A Review of Fairs' Point, by Melissa Scott

Fairs' Point by Melissa Scott

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Point of Hopes, Point of Dreams, Point of Knives, and now, Fairs’ Point. At the last DarkoverCon Melissa Scott remarked that were thirteen Points in the city of Astreiant and she and her late partner, Lisa Barnett, had originally planned a novel for each. That we now have four gives me hope that there are many more stories of Nico Rathe, Adjunct Point, and his lover, Philip Eslingen, swordsman and former mercenary, to be told.

In this fourth novel of Astreiant, where astrology works and the working of magic is a profession and the dead, human and animal, return at ghost tide, Nico and Philip once again find themselves embroiled in a mystery. It is Dog Moon, and “the chief entertainment for nobles and commons alike, is the basket-terrier races at New Fair.” This year, things are a bit different. A young nobleman’s bankruptcy “has convulsed the city, leading to suicides, widespread loss of employment, and inconvenient new laws. As well, a rash of mysterious burglaries seems to suggest a magistical [magical] conspiracy” (back cover).

Pointsman Nico Rathe is, of course, in the middle of this, as is Philip, to whom the nobleman owed money. When the young man’s goods are divided among his debtors, Philip receives a basket-terrier puppy. He decides to have the dog, Sunflower, trained for the races—a decision that draws both men deeper into a mystery that somehow involves dog racing, burglaries, silver coins somehow appearing in a city wall, and strangely-done murders. Something weird is definitely going with the silver.

Complications ensue.

Scott once again is in top form in the ongoing world-building and exploration of this fantastical city. Details are rich and true, from the careful construction of a matriarchal society in which men don’t own property and a Queen is always on the throne, from the food sold at Wicked’s to how an alchemist examines a dead body. Such whimsical details as having the ghost of Nico’s childhood dog return during ghost tide I found particularly delightful. The mystery driving this police procedural is well-plotted, and the relationship that is the heart of this novel, that of Nico and Philip, is realistic and honest. They have things to work—should Phillip take the commission in the new Guard? How will this affect their relationship?

Just how the mystery is solved will be most satisfying to the reader.

As a Scott fan, I found myself once again drawn into this world and once again I was reluctant to leave it. Scott sets up the ending with the suggestion that this novel is indeed part of an ongoing longer story—and yes, my appetite is more than whetted for the adventures of these two likeable and personable characters to continue.

On a side note, I did wonder if maybe Scott might think about providing some sort of glossary of terms No, a glossary (or a gazetteer or a list of dramatis personae) isn’t necessary to understand and enjoy the story, and the context of each term does give me enough to go on. Even so, I’m curious: does “second sunrise” and “false dawn mean” there are two suns in the sky? Is Dis, as in Dis Adones and Dis-damned, akin to Dis Pater, the Roman god of the underworld? Does “How in Tyrseis’s name” and “What in Seidos’s Name” refer to the gods of this world? My guess: yes, Dis is a god, and perhaps so are Seidos and Tyrseis. Do I need to know to enjoy this novel? No, but knowing would enrich the experience and add to the wonder of this city of Astreiant.

Temple Point, Point of Graves… yes, more tales to come! Highly recommended.




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