Wyvern

Elfhome #0.5

by Wen Spencer

Wyvern is a short story set on the world of Elfhome, shortly after the first Startup.

Kate has years of experience dealing with exotic animals becoming a dangerous nuisance. She's dealt with lions, tigers and bears in the most remote areas of Earth. This time, she's on Elfhome, a parallel world of elves and magic. This time, she's been hired to stop a wyvern the size of a 747. This time, she's in way over her head. Two hundred miles from the nearest human, deep in virgin forest full of magical animals, with only the elf warrior Stormsong as her native guide, Kate races to keep the crew building the new railroad from becoming a literal movable feast.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Short Stories, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fae, Science Fiction Fantasy

14 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2012

About the author

John W. Campbell Award Winner Wen Spencer resides in paradise in Hilo, Hawaii with two volcanoes overlooking her home. Spencer says that she often wakes up and exclaims "Oh my god, I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific!" This, says Spencer, is a far cry from her twenty years of living in land-locked Pittsburgh.

The Elfhome series opener, Tinker, won the 2003 Sapphire Award for Best Science Fiction Romance and was a finalist for the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Fantasy Novel. Wolf Who Rules, the sequel to Tinker, was chosen as a Top Pick by Romantic Times and given their top rating of four and a half stars. Other Baen books include space opera thriller Endless Blue and Eight Million Gods.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad, even the 2nd time around. 2019 re-read: or even the third!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story about very early days after Pittsburg landed on Elfhome. Specifically when they were building the railroad & the elven beasts of burden were being stolen & eaten by Wyverns.

Has our favorite Sekasha -- Stormsong -- BEFORE she became a devotee of human culture.

Interesting characters -- both irritated with the other for ... cultural reasons. Quick clear story. Doesn't enhance the 'known' storyline, but it is an interesting peek into what the first days were like. :)

And who doesn't want more Stormsong?

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

I hadn't read this before, despite having read the Elfhome series, so seeing as I'm starting a reread in joyful anticipation of Wood Sprites (which I just bought as an eARC only available from Baen, but found this story for just 77p on amazon.co.uk!). Would I have loved this if I hadn't read Tinker and Wolf Who Rules beforehand? I think, just maybe, not as much. It definitely requires a smidgeon of familiarity with the series for maximum enjoyment. But if you do love the series you will, of course, love this little snippet.

[brenda minnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragon

I have to admit that I thought a wyvern was an even soldier. This book showed me that it is a cross between dragon and an extremely large bird. A killing machine.

[Carolyn F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story about Kate and Stormsong. I liked it. I'm just wondering if there were baby wyvern though.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good for a short. It didn't give a lot on the characters but there was a small insight that was helpful and made you kind of like the main character.

[Shannon C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to see Stormsong who is one of my fav characters in this series, however this is more of a snippet than a fully fleshed out story.

[Erin Penn · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Wyvern” is a short story by Ms. Spencer set in the world of her Elfhome series. To have trade between worlds, roads must be built, but the local fauna on the magic side is producing a special challenge to the technical side. Similar problems have arisen before on the scientific world bringing roads to third world nations, so an expert is brought in.

The story is more about what happens when experts who are used to being the best of their world meet. Sometimes the mirror is harsh when you see your other half. … A solid character and sociological study – plus great action from very, very big fauna – wyverns don't come in small sizes.

[Maddy Barone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, quick read, but satisfying. I love to hop back into a familiar world, and something short like this gives me a taste without trapping me in the world for hours that I don't have. (Ever done that? Grab an old favorite to skim a few favorite scenes before bed and end up going to bed 3 hours past your bedtime? Uh-huh. Me too) Now I'm dying to read the next Tinker book.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want to know more about what happened when Pittsburg first started moving from Earth to Elfhome. This is a good short story to give so background and to meet some of the characters in the novels. It is short and will not take long to read. If you like the Elfhome books pick this one up.

[T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ebook novella was available for free on the publisher's website as part of a collection. A too-short story with Stormsong, one of Tinker's guard (from the Elfhome series). A satisfying story that reads like an Aesop's fable.

[Phoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

very short.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a short, little story. I'm glad to have read it, but in all honesty, there's not much there.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

to little to even get in to it or understand what is going on

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice little short story that gives a little background in the Elfhome universe. There isn't much to it but it is still awesome and well worth the short time it will take.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this a while ago, and honestly don't remember enough to review it, just that I liked it.

[Riayl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little short story!

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too short

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good short story, I just wanted it to continue.

[mirba · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good short story of elfhome to get a fix before next book comes out.

[Debrac2014 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but good! Stormsong and her magic arrows!