1993 and was a finalist for the Nebula in 1994. Her Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel, Warchild, made the USA TODAY bestseller list.

She lives in Connecticut with her husband, two children, two rambunctious cats, and a fluctuating population of hamsters.

Reviews

[Ruby Hollyberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

An older fantasy, possibly hard to find nowadays, but worth it. It is absolutely hilarious. The comedic possibilities in fantasy elements like flower nymphs and unicorns have never been explored this well in my experience. I have reread it a thousand times. Never have elves seemed so down to earth and real - an excellent juxtaposition of the magical and the very ordinary.

It is the middle book in a trilogy, but each book is well able to stand alone. I love both this and the third book, Sphynxes Wild, very much. Friesner isn't one of my top favorite authors, some of her books didn't pay off for me. But when she is good she is great. That includes this trilogy as well as a short story I read years ago in Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine that was one of the funniest and best genre short stories I've ever come across (that is saying something considering the probably six dozen anthologies in my possession). I can't find the issue anymore and don't remember the title but it was about vampires in the Country-Western music industry!!!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of fun to read; fantasy in a everyday setting, and a nice change of scenery at the end. Mrs. Friesner is simply a delight! I had the opportunity to have dinner with her at a convention recently, so witty and full of energy! I've been on the lookout for her books every time I go to a bookstore!

[Yaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern day fairy tale with a twist. Humorous and sassy. One of my favourite books.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best, but not the worst...this was the first book I ever ordered used online : )

[The Anti-Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets five stars from me simply because it is the book that started me on my fantasy journey. I first read it in 1988, the year it was first published. Incidentally, I have a different edition than either of the two listed here. It is a first printing of Signet Fantasy, published by NAL Penguin and was published in March, 1988. It has a bronze/copper colored border. The author’s name is in black in the upper right hand corner on two lines. Starting about halfway down the author’s first name on the left the title starts, also on two lines. Boxed under the title is the illustration, an elf with a long reddish-gold beard in front of a window, there is a telephone on the desk(?) he is standing on him, I think to represent that the story happens in the modern world.

[Caitie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I liked this book a lot better when I was 12, when I thought Cass was super dreamy. Now that I am aged and wise, I find everyone annoying, with the possible exceptions of Lionel and Cesare. Sigh.