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Dim Fairy Tales
What do you get when a comic book collecting boy from the Fairy World is struck with tragedy due to his murderous Fairy Grandmother? The dark and humorous Urban Fictionnovel, "Dim Fairytales" of course.
Dim Fairytales is an absurdist fictional piece about Adair, a half-fairy trapped in The Lands of Change. Fortunately for Adair, his guardian, Robin Goodfellow, keeps him safe from the murderous plots of his grandmother, Queen Aveline. One day though the Queen finds a loophole in the airtight contracts of fairies, and Adair is forced to flee for his life, stumbling back into the mortal world. Disheartened, Adair wanders the streets of Killarney in wait for his grandmother’s ultimate coup de gras. However, when Adair crosses paths with Evie, an edgy, but lovable American tourist, he quickly forgets about his plight in order to pursue a relationship.
Part 2 of the "Plenty Dreadful" series, Dim Fairy Tales is packed with nerd-lore, fairy celebrities and a naked troll. It's fun for the entire family!
Dim Fairytales is an absurdist fictional piece about Adair, a half-fairy trapped in The Lands of Change. Fortunately for Adair, his guardian, Robin Goodfellow, keeps him safe from the murderous plots of his grandmother, Queen Aveline. One day though the Queen finds a loophole in the airtight contracts of fairies, and Adair is forced to flee for his life, stumbling back into the mortal world. Disheartened, Adair wanders the streets of Killarney in wait for his grandmother’s ultimate coup de gras. However, when Adair crosses paths with Evie, an edgy, but lovable American tourist, he quickly forgets about his plight in order to pursue a relationship.
Part 2 of the "Plenty Dreadful" series, Dim Fairy Tales is packed with nerd-lore, fairy celebrities and a naked troll. It's fun for the entire family!
228 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2019
About the author
Justin Alcala
26 books486 followersJustin Alcala is a novelist, nerdologist and Speculative Literature Foundation Award Finalist. He’s the author of four novels including Consumed, (BLK Dog Publishing) The Devil in the Wide City (Solstice Publishing) Dim Fairy Tales (AllThingsThatMatterPress) and A Dead End Job (The Parliament House). His short stories have been featured in dozens of magazines and anthologies, including It Snows Here (Power Loss Anthology),The Offering (Rogue Planet Press Magazine) and The Lantern Quietly Screams (Castabout Literature). When he’s not burning out his retinas in front of a computer, Justin is a tabletop gamer, blogger, folklore enthusiast and time traveler. He is an avid quester of anything righteous, from fighting dragons to acquiring magical breakfast eggs from the impregnable grocery fortress.
Most of Justin’s tales and characters take place in The Plenty Dreadful universe, a deranged supernatural version of the modern world. When writing, Justin immerses himself in subject matter, from stuffy research to overseas travel. Much to the chagrin of his family, he often locks himself away in his office-dungeon, playing themed music over, and over, and over again. Justin currently resides with his dark queen, Mallory, their malevolent daughter, Lily, changeling son, Ronan, hellcat, Misery and hound of Ragnarök, Fenrir. Where his mind might be though is anyone’s guess.
Most of Justin’s tales and characters take place in The Plenty Dreadful universe, a deranged supernatural version of the modern world. When writing, Justin immerses himself in subject matter, from stuffy research to overseas travel. Much to the chagrin of his family, he often locks himself away in his office-dungeon, playing themed music over, and over, and over again. Justin currently resides with his dark queen, Mallory, their malevolent daughter, Lily, changeling son, Ronan, hellcat, Misery and hound of Ragnarök, Fenrir. Where his mind might be though is anyone’s guess.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 19, 2020
The fae courts hit with full fairy tale force, inviting into adventure, action, and finding foot in a whole new world.
Adair is half-human, half-fae and not exactly well-seen among those in his world. His father, once the Autumn Prince, gave up everything for the human he loved and is now shunned. While life has been interesting for Adair, he can't complain too much. Until his grandmother, the Queen of Autumn, decides she wants him dead. Forced to run for his life, Adair finds himself in the human world—a place he's only learned about through stories and the experiences of others. But if he wants to stay alive, he'll have to figure things out quick.
This was not exactly what I expected, and that's a good thing. While fae courts, changelings, and cross overs to the human world aren't rare in current young adult fiction, this book definitely lets it hit with a wonderful freshness. In these pages, imagination ranks high and flows in a more traditional, fairy tale atmosphere. Adair isn't smooth or strong but rather a trouble maker who feels very unsure in his own skin. His best friend, which is a sidhe, is not what a reader might expect. He reminds more of a troublesome troll bent on pranks and mischief. Fantasy takes a big roll, and it makes for great fun.
The plot is fast paced and holds many unexpected twists and turns. Adair's lack of knowledge mixed in with his knack for getting into trouble, have created an endearing character, which even the lower end of the young adult spectrum is sure to enjoy. He learns as he goes...he has no choice, and this development makes him easy to cheer for as he faces one difficult situation after the next. And yet, some of this is simply him learning to deal with himself, grow and adapt.
While Adair is at the center of this tale, he's not without support. He does have family and friends which stand in his corner more than he even suspects. Even new friends and a brush with romance, add a nice dimension and the needed depth to make his own character shine.
Friends have fantasy and fairy tales are sure to enjoy this one.
Adair is half-human, half-fae and not exactly well-seen among those in his world. His father, once the Autumn Prince, gave up everything for the human he loved and is now shunned. While life has been interesting for Adair, he can't complain too much. Until his grandmother, the Queen of Autumn, decides she wants him dead. Forced to run for his life, Adair finds himself in the human world—a place he's only learned about through stories and the experiences of others. But if he wants to stay alive, he'll have to figure things out quick.
This was not exactly what I expected, and that's a good thing. While fae courts, changelings, and cross overs to the human world aren't rare in current young adult fiction, this book definitely lets it hit with a wonderful freshness. In these pages, imagination ranks high and flows in a more traditional, fairy tale atmosphere. Adair isn't smooth or strong but rather a trouble maker who feels very unsure in his own skin. His best friend, which is a sidhe, is not what a reader might expect. He reminds more of a troublesome troll bent on pranks and mischief. Fantasy takes a big roll, and it makes for great fun.
The plot is fast paced and holds many unexpected twists and turns. Adair's lack of knowledge mixed in with his knack for getting into trouble, have created an endearing character, which even the lower end of the young adult spectrum is sure to enjoy. He learns as he goes...he has no choice, and this development makes him easy to cheer for as he faces one difficult situation after the next. And yet, some of this is simply him learning to deal with himself, grow and adapt.
While Adair is at the center of this tale, he's not without support. He does have family and friends which stand in his corner more than he even suspects. Even new friends and a brush with romance, add a nice dimension and the needed depth to make his own character shine.
Friends have fantasy and fairy tales are sure to enjoy this one.
November 29, 2020
This wasn't the first story I've read by this author, and certainly won't be the last. What memorable characters and settings, and the nonstop action made it a real screen swiper! The skill this author has at painting such a vivid picture from his mind's eye is a marvel in and of itself. He made it an incredible and entertaining literary journey that left me thirsting for more.
I have to also mention that the comic book character references allowed me to reminisce about all the many adventures I engrossed myself in among the finely illustrated pages of numerous comics I had read as a youngster (Marvel, DC, Image, etc.)
From an author's perspective, he has perfected the ability to incorporate the perfect blend of humor, wit, satire, adventure, and suspense with his writing. I can't wait to see what else Justin has in store for us in the future.
Pick up a copy of this one today and enjoy the journey as I did; you won't regret it!
I have to also mention that the comic book character references allowed me to reminisce about all the many adventures I engrossed myself in among the finely illustrated pages of numerous comics I had read as a youngster (Marvel, DC, Image, etc.)
From an author's perspective, he has perfected the ability to incorporate the perfect blend of humor, wit, satire, adventure, and suspense with his writing. I can't wait to see what else Justin has in store for us in the future.
Pick up a copy of this one today and enjoy the journey as I did; you won't regret it!
November 24, 2022
If you are a hard SciFi aficionado like me, you will need to suspend your critical disbelief for the entire story. If you do, you will experience another remarkable tale by author Justin Alcala. When you hear the word fairy, I suspect you envision something like Tinkerbell. This will change as you read Dim Fairy Tales.
Alcala envisions two worlds, our normal world and the fairy world. Before the story commences, there was much interaction between both worlds, but as the story develops, the two worlds are isolated from each other with several specific exceptions—portals that enable transition from one world to the other. The fairy world is a brutal world ruled by vicious kings and queens with powers humans don’t have. Brutality rules the four fairy kingdoms—Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. They are controlled by rules that keep them from destroying themselves, their rivals, and the normal Earth.
The protagonist, Adair, is a halfling—part human and part fairy. He is on a quest to avenge his father’s death at the hands of his grandmother (a vicious fairy queen). He meets and falls in love with Evie, an apparently fickle human who turns out to be a halfling like himself. His father’s brother (the Shakespearian Puck) plays a significant role, as do a cowardly human friend and other players. Ultimately, the protagonist wants to kill his grandmother. He shuttles between worlds in his quest, facing dangers out of old Celtic folklore that you will have to read about in context to understand.
Here is where one of this book’s serious flaws appears. Adair does not succeed in his quest. He is on the verge of success when the book abruptly ends, followed by an Epilogue that does not seem to bear any relationship to the preceding story. The book also has some serious editing shortcomings. Spurious paragraph returns appear throughout the book. This is simply poor editing. The author substitutes “I” for the objective “me” several times. Also, the author substitutes “them” for “him” or “her,” and “their” for “his” or “her.” This woke BS is inexcusable in written narratives. This should have been a 5-star story, but these egregious flaws pulled it down to 3.5 that I rounded up to 4-star.
Alcala envisions two worlds, our normal world and the fairy world. Before the story commences, there was much interaction between both worlds, but as the story develops, the two worlds are isolated from each other with several specific exceptions—portals that enable transition from one world to the other. The fairy world is a brutal world ruled by vicious kings and queens with powers humans don’t have. Brutality rules the four fairy kingdoms—Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. They are controlled by rules that keep them from destroying themselves, their rivals, and the normal Earth.
The protagonist, Adair, is a halfling—part human and part fairy. He is on a quest to avenge his father’s death at the hands of his grandmother (a vicious fairy queen). He meets and falls in love with Evie, an apparently fickle human who turns out to be a halfling like himself. His father’s brother (the Shakespearian Puck) plays a significant role, as do a cowardly human friend and other players. Ultimately, the protagonist wants to kill his grandmother. He shuttles between worlds in his quest, facing dangers out of old Celtic folklore that you will have to read about in context to understand.
Here is where one of this book’s serious flaws appears. Adair does not succeed in his quest. He is on the verge of success when the book abruptly ends, followed by an Epilogue that does not seem to bear any relationship to the preceding story. The book also has some serious editing shortcomings. Spurious paragraph returns appear throughout the book. This is simply poor editing. The author substitutes “I” for the objective “me” several times. Also, the author substitutes “them” for “him” or “her,” and “their” for “his” or “her.” This woke BS is inexcusable in written narratives. This should have been a 5-star story, but these egregious flaws pulled it down to 3.5 that I rounded up to 4-star.
April 11, 2020
Dim Fairy Tales is the story of Sean, a half human, half sidhe (or fairy) boy with a passion for comic books. With a main character like Sean it's no surprise that this extremely creative novel reads a bit like a mix of The Lord of the Rings and Spider-Man. The story captured me. When my schedule forced me to set the book to the side, I always looked forward to picking it up again.
Justin Alcala has created a world in The Land of Change (where the sidhe exist) that is ruled by an oligarchy composed of the heads of the leaders of four royal families: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. In many ways the oligarchs have personalities that reflect the traits of their seasons. Sean has royal blood on his sidhe side, from the Autumn Monarchy, but is not treated well by his grandmother, Queen Aveline. The scenes in the Firbolg lands (where the humans exist) occur primarily in Ireland and Chicago and are also populated with strange characters.
The book is filled with battles, enchantments, hatred, love and a sense of humor that reflects the comic-book influence. Overall, it is a fun read.
I could not find any reference to Dim Fairy Tales being the first part of a series, but the ending left me wanting more. I hope a sequel is in the works.
Justin Alcala has created a world in The Land of Change (where the sidhe exist) that is ruled by an oligarchy composed of the heads of the leaders of four royal families: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. In many ways the oligarchs have personalities that reflect the traits of their seasons. Sean has royal blood on his sidhe side, from the Autumn Monarchy, but is not treated well by his grandmother, Queen Aveline. The scenes in the Firbolg lands (where the humans exist) occur primarily in Ireland and Chicago and are also populated with strange characters.
The book is filled with battles, enchantments, hatred, love and a sense of humor that reflects the comic-book influence. Overall, it is a fun read.
I could not find any reference to Dim Fairy Tales being the first part of a series, but the ending left me wanting more. I hope a sequel is in the works.
January 22, 2021
Mr. Alcala is in the same urban fantasy league as Jim Butcher. Like Butcher’s work, Dim Fairy Tales is primarily set in the normal world with seething supernatural forces acting beneath the patina of reality. In the case of this very creative novel, the major players are fairies and their allies. These are no Tinkerbelle-wannabees but a mixture of good and evil beings vying for control of their world and our own.
The appealing and witty main character, Adair, is half-human and half-fairy. He’s young, randy, impulsive, and loves American comic books. His evil grandmother is willing to dispose of him and anyone else to achieve universal domination. Needless to say, it’s not a loving family and Mr. Alcala is exceptionally creative in world-building and in tracing what befalls Adair.
This is the first of a series and I look forward to learning what happens to Adair and to those he cares about. However, the book does leave one hanging, so be prepared to wait for the next installment if it is not yet available.
While I loved the creativity of the author, I do have a concern with the number of errors in the text. I hope that subsequent volumes will employ a better editor, as the mistakes detract from an otherwise great book.
The appealing and witty main character, Adair, is half-human and half-fairy. He’s young, randy, impulsive, and loves American comic books. His evil grandmother is willing to dispose of him and anyone else to achieve universal domination. Needless to say, it’s not a loving family and Mr. Alcala is exceptionally creative in world-building and in tracing what befalls Adair.
This is the first of a series and I look forward to learning what happens to Adair and to those he cares about. However, the book does leave one hanging, so be prepared to wait for the next installment if it is not yet available.
While I loved the creativity of the author, I do have a concern with the number of errors in the text. I hope that subsequent volumes will employ a better editor, as the mistakes detract from an otherwise great book.
February 15, 2021
Other reviewers have provided an accurate synopsis of what Dim fairy Tales is about, so I won't repeat all that again.
I enjoyed Mr.Alcala's book a lot, and here's the why of it; I liked the references and insights into Celtic/Irish folklore a lot, and learned some new items of vocabulary along the way! The protagonists are an interestingly varied bunch and might well be gathered under the "Good, Bad and Ugly" banner. There is action of the physical kind not to mention the magical kind and while the tale keeps close to the edge of darkness there is plenty of humour peppering the pages. There are also some wonderful evocative, masterly descriptive passages and then beautiful little throwaway phrases which I greatly admired.
The only flaw is in the editing, which for me needed closer control, a bit of tidying up and for this reason I rate Dim fairy Tales 4 Stars. That said, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dim Fairy Tales.
I enjoyed Mr.Alcala's book a lot, and here's the why of it; I liked the references and insights into Celtic/Irish folklore a lot, and learned some new items of vocabulary along the way! The protagonists are an interestingly varied bunch and might well be gathered under the "Good, Bad and Ugly" banner. There is action of the physical kind not to mention the magical kind and while the tale keeps close to the edge of darkness there is plenty of humour peppering the pages. There are also some wonderful evocative, masterly descriptive passages and then beautiful little throwaway phrases which I greatly admired.
The only flaw is in the editing, which for me needed closer control, a bit of tidying up and for this reason I rate Dim fairy Tales 4 Stars. That said, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dim Fairy Tales.
February 27, 2020
When was the last time you read a fairy tale?
Justin Alcala's Dim Fairy Tales takes you back to the whimsical, magic-filled stories of yore, with one big difference: this fairy tale has been updated for a modern audience. Readers will quickly relate with protagonist Adair, a lovable changeling who is thrust from the fairy world into our own. Adair approaches his fish-out-of-water situation in much the same any of us would if we were trapped in his world: by relating it to the fictions we grew up on and trying to emulate the heroes within. (And of course, get the girl).
Adair's ethereal sidekick Sean is another great addition to the story, having side conversations that no one else can hear except Adair and providing some dry comic relief.
Fans of contemporary fantasy and modern fairy tales will feel right at home with this novel.
Justin Alcala's Dim Fairy Tales takes you back to the whimsical, magic-filled stories of yore, with one big difference: this fairy tale has been updated for a modern audience. Readers will quickly relate with protagonist Adair, a lovable changeling who is thrust from the fairy world into our own. Adair approaches his fish-out-of-water situation in much the same any of us would if we were trapped in his world: by relating it to the fictions we grew up on and trying to emulate the heroes within. (And of course, get the girl).
Adair's ethereal sidekick Sean is another great addition to the story, having side conversations that no one else can hear except Adair and providing some dry comic relief.
Fans of contemporary fantasy and modern fairy tales will feel right at home with this novel.
March 9, 2021
Justin Alcala’s “Dim Fairy Tales” builds a rich and complex fantasy world and steers it right into the reality of today. This collision also creates a lot of humor and some incredible action. Because the characters feel so real and relatable, you care when they find themselves in the worst kind of danger. The twists and turns were very surprising. And there’s a great mystery at the center of the story that is slowly revealed over the course of the action. I’m from Chicago originally, so I love that so much of the action takes place in the Windy City. I had a blast revisiting familiar streets and landmarks. (The rest takes place in Ireland.) It was a real page turner and a lot of fun. I can’t wait to read the next one.
October 13, 2020
All great fairy tales are great stories. "Dim Fairy Tales" is no exception. You’re in good hands here, The author is a great story teller.
“Dim Fairy Tales” is a quick-moving and funny fantasy adventure story that leaps between fairy and mortal cities, realms, countries, and worlds.
A likeable hero, the half-human half-fairy Adair, finds himself up against formidable villains, picking up new friends and unlikely allies on the way.
Fresh, imaginative - and recommended.
“Dim Fairy Tales” is a quick-moving and funny fantasy adventure story that leaps between fairy and mortal cities, realms, countries, and worlds.
A likeable hero, the half-human half-fairy Adair, finds himself up against formidable villains, picking up new friends and unlikely allies on the way.
Fresh, imaginative - and recommended.
December 29, 2020
This was a great book! The mythical creatures and folklore, are fascinating parts of the story, and kept me interested after every page! While it is a great book to read on its own, it does build off of the authors other book The Devil in the Wide City, so I would recommend reaching that one as well. Looking forward to the next book coming out in 2021!
April 22, 2021
Talented Author
There is no doubt, Justin Alcala has a great talent for writing. His descriptions are vivid, full of life, and transportive. The book captivated me in the first chapter. I found myself speaking the language of The Land of Change.
By the end of the book, however, I wanted to say, “Breathe.” Three or products emerged: The main story, a horror story, and a graphic novel.
I enjoyed the book, and have recommended it several times.
There is no doubt, Justin Alcala has a great talent for writing. His descriptions are vivid, full of life, and transportive. The book captivated me in the first chapter. I found myself speaking the language of The Land of Change.
By the end of the book, however, I wanted to say, “Breathe.” Three or products emerged: The main story, a horror story, and a graphic novel.
I enjoyed the book, and have recommended it several times.
August 26, 2019
If you're familiar with the author, you know this book takes place in Justin's twisted "Plenty Dreadful" world. Dim Fairy Tales is fairies meets graphic novels meets modern day. The poor, and lovable main character, Adair, and his constant twists and turns will have you slapping your forehead with entertainment, humor and excitement. Another great urban fantasy addition.
December 18, 2020
Feels good to go back to fairy tales !
I don’t usually read this genre, but I needed to go back to this. I needed to use my imagination outside of stress and deep feelings. In midst of the pandemic I needed something different! Justin, the author, did just that! He used his main character, who has aspects of human and fairy to guide the reader through a fantasy journey of evil, growth/learning, twists and stories woven throughout. I don’t want to give anything way but take the plunge and read the story. It’s an easy read, with well developed characters, and even some humor. I didn’t understand all the lingo at times but got the gist for the fairies and different worlds. Even in magical lands there is corruption, tension, arguments, friendships, and romance :) don’t need to take it too seriously though for folklore and I liked that!
I don’t usually read this genre, but I needed to go back to this. I needed to use my imagination outside of stress and deep feelings. In midst of the pandemic I needed something different! Justin, the author, did just that! He used his main character, who has aspects of human and fairy to guide the reader through a fantasy journey of evil, growth/learning, twists and stories woven throughout. I don’t want to give anything way but take the plunge and read the story. It’s an easy read, with well developed characters, and even some humor. I didn’t understand all the lingo at times but got the gist for the fairies and different worlds. Even in magical lands there is corruption, tension, arguments, friendships, and romance :) don’t need to take it too seriously though for folklore and I liked that!
June 20, 2020
I enjoyed the wide array of creatures, Fae and Irish folklore, and subtle humor woven throughout the book. Adair was a likable character, and the side characters were well-written and enjoyable.
Sean was a particularly lovable addition to the story, and I want him to be my ghost sidekick.
Sean was a particularly lovable addition to the story, and I want him to be my ghost sidekick.
April 10, 2021
Oh man this story is a roller coaster. Turns out that there are fairies who are total assholes. The publisher needs a better proofreader but other than that this is a fun, chaotic, absurd ride.
September 27, 2019
Sometimes we all are a little Dim
Another great tale from the author! Adair is half Fey. He’s always been out gunned by his friends and family but is the half-human son of the Autumn Prince and is being hunted by his evil grandmother the Autumn Queen. The author gives us classic Irish sidhe and does a fine job bringing Puck himself to life. I enjoyed the mystery and adventure and especially the love blossoming between Adair and Evie. I enjoyed the book through it’s cliffhanger end.
I especially liked the faerie stories between the chapters that added a nice aspect of storytelling to the book. Plus we get an update on Ned and his devilish Chicago. Its great to see how this story blends into a follow up to “The Devil in the Wide City.” The author devises excellent lead characters who are very aware of their weaknesses, but who excel at their strengths.
The only thing I didn’t like were the frequent typos and misspelled/misused words. Unlike the author’s other books, this one needed a better proofread.
Another great tale from the author! Adair is half Fey. He’s always been out gunned by his friends and family but is the half-human son of the Autumn Prince and is being hunted by his evil grandmother the Autumn Queen. The author gives us classic Irish sidhe and does a fine job bringing Puck himself to life. I enjoyed the mystery and adventure and especially the love blossoming between Adair and Evie. I enjoyed the book through it’s cliffhanger end.
I especially liked the faerie stories between the chapters that added a nice aspect of storytelling to the book. Plus we get an update on Ned and his devilish Chicago. Its great to see how this story blends into a follow up to “The Devil in the Wide City.” The author devises excellent lead characters who are very aware of their weaknesses, but who excel at their strengths.
The only thing I didn’t like were the frequent typos and misspelled/misused words. Unlike the author’s other books, this one needed a better proofread.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews