Comments on: The Battle of the Fae – Part I: ‘Tithe’ (2002) by Holly Black http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/2009/07/20/battle-of-the-fae-part-i-tithe-2002-by-holly-black/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:20:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sarah http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/2009/07/20/battle-of-the-fae-part-i-tithe-2002-by-holly-black/comment-page-1/#comment-3246 Sarah Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:33:12 +0000 http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/?p=1145#comment-3246 <a href="#comment-3241" rel="nofollow">@Silver_horses</a> I preferred Melissa Marr's rendition of the fae, perhaps because she explains the folk lore in a bit more detail. I've heard from several sources that Holly Black's <em>Valiant </em>is a better read than <em>Tithe</em>, yet other readers say the opposite! I guess tastes differ. @Silver_horses I preferred Melissa Marr’s rendition of the fae, perhaps because she explains the folk lore in a bit more detail. I’ve heard from several sources that Holly Black’s Valiant is a better read than Tithe, yet other readers say the opposite! I guess tastes differ.

]]> By: Silver_horses http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/2009/07/20/battle-of-the-fae-part-i-tithe-2002-by-holly-black/comment-page-1/#comment-3241 Silver_horses Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:00:51 +0000 http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/?p=1145#comment-3241 I absolutely adored Tithe. True, it probably helped that I'm a big fan of fantasy and also have an in depth knowledge of faerie lore. Still, I do think it's a wonderful book. The comparison between the gritty, real world and the sparkly, flashy, but still darkly sinister world of the fey is brilliant. The challenging of the stereo type of fairies as pretty and butterfly winged is great, because the real fairy stories from the gaelic countries were just that- dark, frightening and sinsiter. the world of the fey is wonderfully created and I think Black has a flair for description in that she's able to create vivid mental pictures with very few words, which is wonderful. I think the characters, particularly Kaye, Corny and Roiben are wonderfully constructed, likeable, and less cliche than they could have been. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I absolutely adored Tithe.
True, it probably helped that I’m a big fan of fantasy and also have an in depth knowledge of faerie lore. Still, I do think it’s a wonderful book. The comparison between the gritty, real world and the sparkly, flashy, but still darkly sinister world of the fey is brilliant. The challenging of the stereo type of fairies as pretty and butterfly winged is great, because the real fairy stories from the gaelic countries were just that- dark, frightening and sinsiter. the world of the fey is wonderfully created and I think Black has a flair for description in that she’s able to create vivid mental pictures with very few words, which is wonderful. I think the characters, particularly Kaye, Corny and Roiben are wonderfully constructed, likeable, and less cliche than they could have been.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

]]> By: Sarah http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/2009/07/20/battle-of-the-fae-part-i-tithe-2002-by-holly-black/comment-page-1/#comment-2579 Sarah Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:26:39 +0000 http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/?p=1145#comment-2579 <a href="#comment-2571" rel="nofollow">@heidenkind</a> No, there's definitely not much romance, and what bit there is, isn't particularly romantic IMHO. @heidenkind No, there’s definitely not much romance, and what bit there is, isn’t particularly romantic IMHO.

]]> By: heidenkind http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/2009/07/20/battle-of-the-fae-part-i-tithe-2002-by-holly-black/comment-page-1/#comment-2571 heidenkind Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:01:16 +0000 http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/?p=1145#comment-2571 Meh. The cover is fab, but this doesn't really seem like it has enough romance and twists to keep me interested. Plus I'm not a huge fan of faeries. Meh. The cover is fab, but this doesn’t really seem like it has enough romance and twists to keep me interested. Plus I’m not a huge fan of faeries.

]]> By: Sarah http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/2009/07/20/battle-of-the-fae-part-i-tithe-2002-by-holly-black/comment-page-1/#comment-2566 Sarah Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:20:35 +0000 http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/?p=1145#comment-2566 <a href="#comment-2563" rel="nofollow">@Alison Kent</a> Really? I actually liked the blurb for 'Valiant' more than that for 'Tithe' but I assumed they had to be read in order. Thanks for the info. <a href="#comment-2565" rel="nofollow">@Leontine</a> I think I'll try the first Jeaniene Frost book as it looks like light entertainment as opposed to dark and gritty. I read an excerpt of 'Halfway to the Grave' on Amazon and it grabbed me from the first page. I also read an excerpt of 'Nightlife' by Rob Thurman and it also looks like a good read. I've heard of Ilona Andrews and Marjorie M Liu. My list of recommended UF reads is getting long! @Alison Kent Really? I actually liked the blurb for ‘Valiant’ more than that for ‘Tithe’ but I assumed they had to be read in order. Thanks for the info.

@Leontine I think I’ll try the first Jeaniene Frost book as it looks like light entertainment as opposed to dark and gritty. I read an excerpt of ‘Halfway to the Grave’ on Amazon and it grabbed me from the first page. I also read an excerpt of ‘Nightlife’ by Rob Thurman and it also looks like a good read. I’ve heard of Ilona Andrews and Marjorie M Liu. My list of recommended UF reads is getting long!

]]> By: Leontine http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/2009/07/20/battle-of-the-fae-part-i-tithe-2002-by-holly-black/comment-page-1/#comment-2565 Leontine Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:45:24 +0000 http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/?p=1145#comment-2565 Hi Sarah, UF is a genre I read my fair share in. I read Jeaniene Frost and I had to get into it but wow does she know how to grab you at a certain point! I also read SJ Day's Marked series and well adored her celestial element in it. Karen Moning's Fever series can also be marked as a UF series and I'm crazy about this series. Ilona Andrews is also an author who captured my attention with her Kate Daniels series and I hear a lot of good buzz surrounding Marjorie M Liu's Hunter Kiss series. Now I haven't read Marjorie M Liu with this series but I have read in her Dirk & Steele series and think her writing style is incredible. Hi Sarah,
UF is a genre I read my fair share in. I read Jeaniene Frost and I had to get into it but wow does she know how to grab you at a certain point! I also read SJ Day’s Marked series and well adored her celestial element in it. Karen Moning’s Fever series can also be marked as a UF series and I’m crazy about this series. Ilona Andrews is also an author who captured my attention with her Kate Daniels series and I hear a lot of good buzz surrounding Marjorie M Liu’s Hunter Kiss series. Now I haven’t read Marjorie M Liu with this series but I have read in her Dirk & Steele series and think her writing style is incredible.

]]> By: Alison Kent http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/2009/07/20/battle-of-the-fae-part-i-tithe-2002-by-holly-black/comment-page-1/#comment-2563 Alison Kent Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:10:28 +0000 http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/?p=1145#comment-2563 I read Valiant before I read Tithe, and they're not really connected, though Ironside continues the Tithe story. I LOVED Valiant. I thought it was so much better than Tithe. I'd heard raves over Roiben but I thought Ravus in Valiant a much more compelling character. It's still a dark and gritty book, but the core relationship totally worked for me. I read Valiant before I read Tithe, and they’re not really connected, though Ironside continues the Tithe story. I LOVED Valiant. I thought it was so much better than Tithe. I’d heard raves over Roiben but I thought Ravus in Valiant a much more compelling character. It’s still a dark and gritty book, but the core relationship totally worked for me.

]]> By: Sarah http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/2009/07/20/battle-of-the-fae-part-i-tithe-2002-by-holly-black/comment-page-1/#comment-2562 Sarah Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:43:20 +0000 http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/?p=1145#comment-2562 <a href="#comment-2559" rel="nofollow">@Magdalen</a> Yes, I LOVE Eva Ibbotson! 'The Countess Below Stairs' is excellent, as is 'A Company of Swans'. I haven't read her kid books but I have all of her adult ones. @Magdalen Yes, I LOVE Eva Ibbotson! ‘The Countess Below Stairs’ is excellent, as is ‘A Company of Swans’. I haven’t read her kid books but I have all of her adult ones.

]]> By: Magdalen http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/2009/07/20/battle-of-the-fae-part-i-tithe-2002-by-holly-black/comment-page-1/#comment-2559 Magdalen Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:34:49 +0000 http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/?p=1145#comment-2559 Speaking of YA, Sarah -- have you read anything by Eva Ibbotson? I read The Countess Below Stairs, and loved it. Much more of a fairy tale than Tithe, I would guess (having not read Tithe), despite being theoretically realistic. Very charming, and I have to say (while not disagreeing with Leontine at all) the YA aspect seemed very appropriate. One could imagine the story (impoverished Russian countess, post 1919, takes a job as a under-housemaid in the household of an almost-impoverished English earl) written, shall we say, more adult-ly (i.e., with sex), but I honestly don't think it would have made it a better story. When the most explicit act between the hero & heroine is a hand stroking a cheek, it can be amazingly highly charged! Plus, I'm a sucker for those fairy tale endings! Speaking of YA, Sarah — have you read anything by Eva Ibbotson? I read The Countess Below Stairs, and loved it. Much more of a fairy tale than Tithe, I would guess (having not read Tithe), despite being theoretically realistic. Very charming, and I have to say (while not disagreeing with Leontine at all) the YA aspect seemed very appropriate. One could imagine the story (impoverished Russian countess, post 1919, takes a job as a under-housemaid in the household of an almost-impoverished English earl) written, shall we say, more adult-ly (i.e., with sex), but I honestly don’t think it would have made it a better story. When the most explicit act between the hero & heroine is a hand stroking a cheek, it can be amazingly highly charged! Plus, I’m a sucker for those fairy tale endings!

]]> By: Sarah http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/2009/07/20/battle-of-the-fae-part-i-tithe-2002-by-holly-black/comment-page-1/#comment-2557 Sarah Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:47:04 +0000 http://www.monkeybearreviews.com/?p=1145#comment-2557 <a href="#comment-2555" rel="nofollow">@Leontine</a> I went through a phase of reading YA fiction last year. There are some wonderful books out there. I enjoyed 'Wicked Lovely' quite a bit, although I think I would have liked it even better had it not been YA. I'm planning to try some more adult urban fantasy authors and would love some recommendations. I've heard good things about Jeaniene Frost, for example. Do you read much urban fantasy? @Leontine I went through a phase of reading YA fiction last year. There are some wonderful books out there.

I enjoyed ‘Wicked Lovely’ quite a bit, although I think I would have liked it even better had it not been YA. I’m planning to try some more adult urban fantasy authors and would love some recommendations. I’ve heard good things about Jeaniene Frost, for example. Do you read much urban fantasy?

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