The Road to Bedlam: The Courts of the Feyre, Vol. II [Paperback]

I picked up the first book in this series by chance (Sixty-One Nails (Courts of the Feyre 1)) and enjoyed it so much, that I was determined to buy the sequel - so no doubt,I am now a fan!

Both books are real page-turners, where you just have to find out how it's all going to pan out and what happens to Niall next. They move along at a fair pace and towards the end of this installment, it's truly breath-taking!

Generally, this style of fantasy comes out of the US and as others have mentioned, it's really nice to have British locations that feel and in fact are real places - although the author admits that the seaside location, was an amalgamation of a few Yorkshire villages.

The way this book started, reminded me very much of a UK version of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files - the books, not the TV series. Where Niall becomes a warder and finds out more about the Courts of the Feyre - this covers ground that Harry Dresden treads - but it diverges, where we actually get to the matter at hand and the "meat" of the book.

So there is a clear "theme" which gives this book depth and a real feeling of actually being about something, rather than a "diversion" with magic and weird creatures.

What this is clearly all about, is the relationship between Fathers and their daughters as they grow up and how it's possible to cope with the loss of your "little girl" as they turn into women - or in more tragic cicumstances how is it possible to cope with their death/disappearance?

Niall investigates a case which throws up various possibilities for how you can lose a daughter and each is equally moving and emotional - but of course there is the possibility to come to terms with a daughter becoming a woman, which is absent in the case of early and sudden death.

Niall experiences the grief and then wonders whether it would be easier to deal with death over the possibility of his daugher Alex becoming a wraith-like monster. Then in the case he investigates, the possibilities for a resolution, are laid out before him.

I won't spoil the ending of course - but I just wanted to point out where this is more than simply a magical thriller - although the weirdness and magic are all there, adding excitement and unlimited possibilities throughout.

I imagine, anyway that there will be more, as the 7th Court are still an unresolved problem and I look forward to this greatly! Most enjoyable read of 2011 so far.

The Road to Bedlam is the second book of a series. I read its prequel, Sixty One Nails, 'because it was there', fantasy not being my genre of choice, but I enjoyed it so much I was on the lookout for The Road to Bedlam, and it was even better than the first book. So often a sequel is disappointing, but not this one.

The characters were more solid than in Nails and the plot too, though maybe that was because I was more used to the concept.

The first time I read it, I was forced to keep putting it down at the most inconvenient moments in the story, hugely frustrating! So many cliff-hanger moments in one story. It certainly keeps you involved and I very much like the way it provokes me to thought: I spent a lot of time with it in my lap while my mind took off on various threads evoked by the strength of its imagery, or its profound simplicity, challenges that made me stop short and reassess facets of existence.

There are markers in my copy and I've been back to those passages several times - it's not often that a story says something so meaningful, but this one certainly did for me. I've used those marked passages as examples when teaching with great success, so it's not only me they have value for! It's stood the test of re-reading too - always a good sign for a story. I found even more in it second time round, not that I'd missed stuff, but there is enough depth for it to reveal different aspects depending on one's mood.

Other elements of the book evoked wry wishful thinking - a bit like reading Harry Potter and longing for the ability to Aperate or use summoning charms - the thought of travelling by such simple and seemingly possible means as The Ways and will power was infinitely attractive.

If you're not really a fantasy reader either, this could well change your mind. It's a good story with some great imagery, well held suspense, and a chillingly feasible plot, which can be appreciated by everyone. If it doesn't speak to your soul, well, that's your loss, maybe you were afraid to let it? Give it a go.

I was captivated by Sixty-One Nails and hoped the follow-up would be as good. For those that enjoyed the first book I do believe this book is worth reading, although I also believe parts of it may be confusing if you haven't read Sixty-One Nails first. The author does say he tries to make the book readable for those that haven't read his earlier work and I'm not convinced this works out as well as he had hoped.

In this book the main character, Niall starts with the apparent death of his daughter and culminates in uncovering the research carried out by 'mortals' into weapons and devices to monitor and potentially destroy those that have the Fey bloodline. In between it does seem to wander a bit, with a task that Niall is given in order to keep him occupied, more than anything else. This mission doesn't seem to belong to the main story and you do wonder when the main thread will return. When it does though the pace and writing is superb.
The various mechinations of the Fey courts and the politics between the Fey and Mortal world are very well done, showing that the two different worlds are aware of each other and just how fragile the long-standing agreements are.

Very entertaining and recommended.