Faerie Wars

by Herbie Brennan

Bloomsbury, September, 2004.
Paperback, 368 pages.
ISBN: 1582349436
Ages Young Adult

Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan Henry Atherton has his world torn apart when his parents announced that they are divorcing. Then, to make matters worse, he finds out that the split is caused by the fact that his mother is having a lesbian affair with his father's secretary. Henry then has his world further rocked by his discovery of the Faerie, Pyrgus Malvae, whom he saves from the cat (who thought the unfortunate Faerie was a butterfly). Pyrgus explains that he is hiding from the Faeries of the Night who are about to revolt against his father, the Purple Emperor and King of the Faeries. Pyrgus has been sent via a portal to Earth to be safe from the plotters. Pyrgus (who eventually retains his life-sized form) is about Henry's age, and spends most of his time getting into trouble -- which is most unseemly for a Faerie Prince. Pyrgus found out the secret ingredient in the evil Silas Brimstone's popular glue is -- horror of horrors -- kittens. Pyrgus is lobbying his father to put an end to this animal abuse in the Faerie kingdom. Now Pyrgus and Henry must join forces to stop the destruction of all that is good in the Faerie world.

Herbie Brennan has a deft hand with creating characters; he has presented a very likeable protagonist with young Henry Atherton. The world he creates is an interesting one, which mixes magic and science together. Henry's mentor, Mr. Fogarty, the physicist turned bank robber, manages to steal every scene he is in, and Pyrgus, the prince who is a passionate animal rights activist, is also quite memorable. With more characterization and social issues than most young adult fantasies, Faerie Wars will have readers anticipating the sequel, The Purple Emperor.

Faerie Wars is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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This review was published in the September-October, 2004 of The Internet Writing Journal.

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