War for the Oaks

This book has been popping up on my Amazon recommendations list for probably a year now. That, combined with the fact that there's a quote on front in which Neil Gaiman states, "Emma Bull is really good" (which may seem scant praise, but is everything to a Gaiman fan), I finally decided to just go

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ahead and order it. After reading it, I concur with Mr. Gaiman--Emma Bull is really good. An urban fantasy set in the 1980's, Bull takes full advantage of the time period by showcasing the music and the lavish, ridiculously wonderful over-the-top 1980's clothing (really, other than perhaps the Glam Rock period of the 1970's, there's no other time period in which a story such as this would work to such effect). Eddi is a musician chosen by the fey to be the mortal who will bring death to the battlefield in the Seelie Court's battle against the Unseelie Court (who will bring darkness and gloom to the city should they triumph). Bull draws heavily on the folktales of Ireland and Scotland and her faeries are wonderful creatures--seldom completely good or evil, but always looking to bend events to their favor with no regard to the consequences brought upon others. My favorites include Hairy Meg (a brownie from Scotland who brought her thick brogue and cantankerous temper with her) and the hilariously mischievous phouka who serves as Eddi's bodyguard. You can practically see these faeries as they may have been imagined by Jim Henson or Brian Froud. Overall, my only criticism is that the ending seemed a little anticlimatic (it did seem a little too easy to defeat the Queen of Air and Darkness) and shifts in time periods weren't always made clear. Other than that, an excellent book.

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Wow. What an intense ride, a gentle slow beginning that just picks up pace and drama before the climatic end. Superb. So much worth waiting for, I'd been recommended this years ago, and failed to find a copy, it wasn't out in ebook, and 2nd hand copies were ruinous. But bless penguin who've

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released a new ebook version, finally. It is every bit as good as promised.

Before there was 'urban fantasy' before HP and before Twilight, the fantasy genre was almost exclusively 'other world' and occasionally 'portal'. The concept of having magic within our contemporary lives didn't sit well with the psyche and it was rarely, if ever, done. Emma Bull did it. Her debuet novel is powerful tour-de-force of things we take for granted in writing these days: Kick-ass women, mysterious creatures, battles of will, wits and illusion all submerged into and around a normal life.

Eddi is singer musician and guitarist in 70s Minneapolis, making a living, just about, in the days before mobiles (and Aids?) when you only heard about bands by seeing them live, and adverts for musicians went in the paper. She's just dumped a band and boyfriend and is not in the mood for shit from strange men lurking by fountains in the dark. But she doesn't get much choice, as the Poucha and the Glastag from Celtic faerie traditions cast glamours and beguiling words, although to their surprise she's almost able to shake them off. They inform her, that she has been chosen by the Seelie court of the Fey, to be their mortal token in their upcoming battle with the Unseelie, and that she has to be present on the battlefield for them to triumph. The price of their failing is the loss of all that makes Minneapolis bright and fun. The Phouka is to guard her night and day from the Unseelie who will seek to remove her from contention. Eddi is utterly nonplussed by such talk but has little choice than to accept. Her immediate attempts to lose the Phouka come to no fruition, and he is as annoying as the faerie sprite who leads travellers astray can be. Her biggest problem is the sudden realisation that it's impossible to find a job with a phouka (even if he's in an attractive human form) literally around you 24/7. Her friend to whom she's perhaps unwisely confided, urges her to start her own band, and they're surprisingly successful. But the Fey have not forgotten her, and battle's await.

There are, if you're picky, some problems with the plot and even the writing occasionally. All the characters are far too accepting of the supernatural; friends' with money and contacts are a lazy get-out for an 'ordinary girl' and not enough is made of the interactions with her ex-Stuart. I'm sure some people will object to the inclusion of song lyrics within prose - but they work far better than many poems that get introduced to other works. I found some of the intricacies of musical descriptions hard to follow, but the intensity and passion of the writing leaves so little room for such trifles.

This should only really get 4.5* for the minor niggles, and that it hasn't aged magnificently well, given how much society has changed since it was written. But it's so powerfully written and engages so deeply with that crossover between music, art , words and magic that it gets a full 5*.

Go and read it!

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In my opinion, you really can't call yourself an Urban fantasy fan if you haven't read this book. This is one of, if not THE book that started it all.

There are fairies (but don't call them that if you know what's good for you) of every shape and size, lust, love, rock n' roll and a war between

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Seelie and Unseelie courts- what more could you want?

How about characters you care for almost instantly, magic that somehow makes sense even when it doesn't, and don't forget- the magic of music.

This is no cut and dry good vs. evil tale either, like all great urban fantasies it's a whole palette of shades of grey, although you do know who's side you come down on- it's not entirely ambivalent, like some of Caitlin R, Kiernan's work- but you definitely see the beauty in the darkness.

And woven through it all is an honest to goodness amazing love story.
So very highly recommended.

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First published in 1987, War for the Oaks is one of the pioneers of the urban fantasy genre. On the night that Eddi McCandry breaks up with her boyfriend and leaves his band, she has a run in with the fey. Turns out, she’s been chosen as a pawn in the war between the Seelie and Unseelie

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courts.

War for the Oaks draws upon what’s nowadays fairly familiar aspects of fairy folklore. The Seelie and Unseelie courts, the fey’s love of mortal musicians, creatures such as brownies and phoukas, and so on. However, the story focuses just as much on Eddie forming a new band as it does on her role in the fairy war.

Music plays a huge role in War for the Oaks. Eddi’s life revolves around music and creating music. I’m not much of a music person (to the point where I rarely listen to it on my own), so I think it’s a testament to the strength of Bull’s writing that I enjoyed these sections as much as I did. Let me be clear – I found War for the Oaks excellently written. The descriptions were lush and vibrant, and the dialog snappy.

I’m the wrong generation to have eighties nostalgia, but War for the Oaks did remind me of the eighties movies I’ve seen. Obviously, none of the musical references outdated 1987, but there were also a lot of descriptions of clothes that seem specific to the era. It’s not exactly specific to the time period, but there was also a bit of casual background racism, and Eddie just accepted that Stuart would react violently to the breakup.

My favorite character by far is the phouka, a shapeshifter who turns from man to dog. He’s exuberant and flamboyant, and his dialog for some reason reminds me of a Shakespearean play. I realize only now that I never became strongly attached to Eddie herself, although I did like her friendship with Carla, the drummer in her band. Maybe it’s because so much of Eddie’s life revolves around her music that it’s hard to get a sense of her outside of that?

The climax of the book felt like it was over with very quickly. It was also a lot more vaguely mystical than the rest of the book, in a way that reminds me of Robin McKinley’s writing.

I’d really like to know more about the influence War for the Oaks had on the genre. I know it was one of the very first urban fantasy novels, and I can clearly see it’s touch in books like Holly Black’s Tithe. If anyone ever comes across some sort of essay on the subject, I would love to read it.

I don’t think War for the Oaks will feel particularly novel to anyone familiar with fairies in today’s urban fantasy. However, I’d still suggest it as a well written example of the genre and to anyone interested in a fantasy book centering on music.

Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.

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War for the Oaks's the kind of book where I end up feeling like I'd have to be exactly like the main character to really love the story, because it has so wish-fulfillment. In this case, the main character Eddi is an aspiring musician. I'd have to be youthful in the 80s and into rock and roll and

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jamming into my guitar and fantasy (well, I guess I am the last one) to really appreciate the book fully like I really wanted to.

But that being said, I enjoyed the atmosphere Emma Bull crafted, both on the 'urban' side* with the travails of gigging (even if the constant name-dropping of rock songs was totally lost on me, Bull seems to speak from a place of real experience) and on the 'fantasy' side with the war between the fairy courts (where sometimes Bull crafts some really beautiful language** and spooky situations).

*The Minneapolis setting is particularly refreshing (not only because I've never read anything set in Minneapolis, but also because it's integrated into the story and Emma Bull really seems to love it there).
**She's good at set-up but does tend to pull punches at the conclusion where it should get tighter but instead she falls back onto purple prose.

But yeah, War for the Oaks is a good example of the urban fantasy genre. It's not trashy, but it's also the kind of book where you always get to know what the main character is wearing (and it's actually quite entertaining because it's always an hideous-sounding 80s ensemble featuring a signature piece that Eddi inevitably found at a thrift/vintage store), along with her love interest (whose fashions tend more towards the hilariously romantic, but it's the kind of story that's self-aware enough that Eddi calls him on it).

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good versus evil in the Seelie courts in Minneapolis! This book has been so evocative of our time spent in the Twin Cities, with a great story and pace. I've bought many copies and given them away (then panicked when it goes out of print.)

Eddi McCandry dumps her self-centered lead-singer boyfriend and quits his band. On her way home from their last gig she is kidnapped by two fey: a phouka and a glaistig. They inform her that the fairy world is in the middle of a civil war (Seelie Court vs. Unseelie Court). Because fey are immortal,

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the only way they can actually have a war is if a mortal is on the battlefield with them like a mascot. Eddi has been chosen to be this pawn, though she knows not why, and after an attempt is made on her life by the Unseelie Court she agrees to allow the phouka to be her round-the-clock bodyguard. She eventually starts her own band with her best friend Carla, learns why she was chosen for the Seelie war, and becomes more emotionally invested in the war's outcome than she had ever expected.

War for the Oaks is arguably the pioneer of the urban fantasy genre (fantasy that takes place in a real-world setting). The plot might sound a little cliche, but this is the original. Emma Bull wrote the cliches. I can tell that Neil Gaiman's American Gods and Neverwhere, especially, were directly influenced. The story is a little dated (mid-1980s), as any book involving so much music will be, but it is more classic than anachronism, likely due to the excellent writing (and 3rd-person narration!). I loved that the book was set in Minneapolis; it was a nice change from New York or London, where it seems all urban fantasy takes place.

I'm going to go beyond "recommended" and call this a must read for anyone who enjoys urban fantasy.

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One of the classics of the urban fantasy genre, War for the Oaks combines fascinating characters, beautiful writing, and a unique take on magic and music to create a very engaging novel. It doesn’t have a ton of action, but it slowly draws you into the story until you won’t be able to put it

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down. Though it was written in the eighties, it doesn’t feel outdated. Overall, it’s a haunting, elegant, romanic story that any fan of urban fantasy will love.

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This is the second time reading it. It stirs up the same feelings in me as it did before. I can honestly say it makes me feel incredibly alone in this world. The deep loyal feelings everyone has for eachother are so.. touching.

This book has given me tears/shivers in some of the exciting bits, and

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gets me very depressed in the sad bits.

Very enjoyable book.

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This book is a stealth favorite of mine. I hunted it down while it was still out of print on a recommendation from a stranger. It was worth the effort.

The plot is rich and unique (urban fantasy wasn't nearly as prevalent in the mid-80s as it is now), and the characters are memorable and

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well-written. Ms. Bull incorporates the Irish/Scottish legends of the Seelie/Unseelie courts seamlessly and to great effect.

Well worth reading (and now back in print, so much easier to find).

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This book was a fun read. The mixture of rock n' roll and fantasy was well done, and the growth of Eddi's character throughout the book in relation to her band and that of the faire world is subtle and makes you want to not put the book down until you have seen her through the whole ordeal. Some

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people on amazon criticize the book for outdated references and fashion, but the immersion in the eighties made the book that much more entertaining.

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Eddi McCandry is in a band that’s going nowhere and in a relationship with the band’s leader that’s heading the same way when after their latest gig ends badly is accosted on her way home after quitting from both. There’s a war brewing between the Seelie and Unseelie courts of Faerie that

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would lack meaning without a mortal’s involvement and it appears Eddi has just been drafted. Until the conflict begins in earnest she is assigned a protector in the shape of a phouka and despite Eddi’s best efforts won’t leave her side. Needing something to occupy her time and take her mind off upcoming events Eddi, at the urging of Carla (best friend and drummer from the band she just quit), starts a new band and sets about recruiting members. The phouka will act as roadie. Can she live to see the end of the conflict and even make a success of both sides of her new life?

This accomplished debut novel is regarded as a forerunner for the urban fantasy genre that blends the world of magic with the one we know as real. It also deals heavily with the life of a musician and all that that entails with occasional song lyrics being inserted into the story. It’s very firmly set within the time period it was written with the culture, music and fashion all being late 80’s. There’s a good sense of place with the Minneapolis backdrop to the story featuring prominently. My copy of the book includes a couple of scenes from a screenplay written by the author and her husband and a few notes about why and how they wrote it. An enjoyable early work of the genre.

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As for some of us who feel that the themes and writing of Lord of the Rings is a bit plodding and obvious only after being inundated by so many fantasy stories since it started the genre, so too does War of the Oaks brown upon the branch in the wake of the Urban Fantastic eloquence and creativity

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of de Lint, et al. Emma Bull may have launched the popular concept of UF, but her writing feels outdated only due to the leaps that have been made in the genre since 1987.

Bull is crafty, clever, humorous, compassionate, and dreamy - these things should remain untouched by any sophomoric review. But for me, the Phouka was a little too foppy and formulaic, Dan the keyboardist was a little too marginalized-minority-guy, the Queen of Air and Darkness was a little too Cruella de Ville (and weak as hell), and Eddi, the main character, was a little too self-centered and naive for the story to resonate with me deeply.

But really, it was the pages upon pages of detailed description poured into how a band's music comes together that had me desperately wanting the end to come faster. Describing how bass notes and drum beats intertwine once or twice is fine. But when the entire story crescendos into a magical music-fest, painstakingly rendering an aural medium into into a written one...well, it's a bit like trying to describe a song to someone who has never heard it. The effect is lost, and because there's so much of this throughout the book, it has an anti-climactic ending that left me wanting more depth, more interaction, and more dialog.

Sure, music and artists are staples of Urban Fantasy stories. That's how magic is crafted. I just don't want to have to read a book about how every note of that craft is rendered. Perhaps Emma Bull could have attached a soundtrack!

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This is often credited with being the first urban fantasy book. I've read a lot in that genre (64 books, according to my LibraryThing tags) and have wanted to get to this one for a few years. I found it thoroughly enjoyable and a much fresher read than I expected. From the get-go, the vibe reminded

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of Charles de Lint's Newford books; that shouldn't have surprised me, as he was another early author in this category.

Eddi's voice has an edge, but it's much gentler than many of the first person point-of-views you find now. The whole cast shines here. In particular, the romance element developed in a very natural way. I'm not one for love triangles (or quadrangles), but Bull handled her cast with a light touch; everyone felt human and flawed, and the complexity of the fae worked very well in this regard.

The fae were the one area of weakness for me. I knew the fae too well, basically, so some of the plot twists that were supposed to be a surprise were not. That said, there was something comfortable and cozy about the book. It was rather like reading a mystery novel where you can see who the bad guy is way out but the ride is so fun you don't really care.

War for the Oaks is a solidly good read that will hold up well (maybe better) than many current books in the urban fantasy genre.

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Wow. So, this was one of those books that you moderately enjoy while reading and then, looking back (especially reading City of Roses after, bringing things sharply into comparison), you're like "been there, read about mortals dragged into faerie affairs and totally knew she'd fall for that guy."

I have never read any book before that so well made me understand the synergy and energy of a band until I read this book. I would think that probably holds for any band playing any sort of music, on varying levels.

If that were all that there were to War for the Oaks it would be interesting but not

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worth recommending. Not since Neverwhere by Neill Gaiman have I read such wonderful urban fantasy. The book begins with Eddi who is having a very bad night. She has broken up with her boyfriend, which also means their band is now kaput, and then she finds herself in the dark city streets fleeing a truly terrifying vicious dog ... who suddenly changes into a man. Thus begins Eddi's coercion into being the mortal being needed by the Seelie Court of Faerie for their upcoming war with the Unseelie Court. Ostensibly the Seelie Court are the good guys but as these beings all are operating under completely foreign rules it is often difficult to tell the difference. Eddie is left with the dog/man, otherwise known as a phouka, as a bodyguard as she goes about her regular life of forming a band while waiting for the war to begin.

This is all a pale description of a rich story that pulls the reader into the world of Emma Bull's making. We learn about champions, love, truth, honor ... and , of course, musicians.

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Alright. So maybe I was a *little* overzealous in my praise before.

Still, I really enjoyed this, it was a lot of fun! The romance subplot and the 'big' final conflict were a bit too much like tired and trope-ridden fan fiction for my taste, but in the end I still found Eddi a charming and

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relatable character. And I stand by my praise of Bull's style of weaving the mundane with the magical, and her MN setting was a nice change of place, and fleshed out with the details only a loving community member and provide.

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Eddi is a musician who is recruited by a Faerie creature called a Phouka (who can turn into a dog at will) to be involved in a faerie war. Eddi is understandably apprehensive at first, but gradually get's drawn into the Phouka's world, meeting other Faerie beings and discovering unusual ways to use

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her musical talent.
It took a while for me to get into this, but I found it quite satisfying, especially for the relationships between the characters. Some of the descriptive parts were a bit over the top, but easily tolerated to learn what happens to the facinating people you meet in this story.

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Despite the Young Adult tag, this book will be enjoyed by all ages. It remains one of the best of the urban fantasy/elfpunk genre.

Good fantasy about a woman in a rock band.

I really enjoyed this novel. I could barely stop laughing when I first started it. The humor in it is simply hilarious and even as the book gets more serious there is still some cheek to the dialogue. I really loved the plot and the characters. The music involved simply drew me in and I almost wish

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I could play guitar so I could relate a little more to the main character. Absolutely fantastic urban fantasy novel.

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Excellent take on edgy, character-driven urban fantasy.

The War for the Oaks is one of my favorite fantasy reads. I really enjoy the juxtaposition yet complimentary aspects of mundane contemporary life and the strange, alien world of the supernatural fairies that seem to lurk just out of everyday perception. I have always liked the subtle mix of the

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fantastical and the commonplace, and I think that Emma Bull does it very well here, marrying these contradictory themes into a cohesive (and compelling) whole. One of the earlier works in the genre of “urban fantasy,” “The War for the Oaks” (Bull’s first novel) expertly weaves together many threads into an entertaining plot; Celtic folklore, rock music, and love, all under the backdrop of a lovingly described 1980s Minneapolis.
Telling the story of down on her luck musician Eddi McCandry and her sudden and frightening introduction of the warring bands of Fey, the Seelie and the Unseelie courts who each hope to take the Twin Cities for their own side. The normally immortal beings need a mortal witness to make their battles fatal and heighten the stakes of their centuries old conflict. Bull draws heavily on Celtic folklore to really bring her fairies to life, making them feel authentically ancient and otherworldly and yet playful in their interpretations of modern life.
The characters, both mortal and fey alike are very well drawn, likeable, and believable and as much detail is put into the practice of Eddi’s band, and though I have know musical experience seemed to bring further authenticity to the work. The action however is very dated to the 1980s with its outrageous fashion and the Minneapolis Sound in music highly evident, which I personally enjoyed but others may find jarring. Some of the shifts in romantic relationships may also become a bit clichéd in certain segments, but for the most part the characters remain quite real.
In addition, Bull makes the setting of the Twin Cities into a character itself; it definitely appears to be a tribute to Minneapolis and Minnesota in general, and I really can’t think of a better city for a story like this to take place in. To me the Twin Cities, with its parks, lakes, rivers, glittering skyline and mix of cultures, seem perfect for urban fantasy and Bull utilizes this setting to the fullest, drawing in local landmarks from Minnehaha Creek to the Como Conservatory (and of course, First Avenue).
“The War for the Oaks” really works for me as one of the best depictions I’ve seen of the culture of the Twin Cities and really works in the themes of urban fantasy very well, making it almost difficult to tell when the “urban” ends and the “fantasy” begins. I highly recommend the novel to anyone interested in urban fantasy, folklore, rock music, or the Twin Cities as a setting, and though it may be a little too ‘80s for some, Bull has created a truly nice summer read.

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A Real Keeper: This is a book that should be put prominitly on your keeper shelf. Emma Bull is an outstanding author and this is a great read. I highly reccomnd this book. I totally enjoyed reading it. As a matter of fact, I am writing this after reading it for the 3rd time!. Read,enjoy, and keep

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ths book.

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