Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely Wonderful - I Loved It!
Review: It's shutdown time again and part of the city of Pittsburgh has once again been returned to Earth. For most of the year, it resides on the planet of Elfhome or the Faerie World where all of the human inhabitants have come to rely on magic instead of science. Most elves were not really interested in the short lived humans and none of them wanted to be stuck on Earth during shutdown time, even though it was only for 24 hours. That is why it was so unusual to see an elf running through Tinker's scrapyard. Tinker immediately recognized him as Windwolf, the elf who had saved her life several years ago. Windwolf placed what Tinker assumed was a life debt on her and who knew how that linked them together? Fearing that, if Windwolf died, she would die, Tinker heroically battles the terrifying wargs and manages to get rid of them, but Windwolf is gravely wounded. With no magic to heal him, Tinker must use all of her scientific know how and intrinsic genius to get him through the rest of Shutdown. Unfortunately, Tinker's problems don't end when she is finally able to get Windwolf to an elvish hospital...Tinker and her cousin Oilcan are attacked by some random suits who try to kill Windwolf and any witnesses to the attack. Then there is the NSA and EIA, both organizations very curious as to what is going on in the elvish power structure and wanting to know a little bit more information about the scientific genius who just happens to be Tinker. Turns out that the feds have finally caught up with her and know that she has the mental ability to construct another gate, like the gate that links Earth to Elfhome. But humans aren't the only ones who know that Tinker has this ability - the oni, or Japanese demons, are determined to conquer Earth & Elfhome and are trying to use Tinker to do it! Windwolf is determined to protect Tinker from these people, but Tinker isn't sure if she agrees with his methods. After all, wasn't turning her into an elf and marrying her a little too drastic? Perhaps they should get to know one another first, like a date or something... Tinker was an absolutely wonderful romantic fantasy that was also refreshingly original. I love Wen Spencer's Ukiah Oregon series and so was thrilled when I saw that she was writing something new because I knew that it would be different and I knew that I would love it! Tinker is such a great heroine - she is young and has many flaws and has a lot of growing up to do, but she is also very mature in some ways and a very smart, eccentric genius. I know that many readers have complained about the hero, Windwolf, in that he seems to perfect, but, heck, so long as we're going to be reading fantasy, lets go all the way! I loved him as a hero and thought that he matched Tinker perfectly. The villains were suitably evil and thus worthy of hatred and yet, you still felt sorry for them and could understand their motives. The plot is very fast paced and I just gobbled this book up - I couldn't put it down! If you haven't read Wen Spencer before, what are you waiting for? She is fabulous!
Rating: 
Summary: The jacket blurb and the storyline differ just a bit
Review: Ok, the blurb on the hardback in the library reads " what's really important - her first date. Armed with an intelligence the size of a planet, steel-toed boots, and a junkyard dog attitude(...)" You don't expect cross species rape from that teaser or similar touches such as erotic dreams, etc. To say the least, the blub and the book have some differences, though the blub is faithful to the general (when not interrupted) feel of the book. Not that the book doesn't move, but the reviewer who compared it to an old fashioned "bodice ripper" pretty much hit it. Interesting concept, nice execution, all the right stereotype characters in all the right places, perfect timing, lots of romance novel style left-overs as if it needed one more editing pass. But my fifteen year old daughter who had grabbed the book for the cute side of the blurb, went "eww" and dropped it at the rape scene.
Rating:
Summary: wild fantasy joy ride around Pittsburgh
Review: On the Rim of Elfhome in Pittsburgh, business owner Tinker and her cousin Oilcan are moving around wrecks that temporarily reside in her Pittsburgh Scrap and Salvage yard to makes room for the influx of new vehicles that Shutdown Day always brings to her. However, a power failure leads to her gadgets inability to keep out the local flow of magic that jumps sky high when a pack of wargs chase an Elf into her scrap yard. Preferring to literally mind her business, Tinker laments that the prey has to be Windwolf, an arrogant noble who saved her life five years ago from a saurus, but placed a life debt on her that forces her to help. Not long afterward every official from the NSA to the EIA (Elfin Interdimensional Agency) make demands of Tinker. Even those not officially officious want a piece of her. All Tinker desires is to remain in Pittsburgh wanting her first kiss on her first date, but alas even the city will not cooperate as it is no longer earth tied. Anyone who thought Pittsburgh was Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins, oh my, will quickly change their mind with Wen Spencer's wild fantasy. The story line is as fast as a novel can go yet the key players seem genuine. Readers will adore the harried heroine, an ingenious tinker who has never been kissed (but is standing on an Elven mound not a pitcher's mound). Windwolf lives up to his clan's reputation for inhuman haughtiness though this human has breeched his soul. Amusing, ironic and loaded with daring and dastardly deeds, TINKER is a wonderful tongue-in-cheek fantasy joy ride around the city by the three rivers. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: No good deed goes 'unrewarded'
Review: Or, unpunished as the case may be. Tinker, a genius level salvage yard owner and inventor is just minding her business when she sees an elf attacked. Unhesitating, she helps him out.
Next thing she knows, she's dragged to Elfhaim, the part of Philadelphia that is a slice into another world due to a Chinese gate malfunction. Worse, she discovers she's married to the elf she saved.
Wen Spencer's world of not-so-distant Philadelphia changed by technology and the invasion of elves is both engaging and intriguing. Spencer weaves a fine tale with Tinker and the assorted cast of human, halfling and elves. She's definitely an author to read whether in this world or the one she created for Ukiah Oregon in Alien Taste.
Rating:
Summary: INTERESTING, ENJOYABLE
Review: The premise of Earth interacting with the Elf homeland is nothing new, just look at the multitude of Borderland novels and stories for example. Given the well used, although hardly used up, theme about the juxtaposition of elfdom and humans this story relies on the strength of its characters and the basic plot to carry it forward. In this respect it does a reasonably good job. Without a doubt Tinker, the title character, is the strongest and most well examined. An eighteen-year-old super genius who seems to have the potential to recreate the lost Gate technology that allows the Earth/Elf interface, her reactions to the here-until-never-felt emotions of love and lust, the battle between hormones and higher mathematics, is well done and surprisingly believable. Somewhat unbelievable is the instant infatuation/love that overcomes a two hundred year old elf for an eighteen-year-old kid, I don't care how sexy she is, but then who knows what goes on in the mind of an elf? Still it strains the credulity just a bit and distracts attention away from the otherwise fine storyline. The fact that Windwolf is the Archetype Elf doesn't help. Of course he would be one of their highest-ranking nobles, powerful magician, perfect body, wonderful lover... ya know, just the kind of guy you find everywhere, even in elfdom. Windwolf isn't the only thing that just doesn't seem to fit in this story. I'm not one who usually likes a great deal of useless background info on how a particular fantasy world works but TINKER leaves out maybe just a little too much. What is the reasoning for the Gate in the first place, why does it need to be turned off periodically? Why is it necessary for tinker to have been born ten years after her 'parents' died? These and many other things just didn't allow for a free-flowing story. Some of this is covered but not until well into the story, after you have already said 'huh?' about a hundred times. Fatal flaws? Not even close, this is still a very good story that I enjoyed reading, but they did keep it from being a truly great story. Despite it's flaws I firmly RECOMMEND this one and am looking forward to more from Ms. Spencer.
Rating:
Summary: I thought Pittsburgh was an alternate dimension already...
Review: The toughest stuff for me to read in books or watch in movies and television is the blending of Science Fiction with Fantasy. It's a crossing of genres that many have tried and failed miserably at... ...but Wen Spencer gets it right with TINKER, a beautifully crafted, wickedly funny, and action packed adventure featuring one spitfire girl genius, elves armed with swords and sub-machine guns, and a demonic consipracy of global proportions. What makes this book a must read is how Spencer elegantly interweaves the magic and mysticism of Elfhome with the sciences of Earth. Tinker turns the mystery of Elf Magic into the next level of Quantum Theory Physics, and it all makes sense! Sadly, it is this brilliance of our Teenage Einstein of Future Pittsburgh that makes her THE MOST POPULAR GIRL with the Elves, government agencies, and dark forces from an alternate universe. You think being a teenager is rough...try being a teenager with Stephen Hawking's I.Q. stuck in an inter-dimensional Pittsburgh. THAT'S rough! One fun ride and worth every page! Thank you, Wen!
Rating:
Summary: Smart and Sexy with Attitude
Review: This book deserves to be made a series. There just isn't enough time in one book to adequately explore all the pieces that are introduced here. From super genius girl-child Tinker, Pittsburgh as a cosmological border town, fantasy species made real and the relationship of quantum mechanics to magic are just to name a few. Hurry up Wen and write another one!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful story; exquisite storytelling
Review: This book is old-fashioned storytelling with a wonderful new sensibility. It's an original, and lots of fun. Tinker was raised in an eccentric family, and now is the resident junkyard inventor in the strangest city on earth. Pittsburgh is on earth for just one 24-hour period each month. The rest of the time Pittsburgh is on the alternate Earth planet of Elfhome, thanks to a problem with an orbiting stargate that is part of the Chinese space program. Tinker is not your everyday ordinary eighteen-year-old gearhead genius. She's likeable, wry, funny, and unpredictable as she gets over her head in the maneuverings of the NSA, the Earth Interdimensional Agency, and elfhome politics, as well as assorted bad guys. The plot of the book is a wonderful page-turner, and defies genres. The storytelling itself is exquisite. It drew marvelous pictures in my mind that I had never seen before. Tinker is a story to return to over and over. My hope is that a sequel will come soon with more of the adventures of Tinker. Go Tinker ze domi!
Rating:
Summary: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Romance novel without the mush!
Review: This book was great! You come to care for the characters and after the book is done, keep remembering parts. I wished the book went on longer. My test for a good book is whether or not you get attached to the characters and whether or not you can't forget it right away. In fact, you don't want to start another book because you are still want to be in the book you just finished. This book did all those things for me and I recommend it highly to people who like a non-mushy fantasy romance book.
Rating:
Summary: Creative
Review: This book was very creative- and within that, very well done. The idea of linking two parralell universes is good, and the way it was managed - expressed before in numerous books - was still accomplished in an interesting way. In addition, thr characters were well done. It's almost impossible to write about a super-genius effectively (without boring your audience, or confusing them), but Wen managed to do it. Some of the other characters are interesting enough stereotypes to compel true interest. The plot was very fast-moving, and again creative. It changed directions several times, and was difficult to anticipate. Overall, a very creative book and a good read.
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