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War for the Oaks

by Emma Bull (Goodreads Author)

4.05 of 5 stars 4.05 · rating details · 4,893 ratings · 451 reviews

Eddi McCandry has just left her boyfriend and their band when she finds herself running through the Minneapolis night, pursued by a sinister man and a huge, terrifying dog. The two creatures are one and the same: a phouka, a faerie being who has chosen Eddi to be a mortal pawn in the age-old war between the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Eddi isn't interested--but she doesn't...more

Paperback, 309 pages

Published July 1st 1987 by Ace (first published 1987)

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Sep 13, 2009 Sandi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, fantasy

I didn't know what to expect when I ordered a copy of War for the Oaks for one of my GoodReads group. Right now, I have way too many books to read and not enough time to read them. I certainly didn't expect that I'd find a book that I had a hard time putting down and ended up finishing in two days.

As I understand it, War for the Oaks is an early example of urban fantasy. What wonderful urban fantasy it was. I loved the adventure and romanticism, the music and the fairies (don't call them that)....more

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Mar 23, 2011 Mariel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fly me to the moon

Recommended to Mariel by: pretty in pink

Neil Gaiman's quote on the book jacket for The War for the Oaks reads: "Emma Bull is really good."
I'm with Mr. Gaiman. Good, but not great.
I'm not in one of my miserly moods, I swear. The heroine, Eddi, has her own kind of magic that comes from her stage presence when she's playing with her band. Shouldn't she have been more, well, charismatic? I liked a lot all of the parts when they are putting together their new band. Those were really good (again!) life stuff. But what about Eddi? After a wh...more Neil Gaiman's quote on the book jacket for The War for the Oaks reads: "Emma Bull is really good."
I'm with Mr. Gaiman. Good, but not great.
I'm not in one of my miserly moods, I swear. The heroine, Eddi, has her own kind of magic that comes from her stage presence when she's playing with her band. Shouldn't she have been more, well, charismatic? I liked a lot all of the parts when they are putting together their new band. Those were really good (again!) life stuff. But what about Eddi? After a whole book I feel like I should have felt like I knew her. I didn't. All I really know about her is that she has a vague sense of morality and puts together nice outfits (if I were girlier this would have been more interesting to me. All I really thought about it was that they didn't seem dated). Guys and audiences alike fall in love with her. Why? Make me fall in love too, Bull. I'm not being a Bully! (hahahah. Stop it, Mar.)
The only thing that dates this book in 1987 are the references to Prince. I would say it is dated on the relevance scale. Young me might have only cared that a bland and easy-to-impose-oneself-on heroine found love and her dream job, and that all was right with the world again. Now I've gotta think: is that all?
Eddi is chosen by the fae to bring to their war a to-the-death ability. She's chosen because the phouka (it isn't a spoiler to name him as the love interest. I called that from the moment he appeared) feels she's got her own magic from her art. The sidhe have lorded their lordliness over the lesser fae, and he's tired of it. After the war with the unseelie is over he wants to ensure they'll have a seelie to preserve. He feels that Eddi is the figurehead for the job, that the majority would rally behind her as something new. (It was annoying any time that anyone compared their leaders to the supposedly better mortal leaders. Right. No one has ever had any permanently good ideas.)
But this isn't about art, love and death, or valour and honour. Not really. It's a little too much about how awesome Eddi is. It is a shame that the story never really took off from under the spotlight on the stage.
The War for the Oaks is the "first urban fantasy" novel, depending on who you ask. Some give credit to Charles deLint (Bull's book is MUCH better than DeLints magic and fae book, the Little Country. Talk about your the world is one girl's stage stories!). At least Bull's book makes it nearly to the end before I started getting impatient. This "first" business is (to me) like the debate of who wrote the first story with robots (some say it is The Wizard of Oz) or the first mystery (some say it is Wilkie Collins's snooze-fest, The Moonstone). I'm reading it now. I don't care if David Bowie borrowed or if anyone borrowed from The Pixies, etc. etc. All I care about is if it is awesome. This is good but not awesome.
The Good Fairies of New York is awesome. (Not everyone agrees with this. I love it for the qualities that irritated others. It is punk rock! And rock 'n' roll. Fight to the death for love and freedom! I want messiness. If it matters it is.)
I was bored with the book by the end and didn't care to read the script sample from Bull and her husband for a movie version of The War for the Oaks. What it really needs is a great star to play Eddi. The most interesting thing about her cannot be how she wears her clothes! Also, reading about music would be boring for those without the frame of reference. I did know about a lot of those '80s bands (not that I'm bragging. I know about '80s bands and not much else). Unfortunately, a lot of them were '80s bands I am now wondering why the hell I liked them. The Psychedelic Furs? Why, Mariel, why? Same goes for Love and Rockets (I loved the nod to the comics. Eddi wanted to name their band that after the comics. I wonder if they'd have given credit to the Hernandez bros, as the real band Love and Rockets did not).
I imagine a movie version would be like Times Square or Bandits. Or maybe Nana. I could think of more. I'll stop now.(less)

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Dec 07, 2010 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone seeking a quick and excellent fantasy.

Recommended to Richard by: SciFi & Fantasy Group 2010-10 Fantasy Selection

Shelves: bookclub, fantasy, fantasy-magic, fantasy-urban

It is astonishing to think that Minneapolis was the center of the Faerie world in 1987. Who would of thought?!?

And yet, Emma Bull’s absorbing novel provides eloquent testimony to the centrality of the City of Lakes to the Fey World.

Undoubtedly there is some important event that transpired in the next decade, since by 2000 the Dresden Files are evidence that Chicago is the place to be.

• • •

I didn’t realize for a while that this book was written so long ago. I was enjoying the retro...more

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Dec 18, 2007 Jarrah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: author-emmabull, faeries, genre-urbanfantasy, genre-adultspeculativefiction, setting-secretworld, chosen-one, country-america

Adult fey urban fantasy. Eddi, a singer/electric guitarist living in Minneapolis, finds herself chosen by the Seelie Court for a job nobody would be especially keen on: the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, whose queens are resident in Minneapolis for reasons that are never quite addressed, but hey, we'll go with it, are declaring a war for the city. They need a mortal to make the stakes mortal ones.

This is a classic of the genre. I read it immediately after Robin McKinley's Sunshine, which frustrated...more Adult fey urban fantasy. Eddi, a singer/electric guitarist living in Minneapolis, finds herself chosen by the Seelie Court for a job nobody would be especially keen on: the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, whose queens are resident in Minneapolis for reasons that are never quite addressed, but hey, we'll go with it, are declaring a war for the city. They need a mortal to make the stakes mortal ones.

This is a classic of the genre. I read it immediately after Robin McKinley's Sunshine, which frustrated me to pieces, and my first reaction to this was: Oh thank god, yay. It has a lot of elements that are simply awesome. The Phouka is a really fantastic character, especially in his early scenes, and the descriptions of the fey folk themselves are lively and convincing and imaginative. Possibly the best thing about the book is the use of music, though. Eddi's band is central to the action and ultimately to the plot, and the most powerful scenes are the ones in which they're playing and Eddi's feeling the chords slide and wail around her. It's tricky to infuse a written work with a sense of music, the emotions and the sounds-as-images, so I have huge respect for the way Bull pulled it off.

But I'm a critical bitch, and ultimately this book wasn't as successful as I wanted it to be. The main reason is, again, the main character. Everybody around her believes that Eddi has something special, she's electric and charismatic and no wonder the fey folk chose her, because she's ohmygodawesome. Which is nice for her, and all, but there's no sense of that when you're reading about her. She drives a good bit of the plot, it's not like she's completely useless, but she's simply not compelling or memorable. Except when she's playing, and even then she's only interesting in that she lets us inside the dynamic of the band.

The other problem I had was with the stakes. I didn't really care about the outcome of the faerie war. The battle scenes didn't catch me up. At the end something happens to make this battle personal - one of the central characters is in danger. But ... I didn't care about that character either. They weren't introduced in an especially sympathetic way, and they were never developed enough to make up for it. What really drove the story wasn't the faery war, but the romance. The romance is resolved about two thirds of the way through, though, unfortunately, and after that ... well, I finished the book, and I enjoyed the descriptions and the little details of the world, but I wasn't invested much.
(less)

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Sep 10, 2008 Trisha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: ultimate-favorites

In my opinion, you really can't call yourself an Urban fantasy fan if you haven't read this book. This is one of, if not THE book that started it all.

There are fairies (but don't call them that if you know what's good for you) of every shape and size, lust, love, rock n' roll and a war between Seelie and Unseelie courts- what more could you want?

How about characters you care for almost instantly, magic that somehow makes sense even when it doesn't, and don't forget- the magic of music.

This is n...more

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Jun 25, 2007 Peter rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In my mind, this novel is the forerunner to a variety of urban fantasy ventures that have been written since and gotten more attention (e.g. "American Gods"). It's the Led Zeppelin to Gaiman's AC/DC. Or something like that that makes more sense. As might be expected from a book that drips hip despite its pop culture references now being 20 years old, an allusion to Homestar Runner is one of my favorite ways to summarize it:

"Faeries are dragging us into their bloody war!"
"I don't want to take any...more

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Sep 26, 2008 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2004, urban-fantasy, 2008, re-read, ebook, library, favorite-books

A book that has been on my 'to-be-read' list for a very long time. I honestly don't know why I haven't read it before because it was very good. Extremely good. I wish I had read it earlier - it would have raised my standards for urban fantasy.

War for the Oaks is said to be the book that defined the entire genre of urban fantasy and I can definitely see why and how. This raises the 'elves in the city' concept to a whole new level for me. Every other urban fantasy I've read got blown away after I...more

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May 09, 2013 Mimi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, minnesota, faeries

So this is the book that kicked off Urban Fantasy?

It was OK, just OK. The narration is somewhat annoying, which makes the characters somewhat annoying, but the action sequences make up for that. I can't fault this book too much, though, since it's the first its kind and therefore, like most pioneering writing pieces, reads more like a lengthy writing exercise than a book.

The story is about a young woman with great musical aspirations--she wants to start her own band--who stumbles across a fae...more

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Jan 07, 2010 Minli rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sirens-2010, mythic, adult

I have a friend from Minnesota, about 4 years younger than me, who complained, "nothing ever happens here. Can't wait to join you in New York for college." After reading Tam Lin and other works by The Scribblies, and now War for the Oaks, I've got to say, "No, no. Actually, I think Minnesota is where it's at."

There are many shades of myself. One is a girl who likes to walk barefoot through the forest and climb up treehouses, who picks daisies and makes snow angels. Another is a girl who loves th...more

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May 01, 2011 The Flooze rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Stav, specifically; music-lovers and UF fans in general

Recommended to The Flooze by: Vered

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal, owned, vanquished_2011

War for the Oaks has the distinction of helping mold the subgenre of urban fantasy. Since I’ve already tackled many (many) UF titles, that particular context is lost on me. What can’t be denied, however, is Emma Bull’s talent. War for the Oaks is an excellent example of everything I’ve come to love about the fusion of modernity and magic.

The main character, Eddi McCandry, is a blend of all we hope for in a heroine. In the beginning she exhibits a bit of poor judgment and has a tendency to under...more War for the Oaks has the distinction of helping mold the subgenre of urban fantasy. Since I’ve already tackled many (many) UF titles, that particular context is lost on me. What can’t be denied, however, is Emma Bull’s talent. War for the Oaks is an excellent example of everything I’ve come to love about the fusion of modernity and magic.

The main character, Eddi McCandry, is a blend of all we hope for in a heroine. In the beginning she exhibits a bit of poor judgment and has a tendency to underestimate herself, but over the course of the book she grows and learns. We come to see her as a straight-shooter with an abundance of fierce determination, a woman who tries to fight for what’s right and inspires those around her to do the same. She’s a likeable character and a true friend, a person who believes in free will and accepting consequences.

The characters surrounding her are each notable in their own ways, but none moreso than the Phouka. Assigned as her bodyguard, he’s often mischief made real - but it’s clear from the beginning that there’s a lot more to him than clever quips and keen fighting skills. He’s enigmatic and eccentric, but endearing; it’s easy to share in Eddi’s growing trust in him.

Many of the powers of the Fae are not clearly defined; Bull picks and chooses which rules to share, so the plot can glide along without the burden of weighty details. She demonstrates respect towards her readers, trusting that we are intelligent enough to pick things up along the way. In light of all the clue-by-fours and info dumps I’ve been subjected to lately, I’m immensely grateful for her polished method of delivery.

(I do wonder how this came across to the audience of 1987. Bull uses much of the Fae lore we now find commonplace: the Sidhe lords, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, the Lady vs. the Queen of Air and Darkness, the talent of twisting the truth yet never lying. Today’s UF readers are accustomed to these beings and the basic rules that govern them. Would this have seemed more ground-breaking, perhaps more confusing, to her initial readers?)

Bull’s writing style is pleasant. It’s lyrical and fluid, but never flowery or overcomplicated. Her analogies are marvelous - almost undetectable as they cast the desired atmosphere over a scene. They evoke sensory experiences, drawing us fully into Eddi’s perception and fostering a connection with the settings and characters. Bull understands that small details are often the most significant. She uses this knowledge to greatest effect when describing how two people fall in love: through moments of stillness and unconscious gestures, she recounts the many tiny thrills along the way. This leads to one of my favorite passages:

“Every motion she made was slow, as if she’d never before put her arms around a man, and didn’t know for certain where everything fit. When at last they were pressed close, she didn’t think she’d know how to let go when the time came. They summarized the course of passion with kisses: a chaste, half-frightened brush of the lips metamorphosed into something fierce and fast-burning, which in its turn became a more patient, more intimate touch, full of inquiry and shared pleasure.”

It’s romance that a person who’s experienced love can relate to. It’s the hesitancy and wonder that washes over us in that moment we decide, “yes…this is the one.” To capture it in such a way makes it all the more sweet and realistic.

This down-to-earth style is a defining aspect of the book…which is why I have one complaint about the ending. While every proceeding scene - even those dealing with Fae illusion - is so straight-forward and comprehensible, the final battle lapses into the abstract. We understand what’s happening in the larger scheme, but the particulars are lost amid the frenzy of magic. Having felt so connected to the action until this point, it came as an unpleasant shock to suddenly feel distant from events. I’m not sure if this indicates a hasty wrap-up, or merely my own inability to relate to what Eddi experiences. I wasn’t dissatisfied, but the scene didn’t mesh perfectly with the rest of the story.

That one criticism aside, War for the Oaks is a well-executed book. It’s easy to see how its release in the late 80s would have encouraged acknowledgement of the urban fantasy subgenre. Reading it now, 24 years(!) after it was first published, it doesn’t feel particularly dated (even some of the clothes are back in fashion again). Instead, it’s as thrilling a stand-alone as any current title, with an effortless poetic slant and a fluidity that’s missing from many of today’s debuts. It’s touted as an urban fantasy classic - it’s more than deserving of the label.(less)

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Jul 21, 2008 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction

If I could I'd give it 2 1/2 stars.

The story of an ordinary girl(or guy)becoming extraordinary is common and essentially this is the formula used by War For The Oaks. Eddi is your regular old rock musician living and playing music in the Twin Cities. Until one day when things are really bad, she is against-her-will recruited into a war between the Seelie Court of Faerie and the Unseelie Court. These immortal creatures want to be able to really kill each other and for that they need her, a mortal...more If I could I'd give it 2 1/2 stars.

The story of an ordinary girl(or guy)becoming extraordinary is common and essentially this is the formula used by War For The Oaks. Eddi is your regular old rock musician living and playing music in the Twin Cities. Until one day when things are really bad, she is against-her-will recruited into a war between the Seelie Court of Faerie and the Unseelie Court. These immortal creatures want to be able to really kill each other and for that they need her, a mortal, on the battlefield. She is much annoyed to find that until the war is completed she has been assigned a body guuard in the shape of a Prince (or the artist formally known as) lookalike who can turn into a dog and which is called a Phouka. There are a few other characters but those two are the biggest. And of course as is the way of things somewhere in the middle of this Eddi discovers that she has a little magic of her own.

I really wanted to love this book. It is touted as a pioneer in the Urban Fantasy sub genre and I just read Emma Bull's Territory a couple months ago and LOVED it. Unfortunately it was not meant to be for a number of pretty basic reasons.

I didn't engage with the main character at all and as offten happens in these ordinary girl kicks some ass story lines it went too far and made Eddi too perfect and too much the Heroine. She's the smartest and most attractive and most powerful and you know she makes that faery queen look like and imbecile dope next to her. Its not interesting. And it doesn't help that she's constantly calling people "kiddo" and "son" like instead of being a young modern rock n roller she is somebody's grampa. In addition there were a few other characters that I wish had been explored a bit more, like Willy Silver - a member of Seelie Court Elite - who kind of lives a double life, as a Sidhe and as a human. There's a couple of great scenes that hint at some interesting depth in him but it never gets explored.

The character issues were really what bothered me most. The setting and idea were interesting particularly this underground existence of the magical in our modern world. But I also kind of felt like Neil Gaiman does this juxtaposition better in American Gods. The book was also a little slow to get going but the second half definitely picks up. I think the biggest problem for me was that I loved Territory so much that this was a bit of a disappointment. I didn't feel like it was a waste of time though... (less)

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Sep 12, 2007 Bardi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Some years ago in Minneapolis there was a very strange but quite good rock group called Eddi and the Fey. I know this for a fact because I own the tour shirt. Now granted the group, with its mix of human and nonhuman members may not have quite existed in the literal sense. Nor may there have been the battle for Minneapolis. But Emma writes the characters and the plot well enough that they do exist in the mind long after the last page. And isn't that good enough sometimes?

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Aug 22, 2007 Randall rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: hmmmm?

It gets a star because I finished it. Don't read this book. A mix between fantasy and a rock novel incorporating the worst aspects of both genres with an inability to compose a coherent action sequence.

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Apr 29, 2011 Erika Gill rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wish I understood the hype this book has commanded for over twenty years, but I can't. I also wish I'd heard of at least half of the songs mentioned (stuffed, more like) in it. Unfortunately, Emma Bull was under the impression that the more contemporary hip iconic culture she shoved down the throats of her readers, the better it would be. In doing this, and shamelessly using her own (poor) lyrics as filler, she managed to completely neglect her writing.

I can't even recall how many times I had...more

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Sep 10, 2010 FunkyPlaid rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

As for some of us who feel that the themes and writing of Lord of the Rings is a bit plodding and obvious only after being inundated by so many fantasy stories since it started the genre, so too does War of the Oaks brown upon the branch in the wake of the Urban Fantastic eloquence and creativity of de Lint, et al. Emma Bull may have launched the popular concept of UF, but her writing feels outdated only due to the leaps that have been made in the genre since 1987.

Bull is crafty, clever, humorou...more

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Jul 01, 2008 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novel

Much to my surprise, my husband has lately embraced his inner geek, using my Amazon account to scoop up every sci-fi dragon book ever penned. And when I out him in front of family members and friends, I discover that many of them are secret dragon geeks, too. Perhaps there's something to this fantasy lit. It has at the very least piqued my curiosity. Hence, I have been in search of sci-fi/fantasy that meets my special requirements. I seek stand-alone, sequel-less novels, preferably with fairies...more

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Feb 23, 2008 Cassie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who like faries, anyone under the age of 25, 16 year olds who want to be rockstars

Recommended to Cassie by: Jamie Graham, good friend of mine.

One of my favorite books when I'm in the mood for fantasy. It's hip, playful, and romantic without beating you over the head with it. The Phouka is my favorite character, Edi herself being annoying at times. Being a costume designer, I would read this just for the awful 80's fashions over and over again. Her descriptions of the Seelie and Unseelie courts are fantastic, and done with a much lighter hand than other authors. If I catch anyone reading Laurel K. Hamilton, I give them this as another...more

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Sep 10, 2007 A. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2007, fiction, fantasy-and-scifi

Borrowed this from Keri -- I think I might have read it before but I don't really remember it, so it was almost entirely new to me, and it was a delight. I adore the faerie world/real world intersection genre -- which is part of why I wish I enjoyed Holly Black more; her books, genre-wise, are right up my alley -- and this is an exquisite example of those sort of fantasy stories. Pulls no punches, features a version of the Twin Cities that is true and accurate and fantastical all at once, and Ed...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Compton Crook Administration Committee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

War for the Oaks by Emma Bull has been around for a while. It was originally published by Ace back in 1987, then again as an Orb edition by Tor in 2001. It won the Locus Award for Best First Novel in 1987.

This is great fantasy writing in a modern urban setting, i.e. urban fantasy. The heroine, one Eddi McCandry, rock and roll composer, lyricist and singer has that magic charisma that makes audiences cling to every note she sings or plays. And it turns out that this is just the quality that the...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Ali rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction-fantasy

I'd read all these rave reviews, and the discussion of a kind of "urban fantasy" genre at work intrigued me. Alas, I was a little disappointed. I suppose the book would fare alright in the 12-15 year-old demographic, but for me, the mark of good books of this genre is that their charms aren't limited to teenagers. I could go into details, but it really is just a structural disappointment: characters are flat, plot is weak and arbitrary-feeling, ending is rushed, and - most importantly - the worl...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Shelton TRL rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

World-building, plot-driven. Offbeat, romantic.

Adult and mature YA read, this book focuses on a modern-day rocker that gets entwined in the faerie world's war due to her ability to create magic with her music. As both courts attempt to manipulate and control her, Eddi struggles to stay alive, keep her friends alive, and decide between two hunky fae men as they both seek to win her heart. A darker story, funny moments are woven throughout to keep it from excessive bleakness.

Recommended for those...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Juushika rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: status-borrowed, genre-fantasy

Eddi wants to do nothing but sing rock and roll, but when drafted into a faerie war that rages unseen through Minneapolis she must choose if, and how, to fight. War for the Oaks is seminal urban fantasy, although the genre has since been skewed towards paranormal romance; as such, it's hard to fault the book for its overly familiar tropes: a Seelie/Unseelie war and familiar magic system, a magical boyfriend, a love triangle, and a one-note sympathetic best friend. War for the Oaks may have writt...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Catherine Fitzsimmons rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Eddi McCandry is a struggling musician in Minneapolis who gets approached by two fey creatures, who have chosen her to appear on the battlefield between the two factions of Faerie, thus imparting her mortality to those present. Despite her objections and the danger into which she is immediately thrust, they persist, a mischievous phouka accompanying her as both bodyguard and escort as war brews.

It’s a story that’s been done, but it’s important to note that in this case, it has been done since, r...more

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May 29, 2012 Cindy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another book recommended on a fantasy website...referred to as "groundbreaking" because it was the first urban fantasy book. Now, I don't think I have read any other "urban fantasy" because nothing about it seemed to fit with what I have read before. It was set in Minneapolis and I live south of there and work in St. Paul so I was curious. The book was set in the late 80s so that also had some nostalgia associated with it (if I can date myself by saying I came of age in the 80s). The book was fi...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Chy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

More like a 4.5, but tiny things that appeal to me make up for that half star.

I read this years ago, and again not too long after that---I think. But I checked out my recommendations from Goodreads when I got done with Beloved and this was one of them, which made me realize I'd never rated it on here. Then I realized I really wanted to read it again before I did, and so I read it again.

She has a lot of descriptions people would call "info-dumping," but they're vivid and alive. I just wish she di...more

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Mar 16, 2012 S.A. Bolich rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: absolute-favorites

I don't read a lot of urban fantasy, but this is an exception, a guilty pleasure I read every year or two. The premise is so grand you have to go along, and Bull sweeps you right in from page 1. It seems the fae want to have a war, but the only way to make it meaningful is to have a mortal on the battlefield on each side, for then the fae themselves can die. Eddi, our heroine, just wants to play her songs in a good rock band, not the one her sulky ex-boyfriend put together, now defunct. But then...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Josie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

War for the Oaks is a great urban fantasy set in Minnesota, of all places. Eddi is the leader of a band who is unwillingly drafted into a Faerie war, but ends up bending the rules of engagement. I really appreciated the presence of characters of color (though one never tells his name--but I guess that's to be expected with Fey) and women who talk about more than just their men.

The narrative of the formation of the band is pretty great, too; I feel like I could really rock out with their style an...more

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Apr 11, 2011 Aviva rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I picked up this gem because somebody told me that Holly Black totally aped it for her Tithe series. And after having read it, I can sortof see what they mean. Urban fantasy, involves faeries, mortal must save the world. Also and apparently this is the book that started the Urban Fantasy trend. So I'm not sure if it's accurate to say Holly Black is aping Emma Bull because pretty much anything that comes after this book is going to get the comparison if it's remotely similar, right? Sortof like w...more I picked up this gem because somebody told me that Holly Black totally aped it for her Tithe series. And after having read it, I can sortof see what they mean. Urban fantasy, involves faeries, mortal must save the world. Also and apparently this is the book that started the Urban Fantasy trend. So I'm not sure if it's accurate to say Holly Black is aping Emma Bull because pretty much anything that comes after this book is going to get the comparison if it's remotely similar, right? Sortof like what happened to Laurel K Hamilton and anything that comes after her in the Urban Vampire genre. Or something.

Meanwhile, I really enjoyed this book. It was as much about music as it was about the faerie realm and I really enjoyed a book about a musician that wasn't a biography or totally obviously made up. Eddi felt like a guitarist, her band members felt like drummers and bass players and keyboardists (oh my!). It was very obvious reading the novel that Emma Bull herself knew her way around a mic stand, so that was kinda cool.

The plot was engaging and page turning, the scenes involving the faerie world felt just as real as the scenes in the real world. It was predictable in the sense that if you've ever read real faerie tales, you know the tropes. That is, never say thank you or I'm sorry to a fey, never make a promise, don't eat the food, etc. But she does something with the characters and I appreciate how Eddi wasn't immediately a faerie princess by default or that she ended up with the faerie prince (even though I sorta wanted her to). The character of the phooka is awesome and totally the guy I want watching my back (the the club or war, you choose) but his trickstery side wore a little thin as the book went on, only because he spends so much of the novel presenting himself as a normal guy so I kept wanting to smack him and go "snap OUT of it!" so I guess it's a testament to Bull's writing that I could totally forget a character's real character, right?

There's a pull quote from (my imaginary father figure mentor) Neil Gaiman on the front cover of my copy, "Emma Bull is really good." And, as per usual, the man is not wrong.
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Nov 01, 2010 Katie Leonard rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was one of my all time BEST reads! I cannot praise Emma Bull enough for her fantastic writing(or Mrs. Kress for recomending this to me)! This book was absolutly loaded with imagry! Even though I have never been to Minneapolis, I feel as though I have because the way Emma just put everything perfectly into your mind's eye without letting you miss a single detail was absolutly breathtaking. Also I love the story line. This isn't just one of those way out there Scifi novels, it was a novel tha...more

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Aug 15, 2010 Avrelia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: atmospheric, fancy-fantasy, wanted-to-love-it-but, i-should-ve-read-it-15-years-ago, fairies-are-mean, fantasy, fantasy-in-cities, from-the-library, good-romance, sff, romance

I liked it a lot, but I expected to like it much more. Unreasonable expectations? May be.

It is strange – reading a book everyone around read long ago and loves. Well, it is never every one really, but enough to pick up the general attitude.

War for the Oaks is a wonderful book and I thoroughly enjoyed it, plus it is the urban fantasy, which at this point is my favorite subgenre.

But there were “buts”. ;)

The heroine is a great fun. It is hard not to like Eddie – but this is the problem, too. Why...more I liked it a lot, but I expected to like it much more. Unreasonable expectations? May be.

It is strange – reading a book everyone around read long ago and loves. Well, it is never every one really, but enough to pick up the general attitude.

War for the Oaks is a wonderful book and I thoroughly enjoyed it, plus it is the urban fantasy, which at this point is my favorite subgenre.

But there were “buts”. ;)

The heroine is a great fun. It is hard not to like Eddie – but this is the problem, too. Why is she so lovable, where are her shortcomings? She doesn’t leave an impression of a Mary Sue, but she doesn’t feel to me like a real person. She is just a little bit unbelievably cool. Or am I too critical?

The plot itself seems rather predictable – or every plot after certain amount of books read seems so? I can’t say what will happen, but I can guess what kind of event will happen and how it all will work with great certainty. It is not always a bad thing – I absolutely loved the whole development of love between Eddie and the phouka, and even though I could guess, it didn’t spoil the fun.

Oh, and the phouka is beyond adorable. ;)

On the other hand, I quite loved Willy as well – he possess two qualities that I value: desire to learn and curiosity and the ability to change. That’s why I was didn’t like that he died – he just started to change – and I would love to see the progress.

His death brought me thoughts about the characters’ death in general. The death in fiction is always happens by the author’s design, even if the author is following the story and its demands. How the death in fiction may be written (filmed) so it wouldn’t feel contrived? Sometimes it happens – death doesn’t necessarily feels natural, but I don’t think about author, I think about characters, and sometimes I keep thinking about the author, and what the authors means by it – which create the impression of the death for the sake of plot, not the natural part of the story.

For the positive example I can refer to The Sandman – there we enjoy Death’s company ;)

The clothes are described with amazing precision, and the eighties’ clothes sound so funny!

The music is confusing, too. I wish I could hear it – the music on paper is too complicated, it is something I cannot quite imagine, and for the most of the book I felt the characters are speaking a strange language that I should have understood but cannot. (less)

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About Emma Bull

Emma Bull is a science fiction and fantasy author whose best-known novel is War for the Oaks, one of the pioneering works of urban fantasy. She has participated in Terri Windling's Borderland shared universe, which is the setting of her 1994 novel Finder. She sang in the rock-funk band Cats Laughing, and both sang and played guitar in the folk duo The Flash Girls while living in Minneapolis, Minne...more

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Quotes from War for the Oaks

“I’ve no surety that it is. I know only parts of what I feel; I may be misnaming the whole. You dwell in my mind like a household spirit. All that I think is followed with, ‘I shall tell that thought to Eddi.’ Whatever I see or hear is colored by what I imagine you will say of it. What is amusing is twice so, if you have laughed at it. There is a way you have of turning your head, quickly with a little tilt, that seems more wonderful to me than the practiced movements of dancers. All this, taken together, I’ve come to think of as love, but it may not be.

It is not a comfortable feeling. But I find that, even so, I would wish the same feeling on you. The possibility that I suffer it alone–that frightens me more than all the host of the Unseelie Court.” — 25 people liked it

“Sometimes, she reflected, she dressed for courage, sometimes for success, and sometimes for the consolation of knowing that whatever else went wrong, at least she liked her clothes.” — 21 people liked it

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