Anthea Sharp

Sissy says--I don’t like gaming, I don’t like futuristic settings, and I don’t like weird made-up names, but I liked this book. And here's what I liked about it: Spark, the character, is an awesome girl! She is slightly tomboyish but can rock the spandex when needed. She is true to herself and is real. I liked the new character Aran, and how he struggles to do the right thing and go for the girl. I liked how much I hated the bad guys (evil twin gamers Roc and Cora Terabin). My show more favorite, though, was Niteesh--super little team-playing minuteman! And I think Anthea Sharp does a fantastic job with the Faerie realm. She describes things so vividly and fleshes out the inhabitants so fully, you feel like you are actually there.
Bubby says: I will continue to read Anthea Sharp’s books for as long as she writes them. All the magic and adventure I could ask for mixed with a dash of romance. Lovely. 4 bubbles from Bubby, the wannabe elf queen, and
Sissy the enchantress (current, not wannabe). Read full review at www.bubblebathbooks.net show less

Jennet was a character that I fell in love with instantly. She is a girl who loves video games, has a great sense of competition, and is just tough enough without being overbearing. Strong in the face of danger, Jennet is my kind of girl. I'll admit that I absolutely loved both Jennet and Tam in this story. They meshed perfectly as a duo, playing off strengths and weaknesses. Their stories were both built up beautifully alone, but it was when they came together that Feyland shined.

I had show more never heard the story of Tam Lin before reading Feyland, but of course I had to research it once I was finished. Sharp has taken an age old fairy story and turned it into something that pulses with new life. Ready for a confession? I'm a gamer. A total nerd who loves MMO immersion and the story lines that come along with it. However I can honestly say that even if you aren't into the video game scene, the world that Anthea Sharp builds for her characters will easily come to life for you anyway. Her writing is fluid, easy to read, and definitely something that you'll be able to get lost in.

Feyland definitely isn't hurting in the action department either. I personally think that this is one of the more perfectly paced stories that I've read lately. In fact I actually read this book straight through from beginning to end, simply because there just wasn't a good place to stop. I needed to know what happened to Jennet and Tam. That's how invested I was in their fight to save themselves, and ultimately all of humanity.

If you enjoy fantasy stories, with a bit of science fiction thrown in, this is a read to pick up! I adored it and recommend Feyland wholeheartedly. I desperately hope that there is more in store for Jennet and Tam. I can't wait! show less

3.75 Stars

A modern gamer interpretation of the Ballad of Tam Lin. The beginning throws the reader right into the gaming world, so if that's your thing, great. If not, push through the first couple of chapters. The story gets much better and focuses less on the video game details and more on a contemporary fairy tale romance.

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I'd previously read sharp, the 1st book in this series before, and at the time I intended to go back to the beginning and read Feyland. Instead I've finished off the rest of the Feyguard trilogy.

Sharp is still my favourite. Sharp is an internet gaming star, who'd previously managed to break into the new Feyland virtual reality game, and actually transfer into the world of Fairie - complete with the traditional Light and Dark courts, and unaffliated allies, such as the sprite Puck. At the show more time Spark had a coterie of friends around her, but now that Feyland is having it's global launch, she's on her own, touring with the gaming company. However she's still charged with maintaining the boundary between Fairie and Feyland, protecting innocent humans from the wiles and malice of the Fey. Easy enough she thought, until she encountered the hacker Aaron. Down on his luck lucking for an edge he thought it too good to be true that he'd actually met the famous Spark. When she invites him to demo a preview version he realises his luck is finally arrived.

Royal follows the fighter in the party - a privileged son of one of Feyland's developers, nothing is too good for him, girls included. However he's beginning to learn a little humility and the value of friends from whatever strata in society they come from. Once again he's captured by the wiles of the Fey when he falls for an emissary of the Dark Court, the stunning Brae. Perhaps the best of the trilogy is the continuity this shows from Spark, because Royal is the weakest fo the three characters, too obvious, too changeable and generally weak. Even his strong front of his persona is poor crafted.

Marney is similar in scope - she's old school gamer, none of this VR for her. But she's the only Guardian in town when an enterprisingly gamer starts pulling bits of faerie out of the game to decorate his nightclub. - this really is as weak as it sounds plotwise, which is a shame as Marney's one of the better characters, strong, independent but human too with weakness and doubts.

Overall it remains a lot of fun. There's just enough technology future cast to make the VR belivable. and the faerie adhere's well to traditional Lore, whilst being inventive in it's setting and characters. I really must read the first three! show less