The Last Hot Time

ISBN: 0-312-85545-1 Order from: Amazon.com

A skilled and atmospheric depiction of Fairy enroachment on Chicago, with Prohibition-style color and occasinally obscure sexual tension, this slim book is at times too subtle and spare.

Reviewed by David on February 28, 2001

Genre: Fantasy (Elfpunk, Urban Fantasy, Mystery)

Synopsis: In some near future, the Fairy Lands, of whom vague legends remain, returns back to impinge on our reality. The Elves, and magic challenge disrupt our society. Uneasily, the country finds new, harder ways to live. But some places, like Chicago, are so close to the gates of Elfland, that reality warps and the patrly abandoned and damaged city is mostly left to its own devices.

Elf gangs roam the street. And magically-supported gangsters rule their districts with iron fists inside velvet gloves.

Danny Holman, 19, leaves his family farm in Iowa to come to the City. Here he encounters the local rivalry, and the intense dangers and rewards that come from being allied with a "patron".

Full Review: I enjoyed this novel a great deal. One of the pleasant, and sometimes distracting effects of reading it was the automatic comparison to similar books. One group is the once popular Borderlands fantasies, which have a similar premise and nearly identical environment, especially the skilled and poignant Finder by Emma Bull. There are a remarkable number of similarities, although there is certainly enough originality in Ford's to make one wonder if it's intentional.

Another excellent book which comes to mind is Tim Powers' Last Call. Maybe all great authors are pumping the collective subconscious and coming with the same concepts.

Lest there be any doubts, this book has enough original elements for several conventional fantasies. Prohibition-style gang warfare and stylized police raids, all with magic and exotic and dangerous Fey; subtle but intense sexual undercurrents, longing for beauty and struggle with cruelty, personal duty and friendship: this book does not short-change.

The characters are excelent, but due to the short length of the book are but lightly sketched. In fact, while managing the difficut feat of creating an exotic yet solid world, populated with many complex characters (every one has multiple motivations) and a mystery plot, this book relies a bit much on suggestion. Skillful as it is, the lack of exploration denies some emotional impact. The main character, Danny a.k.a. Doc, loses depth as he gets more affected by magic and politics of the City.

An excellent book which misses being great by not exploring the main characters at greater length, this fantasy is nonetheless a rare pleasure to encounter.

Overall: 6; Plot: 5.5; Characters: 6; Style: 6; World-building: 6; Originality: 5.5;

ISBN: 0-312-85545-1 Order from: Amazon.com