World Famous Comics: Whiskey and Water: A Novel of the Promethean Age
Whiskey and Water: A Novel of the Promethean Age
By: Elizabeth Bear Publisher: Roc Trade Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Format: Bargain Price Label: Roc Trade Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 448 Publication Date: July 03, 2007
Product Description: Several years ago, Matthew the Magician ended an age-old war. It only cost him everything-and everyone-he knew and loved. Turning against his mentor, Jane Andraste, in the realm of Faerie left him physically crippled and his power shattered.
But Matthew remains the protector of New York City. So when he finds a young woman brutally murdered by a Fae creature, he must bring her killer to justice before Jane uses the crime to justify more war-and before he confronts an even larger threat in the greatest Adversary of all...
Second Title in the Promethean Age series shows Bear's improving writing skills Whiskey and Water is the second book in Elizabeth Bear's Promethean Age novels about a resurgence of Faerie and their conflicts with Mages in modern day NYC.
I loved Blood and Iron, the first book in this series, which was set around a fateful Halloween Night when the power of Faerie was unleashed in a visible and risble way, as conflicts between Faerie and the Promethean Mages, as well as riven divisions within Faerie led to the inescapable revelation to the modern world that Faerie was real, after all.
Of course this conflict has been at great cost for all of its participants, even the winners, and it is seven years later that we take up their stories again. Matthew Szczegielniak still teaches classes and has turned his back on his power. Jane Andraste, Maga, is about the only other Mage in NY of note that's left. Her half-fae daughter Elaine sits on the painful throne of the Seelie. Whiskey, the water elemental who holds Elaine's soul is still abroad...
And a series of murders by a Fae introduce us to new characters. Don, the cop who finds a connection with these sorcerous characters. Jewels and Geoff, young kids who quickly get in over their head.
Oh, and Kitten, aka Kit, aka Christopher Marlowe, ready to be released from Hell and walk abroad in Faerie and the world. Oh, and of course, the Devil. More than one, in fact.
And so with the players named, the tale is told and told well. The consequences of conflicts from the first book play out, and in addition to Faerie and the mundane world, Bear introduces us to a third realm in this book--Hell.
The book shouldn't be read by anyone who hasn't read B&I (and why haven't you read that,hmmm?). If anything, the writing of W&W is better, a more mature Bear's pen's words here flow like wine. Marlowe is one of Bear's favorite historical characters, and to see him brought to life in the modern world is a delight, but not the only one to be found in these pages.
After all, having been born and raised there, I was tickled pink that part of the climax, a wizard's duel, takes place on Staten Island.
I enjoyed Whiskey and Water highly. The 3rd novel in the Promethean Age, Ink and Steel, takes place 400 years earlier, during the rule of Elizabeth I. Will I read it? I already bought it, you betcha.
Super Reader No Mages left isn't handy.
It is pretty common in your Celtic flavoured fantasy story to have someone with a dodgy mitt around the joint.
What is far less common is to have a Bunyip turn up. In what, otherwise, is pretty garden variety European of that area mythology (one minor the serial any gender Merlin), barring the current location of the book, for some reason there is a Bunyip.
No complaints, we absolutely need more Bunyip stories.
Fighting Bunyips are ok, too, especially when you have them wet wrestling with talking horses.
You can have a supernatural WWF.
The Nuckalevee vs The Faery Queen! The Bunyip vs Mr. Ed Whiskey!
Apparently in an earlier book or conflict the head of the Promethean Order of Mages managed to get them pretty much all removed from the land of the living, apart form herself.
The busted hand bloke of earlier has had enough of the war with the faeries, and just wants to try and look after his own city, and have not too many more people die.
So, of course, a murder that looks like an act not of human undertaking drops in his lap.
Not to mention Lucifer, dragons, goth girls, plotting nasty supernaturals, and plenty of other people and things your average non-Magus doesn't have to worry about.
The author indulges her Christopher Marlowe fetish yet again, too.
The threat of war lurks.
3.5 out of 5
Duels and Wars and Intrigues and Betrayals... This sequel follows the former Promethean Mage, Matthew, scarred and adrift after the events of the first book. It's seven years later and Faerie is being framed by someone for the murder of humans--in an attempt to start up a war--or two. Part of the complex intrigue involves Heaven and Hell--represented by the tough female angel Michael and the melancholy Morningstar, who is one of many literary devils who reign in Hell. Other players are Kit Marlowe (the poet/playwright pal of Shakespeare), and various seelie and unseelie fae, humans, with a sprinkling of werewolves and devils.
The narrative jumps about amongst the huge cast of characters a bit too much for me. I was less able to become involved in any one thread or character. Plus the fact that most characters are totally playing the game and emotions seem muted in them all, despite some horrific events. And they seemed to change allegiances and plots right and left. At any rate, I enjoyed this book less than the last.
terrific urban fantasy Seven years has passed since Matthew survived the BLOOD AND IRON escapades when most of his loyal allies died and many of those who did not betrayed him. Matthew has come back from his war to save the land of Faerie to his hometown of New York City where he has vowed to protect the residents from the malevolent practitioners of dark magic and their otherworldly minion.
However, his enemy in Faerie realm Jane Andraste has started a new scheme to destroy her only formidable adversary Matthew before she begins her second attempt at taking power. She arranges for Matthew to be more than just a party of interest in a murder; she insures New York's finest have evidence to lock Matthew away for quite a long time until it would prove too late for him to stop her. When he struggles with mundane matters in the Big Apple pertaining to a homicide investigation, Jane begins her coup in Faerie land.
This is a terrific urban fantasy in which the hero has troubles on two planes as his archenemy has tied him up in New York City with the police wanting to question him as their prime suspect in a homicide while in the faerie realm, Jane's coup d'etat has commenced. Readers will appreciate this cleverly designed and well written sequel as Matthew prays more people he cares about survive his latest encounter with the malevolent Jane who does not worry about collateral damage. The murder investigation brings a plausible reality to this delightful tale filled with all sorts of otherworldly species as Matthew and Jane face off in round two.
Anything Goes Trivia
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