BOOK REVIEW - Towards the Fates (The Faire Folks #3:) [Novel]
Mike
Author House ISBN: 978-1-4389-9615-5 471 pages Paperback $25.49
(U.S.)
I have one major problem with this series of books (From the Ashes and
Into the Storm preceded this one). It takes too bloody long between
installments. Fortunately Meghan is such a gifted storyteller that it
takes no effort at all to get back up to speed. This is billed as a
trilogy, so this book brings it to an end. The stories will continue
however, as a new series must surely be in the offing, as well as a
site which will contain short stories (Faire-Folk.com).
There is less magick in this installment, as it is more focused on
relationships – familial and otherwise. Although, realistically, I
should probably have said both family and chosen family, since the
rennies are a family of choice.
Meghan lives the life she chronicles in these books, having joined the
world of Ren Faires in 1994. She began collecting and sharing stories
and has promised to continue telling them for so long as there is “sky
left to hear them.”
I look forward to hearing more of these stories, even if some of the
characters will be falling by the wayside. I’ve come to know a lot of
the folks at the Pendragon Ren Fire and have developed feelings for
them, but many of them are not “road rennies” so they obviously won’t
be cropping up at other sites. Still, I am sure that Meghan will have
another crop of people I can grow to care for. I look forward to the
new crop of weekenders in Following the Desert Sun (Scheherazade Faire
in Arizona). It is very easy to relate to these individuals, since we
run into many of them on a day-today basis.
Meghan provides a glossary and character list at the back of the book
and that is a handy addition. It does take a while to get locations,
people and relationships all in their correct order and these guides
make it easy. Although this is a part of a developing story, it is
capable of standing alone. Like any good series, this book leaves you
wishing you had the next volume in hand so you don’t have to wait for
the next installment.
Ryna and Phoenix have added to their family through the birth of
Keenan, and we get to see the interactions of all the rennies with the
mommies and their son. We also get to see more of the interactions
with Phoenix’s birth family (and what a revelation that is).
I could mention all my usual quibbles about editing, but since there
are fewer than I have come to expect, and they are really very minor,
so I’ll just say they exist, but are so minor they don’t jar you out
of the flow of the story.
Considering the number of ren faires which exist, I am sure that
Meghan could continue telling these stories for decades (and I hope
she provides at least another half dozen or more). Now, if she could
just get them out a little more frequently, I would be a very happy
reader and reviewer.