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Showing posts with label Shadow World. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shadow World. Show all posts
Friday, April 26, 2013
Review: Of Shadow Born by Dianne Sylvan
Of Shadow Born
Author: Dianne Sylvan
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Publisher: Ace
Shadow World #4
ISBN: # 978-0425259801
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Paperback (336 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Spread throughout the dark corners of our world lies the Shadow World, a society of vampires who feed off the living. In Austin, Texas, one woman must rise from the ashes of tragedy and confront an ancient evil before it destroys everything she holds dear…
After a heartrending night of loss and blood, Miranda Grey-Solomon, vampire Queen of the South, now stands in the ruins of her life determined to pick up the pieces and move on. David, her husband and Prime, is missing and presumed dead, and Miranda is lost without her soul mate by her side…But she has little time to grieve as enemies both old and new emerge to test her yet again.
Between vampires trying to take advantage of a Queen without a Prime, incursions by a mysterious organization of humans calling themselves the Order of the Morningstar, and the continuing threat from those within the Shadow World who have already tried to destroy her, Miranda and her allies are running out of places to turn. In order to save her territory and the ones she loves, Miranda must look to the ancient past, to the first days of the vampire race, and uncover secrets about the Signets that could change the course of history…
What G & U are talking about:
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Gikany and Una have just finished the latest novel in the Shadow Worlds series, Of Shadow Born. This book dawns on a definite new story arc; one that we are still trying to come to grips with.
**Please note there are series spoilers in this review. This series is best read from the beginning.
At the close of Shadow’s Fall, Miranda is seriously injured and David, well, we suspect he may be dead. The Awakening has come and yet nothing seems different. Except if David is indeed dead, why is Miranda still living – an unheard of situation between signets. The first half of Of Shadow Born answers the questions of David’s status and Miranda’s continued existence. The first part explores some of the heart-wrenching pain that Miranda experiences at David’s absence. It is not surprising. However, what is surprising is the care that is given to Miranda’s character and us, the readers. We are given a very heartfelt first chapter. We see new relationships begin and find out the fate and new plans for Jeremy – the one who brought about David’s demise. However, as the first part comes to a close, we were never prepared for what awaits in the second part.
Many avid series readers complain (especially in a very long running series) when the author seems to change the mythology or rules suddenly. There is some discussion that there is a change in the Shadow World mythology. However, we feel it is not a change…just additional information come to light. That being said, we really wonder where this discovery of another character/element will go. Please note; we are being vague in order to not spoil it for you. This interesting, and seemingly out of left field, tidbit seems outrageous and yet, depending on how it pans out in the next book could really enhance the world and story.
One element that has plagued Gikany and Una in this series is the author’s apparent love of killing beloved characters – sometimes many characters at a time. We are happily granted a reprieve in Of Shadow Born. We are still stunned and delighted that a character we met and started to like was not killed in some terribly painful and dramatic way. Not that many “people” didn’t die in the book, but luckily for us, they are mostly nameless extras.
Gikany and Una continue to enjoy the banter between the primes. We love the role that Stella took in Of Shadow Born. We hope to see more of Stella in the upcoming novels to watch her continue to grow in her abilities. The politics and the world continue to evolve and we enjoy watching how it changes. With the new cliffhanger information – we eagerly anticipate how this will impact the Shadow World. However, we do agree that although much is revealed and happens in Of Shadow Born, it does have a transitional novel feel. Not surprising considering what has happened, but in many ways we enjoyed this book more, although we are still very unsure of where things are headed. Either way, we anxiously await the next novel in the Shadows World.
Their Rating:
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Liked it - recommend (B+)
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Labels:
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Sunday Snippet #103
Author: Dianne Sylvan
Shadow World #3
Publisher: Signet
Released: 27 March 2012
REVIEW HERE
Miranda finished the song to deafening cheers. She rose from her piano bench and bowed, smiling broadly, face flushed with pleasure, hair soaked with sweat from the glaring stage lights.
A tech emerged from offstage and handed her her guitar. SHe stepped up to the microphone at center stage.
"Thank you," she said, quieting the applause. "I'd like to thank the Austin Live Music Festival for having me here tonight and all of you for your support... And speaking o fsuport, as we mentioned on the website last week, we're now featuring a new T-shirt, designed by local artist Simone Veracruz, and one hundred percent of the proceeds will go directly to the Miranda Grey Prophyria Research Foundation.
Another wave of applause, along with a few shouts of "We love you, Miranda!"
"I have one more song for you tonight," Miranda wnet on, "but I'm going to need your help singing the chorus."
Her hand slid along the guitar's neck to find the opening chord, and she favored the audience with a mischievous smile.
Just as her pick hit the strings, Jonathon heard something strange: a faint pop and whistle, then another.
The beginning of the final song screeched into discord as Miranda jerked backward. The microphone caught her gasp as she looked down.
Blood, berry-bright against her pale skin, blossomed from two round holes in her chest and in seconds had flooded down over her breasts and dripped onto the guitar's glossy wood.
For a few seconds, the entire crowd of fifteen thousand went deathly silent... but that silence turned to screams of horror as Miranda Grey crumpled and fell.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Review: Shadow's Fall
Shadow’s Fall
Author: Dianne Sylvan
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: Ace
Novel of the Shadow World #3
ISBN: #978-1937007386
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Paperback (325 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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For three years, Miranda Grey-Solomon has kept her role as vampire Queen of the South separate from her Grammy-winning music career. But now, her dual lives are starting to collide, threatening everything Miranda and David, her Prime, have worked for.
To make matters worse, the entire Signet Council has descended upon Austin for its ten-year summit, bringing with it Prime James Hart of the Northeast, a sworn enemy come to take his revenge on those who defied him. As Hart’s machinations lead to outbreaks of violence across the South, Miranda and David receive an unexpected offer of help from David’s sire, an ancient and powerful vampire with knowledge that may be their salvation – or their doom.
What G & U are talking about:
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Shadow’s Fall is the third book in the Shadow World series. There is so much that happens in this book, well in the later half, that Gikany and Una are still stunned.
We start off three years after the previous book, Shadowflame, ended. Miranda and David have been working on their relationship and Miranda’s career has started to take off. In this book, her two lives – Queen of the Shadows and Rock Star start to pull her apart. There are those who oppose Miranda’s very public career and are trying to stop her. All of this is overshadowed by an old prophecy that could bring a new beginning or an end to the reign of the primes.
Let’s start off by saying we love this world. We enjoy the politics and the main characters. Miranda, David, Jonathon, Deven, Cora and Faith are a great group of people. It’s wonderful to see them and watch them interact. The cliffhanger ending has us both gnawing our fingernails off. It is so abrupt and filled with such vague and vital consequences that we just HAVE to KNOW what happens next!
The novel starts out a bit slow. The book is separated into two parts: part one is the setup and part two is truly the meat of the book. We kept waiting for something to happen but we had to wait until we hit part two. The novel seems to have dragged more in retrospect than it did while we were reading it – which is a good thing. There’s nothing like sitting on pins and needles waiting for something to happen. Now, don’t get us wrong, something does! And it was nothing like what we had envisioned while reading part one.
One thing that has irked us a bit is Ms. Sylvan’s love of killing. We understand that this is a vampire series… killing is a part of the mythology and world. However, killing people you spend time getting to know and care about… really sucks (please pardon the language). This is another book where a much loved character dies. This person dies dramatically – and yes – as a sacrifice, but we just wished it wasn’t so. Currently Una is in a place where reality just bites and she wants to escape… this type of reality hitting her in an escape book – just grates. But, such is life. We can accept that it is a realistic turn, but we still do not have to like it.
There is much conflict left at the end of this book, and sorrow mixed with a glimpse of hope. We want to read the next book in this world since we have to know how bright this hope will be, and, to know whether it sparks a dawn or a sunset.
Their Rating:
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Liked it - recommend (B+)
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Book 2: Shadowflame
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Sunday Snippet #78
Shadowflame
ACE
July 26, 2011
“... Let’s begin, shall we?” Lalita moved to the front of the studio, where her mat was already unfurled on the ground.
Cora had brought her own mat; there were several standing in the corner that anyone could use, but Lalita had given her one outright so that she could practice in her room if she wanted. Cora liked the slightly sticky purple foam, which had a paisley pattern in pink outlined along in one end. She and the Queen stood up, and Cora rolled her mat out while Miranda sought one of the extras and did the same.
Cora hated to admit it, but she felt a tiny bit of satisfaction as the session got underway, because while she was strong and agile, the Queen was no yoga prodigy; her alignment was dreadful, and even with her considerable physical prowess she lost her balance at one point and actually toppled over, giggling.
“Why don’t you try that one again?” Lalita suggested.
Miranda sobered and stood back up, and Lalita led her back into the pose; the Queen concentrated on her work, which was a relief, as Cora had feared she wouldn’t take what they were doing seriously, especially not the first time. But Miranda was completely respectful of Lalita’s knowledge and even paused to watch Cora during the Sun Salutation to get a different view of the flow of postures. Cora tried not to acknowledge her stare, but found herself blushing anyway.
“I’m sorry,” the Queen said. “I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. But you really are a natural at this, Cora. You look like you were born to it.”
Cora blushed even more fiercely. “Thank you, my Lady.”
Lalita was smiling warmly at her. “I’ve taught yoga off and on for twenty years, and Cora is the quickest learner I’ve had so far. Just in the last few weeks she’s gained so much pose and grace – I’m very proud of her.”
Seeing how uncomfortable Cora was at being stared at, Lalita changed the subject. “All right, then, let us continue.”
After they moved through the entire series of asanas and spent several minutes lying in Corpse Pose, Lalita began a guided meditation for chakra clearing; in her tradition the body had seven primary energy centers, each corresponding to a different aspect of a person’s being, and those centers needed to stay healthy in order for the whole person to thrive. She led them through the meditation slowly, in deference to the Queen, and Cora visualized her energy moving up through her body, starting in the root chakra at the base of the spine and ending in the crown of the head. The energy opened each chakra, cleaned out any psychic debris, and left that aspect of the self running more smoothly. Cora wasn’t sure how much of Lalita’s spirituality she believed in, but when she did the meditation she could certainly feel something, and when it was done she always felt different, better.
When they reached the third-eye chakra, which ws supposed to govern one’s inner sight, Cora heard a gasp.
She opened one eye partway and saw that something odd was happening to the Queen.
Miranda was white as a sheet, and her breathing was shallow. She sat cross-legged as Cora and Lalita did, but her hands were clenched on her knees and her forehead was creased in what looked like pain.
“My Lady?” Cora asked in a whisper.
Lalita’s eyes popped open and she, too, looked worried. “Are you…”
Before she could finish the question, the Queen’s hands flew up to her forehead, covering her already-closed eyes. She moaned and doubled over. “No…”
Suddenly things all over the room began to shake.
Lalita put her hands on the Queen’s shoulders and tried to rouse her, but the Queen didn’t seem to hear; she was lost somewhere, and to Cora’s dismay the shield she was holding up around Cora began to tremble and dissolve and Cora could feel the Queen’s power again, this time surging dangerously. Hot, thick fear seized Cora’s heart, and she pushed herself away, all but crawling backward to put as much space between herself and the Queen a she could.
Things began to topple over. Mats fell, the fabric hanging Lalita had draped around the room sagged and then slipped from the walls … the very ground felt like it was shaking.
Lalita cried out in alarm, and Cora followed her whole eyes to see that the ceiling fan overhead was coming loose from its wiring.
The Queen screamed.
The fan tore from the ceiling and fell.
Cora flung herself forward, trying to push Lalita out of the way, and the two women tumbled backward in the chaos–
Books in the Series:
Queen of Shadows (A Novel of the Shadow World)
Shadowflame (A Novel of the Shadow World)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Review: Shadowflame
ShadowflameAuthor: Dianne Sylvan
Release Date: July 26, 2011
Publisher: Ace
Novel of the Shadow World #2
ISBN:978-0441020652
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Paperback (360 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book: |
It’s been three months since musician Miranda Grey became a vampire and married David Solomon, Prime of the South. As Queen, Miranda must quickly come to terms with her new role and learn how to negotiate the treacherous waters of Signet politics, inevitably making dangerous enemies along the way.
As if complicated vampire politics and a rising music career weren’t enough, an enigmatic but powerful force from David’s past appears, leaving a wake of chaos and uncertainty for the Pair’s fledgling relationship. Miranda begins to realize how little she really knows about her husband. But when an assassin begins targeting her friends and allies, the Pair must track down the killer, even as their lives hang in the balance…
What G & U are talking about: |
Shadowflame is the second novel in the exciting new Shadow World series. It begins three months after the resolution of the first book Queen of the Shadows. Due to the nature of the story and character development, and since there is only one book prior to this one, we recommend you read this series from the beginning. Trust us, it is worth it.
The Shadow World is a world that exists within our own. This is where vampires (and possibly … other things) exist. Shadowflame is a gripping read as Miranda, the newly turned vampire and new Queen of the Southern Territory, tries to find her place and role within this world while still trying to hold on to some human ties. There is a strong, grounded feel to this series, which allows the reader to truly lose herself in the storytelling. The suspense of the action/mystery is expertly woven with the drama of the relationships. It was very difficult for us to put it down. The duality of the worlds and the interactions between them are fascinating and add to the richness of the story.
Some of the drama between Miranda and her Prime, David, is surprising. We found it somewhat interesting, knowing how much “older” David is than Miranda, that they don’t spend more time getting to know each other and asking those “early relationship building” questions. We understand that there are some secrets that people feel they must keep, but in some ways it felt as if they don’t talk about themselves or their pasts to each other.
However we should warn you…the author has absolutely no problem with killing characters. We were amazed at the body count of characters and we are only two books into the series. It has added to the grounded reality of the series but if it continues we fear it may make us leery of becoming attached to the minor characters within the series. It makes it difficult to become enraptured when, as a reader, you avoid connecting with a character because you fear their demise is coming. Their deaths, however, were essential for the overall story arc, which is why we feel we can’t see it as a negative issue.
Gikany and Una look forward to the next book in this intriguing new series and hope some of the characters that we have come to really enjoy do not meet an untimely end anytime soon. However, some of the foreshadowing in this book has us quite anxious for the next Novel of the Shadow World.
Their Rating: |
Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
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