"delightful Elizabethan fantasy thriller"
Christopher Marlowe was considered the leading playwright
of the sixteenth century until he dies. His mantle after
a brief vacuum is passed on to William Shakespeare, who has
problems coping with fame now that the Elizabethan court
recognizes his talent. He knows that Marlowe's death and
his own dealings with the Elven king Quicksilver were the
catalyst. He deeply regrets the price, feeling he lost
more than he gained by his encounter with the elves and
remains haunted by Marlowe who Will knows died at the
hands of a malevolent essence. William learns that his son Hamnet has been abducted in
the elven forest. Distraught, the playwright concludes
that Quicksilver kidnapped his son. When he races to the
woods near his hometown of Stratford to confront
Quicksilver, he finds out that his nemesis is innocent,
but a blood relative of the King has set in motion a plot
to take over the throne. Will William and Quicksilver
partner to save a lad and a throne or is the past too much
to overcome? The third Shakespeare fantasy tale retains all the fun,
excitement, and magic of its delightful predecessors (see
ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT and ALL NIGHT AWAKE). The story line
is action-packed and the cast (historical human, literary
human, elven, and other supernatural creatures) is
fascinating. Readers see a wildly different Shakespeare
from the legendary author as he struggles with the
otherworldly, what happened to his friend and rival, and
now his son. Sara A. Hoyt brings new meaning to the Bard
as she provides a delightful Elizabethan fantasy thriller
that demands more such tales (Canterbury anyone?). Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted October 1, 2003
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