Customer Reviews

Once Upon an Autumn Eve

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

 

 

Once Upon an Autumn Eve (2006) is the third Fantasy novel in the Faery series, following Once Upon A Summer Day. In the previous volume, Prince Borel rescued Lady Michelle from the sleeping castle. Even as they were returning to Borel's home, a demon tried to kill Chelle. Then Rhensibe attacked Borel and Slate brought her down. After the witch's death, Borel and Chelle finally reached Winterwood Manor.

In this novel, Princess Liaze is bathing in a calm pool within the branches of a large willow grove when she hears a horn call. Then several others blare in response and draw nearer. A horse rushes within the branches and sits back on his haunches to avoid falling into the pool. Liaze hurries toward the horse as the rider slips down and falls to the sward.

After Liaze reaches the fallen man, she sees that he is bleeding copiously from his forehead. She rolls him over, he calls her "Ange" and then falls unconscious. Horns blat outside the grove and then a redcap comes within the branches. Liaze skewers him with the warrior's broken sword, but the goblin gets off one shriek. The running feet outside turn back and start to come through the branches.

Liaze gets the warrior back onto his horse and they both flee. As more goblins and a Troll appear, she charges at them with the broken sword in her hand. Beyond the branches, she sees her warband riding over the greensward toward her. She rushes through them and the warband start slaying the goblinkin.

The next morn, Liaze learns that the warrior is named Luc. He claims that he is not yet a knight, but Liaze borrows a sword and knights him on the spot, for he has saved many lives with his warning and valiant defense. Over the next few days, he recuperates from his wounds and becomes a favorite of the warriors and staff.

Liaze has loved him from his first word to her, but she has enough experience, including a gold digging comte, that she is very reluctant to give in to the feeling. Her maid Zoe sees through her denials and encourages her to pursue her desires. Eventually she learns that Luc has loved her from his very first glance, although he then believed her to be an angel. Finally she admits her own feelings and they become lovers.

Luc asks Liaze to marry him and she assents. They have yet to post the banns, but she announces the betrothal to her retinue. They celebrate with a formal banquet and dance to the enjoyment of all. Yet that night a shadowy hand comes through the window, seizes Luc and carries him away.

In this story, none in her household know where the shadowy hand went. Liaze thinks to consult a seer, but the only one in the Autumnwood is a fraud. She returns to the willow grove to think and meets Lady Skuld. The Sister of Fate gives her a rede that says she should ride out alone; her only companion should be the howling one. When one of the searchers finds a goblin camp with one caged crow, Liaze equips herself and then has the crow released so that she can follow its path.

With the assistance of the Autumnwood sprites, and a Ghillie Dhu, Liaze follows the crow to the sunwise marge of her domain and beyond. The crow seems to be flying back along the path that Luc followed into her domain. At last, Liaze relinquishes control to Deadly Nightshade -- Luc's warhorse -- and lets him take her back toward his stable. Liaze rides through wind and rain and other discomforts and dangers until she finally finds the howler.

This story is an expansion and revision of the fairytale "The Glass Mountain". It features a heroine instead of a hero and depicts many hazards and adventures lacking in the present day tale. Yet this recreation is surely as enthralling as the original bardic tale. Enjoy!

Highly recommended for McKiernan fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of the Faery lands, parlous adventures and true love.

-Arthur W. Jordin

This is written in the mode of J R Tolkien and is a great and easy to read novel. It was hard to put down. It was written as a story teller of old would have told it.

While the first two books of this series were passably original, this one is tired, hackneyed and ridiculous. So far, every book in this series involves a missing loved one, the three fates and a time limit on a quest. Also, the stories exhibit an exceedingly simplistic and narrow minded world view (the heroines are blond or redheads, and the bad women all have black hair, for instance). The language is too precious and the random introduction of french phrases is jarring.

A vivid and colorful setting, with enchanted magic, high romance, and pleasent prose. This is the best of the series of fairy books by Dennis McKieran (so Far), and all the others are good as well. But, the plot line is getting slightly repeatitive, other wise this would have scored even higher.

Score:A-
Setting: A+. Characters: A+. Readability: A. Plot: C+ Action: B (light) Romance: A. Age: 12 and up. Sex: mild. Violence: mild.

The problem with the book is that I feel like I've read it before - and not the original "Glass Mountain" fairy tale. It is almost the same story as the first book in the series, "Once Upon A Winter's Night" - cursed young loves are separated through magical misdoings and one has to go on a quest to find the other (or find a cure) with a very specific time limitation. The lack of originality doesn't come from the fact that this is a reinvention of an older tale, but that it's a rehashing of a plot already worn thin.

Even so, I probably would have enjoyed the story if not for the twee and hackneyed use of language - 'round instead of around, 'neath instead of beneath. Overly flowery and repetative speeches and palid characterizations make me glad I got this from the library. At least it's a quick read so I won't have to worry about late fees.

It was perfect. I was in the Faery within the first few words, and stayed there until the story was done. As usual, Mr. McKiernan did it to me again. I was laughing and crying and frightened for the lovers until the very end.

I can't wait for Once upon a Spring Morn!

The knight with blood pouring from his wounds enters Autumnwood in the magical land of Faery. Goblins pursue him until he falls from his horse as if dead. Princess Liaze quickly chases the goblins away from the fallen warrior. Realizing he still lives, she takes him to her home to heal while shocked that somehow he already has entered her heart.

Sieur Luc and Liaze fall in love at first sight. However, someone abducts Luc from the safety of Liaze's demesne. Clues provided by the Fates point towards Liaze's enemy the Wizard Orbane and his three witches Hradian, Iniquí and Nefasí though why Luc is taken makes no sense to Liaze. She begins a quest to rescue her beloved with only the limited help of the Fates and the true love connection between their hearts to guide her.

The third once upon a season fantasy (see ONCE UPON A WINTER'S NIGHT and ONCE UPON A SUMMER DAY) contains a delightful gender bender heroine coming to the rescue of the captured knight rather than the other way as happens in the somewhat similarly plotted fairy tale Glass Mountain. The story line is fast-paced, but the villains seem more like caricatures than fully realistic evil people. Still with a terrific twist involving Luc and a fabulous female champion, young fans of feature length fairy tales will enjoy Dennis McKiernan's latest trek into the land of Fairy.

Harriet Klausner

This book features a very clever variation on the traditional log cabin quilt block. The author explains very clearly, using complete and easy-to-understand illustrations, how to construct the block. She suggests several different ways of using the block, each with its own illustrations and directions. This book came out in 1992, so the text and pictures are all in black and white, but there is a very nice color gallery included to give the quilter a good idea of what completed pieces might look like. The author also does a good job explaining the basic sewing and quilting techniques that are used in the construction of the quilts presented. All in all, I think this is a really successful book on a single technique. I also want to express my gratitude to Amazon Marketplace for making older books like these so easy (often inexpensive) to get.