The Merry Gentry series is a series of

urban fantasy Urban fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy, placing supernatural elements in a contemporary urban area, urban-affected setting. The combination provides the writer with a platform for classic fantasy tropes, quixotic plot-elements, and unusual charac ...

novels by ''New York Times'' bestselling author

Laurell K. Hamilton Laurell Kaye Hamilton (born February 19, 1963) is an American fantasy and romance writer, who is best known as the author of two series of stories. Her ''New York Times''-bestselling '' Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter'' series centers on Anita Bla ...

. The series is narrated in first person format through the eyes of the series' title character Meredith "Merry" Gentry, a

faerie Fairyland (Early Modern English: ''Faerie''; (Scottish mythology; cf. (Norse mythology)) in English and Scottish folklore is the fabulous land or abode of fairies or ''fays''. Old French (Early Modern English ) referred to an illusion or enchan ...

princess Princess is a title used by a female member of a regnant monarch's family or by a female ruler of a principality. The male equivalent is a prince (from Latin '' princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for ...

turned

private investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI; also known as a private detective, an inquiry agent or informally a wikt:private eye, private eye) is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. ...

in a world where faeries exist and are known to the general public. The first book in the series, ''

A Kiss of Shadows ''A Kiss of Shadows'' is an erotic horror novel by American writer Laurell K. Hamilton, the first book in the Merry Gentry series. Plot introduction A faerie princess turned private investigator in a world where faeries are not only known to ...

'', was released by Del Rey on October 3, 2000. There are nine books in the series. In an interview with ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' magazine, Hamilton said that she saw the

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...

, Merry Gentry, as a way of exploring a character who "is totally comfortable with their sexuality" as opposed to the character of

Anita Blake Anita Blake is the title and viewpoint character of the '' Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter'' series by Laurell K. Hamilton. The series takes place in a parallel world in which supernatural characters like vampires and werewolves exist alongside reg ...

in her Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series.

Synopsis

The series follows Princess Meredith NicEssus aka "Merry Gentry", a faerie princess that is forced to flee the court of her aunt Andais, the Queen of Air and Darkness and of the

Unseelie Seelie is a term for fairies in Scottish folklore, appearing in the form of seely wights or The Seelie Court. The Northern and Middle English word (also , , ), and the Scots form , mean "happy", "lucky" or "blessed." Despite their name, the seel ...

fae. The first novel takes place after Merry has spent several years outside of her aunt's court out of fear of death via court sanctioned duels. Merry is soon brought back to the Unseelie Court and given the option to take her aunt's throne, but only if she can procreate before her sadistic cousin

Cel A cel, short for '' celluloid'', is a transparent sheet on which objects are drawn or painted for traditional, hand-drawn animation. Actual celluloid (consisting of cellulose nitrate and camphor) was used during the first half of the 20th cent ...

can. She is allowed to take several of Andais's court guards with her and through the course of the series gains more lovers that are drawn to her side through love, friendship, power, promises for protection, and/or bargains struck with other magical creatures. Merry eventually gets involved in a series of secrets and court intrigues as she discovers that both of the rulers of the Seelie and Unseelie courts are potentially infertile, something that has the potential to keep both the followers in each court from producing new fae children. At the end of ''

Divine Misdemeanors ''Divine Misdemeanors'' (December 8, 2009) is the eighth novel in the Merry Gentry series written by Laurell K. Hamilton. The book was one of the top selling novels of 2009. Plot ''Divine Misdemeanors'' follows the character of Meredith NicEssus ...

'' Merry has not only managed to become pregnant with twins, but has formed her own informal court, complete with lands and grounds that she has not fully investigated. She has also alienated herself from both the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, as she was responsible for the death of her cousin Cel of the Unseelie Courts and filed charges against her uncle

Taranis Taranis (sometimes Taranus or Tanarus) is a Celtic thunder god attested in literary and epigraphic sources. The Roman poet Lucan's epic ''Pharsalia'' mentions Taranis, Esus, and Teutates as gods to whom the Gauls sacrificed humans. This rare ...

, the ruler of the Seelie Court, for rape.

Books in the series

# ''

'' (2000) # '' A Caress of Twilight'' (2002) # '' Seduced by Moonlight'' (2004) # '' A Stroke of Midnight'' (2005) # ''

Mistral's Kiss ''Mistral's Kiss'' is the fifth novel in the Merry Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton, and was released December 12, 2006. Plot introduction The series has revolved around a conflict between title character, faerie princess Meredith NicEssus ...

'' (2006) # ''

A Lick of Frost ''A Lick of Frost'' is the sixth book in the Merry Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton Laurell Kaye Hamilton (born February 19, 1963) is an American fantasy and romance writer, who is best known as the author of two series of stories. Her ' ...

'' (2007) # ''

Swallowing Darkness ''Swallowing Darkness'' (2008) is the seventh novel in the Merry Gentry series written by Laurell K. Hamilton. Plot ''Swallowing Darkness'' follows the further adventures of Princess Meredith "Merry Gentry" NicEssus. Merry has finally succeeded ...

'' (2008) # ''

'' (2009) # ''A Shiver of Light'' (2014)

Reception

Critical reception for the ''Merry Gentry'' series has been mixed to positive. The earlier novels in the series received predominantly positive reviews while later novels in the series such as ''Divine Misdemeanors'' were criticized for having a "too simply resolved conclusion".

References

External links

Official author website
{{Merry Gentry American erotic novels Fictional fairies Urban fantasy novels Alternate history novels American novel series Del Rey books