Tagged: tam linn
Feyland: The Bright Court by Anthea Sharp
(Cover picture courtesy of Kobo Books.)
INSIDE THE GAME…
Jennet Carter escaped the dark faeries of Feyland once. Now, fey magic is seeping out of the prototype game, beguiling the unwary and threatening everyone she cares about.
MAGIC…
Tam Linn may be a hero in-game, but his real life is severely complicated. Still, he’ll do whatever it takes to stop the creatures of Feyland, even if it means pushing Jennet toward the new guy in school–the one with an inside connection to sim-gaming… and the uncanny ability to charm everyone he meets.
ALWAYS WINS…
Despite the danger, Jennet and Tam must return to Feyland to face the magic of the Bright Court–and a powerful new enemy who won’t stop until the human world is at the mercy of the Realm of Faerie.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy of this book from Anthea Sharp in exchange for an honest review.]
Since Feyland: The Dark Realm was almost a futuristic retelling of the ballad of Tam Linn, I really had no idea where Anthea Sharp would go from there. Would book 2 in the Feyland trilogy just drag on and on pointlessly and focus on the romance between Tam and Jennet? Or would she completely change the fairytale underpinnings of the story and go for a pure technological thriller?
Thankfully, Anthea Sharp did neither of those. She manages to get Jennet and Tam back in Feyland without making it seem forced and creates a believable explanation for the Roy Lassiter’s (the new guy in school) charm. What the explanation is I can’t reveal without spoiling some major plot points, but you’ll definitely be surprised at what he did to obtain his seemingly magical charm. Okay, maybe you won’t be that surprised considering we’re dealing with the world of the fae, but there are definitely a few plot twists you won’t see coming because of Roy’s actions.
What I liked about the plot is not that it was unpredictable (which it generally was) but that it was such a departure from the first book yet stayed true to it all the same. It’s hard to explain without spoiling things, but I like how it didn’t follow a fairytale storyline like the Tam Linn story in the first book and yet still retained those fairytale elements. So it ended up being different from the first book, but just as good!
My favourite part is the character development when it comes to Jennet and Tam’s characters. I love how the two have grown closer since their adventure in the last book but how they still have to learn how to trust one another throughout The Bright Court. There’s more than just friendship between the two and I like how Anthea Sharp manages to create that romantic tension without being in your face about it all the time. It’s definitely a skill more authors need to learn.
In short, if you loved Feyland: The Dark Realm you’ll love the sequel, The Bright Court. And if you haven’t started the Feyland trilogy yet, you should. It’s the perfect mix of technology and fantasy.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Feyland: The Dark Realm by Anthea Sharp
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
WHEN A GAME…
Feyland is the most immersive computer game ever designed, and Jennet Carter is the first to play the prototype. But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries.
TURNS REAL…
Tam Linn is the perfect hero — in-game. Too bad the rest of his life is seriously flawed. The last thing he needs is rich-girl Jennet prying into his secrets, insisting he’s the only one who can help her.
WINNING IS EVERYTHING…
Together, Jennet and Tam enter the Dark Realm of Feyland, only to discover that the entire human world is in danger. Pushed to the limit of their abilities, they must defeat the Dark Queen… before it’s too late.
[Full disclosure: I received a free paperback copy from Anthea Sharp in exchange for an honest review.]
After reading Janet McNaughton’s Tam Linn retelling, An Earthly Knight, I didn’t think any other retelling could compare. Still, I gave Feyland: The Dark Realm a try and went in with an open mind. In the end, I’m so glad I did.
At first we’re just introduced to Jennet, who gets a part of her stolen by the Dark Queen inside Feyland the game. Unfortunately this has real world consequences and when she switches schools she’s desperate to find another gamer, a champion, to help her defeat the Dark Queen and get her soul back. So when she finds out that Tam Linn, despite being incredibly poor and with little access to a simulation game despite, is an excellent gamer you can really feel her desperation to get him on her side. When she finally does they both still don’t trust each other’s motives but eventually do become friends.
What struck me the most about Feyland: The Dark Realm was not only the amazing world of Feyland itself, but the plot twists Anthea Sharp gave her story. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, something else happens instead. She’s definitely not one of those authors that goes easy on her characters and both Tam and Jennet get put through the proverbial wringer. At the same time, these plot twists allow her to develop all of her characters thoroughly. Jennet starts out a little spoiled and naive about the tough side of life and Tam is thoroughly suspicious of this apparent spoiled rich girl and her motivations. Still, they change throughout the story as Jennet feels the Dark Queen draining her life’s essence and as Tam learns to trust and maybe even love Jennet.
The world of Feyland is fantastic. Within the game you have all kinds of creatures you would expect to see in a world with fairies and a few that you wouldn’t. Some creatures will be familiar to people who like fairies (the Wild Hunt) and some will throw you for a loop completely. And of course, being a fairy world, nothing is as it seems. It’s just amazing!
I like how Anthea Sharp chose to end Feyland: The Dark Realm on a gentle sort of cliffhanger. It makes you want to read the next book, but you’re not furious at the author for failing to complete the story. I can’t wait to read the next book, Feyland: The Bright Court.
I give this book 5/5 stars.