No Man’s Land is a unique kind of fairy fantasy, pairing World War I alternate history with horror-tinged fae warriors and the impending doom of a forest intent on destroying human civilization. The main character is gritty and rough around the edges as he navigates early 20th century London and the panicked society that has sprung up amidst a threat few understand. It’s a winding road through multiple plot points, touching a handful of interesting characters and underlying secrets that are explosive when revealed. I loved the writing style and the unique take on the genre, and was always excited to see where the author took me next.

A Few of My Favorite Things  

A Glimpse at The Newish Human World

The first 20% of the books takes place preparing for a journey into the woods and it’s a look at this alternate version of history – what would happen to the world of a combatant Fae world suddenly revealed itself during the height of World War I? We don’t see the relief of an ended war but a renewed fear of an even worse unknown. The enemy isn’t across the channel but in every citizens backyard, threatening their very existence. It’s terrifying and we see how the world copes with this new reality. We get some of that wartime “you only live once” decision making but it goes beyond that into a deeper fear that the human world might one day disappear and there’s nothing they can do about it.

A Mysterious Forest World

The encroaching forest is supposed to be a terrifying unknown but I found it enchanting. I love a good ominous forest and Morgan’s descriptions are apt, panting the picture of ancient trees and unrestricted growths that create a different world only feet from the human world. It’s both beautiful and haunting to navigate and always adds a touch of mystery.

Scary Faeries

I loved the depiction of the Fae – they’re not these beautiful magical creatures who just want to play with the human world. These creatures want to destroy, steal and takeover the world. They don’t shimmer or enchant, but look more like vampire gargoyles (at least on my mind). It adds an unexpected horror element and highlights the high stakes of humanity winning this worldwide skirmish.