Customer Reviews

Knight of Ghosts & Shadows (Bedlam's Bard, Bk. 1)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a fan of Mercedes Lackey from a long time back so when I saw this book at the bookstore, I immediately snatched it up. It's the story of a melancholy street-busker, Eric Banyon, and how his talents with the flute earn him the love of the warrior elf Korendil and the witch/rockstar Beth, and also the eternal gratitude of the elves in California for creating a new home for them after their's is bulldozed. That's it. It's a pretty good story but it's definitely got some flaws.

First of all, Korendil is an extremely flat character. He just stands there in his armor and smiles. Throughout the book, Mercedes lackey flips from person to person to tell the story from several points of view but Kory hardly speaks at all.

As for the flipping view points, I did like that we got to hear the opinions of the main bad girl, Ria, but all that flipping around got confusing. I found myself flipping around more than once trying to find out what was happening.

One final caveat: there is a very small, miniscule amount of homosexuality in this book. In fact, compared to Ms. Lackey's Magic's Price, Promise, Pawn series this is nothing. But, if this kind of thing offends you, don't read the book.

The thing I loved most was the magical music, literally. Anyone with a passion for music should read this book. Hearing the sounds she matched the music to made me want to go downstairs and play the piano.

If you love the idea of magic and music together, buy this book. Those parts made my heart soar!

If you liked this book, the SERRAted Edge series is ten times better. It is very similar to this book but the characters are more interesting, in my opinion. It is also by Mercedes Lackey and she recently re-released the four books of the series into two volumes.

Mercedes Lackey rocks!

One of my most favored memories and my introduction into the genre of Urban Fantasy. Mercedes Lackey and Ellen Guon weave a wonderful web of Elves in the modern day world. The character development is extremely well done, but the plot is left a littl thread-bare in places. Not to worry though, as it seems that this novel is more about exploring the characters than it is about exploring a setting in a story. The characters of Eric, Beth, and Kory are well worked, and their feelings on all sorts of subjects is explored in great detail. This is one of my favorite all-time books. Give it a whirl!

This book was very enjoyable, another well-done work of Mercedes Lackey's. The characters were all very interesting and well developed. Sometimes Banyon's tendency to run away from problems got annoying, but this "flaw" in his character only made him seem more real to me. Beth and Korendil were great additions to the story as well, though I coudn't exactly call the latter realistic. The classic story of hope lost, found, lost and found a couple more times, then, triumph over the ultimate evil. This book has definitely gone on my favorite's list.

Seriously the best urban fantasy that I have ever read, and that's saying alot! This book clocked out over Marion Zimmer Bradley's Witchlight and Ghostlight! Poor Eric, such trails and tribulations in love...between an elf, a witch, the daughter of the man who wants to kill you,( and seems to be the best match for him, despite that brainwashing thingie she did!)...Poor Eric, poor Kory, poor Bethy...sigh..poor me! I don't have the third one yet!

I guess I was lucky. Someone told me there was something called Urban Fantasy and so I went looking for a book with that in mind. Lackey and Guon did a nice job, at least for my brain. I don't know much about busking, but that seemed plausible and that elves were in LA and kind of "asleep" among us seemed like a cool and unique plot twist. If it's been done before then mea culpa.

I also liked the writing changed from person to person's point of view and felt like it was easy to read, but being a lit major in college, maybe I have an easier time of it. Some readers don't like italics, but I seem to do well with it for thought dialog.

The polyamory aspect of it intrigued me and was a nice edition and that was partially why I picked this book as well.

While Anne Rice seems to write well about being an immortal, but I seriously doubt anyone could get it correct since no one knows. But the immortals in this book seem plenty devious and cunning and ring true even after the story ended. I also loved the feeling that music can heal and in my heart, that seemed to be the overall intended tone or path of this story. (Pun intended.) *smile*

I picked the book up by accident at a used book store, and just couldn't put it down. Ms Lackey has the ability to put you into the story and make you think that you can smell the smells, taste the food, and see the people. I enjoy her work and think that it should be compulsory reading in schools, for English Lit classes.

If I'd written this review as a teen, I probably would have given the book four stars. As it is, I've gotten older and more cynical. The book has three main characters: Korendil, a "young" elf of 200 years or so, Beth, a musician and witch; and Eric, a flautist who discovers that he has magic powers and is the only one who can save L.A. (and the world) from the forces of evil. Through music. There are good elves, but also bad elves with their own agenda. As other reviewers have pointed out, there could definitely be more character development, but all in all, it's an entertaining read.

Anyone who performed or vended at either "Big Faire", which is what Californians call the two nine week long every summer Rennaisance Faires, one Northern, one Southern, will recognize this book as a fantasy utilizing what happened when Southern Faire's site for years was bulldozed and the Faire had to move. Not surprising as Lackey herself has connections to the Faire folk.

Other than that, the book itself is interesting, not the least because it broke Lackey's invariable pattern of doing trilogies. Knight of Ghosts and Shadows is actually the second book in a "trilogy", if you want to call it that, book one being bowery Boyz I beleiv, about a healer witch in a modern day city slum who does not return until the second half of book three, summoned to tourney....and of course Lackety then continued on with a second "trilogy" on bard eric's life alone after she managed to get rid of the other two main characters in Knight of Ghosts and Shadows. Rather funny, it was...first, a tripod was the strongest thing in nature, and then POOF, the beginning of the first book in the second "trilogy" disposes thoroughly of the idea.

It could be read as an object lesson in ignoring conditions you yourself set up in writing, I suppose, as well as a historical reference.

The book itself is decent, as is its antecendent and sequel, I'd just advice not to read these three and the second three after Lackey breaks up her threesome. Pick one or the other, instead.

I read this book twice over in the same weekend I got it! I howled laughing the whole way through. Lovable characters and a great storyline, and good music :)

Mercedes Lackey really pulls it together in this one. Elves, music, and mortal in a modern setting so very believable. The characters work well, and the good guys are not always right and perfect.

There are so many mediocre modern fairy tales that it was a pleasure to read this one. The only other one that comes close was "War of the Oaks" by Emma Bull.

Mercedes Lackey does several modern fantasy works, but I feel this is the best of them all. Interestingly enough they are all tied together loosly, with occasional comments scattered throughout them to give a richer environment then just a single series would do.

Lackey's strengths in characters and their motivations really comes to the fore in this book, as well as her excllent story telling ability and imagery. I heartily recommend this book.