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The Knights' Protocol Trilogy #1
The Bastard From Fairyland
He's Robin Goodfellow to those he knows. Or Puck, his psychotic alter-ego, to those he kills. Betrayed, banished and bitter, this fae warrior lives among human beings, they think he’s a demon. The teenagers he’s vowed to protect, despise him. But now the fae need his help, especially the man who betrayed him. He’s brought along Robin’s lover to guarantee his cooperation.
Yet things are not as they seem. For shadowy forces within the fae have different plans. It’s not Robin they want. They need Puck.
He's the perfect stooge to kill a king.
What have people said about The Bastard from Fairyland?
"This is effing brutal. There's blood, torture, death, violence, a world savaged by fae and under threat of total destruction. Loved it."
"A well told tale which combines Celtic myths, Arthurian legends, dystopian visions of a world ravaged by climate change and some good old blood and guts battles. Oh, and dragons. What's not to love?"
"The story unfolds at a cracking pace. Characterisation is excellent. The fight scenes are particularly evocative."
"The prose is simply beautiful. It's a book that takes you to a Fantasy world unlike any other but also reflects our times in a very real way. A unique and fresh modern take on a genre that sorely needs more books like this."
Yet things are not as they seem. For shadowy forces within the fae have different plans. It’s not Robin they want. They need Puck.
He's the perfect stooge to kill a king.
What have people said about The Bastard from Fairyland?
"This is effing brutal. There's blood, torture, death, violence, a world savaged by fae and under threat of total destruction. Loved it."
"A well told tale which combines Celtic myths, Arthurian legends, dystopian visions of a world ravaged by climate change and some good old blood and guts battles. Oh, and dragons. What's not to love?"
"The story unfolds at a cracking pace. Characterisation is excellent. The fight scenes are particularly evocative."
"The prose is simply beautiful. It's a book that takes you to a Fantasy world unlike any other but also reflects our times in a very real way. A unique and fresh modern take on a genre that sorely needs more books like this."
- GenresFantasy
364 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2018
About the author
Phil Parker
10 books32 followersPhil Parker herds words around the page. Sometimes they cooperate. Usually they don't.
Author of:
* The Chronicles of the Bastard, Robin Goodfellow (a prequel anthology leading into the Knight's Protocol trilogy)
* The Bastard from Fairyland
* The Bastard in the Dark
* Revenge for the Bastard
which form the Knights' Protocol trilogy - re-issued 2021
* The Valkyrie of Vanaheim (2022)
* City of Onyx (2023)
* The Inside Story of the British Bureau for the Arcane - The Dark Elf Dynasty File (2024)
- The Carolean Codex (2025)
- Circe's Coven (2025)
Author of:
* The Chronicles of the Bastard, Robin Goodfellow (a prequel anthology leading into the Knight's Protocol trilogy)
* The Bastard from Fairyland
* The Bastard in the Dark
* Revenge for the Bastard
which form the Knights' Protocol trilogy - re-issued 2021
* The Valkyrie of Vanaheim (2022)
* City of Onyx (2023)
* The Inside Story of the British Bureau for the Arcane - The Dark Elf Dynasty File (2024)
- The Carolean Codex (2025)
- Circe's Coven (2025)
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 3, 2018
92/100
Click here for my full review:
https://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.co...
Let me begin my review by first saying that we are truly blessed as readers and reviewers to be part of an amazing revolution in the book industry at this very moment. Never before have self-published authors had such visibility and a platform to get their work out there and read by such a large portion of the book-buying public. This is really a great development and I personally have been fortunate enough to read some fantastic entries already in the Self-Published Fantasy Book-Off. That has only continued with this the first book in the Knights' Protocol trilogy by British Fantasy author Phil Parker. The title of the book is THE BASTARD FROM FAIRYLAND and as I mentioned, it is one of 300 entries in this year's SPFBO, showcasing a ton of great and talented authors. When I received a review copy of this title from the author a couple of weeks back, I snuck a quick peek at the first page as I often like to do with new books that I will be reviewing. The opening sentence of the book grabbed me almost immediately: "There were fairies at the bottom of my garden and they were torturing something." Now there's an opening line that will either have you running for the hills or diving in head first! For me it was definitely the latter and as I plopped myself down on my comfy couch that night to begin reading THE BASTARD FROM FAIRYLAND, there was definitely a feeling of great anticipation of what I might encounter in the pages to follow.
THE BASTARD FROM FAIRYLAND alternates between two different realms living side by side - the human realm, which is modern-day Glastonbury, and the fairy realm populated by both light and dark fairies. Robin Goodfellow is a fairy who has been exiled from the fairy realm and has lived among humans now for centuries. The crime for which he was exiled is not immediately revealed, but what is known is that Robin is shunned and hated by both his fairy brethren and also his human neighbors. Humans see him as a vile demon and therefore give him a wide berth not quite trusting him, while his fellow fairy folk despise him for very different reasons. You see, Robin is a shit-talker and instigator of sorts. He's also a very tortured individual. Robin has the ability to summon incredible power and ferocity through his alter-ego Puck, who he is constantly battling to keep at bay since his new life began in the human realm. That's not to say he hasn't been tempted to unleash Puck in certain instances where he's felt threatened or just plain wanted revenge on one or two of his enemies. Robin is soon visited by one of those enemies Llyr, an utterly evil fairy from the Dark Court who it seems has a not-so-great history with Robin that goes back to his pre-exile days. Accompanying Llyr on his visit is Robin's one-time friend and lover, Oisin. Oisin has obviously been brought against his will to be used as leverage by Llyr to get what he wants from Robin. The conversation starts out semi-cordially but quickly escalates as Llyr begins angrily questioning Robin and demanding to know "Where are you hiding the Knights!!?" The Knights that Llyr is referring to are teenage twin brother and sister wards of Robin's who he has sworn to protect. The twins are from a special line of humans who alone have the power to defeat the fairies should a war ever occur between the two realms. Llyr becomes increasingly unstable during his questioning of Robin and it is clear that he has been plotting for some time to attack the human realm, but first he must eliminate the obvious threats that the Knights pose to his well-laid plans. Robin somehow manages to escape Llyr and flee with Oisin before Llyr can realize what is happening. They run away in a moment of confusion and after collecting themselves, embark on a search to find the twin Knights. Knowing Llyr's plans, It is now up to Robin and Oisin to find the twins and avoid a potentially catastrophic war between the Realms. The only problem is that the Knights have been abducted by human slavers and Llyr is in hot pursuit with his fellow dark fae. The fae are at the cusp of igniting an all-out attack on the Human Realm while it is at its weakest and most vulnerable. You see, the sea levels have risen and society is in a shambles in human England. And this is the perfect chance for the Dark Court to take back what was once firmly in their control, tearing through the divide that separates their magical home and reality. Can Robin and Oisin rescue the Knights before Llyr reaches them? Will Llyr succeed and his dark fairy cohorts descend on Glastonbury with a violent fury that finally obliterates the humans for good? In a world where the line between human and supernatural is being blurred by the minute, a final war may be a very real certainty if Llyr is allowed to win. And the only one who can save this all from happening is battling his own inner-demons and trying to come to terms with his conflicted feelings for a former lover that he thought were buried long ago.
THE BASTARD FROM FAIRYLAND is a very ambitious book. There are so many themes and conflicts going on at the same time. There's also an interesting combination of modern dialogue with a more traditional Arthurian backdrop complete with fairies. Much of the action takes place in the same geographic area where Camelot was historically located. In fact, it's where Robin's cottage is built that he lives in while exiled in the human realm. This lends a very nice contrast to the somewhat adult content of characters who aren't afraid to throw around some profanity, and also a gay main character, which unfortunately is not seen nearly enough in Fantasy books these days (although it is slowly getting better). I found the fact that Phil Parker made his main character gay quite refreshing because I am a firm believer that our art should reflect the times that we live in. With LGBTQ rights becoming more and more protected and the community coming into its own in the last decade, it really is important to write books like this and more importantly, to READ books like this. At the same time, the fact that Robin is gay is never put forward in the kind of way where it seems forced into the storyline but rather, it's just one of many things that make up who he is. So the relationship between Robin and Oisin flows naturally within the story as the book goes on and as with any relationship, there is friction and there are challenges to be faced by the two as they also try to rescue the Knights. The prose is simply beautiful and I found myself at times really sympathizing with Robin as a tortured soul who is not accepted by anyone. He is the true definition of a loner but this never holds him back from always trying to do the right thing. He admits in the book that his fatal flaw is caring about what happens to others and we see this vividly through his actions and interactions. There is quite a bit of suspense as the book goes on and it slowly builds to a crescendo as both Llyr and Robin are racing to achieve each of their specific ends, one good, one evil. THE BASTARD FROM FAIRYLAND offers so much to like and I really did enjoy my journey into this intriguing dual world of human and fairy. Another great entry in the SPFBO challenge that I think could really make some noise. There are two other books in this trilogy and I definitely plan on reading both in the near future. But for now I am just going to savor what was a truly wonderful reading experience. This one is definitely worthy of some notice, so check it out. It's a book that takes you to a Fantasy world unlike any other but also reflects our times in a very real way. A unique and fresh modern take on a genre that sorely needs more books like this.
Click here for my full review:
https://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.co...
Let me begin my review by first saying that we are truly blessed as readers and reviewers to be part of an amazing revolution in the book industry at this very moment. Never before have self-published authors had such visibility and a platform to get their work out there and read by such a large portion of the book-buying public. This is really a great development and I personally have been fortunate enough to read some fantastic entries already in the Self-Published Fantasy Book-Off. That has only continued with this the first book in the Knights' Protocol trilogy by British Fantasy author Phil Parker. The title of the book is THE BASTARD FROM FAIRYLAND and as I mentioned, it is one of 300 entries in this year's SPFBO, showcasing a ton of great and talented authors. When I received a review copy of this title from the author a couple of weeks back, I snuck a quick peek at the first page as I often like to do with new books that I will be reviewing. The opening sentence of the book grabbed me almost immediately: "There were fairies at the bottom of my garden and they were torturing something." Now there's an opening line that will either have you running for the hills or diving in head first! For me it was definitely the latter and as I plopped myself down on my comfy couch that night to begin reading THE BASTARD FROM FAIRYLAND, there was definitely a feeling of great anticipation of what I might encounter in the pages to follow.
THE BASTARD FROM FAIRYLAND alternates between two different realms living side by side - the human realm, which is modern-day Glastonbury, and the fairy realm populated by both light and dark fairies. Robin Goodfellow is a fairy who has been exiled from the fairy realm and has lived among humans now for centuries. The crime for which he was exiled is not immediately revealed, but what is known is that Robin is shunned and hated by both his fairy brethren and also his human neighbors. Humans see him as a vile demon and therefore give him a wide berth not quite trusting him, while his fellow fairy folk despise him for very different reasons. You see, Robin is a shit-talker and instigator of sorts. He's also a very tortured individual. Robin has the ability to summon incredible power and ferocity through his alter-ego Puck, who he is constantly battling to keep at bay since his new life began in the human realm. That's not to say he hasn't been tempted to unleash Puck in certain instances where he's felt threatened or just plain wanted revenge on one or two of his enemies. Robin is soon visited by one of those enemies Llyr, an utterly evil fairy from the Dark Court who it seems has a not-so-great history with Robin that goes back to his pre-exile days. Accompanying Llyr on his visit is Robin's one-time friend and lover, Oisin. Oisin has obviously been brought against his will to be used as leverage by Llyr to get what he wants from Robin. The conversation starts out semi-cordially but quickly escalates as Llyr begins angrily questioning Robin and demanding to know "Where are you hiding the Knights!!?" The Knights that Llyr is referring to are teenage twin brother and sister wards of Robin's who he has sworn to protect. The twins are from a special line of humans who alone have the power to defeat the fairies should a war ever occur between the two realms. Llyr becomes increasingly unstable during his questioning of Robin and it is clear that he has been plotting for some time to attack the human realm, but first he must eliminate the obvious threats that the Knights pose to his well-laid plans. Robin somehow manages to escape Llyr and flee with Oisin before Llyr can realize what is happening. They run away in a moment of confusion and after collecting themselves, embark on a search to find the twin Knights. Knowing Llyr's plans, It is now up to Robin and Oisin to find the twins and avoid a potentially catastrophic war between the Realms. The only problem is that the Knights have been abducted by human slavers and Llyr is in hot pursuit with his fellow dark fae. The fae are at the cusp of igniting an all-out attack on the Human Realm while it is at its weakest and most vulnerable. You see, the sea levels have risen and society is in a shambles in human England. And this is the perfect chance for the Dark Court to take back what was once firmly in their control, tearing through the divide that separates their magical home and reality. Can Robin and Oisin rescue the Knights before Llyr reaches them? Will Llyr succeed and his dark fairy cohorts descend on Glastonbury with a violent fury that finally obliterates the humans for good? In a world where the line between human and supernatural is being blurred by the minute, a final war may be a very real certainty if Llyr is allowed to win. And the only one who can save this all from happening is battling his own inner-demons and trying to come to terms with his conflicted feelings for a former lover that he thought were buried long ago.
THE BASTARD FROM FAIRYLAND is a very ambitious book. There are so many themes and conflicts going on at the same time. There's also an interesting combination of modern dialogue with a more traditional Arthurian backdrop complete with fairies. Much of the action takes place in the same geographic area where Camelot was historically located. In fact, it's where Robin's cottage is built that he lives in while exiled in the human realm. This lends a very nice contrast to the somewhat adult content of characters who aren't afraid to throw around some profanity, and also a gay main character, which unfortunately is not seen nearly enough in Fantasy books these days (although it is slowly getting better). I found the fact that Phil Parker made his main character gay quite refreshing because I am a firm believer that our art should reflect the times that we live in. With LGBTQ rights becoming more and more protected and the community coming into its own in the last decade, it really is important to write books like this and more importantly, to READ books like this. At the same time, the fact that Robin is gay is never put forward in the kind of way where it seems forced into the storyline but rather, it's just one of many things that make up who he is. So the relationship between Robin and Oisin flows naturally within the story as the book goes on and as with any relationship, there is friction and there are challenges to be faced by the two as they also try to rescue the Knights. The prose is simply beautiful and I found myself at times really sympathizing with Robin as a tortured soul who is not accepted by anyone. He is the true definition of a loner but this never holds him back from always trying to do the right thing. He admits in the book that his fatal flaw is caring about what happens to others and we see this vividly through his actions and interactions. There is quite a bit of suspense as the book goes on and it slowly builds to a crescendo as both Llyr and Robin are racing to achieve each of their specific ends, one good, one evil. THE BASTARD FROM FAIRYLAND offers so much to like and I really did enjoy my journey into this intriguing dual world of human and fairy. Another great entry in the SPFBO challenge that I think could really make some noise. There are two other books in this trilogy and I definitely plan on reading both in the near future. But for now I am just going to savor what was a truly wonderful reading experience. This one is definitely worthy of some notice, so check it out. It's a book that takes you to a Fantasy world unlike any other but also reflects our times in a very real way. A unique and fresh modern take on a genre that sorely needs more books like this.
August 21, 2019
"Life has many ways of testing a person's will. Either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once." (Paulo Coelho)
Life can be tough. There can be no doubt about that! It will knock you down to your knees so many times that it may seem almost impossible to get back up. Choosing instead to retreat into the darkness and escape the daily struggles. However, those who can rise above such isolationist temptations and instead face challenges head on are the ones who will ultimately have the greatest impact. These are the heroic individuals of whom legends are made. In the novel The Bastard from Fairyland by author Phil Parker, we are able to see just such a scenario. For lovers of dark fantasy which is steeped in action and adventure... while at the same time exploring the depth and complexities of the mind... look no further!
The Bastard from Fairyland is Book One of the Knight's Protocol Trilogy. It follows the exploits of Robin Goodfellow who is an exiled fairy living in the human realm. Existing amongst the humans as a virtual outcast, Robin's greatest desire in life is to be left alone. Nevertheless, that is not to be as the Fae have invaded with the ultimate quest of enslaving humanity. As is quickly revealed in the tale- their ambition is matched only by their cruelty. When the conflict inevitably lands on his doorstep, Robin is forced to make a decision. Alas- what is a poor, placid and exiled fairy to do? Underestimating Robin could be a very serious error in judgment... for he is no mere Fae. Robin is a trooping fairy who has been born and bred to fight. Blood and gore is no stranger to him. He has also been sworn to protect the human knights- a twin brother and sister who the Fae have come to destroy. A collision course between Robin and the fae of the Dark Court has been set. Does Robin have what it takes to uphold his sworn oath? Or is he ultimately destined for something far worse than exile?
I found this novel to be very fast moving and utterly engaging. Robin, who is the main protagonist, is dragged into open warfare from the very outset of the story. Action and adventure follows from that point on and the reader needs to hold on tight! Also, while there are a variety of themes contained within this novel, the good versus evil motif stands out as the most prominent. It is heavily supported by the sequence of captivating story events. And this action can be dark at times- very dark indeed! Nonetheless, this wicked atmosphere further supports and lends authenticity to a beautifully orchestrated tale. All of this takes place in an entirely brutal, yet imaginative story-world which has the noble Arthurian background as the backdrop. Very clever juxtaposition.
While the plot will keep the reader entirely immersed in the story... so will the characters. There are a plethora of intriguing and imaginative players in this novel. We have a solid mix of faeries, humans, troll-like creatures, as well as dragons and wyverns. What stuck me the most about this book is the fact that each character has a carefully designed role which lends credibility to the theme. For instance, the Fae have a "Dark" and "Light" Court, while even Robin has two distinct sides to his personality (did someone mention Puck!) Even though we are in a deep, dark fantasy world, the characters come across as authentic and memorable. From the deeply conflicted and heroic Robin, to the malevolent Llyr. Stubborn yet wiley Nimue, to the petulant Brea. Everyone has their place and as the reader we can actually envision them all in our own world. Such character believability is a key ingredient to the success of any fantasy novel.
All of this comes together in a wonderfully paced book which is full of suspense and chicanery. Interestingly, there are 3 First person perspectives in the novel... Robin, Keir and Filidea. While Robin was my personal favorite and undoubtedly carries the novel, each of the 3 have their own defined role. They do not disrupt the flow of the writing at all and instead provide more background and perspective.
I would highly recommend this novel to adult fantasy readers. It is an intelligent and very entertaining read. There are some brutal scenes and sexual overtones so be forewarned.
5 out of 5 Captivating Stars for this one! *****
Life can be tough. There can be no doubt about that! It will knock you down to your knees so many times that it may seem almost impossible to get back up. Choosing instead to retreat into the darkness and escape the daily struggles. However, those who can rise above such isolationist temptations and instead face challenges head on are the ones who will ultimately have the greatest impact. These are the heroic individuals of whom legends are made. In the novel The Bastard from Fairyland by author Phil Parker, we are able to see just such a scenario. For lovers of dark fantasy which is steeped in action and adventure... while at the same time exploring the depth and complexities of the mind... look no further!
The Bastard from Fairyland is Book One of the Knight's Protocol Trilogy. It follows the exploits of Robin Goodfellow who is an exiled fairy living in the human realm. Existing amongst the humans as a virtual outcast, Robin's greatest desire in life is to be left alone. Nevertheless, that is not to be as the Fae have invaded with the ultimate quest of enslaving humanity. As is quickly revealed in the tale- their ambition is matched only by their cruelty. When the conflict inevitably lands on his doorstep, Robin is forced to make a decision. Alas- what is a poor, placid and exiled fairy to do? Underestimating Robin could be a very serious error in judgment... for he is no mere Fae. Robin is a trooping fairy who has been born and bred to fight. Blood and gore is no stranger to him. He has also been sworn to protect the human knights- a twin brother and sister who the Fae have come to destroy. A collision course between Robin and the fae of the Dark Court has been set. Does Robin have what it takes to uphold his sworn oath? Or is he ultimately destined for something far worse than exile?
I found this novel to be very fast moving and utterly engaging. Robin, who is the main protagonist, is dragged into open warfare from the very outset of the story. Action and adventure follows from that point on and the reader needs to hold on tight! Also, while there are a variety of themes contained within this novel, the good versus evil motif stands out as the most prominent. It is heavily supported by the sequence of captivating story events. And this action can be dark at times- very dark indeed! Nonetheless, this wicked atmosphere further supports and lends authenticity to a beautifully orchestrated tale. All of this takes place in an entirely brutal, yet imaginative story-world which has the noble Arthurian background as the backdrop. Very clever juxtaposition.
While the plot will keep the reader entirely immersed in the story... so will the characters. There are a plethora of intriguing and imaginative players in this novel. We have a solid mix of faeries, humans, troll-like creatures, as well as dragons and wyverns. What stuck me the most about this book is the fact that each character has a carefully designed role which lends credibility to the theme. For instance, the Fae have a "Dark" and "Light" Court, while even Robin has two distinct sides to his personality (did someone mention Puck!) Even though we are in a deep, dark fantasy world, the characters come across as authentic and memorable. From the deeply conflicted and heroic Robin, to the malevolent Llyr. Stubborn yet wiley Nimue, to the petulant Brea. Everyone has their place and as the reader we can actually envision them all in our own world. Such character believability is a key ingredient to the success of any fantasy novel.
All of this comes together in a wonderfully paced book which is full of suspense and chicanery. Interestingly, there are 3 First person perspectives in the novel... Robin, Keir and Filidea. While Robin was my personal favorite and undoubtedly carries the novel, each of the 3 have their own defined role. They do not disrupt the flow of the writing at all and instead provide more background and perspective.
I would highly recommend this novel to adult fantasy readers. It is an intelligent and very entertaining read. There are some brutal scenes and sexual overtones so be forewarned.
5 out of 5 Captivating Stars for this one! *****
September 20, 2018
I’ve read so much dark/grim fantasy lately that it took me a bit to adjust my expectations away from what I thought was going to be a book about Robin/Puck the complete and utter bastard, tricking, torturing, and just being a general asshole. This was not that at all. In fact, Robin/Puck was quite a likable fellow and I enjoyed the sometimes-wry tone to his pov.
There are of course, some scenes of darker content; death, aftermath of battlefield full of corpses, cruel people, and attempted/rape, but definitely no where near the degree I was prepared for. Possibly I am a little desensitized to it by now after a summer of grim reading so YMMV.
We are at war with the Fae and we are losing…
Humanity, over the years had stopped believing in the Fae, so were completely unprepared when they came through the portals raining destruction on our world.
Robin Goodfellow also known as Puck, holds the key to turning the tide in this war for whichever side can get to him first. I’m not going to get too detailed on the plot because half the fun of this book was watching it unfold.
These are the three pov characters we see in this (all first person).
Robin- has become a bit jaded and lonely, hiding out from the universe in his corner of the world (somewhere around present-day Glastonbury), licking his emotional wounds. He is tasked with the protection of two Knights, twins, and descendants of Arthur. A turn in events means Oisin (Robin’s past love) returns and the two of them must ensure the twins safety.
I liked Robin, his time as a Trooping Fairy (basically a form of military) means that he’s pretty tough in a fight and I especially loved the whole different view on Puck/Robin Goodfellow connection which I personally thought was pretty cool.
Plus, Oisin was a favorite, so I enjoyed the screen time of them together and their relationship because Robin and Oisin felt like they had so many unresolved feelings and actual history together. So much history, it gave their relationship a ‘it could good go either way feel’ in the reconcile or not department, and it would feel right either way. The fact that I liked both characters a lot meant I was rooting for them to make it work though.
Keir– A slave in the Fae realm. His affinity with a Wyvern (a smaller smarter type of Dragon) gets him promoted to being a Page, and sent through the portal to the human realm, with a mission. Accomplishing this mission will earn him a place in their Wyvern breeding/training program.
Keir was my favorite story-line… I like an underdog, and though I sometimes thought as a slave, he shouldn’t be that naive, I really liked the way his story worked out and am pretty curious to see where it goes from here. I expect he has a hard road ahead of him.
Filidia- Granddaughter to Lady Nimue, first minister of the Light Court and Lady of the Lake. She has some hefty shoes to fill and has a lot to learn.
Filidia was my favorite all around. I loved the character- I’m a pushover for the quiet, smart, and would rather be reading but gets caught up in palace intrigue character. And I loved the story-line with her because it was a great combination of intrigue, hints at scary villains, and her grandmother… who was scary enough by herself.
This story just got better and better as it went, as new people are introduced and we get to see a larger picture of what’s going on, things start falling in to place and it becomes a much more complicated story than it first appears to be. I do love a twisty, not sure where it going until the last brick falls in place, plot.
3.5
Other Notes-
-I enjoyed the mix or King Arthur and the Fae lore. Outside of a ton of Highlander Romances It’s been a long time since I’ve read anything Arthur, or Fae related, that takes place in ‘our world’.
- I had been on a roll of almost completely clean books but there were a few mistakes in this copy with missing/wrong words, spelling etc.. and some weird formatting at times, which to be fair, I suspect that part was because I use an app on a tablet for my reading. Nothing that made it unreadable though it did cause me to knock a bit off my rating.
- I grabbed this during the big promo sale for SPFBO 2018 but I’m know that it’s available for request on Esme’s TBRinder program (if you are involved with that) and is worth checking out.
The program can be found here-
https://weatherwaxreport.blog/2018/04...
There are of course, some scenes of darker content; death, aftermath of battlefield full of corpses, cruel people, and attempted/rape, but definitely no where near the degree I was prepared for. Possibly I am a little desensitized to it by now after a summer of grim reading so YMMV.
We are at war with the Fae and we are losing…
Humanity, over the years had stopped believing in the Fae, so were completely unprepared when they came through the portals raining destruction on our world.
Robin Goodfellow also known as Puck, holds the key to turning the tide in this war for whichever side can get to him first. I’m not going to get too detailed on the plot because half the fun of this book was watching it unfold.
These are the three pov characters we see in this (all first person).
Robin- has become a bit jaded and lonely, hiding out from the universe in his corner of the world (somewhere around present-day Glastonbury), licking his emotional wounds. He is tasked with the protection of two Knights, twins, and descendants of Arthur. A turn in events means Oisin (Robin’s past love) returns and the two of them must ensure the twins safety.
I liked Robin, his time as a Trooping Fairy (basically a form of military) means that he’s pretty tough in a fight and I especially loved the whole different view on Puck/Robin Goodfellow connection which I personally thought was pretty cool.
Plus, Oisin was a favorite, so I enjoyed the screen time of them together and their relationship because Robin and Oisin felt like they had so many unresolved feelings and actual history together. So much history, it gave their relationship a ‘it could good go either way feel’ in the reconcile or not department, and it would feel right either way. The fact that I liked both characters a lot meant I was rooting for them to make it work though.
Keir– A slave in the Fae realm. His affinity with a Wyvern (a smaller smarter type of Dragon) gets him promoted to being a Page, and sent through the portal to the human realm, with a mission. Accomplishing this mission will earn him a place in their Wyvern breeding/training program.
Keir was my favorite story-line… I like an underdog, and though I sometimes thought as a slave, he shouldn’t be that naive, I really liked the way his story worked out and am pretty curious to see where it goes from here. I expect he has a hard road ahead of him.
Filidia- Granddaughter to Lady Nimue, first minister of the Light Court and Lady of the Lake. She has some hefty shoes to fill and has a lot to learn.
Filidia was my favorite all around. I loved the character- I’m a pushover for the quiet, smart, and would rather be reading but gets caught up in palace intrigue character. And I loved the story-line with her because it was a great combination of intrigue, hints at scary villains, and her grandmother… who was scary enough by herself.
This story just got better and better as it went, as new people are introduced and we get to see a larger picture of what’s going on, things start falling in to place and it becomes a much more complicated story than it first appears to be. I do love a twisty, not sure where it going until the last brick falls in place, plot.
3.5
Other Notes-
-I enjoyed the mix or King Arthur and the Fae lore. Outside of a ton of Highlander Romances It’s been a long time since I’ve read anything Arthur, or Fae related, that takes place in ‘our world’.
- I had been on a roll of almost completely clean books but there were a few mistakes in this copy with missing/wrong words, spelling etc.. and some weird formatting at times, which to be fair, I suspect that part was because I use an app on a tablet for my reading. Nothing that made it unreadable though it did cause me to knock a bit off my rating.
- I grabbed this during the big promo sale for SPFBO 2018 but I’m know that it’s available for request on Esme’s TBRinder program (if you are involved with that) and is worth checking out.
The program can be found here-
https://weatherwaxreport.blog/2018/04...
December 22, 2018
I'm trying to be more pro-active with my support of independent publishers.😊
Alright down to the review:
This book basically follows a fairy from the Dark fairy court (no idea why it's called a dark court) *not tinkerbell kind of fairy; who somehow finds himself responsible for keeping safe 2 kids; referred to as Knights, who are sort of like humanity's guardians. Within this plot there's a mini plot of growing political unease between the dark fairy court and light fairy court (again no idea why, except there's some book of fairy courts i somehow missed reading)
Anyways while enjoyable enough i did not clearly have a sense of the exact importance of the Knights. I really failed to understand how 2 children could basically defend the whole humanity against a whole ass fairy army but i dunno maybe i missed something. I however think the author wasn't particularly clear in communicating that part of the story.
Robin Goodfellow the main protagonist's part was immensely enjoyable and so much fun...and if it had concentrated on just him i really did think this would have been a four star read for me.
As it is, Parker introduced a couple of characters who i'm guessing lay the foundation for whatever is going to happen in book 2. Problem is they aren't as savvy as you would except from people trying to deal in political machinations. They just didn't work for me. I'm hoping book 2 has much more finnesse in it so fingers crossed.
Either way i've already purchased it and quite eager to see where it all goes.
I'm not exactly sure what it is about fanatasy authors that they love to create human biases for mythological creatures. So for some reason fairies who have the life span of goodness knows how many years are somehow bothered by fairy women proving themselves and brown skinned people??? I really think this makes a book very limiting. Fantasy authors need to understand that being able to create a whole new world means your characters can be free from all these biases. Spread your wings and embrace freedom.
September 14, 2018
A review of
The Bastard from Fairyland
By Phil Parker
The Bastard from Fairyland is book one of The Knights’ Protocol trilogy.
It follows the story of an outcast Fae warrior named Robin Goodfellow and a number of other POV characters as a war rages between the Fae world and modern day England. Set in south western England around Glastonbury the war has left England ravaged, the people reduced to living in war torn slums ruled by vicious gangs and resistance fighters. It is safe to say the Fae seem to have the upper hand in the war so far.
Our main protagonist Robin Goodfellow is one of the Fae living amongst humans in exile from Tir na nog which is the Fae realm. Now, don’t let the word Fae confuse you this isn’t a tiny fairy with wings or anything like that, this Fae is a badass warrior trained to fight, kill and win at all costs.
Robin lives amongst the humans but receives no love from the humans nor his Fae kin. He lives alone occasionally moving from place to place as his true nature is discovered. His only remaining purpose is to maintain his pledge to The Knights’ Protocol as protector of the remaining human Knights.
The book kicks off with Fae creatures attacking a human boy in his garden to draw Robin out of hiding. We are then soon introduced to Oisin (love that name), who was a previous lover of Robins. Now at this point I should mention Robin and Oisin are homosexual and that entire side of the story is done very well and tastefully, with some genuine touching moments between them. This side of Robin’s sexuality is the cause of a terrible alter ego “Puck.” Puck surfaces in dire situations and is frankly a killing machine so that’s fun too, I felt there was a slight nod to Abercrombie’s Bloody Nine character here which I liked.
There are two other POV characters also that I will mention, both residing back in the Fae world of Tir na nog. We have Keir, a slave who accidentally discovers something incredible and then loses it and is sent off to recapture it. We also have Filidea who is a member of the Fae light court (there is a dark and light court in the Fae realm), a princess type character who also plays a prominent role and I suspect may become very important in later books.
There is a host of other characters from both the human and Fae realms, some good, some very bad. I particularly liked Ankou, he is bad ass and also Llyr is a great bad guy. For you dragon lovers, there is a cool Wyvern and dragons seem to exist in the Fae realm which is also excellently done.
I very much enjoyed this book Phil Parker had some excellent references to Shakespeare and English folklore, I suspect he is quite well versed and researched in the subject. I loved the world of modern England he painted, very bleak and dark. The book was fast paced and there was never a dull moment. I will certainly be reading the rest of the trilogy and am looking forward to finding out what happens next. I recommend if you’re a lover of dark fantasy and folklore you should certainly check these books out as you will be in for an entertaining read.
Thanks for reading
Lee
The Bastard from Fairyland
By Phil Parker
The Bastard from Fairyland is book one of The Knights’ Protocol trilogy.
It follows the story of an outcast Fae warrior named Robin Goodfellow and a number of other POV characters as a war rages between the Fae world and modern day England. Set in south western England around Glastonbury the war has left England ravaged, the people reduced to living in war torn slums ruled by vicious gangs and resistance fighters. It is safe to say the Fae seem to have the upper hand in the war so far.
Our main protagonist Robin Goodfellow is one of the Fae living amongst humans in exile from Tir na nog which is the Fae realm. Now, don’t let the word Fae confuse you this isn’t a tiny fairy with wings or anything like that, this Fae is a badass warrior trained to fight, kill and win at all costs.
Robin lives amongst the humans but receives no love from the humans nor his Fae kin. He lives alone occasionally moving from place to place as his true nature is discovered. His only remaining purpose is to maintain his pledge to The Knights’ Protocol as protector of the remaining human Knights.
The book kicks off with Fae creatures attacking a human boy in his garden to draw Robin out of hiding. We are then soon introduced to Oisin (love that name), who was a previous lover of Robins. Now at this point I should mention Robin and Oisin are homosexual and that entire side of the story is done very well and tastefully, with some genuine touching moments between them. This side of Robin’s sexuality is the cause of a terrible alter ego “Puck.” Puck surfaces in dire situations and is frankly a killing machine so that’s fun too, I felt there was a slight nod to Abercrombie’s Bloody Nine character here which I liked.
There are two other POV characters also that I will mention, both residing back in the Fae world of Tir na nog. We have Keir, a slave who accidentally discovers something incredible and then loses it and is sent off to recapture it. We also have Filidea who is a member of the Fae light court (there is a dark and light court in the Fae realm), a princess type character who also plays a prominent role and I suspect may become very important in later books.
There is a host of other characters from both the human and Fae realms, some good, some very bad. I particularly liked Ankou, he is bad ass and also Llyr is a great bad guy. For you dragon lovers, there is a cool Wyvern and dragons seem to exist in the Fae realm which is also excellently done.
I very much enjoyed this book Phil Parker had some excellent references to Shakespeare and English folklore, I suspect he is quite well versed and researched in the subject. I loved the world of modern England he painted, very bleak and dark. The book was fast paced and there was never a dull moment. I will certainly be reading the rest of the trilogy and am looking forward to finding out what happens next. I recommend if you’re a lover of dark fantasy and folklore you should certainly check these books out as you will be in for an entertaining read.
Thanks for reading
Lee
December 5, 2018
TBFF is not a book that I would usually pick up but I was glad that I did. It’s set in an alternate near future England where global warming had led to massively rising sea levels which, when couple with an attack from the Fae from another dimension has led to the downfall of society.
Against this backdrop is Robin Goodfellow, a Fae outcast by his own people but unloved by the humans. This is his story, trying to do what is right though he really doesn’t want to. Robin is not a particularly a character that you are made to feel warm and fuzzy toward. He’s a dark complicated and conflicted man, who has been screwed over in the past and he carries that with him. There are a couple of other POV characters who bring additional insights into the political machinations of the Fae.
There are some great action scenes, plenty of blood and the world gave me a 28 days later vibe but with added elves. I’m intrigued to find out what what is going to happen in book 2. Recommended read. 4/5
Against this backdrop is Robin Goodfellow, a Fae outcast by his own people but unloved by the humans. This is his story, trying to do what is right though he really doesn’t want to. Robin is not a particularly a character that you are made to feel warm and fuzzy toward. He’s a dark complicated and conflicted man, who has been screwed over in the past and he carries that with him. There are a couple of other POV characters who bring additional insights into the political machinations of the Fae.
There are some great action scenes, plenty of blood and the world gave me a 28 days later vibe but with added elves. I’m intrigued to find out what what is going to happen in book 2. Recommended read. 4/5
April 17, 2019
A good solid 3.5stars, rounded up to 4.
Really good read, enjoyed the setting and the world building nice use of the old legends.
Really good read, enjoyed the setting and the world building nice use of the old legends.
October 25, 2018
I had some problems with this book, mainly because its in first person multiple pov's and there were more than a few instance where I had NO idea which 'head' I was in.
BUT - this is a cracking good story (if you can work past the POV niggles)
This is no twee fairy story with sweet characters and woodland grottos
This is effing brutal. There is blood, torture, death, violence, a world savaged by the fae and under threat of total destruction. I loved it.
Stick with it. Its well worth it. (and the second and third books don't have the POV problem - kudos to the author for -hopefully - spotting the earlier problem and avoiding it in the follow-ups)
BUT - this is a cracking good story (if you can work past the POV niggles)
This is no twee fairy story with sweet characters and woodland grottos
This is effing brutal. There is blood, torture, death, violence, a world savaged by the fae and under threat of total destruction. I loved it.
Stick with it. Its well worth it. (and the second and third books don't have the POV problem - kudos to the author for -hopefully - spotting the earlier problem and avoiding it in the follow-ups)
September 20, 2018
Absolutely enchanted with this story which has elements of Arthurian legend, Celtic lore and Shakespearian hints.
Robin Goodfellow is a warrior banished to (human) south west England - for what, we do not know. He is meant to be a protector to the remaining 'Knights' - teenage twin boy and girl - but he hasn't done much to help so far.
In comes Llyr, a Prince of the Dark Court (of Fairyland) who wants to capture the twins so he can eliminate the humans completely, and take over the Light Court too. He brings with him Oisin, a former lover of Robin, to try to convince Robin to give up the fight.
(and here I'd like to say - how wonderful it is to actually have a gay MC!! Nicely done, Mr P!)
Then we come across Keir, who is a "hybrid" (half fairy half human?) and who finds a wyvern to care for. (OK - always need 'dragons' in fairy tales) :)
And Filidea who is a Light Court princess, grand-daughter to Nimue, and who is scientifically interested in the falling birth rate of the Fairies, whilst trying to avoid getting married.
With lots of characters in play, who have lots of nefarious reasons for doing things, the action is almost non-stop. It's also a lovely semi-armageddon with humans dying/being killed by rival gangs or fairy spriggans (you know - those 8ft stringy/boney thingies who love clawing bodies apart and licking up the blood).
So we have Robin and Oisin trying to find a safe place to hide the twins; Keir blackmailed into finding his wyvern (which has been sent through a portal, ultimately, or coincidentally, to be found by Oisin who takes care of it); and Filidea thwarting a villain's plans (which villain is planning on marrying her!)
All in all, a good rollicking tale. But....
I have to take away a half star (to make a 4.5 star rating) because of one thing:
I stumbled to a complete halt at Chapter 4, and then again at Chapter 8 (and some subsequent chapters too) because the First Person POV changed without warning. I'm not alone in saying I don't mind multiple 1st person POVs in a story, I'd just like to be aware of the damn thing when I start a new chapter. So Mr Parker (if possible) please give me Names as chapter headings in future (lots of Fantasy authors do, too) :)
NB: This is one of the stories being considered in Mark Lawrence's SPFBO, and I sincerely hope it manages to get through to the final. :) I'm also looking forward to Books 2 and 3 :)
ETA: "There were fairies at the bottom of my garden and they were torturing someone." is one of the BEST opening lines EVER!!
Robin Goodfellow is a warrior banished to (human) south west England - for what, we do not know. He is meant to be a protector to the remaining 'Knights' - teenage twin boy and girl - but he hasn't done much to help so far.
In comes Llyr, a Prince of the Dark Court (of Fairyland) who wants to capture the twins so he can eliminate the humans completely, and take over the Light Court too. He brings with him Oisin, a former lover of Robin, to try to convince Robin to give up the fight.
(and here I'd like to say - how wonderful it is to actually have a gay MC!! Nicely done, Mr P!)
Then we come across Keir, who is a "hybrid" (half fairy half human?) and who finds a wyvern to care for. (OK - always need 'dragons' in fairy tales) :)
And Filidea who is a Light Court princess, grand-daughter to Nimue, and who is scientifically interested in the falling birth rate of the Fairies, whilst trying to avoid getting married.
With lots of characters in play, who have lots of nefarious reasons for doing things, the action is almost non-stop. It's also a lovely semi-armageddon with humans dying/being killed by rival gangs or fairy spriggans (you know - those 8ft stringy/boney thingies who love clawing bodies apart and licking up the blood).
So we have Robin and Oisin trying to find a safe place to hide the twins; Keir blackmailed into finding his wyvern (which has been sent through a portal, ultimately, or coincidentally, to be found by Oisin who takes care of it); and Filidea thwarting a villain's plans (which villain is planning on marrying her!)
All in all, a good rollicking tale. But....
I have to take away a half star (to make a 4.5 star rating) because of one thing:
I stumbled to a complete halt at Chapter 4, and then again at Chapter 8 (and some subsequent chapters too) because the First Person POV changed without warning. I'm not alone in saying I don't mind multiple 1st person POVs in a story, I'd just like to be aware of the damn thing when I start a new chapter. So Mr Parker (if possible) please give me Names as chapter headings in future (lots of Fantasy authors do, too) :)
NB: This is one of the stories being considered in Mark Lawrence's SPFBO, and I sincerely hope it manages to get through to the final. :) I'm also looking forward to Books 2 and 3 :)
ETA: "There were fairies at the bottom of my garden and they were torturing someone." is one of the BEST opening lines EVER!!
November 25, 2018
The Bastard from Fairyland (The Knights’ Protocol #1) – Phil Parker
I received a copy of this book as part of the TBRindr programme.
346 pages| Self-published| Fantasy
3.5/5 (rounded to 4 on Goodreads and Amazon). I enjoyed the book a lot but there are a fair few issues, too.
Heads up: MM romance, brutal violence, rape scene(s).
The digest: an entertaining Arthurian-inspired grim fantasy novel with realistic, bloody violence, a diverse range of characters, and a wealth of Fae politics thrown in for good measure. It’s splendidly brutal.
As followers of my reviews might know by now, if I enjoy reading the book, I like to start by pointing out the flaws it had before finishing on the good parts. This novel is no different.
From the novel’s Goodreads page:
“He's Robin Goodfellow to those he knows. Puck to those he’ll kill. He’s lived among humans for centuries, they think he’s a demon. The teenagers he’s forced to protect, despise him.
The Fae may have banished him, to live among humanity where isolation has made him bitter, where he's been persecuted because of his sexuality. But now they want him back. They’ve declared war on the humans and Robin is vital to their success, so long as he’s prepared to release Puck.
The Bastard from Fairyland is a dark, urban fantasy. It's where A Midsummer Night's Dream meets Game of Thrones.”
The book follows three first-person perspectives, Robin (an exiled ex-warrior of the Fae), Keir (a Fae servant), and Filidea (a Fae princess) through three storylines which ultimately come together in the last 100 pages or so. The first main issue I had with The Bastard from Fairyland is how similar these three voices are – every time the perspective changed it took me a page or so of being confused before I finally realised who we were now following. There are nuances between the characters and their different settings are more than enough to mark out who is now speaking after a while, but the author could make this clearer by giving each character a much individual way of thinking or speaking. This is by no means awful, but it is definitely distracting and could possibly be fixed by something as simple as labelling each new chapter with the POV character’s name.
As with the warning above, there is one scene revolving around the rape of a young person as well as the mention of one other rape. It is the presence of the former that irks me a bit – I read for entertainment and perhaps I’m just a bit soft, but I don’t think that a 'live' description is necessary in order to convey the horror of the events unfolding. Don’t get me wrong, we aren’t subjected to a precise description of everything that happens, but I felt needlessly uncomfortable with this one scene. In contrast, I felt that the reaction of this character was a bit lax when it came to after the event – if an author presents us with such a brutal scene then I think there should be more of an obvious effect on the victim in the aftermath (especially when it doesn’t seem to add anything to the plot itself).
The off-screen (as it were) assault I think was handled much better. The impact of the attack has had a lasting effect on the victim, and the disgust and fury of other characters is also clear – I personally would have had two ‘off-screen’ scenes if they were needed for the plot.
In terms of what was a bit ‘meh’...
The editing of the book. It isn’t great and there are a fair few typos and grammatical issues (repeating certain words too often in a short space being the worst offender), but it is nothing more than an annoyance. I have seen a review who claimed that the novel is unreadable and honestly, I haven’t a clue what the guy is on about. There will always be more errors in self-published (or indie-published) works than from the traditional publishing houses, and The Bastard from Fairyland is pretty on a par with most others I have read.
There is clearly a lot of backstory for all of the characters involved and I felt like this area was a bit too underdeveloped. The Bastard from Fairyland is, of course, the first book in a trilogy and I don’t expect all the answers straight away but when comparing the novel to one by more experienced authors (e.g. Rob J. Hayes’ City of Kings) there is a marked difference in how the storytelling takes place. The backstory could be conveyed in full in later books but as an entry on its own, I was a bit disappointed as Parker clearly has such a well-thought-out series of events that took place before the events of the novel.
Apart from Robin, the other characters didn’t feel all that well developed. I’m not expecting huge character arcs for everyone, but a few of the cast here did feel a bit too much like baggage being carried around. This is not unheard of in the first novels of trilogies but as a standalone, I wouldn’t say I was impressed in this area.
So then, what did I like?
There is a solid amount of world-building going on in The Bastard from Fairyland, with Parker creating his own reality for the Fae with both a Light and a Dark Court, lots of politicking between the rulers of said courts, and a wealth of history about the war between the humans and the Fae. Most of the novel is set in our world, with the author taking inspiration from South West England (Bristol area most often), using key landmarks as places of power. I thoroughly enjoyed this mixture of purely fictional spaces with fully real ones – and the latter is kept brief enough as to not put off readers unfamiliar with the area whilst at the same time providing a useful map of sorts for those who do.
Most of the politics at play revolve around two main issues: the desire from elements of the Dark Court to once again wage war against humanity (the Fae pretty much destroyed the humans last time), and the issue of Fae infertility. I’ll say no more as to keep the story interesting for those who pick up the book, but if you’re after a bit of court intrigue you won’t be disappointed here.
Along with this sense of politics, there is also a clearly defined hierarchy within the Fae world which effects each of the three perspectives involved to varying degrees. But that doesn’t mean that Filidea has it easy – she has her own issues to deal with, and in fact sees the least action out of our three protagonists due to this. Robin is exiled to the human realm, failing in his duty to uphold and protect the Knights Protocol (basically two kids who hold the power to fight back against the Fae, very Arthurian-inspired) along with other characters with varying levels of magical ability. There’s a good sense of animosity towards fairies in the human world, the hostility effecting how Robin and his companions set out to achieve their ideals.
I’m a fan of gruesome violence in books and The Bastard from Fairyland did not disappoint me here. It’s visceral, bloody, and detailed. This might put some readers off and that is perfectly okay, but for those of us who like our Game of Thrones battle scenes and grimdark murders then this is perfect. Not only are we presented with Robin himself as a trained elite warrior (Trooper), but his barely-controllable unconscious partner, Puck. Puck is, to all intents and purposes, the perfect killing mechanism, meaning that Robin doesn’t let him out unless he absolutely needs to.
There are other aspects which I also thoroughly enjoyed – magical creatures play a vital part in the novel and (I hope) become a core component in other books from The Knights’ Protocol. The relationships between characters is also well-done, though I think those between Robin and his two most important companions are the best (one of whom is Robin’s ex-boyfriend Oisin – a handsome Fae in a whole world of trouble I won’t talk about for fear of spoilers). Add on top of this a good cast of supporting characters including war-lords, generals, and unkillable assassins and you really are set for a good time.
There is also diversity across the different characters. We have heterosexual and homosexual representation, strong female characters, and some representation of ethnic minorities and the struggles these people face. It's a lot better in this respect than many other books that I have read.
3.5/5 means that I enjoyed reading the novel but there were a fair few issues preventing me from being able to recommend it to everyone. It’s a solid story with a lot of promise for what is to come, and if you can get over the odd character development and perspective issues then I reckon fantasy fans will have a great time.
For more reviews, see my blog, aperturereads.wordpress.com.
I received a copy of this book as part of the TBRindr programme.
346 pages| Self-published| Fantasy
3.5/5 (rounded to 4 on Goodreads and Amazon). I enjoyed the book a lot but there are a fair few issues, too.
Heads up: MM romance, brutal violence, rape scene(s).
The digest: an entertaining Arthurian-inspired grim fantasy novel with realistic, bloody violence, a diverse range of characters, and a wealth of Fae politics thrown in for good measure. It’s splendidly brutal.
As followers of my reviews might know by now, if I enjoy reading the book, I like to start by pointing out the flaws it had before finishing on the good parts. This novel is no different.
From the novel’s Goodreads page:
“He's Robin Goodfellow to those he knows. Puck to those he’ll kill. He’s lived among humans for centuries, they think he’s a demon. The teenagers he’s forced to protect, despise him.
The Fae may have banished him, to live among humanity where isolation has made him bitter, where he's been persecuted because of his sexuality. But now they want him back. They’ve declared war on the humans and Robin is vital to their success, so long as he’s prepared to release Puck.
The Bastard from Fairyland is a dark, urban fantasy. It's where A Midsummer Night's Dream meets Game of Thrones.”
The book follows three first-person perspectives, Robin (an exiled ex-warrior of the Fae), Keir (a Fae servant), and Filidea (a Fae princess) through three storylines which ultimately come together in the last 100 pages or so. The first main issue I had with The Bastard from Fairyland is how similar these three voices are – every time the perspective changed it took me a page or so of being confused before I finally realised who we were now following. There are nuances between the characters and their different settings are more than enough to mark out who is now speaking after a while, but the author could make this clearer by giving each character a much individual way of thinking or speaking. This is by no means awful, but it is definitely distracting and could possibly be fixed by something as simple as labelling each new chapter with the POV character’s name.
As with the warning above, there is one scene revolving around the rape of a young person as well as the mention of one other rape. It is the presence of the former that irks me a bit – I read for entertainment and perhaps I’m just a bit soft, but I don’t think that a 'live' description is necessary in order to convey the horror of the events unfolding. Don’t get me wrong, we aren’t subjected to a precise description of everything that happens, but I felt needlessly uncomfortable with this one scene. In contrast, I felt that the reaction of this character was a bit lax when it came to after the event – if an author presents us with such a brutal scene then I think there should be more of an obvious effect on the victim in the aftermath (especially when it doesn’t seem to add anything to the plot itself).
The off-screen (as it were) assault I think was handled much better. The impact of the attack has had a lasting effect on the victim, and the disgust and fury of other characters is also clear – I personally would have had two ‘off-screen’ scenes if they were needed for the plot.
In terms of what was a bit ‘meh’...
The editing of the book. It isn’t great and there are a fair few typos and grammatical issues (repeating certain words too often in a short space being the worst offender), but it is nothing more than an annoyance. I have seen a review who claimed that the novel is unreadable and honestly, I haven’t a clue what the guy is on about. There will always be more errors in self-published (or indie-published) works than from the traditional publishing houses, and The Bastard from Fairyland is pretty on a par with most others I have read.
There is clearly a lot of backstory for all of the characters involved and I felt like this area was a bit too underdeveloped. The Bastard from Fairyland is, of course, the first book in a trilogy and I don’t expect all the answers straight away but when comparing the novel to one by more experienced authors (e.g. Rob J. Hayes’ City of Kings) there is a marked difference in how the storytelling takes place. The backstory could be conveyed in full in later books but as an entry on its own, I was a bit disappointed as Parker clearly has such a well-thought-out series of events that took place before the events of the novel.
Apart from Robin, the other characters didn’t feel all that well developed. I’m not expecting huge character arcs for everyone, but a few of the cast here did feel a bit too much like baggage being carried around. This is not unheard of in the first novels of trilogies but as a standalone, I wouldn’t say I was impressed in this area.
So then, what did I like?
There is a solid amount of world-building going on in The Bastard from Fairyland, with Parker creating his own reality for the Fae with both a Light and a Dark Court, lots of politicking between the rulers of said courts, and a wealth of history about the war between the humans and the Fae. Most of the novel is set in our world, with the author taking inspiration from South West England (Bristol area most often), using key landmarks as places of power. I thoroughly enjoyed this mixture of purely fictional spaces with fully real ones – and the latter is kept brief enough as to not put off readers unfamiliar with the area whilst at the same time providing a useful map of sorts for those who do.
Most of the politics at play revolve around two main issues: the desire from elements of the Dark Court to once again wage war against humanity (the Fae pretty much destroyed the humans last time), and the issue of Fae infertility. I’ll say no more as to keep the story interesting for those who pick up the book, but if you’re after a bit of court intrigue you won’t be disappointed here.
Along with this sense of politics, there is also a clearly defined hierarchy within the Fae world which effects each of the three perspectives involved to varying degrees. But that doesn’t mean that Filidea has it easy – she has her own issues to deal with, and in fact sees the least action out of our three protagonists due to this. Robin is exiled to the human realm, failing in his duty to uphold and protect the Knights Protocol (basically two kids who hold the power to fight back against the Fae, very Arthurian-inspired) along with other characters with varying levels of magical ability. There’s a good sense of animosity towards fairies in the human world, the hostility effecting how Robin and his companions set out to achieve their ideals.
I’m a fan of gruesome violence in books and The Bastard from Fairyland did not disappoint me here. It’s visceral, bloody, and detailed. This might put some readers off and that is perfectly okay, but for those of us who like our Game of Thrones battle scenes and grimdark murders then this is perfect. Not only are we presented with Robin himself as a trained elite warrior (Trooper), but his barely-controllable unconscious partner, Puck. Puck is, to all intents and purposes, the perfect killing mechanism, meaning that Robin doesn’t let him out unless he absolutely needs to.
There are other aspects which I also thoroughly enjoyed – magical creatures play a vital part in the novel and (I hope) become a core component in other books from The Knights’ Protocol. The relationships between characters is also well-done, though I think those between Robin and his two most important companions are the best (one of whom is Robin’s ex-boyfriend Oisin – a handsome Fae in a whole world of trouble I won’t talk about for fear of spoilers). Add on top of this a good cast of supporting characters including war-lords, generals, and unkillable assassins and you really are set for a good time.
There is also diversity across the different characters. We have heterosexual and homosexual representation, strong female characters, and some representation of ethnic minorities and the struggles these people face. It's a lot better in this respect than many other books that I have read.
3.5/5 means that I enjoyed reading the novel but there were a fair few issues preventing me from being able to recommend it to everyone. It’s a solid story with a lot of promise for what is to come, and if you can get over the odd character development and perspective issues then I reckon fantasy fans will have a great time.
For more reviews, see my blog, aperturereads.wordpress.com.
January 15, 2019
A unique and brilliantly told story
From the first sentence, this was a gripping, action packed read. Set against the back drop of a flooded and ravaged Britain, Robin Goodfellow risks everything to protect humanity’s last chance for survival. This is an explosive, dark and well crafted tale. I strongly recommend it!
From the first sentence, this was a gripping, action packed read. Set against the back drop of a flooded and ravaged Britain, Robin Goodfellow risks everything to protect humanity’s last chance for survival. This is an explosive, dark and well crafted tale. I strongly recommend it!
August 15, 2022
A different take on the fae.
A thoroughly enjoyable read. Fast paced and exciting and filled with interesting characters who I found myself caring about. And fighting - lots of fighting!
A thoroughly enjoyable read. Fast paced and exciting and filled with interesting characters who I found myself caring about. And fighting - lots of fighting!
December 12, 2018
This is the second book in a month with Robin Goodfellow as a main character. That's about the most Fae this gets.
Not a challenging read, events jump quickly from action to action without a lot of descriptive world building. A modern world reduced to a Mad Max level by a war between the realms of Fairy and Humans. The Fae are not overly magical or ethereal. They act and sound way to much like cheesy human villains.
I could see this as a B grade TV drama with actors in pointy ears doing lots of sword fighting.
Not a challenging read, events jump quickly from action to action without a lot of descriptive world building. A modern world reduced to a Mad Max level by a war between the realms of Fairy and Humans. The Fae are not overly magical or ethereal. They act and sound way to much like cheesy human villains.
I could see this as a B grade TV drama with actors in pointy ears doing lots of sword fighting.
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