From Publishers Weekly
In Lackey and Edghill's latest rollicking Bedlam's Bard fantasy (after 2001's Spirits White as Lightning), Eric Banyon finds some new surprises have popped up in his muddled existence as a human artist, magical Bard and former Juilliard student. They include a brother he never knew existed, a fairytale monster come to life and some really evil dudes that he doesn't even know he's crossed. Jachiel ap Gabrevys (aka Jaycie), an elfin princeling, has gone missing from Underhill, and his Protector is desperately trying to find him. Normally, his Protector would have no trouble locating the runaway, but Jaycie has hidden himself in the iron-bound city of New York and has become addicted to caffeine-which has a drug-like effect on elves. Coincidentally, Jaycie has befriended two mortal youths, Ace, who has musical talent, and Magnus Banyon, the newly discovered brother of Eric. All three runaways, plus Eric and pals (who include Greystone the gargoyle), become entangled in a mess the size of New York City itself. Except for a few annoying references to the Buffyverse, the story romps quickly from beginning to end. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
The sixth tale of Eric the Bard, last seen in Spirits White as Lightning (2001), can be enjoyed independently, though some knowledge of the series enhances its pleasures. New York, post-9/11, is the setting as bard Eric Banyon discovers that he has a 17-year-old brother, who, like Eric, has run away from their pressure-cooker parents and is now homeless in Manhattan. Eric's apprentice, Hosea, is trying to find out whether the stories of a ghost that he has heard from homeless children mean that some sort of nonhuman is roaming the city. Meanwhile, a young elven prince has fled his own realm and is also homeless in Manhattan. The homeless characters and a nasty villain or two prove enough to keep Eric, Hosea, and female series regular Ria as busy as ever. Much of the action takes place among homeless youth, and those sequences are vivid and disturbing, though not enough to prevent an upbeat ending or to tie up the loose ends that guarantee another book. Frieda Murray
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
Eric Banyon, better known as Bedlam's Bard, has just discovered that he has a younger brother named Magnus whom his parents have kept secret from him. Just as Eric did years ago, 17-year-old Magnus has run away from home to escape his disfunctional family. Determined to find him, Eric finds himself caught in a desperate race against time. Young homeless children in New York have created a bizarre mythology about a demon called Bloody Mary who preys on young children-and somehow Bloody Mary has taken on an independent life and now stalks the streets of the city. Eric's friends, the Guardians seem powerless to stop her. Anyone who sees her is marked for death. And Magnus has seen her. . . .

About the Author
Mercedes Lackey is known for several bestselling fantasy series, including the Heralds of Valdemar and Bardic Voices series, work that ranges from historical fantasy to grittily realistic urban fantasy set in the modern world. In only a decade she has made her mark as one of the brightest stars of fantasy. She lives in Oklahoma where she can be found prying the talons of birds of prey she is attempting to nurse back to health out of her hands. Rosemary Edghill, after holding the usual array of Weird Writer jobs, including freelance graphic designer and vampire killer, has settled down to a career as a full-time writer, publishing popular urban fantasies as well as novels in genres ranging from romance to mystery. Her latest book for Baen is The Warslayer.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Eric Banyon, better known as Bedlam's Bard, is finally about to graduate from Julliard and enter the Real World and so, with the help of a psychiatrist who specializes in the problems of magicians, he's finally coming to terms with his past. But a spur-of-the-moment trip home to Boston to visit his parents brings him more trouble than even Eric thought possible.

Meanwhile, his Bardic apprentice Hosea has discovered that the young homeless children in New York's shelters have created a bizarre mythology about a demon called Bloody Mary who preys on young children - and somehow Bloody Mary has taken on an independent life and now stalks the streets of the city.

And for some reason, she's after Eric as well.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In Lackey and Edghill's latest rollicking Bedlam's Bard fantasy (after 2001's Spirits White as Lightning), Eric Banyon finds some new surprises have popped up in his muddled existence as a human artist, magical Bard and former Juilliard student. They include a brother he never knew existed, a fairytale monster come to life and some really evil dudes that he doesn't even know he's crossed. Jachiel ap Gabrevys (aka Jaycie), an elfin princeling, has gone missing from Underhill, and his Protector is desperately trying to find him. Normally, his Protector would have no trouble locating the runaway, but Jaycie has hidden himself in the iron-bound city of New York and has become addicted to caffeine-which has a drug-like effect on elves. Coincidentally, Jaycie has befriended two mortal youths, Ace, who has musical talent, and Magnus Banyon, the newly discovered brother of Eric. All three runaways, plus Eric and pals (who include Greystone the gargoyle), become entangled in a mess the size of New York City itself. Except for a few annoying references to the Buffyverse, the story romps quickly from beginning to end. (Aug.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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