War for the Oaks: A Novel

War for the Oaks follows Eddi McCandry, a rock and roll singer whose boyfriend has left her and whose band has disbanded. While walking home through downtown Minneapolis one night, she is drawn into an invisible war between faerie folk. Her involvement puts more than her own survival at stake, and her personal preferences become irrelevant to the conflict. The novel blends tough and lyrical prose with fantastical and grounded elements. It explores themes of real love and loyalty, authentic music and musicians, false glamour, and true art. The story examines how the faerie world intrudes upon the real one. Published in 1987, War for the Oaks won the Locus Award for Best First Novel and is recognized as one of the defining works of modern urban fantasy. Publishers Weekly noted that the author's portrayal of Faerie infringing on the real world is an imaginative achievement.