From archive (archive)
Subject: REVIEW: FAERIE TALE - R. FEIST
From: jmi@devsim.mdcbbs.COM (JM Ivler - MDC - Douglas Aircraft - Long Beach, CA)
Organization: McDonnell Douglas M&E, Cypress CA
Date: 5 Jan 90 18:41:32 GMT




				Faerie Tale
				-----------

Author: Raymond E. Feist
Publisher: Bantam
435 pages - softcover

Feist is best knowm for his exploration into the medival in his series 
_The_Riftwar_Saga_ , a collection of four books that detail the rise and fall 
of two young boys from a small keep. 

In this novel he leaves his environs and steps out into a more modern world. 
The characters central to the story revolve around a faimly and the property on 
which they live. The interaction between the properties visitors and the 
resident owners are deeply routed in the mythos of Ireland (and sometimes 
England).

The central characters are a father, who has made his living writing "junk" for 
Hollywood; his second wife, who made her living as an actress (though not truly 
spectacular); his daughter from his first marrige, who would rather be in 
California where she is attending school and his twin sons from the current 
relationship.

The visitors to thier property are, of course, faeries, who migrate from 
location to location stopping for a period of six months at any one spot. We 
can all remember that Faeries are jokesters (see Shakespears' 
_Midsummer_Nights_dream_) and these prove to be no exception. Thus, the basis 
for the work becomes the faeries involvement with the faimly and thier lack of 
knowledge in how to cope with the mysteries of what any sane person would 
refuse to believe.

Slightly erotic at times, the work is very powerful. The start is slow, as you 
are learning about the characters that the story revolves around. At about 
10-15% into the novel, the reader starts to become immeshed in the work as the 
initial character development is completed. The book moves quickly from there.

Overall, the style of the book was far different from what one would expect 
from the author. The darker side of the mythos are used to develop the story, 
and there are elements of "horror" within it. The book is not recomended for 
those that are seeking to see more of _The_Riftwar_Saga_ as the two books are 
very different in content (style on the other hand seem quite the same). For 
those that are willing to give it a try, and liked the style of Feists' earlier 
works, this novel offers a new and enjoyable view of the author, as well as an 
interesting and enjoyable plot.

JMI