Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Spirits White as Lightning (Bedlam Bard, Book 5)

Top positive review

Elves at Juilliard and the Nakamichi Dragon

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 8, 2002

Drawing on six or eight different traditions of magic and folktales, Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edgehill have poured it all in a magic cauldron and swirled up a terrific sequel to Beyond World's End. Where else can you find a blue-skinned Rick in Casablanca, or a fox with nine tails that sounds like a street huckster (wanna see what I got under da coat?) or a dragon whose main interest is his Nakamichi CD player. This book has nearly everything: gargoyles, good elves, bad elves, tyrannical music professors, and slow talking hillbilly musicians who turn into Bard Guardians. I _still_ wanna ride Lady Day. This book is complex, funny, wise, and a whacking good read.

7 people found this helpful

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E.M. Bristol

saving the world 101

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 2, 2007

As I've greatly enjoyed the "Arrows" and "Herald Mage" series by Mercedes Lackey, I'm disappointed to find the "Bedlam's Bard" one so lackadaisical. This installment has Eric attending a Naming ceremony for his daughter in the elven Underhill, which was a nice diversion, however, the events outside were lackluster. An elf lord has managed to enslave a human servant and plans to use her to destroy the world. (Yes, again.) A character from the first two books, Kayla, a teenage Empath who is attending Columbia, makes an appearance, and is a spunky addition, but like other reviewers have pointed out, she would be closer to thirty years old, if the author had been true to the timeline. Also, there are a LOT of descriptions of what everyone is eating and wearing - warning: the book may make you ready for a snack or at least a bottle of designer water. This book wasn't really any worse than the others in the series, but then it wasn't really much better either.

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From the United States

Walt Boyes

Elves at Juilliard and the Nakamichi Dragon

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 8, 2002

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7 people found this helpful

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F. W. Keyser

Urban Elves -- what more could a fantasy lover want?

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 15, 2013

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The Eric Banyon series of books starts off with a bang and just keeps right on delivering. The central story about Eric, a fully trained Bard who is back at Julliard to prove his musical ability is the equal of his Magical ability is fabulous. The B story, with a science fiction crowd of evil government agencies trying to prove the Elves are Alien Invaders is much weaker, but still a lot of fun.

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Redheadedelfie

Another great Elf read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 15, 2013

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Quite simply loved it. Not a much meandering around time, space and boring details. I love the characters an Love the story. Be warned of several story twists through many different characters. You have to keep up. I'm not going to spoil any story here but I will say that there are some threads left dangling.. all in all though, very entertaining!!

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Janet

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 12, 2016

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Great book very enjoyable fantasy

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Nana Nelson

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 8, 2015

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A great read & full of mystery

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Arthur W Jordin

Quest for a Chemist

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 13, 2013

Spirits White as Lightening (2002) is the fifth Fantasy novel in the Bedlam's Bard series, following Beyond World's End . The initial volume in this series is Knight of Ghosts & Shadows .

In the previous volume, Dharinel had told Eric that he had unfinished business in the mortal world. He then returned from Underhill and spent some time at the Sterling Forest Faire. Meanwhile, he auditioned at Julliard and was readmitted for the forthcoming session.

Beth and Kory had helped him to get an apartment and to furnish it. The only problem was the lack of air conditioning. Since he has magical powers, Eric played a tune that cooled the air coming in through a window.

Then Eric realized that he was lonesome without his friends. He played another tune that invited anyone compatible to come to meet him. Greystone answered the invitation.

In this novel, Eric Banyon is a human Bard trained Underhill in Elfhame Misthold. He has spent years working the Renaissance Fair circuit and has returned to Julliard. He is also the biological father of Maeve.

Beth Kentraine is a human and a witch. She is a friend of Eric and the mate of Kory. She has recently given birth to Maeve, her child.

Korendil is an Elven Knight of Elfhame Sun-Descending. Kory is a friend of Eric, the mate of Beth and the father of Maeve,

Ria Llewellyn is a crossbreed of human and Elf. Her father used her to undercut the ruler of Elfhame Sun-Descending and she turned against him. She was severely injured in the battle and was slow to heal. Now she is the sole owner of her father's company.

Toni Hernandez is a human Guardian of New York City and the building manager of Guardian House. Guardians protect humanity against supernormal beings on Earth or from outer space and against aliens from other dimensions.

Jose Ramirez is a Guardian and the superintendent of Guardian House. He also raises African Grey parrots.

Paul Kern is a Guardian and a computer nerd. He also lives within the House.

Jemima Youngblood is a Guardian living within the House. Jimmie's full-time job is working as a NYC police detective.

Hosea Songmaker is an untrained Bard from West Virginia. He comes to the Big Apple.

Kayla is a young human Healer. She is the student of Elizabet. The two of them had healed Ria after her injury.

Greystone is a gargoyle. He hangs out near a window in Eric's new apartment. He is part of the safeguards on the building.

Aerune is an Elven Dark Lord. He caused quite a bit of trouble within NYC in the last novel.

Elkanah Youngblood is Jimmie's brother. He had been a NYC cop, but lit out before Internal Affairs could get him. He was the security chief in the covert organization in the previous tale.

In this story, Eric has just got out of class with Professor Levoisier. The Parisian professor is insecure, ignorant and arrogant, but he is an excellent technician if he would just stop trying to humiliate the students. Yet he is giving the students a taste of real life.

Eric heads for the subway to go back to his apartment. Inside, he hears somebody playing a banjo and he senses a bit of magic. He finds Hosea playing for the passers by blissfully unaware that he needs a busking license.

Eric put his license on prominent display and starts playing with Hosea as two transit cops approach. Eric knows the cops and they know him, so Hosea is not asked for his license. Since both players are Bards, the audience grows and the take is plentiful. The audience doesn't want to let them stop, but throw a few coins and bills into Hosea's banjo case while leaving.

Eric refuses his share of the take and only asks for Hosea to buy them lunch. They dine on hot dogs and soft drinks in Central Park. Afterward, Eric informs Hosea of the requirements for a busking license. The next audition is three weeks away, but Hosea can still busk in the park. Eric will be available as classes allow to accompany him within the subway.

Eric also shows Hosea the nearest YMCA and makes arrangements for the following Sunday. Then he rushes home to clean his apartment for the coming of Beth, Kory and the baby. Greystone helps with the furniture moving.

Greystone alerts Eric to the arrival of the visitors. Eric opens the door and invites them to enter. Beth hands the baby to Eric and he doesn't know how to hold her. Then Greystone takes the babe and she starts to smile.

Greystone babysits while Eric takes the couple to a Broadway show. Afterward, they talk until four in the morning. Eric invites them to stay the night, but Beth says that Maeve has a Bard's lungs and would wake up everybody in the building.

The next evening, Eric hosts the Guardians and a few others in his apartment. Paul declares that Bards are naturally hospitable, but Mages are uncomfortable with other people within their private spaces. So this gathering in Eric's place has become a usual affair.

Everything is normal, except Jimmie seems more stressed than usual. Eric talks with her and learns that she is having horrible dreams. Yet Greystone says that the House shields have not been penetrated. Eric tells her that kin can bypass most shields and asks if she has any living relatives.

Elsewhere, Elkanah is the last of the humans captured by Aerune and his minions. The past four have been hunted down by Aerune and now it is Elkanah's turn. Somehow, he slips away from the hunt and returns to Overhill. He has been causing Jimmie's bad dreams.

This tale takes Eric and Ria on a search for the woman who prepared the drugs that enhanced human psionic powers. The next installment in this sequence is Mad Maudlin .

Highly recommended for Lackey & Edghill fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of Sidhe Mages, human Bards, and a touch of romance. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

One person found this helpful

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Karen C Smith

I love this series!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 31, 2014

A winning team of authors. I try to keep up with the books from Ms Lackey's fertile imagination. I like many of her ongoing series. The Banyon books are filled with true and complicated characters -- both good and evil ones, sometimes tangled plotlines that work. The tales are packed with amazing adventure, people (and assorted non-humans) I'll miss when the last page comes. From very scary and dangerous demon-types to heartbreakingly beautiful and pure. And the magic -- engaging, enchanting, whimsical and totally real.

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Jodi B.

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 1, 2015

One of my favorite authors and always a good read. Didnt disappoint. Cant wait for more!

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RosieWitch

Another Amazing Read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 12, 2013

Eric and company are at it again. Ms. Lackey never fails to entertain with her work. I love the way she combines the Guardians with the bards and elves so seamlessly. This book is a wonderful way to escape to another world for a while. Five stars!

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Victoria ☆

Lackey and Edghill had me ROTFL (Rolling on the Floor Laugh)

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 27, 2002

I loved this book. Why? Well, normal Mercedes Lackey books are all introspection and character development... By the end she usually has a GREAT Character and nothing to do with them. Don't get me wrong, I am in NO WAY Dissing my all time favorite author, but it seems that way to me.
THIS book let these characters be in an environment that was fun and expositionary(sp?) They introduced them to such an extent that a new reader will want to find out more. I have met the characters from SerratedEdge before and was glad to meet them again, it made me want to find my old paperbacks and read the stories again.
I am not one to EVER suggest anyone read a series of books without starting at the front and working toward the end... For the first time ever I want to suggest this fourth book to my friends to read FIRST in the series!
Yes, it had a LOT of stuff taken from cartoons, Comics, DnD, and just plain Pop Culture... But THAT was the fun part. It is quite probable that Misty (Ms. Lackey) didn't know what Ms. Edghill was doing, since she claims to have missed a lot of pop culture in pursuit of writing. I had fun reading the book and picking out the pieces of Culture scattered freely about it, groaning at BAD jokes, and ROTFL at really GOOD Double Entendre.
And given Misty's REAL history, I think this is her way of saying.. "Hey! This is ALL fantasy! There is no 'TRUTH' to it! If you believe in THESE guys, You will have to believe in THOSE guys too."
Everyone has their own opinions. This is mine.

5 people found this helpful

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Spirits White as Lightning (Bedlam Bard, Book 5)

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