Monday, December 17, 2012

Review | The Twilight Kingdom by Anthea Sharp

The Twilight Kingdom
Anthea Sharp
Feyland #3
Published December 2012 by Anthea Sharp
YA modern fairy tale
ARC from the author
4 stars

THEIR LAST CHANCE…

Jennet Carter and Tam Linn are almost out of time. Feyland, the most immersive computer game ever designed, is about to be released into the world—along with the Realm of Faerie’s dangerous magic.

WIN THE GAME…

The faeries, desperate to break free from their realm, have set treacherous plans in motion. Despite magical allies of their own, Jennet and Tam have no idea what dire threats await, both in-game and out.

OR DIE TRYING…

Battling for their lives against the united powers of the Dark Queen and Bright King, Jennet and Tam’s quest to stop the fey takes them into the perilous Twilight Kingdom, where illusion reigns—and magic can break all the rules.


Bite-Sized Review
Yet another addictive installment in the Feyland series from Anthea Sharp. I love this series and would recommend it highly to anyone who might be interested.

King-Sized Review
Probably my favorite part of this series is how real it feels. Oddly enough, the books are like the novel version of the Feyland game they feature -- you go in expecting something fun and interesting, and it turns out to be a lot more than you expected. Usually, no matter how exciting or interesting I find a book, I don't get little twinges of nerves or happiness while I'm reading. The Feyland series is a happy exception. I love reading these books because they seem so real while I'm reading them. Anthea Sharp's writing makes me truly share the characters' experiences, and that's the kind of ability you don't often see, which is all the more reason to relish it when you do.

The Twilight Kingdom brings Tam and Jennet closer to the release of the full simulation game Feyland, an event they must stop or face the Realm of Faerie taking over the real world. Fortunately, they've been selected as part of Feyland's beta-testing team, giving them another opportunity to prevent its distribution. The beta-testing also gives us the chance to meet some new characters. I wish we could have seen more of Spark, who seemed like she might have had a very interesting story of her own, but I enjoyed getting to know Zeg better and appreciated Roy's development in this book.

I don't want to talk too much about the plot, because I want you to read the book and that would spoil them, but I will say that I was surprised. I have a huge soft spot for...the Elder Fey...and I liked the way Anthea worked this one out.

Basically, this is a great series that deserves more attention. The books are quick and exciting reads, and if you like stories based on fairy tales, or if you enjoyed both the portrayal of the fae in Mercy Thompson and October Daye and the virtual world of Ready Player One, you will love this series. Now go away and read The Dark Realm. Come back to me when you're done.

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