Emma Bull
War for the Oaks (1987)
Author: Emma Bull
Genre: Fantasy
Plot Summary:
Eddi McCandry is a guitarist and singer looking for a new band after her old band (and relationship with her boyfriend) suffers a meltdown. Things don't go exactly as planned when she finds herself chased at night through downtown Minneapolis by a huge black dog and a menacing man. Things get even stranger when the dog and man turn out to be the same being - the mysterious, shape-shifting phouka, who's determined to rope her into a war between two opposing Faerie forces. The Seelie and Unseelie courts need a mortal human on the battlefield to enable them to kill each other and provide a decisive outcome to their war - and both courts want Eddi on their side. SPOILER: When Eddi agrees to help the Seelie Court in the battle, the Phouka is assigned to protect her from attacks by the opposing court, and the two draw much closwer. Meanwhile, Eddi's started a new band of her own, and unbeknownst to her, the hot new guitarist and bassist she's picked up are both from Faerie. Ultimately, Eddi defeats the leader of the Unseelie Court (the Queen of Air and Darkness) at a rock concert, pitting her band against the Queen's powers.
Geographical Setting: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Time Period: Present Day (1987)
Appeal Characteristics:
This book is often mentioned as one of the founding novels of the urban fantasy subgenre, which usually features supernatural creatures and happenings in real-world, urban settings. War for the Oaks has these in spades, and the urban setting of Minneapolis and details of a rock musician's life are likely to be large appeal elements. A lot of attention is paid to the music Eddi's band plays, and to the clothes that the characters are wearing - a fact which sometimes works against the book now, as such details can make it seem a little dated. However, such details might also make the book especially appealing to readers with fond memories of that time period. In addition to the urban details, Bull draws upon traditional figures of Celtic and English myths to people her world with strange characters. On the whole, both human and faerie characters are well-drawn and likable, especially the main characters Eddi and the Phouka. Despite the book's gritty, darker edge, there's plenty of humor, with sharp and witty dialogue between characters. It's a quick-paced read and skillfully and lyrically written, though the strength of the plotting is far less important than the exploration of the characters, their lives, and the fascinating blend of modern city life and the mysterious other world that exists just below the surface.
Read-alikes: Readers who liked this novel will want to try another by Emma Bull. I would suggest Finder, another urban fantasy novel set in a mythical city called Bordertown, which straddles the line between our world and that of the elves. Orient, a human with a magical ability to locate anything lost, and his elvish partner Tick-Tick must find out who's behind the emergence of a new and dangerous drug that's killing off elves in the city. The gritty urban setting and misfit cast of characters are likely to appeal to fans of War for the Oaks. Another good urban fantasy featuring elves and faerie is John M. Ford's The Last Hot Time. This time, the setting is Chicago, and features paramedic Danny Holman working in a city torn apart by Elven gangs. Ford's strong characterization and haunting storytelling ability should appeal strongly to fans of Bull's work. Another acknowledged master of urban fantasy is Charles de Lint, and I would recommend that readers start with Someplace to Be Flying, set in de Lint's fictional creation of Newford, Canada, where reality and the supernatural mix. In this book, a cab driver becomes aware of the existence of the "animal people" of many myths. Again, the characterization is likely to be the strongest selling point, as well as de Lint's use of real figures from Native American and other myths. I would also suggest that readers try Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, which tells the story of Richard Mayhew and his descent into London Below, where those who have been lost and forgotten in the world above live. Darker in tone than War for the Oaks, and featuring a male protagonist, Gaiman's novel still gives the same feeling of a plunge into a fascinating and terrifying world hidden just out of sight in the big city that Bull's novel does.
Finally, I would suggest The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger. Unlike others that I’ve chosen, this book can’t really be considered urban fantasy. It’s not really even fantasy at all – or maybe it’s a science fiction-fantasy-love story. Still, I think that elements of this novel are likely to hold great appeal for those who loved War for the Oaks. It features witty, urbane protagonists, living the artsy life in a city environment (Chicago, in this case), who are obsessed with punk music – all elements shared with War for the Oaks. In the novel, Henry de Tamble is afflicted with Chrono Displacement Syndrome and is constantly tugged back in forth in time, while his wife Clare lives through her life in the normal fashion.
Red Flags:A fair amount of violence and sexual situations. The death of a main character may also be a red flag for some.
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