Helpful Score: 3
More intriguing confusion, a little better than the first book. Once again it starts out swimmingly as Thorn St. Croix is brought to trial in her home town of Mineral City for concealing her mage heritage. Then the story bogs down again, moving forward in fits and starts as demon spawn attack the town trying to get to Thorn. There is much more action in this book but after awhile the battles got a little tiring, and a story line is rehashed as Thorn goes back under the mountain again to do battle with the Darkness as in the previous book. I like Hunter's ideas, but she needs to do better with her pacing and stop overusing descriptive phrases that sound alike even if they're not repeated word for word. Her habit of repeatedly bringing her protagonist to the brink of death and being healed by seraphs is also getting a little old and a tad over-dramatic. Still, she managed to hold my attention, especially with the bits of revelation about her characters doled out little by little, and even makes me want to read the next book - but not enough to pay full price for it. I might borrow it from the library.
Helpful Score: 2
I sure an enjoying the continuing story written by Faith Hunter.
Fighting the forces of evil, the author lost me describing some of what she thought was happening, but the intense story was still good to read.
Fighting the forces of evil, the author lost me describing some of what she thought was happening, but the intense story was still good to read.
Helpful Score: 1
OK, I have to admit - I kept reading this series because I felt somewhat confused by the first book and I wanted to understand what was going on. Unfortunately, while a couple of things make more sense now (the strange hatred for neomages), others still do not (really what's with the mage lust?). I feel like I really had to make myself finish this book, because it felt like we were seeing the same thing happening in book 1 as in book 2 and I felt like I wasn't really getting anywhere in terms of seeing the big picture. It looks like I'm in the minority with feeling disappointed, because I see a lot of positive reviews, but it isn't working for me. I would probably bail from this series now, but I already have book 3.
Helpful Score: 1
This book becomes more intense throughout, fewer slow sections of storyline. I am looking forward to book three. Often scripture is quoted to help fight the darkness and though some might find it distracting, I found it was necessary in this Post-Ap world where angels and demons become more real life than fiction to humans, mages, and "half breed" serephs (angels) and mages. I am beginning to absolutely love Faith Hunter's worlds.
Helpful Score: 1
I did not think it could get any better then the first book. I was wrong, this book was great, even better then the first. I can not wait to read the next.
