Tinker

November 3, 2003
Wit and intelligence inform this off-beat, tongue-in-cheek fantasy from Spencer (Alien Taste
, etc.), set in near-future Pittsburgh—or rather, the part of Pittsburgh that's been translated to the Faerie world of Elfhome by a faulty hyperphase gate created by the Chinese. After 18-year-old tech genius Tinker saves Windwolf, the elven governor of North America on Elfhome, from a pack of nasty wargs, Windwolf in gratitude turns her into an elf and makes her his consort. In her new and important position, Tinker becomes the target for a conspiracy of humans, elves and oni (Japanese demons that control their own part of Faerie) who are trying to build another gate for use in conquering Earth and Elfhome. Furious action, including a memorable car chase, good characterization, playful eroticism and well-developed folklore all help lift this well above the fantasy average. The routine jacket art, of an elven biological dirigible, probably won't help, but Buffy fans should find a lot to like in the book's resourceful heroine. (Nov.)

FYI:
Spencer has won the 2003 John W. Campbell Best New Writer Award.

November 15, 2003
The arrival of the city of Pittsburgh in the land of the fey creates problems for the inhabitants of both realms. Into the mix comes Tinker, a young woman with an abundance of technical skills and practical knowledge. Aided by a handsome elf named Windwolf, Tinker attempts to ease the confusion on both sides and fight off any dangers. Fast-paced action, a feisty heroine, and a rousing plot combine to produce a novel that belongs in large sf collections.

Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2003
Spencer's latest novel is as imaginative and weird as usual for him, and it makes the same effective use of her old hometown, Pittsburgh, as a setting. This time a part of early-twenty-first-century Pittsburgh is taken through an interdimensional gate into Elfland. Tinker, a young orphan who runs a salvage yard in the city, rescues the local elvenlord from assassins, and thereafter finds herself entangled in a magnificent web of romance; plots involving humans, elves, and " oni" (Japanese demons); and a race to build another gate by means of which the oni can conquer both Earth and Elfland. Spencer's intertwining of current Earth technology and otherworldly elven magic is quite ingenious. But the whole novel possesses ebullient humor, and even the sex is entertaining, though there may be rather a lot of it for some readers' taste. The book ends with a cliffhanger, so Spencer is clearly kicking off another series. Most readers of this book will consider that good news.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)