"The young men who have once heard the fairy harp become possessed by the spirit of music which...gives them strange power over the souls of men. This was the case with Carolan, the celebrated bard. He acquired all the magic melody of his notes by sleeping out on a fairy rath at night, when fairy music came to him in his dreams; and on awaking he played the airs from memory. Thus it was that he had power to madden men to mirth, or to set them weeping as if for the dead, and no one ever before or since played the enchanting fairy music like Carolan, the sweet musician of Ireland."
Lady Wilde, Ancient Legends of Ireland, 1887
***
Jason plays guitar in a teenage garage band called the Assorted Zebras, but they have no fans and no gigs, and they're going nowhere. Even worse, Jason has a crush on the lead singer, but she already has a near-perfect boyfriend.
One night, Jason steals enchanted instruments from the fairy world. Suddenly (with a little help from YouTube) every kid in the Midwest is crazy about the Assorted Zebras.
The fairy instruments drive the crowds wild, but the new gear is brimming with dangerous and destructive magic. The band struggles to gain control of their instruments and avoid the supernatural bounty hunters sent by Queen Mab of Faerie to track them down, all while trying to finally land their first gig.
***
Fairy Blues, the second book in the Songs of Magic series, is now available!
This series is appropriate for all ages.
Some blogger reviews of Fairy Metal Thunder:
"Fairy Metal Thunder has the same feel that the movie Labyrinth has, this
wondrous fantasy world that you’re desperate to have at least a small
part of, even to the point of stealing." - Bending the Spine
"Even if I wasn’t a lover of all things Fae, Mr. Bryan would have still
captivated me with his dazzling tale of what can happen if you sneak
into the world of the Fae and leave with enchanted objects." - The Book Faery "I enjoyed the magical 'bad guys' as much as I did the main human
characters. I think this is a great start to what looks to be a really
rocking series." - Books and Things
"Everything about this book is so much fun to read! From J.L. Bryan's
vivid yet quick writing style, to the perfectly incorporated fairy lore,
to the enchanting plot, it all adds up to a book that you HAVE to read,
whether you're a fan of fairies of not!" - Mimi Valentine "Goblins, fairies, elves and some bad-ass unicorns (trust me; you want to find out what they do) and magical instruments - Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan is an entertaining, original read." - Misfit Salon
"You know that feeling you got when you took your first trip down Diagon
Alley with Harry and Hagrid? Well that was a little like how it felt to
see Faerie for the first time. There was so much going on, and all sorts
of new creatures to see and discover...the description of this new world was like an ultra-vivid,
H-D, 3-D experience for the mind." - Unabridged Andra "Overall, I found this to be a fun,
delightful first volume in a promising new series. I’m really looking
forward to reading the rest of the series and learning more about the
world of Faerie, seeing if a real romance between Jason and Erin ever
blossoms, and finding out just what the heck is up with Buddy
McSlawburger’s slaw." - Word Spelunking
“Fairies...live in green hill sides, more especially affecting the ancient tumuli. Any one straying near these on a fine summer's evening would probably hear delightful music; but he must take care, especially if he is a musician, not to linger lest he should be entrapped.”
-Arthur William Moore, The Folk-Lore of the Isle of Man, 1891
***
The sequel to Fairy Metal Thunder.
With their enchanted instruments charming the crowds, the Assorted Zebras attract interest from record producers, and soon they’re off to cut their first album and music video. Jason and his friends don’t know they’ve just become pawns in a sinister plot by a cabal of evil fairies...
Meanwhile, Aoide and her band pursue a new strategy for regaining their stolen instruments, one that will take them into the most haunted region in Faerie.
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