Firebird by Mercedes Lackey

I like most of Lackey's stuff. This one was great fun. She took the basic outline of the Russian folk tale of the Firebird, which also inspired Stravinsky, and built a story which has all the elements of a proper fairy tale upgraded to an adult level.

We have the fantasy quest of the younger son - with a few added wrinkles - and all the bad guys are properly served in the end. What more could you ask?