Lackey, well known for using various collaborators for her Heralds of Valdemar and Bardic Voices series (Brightly Burning, 2000), joins forces with Edghill once again (Beyond World’s End), this time for the fifth installment of Lackey’s Bedlam’s Bard series. It continues the story of Eric Banyon, a flautist who attends Julliard seeking a degree, having returned from Underhill (Elfland) and settled in New York City, where he dodges bike messengers while dreaming of himself as Silverflute, the Queen’s Knight. Having failed Introduction to Music Theory because of time taken off to save the world, he still seeks the attentions of Ria, who owns an industrial concern and is deeply involved in Bizness.
Harmonizing with an Irish jauntiness, Lackey and Edghill jam each page with a spirit-crushing good humor that solves one of Life’s Great Mysteries about grinding out sorcery series: know your elfin addicts.
