Ill Met by Moonlight

Publishers Weekly

"To be or not to be?" This is a conundrum posed not by the immortal Bard of Avon but, in newcomer Hoyt's quirky novel, by Quicksilver, heir proper to the Elven Realms Above the Air and Beneath the Hills of Avalon. William Shakespeare, who has yet to begin his career as a playwright, suffers a terrible personal blow when Sylvanus, evil king of the Elven realm, kidnaps his new wife, Nan, and their baby, Susannah. The young Shakespeare vows to get them back, but just how he'll go about it he doesn't know. Enter Quicksilver, the elf who was tricked out of his inheritance by his brother, Sylvanus. In the form of the Dark Lady (Shakespeare's supposed muse), Quicksilver allies himself with Shakespeare to bring about the downfall of Sylvanus and return Nan and Susannah to Will. Much treachery, romance and elvish behavior follow. Hoyt's Will Shakespeare makes an engaging main character, and the book generally romps along as a straightforward fantasy. Numerous references to the plays and a number of direct quotations mixed in with the text add to the fun. In her epilogue, the author discusses her sources and makes a plausible case, given the meager evidence, for assuming that the playwright was happily married. This is a literate first novel with the promise of good things to come. (Oct. 9) Forecast: The Pre-Raphaelite blonde on the jacket scarcely fits the image of the Dark Lady, but she does serve to signal that this is a quality item with crossover appeal to Shakespeare fans. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

VOYA

Young William Shakespeare has yet to begin his career as a playwright and is instead supporting his extended family by teaching primary school children. His life is fairly uninspiring and dull until the day that he returns home to find that his wife, Nan, and baby daughter, Susannah, are missing, replaced by a crude wooden doll and a twig. As he searches the surrounding forest looking for them, he stumbles upon an amazing sight, a translucent palace nestled in the trees. Upon scrutiny, Will can make out elves clad in velvets and silks dancing across the marble floor. In the midst is his Nan, dancing with Sylvanus, king of the elves. Enter Quicksilver, the rightful heir to the throne and an elf who possesses the ability to switch genders at will. As Quicksilver, he befriends and defends Will against the elves who seek to harm him, but as the Lady Silver, she seduces Will. Together they try to rescue Nan and Susannah and dethrone Sylvanus. Framed as a play, the novel begins and ends with words from a narrator, and each scene (chapter) begins with short stage notes. In the epilogue, the author discusses her sources for this drama. Filled with quotations and references to the works of Shakespeare, this debut novel will interest the playwright's fans of any age. Unfortunately, a poor choice of cover art, a cryptic title, and a slow pace might make the book a tough sell for most young adults. VOYA CODES: 4Q 2P S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult). 2001, Ace, 278p, $21.95. Ages 15 to Adult. Reviewer: Heather Hepler SOURCE: VOYA, February 2002 (Vol.24, No.6)

Library Journal

When young schoolmaster Will Shakespeare discovers that the fair folk under the hill have taken his wife and child to live with them, he seeks a way to recover them and encounters an elfin creature named Quicksilver who claims to know a way for him to do just that. Hoyt's first novel imparts a fanciful and charming interpretation of the origins of Shakespeare's plays as well as tells a tale of love and betrayal. With particular appeal for Elizabethan history buffs and literature lovers, this volume belongs in most fantasy collections. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.