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Qwyrk is having a bad day; several, in fact. One of the Shadow folk tasked with keeping an eye on humanity, she's ready for a well-earned break in Yorkshire, but now she's (literally) run into a girl, Jilly, who just saw something quite supernatural and truly awful happen in her town. As Qwyrk tries to unravel the mystery, layers of villainy are exposed, and she's stuck with an assortment of unlikely folk that she'd rather not have "helping" her. Together, they confront ancient magic, medieval conspiracies, and the possible end of the world (that again?). It's not the holiday Qwyrk was hoping for!
QWYRK is the first in a series of four novels about the adventures of a group of misfits at the edge of reality in modern northern England, a world of shadows, Nighttime Nasties, sorcery, intergalactic councils, tacky nightclub attire, Monty Pythonesque humor, and even elves... though they are a bit silly.

360 pages, Paperback

Published May 25, 2021

23 people want to read

About the author

Tim Rayborn

51 books25 followers
Tim Rayborn is a historian, medievalist, and musician, with an MA and PhD from the University of Leeds in England. He is a writer on a variety of topics in history and the arts, from the academic to the amusing to the appalling. He has written nearly 50 books to date.


A professional musician with a specialty in medieval repertoire, he plays dozens of musical instruments, has appeared on more than 40 recordings, and has performed in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia.


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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Profile Image for Anthony.
Author 29 books197 followers
July 11, 2021
The Review

This was a truly well-developed first entry into a brand new fantasy series. The author doesn’t waste time delving into this supernatural world, where the creatures of myth and legend live hidden in the shadows of our own world. The balance of mythology that the author has crafted and brought to life through the characters of this narrative and the unique humor that helps define the relationships between these characters was exciting to read.

The action of this novel was perfect. Jilly was a great character, as she served to bring humanity into the larger-than-life supernatural mischief that the protagonists faced along this journey. Personally, it was the author’s setting that really had me hooked. While I am a huge fan of YA Fantasy and LGBTQ-driven narratives, as well as mythology, I am an even bigger fan of the UK and loved seeing the interactions and the way the setting impacted the character’s personalities as well.

The Verdict

A beautifully written, engaging, and mesmerizing YA Fantasy and LGBTQ-Supernatural tale, author Tim Rayborn’s “QWYRK” is a must-read first entry into a brand new, modern-day fairy tale series. The action and mythology really helped to bring this narrative to life, and the characters kept the reader invested as the villain and hero rose to light. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy of this incredible read today!
Profile Image for Annie.
446 reviews3 followers
July 3, 2021
a delightful tongue-in-cheek fairy tale. some great riffs: a parody of new age workshops, a ditzy fairy (dare I say airy-fairy) trying to figure out WHY the MIDDLE ages were so called... characters fun. NOT to spoil the story, but I particularly liked the young girl's figuring out how to thwart the evil character--a good call for the arts at a YOUNG age!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews

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