Any Man So Daring (Paperback)

by Sarah A. Hoyt (Author) "Early morning, in Elizabethan London..." (more)
Key Phrases: elf princess, magical net, mortal boy, King of Fairyland, Kit Marlowe, Ned Alleyn (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The final book in Hoyt's magical fantasy trilogy about William Shakespeare and the land of Faerie (after Ill Met By Moonlight and All Night Awake) brings the series to a theatrically satisfying close. Will knows in his heart that he could never have become the most successful playwright of his time without the influence of his dealings with the Elven King Quicksilver and his unwilling involvement in Fairyland intrigue. Haunted by his friend Kit Marlowe's premature death, Will is also (literally) haunted by Marlowe's ghost-who urges him to return to Fairy to aid Quicksilver, who has dispatched the usurper Vargmar, only to rouse the enmity of Vargmar's son, Proteus. With the unwitting aid of his innocent lover, Miranda (served by the brutish but faithful troll Caliban, of course), Proteus kidnaps Will's young son Hamnet, and Will has no choice but to return to Fairyland, to the very heart of its magic, to set things right. With its tangled plot loosely based on The Tempest, Hoyt masterfully builds a dramatic story of misplaced loyalties, dark ambition and human desperation and love. Readers new to the series will have no trouble getting swept up in the story. Written with a sharp ear for the rich lyricism and mood of Shakespeare, Hoyt's novel is a literate, entertaining fantasy in which all's well that ends well.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-This enchanting and canny concluding volume in Hoyt's Shakespeare trilogy opens with a prologue in which the mysterious Hunter is introduced and the scene is set; indeed all of the chapters are called Scenes. The story begins three years after Marlowe sacrifices himself in the fairy kingdom, saving his son, the world, and his own soul. Now trapped between heaven and hell, he haunts Shakespeare, who has been brought to despair by the idea that he is merely a conduit for Marlowe's words. Meanwhile, in Fairyland, King Quicksilver has won the rebel war and beheaded the traitor Vargmar. But Vargmar's son, Proteus, is devising a plot to get revenge, and TheTempest is the inspiration for the rest of the novel. When Will's son is kidnapped by Proteus, he must return to the Arden Forest to save Hamnet. Hoyt's language is so evocative and lyrical that readers are instantly involved with the characters and story. While purists may cringe at the way the Bard's language is bandied about, the references are expertly done and only serve as subtext for a highly original and imaginative fantasy. Ill Met by Moonlight (2001) and All Night Awake (2002, both Ace) relate how Shakespeare and Marlowe originally came to Fairyland; this book can stand alone. With fantasy and historical fiction becoming increasingly popular with teens, this "historical fantasy" trilogy is sure to become an instant classic.-Jane Halsall, McHenry Public Library District, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Ace (October 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441012086
• ISBN-13: 978-0441012084
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,981,002 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fine Shakespeare fantasy tale, November 6, 2003

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Any Man So Daring (Hardcover)

Christopher Marlowe was considered the leading playwright of the sixteenth century until he dies. His mantle after a brief vacuum passed on to William Shakespeare, who has problems coping with fame now that the Elizabethan court recognizes his talent. He knows that Marlowe's death and his own dealings with the Elven king Quicksilver were the catalyst. He deeply regrets the price feeling he lost more than he gained by his encounter with the elves and remains haunted by Marlowe who Will knows died at the hands of a malevolent essence.

William learns that his son Hamnet has been abducted in the elven forest. Distraught the playwright concludes that Quicksilver kidnapped his son. When he races to the woods near his hometown of Stratford to confront Quicksilver, he finds out that his nemesis is innocent, but a blood relative of the King has set in motion a plot to take over the throne. Will William and Quicksilver partner to save a lad and a throne or is the past too much to overcome?

The third Shakespeare fantasy tale retains all the fun, excitement, and magic of its delightful predecessors (see ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT and ALL NIGHT AWAKE). The story line is action-packed and the cast (historical human, literary human, elven, and other supernatural creatures) is fascinating. Readers see a wildly different Shakespeare from the legendary author as he struggles with the otherworldly, what happened to his friend and rival, and now his son. Sara A. Hoyt brings new meaning to the Bard as she provides a delightful Elizabethan fantasy thriller that demands more such tales (Canterbury anyone?).

Harriet Klausner

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Show, Don't Tell, February 10, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Any Man So Daring (Hardcover)

I finished reading _Any Man So Daring_ right after the previous book in the series, _All Night Awake_. (The first book, _Ill Met by Moonlight_, I read some time ago and don't remember as well.) Both books are good; interesting takes on Shakespeare and his era, and full of action. But, they share a common flaw.

The major characters are all often conflicted as to their feelings, their views of other characters, their motivations, and the decisions they must make. That's not inherently a flaw; indeed, it could enhance dramatic tension. But in these books it doesn't.

Every major character has one central conflict. Every single time he/she experiences it (which is often), the author includes a full page of recapitulation of the character's conflict and situation, in one-sentence paragraphs rather like a list. The list is usually about the same as when the last time that character's conflict was described. This ends up being highly repetitive. Then there are frequent recapitulations of the plot earlier in the same book and previous books in the series.

These two books would have been improved by the author showing the characters' feelings, conflicts, etc. mostly through dialog and action. Instead of endless lists of their internal feelings and the author's recapitulation of their situation.