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Elfhome (Elfhome #3)

4.28 of 5 stars 4.28 · rating details · 505 ratings · 76 reviews

Book Three of the Elfhome series, the follow-up to exciting Wolf Who Rules and the award-winning fantasy-SF novelthat started it all, Tinker.Elfhome. A world of powerful magic, beautiful elves, man-eating trees, frost-breathing wargs, and god-like dragons.Pittsburgh. A city that has been stranded deep in virgin elfin forest to stave off an invasion by the merciless oni. It...more Book Three of the Elfhome series, the follow-up to exciting Wolf Who Rules and the award-winning fantasy-SF novel that started it all, Tinker.Elfhome. A world of powerful magic, beautiful elves, man-eating trees, frost-breathing wargs, and god-like dragons. Pittsburgh. A city that has been stranded deep in virgin elfin forest to stave off an invasion by the merciless oni. Its population of sixty thousand humans and a handful of elves are pitted in war that will only end in genocide. Winter is coming. Supplies are running low. All political ties are fraying. Hidden somewhere in Pittsburgh's crumbling neighborhoods, a vanguard of oni are growing in number and attacking from the shadows.

And children are disappearing.

Girl genius Tinker was once a human orphan, growing up on the Pittsburgh streets. Now she's an elf princess with all the bells and whistles. She rules over a melting pot of humans, elves, half-oni, and the crow-like tengu. Prejudices are rampant, pitting even the elves against each other. Hoverbike races, concerts of rock and roll fused with elf music, and artist communes of human and elves are proof that Pittsburgh can be a place where races and species can meet and meld in freedom.

Tinker is determined to make her city a place of such freedom. She's going to have to kick butt and take names. And she has to do it quickly. Seven elf children are already missing -- and the oni eat their prisoners when they outlive their usefulness.

Tinker uncovers ancient secrets and a web of betrayal as she searches for the children. The oni will stop at nothing to win, so neither can she. At five foot nothing, Tinker's greatest weapon has always been her intelligence. Politics, she discovers, is a battle of wits, and she's heavily armed.

About the Elfhome Series:

“Wit and intelligence inform this off-beat, tongue-in-cheek fantasy…. Furious action…good characterization, playful eroticism and well-developed folklore…lift this well above the fantasy average …. Buffy fans should find a lot to like in the book's resourceful heroine.” –Publishers Weekly on series debut Tinker

“Spencer's intertwining of current Earth technology and otherworldly elven magic is quite ingenious.” –Booklist(less)

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 376 pages

Published July 3rd 2012 by Baen

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Nov 08, 2012 scarlettraces rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, ebooks, the-toppling-piles

the Tinker books are great reads, although there's no denying a good copy-edit would have got rid of some of the dodgy grammatical parsing and redundancy in this one. (i get that elves live by their honour and Oilcan was traumatised by his mother's death. yes.) i have a feeling that might be a by-product of being published by Baen, much though i admire their philosophy and price point. but that's a piffle compared with Spencer's energetic plots, sympathetic characters and general gallons of cool...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Jo (Mixed Book Bag) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, science-fiction-romance

Elfhome is another great journey in the world Wen Spencer has created. This is the third book in the series and can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading Tinker and Wolf Who Rules first.

There is so much in Elfhome it is hard to know where to start so I will just pick a place.

Plot: Pittsburgh, which had been the gateway between Earth and Elfhome is now stranded on Elfhome. The gate between the two worlds was destroyed and has not been re-opened. There is more that one race around Pitts...more Elfhome is another great journey in the world Wen Spencer has created. This is the third book in the series and can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading Tinker and Wolf Who Rules first.

There is so much in Elfhome it is hard to know where to start so I will just pick a place.

Plot: Pittsburgh, which had been the gateway between Earth and Elfhome is now stranded on Elfhome. The gate between the two worlds was destroyed and has not been re-opened. There is more that one race around Pittsburgh and trust between those who should be allies is almost non-existent. While the oni look like the main enemy, maybe they are not. There are others hidden in plain sight that are not what they seem. Building trust while keeping from being wiped out is a big part of the plot.

Characters: All of the characters from previous books are back and a few new ones show up as well. It is really hard to say who is the main character in the book. The characters from different groups are a big part of moving the plot. Tinker and Oilcan are both back. Oilcan plays a much bigger role. A whole group of young elf's play a major role. I love the names (Fields of Barley, Cattail Reeds, Rustle of Leaves and Merry) define what they are and what they can do. Tommy, the half-oni, has a deep sense of honor, a need to protect his extended family but still works to help those who do not trust him or his kind. And there are all of the elves who are interesting side characters. The characters and their action truly drive this story

Worldbuilding: Now that Pittsburgh is entirely on Elfhome new things are coming to light. Dangerous and deadly events from Elfhome’s past are revealed as still dangerous today. The world around Pittsburgh just get more and more complex.

Writing: Wen Spencer knows her craft. Like all of her books Elfhome is very well written. The tension builds, the story moves and while all problems are not solved characters do get the good or bad that they deserve.

I loved the book and hope that the wait for the next one will not be as long. There are two short stories available as ebooks and Baen has a short story that goes with Elfhome on the Baen web site this month (October, 2012). Wen Spencer also has other books. You would not go wrong reading any of them.(less)

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Sep 25, 2012 Anita rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: five-star-favorites, science-fiction, paranormal-romance, paranormal-mystery, fantasy-traditional

This is book 3 in the Tinker series, which is an amazing mash up of a bunch of areas I like: contemporary fantasy, sci fi, mystery, romance, and fairytale. It's wonderfully written with great characters and very intricate plots. My only complaint about this series is the wait between books. Tinker - 2003, Wolf Who Rules - 2006, Elfhome - 2012. There's plenty of room at the end of Elfhome for at least one more book, so I will be anxiously awaiting it.

It took me quite a while to remember the impor...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Keeping a large cast of characters moving through the action is akin to spinning plates. Spencer deftly and lightly touches on our favorites, but in this third book of the series, we focus on Oilcan and Tommy (the half-oni) as they step up to adult responsibilities. From a plot standpoint, this book is more setup than resolution, with the characters uncovering what was foreshadowed previously--that the opposing force is the tool of a greater opposing force.

Spencer once more skillfully parallels...more

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May 09, 2012 Tammicco rated it 3 of 5 stars

I’m torn about the third book in the ‘Elfhome’ series. I purchased the ebook ARC from Baen, because I couldn’t wait another day to reacquaint myself with Tinker’s world. I’m not disappointed at all, but I do feel a little melancholy. This entry in the series marks a serious turning point underscoring the fact that this is no longer Tinker’s tale. ‘Tinker’ is told solely from the heroine’s perspective, whereas in ‘Wolf Who Rules Wind’ perspective is split almost equally between Wind Wolf and Tink...more I’m torn about the third book in the ‘Elfhome’ series. I purchased the ebook ARC from Baen, because I couldn’t wait another day to reacquaint myself with Tinker’s world. I’m not disappointed at all, but I do feel a little melancholy. This entry in the series marks a serious turning point underscoring the fact that this is no longer Tinker’s tale. ‘Tinker’ is told solely from the heroine’s perspective, whereas in ‘Wolf Who Rules Wind’ perspective is split almost equally between Wind Wolf and Tinker.

Just under a third of ‘Elfhome’ is given to Tommy’s story. It fits in well with the overall storyline, but I don’t like Tommy. I never have, so I guess that makes me the not into anti-hero type, huh? On second thought…nyah--I just really don’t like Tommy.

Just over a third of the book actually favors Oilcan’s emergence onto Elfhome’s center stage. I like Oilcan just fine, of course, but he’s not Tinker. Oilcan has always reminded me of the character of Ukiah Oregon. I love the Ukiah series, but mainly because it is Ukiah’s series. If Tinker had been placed in his world, I’d like Ukiah—but I’d LOVE Tinker.

About a third of ‘Elfhome’ is given to Tinker, but not really. The essence of being Elf—specifically, being domi—is finally taking hold. Tinker is coming to terms with some aspects of these responsibilities. She is also coming to terms with adapting her way of thinking to the Elf way of doing.

But this is only a small part of Tinker’s one third perspective in the book. Most of her perspective is used to tell the stories of other characters. It’s like someone told Mrs. Spencer that the first two books were “all Tinker, all the time”—as if it’s a bad thing. The response was to whittle Tinker and Wind Wolf all but out of this third book. These two favorite characters are “there” in the book like they were “there” in the short stories about Elfhome articled at Baen books--and only available at Baen. These were minor character perspectives of Tinker, Wind Wolf, and Elfhome in general.

I’m aware of the anti-Mary Sue sentiment that pervades the urban fantasy community. I’m usually one of the voices writing a smack-down on these types of heroines in my reviews. But as Mary Sue as it may make her, there really isn’t any character more interesting than Tinker among all Elfhome peoples—at least not for me. I love the fact that Tinker is brilliant, conceited, brash, desirable, exuberant, and has no doubt that she can single-handedly take on all comers (with her non-superpower brain)—unless she can’t, and then…well. Tinker epitomizes the mantra “go big, or go home”. She is the female version of Roy Jones Jr. and Muhammad Ali—she too can show you AND tell you at the same time :=)

If Tinker is a special person, able to elevate others around her to a higher level, it makes her an extraordinary character. If she’s a special person able to elevate those around her to her own level, she then becomes common. When you write a great storyline that spawns an incredibly funny/clever/charismatic character like Tinker, it makes it harder for a reader to then have to reassess and relegate that character to ordinary class.
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Jan 09, 2012 Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars

My main problem with this book is that I'd really like to be reading a sequel to A Brother's Price, and I'm not. I enjoy the Tinker novels, and I think Spencer's done a really nice job at writing up a world which mixes a variety of mythic traditions without necessarily stomping on any of them too hard (though the Oni are a bit too close to a literal Yellow Peril for my taste). And, though it very well could, it doesn't feel like a Borderlands rip-off, something for which I'm grateful.

The preview...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Kathy Leitle rated it 4 of 5 stars

My rating for this book is really a 3.5. Because the author's worlds are very complex, a summary of the important points from the previous books or a glossary with explanations of the main characters and some of the elven/tengu/oni terms would have really helped. I have read several thousand books since "Wolf Who Rules" came out in 2006 and I just don't remember the intricacies of this world, but the story assumes that I do. This lack of background cues kept pulling me out of the story. I ended...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Li rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2012, favorites, urban-fantasy

I’m a fan of Wen Spencer, ever since I glommed her Ukiah Oregon series way back when, but I haven’t read any of her books for a long time. ELFHOME is the third book in her Tinker series – here’s where I admit I thought I had read the second book, but realised probably about a quarter of the way through ELFHOME that I hadn’t. Ooops. By that time, I was too engrossed in the story that I didn’t want to put it down and find the second book, which probably gives you quite a good indication that Wen S...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Lady Lioness rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: subgenre-fae, subgenre-non-earth-planet, genre-science-fiction, read-january-2012

Oi. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this one yet. While the official release isn't until July, Baen had the brilliant idea to sell the unproofed (and hopefully unedited as well) manuscript as an e-ARC at $15 a pop. I don't know if I'd precisely say it's worth it, but if you divide the 15 by the 6 months you would otherwise have to wait, it works about to $2.50 a month. A very reasonable expense for your rabid Wen Spencer fanperson. A note of caution, though, it's definitely a rough draft....more Oi. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this one yet. While the official release isn't until July, Baen had the brilliant idea to sell the unproofed (and hopefully unedited as well) manuscript as an e-ARC at $15 a pop. I don't know if I'd precisely say it's worth it, but if you divide the 15 by the 6 months you would otherwise have to wait, it works about to $2.50 a month. A very reasonable expense for your rabid Wen Spencer fanperson. A note of caution, though, it's definitely a rough draft. The typos aren't too bad (although Spencer consistently mis-spells 'performed' as 'preformed'), but there are some difficulties with the characterization, continuity, and uneveness with the plot. If I was Spencer's beta reader, I would have kicked this back with a mess of notes, but judging by the length of time between books, I'm guessing she was late turning in the manuscript and just sent in what she had. Just be aware of what you're going to get with the e-ARC and spare a kind thought for Spencer's editor.

As far as the book itself is concerned, you absolutely must read Tinker and Wolf Who Rules prior to Elfhome. You will be absolutely lost otherwise. I was kind of convinced Spencer retconned a character as I had absolutely no recollection of him in any of the previous two books, but Google informs me that he was the subject of a free short story, "For Blue Sky," released waaaaay back in 2006. So read that too. Spencer's main gift is her incredible world-building skills, but she rarely retreads the same ground and seems to have the expectation you know what she is talking about. In addition, while it's been five or six years for the reader since Wolf Who Rules was published, the actions off Elfhome occur almost immediately after that book.

Elfhome also jumps between three different points of view: Tinker, Oilcan, and Tommy. I didn't count pages or anything, but I felt like Tinker had the least amount of chapters, with Oilcan being the predominant narrator. Windwolf is barely in it, Pony and Stormsong act as Tinker's Greek Chorus, and Tooloo makes one appearance in an Oilcan chapter. Rikii, Lain, and Esme all return to close up their plot arcs. I actually really enjoyed Oilcan and his story arc the most, and, while Tinker & Tommy were entertaining with their distinctive voices & personalities, I was always eager to get back to Oilcan & his 'enclave.' While I would like to read more about Oilcan and company, I do feel Elfhome was sort of a satisfactory end to the series. There are still unanswered questions that Spencer could base another book on, but personally speaking, I felt like, 'Okay. I'm good now.'

I do want to include some content warnings here. There is sex in the book and Tommy has a very male frame of mind with regards to it. There is also murder, attempted rape, allusions to torture, and some very uncomfortable scenes involving children, alive and dead. However, the bulk of the squick factors take place off screen and the reader is mainly watching the characters deal with the fallout.

Edited to add: The cover is very misleading. While Impatience the dragon does play a sort of pivotal role in the plot, his actual appearances are brief and no other dragon can be considered a major character. Also, yes, Tinker is vital to the plot and remains the character we all know & love, but as I stated before, I feel that Oilcan is actually the predominant narrator. And he's awesome!(less)

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Dec 11, 2012 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, humorous, science-fiction

I've been reading and rereading Tinker and Wolf who Rules while waiting for this 3rd book in the series and it did not disappoint. Oilcan finally gets to shine in some unexpected ways as this excellent story unfolds with surprise twists regarding the Oni and their allies. More background on the dragons and the Tengu with appearances from Riki, Jin and Impatience. Lots of new characters but still plenty of Tinker and her "surprisingly destructive" ways.

I can't recommend this series highly enough....more

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Aug 07, 2012 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was wonderful. (The ARC is available on the baen.com site).

The hanging threads from Wolf Who Rules are tightened up & tied off. But a new set of plot points are flying off to the ends of the earth.

The focus of the story is shared between Tinker, Oilcan, Tommy & the Tengu. The book is well worth the wait -- and I certainly hope the beginning of more!

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Sep 23, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, beach-read

It's been a long time since Wen Spencer has published anything. I've missed her worlds and characters.

This is really Oilcan's story. Unlike Tinker's story, which was told from Tinker's perspective, Oilcan's story is told from several perspectives which causes the story to hang together differently. I didn't like it as well.

I like the new character, especially the children. The most poignant moment for me was when an elf exclaims at seeing a child that she'd never seen a child before and describe...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Bluegravity rated it 5 of 5 stars

This series is a must read. You know how there is always these magazines, authors, and other people that say the books was a "...wonderful read...", "...couldn't put it down!", and "Buffy fans...."? Well, consider this to be one of the very few series where all those praises, though sometimes odd, are correct! If you haven't already, be sure to read the first in this series, "Tinker"! If you like snarky, short yet cute super genius girls, hot genetically enahnced elves, evil Genetically manipula...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Adina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Elfhome is the third installment in the Elfhome series following Tinker and Wolf Who Rules. It continues the adventures of our intrepid girl genius turned elf Tinker. Whilst the previous two books almost entirely followed Tinker, here the story is divided between Tinker and two additional characters, the half-oni Tommy Chang and Tinkers cousin Oilcan.

Tinker is as usual amusing, amazing and bullish. But this is Oilcan's story really. Tinker was always the cornerstone of his life, but her elf tran...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dragons, faery-fairy, witches-warlocks-magic, favorites

I've looked forward to this book since I read the first book in the series and fell in love with the main character, a girl genius named Tinker.

This third book in the series (and please, God, let there be more) follows Tinker's cousin/brother Oilcan as he gets over losing his human cousin to the elves and figures out what to do with his life if he's not following Tinker around while she invents new motorcycles that fly and blows other stuff up.

It's a massive tale wrapped up in beautifully clean...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-eas, eas-only

Elfhome is the third book in Wen Spencer’s Tinker series and after such a long wait it was like feeding an addiction I had forgotten I had. I loved everything about this book except for the fact that I’m now done and will probably have to wait years again for the next installment. Frankly I’d be happy to read anything by Wen Spencer in any of her worlds. She is a master of world building and her characters are always woven to be unique and believable given their circumstances.
In this story she h...more Elfhome is the third book in Wen Spencer’s Tinker series and after such a long wait it was like feeding an addiction I had forgotten I had. I loved everything about this book except for the fact that I’m now done and will probably have to wait years again for the next installment. Frankly I’d be happy to read anything by Wen Spencer in any of her worlds. She is a master of world building and her characters are always woven to be unique and believable given their circumstances.
In this story she has brilliantly painted a race of immortals that truly act like immortals. It is the basic underlying theme of the story that simmers under the action packed plot. In any other writer’s hands this story might have been a disconnected mess with multiple characters and story arcs going on at once. In Spencer’s expert hands it was a masterpiece of writing. She weaves the disparate stories of Oilcan (Tinkers’s cousin), Tommy, a half oni, and Tinker’s own continuing growth as a powerful elf. There is the urgent threat of the oni and a dangerous conspiracy uncovered, but through it all we follow the themes of freedom and individual expression in a world of former slaves and people literally bred to serve. There is also the constant question of what is the place of the young in a world of immortals? How do they excel and express themselves? This is explored as Oilcan becomes the reluctant guardian to five young elves – older than he is but considered children by their own society. There is also the continuing theme of trust and former enemies becoming allies. And how does one choose when the choices are all bad? When the choice is between those you love and protect vs. honor and the greater good?
There are a number of loose ends left untied by the last chapter which gives me hope that we’ll be returning to Pittsburgh if not soon then eventually. If you have not read this book yet then do it now! It is well worth it . If you haven’t read Tinker Tinker and Wolf Who Rules Wolf Who Rules, you need to. This isn't the sort of sequel that stands alone. In fact, I was tempted to go back and re-read them as it has been years. I wasn't confused but if you don’t remember everything that happened in those previous books you might want a refresher. There is also the new character Blue Sky – you’ll want to read the short story that introduces him. He isn't a major character but who he is it isn't really explained in this book. (less)

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Oct 31, 2012 Rena McGee rated it 4 of 5 stars

In Elfhome, Pittsburgh continues to be a warzone as the elves attempt to eradicate the invading oni and tensions grow between the city’s residents. With Pittsburgh now stranded on Elfhome, the elves are attempting to enforce their cultural norms on the population, much to the resentment of the half-oni and human portions of the population. Also adding to the tension is the continuing presence of the Stone Clan, which is definitely in the political dog house after the events of the previous book...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Jane Virgo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Elves and dragons meet hi-tech inventor in a very clever alternative Pittsburgh.

This is the third book in a romance/science fiction/ fantasy series about girl genius, Tinker, I love this series - it's good humored and action filled. Tinker is lovable and you root for her, even though she is a Mary Sue character.

Tinker shares centre-stage with a couple more characters than previous books. I didn't enjoy quite as much as the previous books, but I still stayed up too late to finish it and the endi...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Sarah C rated it 4 of 5 stars

I still want more Tinker! Again, Wen Spencer takes some very disparate elements and weaves them into an interesting and unexpected journey. As the third book, i expected to know sortof where the story was going, sure, there were several groups at odds and that needed to be resolved but i found myself questioning ... where is this story going?

Spencer always has the ability to surprise me. I love it. So often i read books that follow the same paths as many others in the genre. Its nice to not kno...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairies-fae-faeries, fantasy, favorites, magical-realism, urban-fantasy, best-book-i-read-in-2012

The third book in a urban fantasy series the first were Tinker and Wolf Who Rules. Some series, it doesn't matter the order the books are read in. That's not true here. The earlier books were primarily about Tinker.

Oilcan, Tinker’s cousin, has always been backstory in these books, but in this one, he tells his own story too, as does Tommy, the half- oni. Tommy and his relations have been nothing but slaves, but Tommy wants more and he becomes a Hero. Oilcan adopts some kids and finds a new place...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Paul Lunger rated it 5 of 5 stars

In "Elfhome", Wen Spencer continues her fantasy tale set in Pittsburgh which is now stranded on the planet Elfhome & cut off from Earth. In this go round, we have missing children, a war between the humans & the elves & Tinker is caught in the middle of trying to make it all right. Spencer does another incredible job of combining the elements of all aspects of this world she's created along w/ continued good usage of the city of Pittsburgh as a backdrop. The story is quick moving &...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Cris rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fantasy, contemporary-sci-fi, dragons, elves-faerie, fantasy, genetic-engineering, magic, parallel-worlds, science-fiction

Most of the book felt a little lost and wandering, in large part because there were *so many* plot threads, repercussions, and wrap-up from the last book in the series. I'm glad Spencer didn't try to ignore events from the last book, but she ended up spending most of Elfhome dealing with them.

The very last quarter or so of Elfhome came back together. It felt like Spencer had spent the first three quarters dealing with events from earlier books and getting her characters and plot in order so she...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Andrew rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have just finished reading this book for the third time. I got it in Hardcover as soon as it came out. You need to read the previous books for this one to make sense but i highly recommend that you do. The whole series is filled with fast paced action and Quantum magic people also Elves! I think I would classify this as science fiction for even the fantasy elements have a basis in science. But the bottom line is this is Damn fine storytelling, great characters, well written and thought out. ju...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Margaret Mcgaffey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wen Spencer is not a very prolific writer, but it’s worth the wait. Elfhome is the third in the Tinker series centered around a Pittsburgh that has come unhooked from our Earth and spends its time transplanted into the elf world, at least by this point in the series. If you haven’t read the first two books, Tinker and Wolf Who Rules, there’s a complex history, both of the characters and of the worlds that is referenced in Elfhome based somewhat on what occurred in the previous two, so if that wo...more Wen Spencer is not a very prolific writer, but it’s worth the wait. Elfhome is the third in the Tinker series centered around a Pittsburgh that has come unhooked from our Earth and spends its time transplanted into the elf world, at least by this point in the series. If you haven’t read the first two books, Tinker and Wolf Who Rules, there’s a complex history, both of the characters and of the worlds that is referenced in Elfhome based somewhat on what occurred in the previous two, so if that would bug you, start at the beginning. You won’t regret it.

With Elfhome, Wen took some chances that worked amazingly for me. Not only did she bring some of the loved but secondary characters to the forefront, but she managed to have three interlaced storylines going at once with only one or two confusing moments as I realigned my brain. This is not a matter of a main story and strong subplots, at least not to my mind, but rather three separate tales, each with a separate protagonist and somewhat isolated events. She managed to keep me engaged with all three, and amazingly enough (because there was a moment of doubt as I realized how close we were to the end), she brought them all to a state of closure that was satisfying and both supported by the text and surprising all at once.

So who gets the limelight in Elfhome? Tinker plays a main role of course with her leaps in logic and mad genius for figuring out how things work, but it’s Oilcan and Tommy who are the surprise leads.

Oilcan, Tinker’s cousin, has always been there in the background, providing the steady rock from which Tinker leaps onto the back of a bucking bronco. He’s a favorite of mine, and I’d guess many of her readers, but he’s never had much more than a supporting role. It was always Tinker.

In Elfhome, this changes. A third of the book (split throughout the length), or maybe a little more, is all about Oilcan, his wants, his desires, and his needs. It’s about who he is and what he needs to do to adjust to his new state…and how his very nature complicates his life. Okay, that’s very obscure, but I don’t want to give anything away. It’s worth reading just to find out the layers that are hidden beneath Oilcan’s stoic nature. Besides, he’s delightful as a leading man, as much so if not more than as Tinker’s rock.

Tommy, the half-oni with a huge–well-deserved and supported–chip on his shoulder, takes up the other piece of this book. We stand shoulder to shoulder with him as he tries to hold together the pieces of his family in a world with very different rules than the one he’d been born into, and where his cat ears mean he is hated and distrusted by the elves no matter what he does. Not even saving Wolf Who Rules (as he did in the previous books) is enough to count him ally, and his best bet, according to the elves, is to swear his family over to one of the elf clans when all he wants is to stand alone, to be no one’s slave.

He’s a wonderfully complex character to start, but this book takes that even further, setting him up to examine what he’s always known and to reveal the ways he’s right…and the ways he needs to grow.

I really wanted to start this review with a snarky comment about how Wen owes me for twisting my knee, but I figured that would send the wrong message. However, it says a lot that I was so close to the end and wanted to see how she pulled everything together so much that I curled up on the floor and read the rest without realizing the position I was in torqued my knee out of joint. It was worth hobbling about on a cane for an hour or so, but at the same time it’s even more frustrating because I wasted the rest of the book in a lightning flash, and now I have to wait until the next one comes out.

Wen’s strength is her characters. It always has been. Not that her stories are weak, but her characters are shining strong. When I hang out in their company, I don’t want to leave it. And she has down the ability to provide a satisfying ending that wraps up the key threads while leaving questions lingering that need to be answered. It’s the double-edged sword of delighting in a great read and sorrowing in a great read done with a wait for the next that tells me I’m caught in a net of her making, and when the next book comes out, I’ll be right there with figurative cash in hand to snap it up.
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Jul 16, 2012 heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, ebook, romance, fantasy, wiscon

Yay! Would lose sleep over again! Also, the best part of reading ebooks is never having to look at the cover again. I seriously have no idea what is going on with that hot mess they put on the front of the book.

Each of the Elfhome books has had a different focal character. In this one, we learn how much of Tinker's protective, generous personality is shared with her cousin Oilcan. Oilcan ends up upsetting the applecart of clan alliances because he really doesn't care who people were born to, jus...more Yay! Would lose sleep over again! Also, the best part of reading ebooks is never having to look at the cover again. I seriously have no idea what is going on with that hot mess they put on the front of the book.

Each of the Elfhome books has had a different focal character. In this one, we learn how much of Tinker's protective, generous personality is shared with her cousin Oilcan. Oilcan ends up upsetting the applecart of clan alliances because he really doesn't care who people were born to, just that they get a fair chance. Of course, this is how he ends up in a pickle.

Against a backdrop of impending Oni invasion, and with Pittsburgh still stuck on Elfhome, the stakes are high, but each character acts from their motives and personality perfectly. With each book in this series, the world grows and expands. In this one we learn more about hoverbike racing, clan relationships, and the tengu world. Charmingly, the tengu bar is called Four and Twenty.

Tinker is still Tinker, though:
After tearing a rift in the fabric of space and time as a side effect of single-handedly thwarting an army of oni, falling off the planet, and other odd and painful misadventures, Tinker was starting to be a little more cautious.

The philosophical chewy nugget at the center of this book is the changing state of adulthood. What is it to be adult? Is it biology or behavior or some combination of the two? What happens when people in the same society mature at different rates? Can you tell a person's maturity by their age or body? How much protection do children deserve? Even if they don't want it?

Read if: You loved Tinker, and you want to read more about her and her extended tribe. You love books about belonging.

Skip if: You haven't read the previous books. Even offscreen harm to children is triggery.

Also read: There are two short stories in the Elfhome universe available for sale on Amazon: Wyvern, which appears to be set before Tinker, and Blue Sky, which is somewhere between Wolf Who Rules and Elfhome.(less)

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Sep 21, 2012 Olga Godim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-scifi

This is the book #3 of the series, and to my disappointment, the first 50 pages or so are spent in reintroducing the characters from the previous two novels. Nothing much happens in the first third of the book, and even the reintroductions are not complete. If I read this book without reading the other two first, I’d still don’t know who the characters were or how they looked. What were their relationships with other characters? Whom they liked? Whom they hated? What were their goals? Most chara...more This is the book #3 of the series, and to my disappointment, the first 50 pages or so are spent in reintroducing the characters from the previous two novels. Nothing much happens in the first third of the book, and even the reintroductions are not complete. If I read this book without reading the other two first, I’d still don’t know who the characters were or how they looked. What were their relationships with other characters? Whom they liked? Whom they hated? What were their goals? Most characters traveled from the other two novels but lost some personal baggage along the way.
It was really irritating, because I don’t remember much about the first two novels. I read them several years ago, and the details are unclear. I must reread them.
What I do remember is that I cared a lot about Tinker, the heroine of the first two novels, and I wanted so much to be charmed by her again. It didn’t happen. I’m not even sure Tinker is relevant to this novel. She plays a strictly secondary role and could be removed from the plot altogether.
When the action finally picks up around page 80, the protagonists that emerge are Tinker’s cousin Oilcan and Tommy, a half-breed Oni. Oilcan is the one who propels the plot forward. A compassionate young human man, he takes a lost teenage elf under his wing, and from his one act of kindness, the plot shoots forward, and the knots start unraveling. Oilcan’s innocuous humanity inspires many other characters to finally spring into action.
Unfortunately, Oilcan’s own actions are all on a very small scale: he is simply an epitome of humanity. While the heroes around him perform their heroic deeds and risk their lives, he buys food and cleans a house for his adopted charges: a bunch of orphaned teenage elves. In real life, he would be the one to go to for help. In a fantasy novel, he is not as much a hero as a catalyst. His small movements start an avalanche of activity.
Another protagonist Tommy is even more of an unlikely hero. In the beginning, he seems an insignificant secondary character, unpleasant and slightly amoral. The haughty elves have only scorn for him and his people, half-breed Oni. And Tommy loathes the elves right back, but he hates the heinous Oni even more and would do anything to thwart their sinister schemes.
All he wants for his clan of half-breeds is to be left alone to live in Pittsburgh in peace. Most of his people are females and children anyway; none of them can fight. But Tommy doesn’t have a choice. The events conspire to force him into action. If he doesn’t save the elves’ butts, not once but twice, the pompous elves would blame him and his tribe for their own failures. So as the tension mounts, he becomes the reluctant hero of this strange, uneven tale.
All the interconnected bustle and maneuvering of the novel take place in Pittsburgh, a human city dropped into the Elven world by mistake. The city is an interesting phenomenon, spotlighted by Spencer better than any individual character. A melting pot of humans, elves, and other races, the city is almost alive with its fusion music and its manifold contradictions. The war the elves wage against Oni, a race of cruel, evil invaders, is mostly implied, in the background of the plot. When in the middle of this war, which the Elven clans are supposed to fight together, the clans’ hostility towards each other manifests, the story becomes totally believable. When the arrogant elves display their disdain towards the ‘lesser’ races, I know the writer is telling the truth.
Unfortunately, her insights into the frictions of a multinational city don’t counteract the problems of this novel. The narrative is dotted with typos, too many to ignore. For a respectable, established publisher like Baen, so many typos in one book is embarrassing. Another chafing feature of the book is its abundance of Elven vocabulary. None of the Elven words were ever explained or translated. I had to guess what they meant, which as a reader, I found vexatious. After all, I was reading a book written in English. The least the author could do was to provide a dictionary.
Furthermore, there are too many subplots, some of them utterly unnecessary. With so much going on, the focus of the novel became blurry. I didn’t know who to cheer for. The entire story seemed disheveled and sloppy. It could’ve benefited from an editor’s ruthless comb. Why didn’t it get one, I wonder?
(less)

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Sep 15, 2012 Lara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-in-2012

While Tinker gets to be her brilliant and destructive self, this book is more about Oilcan, and to a lesser degree Tommy. They have been on the sidelines in many ways, hurt by the action, but working to take out the Oni and save Tinker. However, in this book, they find their way despite themselves.

Oilcan is thrust into long-term responsibility when he rescues an elf girl who has traveled on her own only to find her expected sponsor is dead and no one will help her. Tommy is resistant to promisi...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Nathan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-2012, sci-fi, ebook, fantasy

The third book in the "Tinker" series by Wen Spencer emphasizes the politics of Elfhome, the world of the elves, and the disruptiveness of Tinker and her brother's presence. The Oni are shown to be a whole lot more evil than in previous books. Once again the action is intense, the characters likable, and the universe growing more interesting by the day. The big detractor here is Wen Spencer's emphasis on the erotic. I am pretty sure I'd enjoy the book more if it wasn't as much a part of the stor...more

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Jan 10, 2012 AggieBookLover rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, romance-paranormal, baen, arc

Got the eARC from Baen.(Yay don't have to wait for July)
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!(Except for the cover - ugh).
I loved that the story focused on several characters and not just a few.
It has been a while since I read Tinker and Wolf Who Rules so it took me a while to remember some of the details. I may have to go back and re-read them all in order now to more fully appreciate the book.
I sure hope there's going to be more books but I hope we don't have to wait another 6 years for the next one.

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Feb 13, 2013 Sarahz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Man, is that an embarrassing cover - I wish they'd get a different artist. Aside from that though, this was an enjoyable continuation of the series. I feel like this is maybe not the world's best series, but it's fast paced and pulpy and I really enjoy it, so whatever :) I had fun seeing what's happening with the characters I already know, and I liked how they expanded the world by introducing the inter-clan dynamics.

I'll definitely pick this up when it's in paperback.

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