Mad Maudlin

Rating:
Summary: Another hit for Edghill and Lackey
Review: Continuing the story of Eric Banyon, former drunk, druggie and musical prodigy on the run, Edghill and Lackey weave a great story out of post-9/11 New York. This is the third collaboration between Edghill and Lackey in this series, and in some ways, it is the best. The characters are getting deeper, and better realized, and the milieu is more fleshed out. I still think the character of Greystone the Gargoyle is a hoot! One of the best things about this book is the idea that the Unselighe Court might not be the "bad guys" they have been made out to be....but we'll see how that turns out in the next volume, I guess.

Go buy this book.

Walt Boyes
(the Bananaslug at Baen's Bar)

Rating:
Summary: STATUS QUO FOR THIS SERIES
Review: MAD MAUDLIN is Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill's latest installment in the Bard series. As such it adequately represents the series for what it is; a thoroughly average fantasy story. Although well written, the least one would expect from these two veterans, the story itself suffers from a serious case of the blahs.

What makes for an exciting, above average story? How about new and imaginative situations and plot line? Maybe character development and growth. Unfortunately we get neither in this particular volume.

Plot: lets see, Overhill, the human world, it threatened by death, destruction and domination by forces of evil including an evil elf lord, evil human magician and of course shadow forces within our own government. Eric, with considerable help from Ria, and the Guardians defeat them. Sound familiar? Probably does, if you change the names and a few of the faces it's the same plot from BEYOND WORLDS END and SPRITS WHITE AS LIGHTNING. Or to quote Eric's brother Magnus "Things always this much fun around here?" The reply being "Usually it's quite for, oh, months at a time." I'm not saying it's boring but it does get a bit repetitive after awhile.

How about character development? I don't see much here. Eric is basically the same as he was in BEYOND WORLD'S END. A couple of new characters are added, or fleshed out from earlier story lines, but the core characters exhibit very little change or growth. Ria, the workaholic half elf, is shown to be very much in love with Eric, although for her denial is not just a river in Egypt, however his feelings still seem to be at best ambivalent. Must be nice to have a beautiful, filthy rich girlfriend that you can use for casual sex and treat as furniture or an ATM, maybe there is something to this Bard business after all.

Anyway there really isn't much new here. Just an average pleasant story good for passing a few hours. I would RECOMMEND it but probably only the die-hard fans will find it of more than passing interest.

Rating:
Summary: Elves in New York? Again!!
Review: This is the third collaboration in this series between Mercedes Lackey, well known for the Valdemar books, and Rosemary Edghill, an eclectic writer of everything from historicals to romance to New Age mysteries (the Bast stories). In many ways, this is the best of the three collaborations. The saga of Eric Banyon, former drunk, druggie and musical prodigy continues in post-9/11 New York. The characters seem to grow and be more fully realized with each new book, and I am glad to report that there will be _at least_ one more! This is a terrific read, and one of those rare books that will support a back-to-back re-read. Hot book! Buy it! Read it! Enjoy it!

Walt Boyes
(the Bananaslug. at Baen's Bar)