Customer Reviews

Elf Child

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had high hopes for this book - and not only because the cover's so pretty! The premise sounded very appealing: an immortal and ever-young man, a changeling [in the sense that he can - indeed, must - change his appearance and/or his shape every so often or he'll weaken], who falls in love with a mortal man. Dare he confess the truth about himself, or just keep quiet - and, either way, how will he bear it when his lover ages and he does not? Sounded like it might offer many of the elements of vampire love stories without the blood-letting...

Alas, while the book contains many of the elements of a really good story, it falls a little short. The characters are likeable but 2-dimensional, the writing tends towards the over-explanatory, and the plot twists are, for the most part, interesting, but are foreshadowed and then resolved rather simply.

The story starts slowly, with Russ spending a lot of time contemplating his appearance(s) and deciding what look to wear to go clubbing. [How he manages to avoid trouble when he adopts the appearance of a different model every night isn't dealt with, though one odd side effect of a too-close resemblance to a living person is mentioned.] He meets Eric and they begin a tentative romance, which seems pleasant but a bit too easy (and a wee bit boring). Things pick up when more conflicts start to kick in; there are some potentially interesting interactions involving each man's mother [one a changeling herself, one an adoptive mother with a penchant for genealogy, and both of them very much concerned with protecting their sons], but despite some mild slight-of-hand regarding who's threatening whom, the main crisis of the story - sparked by a really nasty bashing - seemed gratuitous to me... I don't know. I didn't dislike it, exactly; I wanted the characters to get together, to work things out - but I also wanted a little more depth to them, and some greater feel for exactly what the changelings were and how that affected their world-view. [There is a brief hint at the kinds of kinky fun - and troubling psychological issues - one might have dating someone who can morph into almost any appearance, sex, or species, but even that isn't explored in any depth.] As it is, it's mostly a rather fluffy romance - no explicit sex scenes, lots of gazing into eyes and worrying about what the other is thinking - disrupted by that startlingly violent bashing; there are flashbacks by various characters, and more than a few dream/fantasy/out-of-body sequences as well, and some plot twists near the end that made me think "soap opera!". (...)

In sum, I think it could have been a really marvelous story, but it fell short.

Russ and his mother Lizzy are decades-old shapeshifters who have settled in San Diego for the time being. Russ uses his abilities to spice up his long string of one-night stands. When he meets Eric, Russ is immediately smitten and feels ready to risk it all to make the relationship work, including the truth about his supernatural self. Their love strains under this burden, and when Eric's mother starts piecing together the truth about Lizzy and Russ, things become more complicated. In one brutal instant, Russ and Eric's love is tested and they could lose not only their connection but also their lives. "Elf Child" is a compelling romance that embraces themes of our image-conscious culture, being an outsider, and the consequences of hiding the truth about oneself. There are some contrived elements to the novel, like the connection between their mothers, but those are but blips in a charming and fantastical supernatural thriller that earns its nomination for a Lambda Literary Award.

Russ is a changeling, or elf child. As a changeling, he will never grow old and has the ability to change his appearance to man, woman or beast. He is also gay and trying to find love in modern day San Diego. One night, while on a date, he runs into Eric who accidentally spills beer all over him. Russ notices an immediate connection with him, and they soon start dating. But Russ must keep his abilities a secret from Eric and that soon begins to take its toll on their relationship.

Much is happening with this novel: the search for love and acceptance as a gay man, connecting your present with your past, the overly-image consciousness of some in the gay community. But I had a problem with the characters. None of them displayed any emotional depth, made me empathize with them. They went about their routines and too easily accepted everything that happened. They came across as very one-dimensional. Also, the genealogical connections were just a bit too coincidental which had me shaking my head as the story progressed. This is a so-so novel that could use a bit more character development.

In my opinion this has to be one of the best gay love stories ever written. The supernatural twist only served to add to the depth of the story. Russ and Eric make such a wonderful couple. Exploring and testing the love they share for one another in this manner is brilliantly wonderful. The suspense was blissfully gripping. I loved they way this author kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting to keep reading even when my eyes were tired and wanting to go on strike. This is such a great read.

The premise of being able to metamorphose into another body/amimal reminded me of the sixties TV series "Bewitched". Set in San Diego, Russ has this ability and uses it to cruise a varierty of good looking men. A little like Hanif Kureishi's The Body, an entertaining concept does start to get repetitive. Elf Child does entertain at times but the stereotypical gay cruising situations were annoyingly predictable. This is a light read but there was an underlying theme that people who are different are often persecuted and so have to hide their true selves. A very often used theme but this was an interesting new slant.

This is the first book I have even "reviewed." I have quite fond memories of this excellent read. And thus was a bit surprised at some of the poor or moderate reviews. For a book of this type -- fantasy, supernatural changling, or however you would catagorize it -- the the plot is not forced, the romance satisfying, and the ending happy -- (and I usually want a happy ending, there is already too many unhappy endings in real life).
Some reviews state that the plot twist was contrived or obvious -- I do not care -- it is STILL a very satisfying and enjoyable read. I usually find science fiction, fantasy, or "alternative" fiction, requiring a "suspension of belief" to be so contrived and the characters (for one of the very worst of examples: "The Wrath of Kahn")so shallow or rediculous, that the story can not maintain my interest. This is quite the exception.

Russ, is a gay man, a changeling, a shapeshifter and possible an immortal. He will never age and is able to have any man he desires, whenever he desires. Unfortuately, our sexy, gorgeous ever-young man is tired of the game and wants a real relationship and true love.
Another interesting character is Russ's mother.
I enjoyed this off-beat story. The reader doesn't know where it will lead.
sexy, erotic,shocking

About The Book:
Being gay in a straight world is never easy. Even immortality and magical abilities aren't much help . . .

Elf Child: Russ, a twentysomething-looking gay man, is searching for his true identity while he struggles with keeping an otherworldly secret. Russ is a changeling . . . a shape-shifter who will never age, and who, perhaps, will never die. Living a carefree beach life in San Diego, he uses his uncanny abilities to feed his desire for men of all shapes and sizes-but something important is missing. This suspenseful novel unfolds as Russ realizes that his obsession with image has become empty and that what he really needs is a relationship with another man that will encompass more than the satisfaction of his sexual needs.

Eric, who has been enjoying all that San Diego has to offer a single young gay man, is also looking for something more. Falling in love with one of Russ's many sexy incarnations, he is blissfully unaware of the supernatural direction his life story is about to take. Still, he can't help thinking that there is something odd, something "too good to be true" about his new lover.

Lizzy-Russ's mother and a changeling herself-is well over one hundred years old. Her life has been a difficult one. She's been compelled to lead a life of secrecy and hiding after witnessing the brutal murder of another of her kind, never staying in any city too long, never being able to hold onto a real relationship. Her greatest fear is that Russ's longing for true love and real trust will lead him to reveal their secret, and that once their secret is out, that she and her son will become prey for those whose ignorance, based in fear, begets hatred and, ultimately, murder.

In the spirit of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and other authors whose stories bring an element of magic into an otherwise very real universe, David M. Pierce uses Russ's supernatural abilities to underscore Elf Child's true-to-life themes: the search for identity, personal growth and transformation, and being the 'outsider'-which are all central to the struggles of those of us who have grown up gay in a straight world.

How do you make a relationship last-when you're immortal but your lover gets older every day?

"Russ walked over to the window and greeted the coming day. Memories of other times flooded back-this was after the point at which he would have taken his leave, or insisted that the other leave him. He wondered how many times that had happened-was it hundreds or even thousands? Always the fear of being discovered had drowned the need for connection. At least, until now it had. When Russ looked over at his lover, Eric was silently watching him, with a look of concern mixed with something else that was quite wonderful."

I know the guy on the cover. We had a five year + relationship and new daughter. I never read the book. I don't think I want to, but I am buying him a copy, because I think he carries some dark repressed emotions with the photo and his time in history in Seattle. =)

russ a changling falls for eric and discovers love while lizzy his over a hundered year old mother worries what might happen if there secret gets out the story travels over lizzys (russes mother) fear of discovery and why to russes discovery of love and honesty to a gay bashing and some incredible detective work bye erics mom as she trys to discover her sons lovers secret its very touching and telling story with just the right amount of fantasy of a an elf child who loves a mortal man i liked this book enough to write a review the first ive ever writen and i have bought many books on amazon if you like romance and fantasy this a book for you i recomend it highly