CarlAlves

The world of the Fey is in a bit of trouble as a demonic power known as The Unmaker threatens to destroy both the world of the Fey and the human world. Sive, the goddess of battle, must stop The Unmaker, who takes the form of her new husband. She puts her people's hopes in none other than William Shakespeare, who doesn't realize he is part Fey. Sive's cousin, Puck, is sent to look over Shakespeare as he grows up to protect him from harm.

Chasing the Bard has a great premise. I never thought of William Shakespeare as being part Fey, but many think his writing is magical. Ballantine does a great job of mixing history with fantasy. The progression of the plot is logical and well thought out. Her writing skills are top notch and her style is enjoyable. There's nothing over the top about it. She has a very understated way of writing that really works for her subject matter. The characters are both flawed and easy to relate to, including the Bard. The ending of the book seemed a bit rushed, and I thought Ballantine could have slowed it down a bit. Otherwise, this was a well-written and enjoyable piece of historical fantasy.

Carl Alves - author of Blood Street