Merry Gentry

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Merry Gentry is the familiar form of the pseudonym of the main character of a series of books authored by Laurell K. Hamilton. This pseudonym is also the title of the series. Ms. Hamilton is most well-known for the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series. In recent years, she has been alternating between the two series.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Merry is a fairy princess turned private investigator in a world where faeries are not only known to the general public, but are also fashionable. Shown in the first book, there are faerie-wannabes that imitate the look and manner of fey. Generally, these people are either seen as pathetic, endearing, or inferior by actual fey. Merry is of the first opinion. The general tone is written as less of an outright fantasy and more of an alternate history. The point of divergence from normal history is when, according to the book, Thomas Jefferson gave the Unseelie and Seelie courts asylum after the European courts kicked them out. However, as a caveat, Jefferson said that they could not set themselves up as gods, or they risked being evicted from American soil.

Merry's cousin, Cel, breaks this agreement by having the faerie wannabe sex-cult lure sidhe women with a magical aphrodisiac called Branwyn's Tears (Fergus' Sweat, et al) and siphon their magical energy. It is the abuses that they inflicted upon their victims, more specifically the leader's wife and mistress, that get the Jeremy Grey Detective Agency (Merry's detective agency) involved.

During the undercover assignment, Merry is covered in the tears in an attempt to drive her mad with lust, but unfortunately the tears tear apart her glamour disguise, and she is outed as the missing American Faerie Princess

Merry's full name in the human world is Meredith Gentry, and she is commonly known in court as Princess Meredith.

As niece to Andais, The Queen of Air and Darkness, she is a royal of the Unseelie Court. While her aunt tried to kill her as a child, she offers her now the title as crown princess, since the Court needs more heirs. The personal guard of the queen - The Ravens - are ordered into Merry's personal service, ending their years of celibacy with the queen. The challenge is out between Merry and her cousin Cel: The first one to produce an heir will be the new King or Queen of the Unseelie Court.

As of the end of the third book in the series, Merry's full name and title is Meredith, Princess of Flesh and Blood. It is unknown whether she will still have the last name of NicEssus.

1 Current Books
2 Characters
3 Means of communication used in text
4 External links

[edit] Current Books

A Kiss of Shadows (2000)
A Caress of Twilight (2002)
Seduced by Moonlight (2004)
A Stroke of Midnight (2005)
Mistral's Kiss (forthcoming - expected December 2006)

[edit] Characters

(in alphabetical order)

Andais - Queen of Air and Darkness, Merry's aunt, the sister of Essus, and mother of Cel. Andais is a war goddess, and the sadistic Queen of the Unseelie Court. Ruler of the male guard The Ravens, recently revealed as barren. Although she is a sadist and is widely believed to be insane, Andais appears to have the best interests of the Court somewhat at heart, and has sworn to abdicate her throne in favor of whichever of Cel or Merry can demonstrate themselves capable of producing new sidhe children. Her consort is Eamon.
Ash - Goblin/Sidhe Hybrid, Skin is "Sun-kissed", displaying Seelie lineage, but culturally and morally, according to Merry, very much a goblin. He wants very badly to gain sidhe magic powers so he can have power undreamed of to the goblins. Remains to be seen how much his brothers’ (Holly) hatred toward the sidhe will have an effect on Ash’s chances towards this.
Barinthus/Manannan Mac Lir - A sea god and one of the Queen's Ravens, Barinthus is one of the most powerful members of the Courts. He was long known as the "Kingmaker" for his involvement in the selection of court rulers, and supported first Essus, now Merry for the Unseelie throne. Queen Andais fears that Barinthus may make an attempt for the throne himself, and he is the only member of the guards Andais has forbidden Merry to have reproductive intercourse with, for fear that Barinthus would become Merry's consort and the Unseelie King. Barinthus recently had some of his powers returned via metaphysical sex with Merry, and has become a member of Merry's guard. See Manannan mac Lir.
Besaba - Merry's mother, who has returned to the Court of the Seelie.
Cel - Prince of Old Blood, Ruler of the female guard, currently being tortured in Hallway of Mortality for giving Branwyn's Tears to mortals and being worshiped by them.
Doyle - Captain of The Ravens, once the Queens Darkness now part of Merry's guard, and included in her many lovers, Part Sidhe, part Hell-Hound (Gabriel Ratchet, et al.), part phouka.
Essus - Merry's father and Andais's brother, Prince Essus was a fertility god known as the "Prince of Flesh and Flame" for his hands of power. Essus did his best to prepare Merry for rule of the Unseelie Court. He was killed before the start of the story, by unknown assassins, and the identity of his murderers is one of Merry's great unsolved mysteries. See Esus.
Frost - Raven, The Killing Frost, second in command. Was revealed that started life as Jacqual Frosti, Jack Frost, etc, is prejudiced against Seelie Court due to poor treatment at court because the other nobles were jealous of Frost's remaining in power due to his power in the minds of the humans. Has tendency to pout. Has recently come into godhead via Merry. Says recent powers used to belong to one he called master. See Jack Frost.
Galen - The youngest of the Ravens, Merry's best friend. Lineage is half-pixie and half Unseelie sidhe. Powers include subtle ability to have everyone like him. Extremely unpolitical, naive and idealistic, is voice of childhood reasoning for Merry. Unfortunately, letting go of those ideals is allowing Merry to survive. Mistranslation of a prophecy given from human prophet to Cel almost got Galen killed, as allies of Cel tried to assassinate Galen to prevent the prophecy.
Holly - Goblin/Sidhe Hybrid, Skin is "Sun-kissed", displaying Seelie lineage, but culturally and morally, according to Merry, very much a goblin. His brother (Ash) wants very badly to gain sidhe magic powers so he can have power undreamed of to the goblins. Remains to be seen how much his hatred toward the sidhe will have an effect on Ash’s chances towards this.
Kitto - Goblin/sidhe hybrid, Seelie sidhe mother raped during goblin wars, snake-type goblin, given full sidhe status via sex with Merry, has Hand of Reaching.
Kurag - King of Goblins, Merry's ally. Was ally of Merry's father previous to his death.
Maeve Reed/Conchenn - Former Goddess of Spring. Exiled from Faerie, now a Hollywood actress. Husband Gordon (deceased) was able to give her a child due to Merry and Galen performing a fertility ritual.
Meredith NicEssus/Merry Gentry - Title heroine, Princess of Flesh and Blood, Daughter of Essus.
Mistral - One of Queen Andais' guards. Former divinity associated with rain, wind and thunder.
Nicca - Raven and Spy for Andais in Merry's home. Lineage is half-demifey and half Seelie Sidhe. Is apparently Cornish, due to being of Bucca-Dhu's Line (Revealed in Caress of Twilight) Has sprouted wings since wing-tattoos sprung out of back via sex with Merry. Was possessed by Dian Cecht, due to jealousy, and cured via divine intervention.
Niceven - Queen of the Unseelie demi-fey.
Rhys/Cromm Cruach - Raven, former God of Death. Film Noir buff. Was called Gwynfor "white lord of ecstasy and death" by Sage, 2nd hand has been seen when he killed Siun (Goblin) after Kitto hacked Siun to pieces. In Merry's dream, it is shown that Rhys will get both eyes back, apparently has magical hammer that can heal, raise armies of the dead. However, we are not sure whether dream was of past or future. See Crom Cruach.
Sage - Demi-fey sent by Queen Niceven to provide cure for Galen. Was made into sidhe after an interlude with Meredith and Nicca.
Sholto - Raven and King of the Sluagh. Sidhe/Nightflyer hybrid. Called Shadowspawn behind his back. Fears being regulated to being the Queen's Creature, similar to Killing Frost and Darkness. Has made deal with Merry to form alliance, yet to be consummated, desperately wants sidhe flesh. Merry is unsure whether she can handle Sholto's "extras" (tendrils that Sholto normally hides with glamour. Merry could not handle them in the first book)
Siobhan - Captain of the King's Guard, Cel's right hand and personal Killer. According to first book, could kill with a touch.
Taranis - King of the Seelie court, known oficially as the King of Light and Illusion, Merry's uncle, rumored to be the reason why the Seelie sidhe cannot have any children anymore due to his infertility. See Taranis.

[edit] Means of communication used in text

(in alphabetical order)

By Blade - Using essentially the same principle as communication by mirror (see below), by applying blood and breath, communication between two people can be established by calling them by name. Communication by this method was used between Merry and Kurag in "A Caress of Twilight" (Merry Gentry #2) and Merry and Rhys in "A Stroke of Midnight" (Merry Gentry #4). See scrying.
By Dream (or Vision)- Generally accomplished through connection with God or Goddess, always magic or mystic communication type. In fact, the God and Goddess are the only people or beings that use this method due to their immense magical ability and influence. Usual methods of induction are either the Ring or Chalice. Examples of this type of communication are Reaction of Barinthus to Ring or Chalice to Merry in "Seduced By Moonlight" (Merry Gentry #3). See Oneiromancy and Visions.
By Mirror - First type of magical communication shown (with possible exception of mention of Queen Andais's ability to hear anything said in the dark). Method is achieved by coating a mirror with your own personal power or magic and willing the communication via a spell (spell not specified in book) In-text, it would seem communication is achieved by speaking the other person's name, and willing communication. Text shows that there are variations on theme, such as using a smooth, still pool, shiny blade, or pool of blood. Also, Doyle places a spell so that they can choose when communication commences, instead of instantaneous connection. See scrying, specifically hydromancy.
By Vision - (See Above)