James A. Hetley

I couldn't finish his "Stone Fort" series as it failed to hold my attention so I started this book with misgivings. I was wrong. Despite the cutesy YA-style cover this is a raw adult fantasy with teeth and claws to spare. It is also an extremely well written piece of work as Hetley proves to be a master at creating a mood or forming an image with just a few well chosen words. His world-building is culled from the bleakest of Celtic myths while the peculiar magic that dwells therein is both believable and highly visceral. Furthermore the way he incorporates one character's mental health issues into the story---making them both a handicap and an asset----is very well done. I look forward to reading the sequel!… (altro)

I liked this book even better than the first book [b:Dragon's Eye|5376|Dragon's Eye|James A. Hetley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165520035s/5376.jpg|8818]. Everyone's back, Gary Morgan's off to college, Dan and Ben are up to their usual tricks and the ladies, Alice Haskell, Kate Rowley and Caroline Haskell have their hands full dealing with the brujo who they thought died the first time around. Up next: [b:Dragon's Bones|12201846|Dragon's Bones|James A. Hetley|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nocover/60x80.png|17174537].… (altro)

The cover to this book does it little justice. A better cover would include a dragon's tear, Celtic knots, a Selkie and the wild coast of Maine and maybe a lobster boat or two.

The main character is not the guy in the water (on the cover), but the House and Aunt Alice, the Haskell witch who helps to protect Stonefort, a small coastal town in Maine. She's part of a long line of Haskell women who not only guard the springs under the house, but who've intermingled and tangled with the almost equally long line of Morgans who carry a special gift of their own - the ability to turn into a Selkie (a seal-like creature of Celtic/Welsh lore). The Morgans also have an agreement with an otherworldly being known only as "The Dragon" who loans her powers to those she accepts into her perception of strength.

The two families unite when there's a threat to themselves and their town. When a big threat, in the form of a Peruvian brujo seeking to steal the Dragon's power for himself shows up, it's going take every weapon their collective arsenal to put him down.

The story is fast paced and good, the language straight forward. The author doesn't try to do anything fancy which would make the story clunky. His description of the Haskell House is interesting - one can 'travel' through the centuries from the fairly modern to several centuries back, down in the cellar where the ancient springs is protected from the eyes of men. It is a house only women live in and it is a living entity in its own right.

All in all, a surprisingly interesting and enjoyable story. I think I might track down more of Mr. Hetley's books.… (altro)

I enjoyed this book about three families -- two with centuries-old criminal backgrounds, two with magical backgrounds -- in a small town in Maine. When a South American sorcerer in the drug trade takes up with one of the families, the other two come together despite mutual distrust to guard the community.

In some ways it reminded me of a Charles DeLint story, with old magic -- both indigenous American and Old Country -- surviving into and quietly shaping lives in the modern world.

I'm definitely going to read the next book in the series.… (altro)