The Netherfeld Trilogy
In one volume, corrected and improved with a new introduction, additional notes, and a sample chapter from the upcoming novel Caliban and the Void.
Released worldwide on August 22, 2021!
The Netherfeld Trilogy
Available August 22, 2021
William Shakespeare's characters are no longer confined to the stage. Hamlet deviously escapes from pirates. Caliban battles Puck in Fairy Land. And a trio of witches ensnare new prey in the form of Alda, an orphan girl with magical intuition, and Dreng, a cabin boy who reads a lost language.
Originally published as separate novels by acclaimed author Amber Elby, Cauldron's Bubble, Double Double Toil, and Trouble Fires Burn invite readers into worlds beyond Shakespeare's plays to explore a fast-paced fantasy realm with surprising twists and turns. Bard enthusiasts will recognize characters, conflicts, and discourse, while those new to the Shakespeare-verse will become immersed in an engaging, accessible tale of love and heartbreak, power and suppression, and deceit and discovery.
The journey begins when Alda discovers a mysterious bubble that transports her to witches on a moor while, elsewhere, Dreng survives a devastating shipwreck. The pair are united on an enchanted island, where Alda journeys to free a magical being, and Dreng is love-struck by an enigmatic young woman. Together, Alda and Dreng must awake to their own powers and to the realities around them before they are consumed by deadly magic.
Shakespeare connoisseurs and curious newcomers alike will appreciate the adventures within. Read on...
Praise for The Netherfeld Trilogy
"Amber Elby crafts a world that invokes the best of Terry Pratchett, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Neil Gaiman, all rooted in the mythology of Shakespeare. The Netherfeld series is a must read for lovers of magic, the inexplicable, and especially the timeless wonder conjured by the plays of William Shakespeare."
~Montgomery Sutton, Shakespearean Actor, Director, and Playwright
“Reading Amber Elby’s work is like walking down a pathway into my own childhood fairy land. All of the characters we love from Shakespeare come out to play, and we lose ourselves in her text as easily as one might get lost in the forest of Arden. Artists and readers will feel more seen with each turn of the page.
~Victoria Rae Sook, Artistic Director and Founder of Food of Love Productions
“Whip-smart, and I think would be just as much fun to read even if you had no knowledge of the Shakespeare characters it plays with – though if you do have this knowledge, you’ll have some extra spice from seeing how Amber plays with it all… Five out of five cats!”
~Asha & Tomte, A Cat, A Book, and A Cup of Tea Reviews
“Like Shakespeare!? Like Percy Jackson? Imagine if you combine Rick Riordan’s brilliance and Shakespeare’s genius! What you get is the perfection that is Amber Elby’s Cauldron’s Bubble Series! All the adventure and heartbreak leaves you begging for more after each chapter. Well researched and thought out, and finally another non-toxic author! This series is what the world needs right now.”
~Alice D. Bloomer, Actor and Producer of Socially Distant Cymbeline
“This series is almost impossible to put down. Elby truly captures Shakespeare’s works with her adept writing… Similar to a puzzle, in my mind, that Elby pieces together beautifully.”
~Tiffany Salazar, Beyond the Stars Reviews
“Artistically and very cleverly written. The author Amber Elby certainly studied hard to make the book as perfect as possible, especially when it came to the Shakespearean characters that make an appearance. It is also a great introduction to Shakespeare for young adults that are either studying the Bard’s plays or will be soon.”
~Stacey Garrity, Whispering Stories Book Blog
“I love Caliban the best. A man of opposites who speaks in riddles and lives in time. This is all I can safely tell you without spilling too many beans. Each book in this series has been better than the one before… A delight to read as I immersed myself into this fantastical world of Shakespearean plays.”
~Linda Lou Weaver Oliphant, Bookstagrammer @lilus_library
“Part of the joy of this book is the excitement you feel when reading the name of a character you know so well… It’s the book I never knew I needed until I read the first couple of pages.”
~Rosie Threakall, Rosie Freckle Reads
"Not enough evil uncles in Narnia? Did Harry Potter leave you wishing for witches? Need more Banquos at the banquet in Hunger Games? Then enter the world of Netherfeld with Amber Elby's trilogy of Shakespeare-inspired adventures for lovers of fun and the fantastic. Step sideways into the universe of the Bard of Avon – you’ll never see Shakespeare the same way again."
~Jason Crane, author of Unexpected Sunlight and the forthcoming This Gorgeous Life
Cauldron's Bubble
Available to purchase online from all of your favorite book sellers
A magical bubble transports Alda through time and place to a realm of witches and curses, pirates and princes, and the lost worlds of Shakespeare. She, along with a cabin boy called Dreng, must navigate the conflicts and characters of Macbeth, Hamlet, and The Tempest. But will they escape with their lives? Or will they become lost and forgotten?
Double Double Toil
Available to purchase online from all of your favorite book sellers
Six months after the events of Cauldron’s Bubble, Alda is stranded in her remote cottage, unable to recreate the magical object that allows her to travel between time and place. Meanwhile, Dreng’s home with Miranda on a distant island begins to crumble. They both escape to Fairy Land, where they become embroiled in a battle of immortals as the clans of Queen Titania and King Oberon fight for supremacy. In order to evade capture and return to their worlds, Dreng must rely on his adversary, Caliban, while Alda discovers an ally in the mysterious Ophelia. In a realm where only humans can die, will Alda and Dreng save themselves and, more importantly, each other? Or will they succumb to the fantastical powers in play?
Double Double Toil continues to build on the world introduced in Cauldron’s Bubble by intertwining Shakespeare’s plays in a unique and exciting way, introducing their stories to new readers and established Bard fans alike. Elements and characters from Hamlet, Macbeth, The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet combine in this fast-paced tale of magic and adventure. Read on…
Trouble Fires Burn
Available to purchase online from all of your favorite book sellers
After Cauldron’s Bubble, after Double Double Toil, and after a devastating flood, Alda and Dreng find themselves lost in a realm of nothing, facing revived enemies and unexpected perils. They must rely on wit and magic to evade deadly sorcerers and overpower weird witches. Old friends come to their aid, although not always for honest reasons. Sycorax and Caliban, Prospero and Miranda, who can be trusted, and who will betray or be betrayed? Can Alda and Dreng distinguish their allies from their enemies and truth from lies in time to defeat their foes and finally rest in peace? Or will their fate lie in the grave? Not all will survive… but can they save their world and the realms beyond? Or will all fall to insidious doom?
Trouble Fires Burn further illuminates the worlds of Shakespeare, returning to the universe of Cauldron’s Bubble and Double Double Toil while exploring new themes and conflicts, intertwining the plays in a reinterpretation of the Bard’s characters and plots combined with original elements. Acclaimed author Amber Elby appeals to new readers and established Bard fans alike as she weaves Hamlet, Macbeth, The Tempest, Romeo & Juliet, and other well-loved tales into a fast-paced, engaging fantasy world with surprising twists and turns. Join the journey that began in Cauldron’s Bubble and Double Double Toil. Read on…
Cover art by TypeJar Studio