Book Log 13/2009 - Storm Born

Richelle Mead: Storm Born

Very much in the style of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson novels this is fast paced and sexy with a lot of supernatural shenanigans set in the present day. When shaman Eugenie Markham, hitherto a wand for hire who earns her living banishing spirits and fey, has her true identity revealed to the denizens of the Otherworld she becomes a target for their lust. It’s prophesied that her firstborn will threaten the future of the world and every mad-bad being in pants is lining up to be the father. Her only allies are Kiyo, a gorgeous shapeshifter, and Dorian, a seductive fairy king with a thing about bondage... and she’s not actually too sure about the motives of either. There are some dark secrets waiting to be revealed and Eugenie has to radically revise her ideas about the Otherworld as it seems she has a place in it and a destiny to fulfil.

There’s more explicit sex in here than in Patricia Briggs’ books (so far), but it’s still a good balance between action and steam. Eugenie is a well developed character, maybe Dorian and Kiyo slightly less well developed as the whole thing is told in first person (so we only ever see them through Eugenie’s eyes) and she seems pretty fixated on their pants for much of the time. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but it does tend to make both of them a little two-dimensional. The Otherworld is well drawn and the creatures that populate it are rich and varied.

There’s a good and satisfying resolution, but we’re left with an open end. As Eugenie grows in power. What will she do with it? If there was to be a follow-up, I‘d read it. Ah, wait a minute, I just checked and Thorn Queen is due out in August 2009.

Book Log 13/2009 - Storm Born

Richelle Mead: Storm Born

Very much in the style of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson novels this is fast paced and sexy with a lot of supernatural shenanigans set in the present day. When shaman Eugenie Markham, hitherto a wand for hire who earns her living banishing spirits and fey, has her true identity revealed to the denizens of the Otherworld she becomes a target for their lust. It’s prophesied that her firstborn will threaten the future of the world and every mad-bad being in pants is lining up to be the father. Her only allies are Kiyo, a gorgeous shapeshifter, and Dorian, a seductive fairy king with a thing about bondage... and she’s not actually too sure about the motives of either. There are some dark secrets waiting to be revealed and Eugenie has to radically revise her ideas about the Otherworld as it seems she has a place in it and a destiny to fulfil.

There’s more explicit sex in here than in Patricia Briggs’ books (so far), but it’s still a good balance between action and steam. Eugenie is a well developed character, maybe Dorian and Kiyo slightly less well developed as the whole thing is told in first person (so we only ever see them through Eugenie’s eyes) and she seems pretty fixated on their pants for much of the time. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but it does tend to make both of them a little two-dimensional. The Otherworld is well drawn and the creatures that populate it are rich and varied.

There’s a good and satisfying resolution, but we’re left with an open end. As Eugenie grows in power. What will she do with it? If there was to be a follow-up, I‘d read it. Ah, wait a minute, I just checked and Thorn Queen is due out in August 2009.