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Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
Jul. 7th, 2009 12:26 pmThe Blurb On The Back:
England flourishes under the hand of its Virgin Queen: Elizabeth, Gloriana, last and most powerful of the Tudor monarchs.
But a great light casts a great shadow.
In hidden catacombs beneath London, a second Queen holds court: Invidiana, ruler of faerie England, and a dark mirror to the glory above. In the thirty years since Elizabeth ascended her throne, fae and mortal politics have become inextricably entwined, in secret alliances and ruthless betrayals whose existence is suspected only by a few. And two courtiers, struggling for very different royal favours, are about to uncover the secrets that lie behind these thrones.
When the faerie Lady Lune is sent to monitor and manipulate Elizabeth's spymaster, Walsingham, her path crosses that of Michael Deven, a mortal gentleman and agent of Walsingham's. His discovery of the 'hidden player' in English politics will test Lune's loyalty and Deven's courage alike. Will she betray her Queen for the sake of a world that is not hers? And can he survive in the alien and Macciavellian world of the fae? For only together will they be able to find the source of Invidiana's power - find it, and break it ...
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
This won't appeal to people who like a lot of action in their historical fantasy, given that it's more an unravelling of political intrigue. However, I found it an absorbing read and the amount of historical research that's gone into the story is impressive and vivid. Definitely worth a look if you're looking for something different in the genre.
But a great light casts a great shadow.
In hidden catacombs beneath London, a second Queen holds court: Invidiana, ruler of faerie England, and a dark mirror to the glory above. In the thirty years since Elizabeth ascended her throne, fae and mortal politics have become inextricably entwined, in secret alliances and ruthless betrayals whose existence is suspected only by a few. And two courtiers, struggling for very different royal favours, are about to uncover the secrets that lie behind these thrones.
When the faerie Lady Lune is sent to monitor and manipulate Elizabeth's spymaster, Walsingham, her path crosses that of Michael Deven, a mortal gentleman and agent of Walsingham's. His discovery of the 'hidden player' in English politics will test Lune's loyalty and Deven's courage alike. Will she betray her Queen for the sake of a world that is not hers? And can he survive in the alien and Macciavellian world of the fae? For only together will they be able to find the source of Invidiana's power - find it, and break it ...
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
This won't appeal to people who like a lot of action in their historical fantasy, given that it's more an unravelling of political intrigue. However, I found it an absorbing read and the amount of historical research that's gone into the story is impressive and vivid. Definitely worth a look if you're looking for something different in the genre.
