Customer Reviews (13)

two novels in one
The authors seem to be very well meaning,
just not very informed about mythology.
Materialistic Sidhe is pretty much a contradiction in terms.
Only the Irish Lepriconsseem to be preoccupied with gold:
the elves and the little people are more involved in trees and forest lore.
Here there are two parts:
1) the cult
2) the child abuse
The changeling myth is that the Sidhe stole babies and
replaced them with lessor constructions/beings.
Not that the Sidhe cared that much for children,
but that they liked to play mean hurtful games with humans.
It is a long stretch to race drivers and mechanics who rescue children in distress! The novels were kind of funny besides being very violent.
These myths have been twisted around a lot over time:
this is just one of the mostly "unlikely"
that I've run across.

Very good but NOT comedy
The Otherworld is a reprint of two excellent books by Mercedes Lackey with Mark Shepherd and Holly Lisle. They are gripping, with well-drawn and interesting characters.But they are NOT comedy - they are very well written but gruelling tales of child abuse. The review on the back cover that says "[this] is one of her rollicking action comedies....the comedy is clever" is absolutely wrong and presumably refers to another novel by Lackey.Do not buy this expecting comedy.

Very tough to read but worth it
This volume contains 2 novels, both about horrifying child abuse. Most of Wheels of Fire takes place in the cesspool world of racist militants. I enjoyed the books although racing and Oklahoma are about as alien to me as Underhill.

Welcome to the world of Hot Rods and Magic!
Luckily, I had read the reviews before purchasing this title along with "When the Bough Breaks" and "Wheels of Fire." I like having two books in one! (I also own "The Chrome Borne") I've read many of M. Lackey's novels and these were most enjoyable especially because they were so DIFFERENT from the Valdemar series.
I especially like how M. Lackey and her co authors deal with modern day social grievances - in this case, severe child abuse and cult tendencies.
I used to teach emotionally disturbed adolescent females and I feel that more books like these are needed in order for society at large to understand what non-intervention does to exacerbate the problems. This is a wonderful tale of Elves, Magic, and human emotion. If only we could find the Seleighe court to help us with our society's problems! But since we can't, Lackey and her coauthors provide contact numbers and associations that can help stop the abuse in the back.
Not only a wonderful read, but also a great social commentary and it even gives you the tools to take some action!

For those of you who want to know what the books are about-
Yes, I know these books are a reprint. That's because I read the back and it says in not so tiny letters: Publisher's Note: Formerly published in parts as Wheels of Fire and When the Bough Breaks.

The books are some of the best I've ever read. When you can't put the books down, when they make you cry, when they make you feel sick, that means that you are reading some darn-fine material. Both of the books deal with the matter of child abuse and torture, a subject most people don't even think about on their own time. Mercedes Lackey deftly combines Urban Fantasy with a real social issue, something I admire greatly.

Wheels of Fire is the story of the kidnapping of a young boy, a medium, and his rescue. He has been kidnapped by a fanatical cult but with the help of the elf Alinor (a race car driver) and his human mechanic/mage friend Bob, they try to save the day. It's a pretty fast-paced book and the characters are absolutely amazing. It's not a book you can put down with ease. You HAVE to know: does Jamie get out? It's postively gripping.

As for When the Bough Breaks, this book is even tougher to read than Wheels. It's a story about child abuse and the results. It deals with several young girls and a gaelic witch trapped together in one body, multiple facets of her personality. It's up to Maclyn, an elf, and Amanda's schoolteacher Lianne to save her from destroying herself and the elfhame with her out of control magic and fury.

If you like urban fantasy, stories that deal with elves and whatnot in the present day, you'll like these books a lot. They are gripping and the characterization is astounding. If you like urban fantasy but can't stomach the sometimes horrifying child abuse, read her other reprint: The Chrome Born. Chrome stars the powerful human mage Tannim and a cast of elves, kids, and kitsune.

These are my favorites of Mercedes lackey's books, even surpassing her Valdemar series. They are excellent

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