Customer Reviews

Beggar's Banquet

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Its not that I believed a legitimate honest-to-gosh whodunnit puzzler murder mystery COULDN'T be done in a full-fledged fantasy realm (after all, Randall Garrett came close with his Lord Darcy tales). I just didn't think it WOULD be done. Or at least not well. Daniel Hood has created a series of novels that are both wonderful fantasy and terrific mysteries, complete with first-rate characters. I can't overstate how impressed I am! More more more please!

I always believed few authors try to mix genres. It is not that it's impossible, or that it doesn't sell. I imagined it was because of the difficulty of writing well in the first place: one should master one genre before attempting to blaze new trails. This series has lifted the blinders from my eyes.

In this story, Liam Rhenford must troll the sewers of society and game with the glittering aristocracy to solve a murder. I've read one other author who does such a good job of combining fantasy and mystery, and that is Glen Cook, whose Garrett series combines fantasy with hard-boiled noir detective fiction. This is far more the gentleman detective, a genre that seems to be entering decline. With Daniel Hood searching out new territory, it can only get better.

This is the third book in Hood's series about Liam Rhenford and his dragon familiar, Faniulh. This story takes place a short two months after Wizard's Heir, just enough time for Liam to get bored. Liam's friend, the Aedile, recommends Liam to widowed Mistress Priscian as a merchant partner. Then a mage shows up at his door to hide from the Wizard's Guild and to go through Tarquin's things. The next morning, a body with his throat cut washes up on Liam's beach. Liam brings the body to the Aedile and finds that Mistress Priscian's priceless family heirloom, the Priscian Jewel, has been stolen. The story catches Liam's interest and he volunteers to investigate the mysterious theft - all of the suspects have a motive, but who did it? In short order, Liam finds himself embroiled in a duel, receiving invitations from rich, bored women, mingling with the "upper crust", hunting down thieves and beggars and trying to keep his houseguest happy!

Another thrilling adventure with Liam and Faniulh! If you love fantasy and mystery, then this is a great series for you. Once again, Daniel Hood uses superb characterization and beautiful detail to bring the land of Southwark to life. Find this book - you will not want to miss it!

Banquet continues the adventures of Liam and his Dragon familiar Fanuilh. It takes place a month or two after the events of Wizard's Heir. A priceless jewel is stolen under mysterious circumstances, Liam investigates, bodies start piling up.... It's everything you want in your Mystery-Fantasy crossover! "Fanuilh" and "Wizard's Heir" gave me an entertaining read and impressed me with Hood's clever concept of mixing the Fantasy genre with the Mystery genres of hard-boiled dectective (in Fanuilh) and Sherlock Holmes style (in Wizard's Heir.) In Banquet he blends Fantasy and Agatha Christie style mystery. If that was all there was it would have been good enough. But Hood throws in a shock twist ending that blew me away. A big improvement over the first two books and I LIKED the first two books!

The book was given to me by my friend, he said nothing about it being a mystery, or I wouldn't have read it. But from the first few pages I realized the author had talent, and did'nt even think about as being a mystery until after I was finished. The book was excellent. I reccomend it to any fantasy lover or mystery reader. Wait, I reccomend it to anybody.

not your typical fantasy novel, a who done it with a twist that keeps you guessing till the last chapter!