"King's Raven," the second of Maggie Secara's excellent Harper Errant series, is just as filled with historical detail and fantasy as its predecessor, "The Dragon Ring."In this case, musician and sometime TV host Ben Harper must help his friend Raven find John Dee's scrying mirror and a few other goodies in order to save not only the world of Faerie (where Oberon is dying) but also the modern world. Throw in an immortal female villain named Perdita, and one with quite a grudge, and you've got the elements of the tale.Visiting Tudor and Victorian London, as well as modern times, throughout the course of the tail, Secara takes her readers through 16th Century streets and the 19th Century Crystal Palace. We learn about science and industry of each period, all the while being entertained by a tale of fantasy, music and delight.Secara's work is rich with well-developed characters and historical information, all interwoven in plots that delight. Her work is most reminiscent of Charles de Lint, and highly enjoyable.
