Any Man so Daring

Booklist

Exceptionally wonderful and enormously entertaining.

Publishers Weekly

The final book in Hoyt's magical fantasy trilogy about William Shakespeare and the land of Faerie (after Ill Met By Moonlight and All Night Awake) brings the series to a theatrically satisfying close. Will knows in his heart that he could never have become the most successful playwright of his time without the influence of his dealings with the Elven King Quicksilver and his unwilling involvement in Fairyland intrigue. Haunted by his friend Kit Marlowe's premature death, Will is also (literally) haunted by Marlowe's ghost-who urges him to return to Fairy to aid Quicksilver, who has dispatched the usurper Vargmar, only to rouse the enmity of Vargmar's son, Proteus. With the unwitting aid of his innocent lover, Miranda (served by the brutish but faithful troll Caliban, of course), Proteus kidnaps Will's young son Hamnet, and Will has no choice but to return to Fairyland, to the very heart of its magic, to set things right. With its tangled plot loosely based on The Tempest, Hoyt masterfully builds a dramatic story of misplaced loyalties, dark ambition and human desperation and love. Readers new to the series will have no trouble getting swept up in the story. Written with a sharp ear for the rich lyricism and mood of Shakespeare, Hoyt's novel is a literate, entertaining fantasy in which all's well that ends well. (Nov. 4) Forecast: Newcomers, especially male readers, may be put off by the jacket art, of a female figure in the foreground, a male figure behind and a castle on a hilltop, which signals gothic romance, not Shakespearean fantasy. Fans of the first two books in the series will know better. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

VOYA

Taking up the fantastical tale of how William Shakespeare came by his genius, Hoyt offers the final installment in her trilogy about the Bard. Shakespeare's son has disappeared in the wood where he knows that the Elven King Quicksilver reigns. Angry at the magical interference and aware that his previous interactions with the magical king are responsible for his artistic talent, Shakespeare prepares himself again to enter the realm of faerie. He does not move alone, however, as he is kept company by the benevolent spirit of the recently deceased Christopher (Kit) Marlowe. At the urging of Marlowe's ghost, Shakespeare finds himself again in Quicksilver's presence and is surprised to find that instead of fighting the king for his son, he must join him in fighting a battle of magic and intrigue. The cost for failure is the lives of both mortal and faerie. Crafted out of historical records, legends, and a keen imagination, this tale will entertain those interested in Shakespeare and his works, but its enjoyment is not dependent upon this knowledge. The plot moves quickly with a level of complexity that is rare in a novel based on a historical figure. Readers preferring to think of Shakespeare as a literary genius and not a character of fiction will want to pass this one by. Readers unfamiliar with the previous two volumes, Ill Met by Moonlight (Ace, 2001/VOYA February 2002) and All Night Awake (2002/VOYA April 2003), will find themselves confused by the complex cast of characters and the twisting plot that refers back to previous events. VOYA Codes: 4Q 3P S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Will appeal with pushing; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12;Adult-marketed book recommended for Young Adults). 2003, Ace, 327p., Ages 15 to Adult.
—Heather Hepler

Library Journal

Though his encounters with the Elven King have gifted him with the writing skill to become England's premier playwright, Will Shakespeare feels the ghost of his former rival, Christopher Marlowe, haunting him. When Will's son, Hamnet, disappears, Will must leave his comfortable life in London and confront a dark and evil power to save both his son and the world of magic. In Ill Met By Moonlight and All Night Awake, Hoyt explored a fantasy version of Shakespeare's progress as a writer and a chronicler of humanity's strengths and failings; her third volume takes a look at the playwright's later years, which gave rise to his greatest and most somber works. Hoyt's sense of historical detail serves her well in this rousing tale of adventure and love. For most fantasy collections. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Adult/High School-This enchanting and canny concluding volume in Hoyt's Shakespeare trilogy opens with a prologue in which the mysterious Hunter is introduced and the scene is set; indeed all of the chapters are called Scenes. The story begins three years after Marlowe sacrifices himself in the fairy kingdom, saving his son, the world, and his own soul. Now trapped between heaven and hell, he haunts Shakespeare, who has been brought to despair by the idea that he is merely a conduit for Marlowe's words. Meanwhile, in Fairyland, King Quicksilver has won the rebel war and beheaded the traitor Vargmar. But Vargmar's son, Proteus, is devising a plot to get revenge, and The Tempest is the inspiration for the rest of the novel. When Will's son is kidnapped by Proteus, he must return to the Arden Forest to save Hamnet. Hoyt's language is so evocative and lyrical that readers are instantly involved with the characters and story. While purists may cringe at the way the Bard's language is bandied about, the references are expertly done and only serve as subtext for a highly original and imaginative fantasy. Ill Met by Moonlight (2001) and All Night Awake (2002, both Ace) relate how Shakespeare and Marlowe originally came to Fairyland; this book can stand alone. With fantasy and historical fiction becoming increasingly popular with teens, this "historical fantasy" trilogy is sure to become an instant classic.-Jane Halsall, McHenry Public Library District, IL Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.