Gilded Folly

Reviewed by Dianne Gray © 2006

Wild Child Publishing.com © 2006

Title: Gilded Folly
Author: N. D. Hansen-Hill
Publisher: Cerridwen Press
Genre: Fantasy/SF
ISBN: 1-4199-0409-4
Author's website: http://www.NDHansen-Hill.com/
Rating: PG13 - some violence
Format: ebook

Conspiracy, the ties that bind, horror, and mystery are all elements that make-up Gilded Folly, a science fiction/fantasy novel by N.D. Hansen-Hill. The story starts off running from the first page and doesn't let up until the end.

The plot centers around three main characters, Wick, Rom and Glys, who are inextricably connected to each other by the roles of their society, a society which has exiled them to Earth. Caught up in events literally programmed into their bodies, they each fight what drives them in their roles as guardian, assassin and victim. Each seeks to impose the wills and desires garnered from the ten years he or she has lived as a human being.

Along with three other (human) characters, Wick, Rom and Glys find themselves following a path of events preordained by an unknown source. Each of them must make decisions based on his assumptions about the others, not sure if the programming is stronger than what has been learned on Earth. Along the way, they find themselves up against horrific beasts, incredible injuries, and bewildering revelations that go against all they thought they believed.

I found the plot imaginative and complex, feeling clearly that Hansen-Hill had thought deeply about the setting for her characters and the conflicts they would face. But I felt myself stumbling as I read; often confused about what was going on, and who was doing it.

The reader is in the minds of six different characters, each given nearly equal lengths of pages for his or her point of view. This rather downplays the importance of Wick, Rom and Glys, who the plot seems to support as the main characters. Rather than learning about the sub-characters through the perceptions of the main three (or vice-versa), we are switched frequently from person to person, at times in mid-scene, and often with a page or less in each character's head. While this contributes to the "breakneck" nature of the story, it was often confusing in terms of story flow.

I also found much of the dialogue confusing, seemingly incongruous with my impression of the character or scene. The author does a great job of laying out inner thoughts, clearly documenting the issues the characters are struggling with. But when they are speaking to each other, things don't always fit, and I was left wondering if they needed to say anything at all. This also contributed to confusion with story flow.

My overall impression was that the novel was not quite done. I needed more fleshing out in places. I needed to know why a character might have laughed at something another one said when I wasn't given the "inside joke" and could find no reason for it to be funny.

I loved the plotline and found the conspiracy angle plausible. I enjoyed the inner philosophizing of the "alien" characters, which added a richness and depth to the background of their original culture. I was suitably unnerved by the creatures set on the destruction of the characters (I find ticks wretched, and that's all I will say about that). My interest in the mystery and resolution kept me going. I sympathized with the characters. Most of the elements of a great novel are there, but there are just a few elements missing which made a dramatic effect in understanding the story. As a result, I feel like I'm waiting still to find out the ending.

Rating: 3 Cats

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To find out more about how to purchase Gilded Folly, visit N. D. Hansen-Hill.