Duainfey (The Fey Duology Book 1)

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They are then appalled by the darker tone, sexual violence, and power imbalances in these books. To be fair, awful things also happen in the Liaden Universe, but they usually occur off-camera. I think these books are pote Spoiler alert: I think these books are potentially getting more critical reviews than they would if people weren't expecting entirely different stories from these authors.

The book is described inside the cover-flap as "dark fantasy", which seems fair. I do feel bad when authors with one successful series receive negative feedback, and even backlash, when they try to write a very different series. So I want to be clear that my criticism is not because I was expecting, or desiring, a series in the image of the Liaden Universe. I'll mention here what I DID like about this series.

I enjoyed the style. This recognizably is Lee and Miller's voice, which I enjoy a lot. The three narrators braided together well in the second book, and that can be a tricky thing to manage. Each narrator had a very different perspective, and different knowledge that they brought to the book. And it felt well-balanced to me.

I liked the concept, too: There were a lot of details that seemed unsatisfactorily glossed-over to me, but I'm not sure that it is a bigger issue here than in the Liaden series. I remember thinking that there were a lot of holes or pieces missing after I read Agent of Change the first book I read , but with other books in the series we had a better understanding of the world and the overarching plots. So my complaints may be secondary to there only being two books.

Perhaps a third book might explain more. What is the wind that swept over the land? What happened to the trapped Rangers? What, exactly, DOES happen after the last chapter? How DID the villagers manage to cross the keleigh? Where do the Newmen come from, and why? Whey was Meripen awoken early? Why the imprisonment in the mist?

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I think there are details the readers never get because the narrators don't know the answers, and while occasionally frustrating, that seems fair. What was most difficult for me about this story, and my primary criticism, is that Rebecca lacks agency for most of the first book. I know that the story needs to establish Meripen and Rebecca as both broken, damaged characters. However, Meripen is a much more sympathetic, likable character because we see him as taking steps, albeit small ones, from the first time that we see him.

For most of the first book, Rebecca is a victim. She doesn't DO things, they just happen to her. For a chapter or two, you feel bad for her. After that, you, or at least I, became impatient for her to do something, anything. It's hard to emotionally bond with a character like that.

She was much more enjoyable in the second book, where she may have been confused or ignorant, but at least had some agency. She made choices, dealt with consequences, learned, changed, grew. The trouble is, if I hadn't already been familiar with the authors, I'm not sure that I would have read the second book at all. Rebecca reminds me of Aelliana Caylon. They are both damaged, abused characters who need a chance to heal and are stronger in the second books. But while Aelliana is certainly more empowered in Mouse and Dragon than Scout's Progress , she is still enjoyable in the first book.

But much of the plot of Scout's Progress is how she tries to find her way out her situation. Rebecca spends too much time enthralled in Duainfey for me to have sympathy, admiration, or respectful feelings for her. And her plan for escape? These are superficially similar characters, but Aelliana was portrayed in a way that readers, or at least THIS reader, wanted to pick up book two and find out what happened. Sadly, Rebecca did NOT inspire similar feelings.

I wish that more of Rebecca's experiences could be told in flashback, or taken less time to tell. I think the story suffers because of her lack of agency for so much of the first book. Otherwise, I thought that this was an interesting duology, which left enough plot threads unresolved that potentially many other stories could be told.

May 29, Hali Sowle rated it it was ok Shelves: The first in a duology by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller trying to understand the world that Duainfey is set in was a bit difficult. There was a world where the trees are sentient to the rangers and those who walk their paths and care for them, the same is true for the sea. And people had magic within themselves called Kest and the people who lived there could be called elves or Fey. At sometime in the past there was a war and the eldest of these Fey created a magical barrier to protect themselves.

Duainfey Series

Humans live on the other side of the barrier, and there is very little communication between both sides but what there is isn't very pleasant despite what is on the surface. The book revolves around two main characters Rebecca Beauvelley, a willful human girl who in a moment of girlish fun goes off with a gentleman in a flying car but suffers a horrible accident when the car crashes and the young man dies.

Now she is a pariah facing a marriage to a man she has never met. Meripen Vangelauf is a Ranger and a fey living on the other side of the barrier, he is woken prematurely from a healing sleep after he was grievously injured by humans. Their stories seem quite different and make no sense to be together in this book, it's one of those cases where you have to read the entire duology for it to make any sense.

This book is not for the faint of heart when it comes to sexual subjugation and manipulation. It plays a huge role in the book and although at first it is alluded to by the end of the book it is fully developed. Unlike all the other books I've read by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller this is not for young adults the themes and the action is not at all fun or pleasant and to make matters worse the book. Not even a cliff hanger ending, it's like the publisher just said okay chop it here.

The second book, Longeye brings many things together and answers questions but make sure you have it ready to go when you read Duainfey. Dec 04, Arliegh Kovacs rated it did not like it Shelves: Duainfey is the first book in a series by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Rebecca has had her reputation and her arm ruined after taking an ill-advised ride in the phaeton of a rakish young man. Nothing untoward actually happened. He tried to kiss her, lost control of his horses, and though Rebecca took the reins, the phaeton crashed, killing her companion, and leaving her arm crippled.

Now her father is about to have her married off to a highly Duainfey is the first book in a series by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Now her father is about to have her married off to a highly unsuitable older man until she marries, her younger -- beautiful and snotty -- younger sister Caroline can't take a husband who will take her despite her reputation and her disability money conquers all. Then one of the handsome and influential High Fey shows up in the neighborhood. He sets out to woo Rebecca -- and he magically, of course shows her two futures. One with her betrothed and one with himself.

Obviously, we know which she will choose. But Altimere isn't anything like what he tricked Rebecca into believing. And while giving her the beautiful clothing and jewels he has promised, he drains her of magical power and uses her in his political plotting. While the sexual content is more or less basic to establishing Altimere's true character and the extent of his power over Rebecca, they consisted of multiple vicious and, unfortunately, graphically described scenes of rape by Altimere's followers.

Luckily for her, there are also Fey who are watching Rebecca and intend to rescue her Which doesn't make up for why they need to rescue her. I do not recommend this book -- and I won't be reading the sequels Jul 02, Erica Anderson rated it liked it Shelves: I picked up this book because I've read some of the Liaden books. From the cover and descriptive copy, Duainfey appears to be a romantic fantasy. No romance at all. Instead, the heroine Becca is ensorcelled by a Fey lord who rescues her from an unwanted marriage. Becca is manipulated by the Fey lord Altimere, who uses her body to steal the life force of others.

This part of the book is sordid and disturbing, and I was caught completely unprepared for it I was still half expecting a ro I picked up this book because I've read some of the Liaden books. This part of the book is sordid and disturbing, and I was caught completely unprepared for it I was still half expecting a romance at this point. In fairness to the authors, Becca's life experiences make her seduction by Altimere believable, as is her complicity in her own degradation. Becca's story is paralleled by a completely separate story of a badly injured "Wood Wise" who sets out on a journey.

I quickly lost interest in this part of the book because the authors basically drop the reader into the world without providing enough context. The ending is unsatisfying, as Becca achieves a minor victory, only to be thrust into a new set of circumstances, which are presumably resolved in the second book, Longeye. Don't expect this book to be a sort of fantasy version of Liaden. The only book I can think of that comes even close to the sort of sordid sexuality in Duainfey is Emily Gee's Thief With No Shadow , which involves sex with fire salamanders.

Definitely not for most readers. Jan 08, Kiri rated it it was ok Shelves: However, I tested it on my husband and he thought it was good. So there's sex in this book. Plenty of it - and in that it is quite unlike all the previous work of the authors. The sex is a tool to the High Fey, and their wantonness, violence and manipulation is not presented as a positive, so if one is offended by it keep this in mind; the characters using sex in this way are the bad guys.

However, the High Fey are definitely NOT Liadens - they are less human than Liadens, and motivated by power in an entirely unhuman way. There is a two-way beguilement that seems unique to this rendering of Faerie. Mar 28, Nick rated it it was ok Shelves: I kept finding excuses to put this down while I read other things, but forced myself to finish it. Overall, it was very disappointing compared to the other books of Lee and Miller that I had read.

The graphic sex and violence put me off, but that wasn't the problem. Mostly it was the weird mixture of styles and genres, as it read like an R-rated version of Jane Eyre in Fairyland. Some readers complained about the main character being so gullible, but there are plenty of clues that suggest she wa I kept finding excuses to put this down while I read other things, but forced myself to finish it. Some readers complained about the main character being so gullible, but there are plenty of clues that suggest she was being manipulated magically for much of the story.

The WAYS in which she was being manipulated are too creepy for words, and if the Fey characters are typical of their world, then I would dearly love to see them obliterated. There are some characters who might be vaguely not evil, but by the end of this story, not many. Since one of those rare vaguely not-evil characters is central to the related book Longeye, I'm hoping that his character will make more sense, if I can force myself to read that one.

Aug 22, Sbuchler rated it liked it Shelves: Regency-era fantasy involving the fae Ummm I mean really icky dark. The book's engrossing, and has an interesting world set-up, with potentially interesting problems for the next book to deal with If you're looking for a fairy-as-cruel-and-alien this is Genre: If you're looking for a fairy-as-cruel-and-alien this is a very good choice - I don't think I've read anything that portrays them in a more viscerally cruel light.

But as to their basic goals or the plot of the sequel, I'm clueless.

Which makes me likely to read the second one, just to see ; Aug 29, Barb in Maryland rated it really liked it Shelves: Toto, we're not on Liad anymore. Great fantasy from Lee and Miller. Even the minor characters are 3 dimensional. There are some graphic sex scenes in this that are disquieting, to say the least, but they are not dwelled on or salivated over--they serve to show just how subservient poor Becca our heroine has become.

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And, Toto, we're not on Liad anymore. And, really, they are just a small part of the action. The book is a roller-coaster ride of plot twists and loose threads, with a cliff hanger ending. Here's hoping that Longeye due out next spring manages to wrap up everything. And, good grief, there is quite a lot to wrap up. I want the next book now! Jan 09, Jo rated it liked it. What an odd book. It started as a fairly traditional Recency romance, with a young woman being pursued by her family to marry an awful man because she was "ruined".

But the hero who steps in to save her is Fey, from a Fairy kingdom, and once she wipes with him, the Regency genre is gone. That hero proves not to be a good man at all, and uses her as a pawn in his own political aims. At the same time, a young ranger awakes too early from a healing sleep, thanks to those same political aims.

I am intrigued more than pleased by this book. It"s an ugly tale, but I may need to find book two Longeye to see how it all ends. Mar 14, Kaylynn rated it did not like it Shelves: I expected this book to be a fantasy of manners with lots of politics and intrigue, so I was completely unprepared for what the book actually became, which was a rape book.

Because of my expectations, I can't judge this book for what it is, since my preconceptions were too involved with what I was reading. To be fair, the first half of the book wasn't a rape book, and for me, those elements were an unwelcome surprise. If a person went into this expecting what was going to happen I think they woul I expected this book to be a fantasy of manners with lots of politics and intrigue, so I was completely unprepared for what the book actually became, which was a rape book.

If a person went into this expecting what was going to happen I think they would have a much different experience and would probably be able to judge the book better on its actual merits. May 07, Nikki rated it it was amazing. This is book 1 of a duo that must be read together. Don't read this one if you don't plan to read the second one. It is darker than some of the authors previous books, but the themes are what I have come to expect - and why I read devour!

IN short, I liked these books a lot - but then I am neither squeamish nor prudish about books using sex as a tool and a weapon. Jul 18, Jane rated it really liked it Shelves: This is the first in a new series by the authors of the Liaden books love those! And as a first it takes a while to get going as we meet Rebecca Beauvalley who lives in a sort of new-world version of Regency England.

When one of the fey visits her home, Rebecca is enchanted and the choices she makes will have lasting impacts both on her and her world. Very good, slow building tension in thi This is the first in a new series by the authors of the Liaden books love those!

The Fey Duology Book Series: www.farmersmarketmusic.com

Very good, slow building tension in this. And a nicely paced reveal about the wider world-building the authors are doing here. Lee and Miller's writing is riveting as always, and it's refreshing to see them trying fantasy and creating a world outside their Liaden universe. Unfortunately, this book suffers from two big flaws: I don't mean that it's just the first book in a series, with an endpoint that's also a midpoint, but that it stops without even resolving any subplots!

Read their SF instead. Oct 09, Tina Bartholoma rated it did not like it Shelves: I love Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden Universe books so I had high hopes for this series but I just couldn't get beyond all the porn scenes in this novel. It's pervasive since the main charater is repeatedly raped in various fashions. Additionally, this same character is told frequently "well, it's your own fault.

I liked it more than I thought I would. I've not particularly liked stories with faeries or the Fey as they are called in this novel. I read it because the authors' other books are so enjoyable. This one caught my interest. Order in the next 7 hours 30 minutes and get it by Thursday, December More Buying Choices - Hardcover.

Book 2 of 2. Kindle Edition , Mass Market Paperback. More About the Authors. Steve Miller is a science fiction writer, editor, publisher, fan, librarian, and computer guy. A longtime part of the SF community, Steve's work as a fan included pubbing his own zine, concom work on BaltiCon, Artkane, and other Eastern regional conventions, and acting as Vice Chair of the Baltimore in 80 WorldCon bid. Steve has attended well over two hundred conventions in the US as fan and pro including more than a dozen Guest of Honor appearances from coast to coast and many dozen panel appearances.

His first pro fiction sales were to Ted White at Amazing in the s. More recently, he's co-author with wife Sharon Lee of the award-winning Liaden Universe R series as well as other novels and short stories. Steve was also founder and publisher of SRM Publisher Ltd, a small press based in Maine, which produced dozens of genre and genre-related titles since and Get to Know Us. English Choose a language for shopping.

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