Midnight Never Come

by Marie Brennan

Book Overview

Agnosticism, philosophy and religion.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0739496921
• ISBN13: 9780739496923
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Orbit
• Length: 390 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Ambitious New Historical Fantasy

With her latest book, Brennan has moved from more traditional sword & sorcery to intricate historical fantasy. Anyone wanting or expecting more of the same might be disappointed. I was not. Set in the late 16th century, Midnight Never Comes opens with a pact between two women who will soon become the most powerful rulers in England: Elizabeth the Virgin Queen, and Invidiana, faerie ruler of the Onyx Court below London. The Onyx Court is a dark shadow of the city above, a secret place of cruelty and deception. One member of Invidiana's court, a faerie named Lune, struggles to regain the favor of her queen by spying on events above. Lune's counterpart is the human courtier Michael Deven, who has been tasked by spymaster Francis Walsingham with finding the hidden player influencing Queen Elizabeth. As Lune and Deven discover the secrets behind Invidiana's power and the true nature of the faerie queen's pacts, they must choose whether to work together, risking everything to try to break Invidiana's rule. Lune was a more appealing character to me, in part I think because her stakes were higher. Whereas Deven starts out trying to secure a position in Elizabeth's court, Lune serves a more temperamental and dangerous ruler in a court that makes human politics look as simplistic and straightforward as the squabbling of preschoolers. Watching Lune navigate that court, seeing her fall and struggle to rise again, leaves Deven feeling a little bland by comparison. I confess to being a poor historian, but even to my eye it's clear Brennan has done a great deal of research for this book. Every detail is meticulous and precise, evoking not a generic English fantasy setting but a very real and concrete place and time. Brennan blends historical detail with the fantastic so smoothly I barely noticed the seams. This is a book that invites you to slow down and savor. Broken into five acts, each act builds more tension, moving from a relatively leisurely introduction toward a much more focused struggle in the final act. By the end, I had a hard time closing the book, and lost quite a bit of sleep as things came to a climax. If you're looking for nonstop action and excitement, this may not be the book for you. But if you want rich worldbuilding and a story you can truly immerse yourself in, I'd recommend picking this one up.

Amazingly good historical fantasy

Marie Brennan has mixed historical fiction with fantasy to produce Midnight Never Come, an amazing book that simmers with all the pomp, danger, and court intrigue of the Elizabethan court - and its dark cousin, the fey Onyx Court. This book had the best qualities of both genres, and will definitely go on my list of favorites!

Colorful Tapestry

Having eschewed most romances long ago, I was pleasantly surprised by the rich blending of fairies, magic and history in MIDNIGHT. And don't expect it to be sloppy, the plot is so good, no tired device nor diversion is required. The world of make-believe is combined convincingly with real facts and history. Brennan knows the Elizabethian era and paints images in broad, powerful strokes while still in enough detail to lend taste, as well as sight and sound. While a few might find the tight plot a bit too much to follow, most will discover a satisfying treat if reading at a pleasure rate. This is a delicacy, meant to be savored slowly not swallowed whole, so take your time and enjoy.

Compelling, Exquisite, Polished

Midnight Never Comes combines romance, intrigue and fantasy into a enchanting spell that grabs your attention and refuses to let go. Marie Brennan's third novel shows her taking a different turn in her writing, and it's one that suits her. This novel is thoroughly researched, multi-faceted, expertly plotted, and very effective. I'm not a big historical fantasy reader, and was afraid my lower familiarity with the period would detract -- instead, the novel was inviting and explained enough of the context to allow me to follow the plot through to its rewarding completion.

Great Blend of Historical Fiction and Fantasy

Loved This book. Thought this book was wonderful and very detailed. Love the blend of History and Fairy. How two queens were so very different. Had a lot of plots, but they blended so well with the theme of the book. Finished it in four days. Couldn't put it down. Get it.