Philippa Ballantine Reviews

Added September 18, 2007

Chasing the Bard

Author: Philippa Ballantine
Publisher: Dragon Moon Press
Available At: Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: April 2005
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Trade Paperback
Price: $19.95
ISBN-10: 1-896944-17-5
ISBN-13: 9781896944173
Author Email/Website: http://www.pjballantine.net/
Reviewer: Kathy Martin
Rating: 7 Gargoyles

William Shakespeare is known as one of the greatest literary figures in history. In some corners he is considered a legend. Author, Phillippa Ballantine, takes that legend and uses it, along with her imagination, to create quite a dramatic tale.

The Fey (fairy world) from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," are slowing dying from the malaise. King Oberon has sent Mordant into the Between to try and find a cure. In return, the King has promised Mordant his sister, Sive, in marriage. Sive used to love Mordant, but since returning from the Between, she has noticed a dark shadow has come over her former lover. Now he does not even seem like the same person to her.

Sive and Oberon's aunt, Brigit, has the gift of prophecy, and has foreseen a savior for her people amongst the humans. Sive is skeptical of this, but Brigit insists that this savior has talent in him from the centuries of Fey mating with humans.

Traveling to a village near the wood where the Fey live, Sive finds a child that is stronger in Fey talent than any human she has seen. The child is William Shakespeare. She leaves her cousin, Puck, with the child to watch over him while he grows up. When William is ready, he will be brought to the Fey to help them. Sive just hopes there is enough time left to save her people.

This book is an imaginative extension of Shakespeare's play. The premise is much darker than the original, but there is enough light-hearted banter by Puck to keep the story from getting too dark.

I would not call this book a "page-turner." I did not stay up all night reading it, but the characters and dialogue are interesting enough that I read some chapters each day until I was finished.

For those of us who love reading Shakespeare and the insights that he seemed to have in human nature, this book is one that I would suggest reading.

Return to top of page.

This page was last updated on May 6, 2009

This page and all its contents are Copyright© 2002-2009 In the Library Reviews and the individual reviewers. Except where noted, all graphics are Copyright© Eos Development and are used with permission. All book covers are Copyright© their respective publishers and are used with permission. The In the Library Reviews logo is Copyright© 2002 by In the Library Reviews/Sharyn McGinty. Site maintained by In the Library Reviews.