Фракс и Эльфийские острова

Thraxas #4

by Martin Scott

Допустим, вы - изрядный циник. (Ну, так жизнь сложилась!) Допустим, при этом вы - еще и представитель отчаянно циничной профессии частного детектива. И не абы где, а в славном магическом городе Турае, где здоровый цинизм - это вообще условие выживания… Допустили? Ну, тогда вы меня поймете! Меня - самого знаменитого (и, как водится, вечно безработного) турайского сыщика. Но - любой цинизм, извиняюсь, отступает, когда необходимо ЛЮБОЙ ЦЕНОЙ спасти блудную дочурку старинного друга, вроде как нанесшую немыслимое оскорбление гордым до неприличия эльфам с Эльфийских островов. А на островах тех - ну, все по-эльфийски. Заговоры зреют, Священное древо горит, призраки замаскированные с копьями бродят, народ эльфийский кто-то выбивает. Ужасно, да? Еще бы не ужасно. Других дел не берем. Вперед - на Эльфийские острова!!!

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Humor, Fiction

318 pages, Hardcover

First published August 3, 2000

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

A pen name of Martin Millar.

Reviews

[Boneist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the fact that it's formulaic and still has the stilted narration, I really enjoyed this book. Couldn't wait to find out whodunnit!

[Clarence Beeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've actually started to ration the Thraxas novels now, knowing there's a finite number. So far they've just got better and better.

[John Chapman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Silly and convoluted story. Not as good as the previous two in the series. Description of the Elivish Island lacks imagination. Trees, parrots and butterflies being almost the sum total of the flora and fauna described. There was an interesting gathering place for elves that liked to drink called something like, "3 oaks and river". The dwa in the sacred pool was absurd. Also, I thought Makri’s character was somehow different. Perhaps it’s because she featured far more? Preferred her characterisation in the previous books.

[Veselin Nikolov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best Thraxas so far. I know it's less Thraxas than the other 3 but it's the most mysterious and balanced one. It's an almost pure fantasy crime story.

Thraxas and Makri will go to an Elven island to work on a murder case. A dear friend and war buddy asked Thraxas for help because his daughter was arrested and is likely to be prosecuted for the crimes she likely committed.

There will be alcohol and Makri will wield her swords. No axe.

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is series is not great literature, but it's a lot of fun to read. This was my favorite of the books so far. I loved the subplot of Makri as a teacher, and Thraxas shows off his Investigator skills more in this book than the others, where I felt he just slogged along until clues were thrown at him.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series gets more funny and over-the-top with each iteration. People involved in educating the young to be resilient have a lot to learn from Scott's ideas. This volume offered even more literally laugh-out-loud moments than the last. Brilliant.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The eponymous loudmouth, reasonably obnoxious investigator finds mystery and beer in the lands of the elves. Not Thraxas' best outing. Scott spends too much time being clever about fantasy elf tropes and not enough on the plot. Rated PG for some violence, drug use and adult themes. 2.5/5