Review: Light, easy read with potential for a sequel or two
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 11, 2013
Mike Lee has an easy, loping writing style that resonates with me. His competent hero character, retired Major Vince Lombard, ex-Galactic Marine Corps, is sharp and decisive without being bulletproof and Lee manages to drill into detail - in this case playing cards in a casino - whilst avoiding droning on and being boring.If you've read "StarFire (Vince Lombard)" then this is the chronological sequel, even though it was written first. If you've not read "Starfire" then you can read this first without tripping over too many spoilers, though it's not ideal.The story is nicely linear, and being set in a future universe of aliens and starships, the premise of fairies is not as far-fetched as it reads. This is also harder sci-fi than you might expect from the Amazon blurb, so if you are into fantasy fiction, with what I'll call real fairies and magic and the like, then you probably won't enjoy "Fey" too much.(As an aside, I don't think Lee is doing himself any favours with the cover art...it looks more like a Travis McGee novel than anything even remotely sci-fi!)Set over a few days, Lombard stumbles into serious intrigue at the gaming tables of a casino space station. He's a professional card player, slowly working his way toward the centre of Human civilisation, when reflexes instilled as a Marine tumble him into the waiting arms of fate.  He has to keep secrets, stay on the right side of the police, keep one step ahead of Naval Intelligence and two steps ahead of the unknown bad guys, even as the casino Management refuse to pay out his winnings and a cop with a grudge is working to trip him up.The tone is first person, very much world weary Private Investigator in style, and the space station backdrop is not critical to the plot - I reckon Lee could have chosen a current era casino and had similar fun. But being set in the future we have some nifty weaponry and a miles long battle cruiser and holographic projection to assist move the storyline along.  There is also the obligatory blonde bombshell to spark a bit of romantic interest - a tiny bit to be sure, things don't get hot and heavy in Lee's universe - and of course the Fey, enigmatic and magical, she spends most of the novel in Lombard's pocket, quite literally.It is enjoyable fluff and if you like light sci-fi detective stories that focus on the characters and pretty much glosses over how future tech works while taking aliens at face value, "Fey" will reward your $1.99 investment.