Books 2014 - Fairs' Point by Melissa Scott

[byslantedlight]

Finally, at long last, I shall post about this gorgeous book... *g*
I also have a confession - I may have read it twice. In a row. Because that's how much I like not just Rathe and Eslingen, but the entire world that Scott (originally with her late partner Lisa Barnett) created. It's a fantasy world, with a generally Renaissance-ish historical feel to it, based around the city of Astreiant. Astreiant is on a planet with two suns - the primary sun and a more distant winter sun, and a planet where magic works, in a very practical, scientific way, there is a ghost-tide every year, and everyone knows that your life is ruled by the stars you were born under - the most popular newsheets are the horoscopes. And it's a brilliant world - it feels as if you're right there, and without any dull exposition at all, you can picture it and know exactly how it works. It just is

In this book, says the blurb on the back:
During Dog Moon, the chief entertainment in the great city of Astreiant, for nobles and commons alike, is the basket-terrier races at New Fair. This year, with spectacularly bad timing, the massive and suspicious bankruptcy of a young nobleman has convulsed the city, leading to suicides, widespread loss of employment, and inconvenient new laws around the universal practice of betting on the races. As well, a rash of mysterious burglaries seems to suggest a magistical conspiracy.
Pointsman Nicolas Rathe is naturally in the midst of all these disturbances - as is his lover, former foreign mercenary Philip Eslingen. When Eslingen receives a basket terrier puppy in the redistribution of the bankrupt's household goods, he makes the best of it by having the pup trained for the races, an action that draws him and Rathe deeper into the coils of a mystery somehow involving New Fairs' dog races, bookies and bettors, the bankruptcy and its causes and fallout, burglaries, and a new uncanny form of murder.

So that's what it's about... but mostly it's just a joy living in the world of Astreiant with Nico and Philip for a while... *happy sigh*

What I did notice even more in this book, too, though it's there in all the others as well, is that this is a world where men are not dominant. They're not subservient either - gender simply isn't an issue like that. But the chosen default pronoun is she. They might ask "what woman owns the shop?" and, as in our world with "what man owns that shop", which they keep trying to tell us just means "what person", might "surprise" us by turning out to be a woman, so in Astreiant it might turn out to be a man who owns it - but with a total lack of surprise. If you're only going to use one pronoun, why not she? But it's lovely, not at all forced-sounding - and there's something rather relaxing about it, I find - yet another reason for wanting to live in Astreiant! You know, perhaps I'll take it up - just substitute she for any pronoun where I'm generalising about people (usually I just use the plural - they, cos why wouldn't you? But perhaps a little... retaliation might be nice... *g*)

Nico and Philip are as nicely drawn as ever too - two blokes with their own flaws, who like each other very much indeed, but are themselves at the same time as being committed lovers (leman in Astreiant-speak). They have their own lives, and go off to live them each day, and very much like coming home to each other. It's lovely to be with them - and you ache for each of their little insecurities, and rejoice in the smiles and touches, and there's a good balance to both their relationship and to the way it's part of the story.

What else? Fairs' Point also qualifies for my Once Upon a Time challenge (21 days to go, and then I will read Midsummer Night's Dream and it will all be over!) It's very much a "Fantasy" book - it says as much on the back *g* - but in some ways it doesn't feel like that at all. It's just another country that we've not been to yet (oh I wish...) But on the other hand magic really does work (in the same sort of way as electricity works in our world...), there are necromancers and ghosts and all. It's a comfortable magic though, and it exists in the real world rather than the other way around. I've not gone back and worked out when the ghost-tides are (maybe around the equinoxes?) but it's when the door between worlds is thinner and your ghosts may come back to literally follow you around - but Rathe's, for instance, is the ghost of his childhood dog, Mud...

In case you haven't guessed, I really really recommend these books... *vbg*


Read at least one book from each of the four categories. In this quest you will be reading 4 books total: one fantasy, one folklore, one fairy tale, and one mythology.
Fantasy
Thirteenth Child by Patricia Wrede
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Eric by Terry Pratchett
The Magpie Lord by K.J. Charles
A Case of Possession by K.J. Charles
Fairs' Point by Melissa Scott

Folklore
Thursbitch by Alan Garner

Fairy tale
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Among Others by Jo Walton

Mythology
Runemarks by Joanne Harris

Comments

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

On your recommendation, several years ago, I read the 'Points' books - and loved them. I finished "Fairs Point" (also for the second time!) and it was a wonderful journey. I was really happy to see the lads relationship more directly addressed (instead they made love in the big bed...). I know it was clear what they are to each other, but having a steady diet of Pro's more explicit slash - it was nice to read this part! And the last lines -- as Rathe ponders -- I hope so too. And I hope that there will be another story to let us all know!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so glad - the Points love should be spread far and wide! *g* Rathe/Eslingen really is lovely, isn't it - and yes, I was glad to read more of their relationship too, and the way they've been together for a wee while now. I love that time is moving slowly in Astreiant too, so that there's hopefully lots of time for things to happen between them still! The only trouble is that now I'm desperate for the next book, and it's entirely possible that mescott hasn't even started writing it yet, because I've not seen her mention anything about it on her lj... Oh, but I'd like to read it now! *g*

[etain-antrim.livejournal.com]

I *finally* ordered my copy and, darn it, I want it now! Perhaps it's time to reread the earlier books in anticipation.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Heee - yes! Copies must be ordered and arrive now! *g* Re-reading the earlier books sounds like a very good idea to me - I didn't manage it cos I was away for a week in the end, and I don't dare start them with Job 2 having just started, but... ooooh... *g*

[caffyolay.livejournal.com]

I've just skimmed this as I plan to read the first book pretty soon. I was just tickled that you liked this latest book so much you read it twice in a row! How brilliant is that?

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I had a feeling people might not have read it yet, so I don't think I wrote any spoilers, even under the cut. I know I should be a bit embarrassed about having read it twice in a row, but actually I don't care - life's too short for that! I've had the urge to read them again straight away with every single Points book so far, and I think this is the only time I gave into it - and I enjoyed it just as much! It's a bit like re-watching a Pros ep, lovely familiar things, and the occasional thing you didn't notice last time because you were focussing elsewhere... *g* I just really really like the world that they created - and the characters. If I could move there tomorrow... *g*

[caffyolay.livejournal.com]

I don't see anything wrong with reading a book again straight away, I've done it with short stories but not with a novel as far as I can remember. But I think it's brilliant to love a book that much. And gosh, doesn't that chap on the front of the new book look like Doyle? I'm sure you've noticed that... *g*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

You might find my post here interesting, about Rathe and Eslingen... *g* And the author liked my Pros icon very much indeed, when I used it to comment in her lj... *g*

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

Okay - dude on the left *is* a little Doyle-ish looking, LOL.

But yes, you have me intrigued now. Once I'm done with the current stack. I'll have to start looking into these! :D

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

You might find my post here interesting! *g* You should totally look into these, I love them!

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

I was a bit disappointed with a couple of the Points books because the focus was so much not Nico and Philip's relationship. I do like the books to have a plot, to be more than just a long PWP, but not so far as the previous books went. Is this one closer to what would be a slash story, as opposed to a story whose two primary protagonists just happen to be lovers?

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Sorry for the major delay in replying - stoopid work...

It's true, these are stories in their own right, which involve Nico and Philip, they're not stories just about Nico and Philip's relationship, so if it's really m/m (more explicit) romance you're wanting then this isn't it. I like it though, it's the same kind of gentle romance as Larton and Island Innocents, which as you probably know are two of my most favourite Pros slash stories... *g* There's a bit more in Point of Knives and in Fairs' Point, but they're still black-out scenes rather than and-now-they-get-down-to-it scenes, if you see what I mean.

And I'm up to re-reading Point of Knives now, so I'm off to bed at last! *g*