Jason Becker plays guitar—not that well, but he's learning—and he's joined a garage band with three other kids from his high school. He's especially impressed by the band's singer and songwriter, Erin Kavanagh, a mysterious girl who didn't grow up in their small town.
With lots of enthusiasm but a so-so ability level, the band can't manage to land a gig, and their prospects are looking dim.
Then Jason discovers a secret supernatural world when he catches a little green goblin robbing his home. He pursues the sarcastic, pint-sized monster into the dreamlike land of Faerie, where magical Folk of all kinds live, play, dance, and snack in colorful stone cities, treetop suburbs, cutesy flower-filled villages, and treacherous wild places stalked by menacing storybook creatures.
Jason returns to the human world with enchanted instruments whose music humans can't resist. Soon the band draws large, strangely adoring crowds, and the band members are having the time of their lives. They almost can't stop playing, as though under a spell themselves.
They ride the runaway magic to a level of popularity they never imagined, but they can't control the supernatural powers they've unleashed.
Their shortcut to success has also gained them a fearsome enemy—Queen Mab, empress of Faerie, ruler of all the magical Folk, and also a bit of a narcissist. The Mad Queen is determined to find and punish these humans who dared to take magic from her realm, even if she must send her most ruthless and wacky monsters to hunt them down.
Some blogger reviews of Fairy Metal Thunder:
"Fairy Metal Thunder has the same feel that the movie Labyrinth has, this wondrous fantasy world that you’re desperate to have at least a small part of, even to the point of stealing." - Bending the Spine
"Even if I wasn’t a lover of all things Fae, Mr. Bryan would have still captivated me with his dazzling tale of what can happen if you sneak into the world of the Fae and leave with enchanted objects." - The Book Faery "I enjoyed the magical 'bad guys' as much as I did the main human characters. I think this is a great start to what looks to be a really rocking series." - Books and Things "Everything about this book is so much fun to read! From J.L. Bryan's vivid yet quick writing style, to the perfectly incorporated fairy lore, to the enchanting plot, it all adds up to a book that you HAVE to read, whether you're a fan of fairies of not!" - Mimi Valentine "Goblins, fairies, elves and some bad-ass unicorns (trust me; you want to find out what they do) and magical instruments - Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan is an entertaining, original read." - Misfit Salon
"You know that feeling you got when you took your first trip down Diagon Alley with Harry and Hagrid? Well that was a little like how it felt to see Faerie for the first time. There was so much going on, and all sorts of new creatures to see and discover...the description of this new world was like an ultra-vivid, H-D, 3-D experience for the mind." - Unabridged Andra "Overall, I found this to be a fun, delightful first volume in a promising new series. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series and learning more about the world of Faerie, seeing if a real romance between Jason and Erin ever blossoms, and finding out just what the heck is up with Buddy McSlawburger’s slaw." - Word Spelunking
“Fairies...live in green hill sides, more especially affecting the ancient tumuli. Any one straying near these on a fine summer's evening would probably hear delightful music; but he must take care, especially if he is a musician, not to linger lest he should be entrapped.”
-Arthur William Moore, The Folk-Lore of the Isle of Man, 1891
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The sequel to Fairy Metal Thunder.
With their enchanted instruments charming the crowds, the Assorted Zebras attract interest from record producers, and soon they’re off to cut their first album and music video. Jason and his friends don’t know they’ve just become pawns in a sinister plot by a cabal of evil fairies...
Meanwhile, Aoide and her band pursue a new strategy for regaining their stolen instruments, one that will take them into the most haunted region in Faerie.
While their first single shoots up the Billboard charts, the Zebras hit the road as the opening band for an epic stadium tour across America. The future looks bright for the band...if they can survive the rioting fans, Queen Mab of Faerie, the dullahan, and a few evil teddy bears.
Aoide the Lutist and Liadan the banshee wolf cross into man-world on the trail of the stolen fairy instruments. Aoide is shocked at the strangeness of life among the humans, but she also learns about a thrilling new kind of music never heard in Faerie...rock and roll.
Jason and Erin’s urgent mission takes them deep into the colorful and deadly wilds of Faerie, full of bizarre and rude creatures, and past the glittering volcanic islands of the Southward Sea.
In man-world, Mitch and Dred try to prepare for a live concert in front of millions of viewers while half their band is missing. The record company is furious with them, and so are a certain violet-haired fairy and her banshee wolf friend, who finally catch up with them in Los Angeles.
In Faerie, Queen Mab and the leprechaun Aonghus Mac Lobhar enter into a secret agreement over a new kind of magic that will change fairyland forever...
Jason, Erin, and the other Zebras go on a world tour with their enchanted instruments, only to encounter the mysterious supernatural Folk of India and the Far East. While they tangle with their record company, Erin tries to avoid dealing with the secrets she's learned about herself, while Jason pieces together a mystery surrounding a very special golden guitar called Caliburn.
In Faerie, Aoide the Lutist and her troupe finally return home from their long adventure. They're struggling to get new gigs, but Aoide senses opportunity in the form of special new magic mirrors that can broadcast concerts, plays, and other entertainment all over Faerie...
The Zebras reel from their losses, make troubling discoveries, and try to move forward while dealing with the consequences of their own actions and the dangerous magic and monsters that have taken over their lives.
In Faerie, Aoide and her troupe seem to finally be enjoying their big break...but danger is on the way, and nothing is ever what it seems when dealing with leprechauns and the treacherous Queen Mab.
Darkness has fallen over the enchanted, dreamlike realm of Faerie. There's figurative darkness as the ruthless Queen Mab makes war to enforce her rule over other magical Folk. There's also literal darkness as the Hauntlands grow rapidly, turning the once sunny and fun wild places into dim, spooky ruins inhabited only by a few ghost Folk and zombie cows.
Yep, things are looking dark as Aoide the Lutist, her bandmates, and the rest of the Folk face threats that could destroy their world and all who live there.
On Earth and in Faerie, the former members of the Rioting Zebras, the teen garage band that became global superstars with a little “borrowed” magic, each follow a different path. Jason, Erin, Mitch, and Dred confront personal mysteries and supernatural danger as they approach the end of the adventure they began long ago, when they first discovered magic, and it changed their lives forever.
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