Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms - Book 1 - The Fairy Godmother

While I enjoyed the Fairy Godmother as a light summer read, there were times when the story seemed unbalanced or hurried. The author seems to enjoy descriptive language, and she uses it well. I found it easy to picture the cottage in my mind, as well as Arachnia and the Elven royalty. The imagery employed is quite effective for me.
However, sometimes I feel that the story was hurried. For instance, there seems to be quite the jump from Elena's training to Madame Bella leaving. Sometimes it's a bit disconcerting between chapters to see such a gap in time. It can take you out of the story, and make you go back to make sure you didn't miss anything.
The author also occassionally leaves out a detail I was hoping would be explained later, which also contributes to the hurriedness and gives a sense of wanting more out of the book's ending. I particularly had hoped that there would be a better explanation of the Elven king's mark on Elena and Alexander. Just what did it do other than make his approval seen?
I did enjoy reading this fantasy and would recommend it to those looking for a cheerful read. I've always enjoyed fairy tales, and I'm glad that as an adult I don't have to give them up. To warn you, there are some sexual situations, which seem somewhat incongruous with the style of the rest of the book, though I've decided the situations are important for the story as a whole. At any rate, if you're an adult who isn't ready to give up fairy tales, then you may enjoy this book. It's fun to see the 'Godmothering' behind the scenes of the tales you remember as a child.

What happens when Elena, the Cinderella of her town, is unable to marry the prince, for he is too young? Why, become a "Fairy" Godmother, of course!

Elena, too old for the prince of her kingdom, tries to get away from the family home when her stepfamily leaves with everything of value in hopes to escape people wanting payment, except no one wants to hire her. That's because a Godmother has her eye on Elena and takes her in as an apprentice, and explains to her that The Tradition, the force behind all of the fairy tale stories, has built up around her, and now she can use the magic from The Tradition to help others. She can help guide the more tragic stories to happier ones, help the princes on their quest to find the princesses by testing them, and taking away the power of The Tradition from those that just want to live a normal life.

On one of her days to help questing princes, she meets Alexander, a prince so rude that she turns him into a donkey, and tells him that he must turn for the better before he stays human.

As always, Mercedes Lackey captivates the readers and holds them in her grasp till the end. With her more modern twist on fairy tales, and different views of how stories go, she has done one of her best on this story.

The Fairy Godmother (2004) is a modern fairy tale. In the five hundred kingdoms, the Tradition governs almost everything, generating magic to manipulate the lives of individuals onto well-trod paths. Some of the paths of Tradition are bright and promising, but others are dark and deadly.

Fairy Godmothers and Wizards try to shape the Tradition into more benevolent paths. They are assisted by white Witches and Hedge Wizards who dispense beneficial potions and minor magics. When black magicians cause chaos and corruption, the Godmothers and Wizards can call upon white Sorcerers and Sorceresses to fight the evil ones.

In this novel, Elena Cinders is treated worse than the servants by her step-mother and step-sisters. She does all the mean and nasty chores while Madame, Daphne, and Delphinium mingle with the upper crust of Otraria. She only has two blouses and two skirts to wear and she herself had to carve her shoes out of wood. She used to sleep on the kitchen floor before the hearth, but was allowed to move to a garret room when the former occupant, one of the maidservants, refused to remain in that dark space.

Obviously this story is a retelling of Cinderella. But Elena is nineteen and the local prince is only eleven years old! Moreover, Madame and the horrid sisters pack everything readily portable and move out of town, leaving Elena behind! What is going on here?

Elena learns that she is one of those people whose destiny has been frustrated by inauspicious circumstances. The Tradition has generated more and more magic to force her on the proper path, but the appropriate elements are just not there. Now she has an enormous store of magic with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

Madame Bella is the local Fairy Godmother and has been keeping an eye on Elena for some time. Now she offers to train Elena as a Fairy Godmother or, if she chooses otherwise, to at least drain off the surplus magic. Elena decides to become an apprentice to the Fairy Godmother and off they go to Madame Bella's magic cottage in the woods.

This story draws upon all the fairy tales that we have learned as children to create the Tradition, a powerful if nonpersonal force in the lives of these characters. While the Fairy Godmothers were initially all Fair Folks, the demand was so great that now most are really humans. Even so, every Godmother is responsible for several kingdoms and is backup for others. Moreover, good apprentices are hard to find, so Elena finds herself welcomed warmly into the fellowship.

Since evil magicians target the Fairy Godmothers first whenever they try to take over a kingdom, the Godmothers usually pose as common witches, dispensing potions, minor magic and good advice among the common folk. Since Elena already knows how to distill essences and prepare ointments, Madame Bella concentrates upon teaching her the use of magic.

Madame Bella and Elena are served -- voluntarily -- by four house elves who take care of the house and grounds. The extra help is necessary since the cottage is much bigger on the inside than it appears from the outside. There are also gardens and orchards to weed and harvest on the property as well as an elderly donkey to tend.

This story is mostly about the hopes and fears of Elena as well as her uncommon sense and growing maturity. However, there are also moments of action and terror and of romance and fulfillment. Overall, this tale is a satisfying, if unconventional, read.

Highly recommended for Lackey fans and for anyone who enjoys tales of brave and practical young ladies facing an uncertain future.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Excellent blend of fantasy and romance. Glad a romance publishing company finally got wise and got a fantasy writer to write a fantasy romance for them.

(I don't know where that earlier person heard the line would be fantasy with light romance. I knew, with a major romance publisher putting out the line, and all the publicity I saw promoted it as romance novels with solid fantasy,and science-fiction plots.)

The line is obviously targeted at readers like me who enjoy all those genres and had been looking for good blends from the romance side of the aisle of the genre instead of bad futuristic romances (exceptions being Susan Grant's "Contact" and Jane Anne Krentz's "Sweet Starfire") promising but weak fantasy/romance blends, and vampire romances with ultra boring Alpha male types (Types like Angel of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's in sci-fi/horror series that sexier, less tradtional macho vampires show up like Lackey's own Andre and Hamilton's Jean-Claude, or Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I would love if the Luna line did a vampire romance story with the a more interesting Spike-like vampire)

I actually wish the story had been a bit sexier, the one love scene was very tame for a romance novel. At least let the scene continue through the end of the lovemaking. This brings to mind the criticism by the reviewer that mistakenly thought the line was fantasy with light romance. The attempts by sci-fi writers (Lackey and Hamilton as obvious exceptions) to incorporate romance into their sci-fi/fantasy stories are as unsatisfying to a reader of all genres as the bad futuristic romances. They are dull with no sense of attraction between the characters, their romance writing is a bad as the romance writer's science fiction or fantasy.

If the other books in the Luna line are as good as Fairy Godmother I can happily say- finally a line for readers like me!

Elena Klovis is a servant to her stepmother and her two stepsisters. Her life is passing her by and she is unhappy with her predicament. Debt ridden the stepmother and 2 stepsisters decides to flee the home. Left alone, Elena decides that she would try to seek employment and be a paid servant. As fate would have it no-one dared employ Elena for fear of the wrath of the stepmother should she find out.

Along comes one fairy godmother called Bella who hires Elena not as servant. Nor is she about to find a handsome prince for her to marry. Bella decides to hire Elena to be her trainee apprentice fairy godmother. Elena can't believe her luck as she is soon weaving her own magic to help along the fairy tales that are supposed to take place in her kingdom.

Little did she know that she would weave her own fairy tale by meeting Alexander, the second son to a neighbouring king. Elena is to teach Alexander to be a chivalrous knight in shining armour for he failed her initial test of being a kind and courteous prince. To punish him, Elena turns him into a donkey so that he can earn his keep and learn to be a kinder person. The catch comes when Alexander must become man on the seventh day of each week. Elena finds herself dreaming about a handsome prince and finds herself falling for the kinder Alexander.

I found this book rather slow going. I'm a romance reader and was expecting more romance in this book. The relationship between Elena and Alexander just didn't seem real to me. It took half the book before Alexander was introduced to the story. However, fantasy fans may enjoy the book more than I did as Ms Lackey has created a complex and sometimes Harry Potterish world of magical fantasies.

Lea Ling Tsang

The powerful force of tradition intended Elena to be a Cinderella, except that her prince was only eleven when Elena turned twenty-one. When her evil stepmother decides to try other lands for fortune, Elena is abandoned and forced to come up with a future of her own. She decides to become a servant--and at least get paid for working for others. Instead, a Fairy Godmother takes her on as an apprentice. The magical potential that has built up in her through the frustrated tradition gives her huge magical powers. Which she'll need, because tradition forces the inhabitants of her kingdoms into preset ways--some of which are positive and nice, but others of which are quite dark and evil. Elena, even aided by brownies and unicorns, has a lot to do.
When Prince Alexander behaves rudely to what he thinks is an old woman but is really Elena in test mode, she turns him into a donkey and brings him home to reform him. Which is fine as long as Alexander stays a donkey, but when he turns back into a man, attraction sizzles, which is a problem. Tradition doesn't hold with Fairy Godmothers having lovers, at least not lovers who don't betray them. And Elena is determined not to follow that tradition.
Author Mercedes Lackey melds together a number of fairy tale traditions to create a compelling story of fairie, magic, and romance. Elena is a strong character, who, as her brownies point out, would be wasted in the largely decorative role of princess. Alexander starts out something of a jerk, but manages to redeem himself through hard work and serious thought. A strong action sequence closes out the story answering readers who wonder whether Elena and Alexander will be able to create a new tradition where they can explore the strong attraction between them.
Mercedes Lackey's strong writing engages the reader emotionally and makes THE FAIRY GODMOTHER a compelling read. This is the launch novel in a new fantasy imprint--LUNA. LUNA will concentrate on female-driven fantasy. THE FAIRY GODMOTHER augers well for the new line.

This is a very interesting fantasy story in a world where the tradition (fairy tales) is what keeps the world moving. In reading it, I did not realize it was a romance. Although there is a romance in the novel, Lackey almost always includes romances in her stories, and usually they are a lot more interesting. Elena herself (the protagonist) has the same characteristics as many of Lackey?s previous female heroines, although she is more two dimensional than usual for Lackey.
What is interesting about this story is her concept of fairy tales powering the magic of a world and the powers of the people inside it. The secondary characters also held my interest well; I particularly liked the brownies that inhabit Elena?s house. This novel is better than I have come to expect from Lackey recently (e.g. Take a Thief, Joust), but not as good as her earlier work (e.g. By the Sword, Jinx High). In short, a fun way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday, but nothing I will need to re-read.

I picked Fairy Godmother up at the library not quite sure what to expect. I've read all of Lackey's Valdemar books, but very little of her other work. Once I started it, however, it was hard to put down.
Lackey takes the fairy tale and turns it on its ear. Yes, some of the conceits may be trite, some of the plot turns a bit forced, and some of the characters drawn with broad strokes, but isn't that the nature of the fairy tale genre to begin with? I found the concept of "the Tradition" intriguing, and the unicorns had me giggling. On the other hand, the Brownies tended to be annoyingly smug--protective, but smug.
What kept me from giving this book five stars was that in a handful of places Lackey did not provide enough detail--even in keeping with the "broad strokes" of the genre. Sometimes those details are necessary for consistency in the storytelling.
All in all, Fairy Godmother is a lighthearted romp through the fairy tales that makes for a good summer or vacation read.

Although I've heard much about Mercedes Lackey, I never bothered to read any of her works until now and I must admit "Why did I wait so long"? Ms. Lackey drew me into this magnificent story of the "The Fairy Godmother: A Tale of the Five Hundred" bit-by-bit and never released her hold on me until the very last page. This novel was awesome!!!

My idea of what I thought a Fairy Godmother's life was that it was an easy one, just granting wishes and nothing more, but Ms. Lackey has opened the door to the day-to-day living of the Fairy Godmother of Elena Klovis who should have had the life of Cinderella but didn't and became a Fairy Godmother instead.

It would appear that a Fairy Godmother's life is not an easy one as we learn in Elena's journey into a life she's never suspected but is definitely up to challenge until she meets a man Prince Alexander who must be taught a lesson but it's soon Elena who faces a challenge herself and the lessons she must learn which prove to be a worthy one.

I simply loved this novel detailing the powers of good and bad magic. I especially loved what happened to wicked stepmother and her daughters and am still chuckling over those scenes.

"The Fairy Godmother: A Tale of the Five Hundred" may have been my first introduction into the works of Mercedes Lackey but will certainly not be my last. Good job Ms. Lackey.

I think this is a very interesting direction for Lackey. She does quite a bit of experimentation in what she writes, and I liked the result of this branching out a lot. "The Tradition" which forces fairy tales to happen is an antagonist which can't really be defeated, but it can be harnessed.

This series is fairly lightweight in terms of sex and the like, but it's not really a YA series. I enjoyed how well laid out the learning about the 500 Kingdoms was interlaced with the story about Elena. This definitely has the feel of an intro book into a series which still has a satisfying conclusion since each subsequent book is pretty much self-contained.

This book may not really break much new ground in terms of concepts, but it's a genuinely fun read between fantasy epics and other faster paced paranormal romances.

After the death of her father Elena lives under the tyrannical rule of her step-mother and greedy, spoiled stepsisters. A Cinderella-esque beginning, but, at the age of 21, Elena has given up yearning for her prince charming (or the farmer's son, or, really, anyone) to come and sweep her off her feet and away from "The Horrids". Then, a Fairy Godmother offers Elena a chance for a new life.
In a land where fairy tales are shaped into being by the mysterious Tradition, an overwhelming force that steers suitable characters into sometimes not-so-happily-ever-after tales, Elena chooses to use the Tradition to her advantage to create her own ending.
Lackey brings fairy tale classics to a new level with this book (and the rest of the Five Hundred Kingdoms series). I love this incorporation of the stories I heard as a child. I also love the explanation of how the magical world of damsels in distress, princes, Godmothers, evil sorceresses, curses, and happily-ever-afters is pushed along by the Tradition. One of my favorite books and one I love to reread.

The premise? Cinderella becomes the fairy godmother... the concept certainly presents an intriguing twist to anyone who delights in mixed-up fairy tales. The book appeared to be poised to become a classic in the line of fairy-tale adaptations, and to be quite honest, for the first hundred pages or so, I was personally ready to stand and applaud at such a novel way of presenting the Cinderella story.
And yet, by the time I had reached mid-point, I began to wonder exactly when the actual plot would appear, and if anything significant was going to happen. Certainly, there were writing flaws and lengthy lags in the action, but because there was such potential in the way Lackey had changed the traditional story, I was determined to read on. I now freely admit my mistake. The digression into sex scenes was awkwardly placed into the framework of the story, and did not serve to enhance the plotline in any way... it seemed merely like gratuitious sex just for the sake of including it in the story. I was both disappointed and offended, as the rest of the book was not written in this style or in such a direction. From that point on, the rest of the story seemed thrown together.
I will not spoil the ending for those of you who do choose to read the book, but I give you fair warning that the final pages are written in a jerky, inconsistent pattern that find almost no connections to the earlier elements of the story... and isn't that what an ending is supposed to be about? I regret not having placed the book down before the last hundred pages - then I would have at least walked away from it with a sense of wonder and curiousity at what could have happened. Instead, I am left with bitter disappointment and disgust at what was done with a premise of such potential.

Ever since I read Enchantment by Orson Scott Card, I've been on the lookout for other fairy tales told with a twist to them. And Mercedes Lackey definitely exceeded my expectations in this book.

First of all, I've had the pleasure of enjoying some of Lackey's other books, and it is a pleasant surprise to see the vastly different writing styles between her epic fantasy series and... well, this. Although, it is a change that is well-suited to this genre.

Going into it from just the synopsis, I was expecting more of a "challenge a day" type story, which is not the case here. Perhaps I should have expected it, but the story is more of a romantic story than an empowered woman story. (Get it? Romantic? *Slaps a knee*)

Although an entertaining story, character development was a bit undermined. There are static characters throughout the novel. Those who have changed can usually attribute their miraculous improvement to magic.

Still, an interesting and thought provoking novel that poses the questions, what if there are such things as destiny and fate? Is any decision that we make of our free will, or is there a higher power prodding us along?

Mercedes Lackey has done a nice job of creating a fairly believable heroine in Elena Klovis. She is not only a beautiful, intelligent, dedicated and compassionate young woman who can think outside the box, she actually has (gasp) HORMONES! The conflict that Elena has to deal with between what her physical body and 'The Tradition' want, and what her mind and training tell her is something that most of us non-story-book women experience. It is good to see this realistically acknowledged, even in parable.
Ms Lackey has a habit of placing sly allusions to some of the Great Authors in her works (i.e in "Serpent's Shadow", Lord Peter Wimsey (the brainchild of Dorothy L. Sayers) makes a thinly veiled appearance). In this novel I caught nods to Terry Pratchett, (Mort, possibly, at the Mop Fair?) C.S. Lewis (Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve), Robert Heinlein (Cats who Walk through Walls), and possibly J.K. Rowling (robed and hooded fae beneath whose cowls you do NOT want to look). There are probably many more I did not catch, due to the fact I just haven?t read the proper literature. There is a catch here... you want to read more of The Greats, just to see how many more hidden references you can find.
Nicely sneaky, methinks, Ms Lackey...well done!
I did find the ?see yourself as others see you? literary device as the Redemption Ploy for the truly asinine prince a bit of a deus ex machina. Also,the blow-by-blow (no pun intended here)seduction scene was a bit too detailed (mayhap a tribute to Jean Auel?s Ayla and Jondalar?), but I think this was a matter of personal preference. Her bleakly realistic admittance that some people have tragic endings through no fault of their own, and that sometimes the best that even a powerful Fairy Godparent can do is make a situation ?not as bad as it could have been? balances and adds a very thoughtful and believable slant to a tale which could have been way too much like cotton candy... all pink fluff, sweetness and air but nothing to it and leaving you feeling faintly ill afterwards. Ms. Lackey has avoided THAT ?Tradition? beautifully.

Mercedes Lackey writes an enjoyable, if not unforgettable story in "The Fairy Godmother". This story is about Elena Klovis, a girl who was destined to be a Cinderella in her kingdom. However, a twist of fate lands her with a job as a fairy godmother to her kingdom. From then on, countless adventures come her way, along with a spoiled, rude, arrogant prince who she is determined to change for the better.

To me, Elena wasn't a particularly special heroine. She just didn't seem that interesting even though she was a fairy godmother. However, I thought this story was still quite enjoyable. It is a book that you would read on a long lazy day when you have nothing else to do. If you are looking for a special, interesting book, try another before you read this one.

'The Fairy Godmother' is a fresh, tongue in cheek look at happily ever after and all the things that have to happen in order for it to be achieved. I love the power that Tradition is given and the sleeves rolled up, down to earth approach that "The Godmother" takes in making sure that it is upheld. This book will appeal not only to fantasy/fairy tale enthusiasts but to romance readers as well. **Quick not-so-spoiler: if you're looking for a lusty, sex peppered book...this ain't it. If you're looking for a cracking good read with an innovative plot, well fleshed characters and one that will make you laugh out loud in appreciative irony then this is the book for you. I cannot praise it highly enough!!

Elena Klovis lives in one of the 500 Kingdoms with her stepmother and two stepsisters. According to 'The Tradition' she is fated to marry a Prince. Unfortunately, there is a prince shortage and it hasn't happened.

Mercedes Lackey has devised a land of magic where fairy tales form the basis of precedent in the lives of the people and the magic of the place tries to enforce the previously developed story-lines when circumstances fit.

Unfortunately, 'The Tradition' doesn't care if the tale it is following results in a happy ending or a tragedy. The inhabitants of the 500 kingdoms who know about 'The Tradition' are of a different mind and some of these attempt to steer 'The Tradition' away from tragedy into new areas.

Elena Klovis never becomes the Cinderella who marries a prince, which is all to the good, because Cinderella is essentially a passive role where a young, deserving girl is carried along by circumstances and our Elena is better suited to a more active existence.

If you buy this book, you find out where fairy godmothers originated and how they are perpetuated. You also get an insight into the daily life and concerns of the people living in this fairytale environment.

Subverting 'The Tradition' to improve life in the 500 Kingdoms is an art in itself and Mercedes Lackey has a story that enables her to retell classic fairy-tales that we've all heard with new endings and more background information,

I highly recommend this fantasy to people who like happy endings.

It's important to note at the beginning that this fantasy fairy-tale book involves some pretty graphic details involving various types of sexual activity. This isn't meant to be a book for tykes - it is most definitely a mature title.

Cinderella - or Elena - has been waiting around for her prince to rescue her for 21 years. When she turned 16 she thought this would be the year. She thought the same thing when she turned 18. By the time she turned 21, she had given up. Her stepmother and two annoying stepsisters were really getting on her nerves. She decided to take matters into her own hands, take a job as a maid, and get out of the house.

The person who hires her is a Fairy Godmother, who wants Elena to be her apprentice. It turns out that Fairy Godmothers are "guiders" - they help to steer the strong powers of tradition. This is a pretty common theme in many books - that natural forces tend to guide a person into a role based on the traditions of the culture. So, for example, a teen guy who is good looking and good at football tends to become the 'town hero', because everybody expects him to be and act that way. In the same way, Elena always dreamed about being rescued - by a prince of course - because that's what fairy tales had taught her to expect in her situation.

In no time at all, Elena is the new Fairy Godmother for the towns around her, helping to keep people happy. Then comes a quest where 3 brothers are trying to rescue a damsel in distress. The youngest brother is of course the sweet, kind one who she helps - but it's the second brother, a jerk, that she takes home in the form of a donkey. In only a few weeks he goes from total jerk to complete wonderful man, is her champion and of course they save the world.

I fully accept that romance stories tend to be "shallow" and that fairy tales favor simple endings. However, this being an adult fairy tale, I was really hoping for more complexity. Elena doesn't seem a rounded person at all. In fact in many cases she seems quite shallow herself, between her sniping about "fat women" and "small breasted women". At least you can believe that she would step into the role she does. However, with Alexander, it's rather unbelievable the changes he goes through. First he's trying to rape her, then POOF he is a prince charming.

Also, there were several political commentaries that seemed completely out of place. They'd be talking about evil wizards taking over a kingdom and suddenly there'd be several paragraphs that seemed expressly targeted at current US political situations. It wasn't subtle at all - it was quite out of place and glaring.

I did enjoy some of the wit, but since I never really loved either of the two main characters, it made it hard for me to care about what was happening to them. I thought the environment and concept were brilliant ones, and maybe that was why it was so disappointing to have it not follow through well.

That's the premise that the author starts with and carries it to a new conclusion. Mercedes Lackey takes us behind the scenes of fairy tales and gives a brand new slant to them. She has gone in for romance with a big twist of fantasy. The heroine was to be Cinderella but her prince never came. For that matter, neither did her Fairy Godmother. Instead, Elena (or Cinderella) has to find her own future and ends up becoming a Fairy Godmother. She, of course, does meet a prince charming who isn't so charming and turns him into a jackass. The plot twists and turns and adventures keep you smiling throughout the book. And,as Elena finds, being a fairy Godmother is very hard work. But, in the end, she finds true love and romance in addition to fighting an evil wizard. A new approach for Mercedes Lackey that keeps you mesmerized. And for all you fantasy readers, this one is a definite keeper for your bookshelf.

The premise is a very interesting occult world view: the forces of the world like to follow set patterns of archetypes or mythic structures. These patterns Lackey calls the "Tradition." Certain people are born with an ability for magic, and the forces are attracted to such people and work to orient them so that their lives follow one or the other of these set mythic patterns. The Godmother of the story keeps an eye on the people in her domain of responsibility because some of these mythic structures or patterns are innately tragic. She Works to reorient the circumstances and forces around the people affected so that since they are to live out a mythic tale, she ensures they live a happy mythic pattern rather than a tragic one. The protagonist, the Godmother, can "see" the forces of magic around people and things as well as the approach of forces of magic. It is good to find a book that has such a truly different world view than the usual "Good versus Evil" ideologies of so much fiction. There is a philosophical movement that asks us to consider our lives as mythologies, and Lackey weaves this idea into a good yarn. ---Cynthia Joyce Clay, author of Zollocco: A Novel of Another Universe

Thank you to Mercedes Lackey for publishing this neat take on a fantasy world.

I had a good time. I'll admit that I'm a fan of realism in my novels, and this can get mixed up in my head sometimes.

For now, I will enjoy my fantastic romance novels.

DNF. It's a really intriguing concept and the blurb really roped me in but I wasn't taken by the writing at all. It was very slow-going and after maybe 50 pages I started to procrastinate reading. I didn't even give this one to my unwritten rule of the halfway mark before abandoning. Why? Because it was close to 500 pages, making the halfway mark pretty much an entire book unto itself. So I left the ship at 100 pages and I felt it was a slog just to get to there.

I liked the world it was building and the characters in it. Elena was a great character and I really felt for her when she was abandoned and the strength she held in the face of all of that. I liked how the fairy godmother concept was twisted and instead of getting the prince, Elena gets the wand. It's all really neat.

But from the beginning I had a feeling it was going to be hard to get through just from the writing style. And I was right. It just wasn't for me. I don't have the patience to slog through something so slow moving. If you do, then by all means I'd recommend it. I liked what I read so far but not enough to keep it up. It would have taken me a month to finish it and I just don't have that kind of time. Not with how large my TBR pile is. Maybe I'll try picking it up again in the future.

Just know it's very long and very slow but if you stick it out, I think it'll end up being a great world and a great story. I just didn't have the patience to wait around and find out.

I loved this story because it mentions many of the fairy tales that have been lost to kids as they are have not been covered (or corrupted) by Disney. I enjoyed the invention of the Tradition to explain the reason why the wife in Rapunzel gets addicted to the plants in the evil witches garden and why in the world does the witch want the child in exchange. Or why would a king place his daughter on top of a glass mountain as a challange to her suitors and why people in fairy tales fall in love on first sight. I wasn't as keen on the 2nd book in the series but I did love the rest of them.

Mercedes Lackey is one of my favorite authors and does a magnificently creative job of reinventing traditional (no pun intended) fairy tales and legends. This book, like her Elemental Masters series, is no exception. The Cinderella story gets an engaging twist when Elena becomes the new Fairy Godmother. My only complaint is that Ms. Lackey seems to be following the recent trend of throwing (in my opinion) gratuitous sex into a story. Did the dream sequences with Elena and Alexander, not to mention the actual face-to-face love scene, HAVE to give us a play-by-play of eroticism? She has written satisfying love/sex scenes before (for example, in the Heralds series) without going into minute detail about who was doing what and how. If it were not for these passages in this book, I would give this one the full five stars and recommend it to several young teenage girls I know. Unfortunately, the sex makes it inappropriate for the early-teen group, when otherwise it would be a delightful story for them to read.

The Fairy Godmother, the first Five Hundred Kingdoms fantasy novel, by Mercedes Lackey does not disappoint. I will be reading every single book in the series. The great thing about is this series is that the books stand alone; you can read them out of order and you don't really miss integral plot points. This first one explains how all the fairy godmothers in the kingdoms are selected and trained. There's romance and intrigue and everything a great fantasy novel should have. I recommend it for a good escape. Better yet, it sets gender stereotypes on their head and gives feminine power more oomph!

Fun and engaging rewrite of fairy tales focusing on a "Cinderella" heroine.
Would be okay for older teens; there are depictions of lust, arousal, casual sex, and coerced sex between royals and their servants. No explicit sex scenes and little foul language.

Elena Klovis was born to be a Cinderella. She had the hard labor, and the wicked stepmother and stepsisters. Problem was, the prince in her kingdom was only eleven; no happily-ever-after there. So, at eighteen, she becomes a fairy godmother's apprentice, bending the very force of stories (otherwise known as The Tradition). The Tradition wants each person in a path worn smooth by repetition--whether the end of that story is happy or not. Elena diverts cursed christenings into minor inconveniences, and Ladderlocks into the princess with her pea. But when The Tradition finds a prince for her to marry, she must face its full force--first, to resist its will, and then, to carve a new Tradition of her own.

A fun, sexy fantasy--especially for those who know these stories by heart.

First in the Five Hundred Kingdoms series.

Great story about an alternate interpretation of fairy tales. Mildly predictable, but then again, it's about fairy tales, and those are usually totally predictable.

Story is a tad slow in the middle, but other than that a very good read. Had me interested from the first page or two.

Mercedes Lackey picks a great premise for this tale of a fairy godmother. My chief complaint is that not enough time is devoted to the details of the premise. The concept is so intriguing that i feel it warrants more attention and could hold a reader's interest.

The romance segment of the novel is not an unwelcome feature and certainly plays directly into the theme, but is given too much attention. It seems the whole first half of the book is written to explain the mechanics of the romance.

All in all, this is definitely a good read but not one that I couldn't put down.

First of all, the Fairy Godmother had a good, well-developed storyline, one which could have been quite enjoyable. That is, if the characters themselves weren't so very bland. I did not like the main character. At all. She had the potential to be an interesting character, but that potential never developed into anything more substantial. She seemed like a character developed mainly to pander to the general audience. Hers was a Cinderella-type background which changed for the better when a Fairy Godmother decided to take her on as an apprentice. She is strong-willed, smart and capable. However, she was boring. After I reached the 200 page mark, I was beginning to tap my feet impatiently, waiting for her to develop some sort of depth, waiting for her to make me take an interest in her. It never happened.

While I am quite the fan of Mercedes Lackey's work, I have to say that I found this book one of her worst. The two stars I gave are for the potential of the book. The other stars were taken away for my occasional onset of boredom and for lack of attachment to any of the characters (a pivotal factor in my books).

Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical about my book choice from the front cover but I found myself looking forward to my next chance to read it once I got a few pages in. This was my first Mercedes Lackey book and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. It's not your typical "tale as old as time" fairy tale. In fact, it marries traditional fairy tales with new, fresh ideas. I really liked the concept and characters. I found it a very easy book to read and quite enjoyed it. I look forward to more adventures within this realm.

Have you ever wondered where a Fairy Godmother came from? How they always managed to show up just in time to save the day? With this fantastic book Mercedes Lackey has taken me back to the delight of reading her early books, such as Oathbound or Oathbreaker.
Elena Klovis should have married a prince and lived happily ever after. With the all powerful force of ?Tradition? pushing her towards?.something, she has passed her mystical 16th and 18th birthday and still no prince. At the end of her rope and ready to make life as a maid her own Fairy Godmother shows. Not to turn pumpkins into coaches or mice into men but with a proposition. Elena herself would be a Godmother and help others who Tradition had muddled with.
With humor and an excellent story Mercedes Lackey has written a romance I can enjoy and place with honor amongst the favorites of my books.

I have read several of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books and while I don't think that this one was quite as good as those, I did find it very entertaining. It kind of reminded me of a romance novel set in a fantasy world. The story is unique and interesting and I thought that the character development was very good. It's not my new favorite but it's definitely worth a read if you like this kind of thing.

When I spotted this book at my local bookstore, I immediately grabbed it, as I do with all Mercedes Lackey's books. I found the story delightful, but much lighter than is Ms. Lackey's usual wont. It reads very much like a fairy tale, but one with a decided sense of humor, far less serious than her other fairy tales (i.e. Fire Rose, Black Swan, etc.) perhaps because this is not based on any particular tale, but rather references several. I also found the idea of where fairy godmothers came from rather fun, as well as the concept of fighting Tradition (or forcing it to fit YOUR desires) even better. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a light read.

Not always a fan of Cinderella stories - and not always a fan of Mercedes Lackey - I picked this one up while I was at the library looking for a book that someone had just checked out. I was pretty uncertain about the whole thing, but figured I'd give it a try...
I really enjoyed it, and felt that there were few major problems with the storyline or the writing. Perhaps my favourite part was the donkey - who can resist a long-eared prince?
The Fairy Godmother is definitely a fun story, but don't pick it up if you're expecting something fantastical and earth-moving. =)

I have long been enamored of fractured fairy tales and also like fantasy mixed with humor (a' la Harry Potter). Lackey's Fairy Godmother has both those elements and I found it thoroughly enjoyable. I have also read two other books in this series, The Good Knight and her latest in this series, The Beauty and the Werewolf, and plan to read the others when time permits.

Not always a fan of Cinderella stories - and not always a fan of Mercedes Lackey - I picked this one up while I was at the library looking for a book that someone had just checked out. I was pretty uncertain about the whole thing, but figured I'd give it a try...
I really enjoyed it, and felt that there were few major problems with the storyline or the writing. Perhaps my favourite part was the donkey - who can resist a long-eared prince?
The Fairy Godmother is definitely a fun story, but don't pick it up if you're expecting something fantastical and earth-moving. =)

I have long been enamored of fractured fairy tales and also like fantasy mixed with humor (a' la Harry Potter). Lackey's Fairy Godmother has both those elements and I found it thoroughly enjoyable. I have also read two other books in this series, The Good Knight and her latest in this series, The Beauty and the Werewolf, and plan to read the others when time permits.

The Fairy Godmother (Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Book 1) If you enjoy fairy tales, no matter your age, you will enjoy this series of books by Mercedes Lackey. She is a wonderful writer who can step out of the genre that with which most are familiar (Herald Mages of Valdemar). This book has its suspenseful moments and its funny moments. It takes our childhood fairy tales and makes it an adult read. I enjoyed it and the others written in this series. I recommend it highly.

Mercedes Lackey is one of my favorite authors, and I like fairy tales, so when I saw this book I thought I would give it a try. However, the plot really wasn't very interesting, and I thought the "romantic" scenes were a little too much. Also, I thought she went a little overboard with the 'Tradition' and all the references to other fairy tales. I found myself getting bored while reading this, and almost didn't finish it. Thats not to say that she is not a great author, (for new Lackey readers, try Take a Thief, or Brightly Burning, I really enjoyed those, or the Elemental Masters series...) but seasoned Lackey fans may be as disappointed with this book as I was.

Stupid ratings system for books i already own just so I can get recommendations for books. And it has to be soooo many words before it will let you post. Just need to be able to go in and mark own it and rate.

I eagerly bought this book expecting something of the calibre of Joust, the only other Mercedes Lackey story I've read so far. Joust was well-written and thoroughly enjoyable. Reading this book, though, has been torture. To begin, grammatical errors abound throughout the book, taking a lot away from the experience. The plotline is marginally interesting, and I admit I was intrigued at the idea of someone becoming a Fairy Godmother's apprentice, and then learning the trade, and how she would interact with the Tradition. Unfortunately, the main character, Elena, has NO flaws and embodies every loathesome characteristic of the very worst romance novels, to the point where Elena verges on a Mary Sue.

Elena is seemingly emotionally sound despite her 21-year Cinderella beginnings. Throughout at least the first two thirds of the book, when she's not reassurring herself that she's put her horrid past behind her (How DO you get rid of 21 years' oppression in a few days?), she's moping about for a man. My personal favorite part came when the arrogant, abrasive male love interest attempted to rape Elena (grabbing, kissing and groping her while telling himself that he was seducing her), and as a result she started having erotic dreams about him and wondered if they could defy Tradition to fall in love.

I read this book expecting a well-written, intriguing plot, and instead could barely bring myself to finish this horrible travesty. I'm ashamed that I spent money on a story that reads like a thirteen-year-old's first attempt at self-inserted fanfiction. I was looking forward to exploring Mercedes Lackey's other acclaimed series, but this book put me off completely.