What an interesting take on the fantasy genre and quite a refreshing one. This is not typical Tolkien or fantasy at all. I would classify this as Urban Fantasy, with the emphasis heavily on Urban.
Most of the time fairies and their immortal folk are treated with honor and reverence as the pinnacle of some sort of evolution. The only book I've read so far about them as I think their nature would actually be is by Jim Butcher in his Dresden series: and that is their view on life, time, mortality, and immortality would be completely opposite from that of mortals. It was refreshing to read this book as it treated these immortal beings and their perspective like the Dresden series. This story is violent, blood drenched, vicious, brutal, sadistic, and very bloody, also it's all the better for it. Fairy folk are not to be trifled with and blood is a currency they constantly deal with and deal with in delight.
This is also a story that plays around with "the Chose One" scenario and does some very interesting things with it, ones I was pleasantly surprised about. The story revolves around two mortal boys who meet when they are young, that meeting forms the foundation of everything that follows later in the story when the boys get older. I'm not going to go into detail on everything as it was fun to watch the story unfold as I read it.
But I will drop some teases: there is a very powerful wizard but not in the vain of Gandalf or Harry Potter, more in the vein of the character from Neil Gaiman's Books of Magic, as this story plays around with magical themes ultimate power and ultimate knowledge and who those two things can shape a person. There is also a genie who grants some wishes to a boy, then the story follows the consequences of those wishes. There are all kinds of magical fairy creatures as Cargill introduces all manner of fairy folk with some crazy, wild ideas that just set my mind ablaze with the concepts.
Speaking of Neil Gaiman, this book is the book he's been trying to write for years but I don't think has. After reading some of Gaiman's books (his novels not his graphic novels because his style of writing seems to fit more with comics than it does with novels and his Sandman series is hands down one of the best series I've ever read) Cargill's writing style is very similar to Gaiman's but his storytelling abilities are a lot more focused. Gaiman's writing style for novels seems to be rather schizophrenic I've noticed. I think his mind seems more at home in comic medium, which is completely fine with me. Cargill has found the balance Gaiman has been looking for as his writing and pacing are great, making this book a good read and well worth your time.
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