The Halfling's Court

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY FEB 15, 2010

Although the latest from Ackley-McPhail (Tomorrow's Memories) features an intriguing mix of bikers and elves, the book itself falls flat, victim of clich d storytelling and poor writing. The half-human, half-fae Lance Cosain avoids politics and leads a mixed motorcycle gang of fae and human alike, until an attack by a fellow halfing draws him out. He must rescue assorted damsels in distress-first Suzanne, his lover, is kidnapped and tortured by the halfling, and later his brain-damaged cousin Tilly is taken by the High King himself. In the process, Lance learns the secrets of his own history, and sure enough finds himself imbued with enough power to become a threat to the throne. Ackley-McPhail fails to add depth to the characters, especially the females. Urban fantasy diehards might tolerate this short novel as a way to pass an hour or two, but even they'll chafe at the clumsy use of tropes and phrases like, "the travesty held tightly by his arms and by his will."