I read The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey. I’ve owned it for two months but I hadn’t read it because I just wasn’t sure about it. But I finished it today and, while it wasn’t my favorite, I enjoyed it. It was a good solid book and worth a re-read.

The only complaint I have about the book is that it reflects other stories, which I don’t have a problem with, but one of those is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. There were several references. One would have been okay. They’re not horrifying or anything. And the book is 480 pages, so the multiple references might not strike anyone else. Since Narnia just aired more people might notice than would have before. But I’m a Narnia fan. I read all the books in the series 12 times the first week I was introduced to the books. So I would notice references.

A piddling thing is that Nightsong is “given away,” even though his mother is sentient. Apparently he’s not. He’s just a normal horse.

I liked the story line. I liked the depth of character development. I liked The Tradition as an antagonist. (Gives me more hope for my book.) It’s a fun read, not deep, but good.

I also liked something Lackey said in the back of the book in a Q&A. She said that fantasy tends to be the way the world ought to work, not the way life is. She said it is why women tend to read it more. And that men who read fantasy are more idealistic. (Fits R to a fair-thee-well, but I’m not so sure it’s true of my brother anymore.) She calls it “moral fiction.” That’s what I am writing. Moral fiction. Didn’t know it had a name. Now I do. Learn something new every day is a good goal.