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Promethean Age #3
Ink and Steel
On the heels of Hell and Earth …
Kit Marley, playwright and spy in the service of Queen Elizabeth, has been murdered. His true gift to Her Majesty was his way with words, crafting plays infused with a subtle magic that maintained her rule. He performed this task on behalf of the Prometheus Club, a secret society of nobles engaged in battle against sorcerers determined to destroy England. Assuming Marley’s role is William Shakespeare— but he is unable to create the magic needed to hold the Queen’s enemies at bay.
Resurrected by enchantment in Faerie, Marley is England’s only hope. But before he can assist Will in the art of magic, he must uncover the traitor among the Prometheans responsible for his death…
Kit Marley, playwright and spy in the service of Queen Elizabeth, has been murdered. His true gift to Her Majesty was his way with words, crafting plays infused with a subtle magic that maintained her rule. He performed this task on behalf of the Prometheus Club, a secret society of nobles engaged in battle against sorcerers determined to destroy England. Assuming Marley’s role is William Shakespeare— but he is unable to create the magic needed to hold the Queen’s enemies at bay.
Resurrected by enchantment in Faerie, Marley is England’s only hope. But before he can assist Will in the art of magic, he must uncover the traitor among the Prometheans responsible for his death…
427 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2008
17 people are currently reading
1,287 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Bear
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
May 13, 2009
Why, why did Blood and Iron and Whiskey and Water precede this book?! Ink and Steel possesses the best qualities of its predecessors and few of their flaws. Elizabeth Bear's skill flourishes in an alternate Elizabethan England where Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare are agents for the Queen and have dealings with Fae.
By far, my reviews of the previous books singled out an overly-complicated mythology as the Promethean Age's major flaw. Ink and Steel retains much of the mythological basis present in the first two books, but it seems much less preoccupied about dancing around complicated rules. Only the teind, Faerie's seven-year tithe to Hell, plays a large role in this book, and that situation is easy enough to follow. There is no mention of the Dragon (yay) or Dragon Prince, and the concept of a Merlin appears only in passing.
Indeed, Ink and Steel benefits from a narrower focus and tighter, crisper storytelling. Now with fewer annoying human characters! Yes, I can actually like our two human protagonists, Marlowe and Shakespeare, something I had trouble doing with the human characters in the first two books. I credit much of this to the juxtaposition of Bear's fictitious Marlowe and Shakespeare with my own expectations for the characters based on what I know of their historical versions. Similarly, I quite enjoyed seeing Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford (and the true author of Shakespeare's plays according to some) and Ben Jonson.
The conflicts in Ink and Steel are superior to the first two books in this series. As mentioned above, they are easier to understand, and on a level, far more personal. On one level, Ink and Steel is a love story; on another level, it's a political drama where words and songs, poetry and plays, are the weapons of choice. In leveraging the poignant verse of Shakespeare and Marlowe, Bear skilfully reinforces the latter theme.
Ink and Steel makes an important distinction between mortals and the creatures of Faerie and Hell, beyond the obvious differences in strengths and weaknesses. Marlowe and Shakespeare--who are as much legend to us as Morgan and Arthur are to them--are portrayed as brilliant, passionated, and flawed human beings. Yet at the same time, they possess qualities that the Fae envy. I feel like Bear was attempting to draw these conclusions in the first books, particularly with changeling characters, like Elaine the Seeker. However, it took her three tries to perfect the message.
So far I've only compared Ink and Steel to its two predecessors. How does it stand on its own merits?
As noted, Bear makes masterful use of the Elizabethan setting and characters. While your mileage may vary, I personally I have a weakness for historical fiction set in the Elizabethan era--particularly historical fiction done well. There are too many epistolary sections for my taste.
The narrative perspective of Ink and Steel is somewhat more detached than I'd like. That's not to say that we're devoid of glimpses into the hearts of our characters. But each "scene" is related in a very cursory way, with emphasis placed more on dialogue than description. However, I suppose it's necessary in order to preserve the pacing of the story, which takes place over several mortal years, and I wouldn't be surprised if Bear chose to do this to further emulate the structure of a play. Not that such reasons make it any better....
But I mean ... come on. William Shakespeare. Christopher Marlowe. Faerie. Hell. What's not to like? It's 400 pages of quality fantasy, none of which is set in New York, and none of which involves an amoral Dragon manipulating matters behind the scenes. Ink and Steel, owing to its setting, was the book that attracted me to the Promethean Age series; I chose to start at book 1 because I worried I'd like back story. Hopefully, this review will convince anyone similarly interested solely in The Stratford Man duology (this book and Hell and Earth) to skip right to Ink and Steel. You won't miss anything.
By far, my reviews of the previous books singled out an overly-complicated mythology as the Promethean Age's major flaw. Ink and Steel retains much of the mythological basis present in the first two books, but it seems much less preoccupied about dancing around complicated rules. Only the teind, Faerie's seven-year tithe to Hell, plays a large role in this book, and that situation is easy enough to follow. There is no mention of the Dragon (yay) or Dragon Prince, and the concept of a Merlin appears only in passing.
Indeed, Ink and Steel benefits from a narrower focus and tighter, crisper storytelling. Now with fewer annoying human characters! Yes, I can actually like our two human protagonists, Marlowe and Shakespeare, something I had trouble doing with the human characters in the first two books. I credit much of this to the juxtaposition of Bear's fictitious Marlowe and Shakespeare with my own expectations for the characters based on what I know of their historical versions. Similarly, I quite enjoyed seeing Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford (and the true author of Shakespeare's plays according to some) and Ben Jonson.
The conflicts in Ink and Steel are superior to the first two books in this series. As mentioned above, they are easier to understand, and on a level, far more personal. On one level, Ink and Steel is a love story; on another level, it's a political drama where words and songs, poetry and plays, are the weapons of choice. In leveraging the poignant verse of Shakespeare and Marlowe, Bear skilfully reinforces the latter theme.
Ink and Steel makes an important distinction between mortals and the creatures of Faerie and Hell, beyond the obvious differences in strengths and weaknesses. Marlowe and Shakespeare--who are as much legend to us as Morgan and Arthur are to them--are portrayed as brilliant, passionated, and flawed human beings. Yet at the same time, they possess qualities that the Fae envy. I feel like Bear was attempting to draw these conclusions in the first books, particularly with changeling characters, like Elaine the Seeker. However, it took her three tries to perfect the message.
So far I've only compared Ink and Steel to its two predecessors. How does it stand on its own merits?
As noted, Bear makes masterful use of the Elizabethan setting and characters. While your mileage may vary, I personally I have a weakness for historical fiction set in the Elizabethan era--particularly historical fiction done well. There are too many epistolary sections for my taste.
The narrative perspective of Ink and Steel is somewhat more detached than I'd like. That's not to say that we're devoid of glimpses into the hearts of our characters. But each "scene" is related in a very cursory way, with emphasis placed more on dialogue than description. However, I suppose it's necessary in order to preserve the pacing of the story, which takes place over several mortal years, and I wouldn't be surprised if Bear chose to do this to further emulate the structure of a play. Not that such reasons make it any better....
But I mean ... come on. William Shakespeare. Christopher Marlowe. Faerie. Hell. What's not to like? It's 400 pages of quality fantasy, none of which is set in New York, and none of which involves an amoral Dragon manipulating matters behind the scenes. Ink and Steel, owing to its setting, was the book that attracted me to the Promethean Age series; I chose to start at book 1 because I worried I'd like back story. Hopefully, this review will convince anyone similarly interested solely in The Stratford Man duology (this book and Hell and Earth) to skip right to Ink and Steel. You won't miss anything.
April 2, 2010
Dear Ms. Bear,
It’s not you; it’s me. I enjoyed Hammered but there is something about your Promethean novels that just puts me off. I don’t know quite what it is. Okay, that’s not entirely true, Blood and Iron felt a little like a check list.
My problem with Ink and Steel is different.
How can you write such a dull sounding Elizabeth? It’s quite clear that you don’t mean to, and maybe it is because every Elizabeth in film or novel gets held up to Glenda Jackson, and almost everyone is found wanting, except perhaps Cate.
It also feels like in some parts of the book that you are trying to shock the reader with Kit’s behavior, but it doesn’t shock. True, Kit was shocking for his time, but for ours? Not so much. It almost feels like you are trying so hard to get into the mind of Kit and Will and utterly failing. Maybe, because I know about the time period and characters, I am being too picky. That is most likely it.
I did like the cast list, and I really liked your take on Will’s marriage.
It’s not you; it’s me. I enjoyed Hammered but there is something about your Promethean novels that just puts me off. I don’t know quite what it is. Okay, that’s not entirely true, Blood and Iron felt a little like a check list.
My problem with Ink and Steel is different.
How can you write such a dull sounding Elizabeth? It’s quite clear that you don’t mean to, and maybe it is because every Elizabeth in film or novel gets held up to Glenda Jackson, and almost everyone is found wanting, except perhaps Cate.
It also feels like in some parts of the book that you are trying to shock the reader with Kit’s behavior, but it doesn’t shock. True, Kit was shocking for his time, but for ours? Not so much. It almost feels like you are trying so hard to get into the mind of Kit and Will and utterly failing. Maybe, because I know about the time period and characters, I am being too picky. That is most likely it.
I did like the cast list, and I really liked your take on Will’s marriage.
March 6, 2013
Many of the biggest problems from the first two Promethean Age books are absent here--while the politics are appropriately twisty and the plot similarly twisted, the writing is a bit more direct. Still subtle, but a little easier to follow. At the end, I felt like I actually understood most characters' motivations and I actually knew exactly what had happened.
The first two Promethean Age novels were set in modern times. This pair go back to the early split between groups of Prometheans during Queen Elizabeth's reign. There are a handful of characters in common--most importantly Kit, but Lucifer, Murchaud, and Morgan are also major players, and we get cameos from a lot of the Mebd's court. It's actually not particularly necessary to have read the first two books. While there's a poignancy to knowing the fates of many of the characters, it's not required for the reader to follow the plot. I'd actually possibly recommend that readers start with this and its sequel rather than Blood and Iron because it's a bit more accessible.
The plot interweaves with much of the politics of the Elizabethan court, and features quite a lot of Will Shakespeare as well as Kit. It's certainly been done before, but it's done cleverly here.
As is usual for Bear, the characters are complex and for the most part, shaded with gray. The style is impeccable. A good entry to her works.
The first two Promethean Age novels were set in modern times. This pair go back to the early split between groups of Prometheans during Queen Elizabeth's reign. There are a handful of characters in common--most importantly Kit, but Lucifer, Murchaud, and Morgan are also major players, and we get cameos from a lot of the Mebd's court. It's actually not particularly necessary to have read the first two books. While there's a poignancy to knowing the fates of many of the characters, it's not required for the reader to follow the plot. I'd actually possibly recommend that readers start with this and its sequel rather than Blood and Iron because it's a bit more accessible.
The plot interweaves with much of the politics of the Elizabethan court, and features quite a lot of Will Shakespeare as well as Kit. It's certainly been done before, but it's done cleverly here.
As is usual for Bear, the characters are complex and for the most part, shaded with gray. The style is impeccable. A good entry to her works.
June 12, 2021
This sure was a weird ass book and I had a good time!! Overall 3.5/5 stars for me; sure wish Goodreads web design had updated since this book was released in 2008 and would allow half stars. I had a hard time following for the first half—getting all tangled up in long-untapped Elizabethan and Shakespeare knowledge, as this book assumes you’re a smart cookie that knows the time period and references and doesn’t explain much. Wouldn’t have been a struggle for me a decade ago, when I p much exclusively read Tudor nonfic and historical fic and was in the midst of an English degree that required Shakespeare, but nowadays I was left googling some shit. A very literary read, with some beautiful wordsmithing and craftsmanship. I am rather out of practice reading this sort and it took some time to find my feet, but I enjoyed the journey once I did.
The earth-side plot was fine if a little baffling and twisty (still minimal understanding of how this play magic works), but I enjoyed Faerie most of all and really think the story found its footing once Will joined Kit there. Is that because the Will/Kit plot line I had wished upon a wishing Star began to take shape? .... yeah. Definitely. Highlight of the story and tbh Marlowe carries this book, I love him so much. Lots of queer folk abound, although mind the trigger warnings—rape flashbacks, faerie and devil magic dubcon, some hand waveh faerie incest, and violence. I would have been WAY more invested in my Renaissance lit and Shakespeare courses in undergrad if I’d read this beforehand; this book has me almost wanting to read sonnets willingly, can you believe it?? Trust me when I tell you this is a high compliment.
I tend to like a more emotive narrative style, so there were some major moments where I would’ve preferred some deeper resonance (especially in those Orpheus-adjacent scenes at the end), but Kit seemed to be getting there toward the end. I too would fuck the devil out of pure spite and for the promise of magical power and vengeance upon my enemies, so I’m definitely reading the sequel to see how that goes for my boy. Worth it just for Marlowe and the Will/Kit slow burn!!
The earth-side plot was fine if a little baffling and twisty (still minimal understanding of how this play magic works), but I enjoyed Faerie most of all and really think the story found its footing once Will joined Kit there. Is that because the Will/Kit plot line I had wished upon a wishing Star began to take shape? .... yeah. Definitely. Highlight of the story and tbh Marlowe carries this book, I love him so much. Lots of queer folk abound, although mind the trigger warnings—rape flashbacks, faerie and devil magic dubcon, some hand waveh faerie incest, and violence. I would have been WAY more invested in my Renaissance lit and Shakespeare courses in undergrad if I’d read this beforehand; this book has me almost wanting to read sonnets willingly, can you believe it?? Trust me when I tell you this is a high compliment.
I tend to like a more emotive narrative style, so there were some major moments where I would’ve preferred some deeper resonance (especially in those Orpheus-adjacent scenes at the end), but Kit seemed to be getting there toward the end. I too would fuck the devil out of pure spite and for the promise of magical power and vengeance upon my enemies, so I’m definitely reading the sequel to see how that goes for my boy. Worth it just for Marlowe and the Will/Kit slow burn!!
Want to read
February 2, 2022I think this one could fix me
July 1, 2008
Ink and Steel (and its sequel, Hell and Earth) is a prequel to the previous books in the series -- while the first two Promethean Age books are set in the modern era, Ink and Steel is set at the tale end of the Elizabethan Era. In fact, it opens on the date of 30 May 1593 with the apparent death of Christopher "Kit" Marlowe. Apparent, as Kit was shifted to Faerie and a glamor left in his body's place. Unfortunately, he drinks the water before he's quite conscious, so ends up stuck there. Which lives a certain group of Englishmen in a bit of a dire situation.
Previous books (or future) in the series featured the Promethean mages, and this series sets the tone -- a conflict between two sets of masters of symbols, struggling for control of humanity (at least, that part of it that lives in England). One is loyal to the Queen (and, as such, is an ally of the Queen of Faerie -- having a mortal queen on the throne bolsters the Faerie's Queen), and uses its tools to keep England prosperous, and its queen healthy and safe. The other side is more shadowy, is bent on cutting out the Queen, the Fae, and the plays. After Kit is stranded in Faerie, one side is forced to bring in another playwright -- a young William Shakespeare, currently caught up in making Titus Andronicus work. (Hint, Will -- don't write it before eating the dorm's chicken. I know that made it difficult to watch.) The book describes a war of words and rumors, where plays are commissioned as weapons and closing the playhouses is the other side's way of shutting down the offense.
Ultimately, I know which side won (an aspect of prequels -- I knew Anakin was heading for The Dark Side, too, and just gave George Lucas 3 movie tickets' worth of money to see how. ) But the story is how they won, and how Our Heroes Kit and Will negotiate conspiracies between England and Faerie.
The pacing was a bit slow at first -- the scenes cutting between Will in England and Kit in Faerie seemed to be a bit awkwardly paced. Some of that was because the book covers some five years, so bits get glossed over. I did notice that whenever Our Two Protagonists are on screen together, they steal the show. I somehow see why Elizabeth Bear has entries on her blog about this book tagged 'Kit and Will's Excellent Adventure'.
Once things come together, near Act III*, things get exciting. The climax of the book is both great and tragic and woven full of colors, and utterly, utterly right. For a book about the power of poems and plays and words, it is fitting that the climax should have such power. Though, technically, this is only Book 1. Hell and Earth is due out to conclude the story next month. I can't wait.
* The book is labeled in Acts. Don't like? Deal.
Bit of a warning -- if you don't like fiction where most people are either historical or legendary figures (everyone from Lucifer to Queen Elizabeth to the original Puck), this will not be your kind of book. Similarly, if you are the sort who will defend passionately theories about dead English poets/playwrights, and can't stand even a fictional interpretation of their lives contrary to your theories, don't read this.
Previous books (or future) in the series featured the Promethean mages, and this series sets the tone -- a conflict between two sets of masters of symbols, struggling for control of humanity (at least, that part of it that lives in England). One is loyal to the Queen (and, as such, is an ally of the Queen of Faerie -- having a mortal queen on the throne bolsters the Faerie's Queen), and uses its tools to keep England prosperous, and its queen healthy and safe. The other side is more shadowy, is bent on cutting out the Queen, the Fae, and the plays. After Kit is stranded in Faerie, one side is forced to bring in another playwright -- a young William Shakespeare, currently caught up in making Titus Andronicus work. (Hint, Will -- don't write it before eating the dorm's chicken. I know that made it difficult to watch.) The book describes a war of words and rumors, where plays are commissioned as weapons and closing the playhouses is the other side's way of shutting down the offense.
Ultimately, I know which side won (an aspect of prequels -- I knew Anakin was heading for The Dark Side, too, and just gave George Lucas 3 movie tickets' worth of money to see how. ) But the story is how they won, and how Our Heroes Kit and Will negotiate conspiracies between England and Faerie.
The pacing was a bit slow at first -- the scenes cutting between Will in England and Kit in Faerie seemed to be a bit awkwardly paced. Some of that was because the book covers some five years, so bits get glossed over. I did notice that whenever Our Two Protagonists are on screen together, they steal the show. I somehow see why Elizabeth Bear has entries on her blog about this book tagged 'Kit and Will's Excellent Adventure'.
Once things come together, near Act III*, things get exciting. The climax of the book is both great and tragic and woven full of colors, and utterly, utterly right. For a book about the power of poems and plays and words, it is fitting that the climax should have such power. Though, technically, this is only Book 1. Hell and Earth is due out to conclude the story next month. I can't wait.
* The book is labeled in Acts. Don't like? Deal.
Bit of a warning -- if you don't like fiction where most people are either historical or legendary figures (everyone from Lucifer to Queen Elizabeth to the original Puck), this will not be your kind of book. Similarly, if you are the sort who will defend passionately theories about dead English poets/playwrights, and can't stand even a fictional interpretation of their lives contrary to your theories, don't read this.
February 28, 2012
This is the sort of tightly-interleaved story that I have come to expect, and I have the next one on pre-order so I will get it in three or so weeks, because yum. Let's see how much I can say without spoiling the whole series to date...
This is a story about the different burn rates of love, and how love is not love which alters when it alteration finds. This is a story that sets up the previous two books perfectly. This is a story that makes me want to go back and read Shakespeare's sonnets, which is NOT my usual impulse, but now they have a sort of compelling narrative structure. Fanon affecting the reading of the canon. This is a story that describes my version of Hell, and perhaps owes something to The Great Divorce. This is a story with hot sex in a variety of configurations. This is a story that made me think about the problems of dangerous childbirth as it affected the decisions of married people, which I had never really thought through, before. This is a story where words are almost the only currency, and the violence all circles around silencing and ownership.
This is a lousy story to start on a Sunday evening if you were planning to be a civilized person on Monday.
This is a story about the different burn rates of love, and how love is not love which alters when it alteration finds. This is a story that sets up the previous two books perfectly. This is a story that makes me want to go back and read Shakespeare's sonnets, which is NOT my usual impulse, but now they have a sort of compelling narrative structure. Fanon affecting the reading of the canon. This is a story that describes my version of Hell, and perhaps owes something to The Great Divorce. This is a story with hot sex in a variety of configurations. This is a story that made me think about the problems of dangerous childbirth as it affected the decisions of married people, which I had never really thought through, before. This is a story where words are almost the only currency, and the violence all circles around silencing and ownership.
This is a lousy story to start on a Sunday evening if you were planning to be a civilized person on Monday.
February 23, 2011
If you are going to have any chance of enjoying these books, you'd better bring a few things to the table: (a) some understanding of who was who in the Elizabethan Age; (b) some background in British history, Faerie and the story of Lucifer; (c) a lot of tolerance for discreet but plentiful sex and bisexuality.
If you've been zipping along with Drizzt the Dark Elf or other slaughter-the-unhuman-enemy romps, this may not be for you.
Got that? If so, it's a heckuva ride. Christopher Marlowe is dead, sort of. Will Shakespeare isn't. King Arthur is, but not completely. Magic is afoot, and everyone's in a plot or two.
More in my review of the second book, "Hell and Earth"
If you've been zipping along with Drizzt the Dark Elf or other slaughter-the-unhuman-enemy romps, this may not be for you.
Got that? If so, it's a heckuva ride. Christopher Marlowe is dead, sort of. Will Shakespeare isn't. King Arthur is, but not completely. Magic is afoot, and everyone's in a plot or two.
More in my review of the second book, "Hell and Earth"
April 15, 2017
The magic of faerie and the magic of the great Elizabethan poets meet in a captivating tale of enchantments, espionage and intrigue, the marvels of the stage and sensual beauty. I loved the first two Promethean Age books, both of which offered complex, intricate worldbuilding, fascinating characters and concepts, and stunningly beautiful writing, but this one surpasses both of them with all its spellbinding glory. This is the rare kind of book that has me glued to the page from the very first sentence and yet takes me longer than usual to read (meaning, more than a day or two) because I want to slowly savour each and every word. Suffice it to say, if I could marry this book, I would.
July 6, 2020
I keep trying books by Elizabeth Bear. I so want to like them, but no, I don't think that is going to happen. The idea of the book is a fine one. Set in Elizabethan England with a parallel realm in faerie. Will Shakespeare is our main character. I admit to being woefully illiterate about the historical figures of this time so that is probably a disadvantage here for me. There are so many ways this book could have been great but it just missed the mark for me. I'm usually pretty tolerant of homosexual relationships in books. This aspect was really quite well written, but I was well into this very thick book and I just could not take anymore. Sad to say I don't know if it ended well but I'm also ok not knowing, or at least making up my own ending.
August 7, 2014
I find 3D films irritating: they're more expensive, the glasses are annoying, and I come out with eye strain rather than a warm glow. If a film is good enough I will suspend my disbelief irrespective of its format; if it's not then a brief impression that I can touch a leaf isn't going to help. The same goes for novels riddled with 'authentic archaisms'. If this is done at the expense of the narrative and characterisation then it does the book no favours.
The basic plot line is that
The problem was there were two books here trying to get out; the first a historical novel based around the political intrigues of the late Elizabethan reign 1593-1598 with a bit of fantasy thrown in. In Act 3 the novel changes to a ''period' urban fantasy with Will, Kit and Lucifer taking centre stage.
And here was my basic problem, as an urban fantasy, the novel actually worked well from Act 3 onwards, but as a historical novel, it was just plain irritating. But that meant I had to wade way through two thirds of the book wondering why I hadn't just given up before I engaged with the characters. At the same time I could imagine the sudden switch in Act 3 would leave any fans of historical fiction cold.
Personally, I found the first half desperately dull: the syntax and the archaisms created a barrier to the rhythms and flow of the narrative and I frequently had to reread sentences and paragraphs; and no, I don' t think it was my unfamiliarity with the style, I frequently work with 14-18th century texts. This was just plain annoying. Particularly Bear's habit of splitting sentences over conjunctions and relative clauses. Which often caused issues of clarity. Similarly, in terms of cohesion, a scene would jump from focus on tiny details to a sudden shift of time and perspective with no warning. Yo-yoing between England and faerie also didn't help continuity. The rapidly changing cast of historical figures I had expected but it was a shame they all remained so shadowy and flat. I also could see no justification for the 5 year interlude. Nothing really happened during this period with regards to the narrative and it could have been heavily edited.
I enjoyed the Act 3 (3 or 4 star?). Once the majority of the historical conceit was dropped the novel improved significantly, the writing flowed, the characters were more engaging and the narrative made sense.
So in summary: in you like historical fiction start reading Act1: if you prefer urban fantasy with a period flavour start on Act 3 you'll soon pick up most of the plot.
So now the second volume is set in England, I am torn: Do I wade through in the hope that it changes dimensions again, or do I read something I am actually interested in...
POSTSCRIPT: Just started Hell and Earth(sequel) and it's delightful! 5* so far! With a good editor Ink and Steel could have been awesome. How frustrating.
The basic plot line is that
The problem was there were two books here trying to get out; the first a historical novel based around the political intrigues of the late Elizabethan reign 1593-1598 with a bit of fantasy thrown in. In Act 3 the novel changes to a ''period' urban fantasy with Will, Kit and Lucifer taking centre stage.
And here was my basic problem, as an urban fantasy, the novel actually worked well from Act 3 onwards, but as a historical novel, it was just plain irritating. But that meant I had to wade way through two thirds of the book wondering why I hadn't just given up before I engaged with the characters. At the same time I could imagine the sudden switch in Act 3 would leave any fans of historical fiction cold.
Personally, I found the first half desperately dull: the syntax and the archaisms created a barrier to the rhythms and flow of the narrative and I frequently had to reread sentences and paragraphs; and no, I don' t think it was my unfamiliarity with the style, I frequently work with 14-18th century texts. This was just plain annoying. Particularly Bear's habit of splitting sentences over conjunctions and relative clauses. Which often caused issues of clarity. Similarly, in terms of cohesion, a scene would jump from focus on tiny details to a sudden shift of time and perspective with no warning. Yo-yoing between England and faerie also didn't help continuity. The rapidly changing cast of historical figures I had expected but it was a shame they all remained so shadowy and flat. I also could see no justification for the 5 year interlude. Nothing really happened during this period with regards to the narrative and it could have been heavily edited.
I enjoyed the Act 3 (3 or 4 star?). Once the majority of the historical conceit was dropped the novel improved significantly, the writing flowed, the characters were more engaging and the narrative made sense.
So in summary: in you like historical fiction start reading Act1: if you prefer urban fantasy with a period flavour start on Act 3 you'll soon pick up most of the plot.
So now the second volume is set in England, I am torn: Do I wade through in the hope that it changes dimensions again, or do I read something I am actually interested in...
POSTSCRIPT: Just started Hell and Earth(sequel) and it's delightful! 5* so far! With a good editor Ink and Steel could have been awesome. How frustrating.
December 11, 2012
I first read this book roughly two/two-and-a-half years ago, and after discussing it with a Goodreads friend, it put me in the mood to reread.
I greatly enjoyed the book first time round and was slightly nervous that it might not hold up on second read. (Sometimes a book hits the emotional spot at a particular time in your life, and that's not always the case next time round.) But my fears weren't justified. If anything, I loved it more this time, as having knowledge of exactly what was going on only increased my enjoyment. The book takes elements from Marlowe and Shakespeare's plays, as well as known facts about their lives and of the political climate in Elizabethan England at the time, and it winds them together with elements of Arthurian legend and folklore about the Fae. It's such a beautiful story that I wish I had reread sooner!
I mostly read epic fantasy or urban fantasy, and whilst this book is certainly fantasy, it's a world apart from my typical fare. It's beautiful and poetic and the characters are absolutely luscious. I may have a, ahem, minor fixation on Christopher Marlowe(!) and this book is my absolute favourite fictional depiction of him. He's such a beautiful, broken, vulnerable, sweet character and he carries the novel. A certain Will Shakespeare has a starring role too, and their interactions are wonderful. There is a delicious erotic undercurrent running through the book, but it is never explicit and I think I prefer it that way. There's nothing like a bad sex scene (or worse, a laughable one) to destroy any mystique the author has created. Elizabeth Bear gets it just right and leaves me desperate for more.
I'll be starting the concluding novel Hell and Earth immediately!
I greatly enjoyed the book first time round and was slightly nervous that it might not hold up on second read. (Sometimes a book hits the emotional spot at a particular time in your life, and that's not always the case next time round.) But my fears weren't justified. If anything, I loved it more this time, as having knowledge of exactly what was going on only increased my enjoyment. The book takes elements from Marlowe and Shakespeare's plays, as well as known facts about their lives and of the political climate in Elizabethan England at the time, and it winds them together with elements of Arthurian legend and folklore about the Fae. It's such a beautiful story that I wish I had reread sooner!
I mostly read epic fantasy or urban fantasy, and whilst this book is certainly fantasy, it's a world apart from my typical fare. It's beautiful and poetic and the characters are absolutely luscious. I may have a, ahem, minor fixation on Christopher Marlowe(!) and this book is my absolute favourite fictional depiction of him. He's such a beautiful, broken, vulnerable, sweet character and he carries the novel. A certain Will Shakespeare has a starring role too, and their interactions are wonderful. There is a delicious erotic undercurrent running through the book, but it is never explicit and I think I prefer it that way. There's nothing like a bad sex scene (or worse, a laughable one) to destroy any mystique the author has created. Elizabeth Bear gets it just right and leaves me desperate for more.
I'll be starting the concluding novel Hell and Earth immediately!
March 7, 2016
I was zooming along, not paying attention to the chapter headings when I did a double-take, and it suddenly occurred to me that I was well past 300 pages and only in Act III. Shakespearean plays have five acts. Damme...I somehow missed an advance memo that this is one book of a pair. Once finished, I soon reserved the other book at the library so I wouldn't have to wait long to find out what comes next.
Parts of this book are wondrous strange. Parts of it take a much more dim and sinister view of magic than I prefer.
The writing! Oh, my, the woman can write. What lush, precise, and poetic language of her own she crafts while quoting tidbits of Shakespeare and Marlowe! Entrancing.
And Christofer "Kit" Marley, as Marlowe is known here, is brought to astounding life. I won't even try to assemble a string of adjectives to describe him; but I really, really like him. The main thing about Kit is, he doesn’t pretend to be respectable or saintly. He knows who he is. He doesn’t tender fake apologies for his actions or think that stewing in some self-indulgent guilt for a while means he can then do whatever he pleases to other people. William Shakespeare comes off as more hypocritical. Shakespeare starts out as sort of a nerd and slowly transforms into something else, but I suspect greater change in him is to come in book 2. So much to be resolved...!
Parts of this book are wondrous strange. Parts of it take a much more dim and sinister view of magic than I prefer.
The writing! Oh, my, the woman can write. What lush, precise, and poetic language of her own she crafts while quoting tidbits of Shakespeare and Marlowe! Entrancing.
And Christofer "Kit" Marley, as Marlowe is known here, is brought to astounding life. I won't even try to assemble a string of adjectives to describe him; but I really, really like him. The main thing about Kit is, he doesn’t pretend to be respectable or saintly. He knows who he is. He doesn’t tender fake apologies for his actions or think that stewing in some self-indulgent guilt for a while means he can then do whatever he pleases to other people. William Shakespeare comes off as more hypocritical. Shakespeare starts out as sort of a nerd and slowly transforms into something else, but I suspect greater change in him is to come in book 2. So much to be resolved...!
April 7, 2022
4.5 or more. Wow. Gosh, wow.
Update:
Okay, I needed a little time to process and stop sniffling. Damn and bless Elizabeth Bear, both, for reliably tearing my heart and sewing it back up again. This was beautiful, and incidentally had me looking up names and timelines and historical references most of the way through (gleefully, I should say --it's by no means required to follow the story) and ending up delighted with her research and the threads she pulls together. In a way that remided me a tiny bit of Tim Powers' Declare (and oh my gosh do go read that book if you haven't), she takes recorded history and makes such plausible --though fantastical-- inferences and reasonable connections between events and circumstances that the reader ends up with a mental magical overlay to the history they think they know: maybe it didn't actually happen that way, but it *could* have.
For those who didn't love or DNF'd Blood and Iron or Whiskey and Water, the first two Promethean Age books, give this a shot anyway. The plotting is much tighter, and never fear: the two Stratford Man books stand on their own and are prequels in internal chronology, so you won't be lost. Especially if you found that the plots and factions were too convoluted in those first two books, or they tried to do too much and you got lost/frustrated, this is still absolutely worth your time to read as its own beast.
Update:
Okay, I needed a little time to process and stop sniffling. Damn and bless Elizabeth Bear, both, for reliably tearing my heart and sewing it back up again. This was beautiful, and incidentally had me looking up names and timelines and historical references most of the way through (gleefully, I should say --it's by no means required to follow the story) and ending up delighted with her research and the threads she pulls together. In a way that remided me a tiny bit of Tim Powers' Declare (and oh my gosh do go read that book if you haven't), she takes recorded history and makes such plausible --though fantastical-- inferences and reasonable connections between events and circumstances that the reader ends up with a mental magical overlay to the history they think they know: maybe it didn't actually happen that way, but it *could* have.
For those who didn't love or DNF'd Blood and Iron or Whiskey and Water, the first two Promethean Age books, give this a shot anyway. The plotting is much tighter, and never fear: the two Stratford Man books stand on their own and are prequels in internal chronology, so you won't be lost. Especially if you found that the plots and factions were too convoluted in those first two books, or they tried to do too much and you got lost/frustrated, this is still absolutely worth your time to read as its own beast.
August 6, 2012
This book sounded interesting with a number of things I usually enjoy, but it was a big disappointment.
The back cover suggested a combination of royals - both mortal and faerie - and poets - Shakespeare and Marlowe - literature, magic, intrigue and politics. They were technically all in the book, but the way they were put together I unfortunately found boring, plodding, pretentious and overly complicated.
SPOILER ALERT!
I particularly disliked the author creating a long, painful and extremely detailed sexual relationship between Shakespeare and Christofer Marlowe. While I have read suggestions of this in other books, the way this was dealt with in this book I found gratuitous and a bit smarmy. It really soured the entire book for me.
I was also disappointed at how little magic was actually included. The description suggested that magic was woven into the plays written by Marlowe and Shakespeare to help keep Elizabeth on the throne. While this was referenced throughout the book, there was no detail on how it was done, and I felt let down by that.
I forced myself to finish this book, because I kept hoping it would get better - it didn't. I would not recommend this book at all.
The back cover suggested a combination of royals - both mortal and faerie - and poets - Shakespeare and Marlowe - literature, magic, intrigue and politics. They were technically all in the book, but the way they were put together I unfortunately found boring, plodding, pretentious and overly complicated.
SPOILER ALERT!
I particularly disliked the author creating a long, painful and extremely detailed sexual relationship between Shakespeare and Christofer Marlowe. While I have read suggestions of this in other books, the way this was dealt with in this book I found gratuitous and a bit smarmy. It really soured the entire book for me.
I was also disappointed at how little magic was actually included. The description suggested that magic was woven into the plays written by Marlowe and Shakespeare to help keep Elizabeth on the throne. While this was referenced throughout the book, there was no detail on how it was done, and I felt let down by that.
I forced myself to finish this book, because I kept hoping it would get better - it didn't. I would not recommend this book at all.
August 20, 2013
3.5 stars
A blend of history and fantasy is what typifies Elizabeth Bear's body of work, as does her reliance on folklore and literary references to craft her tales. The more you know about her favoured subject matter, whether it be Shakespeare, Elizabethan England, Faerie, or Arthurian legend, the better you'll be able to enjoy her books, for Bear doesn't suffer fools and seldom slows down to explain precisely what's going on. Ink and Steel requires your utmost attention if you're to follow it, so don't think you can pick this one up for a bit of light holiday reading.
I read Blood and Iron several years ago and though my memories of it are vague, I do remember having enjoyed it. So it was with a certain amount of confidence that I picked up Ink and Steel, expecting good things. The story is set in Elizabethan London, but not as we know it. In this alternative history ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
A blend of history and fantasy is what typifies Elizabeth Bear's body of work, as does her reliance on folklore and literary references to craft her tales. The more you know about her favoured subject matter, whether it be Shakespeare, Elizabethan England, Faerie, or Arthurian legend, the better you'll be able to enjoy her books, for Bear doesn't suffer fools and seldom slows down to explain precisely what's going on. Ink and Steel requires your utmost attention if you're to follow it, so don't think you can pick this one up for a bit of light holiday reading.
I read Blood and Iron several years ago and though my memories of it are vague, I do remember having enjoyed it. So it was with a certain amount of confidence that I picked up Ink and Steel, expecting good things. The story is set in Elizabethan London, but not as we know it. In this alternative history ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
September 19, 2010
This book holds true the saying "do not judge a book by it's cover" as the cover seems to indicate a story that has nothing to do with this book. A story of Christopher Marley & William Shakespeare, where the two don't understand (and neither did I as the reader) where the magic came from until the last few chapters.
I found the writing tedious, the characters flat, and parts in the book completely unnecessary. The only thing that kept me reading was the idea that so much more could be done with the premise. I kept hoping the author would take a leap and make it... more. I will not be reading this book again, nor will I likely recommend it to anyone.
I found the writing tedious, the characters flat, and parts in the book completely unnecessary. The only thing that kept me reading was the idea that so much more could be done with the premise. I kept hoping the author would take a leap and make it... more. I will not be reading this book again, nor will I likely recommend it to anyone.
Want to read
August 10, 2008This book sounds like too much fun to pass up. And now that Elizabeth Bear has won the Hugo Award for her short story "Tideline", she definitely looks like an author to watch.
September 18, 2008
Vivid, harrowing, absolutely engrossing. The central figures of the Elizabethan stage, the policymakers of Elizabeth's court, and the tireless game-players of the shadow-world of Faerie meet in this character-driven novel. First-rate historical fantasy.
August 2, 2008
I really liked this, but since it was only half a book, I'll delay the review 'til I read _Hell & Earth._
(Lucifer is still my fave. Such style.)
(Lucifer is still my fave. Such style.)
June 24, 2009
Amazing. Simply amazing.
And Kit Marley is teh hawt.
And Kit Marley is teh hawt.
April 30, 2023
Bear, Elizabeth. Ink and Steel. 2008. Gateway, 2019. Promethean Age, 2019.
The Promethean Age is a loosely connected series of fantasies in historical settings. Ink and Steel, the first of two books featuring Will Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe, offers a sly romp through Elizabethan England with a side trip or two to visit the Faerie Queen. Elizabeth Bear has done her research and is honest with the liberties she takes with Early Modern English. She takes even more liberties with the many historical figures we meet along the way. The Earl of Oxford says he taught Marlowe all he knew about magic. Marlowe and Shakespeare have an off-again-on-again affair that is more than just a bromance. Marlowe, for example, is given several nicknames: Kit, Kitten, and Puss. Like a Shakespearean play, the tone swings from comic to tragic as the plot demands. Like Tom Stoppard in Shakespeare in Love (1998), Bear delights in the language: “Poetry,” she has Marlowe say, “was how we got here. Who would have thought poetry so dangerous?” Ink and Steel was clearly a labor of love, and I am glad it didn’t get lost. 4 stars.
The Promethean Age is a loosely connected series of fantasies in historical settings. Ink and Steel, the first of two books featuring Will Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe, offers a sly romp through Elizabethan England with a side trip or two to visit the Faerie Queen. Elizabeth Bear has done her research and is honest with the liberties she takes with Early Modern English. She takes even more liberties with the many historical figures we meet along the way. The Earl of Oxford says he taught Marlowe all he knew about magic. Marlowe and Shakespeare have an off-again-on-again affair that is more than just a bromance. Marlowe, for example, is given several nicknames: Kit, Kitten, and Puss. Like a Shakespearean play, the tone swings from comic to tragic as the plot demands. Like Tom Stoppard in Shakespeare in Love (1998), Bear delights in the language: “Poetry,” she has Marlowe say, “was how we got here. Who would have thought poetry so dangerous?” Ink and Steel was clearly a labor of love, and I am glad it didn’t get lost. 4 stars.
March 9, 2020
This book seemed like two books: one a complicated mystery and the other an “urban” fantasy, all set in Elizabethan England and the realm of the Fae. The mystery part I didn’t like too well. It had a lot of characters to follow and seemed to meander. The other part, the fantasy part, was pretty tight, especially in the last third of the book. It didn’t make everything come together as this is the first part of a duology. In fact, it’s the third book in a four-book series, but this is a prequel to the first two, and it’s quite self-contained. It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but it doesn’t resolve the mystery. This book, with its sequel “Hell and Earth”, won the Gaylactic Spectrum Award in 2009.
Come visit my blog for the full review…
https://itstartedwiththehugos.blogspo...
Come visit my blog for the full review…
https://itstartedwiththehugos.blogspo...
May 22, 2020
CW: Rape, death of a child, miscarriage (mentioned)
I love this. I adored this. Kit Marley and William Shakespeare and Lucifer? Yes please.
Bear's writing fit much better with this historical, exhaustively researched novel than the previous two volumes of this series, which were both much more modern and urban fantasy-y. Quotes from Marley and Shakespeare were used as framing devices throughout and each one was excellently chosen.
And Bear's writing of Lucifer is just *chef's kiss*. (Yes, I have been called out for saying this, don't @ me, okay.)
My copy was lent to me by a friend who hasn't actually read this book yet. I'm going to (grudgingly) give it back to them, but I already told them if they don't want to keep it in the end, I will steal it back!
I love this. I adored this. Kit Marley and William Shakespeare and Lucifer? Yes please.
Bear's writing fit much better with this historical, exhaustively researched novel than the previous two volumes of this series, which were both much more modern and urban fantasy-y. Quotes from Marley and Shakespeare were used as framing devices throughout and each one was excellently chosen.
And Bear's writing of Lucifer is just *chef's kiss*. (Yes, I have been called out for saying this, don't @ me, okay.)
My copy was lent to me by a friend who hasn't actually read this book yet. I'm going to (grudgingly) give it back to them, but I already told them if they don't want to keep it in the end, I will steal it back!
November 16, 2017
I'll give credit where credit is due--the prose is dense and lyrical, Ms. Bear was working with an impressively huge cast and she was effective at setting the period.
However, this book wasn't quite what I expected. I was looking for something with a little more action, and instead got hundreds of pages of intrigues so dense and complicated that I was about two thirds into the book before I found the plot. And that was when it devolved into an unconvincing Shakespeare/Marlowe slash fiction. I ended up glazing over the last hundred pages or so.
It might be up someone else's alley. It's just not quite up mine.
However, this book wasn't quite what I expected. I was looking for something with a little more action, and instead got hundreds of pages of intrigues so dense and complicated that I was about two thirds into the book before I found the plot. And that was when it devolved into an unconvincing Shakespeare/Marlowe slash fiction. I ended up glazing over the last hundred pages or so.
It might be up someone else's alley. It's just not quite up mine.
May 24, 2018
Very intriguing sequel/prequel to Blood and Iron. Over a decade after I last had to read Shakespeare, the old English speech gets a little hard to wade through sometimes (can anybody tell me the difference between 'thee' and 'thou'?!?) but it's worth it.
February 4, 2019
I was pleasantly surprised and DELIGHTED by how queer this was. Especially if you don't read the last chapter - seriously, just skip that part, and you have a delightfully angsty novel about William Shakespeare & Christopher Marlowe. More queer books like this one, please.
June 29, 2019
Enjoyable read - Elizabethan spies, Faerie politics, ant Kit Marley at the center.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2011
I feel as if I should really reread this book and its companion before attempting to review it properly, even though it's only been a scattering of months since I burned through both in succession. However, I think I can manage to write a few passages here and now, with the thought of rereading and then editing this review later. It's not so much that the story doesn't leave a lasting impression; quite the opposite. It's just that so very much happens in this duology, so it's difficult to pin it all down neatly for an uninitiated reader. That would be enough of an endorsement in itself for me, but I've had it explained to me that normal people actually like a few specifics.
So I'll try a few.
First, this is part of the story Elizabeth Bear refers to as The Stratford Man. That, if you know your literary history, should be enough to tell you what the gist of the story is. However, for those who haven't read their Bard, the title makes reference to William Shakespeare, and also of his more mysterious colleague, Kristopher Marlowe, who in this story is known as Kit Marley, perhaps to free Elizabeth to take some liberties with the characters. And in the interests of telling a truly compelling story, a great deal of liberty is taken, to very good effect.
[Hey, I gave both volumes five stars. Idle praise it isn't. This is one of the best stories I've read in years, and I've read a small few that have really grabbed me, so it's in very good company indeed.]
I would love to tell you more, but really, I've probably spoiled far too much already, if I haven't scared you off with the LGBT-friendly themes. If the latter is true, I'd ask you to reconsider; there is some erotic content to this story, but everything is quite tasteful and incredibly well told, and really such an integral part of the story, it wouldn't survive having all of the gay themes removed. And as to the former, believe me, there is so much to this story, I've spoiled very little for you.
An absolute masterpiece, and a wonderful introduction to the works of Elizabeth Bear. I can't more highly recommend it.
So I'll try a few.
First, this is part of the story Elizabeth Bear refers to as The Stratford Man. That, if you know your literary history, should be enough to tell you what the gist of the story is. However, for those who haven't read their Bard, the title makes reference to William Shakespeare, and also of his more mysterious colleague, Kristopher Marlowe, who in this story is known as Kit Marley, perhaps to free Elizabeth to take some liberties with the characters. And in the interests of telling a truly compelling story, a great deal of liberty is taken, to very good effect.
[Hey, I gave both volumes five stars. Idle praise it isn't. This is one of the best stories I've read in years, and I've read a small few that have really grabbed me, so it's in very good company indeed.]
I would love to tell you more, but really, I've probably spoiled far too much already, if I haven't scared you off with the LGBT-friendly themes. If the latter is true, I'd ask you to reconsider; there is some erotic content to this story, but everything is quite tasteful and incredibly well told, and really such an integral part of the story, it wouldn't survive having all of the gay themes removed. And as to the former, believe me, there is so much to this story, I've spoiled very little for you.
An absolute masterpiece, and a wonderful introduction to the works of Elizabeth Bear. I can't more highly recommend it.
January 8, 2012
I finished Elizabeth Bear's The Stratford Man (composed of the two novels Ink and Steel, and Hell and Earth) today.
Although published in two volumes, this is actually very much a single story, written in a 5-act structure, like a Renaissance play (acts 1-3 in the first volume, acts 4 and 5 in the second one)
Unsurprisingly, one of the main characters of the books is one Will Shakespeare of Stratford, but the main theme of the books is the fight of a group of English poets and magicians to sustain Queen Elizabeth I's reign against a rival group of mages, supposed to be in league with Lucider, through introducing strengthening magic into their work.
After Will's friend and fellow poet Christofer Marley (or Marlow, or Marlin...) is murdered, Will is recruited to take his place. However, he is lacking in magic, so support has to be gotten from Faerie, as Elizabeth and her counterpart, the Mebd, Queen of Faerie, are linked through stories. (Mebd is apparently pronounced Maeve. Gotta love Irish...).
Meanwhile, Kit Marley awakes in Faerie, missing one eye, but otherwise alive, and is introduced into the court of the Mebd and her sister Morgan le Fey, and especially her son Murchaud (court being a euphemism in that case).
From here on, the chapters alternate between Will's and Kit's point-of-view, and depict their struggles, in London and in Faerie, to save the reign of their Queens.
I really like Bear's Promethean novels, as they depict a really interesting, intricate and vivid picture of Faerie, and in this case, of Elizabethan England. The style is lush and sensual, sex is frequent, but almost always the grapgic description ends with the foreplay, which saves the books from becoming teenie-fare monster-soft-porn. I must admit that I found Kit's chapters a lot more interesting than Will's, in general.
I really like Faeries done in this style, hinting at danger, fascination, and endless time. I guess the depiction is quite similar to the one in the Dresden Files, if a good bit more favourably disposed towards the Faeries...
I like the premise that there is power in stories, and that all stories are true. This means, on the one hand, that the plays that Will and his company perform can sway the political situation in favour of Elizabeth, and that they can positively influence her health. On the other hand, the Fae are very much subject to stories told about them, to such an extend that they physically change in relation to them. For example, Morgan's appearance changes from dark-haired and swarthy to red-haired and fair as her legends become more and more associated with Elizabeth. (It is said that she was blonde, and a goddess once, before her story changed)
The problem I had with these books is keeping people straight. English nobility have the annoying habit of having a name completely different from their title, so if they're referred to alternately by both (and their first names), it's rather hard to keep track of them. The fact that they're all called either Thomas or Robert doesn't help either. So sometimes I wasn't really sure what side a certain person was on.
Bear provides a dramatis personae at the beginning of the first volume though.
Definetely recommended, if you like good historical/magical fiction :)
7.5/10
Although published in two volumes, this is actually very much a single story, written in a 5-act structure, like a Renaissance play (acts 1-3 in the first volume, acts 4 and 5 in the second one)
Unsurprisingly, one of the main characters of the books is one Will Shakespeare of Stratford, but the main theme of the books is the fight of a group of English poets and magicians to sustain Queen Elizabeth I's reign against a rival group of mages, supposed to be in league with Lucider, through introducing strengthening magic into their work.
After Will's friend and fellow poet Christofer Marley (or Marlow, or Marlin...) is murdered, Will is recruited to take his place. However, he is lacking in magic, so support has to be gotten from Faerie, as Elizabeth and her counterpart, the Mebd, Queen of Faerie, are linked through stories. (Mebd is apparently pronounced Maeve. Gotta love Irish...).
Meanwhile, Kit Marley awakes in Faerie, missing one eye, but otherwise alive, and is introduced into the court of the Mebd and her sister Morgan le Fey, and especially her son Murchaud (court being a euphemism in that case).
From here on, the chapters alternate between Will's and Kit's point-of-view, and depict their struggles, in London and in Faerie, to save the reign of their Queens.
I really like Bear's Promethean novels, as they depict a really interesting, intricate and vivid picture of Faerie, and in this case, of Elizabethan England. The style is lush and sensual, sex is frequent, but almost always the grapgic description ends with the foreplay, which saves the books from becoming teenie-fare monster-soft-porn. I must admit that I found Kit's chapters a lot more interesting than Will's, in general.
I really like Faeries done in this style, hinting at danger, fascination, and endless time. I guess the depiction is quite similar to the one in the Dresden Files, if a good bit more favourably disposed towards the Faeries...
I like the premise that there is power in stories, and that all stories are true. This means, on the one hand, that the plays that Will and his company perform can sway the political situation in favour of Elizabeth, and that they can positively influence her health. On the other hand, the Fae are very much subject to stories told about them, to such an extend that they physically change in relation to them. For example, Morgan's appearance changes from dark-haired and swarthy to red-haired and fair as her legends become more and more associated with Elizabeth. (It is said that she was blonde, and a goddess once, before her story changed)
The problem I had with these books is keeping people straight. English nobility have the annoying habit of having a name completely different from their title, so if they're referred to alternately by both (and their first names), it's rather hard to keep track of them. The fact that they're all called either Thomas or Robert doesn't help either. So sometimes I wasn't really sure what side a certain person was on.
Bear provides a dramatis personae at the beginning of the first volume though.
Definetely recommended, if you like good historical/magical fiction :)
7.5/10
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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