Swimming Kangaroo Books (March 4, 2009)
Impatiently awaiting Vern and Grace’s latest adventures after meeting them in their debut short story featured in Firestorm of Dragons, I’ve been stalking Vern’s Dragon Eye site since it debuted last year for news and sneak peeks. Now that the novel is finally here, I want another one – LOL.
As for the book, mix smuggled brownies (the creatures not the food), artificial flavoring that effectively poisons nonhuman species of Faerie (at least some anyway), a Mundane convention of geniuses that invites a number of Faerie folk to attend and participate as honored guests, a guitar convention at the same hotel, nosy reporters, and an assignment for Vern and Grace to be the magical mishap cleanup brigade. Now if that combination doesn’t sound like a recipe for disaster and enough to keep Vern and Grace busy for months rather than just the week long Mensa conference then you’d better read this book just for the education on the cultural differences between Faerie citizens both human and otherwise and Mundane inhabitants. Just the misunderstandings are a laugh a minute once you know the Faerie folk and experience the Mundane personality quirks of Karina’s characters. Oh and of course don’t forget that two opposing tribes of the Elvish House of the Eternal Winds have their top members at this convention just when the tribes seem to be on the brink of war with one another (granted the brink probably means centuries in most cases with Faerie Elves – read the book and this will make perfect sense). Can Vern and Grace avert an Elvish civil war amongst the house and Mundane politics from taking sides with either party? Will everyone survive the neatnik attacks throughout the convention and can Mundane and Faerie coexist in the same square mile of space without major catastrophes due to culture shock or worse?
Collect your own copy of Vern’s full length prose tale from the Dragon Eye PI files as transcribed by Karina Fabian for your daily dose of mystery, fun, laughter and even the occasional mental challenge for those so inclined. In fact I think I need to ask Vern more about this Sudoku variation with the new numbering system used to complete a puzzle book. (ISBN#9781934041789 , 232pp, $13.99)
Codicil:
Visit Vern’s site. Also don’t forget to click the bookcover above to purchase your own copy or read more about the book. You can also experience Vern and Grace’s adventures in their first short story featured in Firestorm of Dragons as well as looking for downloads at Vern’s Dragon Eye site – link is above.
