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The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1)
The Scent of Shadows - Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1
Author: Vicki Pettersson
When she was sixteen, Joanna Archer was brutally assaulted and left to die in the Nevada desert. By rights, she should be dead. Now a photographer by day, she prowls a different Las Vegas after sunset - a grim, secret Sin City where Light battles Shadow - seeking answers to whom or what she really is . . . and revenge for the horrors she was for...  more »
ISBN-13: 9789780060893
ISBN-10: 9780060898
Publication Date: 3/2007
Pages: 455
Rating:
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 40

3.5 stars, based on 40 ratings
Publisher: HarperCollins and EOS
Book Type: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

Jan1 avatar reviewed The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1) on + 52 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 16
This is a fun new book - 1st in its series - by a new author. If you like Charlaine Harris' books, then this is along the same genre. I'm looking forward to the second one in the series.
reviewed The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 15
Sorry to disagree with all of the other reviews but . . . I HATED this book. The beginning was really good but I could hardly finish it - I just didn't care about the characters by the end. The whole Zodiac fighter thing felt a little cliched and the plot was just too drawn out. I don't think I could force myself to buy the next one. However, to be fair, I think that Pettersson is a promising writer with great style and an excellent mastery of the written word - she could just use better editors.
sapphiredragon avatar reviewed The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1) on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 14
I almost didn't read this because I was afraid it would be too dark for me, but I'm so glad I did! This book blew me away! Hands down the best book I've read all year!
cosmichomicide avatar reviewed The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1) on + 134 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 12
Extremely promising paranormal series! Strong characters, well developed mythos, solid plotting - a terrific debut. There was substantial world arc development while managing a complete and satisfying storyline - no sense of "the rest" coming in future entries, but enough possibilities to make the universe compelling. Even the most startling twists and turns were foreshadowed well enough to be plausible.
jai avatar reviewed The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1) on + 310 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 12
The Scent of Shadows is a book I'd classify as dark urban fantasy. It's set in Las Vegas, there are monsters and heroes and superpowers in it and there are a lot of horrifying and violent elements to it as well. I think the series I'd compare it to in the darkness scale is maybe Lilith Saintcrow's Dante Valentine series. This book wrung me out, but I did find the ending somewhat satisfying and I am looking forward to book 2, The Taste of Night. This book was also long - 455 pages, which I'm not sure everyone will like. It did feel long to me when I was less than a hundred pages in and was still wondering what was going on. It got faster about 100-150 pages in. The world building was slow at the beginning and then revelations came in doses as Joanna seemed to be kept in the dark about many things until she absolutely had to know. The explanation of the Zodiac is something that will probably continue on to the next book.
Read All 46 Book Reviews of "The Scent of Shadows Sign of the Zodiac Bk 1"

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VampireRat avatar reviewed The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1) on + 83 more book reviews
I read a short story by the author that was the story of how Joanna Archer's parents met and how she came to be. Didn't like the style and couldn't get into the whole super hero world. I'm finding all 3 of the Zodiac books I have TBR and posting them.
kopsahl48 avatar reviewed The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1) on + 181 more book reviews
Joanna Archer is the daughter of a Light Zodiac Warrior (Zoe, aka the Archer) and Tulpa (leader of the Shadow Zodiac Warriors). She is what they call the Kairos and all the fates hinge on her. She is made up of both sides and can choose her destiny. Warren (a Light Zodiac Warrior) is her guide during her metamorphosis. Ajax is Shadow Zodiac Warrior sent to kill her during her metamorphosis.

This book is more fantasy than what I normally read. That does not mean I didn't enjoy it. It just means that it helped A LOT to write things down. I compare this book to The Matrix. You have Joanna (Neo), Warren (Morphius) and Ajax (Agent Smith). You also have the traitor among the good guys, who I won't reveal and ruin the entire book for you. Once I put it in this context the book smoothed out a bit. It is the basic good versus evil.

If you can get through the beginning chapters you will find a good story that Pettersson created. Joanna is a very strong character. She likes to kick ass and ask questions later and yet you see her soft side with her love for her sister Olivia and childhood sweetheart Ben. Warren is the fatherly figure that guides Joanna through this journey and will go to the ends of the earth because he believes she is the one. Ajax is the typical bad guy that just keeps coming back again and again until you just can't stand it. Plus there are a lot of other characters that are introduced that have potential. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
reviewed The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1) on + 11 more book reviews
pretty decent series
batlady avatar reviewed The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
Awesome! Love the book!
reviewed The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 1) on
This is a 4 star book. It started slow but it picked up pretty quickly. I will get the next one if there is.

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