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The Chronicles of Faerie

(The Chronicles of Faerie #1-3)

O.R. Melling (Goodreads Author)

4.35 · Rating details · 252 ratings · 10 reviews

This gorgeous new collection of the first three volumes of the Chronicles of Faerie has been specially designed to appeal to young adult readers ages fourteen and up. It includes:

The Hunter's Moon

Findabhair and her cousin Gwen have always believed in magic and the other world, and their dream is to find a way to enter it. Where better to begin than at royal Tara, seat of ...more

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Paperback, 610 pages

Published January 1st 2002 by Penguin Group

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Start your review of The Chronicles of Faerie (The Chronicles of Faerie, #1-3)

Jan 09, 2010 Shesten Melder marked it as to-read

saw this in Reggie's hands on Dead Like Me

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Dec 04, 2018 NinjaMuse rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2018, urban-and-contemporary-fantasy, young-adult, middle-grade, owned, fantasy, canadian, awesome-ladies

In brief: The first three of four books set in an Ireland full of faeries, adventure, and hidden danger. All feature girls on quests to save Faerie, rescue people, and find themselves.

Full disclosure: The first book in this series, The Hunter’s Moon, was one of my favourites between about ages 10 to 12. My review of this book and series will be coloured by that, probably with a fair bit of rosy-glasses thinking.

Thoughts: I liked the novels in this omnibus, though I have issues with the In brief: The first three of four books set in an Ireland full of faeries, adventure, and hidden danger. All feature girls on quests to save Faerie, rescue people, and find themselves.

Full disclosure: The first book in this series, The Hunter’s Moon, was one of my favourites between about ages 10 to 12. My review of this book and series will be coloured by that, probably with a fair bit of rosy-glasses thinking.

Thoughts: I liked the novels in this omnibus, though I have issues with the insta-love and I remember Melling’s writing being more compelling and evocative as a kid. (I think this means that, for kids, they’ll still be pretty compelling, especially since Melling’s voice doesn’t change all that much from book to book.) Gwen, the heroine of The Hunter’s Moon, is still my favourite because her struggles mirror mine the most, but I appreciated that Melling didn’t stick with her or cookie-cutter versions, but instead chose girls who had different personalities. I also liked the way she wove in the faeries and folklore, and that the stories kind of span Ireland, instead of sticking to one county.

Melling’s also a good enough writer that she doesn’t repeat herself much beyond the quest narrative structure (which still doesn’t feel quite predictable) and the apparently obligatory romances. She’s good at character and scenery and things, with a light touch that leaves a lot to the imagination, and toes the line between middle grade and young adult very well, with heroines in both age ranges, a middle grade tone, and adventures that are exciting but believable, scary but not life-threatening.

That said, the books aren’t perfect. There are some timeline problems—characters travelling for a day but making comments like it’s been a week—and, like I keep mentioning, the romance elements. Both Gwen and Laurel, the heroine of the second book, The Summer King, meet boys and within hours have basically realized they are The One. (Dana, the heroine of The Lightbearer’s Daughter, is ten so gets exempted, but stay tuned for tomorrow.) They’re also a little dated in that some of the reactions and themes are a little more simplistic than I’m used to, like if they were written today there’d be more moral greyness, and reluctance or denial from the heroines, and Dana’s story is probably the least believable of the three, because getting a ten-year-old safely through a fantasy quest involves a lot of coincidence. That said, if I were ten, I probably wouldn’t notice, given that I didn’t pick up on the timeline stuff in The Hunter’s Moon.

In sum: An enjoyable series, good writing, possibly not the best out there but certainly strong. I’d cheerfully rec these books to a kid or a teen looking for a fantasy adventure that entertains without being challenging. Melling definitely captures what makes reading magical (and magic, magical too). I’m glad I read this but don’t see myself rereading it again like I might have done as a kid.

Warnings: Insta-love. That thing people do where twins are Connected™. Probably mentions of the g-slur, though it’s been a month by this point so I don’t remember for sure. (It’ll be related to fashion if it’s there.)

7/10 ...more

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Jul 13, 2010 Elfdart rated it it was amazing

i believe i first read this series is grade eight for a book report… and boy has it stuck with me since then. this ranges as one of the first ‘adult’ fairy books i’ve read and inspired me to further my fairy obsession. and when i say adult i don’t mean ‘adult’, i refer to the fact that this story isn’t about the fairies we use to entertain children. stories like this one draw their content from the fairies of mythology, from irish/ british myth and legends.
in this book there are three stories, i believe i first read this series is grade eight for a book report… and boy has it stuck with me since then. this ranges as one of the first ‘adult’ fairy books i’ve read and inspired me to further my fairy obsession. and when i say adult i don’t mean ‘adult’, i refer to the fact that this story isn’t about the fairies we use to entertain children. stories like this one draw their content from the fairies of mythology, from irish/ british myth and legends.
in this book there are three stories, there is a fourth and concluding story, but that’s not in this edition of the book. basically, the series focuses on different girls and their interactions with the fairy world. in the first two, the hunter’s moon and the summer king, there are two girls and one get taken away by the fairies because she has caught the eye of a fairy king and we the readers are left with the girl left behind, who goes in search of the missing girl. the girl the reader is with eventually comes into contact with the fairies (which takes a lot of work as we might imagine) and she discovers that there is a problem. in the first it was the hunter’s moon, a monster that demanded sacrifice (which they fought) and in the second the problem’s focus is on (you guessed it) the summer king. i won’t go into a lot of detail because it’s been a while since i’ve read them and i don’t want to spoil anything. the third story is a bit different than the first two it’s called the light- bearer’s daughter and there’s only one girl in the story… the light bearer’s daughter (the title’s are really helpful). the girl in this story is half fairy (that would be the light- bearer side) and she goes in search of her fairy mother. this story is continued in the final installation, or i should say expanded upon because there is something of an appropriate ending in this book.
all of the stories have strong, proactive heroines and are rich with fairy lore, making the possibility of fairies come alive for a new, younger generation. a good thing about the series is that the characters from the previous books will make an appearance later on in the series as a minor character, kind threading it all together.
i strongly recommend this series. i have very fond memories of it when i was younger and have actually purchased it not that long ago. it’s a great intro to faeries for those who are unaware, and for those who are, well its a fun ride. it’s aimed towards a late elementary school, early teen audience, but can be enjoyed by anyone with a like interest. it’s pretty well written and doesn’t take much time to get through. i recommend. ...more

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Jan 28, 2016 Ariella rated it it was amazing

This book was my first foray into fantasy-style novels when I was probably 15, and it was the perfect choice. The plot is fascinating, and the author's use of connections between Canada and Ireland will make any Canadian or Irish citizen feel connected to the other. The stories, folklore, magic, and drama kept me reading until the late hours of the night. It reads well, in that it doesn't read "too easy" or "too dense". I was able to sit for hours reading it without feeling too overwhelmed by ...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Crystal rated it it was amazing

Spectacular and bone chilling to say the least. This book has made me believe all that much more in Faeries. I love how it uses actually myths and legends, like how to ward off evil spirits by sprinkling salt around the window sills and doors. Good to know ;). This is my all time favourite book and author. Not to mention that O.R. Melling herself replied to an e-mail I sent her, telling me one of her real Faerie experiences and Ireland and complimenting my name, saying it sounds like a Faerie ...more

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Apr 27, 2015 Tatiana rated it it was amazing

This is a book I read more than 10 years ago but I have thought about it many times since. The story has stuck with me, and some of the details have inspired some of the stories I now tell my 5 year old daughter. I remember believing in fairies as a young child, and by the time I read this book (possibly around the age of 20), a little part of me believed again. I think I might try to find this book and read it a second time one day, which is not something I ever do.

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Jul 30, 2011 Cristine rated it it was amazing

For any faerie fiction lover, this is a must read! It takes her three Chronicles of Faerie book and puts them into one cover. If read continuously and ending with the penultimate of The Book of Dreams, I was not disappointed.

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Oct 15, 2016 W.L. Hawkin rated it it was amazing

A beautiful book that includes three of OR Melling's finest Irish stories: The Hunter's Moon, The Summer King, and the Light-Bearer's Daughter. Urban fantasy. I return to this book again and again for comfort and inspiration.

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Jun 08, 2008 Pamela rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: young adult readers

Shelves: ya-and-middle-grades, fantasy

Any of the wondrous books by O R Melling are a delight for children and young adults. The stories masterfully combine reality with the mystic world of Irish myth and legend.

Read them...and believe in faeries

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Jul 05, 2011 Carla Lewis rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, fae, young-adult

I remember really liking this book as a child, since it made me become fascinated with the Fae. It also inspired me to start writing at a young age. Definitely worth rereading.

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About O.R. Melling

O.R. Melling

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Born in Ireland, raised and educated in Toronto, Canada along with my seven sisters and two brothers, now living back in Ireland again. I have a beautiful daughter, Findabhair, doing her M.A. in Marine Biology and a beautiful cat, Emma, who would love to eat the fish Finn (great name for a marine biologist, eh?) wants to protect. My favourite author of all time is CS Lewis. I've read everything he ...more