Customer Reviews

Longeye (The Fey Duology)

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

 

 

I'm a long-time fan of Lee and Miller. I greatly enjoy their Liaden novels but was also glad to see them branch out and try something new. That said, I found Duainfey darker in tone that I care for. Longeye balances that out to some extent. The plot was engaging. Some things I saw coming, and enjoyed anticipating; others I didn't, and enjoyed being surprised by.

For me, the character of the Ranger Meripen Vangleuf carried the duology. There's certainly trauma in his past and angst in his present, but he keeps putting one foot in front of the other, striving to figure out the right thing to do and then to do it. Becca I found more ... annoying. She swings from too trusting, to too downtrodden, to too paranoid. It's not a failure in the writing, exactly. She's a plausible character, with understandable reactions and flaws consistent with her experience. I just didn't like her for a good part of Duainfey and the first chunk of Longeye. She did finally come to growth that made her more appealing toward the end, but I wouldn't have stuck with her for a book and a half if it hadn't been for the alternation with Meri's point of view.

And, of course, the trees. I would have stuck around just for the conversations with the trees. And I was willing to give Becca the benefit of the doubt before I came to like her, because the trees liked her.

Read Duainfey first, because I don't think this one makes sense without it, but I'd recommend you have Longeye ready as a chaser.

As with all books by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Longeye is a polished gem of storytelling. This is second book of a duology (following Duainfey) and is a a continuation of the fantasy started in the first volume.

Many readers will like Longeye better than Duainfey -- it's a bit lighter in tone. But what draws me to Lee and Miller's work is their ability to draw the reader into the story. This one continues that fine tradition, providing great characterizations, engaging dialogue, and growth of the characters.

I will not provide spoilers, but urge anyone with an appreciation of well-told fantasy to buy this book. Lee and Miller fans will recognize this as a must read.

It's odd that I liked DUAINFEY so much more than I expected, and yet I finished LONGEYE feeling let down.

Things I liked:

* Meri, very much. There is no question that he is the emotional center of this book, much as Becca was for the first.

* The progressive descent of Altimere into madness was subtly and chillingly portrayed.

* The subtle characterizations, always a Lee / Miller trademark. No "mwa-ha-hah!" villains here -- even the most despicable characters had good justifications for their choices. And I could always understand and empathize with the heroes, in both their virtues and their flaws.

* The heartbreakingly beautiful depiction of the Woods and the Sea -- especially Vanglewood -- reminding me again how well these authors portray the alien as truly Other, yet wonderful and worthwhile.

* The nod to longstanding Lee / Miller fans with Cats! Rugs! Libraries! Yays!

So why only three stars?

I'm sure that the authors are too professional and canny to dwell on their reviews, but I cannot help but wonder if the negative response to DUAINFEY stung more than it should. At any rate, it seemed like there was a failure to fully explore the implications of the first book, and allow the horrific abuse and harm to play out as they should. Instead, I feel like everything was wrapped up too tidily and neatly at the end.

----'WARE SPOILERS ----

* What happened to all the political intrigue at the Elven Court? We are told that the Constant was deeply divided, that many resented the Queen, yet we had hardly a hint of that in the final debate. Just a few lords (not even named, just numbered!) held out for a few rounds, and we are told that was because they were weakened by Altimere's depredations, not genuinely philosophically opposed to the Queen. And does anybody have any idea what happened to Zadore and Benidik?

*Altimere's ultimate fate -- yes, it was logical and well foreshadowed, but honestly, how many times have we seen Evil Overlords destroyed by trying to steal more power than they can absorb?

* Meri and Becca's relationship. I'm sorry, I just couldn't see it. I would have loved to see them develop mutual respect, even forge a fragile friendship, but this just felt forced too me. They both managed to overcome such well-earned horror and fear, heal from the deep scars of abuse and failure so fast? Becca, especially, was deeply damaged from repeated rapes -- literal, emotional, and spiritual. Her paranoia and self-loathing rang absolutely true. I am supposed to believe that one good tumble and that's all over with? (And, okay, with all the pages of unpleasant sexual shenanigans in the first book, and once we get to happy fun consensual sex, all I get is one highly euphemized paragraph?) I know that things are supposed "heal faster" in the Vaitura, but honestly, this was almost insulting.

*The destruction of the keleigh and the Brave New World. Excuse me, but can anybody tell me what happened here? I think I sneezed, and missed it.

--- END SPOILERS ----

So, yes, three stars. I was impressed with DUAINFEY, and with the authors for daring into new, and unsettling and unpalatable territory. I didn't enjoy it, exactly, but I was willing to follow the authors there and see what they had to say.

But in LONGEYE, I feel like they took a few steps across the border, decided "Here Be Dragons", and scurried back into safe and comfortable feel-good tropes.

First off, this is not a novel. It's the second half of a novel. Don't even try to read this without reading Duainfey. [I wish publishers wouldn't do this.] For the rest of the review I will assume the reader has read Duainfey.

So how does this book compare to that one? Well, for one thing it makes more sense. The plot advances, and then completes. The characters are better-revealed. The background is explained more clearly. The motivations make more sense. All in all, it is better.

But "better" is not "excellent". In fact, it's not really "good". It's more like "adequate".

I think this was a case of Lee and Miller making a gamble and trying something that didn't really work. Or maybe they had an idea that they just couldn't ignore, even though they should have. In many ways this had all the worst aspects of their other work without the sheer fun and joy which makes the technical flaws unimportant.

The secondary characters were more enjoyable than the main characters, and this was not the kind of story where that could have worked. I just never cared about these main characters. And we never really understand what happened to their world except that there was some sort of crisis which was bandaged over. Eventually the bandage became more dangerous than the wound. And then the bandage was removed. That's all, folks.

I think this was supposed to be a redemption story, but we need to feel like the people being redeemed are worth redemption. And instead, they just seem to be reactors instead of actors.

To tell the truth, I kind of wish Altimere had been the hero. He was selfish. He was cruel. He was abusive. He was vain. But at least he had some style.

I am a total Liaden freak and can't wait for new installments in that saga. This venture into fantasy is good but not quite as good as the space opera.

Definitely read the first one "Duainfey" before reading this one since it won't make a lot of sense without that introduction to this fantasy land. The wise trees are a fabulous touch; I have loved that concept since Tolkien introduced me to it.

This second book in the series I enjoyed a lot more than the first. There was more character development and a little romance, which I always enjoy. I was only dissatisfied with the ending, which was confusing and very abrupt; it definitely could have been done better.

The Vaitura has long been hidden from the human world, but is the battleground for competing fairy races - including a half-human, half-Fey woman injected into the picture and a convalescing Ranger known as Longeye. Here Rebecca is held against her will in service to the Queen - and must escape her captors to form new, dangerous alliances in this riveting fantasy saga, perfect for libraries strong in action fantasy presentations.

This prequel, Duainfey, isn't a book, its the beginning of a book, no type of any closure unless you buy and read next book. I had bought both, but still am offended with how it was done.

The prequel was horrible. Sexual violence has it's place, but obviously Lee & Miller can only write rape in crude, not scary or traumatic terms.

Still could overlook the coarseness if not for the utterly ridiculous ending In Longeye, and so much jumble between. It was like OOPS, out of space lets wrap this up. Much of the book made no sense, gave up even on rereading to try to untangle it.

Been fan long time, will be more careful in future of just buying their work. Sadly many begin to become less caring of writing good work as they get further down the road and sadly this seems to be the case here.

Am utterly disappointed with this and the sequel and sad I wasted good money buying new or buying at all. So much potential there flushed down the drain, along with my money.

i really enjoyed this book, and read it as fast as i could, i cannot get enough of these authors.

Longeye (2009) is the second fantasy novel in this duology, following Duainfey. In the previous volume, Rebecca denied the collar three times and removed it. Then she reached for the dagger. She was put to sleep by Sian to keep her from suiciding. Then Diathen placed Rebecca in the protective custody of Sian.

Meanwhile, Meri had been taken to the Newman village by Sam. There Jamie took him to his nest. Meri was impressed by its arrangement and comfort.

In this novel, Altimere is an Elder Fey. He is one of the artificiers of the keleigh. He gave a necklace to Becca that sapped her will, then used her to gather kest -- magical energy -- from others and pass it on to himself.

Rebecca Beauvelley is the elder daughter of the Earl of Barimuir. She has a withered arm from an accident. She had previously put herself into thrall to Altimere, but released herself. Becca can speak with the trees and they call her Gardener.

Meripen Vanglelauf is Wood Wise and Ranger. He had been awakened from a long healing sleep to aid the Engenium with a problem near the Newman village. He finds the villagers of New Hope to be courteous, but their auras are downright gaudy.

Diathen is the Queen of the Fey, She is subject to her people through the Constant, a body of powerful Elves. The Constant decided to build the keleigh despite the Queen's own objections.

Sian is Engenium -- ruler -- of Sea Hold and a cousin of the Queen. Meri is beholden to her for his treatment. She sends him to New Hope to tend to the trees.

Jamie is the young son of Elizabeth Moore and Palin the Wood Wise. He is also Wood Wise and can talk to the trees.

In this story, Altimere finds himself trapped in the mists by his fellow conspirator Zaldore. He can shape the mists into food, drink and other artifacts, but cannot find a path back to the real world. He settles himself comfortably and waits for comprehension.

Meri is terrified of entering the dwellings of New Hope, but Elizabeth Moore arranges a meeting on the common. Then they try to tell him about the problem that lead to his presence, but they cannot describe it properly. Meri sets off to see the problem for himself.

Sian takes Becca to the Sea Hold through a magical shortcut. On the other side, Becca and Sian have an encounter with some younger Fey who are chasing a Brethren. Becca cleans his wounds and the Brethren considers himself as obligated to her.

Later, Becca leaves the path and flees her protectors. She is accompanied by the Brethren, but is soon attacked by a monstrous horse-boar, with two Low Fey on its back. Rosamunde -- Becca's quarter fey horse -- fights the horse-boar. Becca fights one Low Fey and Nancy -- Becca's maid artifact -- fights the other.

Meri arrives just as the fighting starts and drives off the horse-boar. Becca destroys her enemy, but the other Low Fey escapes. Nancy has totally used her energy to fight Becca's attackers and seems lifeless. But Becca kisses her and Nancy recovers with a gift of the kest.

This tale presents Meri with a quandary. He finds a copse of trees that do not answer his questions. They also look too shiny. He has never seen anything like them. And the nearest trees cannot even sense that the shiny trees are there.

Meri finally realizes that Becca knows little about the Fey and kest. Despite his reluctance, he starts teaching her the basics. The trees also help train Becca.

This is the last volume of the duology. It seem to tie up almost all threads, but maybe there will be another book sometime later. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Lee & Miller fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of exotic magic, courageous heroes, and persevering heroines.

-Arthur W. Jordin