Faerie Tale

by Raymond E. Feist

Book Overview

Phil Hastings was a lucky man-he had money, a growing reputation as a screenwriter, a happy, loving family with three kids, and he'd just moved into the house of his dreams in rural of magic-and about to be altered irrevocably by a magic more real than any he dared imagine. For with the Magic came the Bad Thing, and the Faerie, and then the cool. . .and the resurrection of a primordial war with a forgotten people-a war that not only the Hastings but...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385236239
• ISBN13: 9780385236232
• Release Date: February 1988
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 420 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.

Customer Reviews

FAERIE TALES CAN COME TRUE...

Let me cut to the chase. I loved this book! I simply could not put it down. I only lament the fact that I had left it sitting unread on my bookshelf for years. It is really unlike anything else I have ever before read. The book that comes closest is "The Stolen Child" by Keith Donohue. So, if you enjoyed that book, you will definitely enjoy this one. In this book, the author, who is renowned for his epics in the fantasy genre, gives the reader a contemporary tale interspersed with elements of fantasy and horror. Well-written and highly imaginative, the author fully engages the reader with this finely crafted story about a family that, seeking respite from the pressures of our modern day world, moves from California to a small hamlet in upstate New York. Little do they know that their new home, set in a bucolic, rural setting, is really a gateway to another world, one that is inhabited by creatures of ancient lore. They will soon discover that looks can be deceiving and that ancient forces are at work all around them. Be prepared to be swept away by magical portents and a faerie world that exists side by side with our world. Know that the battle between good and evil is ever present. This is a wonderfully told tale of a family that finds itself engulfed by events beyond their ken. So skillfully does the author tell this dark, well-crafted story that the unbelievable quickly becomes believable, fully engaging the reader in an absorbing book that the reader will find impossible to put down. Bravo!

Superbly Magical and Entertaining!

I am an avid reader of fiction and this novel was by far one of the best I have ever read! This is one of those books that I absolutely could not put down. Feist plays upon the natural human instict to be mesmerized by the power of the mystical and the unknown. The book deals with both the enchantment and the horror of the "faeries". Some are good; some are evil. These creatures (although they have a magical world of their own) enjoy playing in our world and strive to obtain our attention. The book has moments of horror, heroism, mystery, and a touch of erotic interaction (which only makes the book better in my opinion). I would definitely recommend this book to any reader that is interested in the supernatural and the unknown. Superb, Superb, Superb!

Mr Feist puts a new spin on the "Faerie Tale".

Where did the Faerie Kingdom disappear too? Maybe it's in your backyard! Raymond Feist spins an interesting tale in this novel, revolving around twin 8 year old boys and their family. The Hastings move from California to rural New York and soon get caught up in an ancient struggle with the dark faeries.Mystery and terror abound in this well written tale. Mr Feist puts a new spin on the "Faerie Tale". If you have any interest in Celtic mythology or just like a good Horror/Fantasy read, then this book is a must. You'll soon begin to wonder just what might be in the woods out back.EnjoyFantasy Fanatic

Not your Average Feist book

And, as I'm sure you might guess by reading the generally good reviews for the books of Raymond E. Feist, his books are in fact pretty good. I certainly like them. And I loved this one.It is not his typical fantasy book, though, so readers of his other works should keep that in mind. This book is more of a cross between modern suspense/horror and fantasy. It is a great read, one of those hard to put down kinda books. Mr. Feist weaves a delightful tale that will thrill you page after page.He has a very interesting idea about how things might be with regards to the 'handling' of supernatural events, also. I won't say more, so as not to spoil anything, as this part of the tale comes at the end. But if you are intrigued by the concept, other writers such as Katherine Kurtz sort of work a similiar idea in some of their tales.At any rate, this is one of my favorite books to recommend, so that is what I shall do. Recommend it to you!

Wonderfully well-written book from Feist's early days

With "Faerie Tale," Feist allows his readers a glimpse into the world of Phil Hastings and family. Though not what one might call the typical American family, the author invokes our sympathy by making the Hastings family a realistic one (i.e. a divorced family with a teenager from one and two small children from another marriage). The Hastings clan makes the mistake of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They become caught up in a situation that few could comprehend - indeed, the only person in the novel that has any conception of the situation is an old Irish alcaholic. Feist very cleverly weaves ancient Irish myth and modern life together in a work that keeps its reader on the edge of his seat. This book is a terrific example of today's industrialized society clashing with the gods of yesterday. It is a ghost story that reminds us that some things from the past are best left unknown. This was the first book I read by Mr. Feist and I belive it to be the best of his works. In my career as a bookseller, I recommended this book dozens of times and have never come across anyone that was able to stop reading. I forced all of my colleagues at the bookstore to read it and years later, they still recommend it. In fact, I think I may be personally responsible for keeping this book on the shelf! If you enjoyed any of Feist's other works, I strongly suggest you try "Faerie Tale." Fans of the suspense/horror genre will also find this an entrancing read. I have been an avid reader for many years and this book has definitely made my top ten, if not my top five.