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Archers Beach #1
Carousel Tides
From Book 1: Kate Archer left home years ago, swearing that she would die before she returned to Maine. As plans go, it was a pretty good one — simple and straightforward.
Not quite fast enough, though.
Before she can quite manage the dying part, Kate gets notice that her grandmother is missing, leaving the carousel that is the family business untended.
And in Archers Beach, that means ‘way more trouble than just a foreclosure.
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
Not quite fast enough, though.
Before she can quite manage the dying part, Kate gets notice that her grandmother is missing, leaving the carousel that is the family business untended.
And in Archers Beach, that means ‘way more trouble than just a foreclosure.
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
304 pages, ebook
First published November 2, 2010
About the author
Sharon Lee
198 books778 followersSharon Lee has been married to her first husband for more than half her lifetime; she is a friend to cats, a member of the National Carousel Association, and oversees the dubious investment schemes of an improbable number of stuffed animals.
Despite having been born in a year of the dragon, Sharon is an introvert. She lives in Maine because she likes it there. In fact, she likes it so much that she has written five novels set in Maine; contemporary fantasy trilogy Carousel Tides, Carousel Sun, Carousel Seas, and mysteries Barnburner and Gunshy.
With the aforementioned first husband, Steve Miller, Sharon has written twenty novels of science fiction and fantasy — many of them set in the Liaden Universe® — and numerous short stories. She has occasionally been an advertising copywriter, a reporter, photographer, book reviewer, and secretary. She was for three years Executive Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., and was subsequently elected vice president and then president of that organization.
Despite having been born in a year of the dragon, Sharon is an introvert. She lives in Maine because she likes it there. In fact, she likes it so much that she has written five novels set in Maine; contemporary fantasy trilogy Carousel Tides, Carousel Sun, Carousel Seas, and mysteries Barnburner and Gunshy.
With the aforementioned first husband, Steve Miller, Sharon has written twenty novels of science fiction and fantasy — many of them set in the Liaden Universe® — and numerous short stories. She has occasionally been an advertising copywriter, a reporter, photographer, book reviewer, and secretary. She was for three years Executive Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., and was subsequently elected vice president and then president of that organization.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
December 24, 2015
TW's: memories of child abuse
Carousel Tides started out great. Extremely atmospheric, it caught my interest from page one.
However there were some things that prevented me from fully appreciating this:
_ The writing style
I wasn't crazy about it. The abundance of what I presume are Maine colloquial expressions made it impossible for me to sometimes understand what I was reading. Then the descriptions weren't that good: most of the times I couldn't see what I was reading.
_ The abundance of strange words that are part of this fantasy setting, and that most of the times aren't that well explained...glossary anyone?
_And then there's Kate, the main character...
Here's the problem, Kate starts out as an incredibly complex character with issues that are actually life threatening. This added complexity and interest to the story. Unfortunately this situation ends being resolved in a blink of a eye, in a very anticlimactic solution.
What follows isn't bad _ far from it _ but I was expecting a little more.
For instance, there's this possibility of a romance between Kate and a character named Brogan, and once again I was expecting a little more from it. More intensity.
At the beginning, Kate is all: "Oh, I can't accept help from Brogan's kind because there's always some sort of payment to be had"...and after a little _ a really short number of pages_ she's counting on the guy as her sidekick. wth, woman?
Oh, another thing that really, really bothered me: I tend to get away from books that are rapey just for the added shock. When the thing involves children, it leaves me way, way madder.
If I am reading a fantasy book, I do not want to have traces of child abuse floating in the goddam book.
Yes, the guy was a villain, and that's what villains do, some of you might say.
I don't care. I don't want to read child abuse in a fantasy book.In fact I don't want to read about child abuse period.
That is why I've stopped reading thrillers.
Give me flying horses with bat wings, selkies and dryads, but just leave the kids alone.
Carousel Tides started out great. Extremely atmospheric, it caught my interest from page one.
However there were some things that prevented me from fully appreciating this:
_ The writing style
I wasn't crazy about it. The abundance of what I presume are Maine colloquial expressions made it impossible for me to sometimes understand what I was reading. Then the descriptions weren't that good: most of the times I couldn't see what I was reading.
_ The abundance of strange words that are part of this fantasy setting, and that most of the times aren't that well explained...
_And then there's Kate, the main character...
Here's the problem, Kate starts out as an incredibly complex character with issues that are actually life threatening. This added complexity and interest to the story. Unfortunately this situation ends being resolved in a blink of a eye, in a very anticlimactic solution.
What follows isn't bad _ far from it _ but I was expecting a little more.
For instance, there's this possibility of a romance between Kate and a character named Brogan, and once again I was expecting a little more from it. More intensity.
At the beginning, Kate is all: "Oh, I can't accept help from Brogan's kind because there's always some sort of payment to be had"...and after a little _ a really short number of pages_ she's counting on the guy as her sidekick. wth, woman?
Oh, another thing that really, really bothered me: I tend to get away from books that are rapey just for the added shock. When the thing involves children, it leaves me way, way madder.
If I am reading a fantasy book, I do not want to have traces of child abuse floating in the goddam book.
Yes, the guy was a villain, and that's what villains do, some of you might say.
I don't care. I don't want to read child abuse in a fantasy book.
That is why I've stopped reading thrillers.
Give me flying horses with bat wings, selkies and dryads, but just leave the kids alone.
July 26, 2023
I really loved it but the ending was too sudden. Will it have a sequel or am I supposed to imagine what happened with the rest of the characters?
Either way, you guys should give this a try. Good stuff.
Either way, you guys should give this a try. Good stuff.
September 7, 2012
This is Sharon Lee doing urban fantasy in the style of Charles de Lint or early Emma Bull. I loved the seamless integration of the concept of Faerie (and the explanation for their existence), the magic system and the connection to the magic of this world, personified in nature spirits at this Maine coast amusement park town.
But as always with Lee, the characters shine the most, from the human people who welcome the powerful, honourable but a bit too earnest heroine back after ten years. To the various nature spirits who help or hinder her work, to the family ties of known grandmother and lost mother and surprisingly unknown grandfather - up to a very believable understated love interest who is as dedicated to his guardianship as she is.
And then the amusement park setting and the carousel, especially the batwing horse ^^. I would LOVE to read more with the same characters, really, although the end is totally satisfying in and of itself.
====================
On re-reading I thought that the time from when the big baddie shows up to the resolution of the story was rather hurried, although full of lovely big jikinap usage ^^ - and I would have liked to have more of an epilogue (with fellow guardian) than we got - especially since Sharon Lee hasn't announced anything with regards to possibly writing more.
The side characters and the fun park itself came out more clearly in this reread and how initially stubborn Kate is, too. It was just right for a comfort re-read as I had expected ^^ - but then the Liaden books usually are, as well.
===========
ETA: As of September 2012 one part of this review is luckily no longer true - Sharon Lee has sold two further novels in this universe and is at the moment on writing retreat at the real life inspiration of Archer's Beach - Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Yay!
But as always with Lee, the characters shine the most, from the human people who welcome the powerful, honourable but a bit too earnest heroine back after ten years. To the various nature spirits who help or hinder her work, to the family ties of known grandmother and lost mother and surprisingly unknown grandfather - up to a very believable understated love interest who is as dedicated to his guardianship as she is.
And then the amusement park setting and the carousel, especially the batwing horse ^^. I would LOVE to read more with the same characters, really, although the end is totally satisfying in and of itself.
====================
On re-reading I thought that the time from when the big baddie shows up to the resolution of the story was rather hurried, although full of lovely big jikinap usage ^^ - and I would have liked to have more of an epilogue (with fellow guardian) than we got - especially since Sharon Lee hasn't announced anything with regards to possibly writing more.
The side characters and the fun park itself came out more clearly in this reread and how initially stubborn Kate is, too. It was just right for a comfort re-read as I had expected ^^ - but then the Liaden books usually are, as well.
===========
ETA: As of September 2012 one part of this review is luckily no longer true - Sharon Lee has sold two further novels in this universe and is at the moment on writing retreat at the real life inspiration of Archer's Beach - Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Yay!
January 6, 2011
Finally! The book I have been waiting for since...whoa, since War for the Oaks or the last Charles de Lint I got my hands on (Someplace to Be, I think.) Come with me to Archers Beach, a tiny Maine coastal village which has barely hung on during the tourist season the past ten years or so. It’s an old place, full of fog and three-story, peeling tupelo wood cottages that once held large families and now are partitioned for multiple renters and small stores. There’s a pier that seasonally runs rides and games of chance, with a roller coaster shaped like a dragon and a carousel that could do guest appearances in a Ray Bradbury story.
Kate Archer has been in self-imposed exile for a long time, but a phone call about foreclosing on the family carousel sends her back in a panic to Maine. Her grandmother, Bonny Pepperidge, not only disappeared months ago, but she first signed over the carousel, cottage, AND the family Land into Kate’s keeping. And the Land is not just ground and buildings.
The early season starts in a month – and an antique, wood carousel needs a lot of work to have it ready for the early weekend traffic. This particular carousel needs even more work, as do many things in Archers Beach. Because behind the boulders on the shore, during low tide, and under the piers -- off the bow of the lobster boats, and up on the rocky hillsides, there’s another world. More than one of them, actually, Earth being the last and least of them.
Kate Archer is the heir to power – power she feels she has misused, and so she is dying as a result of her exile. But Archers Beach doesn’t have much time. There are wards that must be strengthened, prisoners to be guarded and strangeness to be watched and defended against. She has allies she does not know, old friends she is not sure will welcome her, and a couple of enemies who might be willing to call a truce.
There are gates between the worlds, and war she fled from as a child. There are folk who can pass through those gates with ease, when they choose. Someone came to the carousel, the end of the last season, and tried to bargain with her grandmother . . . threatened her grandmother.
Threatening a dryad on her own ground isn’t wise, but the Earth spirits are among the weakest of the many trenvay who appear in this tale. (And you will be comfortable with that word, by the time it makes an appearance – and instinctively know to who and what it belongs.)
”Did you pay your respects to the sea, Kate?” she can almost hear her Gran say. Kate always pays her respects to the sea, and its denizens, from the tiny loon to the selkies. Now they tell her that the Old Woman was expected back before the New Year. And no matter which new year you used, Bonny Pepperidge has been gone too long.
Nope. That’s all the hints you get. Trust me on this one – to try and summarize it in bits and pieces is to destroy its charm. We have magic and history, we have regret and the tiny bloom of love. Magic is used in many interesting ways, and Carousel Tides belongs squarely on the Maine coast where it is planted. Before the end, you will believe in the many gates and their worlds, and you will be rooting for Kate to pull it all off and win.
In one reading, this book is seamless, the work of a master who knows what she’s doing. It’s the best fantasy Sharon Lee has done, I’ll even say her best book, and a keeper. It’s one to remember come award time. And even better – this book can stand alone for all eternity, like the rocks it is built upon, or it can carry the weight of a sequel.
If you love contemporary fantasy, if you can’t get enough of Charles de Lint’s work, if you’ve been waiting for another great fantasy – this one is for you.
I can't wait to read it again!
Kate Archer has been in self-imposed exile for a long time, but a phone call about foreclosing on the family carousel sends her back in a panic to Maine. Her grandmother, Bonny Pepperidge, not only disappeared months ago, but she first signed over the carousel, cottage, AND the family Land into Kate’s keeping. And the Land is not just ground and buildings.
Dear Kate,
If you’re reading this, things have not gone as I had hoped and expected they would. I’m afraid I’ve left you a pretty mess, my dear, and it’s yours to decide whether or not to clean up after me.
The obligations of kinship . . . of love . . . are not always easy to bear. But, there, I haven’t told you anything you didn’t learn as a babe.
If you’re reading this . . . I’m glad you came home, Katie.
All my love, Gran
The early season starts in a month – and an antique, wood carousel needs a lot of work to have it ready for the early weekend traffic. This particular carousel needs even more work, as do many things in Archers Beach. Because behind the boulders on the shore, during low tide, and under the piers -- off the bow of the lobster boats, and up on the rocky hillsides, there’s another world. More than one of them, actually, Earth being the last and least of them.
Kate Archer is the heir to power – power she feels she has misused, and so she is dying as a result of her exile. But Archers Beach doesn’t have much time. There are wards that must be strengthened, prisoners to be guarded and strangeness to be watched and defended against. She has allies she does not know, old friends she is not sure will welcome her, and a couple of enemies who might be willing to call a truce.
There are gates between the worlds, and war she fled from as a child. There are folk who can pass through those gates with ease, when they choose. Someone came to the carousel, the end of the last season, and tried to bargain with her grandmother . . . threatened her grandmother.
Threatening a dryad on her own ground isn’t wise, but the Earth spirits are among the weakest of the many trenvay who appear in this tale. (And you will be comfortable with that word, by the time it makes an appearance – and instinctively know to who and what it belongs.)
”Did you pay your respects to the sea, Kate?” she can almost hear her Gran say. Kate always pays her respects to the sea, and its denizens, from the tiny loon to the selkies. Now they tell her that the Old Woman was expected back before the New Year. And no matter which new year you used, Bonny Pepperidge has been gone too long.
Nope. That’s all the hints you get. Trust me on this one – to try and summarize it in bits and pieces is to destroy its charm. We have magic and history, we have regret and the tiny bloom of love. Magic is used in many interesting ways, and Carousel Tides belongs squarely on the Maine coast where it is planted. Before the end, you will believe in the many gates and their worlds, and you will be rooting for Kate to pull it all off and win.
In one reading, this book is seamless, the work of a master who knows what she’s doing. It’s the best fantasy Sharon Lee has done, I’ll even say her best book, and a keeper. It’s one to remember come award time. And even better – this book can stand alone for all eternity, like the rocks it is built upon, or it can carry the weight of a sequel.
If you love contemporary fantasy, if you can’t get enough of Charles de Lint’s work, if you’ve been waiting for another great fantasy – this one is for you.
I can't wait to read it again!
January 30, 2014
Makes me think of:
Dar Williamson-The ocean
Marit Bergman-Out on the piers
Kate Archer is returning to her seaside hometown after her grandmother fails to return her calls and no one seems to know where she went. This would have anyone worried but the implications of her being missing are far more difficult since she is also the Guardian of Archers Beach.
Archers beach is a seaside resort but its also place where the mundane meet the magical and both sides manage to come together and live more or less harmoniously. But it does need its Guardian to take care of the land.
Kate investigates and learns her grandmother might have gone in search of something important that couldnt possibly exist anymore.
Waiting and hoping for her grandmother to return she agrees to take charge of the carousel her grandmother owns wich means more than just keeping up repairs and taking ticket fees. The carousel is in fact a magical prison for criminals who now inhabits the carousels wooden creatures.
It probably doesnt help matters that Kate is punishing herself for something that happened in the past by refusing to use her innate magic wich is slowly killing her and then when she ends up on the bad side of a shady buisnessman its not only the disappearance of her grandmother she has to sort out.
She finds herself fighting mundane criminals and magical villains who wouldnt hesitate to kill and hurt innocent people to see their goals fulfilled.
And then there is the mysterious Borgan who she might be able to put her trust in...
This was a wonderful book-a true gem. If you have ever found yourself standing by the sea or a lake looking out to the horizon and just felt the calm that is the atmosphere of this book. I cant describe it any other way. As opposed to an urban fantasy I guess this book can be categorized as rural fantasy.
It all just came alive to me,the setting and the characters felt real and not made out of some generic mold just something very special.
If you were expecting a tough heroine who can kickdrop a guy you will probably end up disappointed in this book because altough Kate is quite a capable person she prefers to figure out things instead of going all action-y as her first response.
Mind you she is no pushover and she has some trust issues but you are never annoyed at her hoping she would just snap out it instead feeling you can understand why she is the way she is.
Likewise if you are looking for a fullblown romance-... this isnt your book.but Kate does build a meaningful connection with someone that in future books could come to be realized.
I loved those scenes with that person :) They were so beautiful.
The pace of the book was very slow paced,not in a bad way but instead of having it all thrown at you all at once it slowly unfolds and brings the reader along for the ride. Thats not to say it doesnt have fastpaced and exciting bits in there too though but i I felt that contrasting the calmer scenes with those dramatic ones were a good move of the author.
There are a lot of complex things going on in this book but somehow it all came together in the end.
And just as big part of the plot is Kate finally coming to terms with painful memories from her past and becoming a stronger person for it.
This was one of my favorite books of 2011 and I was very happy to learn there would be a sequel to it (wich I hope to Review soon.)
Dar Williamson-The ocean
Marit Bergman-Out on the piers
Kate Archer is returning to her seaside hometown after her grandmother fails to return her calls and no one seems to know where she went. This would have anyone worried but the implications of her being missing are far more difficult since she is also the Guardian of Archers Beach.
Archers beach is a seaside resort but its also place where the mundane meet the magical and both sides manage to come together and live more or less harmoniously. But it does need its Guardian to take care of the land.
Kate investigates and learns her grandmother might have gone in search of something important that couldnt possibly exist anymore.
Waiting and hoping for her grandmother to return she agrees to take charge of the carousel her grandmother owns wich means more than just keeping up repairs and taking ticket fees. The carousel is in fact a magical prison for criminals who now inhabits the carousels wooden creatures.
It probably doesnt help matters that Kate is punishing herself for something that happened in the past by refusing to use her innate magic wich is slowly killing her and then when she ends up on the bad side of a shady buisnessman its not only the disappearance of her grandmother she has to sort out.
She finds herself fighting mundane criminals and magical villains who wouldnt hesitate to kill and hurt innocent people to see their goals fulfilled.
And then there is the mysterious Borgan who she might be able to put her trust in...
This was a wonderful book-a true gem. If you have ever found yourself standing by the sea or a lake looking out to the horizon and just felt the calm that is the atmosphere of this book. I cant describe it any other way. As opposed to an urban fantasy I guess this book can be categorized as rural fantasy.
It all just came alive to me,the setting and the characters felt real and not made out of some generic mold just something very special.
If you were expecting a tough heroine who can kickdrop a guy you will probably end up disappointed in this book because altough Kate is quite a capable person she prefers to figure out things instead of going all action-y as her first response.
Mind you she is no pushover and she has some trust issues but you are never annoyed at her hoping she would just snap out it instead feeling you can understand why she is the way she is.
Likewise if you are looking for a fullblown romance-... this isnt your book.but Kate does build a meaningful connection with someone that in future books could come to be realized.
I loved those scenes with that person :) They were so beautiful.
The pace of the book was very slow paced,not in a bad way but instead of having it all thrown at you all at once it slowly unfolds and brings the reader along for the ride. Thats not to say it doesnt have fastpaced and exciting bits in there too though but i I felt that contrasting the calmer scenes with those dramatic ones were a good move of the author.
There are a lot of complex things going on in this book but somehow it all came together in the end.
And just as big part of the plot is Kate finally coming to terms with painful memories from her past and becoming a stronger person for it.
This was one of my favorite books of 2011 and I was very happy to learn there would be a sequel to it (wich I hope to Review soon.)
December 29, 2010
I found this slightly reminiscent of Tanya Huff’s equally-enjoyable “The Enchantment Emporium” because of the way the fantastic is seamlessly blended with the real. “Carousel Tides” is not the all-guns-blazing type of urban fantasy; in fact it takes you quite a while to realise that this book is not a straight contemporary. I loved how this played out and also the unusual setting (a Maine amusement-park coastal town), which is so clearly portrayed that it is almost a character in its own right.
Want to read
June 11, 2015The series is complete now. Three books, written in 1st person POV — the heroine's perspective. Paranormal woo-woo at the old amusement park, set in a small seaside town in Maine (the author's home state). Friends say this series portrays a sense of community via rich primary and secondary characters. This fantasy is of the faerie variety -- and not your sweet fairy godmother. Not even the scavenging tooth fairy. Someday I plan to read it (or maybe listen to it).
We can read the first 10 chapters online at BAEN ebooks, FREE: http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/14...
Note: Sharon Lee and Steve Miller wrote the lengthy Liaden Universe — space opera with repeating characters and a romantic flavor (in most books). After a confused immersion, I found myself captivated with the world of Tree and Dragon (people, not real dragons). My favorite in the series is Necessity's Child, but chronologically the series begins with Crystal Soldier (The Great Migration Duology, #1).
We can read the first 10 chapters online at BAEN ebooks, FREE: http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/14...
Note: Sharon Lee and Steve Miller wrote the lengthy Liaden Universe — space opera with repeating characters and a romantic flavor (in most books). After a confused immersion, I found myself captivated with the world of Tree and Dragon (people, not real dragons). My favorite in the series is Necessity's Child, but chronologically the series begins with Crystal Soldier (The Great Migration Duology, #1).
September 19, 2022
A very enjoyable read. 2020 re-read: Such an awesome series. It is great to revisit this universe often.
March 24, 2017
A wild ride of a book. Enjoyed the premise and magic system of this fantasy.
March 11, 2024
Kate Archer has, reluctantly, come home to Archer's Beach after ten years away because her grandmother is missing. Their family owns the carousel at the local seasonal amusement park, and if someone doesn't pay the rent soon, they risk losing everything.
When Kate returns to the town and the house, she finds her grandmother has left her a package. There's a letter to Kate, and papers deeding over the carousel, the house, and the land. "The land," in this case, means a great deal more than just the land. Coming home, especially in the absence of her grandmother, means taking up her role as the Guardian of the Land.
And as it happens, a spirit of great power, from the world Kate was born in, has turned his attentions to Archer's Beach, in this, the last and least of the Six Worlds.
And Kate renounced her powers, responsibilities, and ties to the Land ten years ago, when she left, pursuing a self-imposed punishment. She's dying.
This is a nicely presented contemporary fantasy. I love Kate, Borgan, and the land spirits that have been waiting for Kate's return. The town and its inhabitants keep getting more and more interesting as the book progresses.
And there's a nice payoff in the end.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from Audible in exchange for an honest review.
When Kate returns to the town and the house, she finds her grandmother has left her a package. There's a letter to Kate, and papers deeding over the carousel, the house, and the land. "The land," in this case, means a great deal more than just the land. Coming home, especially in the absence of her grandmother, means taking up her role as the Guardian of the Land.
And as it happens, a spirit of great power, from the world Kate was born in, has turned his attentions to Archer's Beach, in this, the last and least of the Six Worlds.
And Kate renounced her powers, responsibilities, and ties to the Land ten years ago, when she left, pursuing a self-imposed punishment. She's dying.
This is a nicely presented contemporary fantasy. I love Kate, Borgan, and the land spirits that have been waiting for Kate's return. The town and its inhabitants keep getting more and more interesting as the book progresses.
And there's a nice payoff in the end.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from Audible in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2015
Very disappointed. Very bad writing. So many things wrong with this book I am too weary to tabulate them all. First of all it should have been in third person, not first. Second, the entire magical system makes no goddamn sense and is not coherent. This author makes terrible sentences. The characterization of NONE of the characters is consistent or convincing. It is literally impossible to visualize any of the fight scenes. Really, I'm too tired to go on. It's sad because it is an interesting theme. I liked the batwing pony. I like selkies. I like beach towns and carnies and diners. Oh well, too sad.
January 19, 2014
4/5; 4 stars; A-
I read this book a couple of months ago and liked it very much. It has a feeling of small town life mixed with magic and mystery. Sharon Lee brought me to Maine with her words and seamlessly wove in the gateway to other worlds, the existence of magical land and sea based creatures, an important quest, and an epic battle. She did this while introducing a whole town full of interesting people and a sentient wood. I really liked the concept of the Guardians of the land and the sea. I'm looking forward to seeing where she takes this story.
I read this book a couple of months ago and liked it very much. It has a feeling of small town life mixed with magic and mystery. Sharon Lee brought me to Maine with her words and seamlessly wove in the gateway to other worlds, the existence of magical land and sea based creatures, an important quest, and an epic battle. She did this while introducing a whole town full of interesting people and a sentient wood. I really liked the concept of the Guardians of the land and the sea. I'm looking forward to seeing where she takes this story.
December 16, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. The approach to magic is unique and utterly believable, and so are the characters. The plot got a little wobbly, and the first person POV does nothing to enhance the book (although it's done well enough so it's rarely annoyingly intrusive), but it shines beyond those bits. This is for now one of my rare keepers.
July 31, 2011
Loved the premise of the story and the characters of this book, very unique and interesting. I really loved that Maine was chosen to be the land where the story happens. Since I lived there I could imagine the coast lines and the people... Even though it has a great ending, it still feels undone in the sense I would like to read more about this world.
September 24, 2016
I liked it a lot! I like the characters and the story line. I thought the heroine suffered frequently, but I guess that's life as a guardian.
April 19, 2021
Kate Archer is coming back home to Archer's Beach, Maine, after swearing to never return, but her grandmother is missing and the carousel she runs is in need of supervision. After all, it houses some desperate criminals from the other of the six worlds and it is Kate's duty to keep them contained.
Kate has managed to escape one of the other six worlds when her grandfather's holdings were overrun by Ramendysis but only because her mother offered her soul to him in exchange. Even so, Ramendysis was reluctant to let her go and she arrived at her grandmother's on our Earth in bad condition. But she grew and healed and at one point bound herself to the land as was a part of her grandmother's heritage.
A thoughtless overuse of her powers led to the death of a friend and led Kate to disavow the land and head away from it to die. But now she needs to come back...
The search for her grandmother is complicated by the changes that have occurred in Archer's Beach. Without its Guardian, the land is failing and drug runners are taking over. The local trenvay, earth spirits, aren't strong enough to oppose him. Kate has an almost immediate run-in with Mr. Joe Nemeier when she learns that he has build his grand, ugly home on land near her grandmother's woods and his encroached on her land by some six feet. She loses her temper and blights the grass that trespass making an enemy of Joe Nemeier and the target for his many henchman who all seem to be protected by some magic from otherwhere in the six worlds.
She does have some allies including Borgan who might be a selkie and Mr. Ignat' who is a long-time ally of her grandmother. However, neither of them know where her grandmother has gone or how to deal with Nemeier and his henchmen. Things get even more tense when Ramendysis comes looking for a stolen object and causing even more chaos.
This was a wonderful contemporary fantasy set in a run-down Maine beach town. The characters are interesting and well-developed. Elisabeth Rodgers does a great job narrating the audiobook and building both the suspense and the magic. The worldbuilding fascinating and complex. Best of all, it is the first book in a series leaving lots more to read and discover.
Kate has managed to escape one of the other six worlds when her grandfather's holdings were overrun by Ramendysis but only because her mother offered her soul to him in exchange. Even so, Ramendysis was reluctant to let her go and she arrived at her grandmother's on our Earth in bad condition. But she grew and healed and at one point bound herself to the land as was a part of her grandmother's heritage.
A thoughtless overuse of her powers led to the death of a friend and led Kate to disavow the land and head away from it to die. But now she needs to come back...
The search for her grandmother is complicated by the changes that have occurred in Archer's Beach. Without its Guardian, the land is failing and drug runners are taking over. The local trenvay, earth spirits, aren't strong enough to oppose him. Kate has an almost immediate run-in with Mr. Joe Nemeier when she learns that he has build his grand, ugly home on land near her grandmother's woods and his encroached on her land by some six feet. She loses her temper and blights the grass that trespass making an enemy of Joe Nemeier and the target for his many henchman who all seem to be protected by some magic from otherwhere in the six worlds.
She does have some allies including Borgan who might be a selkie and Mr. Ignat' who is a long-time ally of her grandmother. However, neither of them know where her grandmother has gone or how to deal with Nemeier and his henchmen. Things get even more tense when Ramendysis comes looking for a stolen object and causing even more chaos.
This was a wonderful contemporary fantasy set in a run-down Maine beach town. The characters are interesting and well-developed. Elisabeth Rodgers does a great job narrating the audiobook and building both the suspense and the magic. The worldbuilding fascinating and complex. Best of all, it is the first book in a series leaving lots more to read and discover.
May 3, 2021
3.5 stars
I’ve been finding and losing the scrap of paper with this title written on it for several years—tucking it away, forgetting about it, finding it again, this recommendation I wanted to get to but never when the scrap of paper emerged again to remind me to read it. Well, scrap of paper, I don’t know where you are right now, but when I find you again, you’re going in the recycle bin—tra-la!
I really liked the setting of this book, a tourist attraction in Maine, located at a gate between worlds. I was worried at first the main character Kate might be one of those martyr types who wallows in self-recrimination and pushes everyone away, but I was glad it wasn’t too long before she got over that bit of nonsense. I love the community that welcomes her back (even though she doesn’t expect them to) and the different supernatural creatures and folk who cross her path. I’m especially fond of Borgen and Mr. Ignat. There were some good twists I didn’t see coming. I had made some smug (incorrect) predictions, and I was glad to be surprised instead. I’m not sure I understand what happened to the baddie at the end, but I imagine the next book will touch on that. This is the first in a trilogy, and I liked it enough to read the next.
Random observation: there are a ton of apostrophes in this book, like noticeably A Lot. Many many contractions and shortened words, so many I’m thinking about them enough to talk about them in a review. I got used to it, but the one thing that puzzled the heck out of me was when she put an apostrophe at the beginning of the word “way,” like in a phrase like, “There are ‘way more apostrophes in this book than any other book in the world.” I don’t know what letter that apostrophe is standing in for. If someone can tell me, I’ll give you a prize.
I’ve been finding and losing the scrap of paper with this title written on it for several years—tucking it away, forgetting about it, finding it again, this recommendation I wanted to get to but never when the scrap of paper emerged again to remind me to read it. Well, scrap of paper, I don’t know where you are right now, but when I find you again, you’re going in the recycle bin—tra-la!
I really liked the setting of this book, a tourist attraction in Maine, located at a gate between worlds. I was worried at first the main character Kate might be one of those martyr types who wallows in self-recrimination and pushes everyone away, but I was glad it wasn’t too long before she got over that bit of nonsense. I love the community that welcomes her back (even though she doesn’t expect them to) and the different supernatural creatures and folk who cross her path. I’m especially fond of Borgen and Mr. Ignat. There were some good twists I didn’t see coming. I had made some smug (incorrect) predictions, and I was glad to be surprised instead. I’m not sure I understand what happened to the baddie at the end, but I imagine the next book will touch on that. This is the first in a trilogy, and I liked it enough to read the next.
Random observation: there are a ton of apostrophes in this book, like noticeably A Lot. Many many contractions and shortened words, so many I’m thinking about them enough to talk about them in a review. I got used to it, but the one thing that puzzled the heck out of me was when she put an apostrophe at the beginning of the word “way,” like in a phrase like, “There are ‘way more apostrophes in this book than any other book in the world.” I don’t know what letter that apostrophe is standing in for. If someone can tell me, I’ll give you a prize.
November 29, 2019
2.5 I guess, not a great book for me. It is a DNF as I just found that I was not enjoying it. It was written okay but the MC was just okay, the magic was strange and not explained. The Story/Plot was not that good either. All in all just not a great book and I don't think I will continue with the series.
October 18, 2011
I’ve been increasingly impressed at the quality of writing coming out of Baen – so when I noticed this book on the library shelves, I immediately picked it up.
Whether this is magic realism, or contemporary fantasy is a call for someone else – what it definitely isn’t, is a crime/thriller set in a modern city where the protagonist is ranged against vamps/weres while fighting an undeniable physical attraction with said supernatural beasties… In other words – it is different from the general run of modern fantasy – to the extent that I would be very reluctant to park it on a shelf labelled Urban Fantasy.
Kate Archer relinquished her responsibilities to the Land and walked away, believing that it was her duty to do so. She has returned with reluctance, ailing and angry, to find that everything is not as it should be. Right from the start, Lee plunges us into the action in this atmospheric corner of Maine and has us completely identifying with her protagonist as Kate has to confront a range of enemies, some human and some definitely not…
The world is beautifully conveyed with cinematic sharpness without any loss of narrative pace – not an easy thing to pull off. Not that you’d know it, while in the capable, talented hands of Lee. From the first page, I realised that I was in for an enjoyable ride in an engrossing world, peopled with a cast of interesting, eccentrically different people. The mention of Ray Bradbury isn’t as random as it might appear – I was reminded of the Great Man in the characterisation and feel of this story – the batwing horse is definitely one I’m going to remember for a while… Lee is clearly thoroughly familiar with this area of Maine, although the actual town of Archers Beach is a conglomeration of a number of similar places. Not only does she know this part of the world – she loves it. That affection resonates throughout the book, giving her writing an extra depth and grounding.
The plot whisks along at just the right pace – not so much that we lose out on the wonderful setting and interesting characters, but providing plenty of impetus to turn the pages… I should have stopped reading and settled down for an early night – but I read on until the small hours to discover what happened. And these days, I don’t do that very often.
This enjoyable gem will linger in the mind for a long time with a grin of pleasure to accompany it – and let’s face it, with the constant bad news crowding our papers and tv screens – anything that can achieve that is worth reading.
Whether this is magic realism, or contemporary fantasy is a call for someone else – what it definitely isn’t, is a crime/thriller set in a modern city where the protagonist is ranged against vamps/weres while fighting an undeniable physical attraction with said supernatural beasties… In other words – it is different from the general run of modern fantasy – to the extent that I would be very reluctant to park it on a shelf labelled Urban Fantasy.
Kate Archer relinquished her responsibilities to the Land and walked away, believing that it was her duty to do so. She has returned with reluctance, ailing and angry, to find that everything is not as it should be. Right from the start, Lee plunges us into the action in this atmospheric corner of Maine and has us completely identifying with her protagonist as Kate has to confront a range of enemies, some human and some definitely not…
The world is beautifully conveyed with cinematic sharpness without any loss of narrative pace – not an easy thing to pull off. Not that you’d know it, while in the capable, talented hands of Lee. From the first page, I realised that I was in for an enjoyable ride in an engrossing world, peopled with a cast of interesting, eccentrically different people. The mention of Ray Bradbury isn’t as random as it might appear – I was reminded of the Great Man in the characterisation and feel of this story – the batwing horse is definitely one I’m going to remember for a while… Lee is clearly thoroughly familiar with this area of Maine, although the actual town of Archers Beach is a conglomeration of a number of similar places. Not only does she know this part of the world – she loves it. That affection resonates throughout the book, giving her writing an extra depth and grounding.
The plot whisks along at just the right pace – not so much that we lose out on the wonderful setting and interesting characters, but providing plenty of impetus to turn the pages… I should have stopped reading and settled down for an early night – but I read on until the small hours to discover what happened. And these days, I don’t do that very often.
This enjoyable gem will linger in the mind for a long time with a grin of pleasure to accompany it – and let’s face it, with the constant bad news crowding our papers and tv screens – anything that can achieve that is worth reading.
November 11, 2010
I've been a fan of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller ever since I picked up my first Liaden novel, fifteen years ago. So I was happy to see Sharon Lee's solo novel, Carousel Tides.
Sharon Lee is deft at giving us lively, enjoyable characters, and this novel is no exception. From the first page, the cynical, self-deprecating heroine is a treat to read. She's funny, astute, torn, and full of foibles, just the way a good protagonist should be. Oh, and quite capable of kicking ass. Having a dose of fey blood always helps with fast healing.
The other characters don't shirk their duties, either. Each one is fully alive, with quirks and personality. Fortunately, I don't have to pick a favorite, but if I did, it just might be Bob, the café owner who makes lousy coffee. Nobody's perfect.
From the first time I heard about this book, I was fascinated. A carousel? In a tiny amusement park in an equally tiny town on the Maine coast? What a setting! And the idea that a carousel would be used by the fey (called Trenvay) as a prison for six of their most notorious criminals... let's just say I'm choosing my animal carefully the next time I get on a merry-go-round.
One of the best things about the book is the interwoven worlds – many of the crusty Maine villagers are really Trenvay – selkies, tree sprites, etc., (and let's not leave out the snallygasters, Black Dogs, and willie wisps), all a natural part of our world, but with the ability to interact with other worlds. We see all this through the eyes of Kate Archer, daughter of a tree sprite and a prince from the Land of Flowers. Not a full Trenvay, Kate is nevertheless Guardian of the Land in this little village, and she has an important job: keeping the wards in place so those six criminals don't escape to destroy the world.
Oh, and running the carousel during the summer season.
Kate has demons of her own to fight, and they rear up constantly to beat her down, along with the minions of a local drug runner, who is killing the land with his poison. Her grandmother has disappeared, and Kate soon learns that the evil mage who killed her father's family has come to our world, determined to take it over. With the help of the town's Trenvay population, Kate must gain enough power to destroy the mage, capture the drug runners, keep the prisoners in place, and heal the damaged land.
And get the carousel cleaned up for opening day.
Don't skip over this book. I highly recommend it.
Sharon Lee is deft at giving us lively, enjoyable characters, and this novel is no exception. From the first page, the cynical, self-deprecating heroine is a treat to read. She's funny, astute, torn, and full of foibles, just the way a good protagonist should be. Oh, and quite capable of kicking ass. Having a dose of fey blood always helps with fast healing.
The other characters don't shirk their duties, either. Each one is fully alive, with quirks and personality. Fortunately, I don't have to pick a favorite, but if I did, it just might be Bob, the café owner who makes lousy coffee. Nobody's perfect.
From the first time I heard about this book, I was fascinated. A carousel? In a tiny amusement park in an equally tiny town on the Maine coast? What a setting! And the idea that a carousel would be used by the fey (called Trenvay) as a prison for six of their most notorious criminals... let's just say I'm choosing my animal carefully the next time I get on a merry-go-round.
One of the best things about the book is the interwoven worlds – many of the crusty Maine villagers are really Trenvay – selkies, tree sprites, etc., (and let's not leave out the snallygasters, Black Dogs, and willie wisps), all a natural part of our world, but with the ability to interact with other worlds. We see all this through the eyes of Kate Archer, daughter of a tree sprite and a prince from the Land of Flowers. Not a full Trenvay, Kate is nevertheless Guardian of the Land in this little village, and she has an important job: keeping the wards in place so those six criminals don't escape to destroy the world.
Oh, and running the carousel during the summer season.
Kate has demons of her own to fight, and they rear up constantly to beat her down, along with the minions of a local drug runner, who is killing the land with his poison. Her grandmother has disappeared, and Kate soon learns that the evil mage who killed her father's family has come to our world, determined to take it over. With the help of the town's Trenvay population, Kate must gain enough power to destroy the mage, capture the drug runners, keep the prisoners in place, and heal the damaged land.
And get the carousel cleaned up for opening day.
Don't skip over this book. I highly recommend it.
January 9, 2011
Grade: A
Why I read it:
Carousel Tides piqued my interest when I read the first 10 chapters for free at www.Baen.com.
I have read nearly all the Sharon Lee and Miller books before, and enjoyed them immensely. Being eager for any more Liaden stories, I explored Webscriptions on Baen (this lets you buy the ebooks and packaged bundles of stories directly from Baen) - and signed up for an account.
Plus: I loved the heroine, Kate, and her changing attitude to her obligations at home. She is a magical powerhouse, but has elected to actively resign from her powers and position, instead attempting a normal life. We don't hear much about this, but her search for her missing grandma brings her back home.
The shield between the many worlds is wearing thin, and Kate is needed to stand Gaurdian for our world.
Character: A very interesting, likeable character, I wanted more of this novel!
There were plenty of twists in the tale, adventures were had, and folks were rescued!
Minus: Not too many here - perhaps, a minor crib would be the story needed more depth to the secondary characters.
I would Recommend it to: Liaden fans (naturally), Urban Fantasy readers, Nora Roberts readers and my girlfriends who read romantic suspense.
Why I read it:
Carousel Tides piqued my interest when I read the first 10 chapters for free at www.Baen.com.
I have read nearly all the Sharon Lee and Miller books before, and enjoyed them immensely. Being eager for any more Liaden stories, I explored Webscriptions on Baen (this lets you buy the ebooks and packaged bundles of stories directly from Baen) - and signed up for an account.
Plus: I loved the heroine, Kate, and her changing attitude to her obligations at home. She is a magical powerhouse, but has elected to actively resign from her powers and position, instead attempting a normal life. We don't hear much about this, but her search for her missing grandma brings her back home.
The shield between the many worlds is wearing thin, and Kate is needed to stand Gaurdian for our world.
Character: A very interesting, likeable character, I wanted more of this novel!
There were plenty of twists in the tale, adventures were had, and folks were rescued!
Minus: Not too many here - perhaps, a minor crib would be the story needed more depth to the secondary characters.
I would Recommend it to: Liaden fans (naturally), Urban Fantasy readers, Nora Roberts readers and my girlfriends who read romantic suspense.
December 18, 2014
I think the denseness of this setting, postulating parallel worlds that spill into ours, kept me from enjoying the story as much as I might have. I suspect I will like the next two books in the series more since I won't have to spend as much time figuring out the various fantasy creatures with their powers and responsibilities and relationships. Selkies and Black Dogs, ozali and trenvay, jikinap and land powers, and I never quite figured out what voysin was...Lots of new things to put all together. And, in fact, our main character, Kate Archer, is a Princess from another world escaped from an evil magician at the cost of her mother's life. In a coastal town in Maine, young Kate binds herself as a guardian of the land and helps her grandmother take care of the carousel in Fun Country, a carousel that actually is a prison for evil spirits sentenced by the Wise to reside in this world inside the amusement ride animals. Years later, Kate returns from a self-imposed exile when her grandmother disappears, with rent owing and the bindings on the carousel prison beginning to fray. I like author Sharon Lee's Liaden Universe writings with her husband better, but I suspect that is because I lean more to science fiction than fantasy.
May 21, 2014
I started this when I was sick and as I got better and my mind got less foggy I began to read it with a more critical eye.
Pros:
Maine
Carousel (MAGICAL, slightly EVIL carousel)
selkies
protag who has to figure shit out
interesting magical child abuse plotline
dryads
that cover!
Maine
Cons:
still trying to figure out why anyone would use an apostrophe in front of "way" as in "that was 'way too loud". I get damn' is short for damned, but...
protag's stream of consciousness is cute/annoying in the way of Sookie Stackhouse
could have been great as a standalone, plot started to drag in the middle, then completely new, big things are introduced at the end that I wasn't invested enough to start caring about, then are sort of resolved and not explained.
really wanted her to just call on the Wise already
probably not going to read the rest of the trilogy, but it was fun to read this volume.
Pros:
Maine
Carousel (MAGICAL, slightly EVIL carousel)
selkies
protag who has to figure shit out
interesting magical child abuse plotline
dryads
that cover!
Maine
Cons:
still trying to figure out why anyone would use an apostrophe in front of "way" as in "that was 'way too loud". I get damn' is short for damned, but...
protag's stream of consciousness is cute/annoying in the way of Sookie Stackhouse
could have been great as a standalone, plot started to drag in the middle, then completely new, big things are introduced at the end that I wasn't invested enough to start caring about, then are sort of resolved and not explained.
really wanted her to just call on the Wise already
probably not going to read the rest of the trilogy, but it was fun to read this volume.
February 21, 2011
I have some little nitpicky gripes about the book's overuse of apostrophes, and I'm not a big fan of dialect, and those reasons are why I'd consider this book a 4.5 on my personal scale. Sharon Lee created a fascinating world populated by wonderful personalities, as she often does. One book is not even remotely long enough to satisfy my desire to know all about the inhabitants, and I truly hope another book or ten is in the works.
I highly recommend to fans of the Liaden series as well as those who love Charles de Lint's creations.
I highly recommend to fans of the Liaden series as well as those who love Charles de Lint's creations.
December 3, 2010
I really liked this book. I'm not a fantasy fan, and decided to read this only because it's by one of my favorite authors, and I'm very happy I did. I loved this book, and I hope Sharon Lee finds time in her busy writing schedule to pen more in this universe.
April 18, 2014
I loved this book, and it's sequel. I like quirky and unusual "worlds" and characters. I also love to escape into a novel and not return to the real world for hours. This series provides all of that. I highly recommend it.
August 6, 2015
I'm not really sure what to say about this one. Interesting take on a paranormal world but it seemed kinda like I jumped into the middle of a series when in fact it was book #1 in a series.
Don't judge this book by it's cover, it's not a romance novel in the way the cover suggests.
Don't judge this book by it's cover, it's not a romance novel in the way the cover suggests.
January 20, 2018
This was so much darker than I was expecting, especially having read some of Lee's Liaden Universe books. There's a lot of abuse (some of it sexual) and the book is moderately explicit. Too dark for me.
November 20, 2010
Good read with different spin on supernatural and fae.
December 3, 2010
A very quiet book, but worth the read. Although the story progressed a little too slowly for my taste at time, by the end I was wishing for more.
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