MAD MAUDLIN [Mass Market Paperback]

What makes for an exciting, above average story? How about new and imaginative situations and plot line? Maybe character development and growth. Unfortunately we get neither in this particular volume.

Plot: lets see, Overhill, the human world, it threatened by death, destruction and domination by forces of evil including an evil elf lord, evil human magician and of course shadow forces within our own government. Eric, with considerable help from Ria, and the Guardians defeat them. Sound familiar? Probably does, if you change the names and a few of the faces it's the same plot from BEYOND WORLDS END and SPRITS WHITE AS LIGHTNING. Or to quote Eric's brother Magnus "Things always this much fun around here?" The reply being "Usually it's quite for, oh, months at a time." I'm not saying it's boring but it does get a bit repetitive after awhile.

How about character development? I don't see much here. Eric is basically the same as he was in BEYOND WORLD'S END. A couple of new characters are added, or fleshed out from earlier story lines, but the core characters exhibit very little change or growth. Ria, the workaholic half elf, is shown to be very much in love with Eric, although for her denial is not just a river in Egypt, however his feelings still seem to be at best ambivalent. Must be nice to have a beautiful, filthy rich girlfriend that you can use for casual sex and treat as furniture or an ATM, maybe there is something to this Bard business after all.

Anyway there really isn't much new here. Just an average pleasant story good for passing a few hours. I would RECOMMEND it but probably only the die-hard fans will find it of more than passing interest.

Eric is once again facing a hurdle in life. This trial, perhaps, is his hardest: facing his troubled past. Let's face it, everyone has wounds inflicted by past pain, and facing that pain down is an act of courage. Eric has to confront his parents... and learns a shocking piece of information in the bargain.

In the meantime, Hosea Songmaker and his haunted banjo Jeanette are out and about the city of New York, with Hosea doing what he can to bring the gift of music to the city's homeless children. In the shelters, he learns a set of "Secret Stories" about a murderous ghost, Bloody Mary. This urban legend turns out to be a lot more than Hosea ever guessed.

And, of course, there is a trio of troubled runaways. Ace, who ran from her father's greedy ministry. Magnus, who left a stifling home. And Jaycie, who can come up with rolls of money out of nowhere and spends his time scarfing down blocks of baker's chocolate and cans of Coca-Cola. (Sound familiar to anyone?) These three find themselves bound up in a lot more trouble than trying to find a relatively safe place to live.

There are poignant references to 9/11 that had me literally in tears. These references gave me new perspectives on our national tragedy, and helped me gain more learning and perspective about it.

All in all, I loved this book, and I can't wait for the next.