The Phantom of Faerie Mountain

The Red King Triology Book 1

Young Adult - Fantasy - General
192 Pages
Reviewed on 10/18/2015
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Author Biography

Native to Minnesota, E M McIntyre immersed herself in the worlds of Xanth and Narnia as a child and dreamed of one day creating her own magical world for others to enjoy. After receiving a Master’s degree in Biology, E M decided the time was right to pursue her true passion of authorship. Her debut YA fantasy novel, The Phantom of Faerie Mountain, is the first of three in the Red King Trilogy. She is currently working on the second installment, The Secret of Berry Brae Circle. When not daydreaming of magic, mystery, and mischievous characters, E M enjoys gardening and spending time with her crazy pack of five Italian greyhounds.

    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

The Phantom Of Faerie Mountain is a young adult fantasy novel by E.M. McIntyre. Set initially in contemporary Scotland, the plot follows our fourteen-year-old heroine Abby Fletcher, who appears to be just an ordinary girl. Things take an incredible turn when she encounters a dog with peculiar powers, and then a prophecy is unveiled: “The Red King must set me free.” Abby finds herself thrown seven hundred years into the past, where she and Scottish hero Rory begin unravelling the mystery at hand. Expect action, riddles and occasional insertions from the mysterious Finlay as Abby’s modern attitude clashes with the time she’s trapped in.

I would recommend that this book is very much situated at the youngest end of the young adult spectrum, with no graphic content that would be unsuitable for its readership. It was wonderful to read a YA tale that didn’t center on a pointless love story, as E.M. McIntyre firmly gives Abby and Rory their own goals and motivations within the plot. The pace of The Phantom Of Faerie Mountain is speedy but vividly descriptive. I particularly enjoyed Rory’s dialect, which enhanced the medieval Scottish setting of most of the novel. The fantasy elements of the story were fascinating and well developed, and I feel that fans of YA fiction are bound to be swept up in the action and puzzlement of the tale. Overall, I’d definitely recommend The Phantom Of Faerie Mountain for readers looking for a non-romantic, action packed plot.

Jack Magnus

The Phantom of Faerie Mountain: The Red King Trilogy, Book 1 is a young adult fantasy written by E.M. McIntyre. Fourteen-year-old Abby is not at all happy with her family’s move back to Kinloch-Rannoch in the Scottish highlands. She misses her friends and life back in Nebraska, where she and her sister Sage grew up. Abby and Sage are driving back to their cottage late at night after dropping their father off at the train station. He’s on the track of yet another rare book for the bookstore he inherited from his grandfather. The nighttime fog, however, has made navigating the winding roads quite impossible, so Sage decides to pull the car over and wait out the weather. As Abby peers through the gloom and swirling fog, she notices a glowing green figure approaching the car. Looking over at her sister, she sees that Sage is unresponsive and seemingly in a trance like state. The glowing figure materializes into a huge, powerful dog that makes eye contact with her and approaches the car door, growling as he moves closer. In response to her whimpered plea comes a message that is transmitted right into her brain: ‘The Red King must set me free.’ Then the dog disappears into the mist. Sage’s utter disbelief that anything had actually happened enrages Abby, who thinks her mother would have believed her, and she’s determined to find out more about it.

E.M. McIntyre’s young adult fantasy, The Phantom of Faerie Mountain: The Red King Trilogy, Book 1, is an exciting and fast-paced time travel story that takes the reader back into 14th century Scotland during the reign of Robert the Bruce. This author has created a plot that blends Scottish mythology with fantasy in a well-crafted and meticulously researched coming of age story. Her characters are credible and engaging; I especially enjoyed the interactions between Abby and Rory, and Abby and Finlay, the dog. McIntyre’s working on a sequel to The Phantom of Faerie Mountain, entitled The Secret of Berry Brae Circle, and I’m looking forward to reading the further adventures of this intriguing trio of characters. The Phantom of Faerie Mountain is highly recommended.

Hilary Hawkes

The Phantom of Faerie Mountain by EM McIntyre is a wonderfully imaginative fantasy adventure for children and the first in a trilogy. The Caledonian mountains in Scotland are the setting for the story. Abby wants to find out the truth about a strange glowing dog creature that appears to her and gives her a puzzling message: “The Red King must set me free.” She uncovers a legend about missing maidens, faeries, and magical powers and is transported by Finlay the dog creature back in time to the 14th century. Here Abby meets Rory and the two set out on a quest to thwart an evil power, and free the abducted. In order to do so, they must interpret the strange message contained in an ancient scroll. Abby discovers that her part in all this is more significant than she could have ever imagined.

EM McIntyre’s story contains all the ingredients of an exciting mystery, adventure and fantasy story. The plot moves along at a good pace and there are plenty of moments of suspense as the story unfolds layer by layer. Readers will warm to the character of Abby with her inquisitive, brave and determined nature. Rory is believable too – his refusal to accept that he may be a descendant of a significant legendary person is understandable. I loved the idea of a magical dog character who has wonderful powers, but who is at the same time reliant on Abby’s ability to work things out for herself. I liked the way the author handled the fighting/battle scenes in the story with the right amount of humor and magic – just right for the target reader age. The message on the ancient scroll will get you guessing and rooting for the characters in their exciting mission to defeat the bad powers and set the good free.

Victoria Schwimley

I read this book some time ago. It's a fabulous read and the sequel is even better. Abby is a strong. brave girl, and her trek into another time shows just how brave and determined she is. Her compassion to help find the Red King is noble. A terrific read for any kid who likes adventure/fantasy stories.