The main reason I am giving Burnt Offerings only 3 stars, where I have given all the rest in the Anita Blake series 5 stars, is because it took me so long to read. I'm talking months. This is because I would read a chapter, then go on to a different book, then come back to it a few weeks later and read a few more pages, then abandon it again, and so on and so forth. I'm not saying I did this because the book was bad (it isn't that bad, really) - it's pretty much just because nothing that exciting happened. Throughout the last installment, The Killing Dance, I couldn't wait to get to the next page to see what would happen (especially between Anita and Jean Claude), but I never felt that way with Burnt Offerings. It felt like more of a chore to read it than a pleasure. The same old stuff is happening here: Anita is having major problems in the love department; she is having major problems with the Wereamimals; and she is having major problems with the vampire council. And once again, every male character in the book seems to want to sleep with her. Nothing new here. Despite the summary on the back of the book, this installment seems to have more to do with the Pack than vamps - which is okay, I guess, but I can only take so much of the Wereamimals.

Call me crazy, but my two favorite characters in the series are her mysterious "friend" Edward, and her sometimes partner-in-training Larry - both 100% human. Larry appears in the novel only briefly, and Edward not at all, which is a shame if you ask me. As much as I love Jean-Claude and Richard, I think Anita should start spending more time with her fellow humans. Maybe then she won't have so many problems. Then again, we also wouldn't be getting any more new books from Hamilton. If you have read the entire Anita Blake series thus far, you should definitely still read this one (you wouldn't want to skip one, no matter how much you may not like it). If you have never read any of the books in the series, do not start with this one - it most likely will not get you hooked. Start with Guilty Pleasures and work your way up. It's a great series - and even the best series have at least one in the bunch that's not as good as the rest. Be warned: this is it.

This is a great book for people who enjoy reading about strong heroines and undead people with raging sex drives. Frankly I wasn't particularly impressed with the first book in this series (Guilty Pleasures) but the books are getting better and better. It should be noted that Ms. Hamilton is not particularly adept at developing an original plot - her books generally follow a predictable course. 1) Anita Blake is called in to help with a case involving gruesome murders and mutilations. 2) Anita Blake meets unbelievably powerful supernatural beings (with or without master vampire sidekick). [Note - the order of these events may be reversed] 3) Anita Blake impresses the hell out of everyone she meets and/ or pisses them off. 4) Anita Blake kills time by searching for clues and/ or schmoozing with master vampire/ alpha werewolf. 5) Anita Blake confronts/ is attacked by Evil People. 6) Anita Blake and (at least) one sidekick get hurt. 7) Anita Blake gets Angry. 8) Anita Blake kills all Evil People. [Note: Bouts of angst appear at strategic moments in novel.]

Was that a bit harsh? Sorry! I don't pull my punches. Now let's get to the good bit. The main reason I liked this novel was that the relationships between Ms. Blake and her friends/ lovers are explored well. I really enjoyed the playful dialogue between Jean-Claude and Anita and the way her relationship with the shapeshifters is developing. I liked the humour and the new characters who were introduced. I really liked the sexual tension in many of the scenes. I'm not sure I like the way Anita is becoming all-powerful but that is just a small annoyance. What is interesting is that it becomes clear in this novel that Jean-Claude (unlike most male characters in this genre) is weaker than Anita and that his current elevated standing is due more to his foresight in picking Anita and Richard as his partners than to raw power. Lastly, Ms. Hamilton is leaving open the possibility that Anita will eventually be involved in a cozy threesome with Richard and Jean-Claude, which I would really like to see happen. That outcome is more than hinted at in this novel with the appearance of Asher (who shows that Jean-Claude has had prior experience with a three-way relationship), Jean-Claude's own statement that it is in his best interest to keep Richard happy and a suggestive bit of dialogue between Padma and Richard near the end of the novel. All in all, a very good installment of the series. I urge you all to read it and am eagerly waiting for more.

I loved this latest Anita Blake book. After I finished reading The Killing Dance, I wondered what would happen next. I love the contnued development of Anita, Jean Claude, and Richard. I also really liked Asher. I had wondered if Asher might make an appearance. Throughout the series Anita has developed more and more powers. I wonder if she has become too powerful, but then again her victories are all situational. The only problem is that there are a few too many plots. Ms. Hamilton deals well with tieing up the ends, but it feels as if the connection is kind of sudden. Ms. Hamilton really makes her characters live. I too wish Jean Claude were real. He is a marvelous, manipulative, sexy, and caring vampire. Ah Well. My advice is read the whole series from beginning to this latest book. You will probably find yourself reading them through a second time.

Wow, what a let down of an ending. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book immensely. However, the thrill came from the excellent adventure and detailed action which Hamilton is so good at describing. I was disappointed because of the total lack of exploration of the concepts that teased and awed in the first two books of the series.

For four books, Hamilton sets the reader up to expect an exploration of the concepts of life after death, eternity, the nature of evil, self determination, etc. The ending addresses none of these issues, completely bypassing the issue which created most of the tension in the first place -- the Kiints' insistance that humans must find their own solution to the problem of possession -- the Kiint won't even give them any hints.

Reading the Epilogue, my thought was "Gee, so there never really was a problem anyway."

Anyway, it's still a good book, hence the three stars. If you've already read the first four in the series, it's definitely worth finishing it up.

Alot about this book has been said in other reviews, but I have to say I agree with anyone who seemed to enjoy this last volume of The Night's Dawn Trilogy as much as I did. Hamilton does indeed keep his constantly frenetic pace going through to the very end, and the solution Joshua Calvert led the human race to was as thought-provoking and enriched as any conclusion I've ever read or seen. I picked up this volume as soon as it came out, and I was definitely not disappointed with the outcome in the least.

Hamilton's vision and storytelling was more than enough to make me feel extremely glad I stuck with this epic tale after being somewhat disappointed at the very first volume, The Reality Dysfunction: Emergence. After nearly 7 months since I finished this series, I still find myself reminiscing about the countless detailed characters, the numerous involved storylines, and the awesome conlusion that I really can only describe as "Wow".

The last book in an excellent series that showed an interesting view of both science and metaphysics, and proposed a hypothetical world in which the two were finally united.

The scope of this book and its sheer number of believable characters make it a must read. The plot twists and turns, each step grander and more surprising than the last, and all the while outlined by the amazing technology and ideas that are characteristic of Hamilton's work. Follow the final stages of Joshua Calvert's adventure to stem the tides of the returning dead, where he must risk his life in a mission beyond known space in a search for a solution, the fabled and mythical 'Naked God' of Tyrathca lore. Meanwhile back in the settled galaxy the war between the living and the dead continues, and the self-proclaimed high priest of a twisted religion moves to plunge the Earth, and the whole universe, into eternal darkness. An amazing and breathtaking book, the ultimate ending to an amazing series. If you are in any way interested in science fiction, pick this book up and give it a try. It is one of the few that is able to do both science and action, and make them both interesting.

I am going to be married in four months. Assuming I'm not hit by a bus tomorrow or eat warm mayonnaise by accident. And I am going crazy. As a gift, my friend, Ann, gave me a copy of Otherwise Engaged, by Suzanne Finnamore. I was like, "you want me to READ???" She said, "Just read it." So I did.I would like my review to be a gigantic bullhorn to EVERY woman who is either engaged, about to be engaged, wanting to be engaged or wishing to be so. SOMEBODY FINALLY GETS IT.That's what I would shout. This book is absolutely important and wonderful. For the first time, SOMEBODY has come forward and talked about the anxiety that we feel when we are in a relationship. I mean the real stuff, the stuff we think but don't say and sometimes don't even admit we think. This is a very brave novel, and I am so personally grateful to the writer (Suzanne Finnamore) for writing it. Aside from being paralyzingly funny, it's all TRUE. She gets it. I have been going out of my mind thinking I am the only person who is feeling what I feel and then all of a sudden, SMACK. I read this book.I also saw New York Magazine recently because my husband-to-be is from NY and we subscribe, and there she was...except I didn't like one thing: they compared Otherwise Engaged to the Bridget Jones book and I read that (loved it) but this is really different...I almost want to say that BJ is about being single and Finnamore is about getting married, but that's not it. The difference is, to me, BJ is a really fun read. But Otherwise Engaged is astounding. Every word is perfect and you just read it and think, "I want to KNOW her..." There are so many good lines that I would wake up my boyfriend and say, "listen to this..." and he would say "what time is it?" and then I would say, "Just listen..." Because the thing is, it looks like a girl book, but it's really not. My guy was like, "This is really funny, who is this girl, this is great...that's so you..." This book gives me permission to feel what I feel. Validation, I guess is the term a shrink might use.Anyway, the only problem with the book is this: it goes from very funny to very deep and you have no idea when it comes. My copy of the book has ice cream stains on it because I laughed out loud and, well -splatt. So be forewarned. It IS this funny. Also, I hate the fact that the author had the nerve to end it. I NEED MORE!!! Don't borrow it, GET it...I know it's a little hard to get because everyone keeps selling out, but it's WORTH it. My advice is Amazon...only because all the bookstores in my area keep saying, "two more days" and they seem to be able to get books faster...Just don't combine it with food.

I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. In fact, when I saw it on my bookshelf I couldn't even remember why I bought it. Imagine my surprise to find a witty, honest account of a woman's experience with engagement, relationships and life.

The story is told in the first person by a woman in her late thirties who has given her boyfriend an ultimatum, which he accepts. As she moves toward marriage, she encounters many ups and downs and emotional obstacles, all of which are related in a straight forward manner, easy to believe and relate to. This is not a book about a woman who simply has to get married; she really cares about her intended, even panics at the thought of life without him. Yet she still experiences doubts and jitters, a clear illustration of the effect that marriage can have of even the strongest relationships.

I highly recommend Otherwise Engaged to anyone, married, single, engaged or not. There's a lot in it that everybody can relate to, whether her fear of commitment or of being found out, proven to be the 'phony' she feels she is. And all of this is presented in a funny, smart and engaging (no pun intended) way. It's certainly good for a laugh, but I was very pleasantly suprised to find out how much more there is to it. Enjoy!

Written in a wry, wonderful voice that vacillates between hysterically funny to amazingly insightful, OTHERWISE ENGAGED chronicles a woman's journey from singleton to married with a depth not always found in many books of this type. This isn't a long book, but that's because the prose is clean and spare, not because the author doesn't have a lot to say. The tone is more literary, say, than DIARY OF A MAD BRIDE (which I thought was a hoot), but that doesn't make OE any less readable.

Some might find Eve's obsessiveness and neurosis a bit over the top, but I would imagine that taking this step for the first time at 36, especially for a woman well ensconced in her career, might be more anxiety-producing than for a younger woman. In any case, I had no trouble buying into those anxieties. . .but what I most loved was how she always, always came back to realizing just how terrific her husband-to-be was, and deeply in love with him she was. And the last page brought tears to my eyes.

One of my favorite books of the year, for sure.

"Blue Moon" by Laurell K. Hamilton finds our heroine, Anita Blake, necromancer and vampire executioner, at a crossroads in her life. Can she live with the things she has done? How far has she fallen from God's graces? As Anita examines her life, she is involved in yet another dangerous adventure, which sweeps the reader away into Anita's weird and wonderful world.
I have trouble saying this book was excellent, because I am not a Richard fan, and though I have tried really hard to like him, I just can't do it. So, because Anita betrayed Jean-Claude, her super sexy vampire lover, with Richard, who could not be more wrong for her, the entire book was tainted for me as a result. With that said, however, it is still a thrilling and fun-filled read that I did enjoy, just not as much as all the others.
In this 8th instalment of the series, Anita receives a call informing her that her ex-fiancé, Richard Zeeman, junior high science teacher and alpha werewolf, has been arrested for rape in Tennessee. Anita drops everything and goes to help Richard, despite the fact the local Master Vampire has forbidden her to enter his territory.
When Anita arrives, she starts trying to solve the mystery of who would want to frame Richard for rape and why. It becomes immediately obvious that the local police are corrupt, and are trying to run them out of town. But that's not all Anita has on her plate. Colin, the Master Vampire, is giving Anita and her entourage serious problems, threatening them and harming their people. Anita also has to observe the appropriate werewolf politics as she deals with the local werewolf pack. Add in several of Richard's angry ex-girlfriends and a demon and you have one heck of a story!
One thing I really enjoyed in this book was getting to know some of the secondary characters better. We get to see a lot of Anita's wereleopards, Nathaniel, Cherry, and Zane, Jason and Jamil the werewolves, and two of Jean-Claude's vampires, Asher and Damian. Though I liked the inclusion of these seven people as integral characters in the story, I couldn't help but miss Jean-Claude.
"Blue Moon" is most definitely worth reading despite the problems I had with it, which are more due to my personal opinion than actual flaws in the story. Hamilton has once again created a fast-paced and exhilarating tale that will completely absorb readers. When you need to escape from your everyday troubles, Anita's wild world of vampires, werewolves and zombies is the perfect solution. So don't miss out on the fun, buy this book (and all the others) ASAP, I guarantee you won't regret it!

While I've enjoyed all of the Anita Blake series, her relationships and confusion with same have taken center stage over the past two installments, making me wonder just where our heroine's focus was going to be throughout the rest of the series. Well, I'm happy to report that Anita is back on track! The tone and flow of this book are reminiscent of the first fast-paced novels and even the strange tension between Anita and her various admirers is resolved. Er...sort of. My only regrets are that we didn't see Larry and Edward, but I'll accept the trade off that Anita is finally going to go back to her magical roots and learn something of her powers before tripping into greater trouble. Of course, her powers and influence are starting to edge on the absurd....as Jean Claude says, its getting so you can't do anything with or to the local monsters without getting her permission....but I like the directions she took in this book (I also like the status of relationships at the end). This is a terrific read!

I've read many of the reviews that the public has written.Most of them were negative.Personally,I really admire the author a great deal. She has taken something that she enjoys doing and has become successful at it. Anita Blake and all of her talents, new and old, is a very interesting character. The people that gave this a bad review probably read this and wished or pretended that they were Anita. She's incredible! I wish I had the courage and determination that the author gave her.Not to mention the male following. Oh, about the steamy sex stuff, I thought it was fantastic that Anita and Richard finally got together. Before people start whining about how it should have been written, I think they should try to write a book themselves! That way they can write it however they want to.To Ms.Hamilton;keep up the great work! What is Edward's last name? I love all of your characters. How is your family? It must really be hard to write with a little one running around the house. Thank you for the great books!! I've read the whole set about three times now.Can't wait for the next one!!!

I have to preface this review by stating that this is the only Laurell K. Hamilton I've read to date, Anita Blake series or otherwise. I plan on giving her another shot, because I suspect she's capable of better than this piece.

Vampire hunter Anita Blake leaves her St. Louis home to help out her sociopathic bounty hunter friend, Edward, and the police, on an alarming serial murder case: victims are being flayed alive, and kept alive - more or less - by means of some supernatural nastiness. Anita's expertise, and that of a criminal team assembled by Edward, are necessary to figure out the origin of, and cure for, the specific evil involved.

I'll start with what works, which is Hamilton's sense of humor, prevalent throughout in her first-person narration of Anita Blake. Hamilton's other characters - at least the criminal ones - are well-drawn, interesting, and generally appalling.

Unfortunately, virtually everything else doesn't work, starting with the fact that all Hamilton's well-drawn characters are appalling. None of the characters, Anita Blake included, has an emotional maturity level above age fifteen, tops. There's more testosterone-driven male-posturing in this book than in the entire World Wrestling Federation on steroids, most of it - inappropriately and comically enough - being done by Anita Blake. The plot is paper-thin, and moves slower than a lame mule across the Andes. Much of the violence in this book - and I am not opposed to violence in books - goes beyond the measure of good taste, even for the type of piece this is. The entire book is essentially a series of pissing contests between Blake and every other character - the entire police force, Edward and his entire psychopathic cadre, underworld vampires, underworld werewolves, and anyone else she comes across. She's also pathologically self-absorbed, diminishing her appeal. The ultimate payoff is terribly anticlimactic, and isn't worth the trip getting to it.

It took me literally months to finish this book, and I only completed it out of sheer stubbornness. Hamilton is not a bad writer, however. If this, or any other of her Anita Blake novels stick in your craw, you might well enjoy her Princess Meredith series, beginning with A Kiss of Shadows - it's similar, but much lighter-hearted.

Obsidian Buttrerfly has an "OK, So here's one more" feeling to it that the other Anita Blake novels do not have. The book is largely an exploration of the Edward character, a frequently appearing extra in her works. Edward (professional killer and associate of Anita's) seems to have a softer side and needs Anita's guns and attitude to help him out. Along the way are the usual cast of undead folk, a new Master Vampire, and were-pack (with a web-site), and just some of your casual CIA killers (out of control, of course) just to liven things up.

The action is up to par but Edward lacks the captivating and engaging evil of Jean Claude, or the all-American werewolf attractivness of Richard. And I missed the other were/wierd folk in the St. Louis based books. It was still a quick read for me and, yes its a page-turner, but I wanted a better transition from Blue Moon and the evolution of Anita's own powers. I enjoyed it, Laurell, but I'm still waiting for the final menage a trois of power with a final determination of who is the servant: Jean Claude or Anita.

I loved this latest installment in the Anita Blake Series. I read the comment of the person who returned this book and I hope you will not let this turn you away. The scene that he is talking about plays a very important role in the novel; it provides the motivation for Anita, Edward and the gang to extract the children from the bad guys. And don't forget that this is a horror novel. Is murder any less horrible than a child being hurt? Laurell Hamilton writes a "real" story. It is set in an alternate history so there are vampires but the evil that goes on in the real world is portrayed by Mrs. Hamilton. The bad guys are BAD and innocent people get hurt and who can believe it people actually have sex. This novel does not have the graphic sex of the last two novels but why does Anita have to be chaste to kill vampires?

I am finally glad to see an author who can create really true character set in the real world; instead of sexless heroes who kill the bad guy, sleep alone and disappear in the crowd of heroes just like them.

"Nightseer" is Laurell K. Hamilton's first published novel, and it is, for the most part, well written and highly entertaining. This book is action-packed and filled with interesting characters who live in an intriguing fantasy world.
"Nightseer" is a little slow at the beginning, and it takes a while to become familiar with the alternate reality Hamilton has created, but once the story gets going it moves at a lightning fast pace.
The story revolves around noble half-elf Keleios Nightseer, skilled prophet and master enchanter. Upon reaching adulthood, Keleois found herself gifted with the power of sorcery, and so she was forced to relinquish her master status and return to the magic school at Zeln's Keep to learn to control her new power.
Entering a state of prophecy, Keleios has a terrible vision - the Keep under attack and on fire and the students and masters taken prisoner or killed. Keleios barely has time to warn the residents before the attack is under way, the Keep betrayed by Keleios' roommate Fidelis, a student of Harque, the evil witch who killed her mother years ago. Keleios manages to assemble a small group of survivors, consisting of herself, Tobin, a young prince, Lothor, a dark healer who agrees to help Keleios only if she agrees to be his consort, Master Eroar, a shape-shifting dragon, and Poth, a cat with powers of sorcery. These five must fight against the demonic forces threatening to destroy them. Keleios, who once walked the pit of Hell in a quest of revenge for her mother, bears the mark of demonic corruption, which gives her a certain power over demons.
Keleios and the rest of her team are betrayed by a ruthless High Councilman, and delivered into the hands of Harque. Now Keleios and her friends must struggle to free themselves from the evil witch and her demonic minions. And Keleios seeks to have her revenge on her mothers' murderer.
"Nightseer" is full of non-stop action and thrilling suspense. Hamilton has created yet another fascinating world that her readers can immerse themselves in. Though there are some flaws in the plot, it is on the whole a very impressive first effort. I do wish there were not so many loose ends left dangling when the book came to a close, but this didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book as a whole. "Nightseer" is a fun-filled romp through a wild and wonderful world of dragons, sorcerers, witches and demons, and it is most certainly worth reading!

Yet again Laurell K. dazzles us with a snappy heroine that is, on her own, a never-ending puzzle. I loved the realism in the book and the fact that she doesn't seem to hesitate in killing off or introducing unpopular characters. She has a way with words that will steal your breath as you struggle against all outside influences to finish the book in one sitting. The plot is so gripping that until I read the book again, I didn't notice that she left quite a few loose ends for the reader to chew on. My only question is that with so many cliffhangers, where is the sequel?! I mean, in the Anita Blake series you have 3 or 4 plots going on at once, but they are always resolved at the end, with the exception of her boyfriends. This leads me to conclude there MUST be an ending to this book somewhere, that ties up all the ends and gives the reader the satisfaction of knowing what happened to who. Miss Hamilton, if you read this, please publish it!!!

Since I've already read Ms. Hamilton's work, I was expecting something a little different. The storyline is great - exactly my speed. But the story unfolds as if there was a prequel, and I haven't been able to find one. The magic and demons are quite interesting, the characters are nicely developed. But again there is the exception because of the feeling that you've missed the first book that sets-up the premise of this magical world. Customs are mentioned, but never fully fleshed out nor explained. The history of characters is also "mentioned", and used to progress the storyline, but without enough detail. Even with this criticsm though, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am really hoping that Ms. Hamilton will discover another adventure of Keleios and Lothor to share with her fans.

Perhaps it is just that I'm tired of "series" writers. It's not that I'm tired of Ms. Hamilton's creativity and voice. I read this book in one setting. However... "A Kiss of Shadows" does not contain the depth of characterization Ms. Hamilton has shown in the Anita Blake series. I had not realized how greatly I had enjoyed watching the growth of Ms. Blake's character throughout the series AND within each book. The protagonists and antagonists all make human choices no matter their "monstrosity." "Kiss's" new character, Merry, merely has things happen to her. They affect her to a limited extent. And I never got much feeling for the antagonists in the book at all. I didn't even care if they got their come-uppance or learned their lesson. Not only is there not a lot of character development, but there isn't a lot of plot development. The future of this series is laid out for the reader in such detail that maybe adding some of a plot was too much. Finally, the sensuality typical of Ms. Hamilton's earlier books went too far for me in this book. Perhaps because there is no reference for having romance with monsters who have limited human characteristics and no human physical characteristics. If you are as much of a lover of Ms. Hamilton's past works as I, then this review will not stop you from purchasing the hard back edition. If you are a new reader, I urge you to read any and all of her other works before this one. This is her one book, that would not start a Laurell K. Hamilton addiction, and it's an addiction well worth starting.

"A Kiss of Shadows" begins Laurell K. Hamilton's new series revolving around Meredith NicEssus, a faerie princess of the Unseelie Court. This book is a wonderful, sensuous read, full of rich and vivid characters in a thrilling storyline that will keep you turning pages all night long. This is a very promising beginning to what seems to be another highly addictive series by LKH.
Princess Meredith NicEssus has been hiding out in Los Angeles for three years under the name Meredith Gentry, working as a private detective specializing in the supernatural. Merry is hiding because her aunt Andais, the Queen of Air and Darkness, wants her dead (and being half-human, not full sidhe, Merry is mortal and easily killed).
When Merry takes a case involving faerie magic, she ends up the victim of a spell that destroys the careful disguise she creates using glamour, and the secret is out that Princess Meredith is in LA. It doesn't take long for her aunt's guards to come searching for her, and after some suspenseful and exciting scenes, Meredith is finally forced to return home. Luckily for Merry, however, she has finally come into her own power, inheriting the "hand of flesh" from her father, and making her a power to be reckoned with.
But a surprise awaits her when she arrives home. It seems that her aunt no longer wants her dead. In fact, due to some unknown falling out with her unbalanced and cruel son, Merry's cousin Cel, Queen Andais gives Merry a chance to inherit the throne. Whoever produces an heir first, Merry or Cel, will become the next ruler of the Unseelie Court, and Merry may have her pick of all the Queen's guards as lovers.
This sounds great in theory, but the truth of it is that someone wants Merry dead, and she isn't home an hour before the first attempt on her life occurs. Merry is nearly positive that it is her cousin Cel, trying to ensure that he inherits the throne, but the Queen always looks the other way for her only son, so Merry's life is left in extreme peril.
Hamilton does a fantastic job of portraying the Unseelie Court, and all the politics that go along with it. The Queen's guards are all fascinating characters, and I look forward to learning more about them in future books. Doyle, the Queen's darkness, and the most feared of all the guards is my favourite. His interactions with Merry are intriguing and skilfully rendered, and his commitment to her, to keep her safe, is quite touching. The other guards, such as Frost (The Killing Frost), Rhys (once a death god), Barinthus and Galen, are also utterly loyal to Merry, and are all interesting characters who add depth to the story.
Merry herself is a great character. She is small and tough, like Anita Blake from Hamilton's Vampire Hunter series, but that is where the similarities end. Merry is an innately sexual being, comfortable with her sexuality and not afraid to show it. These views on Merry's part, and the inherently sexual nature of the fey, make for a lot of erotica in this novel, which I really enjoyed. I found the sex scenes tasteful and highly sensual, not to mention essential to the telling of the story.
Once again Hamilton has created a new, magical world in which readers can immerse themselves. Merry's world of breathtakingly beautiful and grotesque faeries, multi-eyed goblins, brownies and ghosts is wonderfully imaginative and hugely fun to read about. I truly enjoyed this book and went into work completely bleary-eyed two days in a row, because I simply could not put this book down. Hamilton is a wonderful storyteller, and this new series already has me hooked. So don't miss out on the fun, buy this book today!

Let me start by saying that I LOVED this book and frankly, I was prepared not to. I was introduced to the author by a co-worker who thought the Anita Blake series was one of the best vampire stories going. I was hooked after the first book and now that I've read Ms Hamilton's newest heroine, I feel compelled to share just how wonderful Kiss of Shadows is. The reason I felt I wouldn't like the new series was because I couldn't imagine an author coming up with a more diverse and interesting alternative universe than the one Anita Balke inhabits. Boy was I wrong. Merry Gentry and the "people" who orbit around her are some of the most inventive, unusual charcters that it has been my pleasure to read about. I can't wait for the next installment. Please, Laurell, write faster!!!

This is an excellent book for many readers. Personally, I don't read a great deal, but when I came across this book for a particular class, I was amazed at how quickly I was getting through it. This book was exciting and constantly kept me thinking of what would happen next. There was constant suspense with the haunted house and mysterious openings in the walls. The devilish caretaker also added to the drama in this story. I would encourage others to take the time and enjoy this interesting book.

The House of Dies Drear is a great mystery book. I liked the author's style of writing mysteries. Reading books with a mystery and not knowing who the good people and bad people in the book are is neat because you never know what may happen next. This book makes you want to keep reading and makes you want to know what's going to happen next. The main characters are Thomas, and Mr. Pluto. Thomas is a nice curious boy and Mt Pluto's a grumpy old man. The plot of the story is Thomas is moving into a house with his family that was a station for the underground railroad and is believed to be haunted. It was a really good book and I think anyone who likes mysteries should read it.It was a very exciting, super, amazing, cool, and awsome book!

Thomas Small lived in Virginia all of his life. Then one day, ( which happened to be his birthday) Thomas and family packed up all of their belongings and moved up north to a small town in Ohio where his father got a new job. As the days pass, strange things start happening. Thomas discovers a secret passage. Wilst in the passsage and has a frightening encounter with a mysterious man. The Smalls meet a family called the Darrows who are pretty mean terrorise them. At the end, the Smalls and the mysteriouse man called Mister Pluto and his son get together and scare of the Darrows to keep them away from the secret tresure of Dies Drear. I advise you to read this wonderful book ful of mysterie and suprise

Merry Gentry, sidhe princess and coheir to the Unseelie Court is back in this second in the series by Laurell K. Hamilton. As with all of Hamilton's books, it primarily centers around the relationship between our beautiful heroine and her bevy of gorgeous men. Oh, and by the way, these aren't just any ordinary guys, they're Sidhe warriors, elite fey bodyguards. Each one has the chance to be Merry's royal consort... if they can get her pregnant with the next heir to the throne. Let's just say there are some VERY sexy chapters in his book! The best thing about Hamilton's books would have to be the tantalizing interpersonal relationships (including romance!) that weave in and out of the narrative. The detective work Merry does as an employee of Grey Detective Agency almost seems to be an afterthought, not the focus for the plot. Even so, it was a great read and I sat down and read on into the wee hours of the night so I could finish in one sitting. I look forward to the next Merry Gentry book, and her upcoming confrontation with her cousin Cel as well as the Seelie Court. A great series, Ms. Hamilton-- keep them coming!

Last year, I happened upon Kiss of Shadows in my library. Ever since reading that book, I have read all of the Anita Blake Series as well. I had to wait for months for Caress of Twilight to come out, and needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. People that have not read KOS first will find this story a bit confusing because there isn't as much background history in COT. COT was written with the assumption that the first in the series was already completed. Ms. Hamilton does not take the time to review every single character (which I am grateful for, nothing is more irritating than having to learn the history of each character over and over again in a new book). COT picks up about three months after KOS ended. Merry and her men are still working for the Grey detective agency, and they are given a case to resolve for someone not only famous in the human world, but infamous in the fey world. For those that have a yearning for romance, there is plenty to be had. For those that are more into the paranormal/violent part, there is also a good amount of that. I found that the sex scenes in this novel are much less disturbing than the ones in the Anita Blake ones (at least in Narcissus in Chains), in fact, the sex scenes are not made to be a deviation from the norm, rather they are a part of the story (although one was a bit weird for me...but it was a height issue for me personally...if you've read the book, you'll understand, I don't want to reveal it because it is a surprise). I even discovered that I no longer have a favorite heroine between the two series. Anita's story is more about trying to keep true to herself, but there's so much torment in her life that it's very hard to do. I feel that Merry is much more secure in who she is and what she needs to do. I think that Ms. Hamilton does a fabulous job of weaving a story of a world that is much like our own, but vastly different as well. I think that my only complaint about this book is that it was much too short. The hardback is only about 350 pages long + or -, not over 400 as posted on this site. I would be willing to pay extra for one of her books if that's what it takes to get a longer story, especially now that we have to wait until next year (2003) for the next installment of either Anita or Merry.

"A Caress of Twilight", by Laurell K. Hamilton is fantastic! I love Ms. Hamilton's writing, her Anita Blake stories are great, but I must say I, (and I think the author) are getting a bit bored with her. So, I am thrilled to see a second book in a new series featuring Princess Meredith.

"A Caress of Twilight" shows Hamilton at her creative best. It is the ultimate in female fantasy. Princess Meredith, a half human fairy princess, must conceive a child before her cousin does to gain the fairy throne and keep her crazy cousin, who wants to kill her, from becoming King. To do that, she must sleep with all her guards, as often as possible, until she becomes pregnant. Cool huh?

There is a mass murder mystery to solve, a curse to overcome, and enough royal intrigue to rival even the House of Windsor. I can't recommend this book enough, it is a fun -- gobble it up in one sitting read - and I eagerly await the next installment.

"The Reality Dysfunction: Emergence", together with "Expansion", was originally a single novel. Its paperback edition has been split into two volumes however. Presumably this it to make its constituent parts more digestible, because if anything this book most definitely "emerges" and "expands".
Basically this is pure space opera, with an added dollop of horror thrown in. As regards the plot, without going into too much detail, it's the 26th century and humanity is spread across the Galaxy. Peaceful co-existence becomes threatened by a mysterious, possibly alien force which first appears on a primitive jungle colony planet named Lalonde.
The most amazing thing about this book is just the sheer volume of it. At times it appears endless, as you wade through plotline after repetitive plotline. For example, a good portion of the action takes place on the aforementioned colony world Lalonde, hence countless pages are spent describing apparently identical yet different jungle battles between various teams of soldiers/mercenaries/colonists and "the possessed". As you hack through lush descriptions of jungle and gore, you are also introduced to a number of paper thin and utterly uninteresting characters elsewhere around the Galaxy, many of whom it seems serve only as an excuse to feature several raunchy sex scenes, each progressively more juvenile than the last.
Some of the future technology described in the book is genuinely interesting though. The Cosmoniks are particularly good, humans whose bodies are mostly mechanical. The whole Adamist/Edenist split is also intriguing. However, positive aspects like these along with any other philosophical or religious questions the book might raise are buried under the sheer weight of drudge.
Of course, if you want non-stop action and violence than The Reality Dysfunction is a world beater. The loving descriptions of future weapons technology and its effects would make Tom Clancy blush. If an editor though had chopped out half of this book, not only would the plot barely miss a beat but this review would be a lot more positive. As it stands then, the book unfortunately for me is not worth the effort.

Originally published as a trilogy, Peter Hamilton's Night's Dawn sequence (published in the U.S. in six fat volumes) represents state-of-the-art space opera that makes up for in pace and sheer storytelling energy what it lacks in style. The first installment introduces us to the dualing doctrines of the neo-fundamentalist Adamists and telepathic Edenists (an ideological gulf suspiciously similar to that of the Shapers and Mechanists of Bruce Sterling's excellent "Schismatrix"). Hamilton's galaxy-spanning conflict is well-realized and fascinating, even if his characters occasionally succumb to the one-dimensional predictability of their pulp-fiction predecessors. "Emergence" is a promising far-future romp that successfully breathes new life into the much-chewed turf of galactic conflict and promises a lot of fun; I'll read later installments with interest.

Hamilton continues his bold galactic tale in "Expansion." The second half of "The Reality Dysfunction" is without doubt the best, and an absorbing reward for readers who decide to tag along after the introductory material covered in "Emergence." Brimming with capably written action sequences and harrowing excursions into uncharted interstellar depths, "Expansion" manages to boost the Night's Dawn sequence into literary escape velocity. Hamilton's main goal in writing this series is to tell a story, and he succeeds brilliantly, maintaining a sense of suspense while juggling a vast cast of characters and alien environments. A sort of cyberpunk fusion between Stephen King's "The Stand" and Isaac Asimov's "Foundation," "The Reality Dysfunction" is one of the most enjoyable and refreshingly unpretentious sagas to grace science fiction bookshelves in a long time.

"Consolidation," the first part of the second installment in Hamilton's sprawling Night's Dawn sequence, sees the characters and situations of the first two-part novel thrust deeper and farther into intricate and deftly balanced storylines. As the series matures and gathers momentum, Hamilton is able to develop and humanize his protaganists; more than before, the characters seem real enough to actually root for. Fortunately for readers who have made it this far, Hamilton manages to counter his incendiary action sequences with existential paradox and fiendish genre-crossing sensibility. The result is a completely arresting widescreen fiction experience that raises profound questions while maintaining a consistently high level of suspense. Hamilton's series is staggering in its kinetic, playful vision, and "Consolidation" leaves us thirsting for more.

I was immediately hooked by The Reality Dysfunction and as quickly as I was able, acquired and devoured every word in the entire 3 (or 6 as published in the U.S.) volume set. I absolutely loved the universe that Hamilton created. His space habitats were truly believable but fantastic and richly detailed. His story was another take on the battles between good and evil, with incredibly imaginative extensions to the universe's dimensions, etc. He drew a society split into two main camps, those using hard technology and those using biotech. There were issues of the future of humanity involved, as well. My only complaint with the series is that I thought a bit much of the epic to be dark and wallowing in disaster, hopelessness and evil. Hamilton brought in lighter story lines enough to keep me going. Hope and joy were kept alive just enough. His final resolution to the great problem was simply ingenious and wonderful. Comedy, horror, drama, lust, adventure...this series has it all. It is a huge and wonderful work. I'm wondering how Hamilton will follow it now. Of the great space operas, it rates for me above Foundation and above Dune, both of which were excellent. A great read!