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Tim Desmond #1
Gnome Man's Land
The veil between the worlds has thinned, and the Fair Folk are coming through. And those who come through are seeking out humans from their "homeland"--so the Irish are getting banshees, Russians are getting bannik, Italians are getting lares. . . Now a human champion has been selected and it is his job to protect the Others--and the humans that they have chosen to live with.
235 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
3 people are currently reading
171 people want to read
About the author
Esther M. Friesner
264 books711 followersEsther M. Friesner was educated at Vassar College, where she completed B.A's in both Spanish and Drama. She went to on to Yale University; within five years she was awarded an M.A. and Ph.D. in Spanish. She taught Spanish at Yale for a number of years before going on to become a full-time author of fantasy and science fiction. She has published twenty-seven novels so far; her most recent titles include Temping Fate from Penguin-Puffin and Nobody's Princess from Random House.
Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in Asimov's, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Aboriginal SF, Pulphouse Magazine, Amazing, and Fantasy Book, as well as in numerous anthologies. Her story, "Love's Eldritch Ichor," was featured in the 1990 World Fantasy Convention book.
Her first stint as an anthology editor was Alien Pregnant By Elvis, a collection of truly gonzo original tabloid SF for DAW books. Wisely, she undertook this project with the able collaboration of Martin H. Greenberg. Not having learned their lesson, they have also co-edited the Chicks In Chainmail Amazon comedy anthology series for Baen Books, as well as Blood Muse, an anthology of vampire stories for Donald I Fine, Inc.
"Ask Auntie Esther" was her regular etiquette and advice column to the SFlorn in Pulphouse Magazine. Being paid for telling other people how to run their lives sounds like a pretty good deal to her.
Ms. Friesner won the Nebula Award for Best Short Story of 1995 for her work, "Death and the Librarian," and the Nebula for Best Short Story of 1996 for "A Birth Day." (A Birth Day" was also a 1996 Hugo Award finalist.) Her novelette, "Jesus at the Bat" was on the final Nebula ballot in the same year that "Death and the Librarian" won the award. In addition, she has won the Romantic Times award for Best New Fantasy Writer in 1986 and the Skylark Award in 1994. Her short story, "All Vows," took second place in the Asimov's SF Magazine Readers' Poll for 1993 and was a finalist for the Nebula in 1994. Her Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel, Warchild, made the USA TODAY bestseller list.
She lives in Connecticut with her husband, two children, two rambunctious cats, and a fluctuating population of hamsters.
Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in Asimov's, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Aboriginal SF, Pulphouse Magazine, Amazing, and Fantasy Book, as well as in numerous anthologies. Her story, "Love's Eldritch Ichor," was featured in the 1990 World Fantasy Convention book.
Her first stint as an anthology editor was Alien Pregnant By Elvis, a collection of truly gonzo original tabloid SF for DAW books. Wisely, she undertook this project with the able collaboration of Martin H. Greenberg. Not having learned their lesson, they have also co-edited the Chicks In Chainmail Amazon comedy anthology series for Baen Books, as well as Blood Muse, an anthology of vampire stories for Donald I Fine, Inc.
"Ask Auntie Esther" was her regular etiquette and advice column to the SFlorn in Pulphouse Magazine. Being paid for telling other people how to run their lives sounds like a pretty good deal to her.
Ms. Friesner won the Nebula Award for Best Short Story of 1995 for her work, "Death and the Librarian," and the Nebula for Best Short Story of 1996 for "A Birth Day." (A Birth Day" was also a 1996 Hugo Award finalist.) Her novelette, "Jesus at the Bat" was on the final Nebula ballot in the same year that "Death and the Librarian" won the award. In addition, she has won the Romantic Times award for Best New Fantasy Writer in 1986 and the Skylark Award in 1994. Her short story, "All Vows," took second place in the Asimov's SF Magazine Readers' Poll for 1993 and was a finalist for the Nebula in 1994. Her Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel, Warchild, made the USA TODAY bestseller list.
She lives in Connecticut with her husband, two children, two rambunctious cats, and a fluctuating population of hamsters.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 23, 2023
I'm picky when it comes to funny fantasy - as in, I don't actually find much of it all that funny, especially if it's written by American authors. (This is mainly because I prefer humour to humor, not because American authors are generally inferior to British ones.) Esther Friesner, however, consistently manages to amuse me with wacky hijinks and wry narration in stories that work as good fantasy stories even apart from the comedy.
This was a re-read, with a long enough gap that I didn't remember much about the main plot, though some of the secondary characters and situations felt more familiar. I'd previously marked it as three stars, I think in retrospect a long time after reading it, but it's better than that. The characters sometimes become more than their archetypes + their plot roles, and there's a little bit of reflection on how, when the protagonist actually gets to know his aloof crush as a person and there's a real possibility of actual romance, that's a lot scarier than when she was just someone to project unlikely fantasies on. There are some poignant moments, too.
Sure, that same protagonist seems uncommonly knowledgeable and also not nearly horny enough for a Brooklyn teenager, but we get a better book than if he'd been more realistic in either of those ways. And we never do get an explanation of why only some inhabitants of New York can see the supernaturals who have suddenly started turning up, and attaching themselves to people with the ethnic heritage they represent - which, NY being the melting pot it is, gets complicated. (Perhaps the explanation is in one of the sequels, which I haven't read, but now would like to.)
There was one thing that challenged my suspension of disbelief, too, and it wasn't a fantasy element.
The Ace paperback reminded me of why I prefer to read on Kindle; the type is very small for the state of my eyes now. (Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be an ebook version of any of the series.) And the back-cover blurb suggests that the blurb writer only read a chapter or two and then made up a description they thought would appeal to potential purchasers, because it mentions the protagonist's mother falling in love with a medieval magician, his true love being scheduled as a virgin sacrifice, and an army of goblins, and none of those things (or any events remotely like them) happen in the book. It's possible that they happen later in the series and just got put against this one by mistake.
Overall, though, it's a literate, amusing, solidly written fantasy that deserves a place in the Silver tier of my Best of 2023.
This was a re-read, with a long enough gap that I didn't remember much about the main plot, though some of the secondary characters and situations felt more familiar. I'd previously marked it as three stars, I think in retrospect a long time after reading it, but it's better than that. The characters sometimes become more than their archetypes + their plot roles, and there's a little bit of reflection on how, when the protagonist actually gets to know his aloof crush as a person and there's a real possibility of actual romance, that's a lot scarier than when she was just someone to project unlikely fantasies on. There are some poignant moments, too.
Sure, that same protagonist seems uncommonly knowledgeable and also not nearly horny enough for a Brooklyn teenager, but we get a better book than if he'd been more realistic in either of those ways. And we never do get an explanation of why only some inhabitants of New York can see the supernaturals who have suddenly started turning up, and attaching themselves to people with the ethnic heritage they represent - which, NY being the melting pot it is, gets complicated. (Perhaps the explanation is in one of the sequels, which I haven't read, but now would like to.)
There was one thing that challenged my suspension of disbelief, too, and it wasn't a fantasy element.
The Ace paperback reminded me of why I prefer to read on Kindle; the type is very small for the state of my eyes now. (Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be an ebook version of any of the series.) And the back-cover blurb suggests that the blurb writer only read a chapter or two and then made up a description they thought would appeal to potential purchasers, because it mentions the protagonist's mother falling in love with a medieval magician, his true love being scheduled as a virgin sacrifice, and an army of goblins, and none of those things (or any events remotely like them) happen in the book. It's possible that they happen later in the series and just got put against this one by mistake.
Overall, though, it's a literate, amusing, solidly written fantasy that deserves a place in the Silver tier of my Best of 2023.
September 10, 2013
A hole has opened between the world we know and the Leeside, the Faerie realm, and all sorts of folk are coming through... We've got Italian lares, Russian banniks, Chinese ancestor spirits, a phouka, and our hero Tim Desmond has his own banshee.
What follows is a light fantasy adventure, with a heavy dose of slapstick, that plays with world mythologies with hilarious results. Very silly and very fun to read.
What follows is a light fantasy adventure, with a heavy dose of slapstick, that plays with world mythologies with hilarious results. Very silly and very fun to read.
December 12, 2018
A high school boy finds himself surrounded by chaos due to bullies, unrequited love, babysitting extremely bratty children, and having a naked banshee show up prognosticating his doom. And that's just the tip of the magic wand as a leak has appeared in the fabric between our world and the Leeside, the dark place where the Fey have been captive...and they're not happy.
Friesner's characters with New York attitude (Flatbush, to be exact) and a wide variety of gnomes, kobolds, nymphs and leprechauns (don't let them hear you call them that) run rampant as a turf war is about to begin. The motley crew assembled to become the heroes are not only out to save the Fey they have sworn to protect, but the sanity of the mortals who think they are seeing things and wondering why their ancestral ghosts are popping up all over the city.
Friesner is a master storyteller. The humor and satire are entertaining and make Gnome Man's Land a very quick read.
Friesner's characters with New York attitude (Flatbush, to be exact) and a wide variety of gnomes, kobolds, nymphs and leprechauns (don't let them hear you call them that) run rampant as a turf war is about to begin. The motley crew assembled to become the heroes are not only out to save the Fey they have sworn to protect, but the sanity of the mortals who think they are seeing things and wondering why their ancestral ghosts are popping up all over the city.
Friesner is a master storyteller. The humor and satire are entertaining and make Gnome Man's Land a very quick read.
May 28, 2008
Humorous fantasy that gets it right. Timothy Alfred Desmond is a typical teenage boy -- read "screwed up, but not with anything criminal" -- who suddenly finds that the creatures of myth have started to return to the world. Add the fact that he's the new champion of humanity and that he's apparently fated to die soon, and it's clear that high school is about to really go downhill fast.
What makes this book work is that Friesner knows her mythical characters, and makes reasonable (and funny!) assumptions about how they would fit into a modern world. And while it's lighthearted, the story is not fluff ... the original fairy tales always had a touch of tragedy woven into them and "Gnome Man's Land" is no different.
I read the trilogy in a weekend. It was worth it.
What makes this book work is that Friesner knows her mythical characters, and makes reasonable (and funny!) assumptions about how they would fit into a modern world. And while it's lighthearted, the story is not fluff ... the original fairy tales always had a touch of tragedy woven into them and "Gnome Man's Land" is no different.
I read the trilogy in a weekend. It was worth it.
April 25, 2013
I'm giving them all 4 stars (the trilogy) even though I have not read them in years and years. All I know is they are fun fun and more fun.
June 12, 2015
The book has an OK premise, an OK set of characters, and tries really hard to be funny. The mythology in it is fascinating and intensely researched but overall the book falls flat.
January 17, 2016
A fun romp.
February 24, 2019
This is the third writing of Esther Friesner that I've read, after The Shunned Trailer and Druid's Blood, both excellent and funny, combining fantasy elements with the present or other realistic historical settings. Gnome Man's Land does the same thing, but I have to say I didn't find it as funny or as good as the others I mentioned. I also attempted to start Here Be Demons, another of her books, but couldn't really enjoy it enough to go past the first chapter. Probably she is one of those authors who, when they are good are really good and when they are not, well...
The book is the first of a trilogy starring Tim Desmond, a young boy of Irish descent who finds himself in a strange situation when the veil between our world and the land of the fey is punctured and more and more fantastic creatures go through. They come and attach themselves to mortals, as many of them are creatures who's very reason for existing is serving their masters. Stuff like banshees, Mongolian ancestors, goblins, kobolds, Greek demigodesses, Russian bath spirits, sprites, elves and so on and so on just sprout from the rupture, bringing annoyance and confusion more than anything. Tim somehow gets tricked into becoming the champion of the Fey on Earth and he does the job mainly because he feels all of these supernatural creatures need his help (plus the girl he secretly loves supports this and his banshee is a hot redhead to boot).
Some hilarity ensues, but often feeling a bit artificial, while the actions of the characters involved are simplistic, inconsistent and dragging on, like the author wanted to tell a joke and she ended up writing an entire book. The crises are not that good either, oscillating between childishly funny and dead bloody serious. The ending was disappointing as well, leaving a very traumatic event just in the wind, like an afterthought, pending Tim's recovery of some of his memory. I really wanted to like the book, too, but in the end I just forced myself to reach the end and I am confident I will not read the other two books in the series. I have some hopes for the Princesses series, which I understand is one of Friesner's better works.
The book is the first of a trilogy starring Tim Desmond, a young boy of Irish descent who finds himself in a strange situation when the veil between our world and the land of the fey is punctured and more and more fantastic creatures go through. They come and attach themselves to mortals, as many of them are creatures who's very reason for existing is serving their masters. Stuff like banshees, Mongolian ancestors, goblins, kobolds, Greek demigodesses, Russian bath spirits, sprites, elves and so on and so on just sprout from the rupture, bringing annoyance and confusion more than anything. Tim somehow gets tricked into becoming the champion of the Fey on Earth and he does the job mainly because he feels all of these supernatural creatures need his help (plus the girl he secretly loves supports this and his banshee is a hot redhead to boot).
Some hilarity ensues, but often feeling a bit artificial, while the actions of the characters involved are simplistic, inconsistent and dragging on, like the author wanted to tell a joke and she ended up writing an entire book. The crises are not that good either, oscillating between childishly funny and dead bloody serious. The ending was disappointing as well, leaving a very traumatic event just in the wind, like an afterthought, pending Tim's recovery of some of his memory. I really wanted to like the book, too, but in the end I just forced myself to reach the end and I am confident I will not read the other two books in the series. I have some hopes for the Princesses series, which I understand is one of Friesner's better works.
September 9, 2020
The veil between the worlds has thinned, and the Fair Folk are coming through.
This is a classic humorous urban fantasy from the early '90s, the first in a trilogy and it turns out this was a reread for me. I read it when it first came out but didn't remember until I started on it.
And I am very glad to say that overall it aged well. There are some technological and pop culture references that kind of stand out and age it, but the world-building is so strong that it pulls you along if you let it.
The humor holds up really well, the characters are a lot of fun and there is enough grounding in folk tales and lore to make a solid story as well.
I am glad I found this book again...now I just have to track down copies of the remaining two books in the series.
This is a classic humorous urban fantasy from the early '90s, the first in a trilogy and it turns out this was a reread for me. I read it when it first came out but didn't remember until I started on it.
And I am very glad to say that overall it aged well. There are some technological and pop culture references that kind of stand out and age it, but the world-building is so strong that it pulls you along if you let it.
The humor holds up really well, the characters are a lot of fun and there is enough grounding in folk tales and lore to make a solid story as well.
I am glad I found this book again...now I just have to track down copies of the remaining two books in the series.
July 17, 2018
This book was so random and not really in a good way. It reminded me a lot of Terry Pratchett’s writing in the sense that it’s funny while at the same time making very little sense. Almost as if the author was trying so hard to make a joke in every sentence that she willingly sacrificed coherency. The plot (if there even was a plot) was weak and the characters were pretty much all caricatures, some of which were borderline-culturally insensitive.
I’m giving this 2 stars because it was actually decently funny at times, but had pretty much no other redeeming qualities.
I’m giving this 2 stars because it was actually decently funny at times, but had pretty much no other redeeming qualities.
October 26, 2019
Not as good as the Craig Shaw Gardner books the Cineverse Cycle, but a promising light read. Won't hurry to finish the next two.
April 20, 2017
I know it's an old book and out of print, but if you can get a copy it is a wonderfully light hearted fantasy story for any age.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews