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Stealing the Elf-King's Roses
Diane Duane Book Review

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Plot Summary of Stealing the Elf-King's Roses
"

Aspect, Nov 2002, 16.99, 416 pp.
ISBN 044660938

On an earth much different than our own, people are able to transport themselves from one place to another and one universe to another by using the gates which are constructed in part from fairy gold. The elves control the distribution of fair gold just as they block anyone from any of the diverse universes from traveling to Alfheim, the elfin world.

Lanthanomancer Lee Enfield and her partner Galert, a madrin (a wolfhound the size of a horse that talks and is very intelligent) use their sight and scent to see below the surface at crime scenes and while interrogating perpetrators. The duo is so good at what they do that they are sent at their government's bequest into Alfheim to find out why elves are killing elves. Before they know it they are caught in a civil uprising that unless stopped, could mean a massive war throughout the known universes.

Dianne Duane, long known and respected for her excellent work, has gifted her readers with a unique view of the Fay that make it seem as if another species has been discovered by the author. Her protagonists are a superb working team whose personalities mesh so well they are better together then apart in a kind of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. STEALING THE ELF-KING'S ROSES is a fascinating mixture of political and inter-dimensional travel inside a fantasy science fiction plot.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Stealing the Elf-King's Roses
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 40%




Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Spying & Investigations Yes
What is main char. doing? - spying/espionage in enemy territorry
Political power play Yes
Political plotlets - preventing/managing clash/war between govts/kingdoms
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Cultural problems, alien culture Yes
Culture clash- - one culture tries to impose its culture on another group
Intense exploration of society's culture? Yes

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status: - private investigator
Age: - 20's-30's
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - can read emotions
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - magical being
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
Earth setting: - during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Stealing the Elf-King's Roses
Elvenborn by Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey
The Outlanders - Lon Tobyn Chronicle 2 by David B. Coe
Mistress of the Pearl by Eric Van Lustbader
Broken Crescent by S. Andrew Swann
Earth Logic by Laurie J. Marks


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Diane Duane Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
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