The Fair and Foul courts of the fey folk have long yearned for one to bring them together in peace, but hopes are dashed when the fairest prince and the prophecy concerning him are laid to ruin. Burdened with shame and sorrow, the prince flees to the cold mountains far above the forests and lochs with nothing but animals and goblins for company.

When a human huntress stumbles upon him in her search for a legendary predator, their fates are intertwined. But she hides deadly secrets, and if he dares to trust her, he may risk the doom of both courts to an ancient evil.

H. S. J. Williams’s novella Fairest Son contains familiar echoes: seven “dwarves,” a poison apple, a poem of prophecy. But the story is unique. Keeva, a young human woman, hunts in the mountains where she encounters a mysterious man of the fae people—one who hides his face under wrappings, communicates via mindspeak, and has seven goblin friends/servants. She tells him she’s hunting the great wild bear, but she’s lying. From there the story unspools a tale of treachery and deceit that leads to redemption. Christians will gladly recognize a type of Christ in one of the characters. Non-Christians will likely also feel the emotional uplift.

Best for: Teens and adults familiar with fairy-realm fantasy and ready to dive right in.

Discern: Mature themes that are delicately handled, but may make the book unsuitable for children under twelve.