Ballantine, Apr 2002, 23.95, 336 pp. ISBN: 0-345-43527-3 Princess Merry of the Unseelie Court has been made co-heir to the throne along with her cousin Cel. The first one to get pregnant or give a woman an heir will be the new ruler of the court. Even though Cel is under punishment now for six months, Merry has too many enemies to feel safe at the court. She returns to Los Angeles with her harem of males and goes back to her old job as a private detective. A very famous movie star Maeve Reed hires Merry to perform a fertility rite so she can get pregnant by her husband before he dies. She was banished from the Seelee Court because she knows a secret about its king that would get him killed if it was ever revealed. Before Merry can perform the ceremony, the Nameless has been released on the world with Merry and Maeve as its specific targets, and unless someone can stop it, a massacre will occur. Readers were introduced to Merry in A KISS OF SHADOWS but in the sequel, A CARESS OF TWILIGHT Merry finally comes into her own. She is no longer fearful and anxious, but instead is a fully mature woman ready to fight to keep her people safe. There is enough romance, action, fantasy and adventure to keep lovers of all genres satiated. Harriet Klausner | ||
Plot & Themes Tone of book - very upbeat FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy story on current Earth Political power play Yes Political plotlets - factions fight within govt for control Magical Beings/Mental/Magical/Powers Yes magical powers: Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10 % planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 % Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10 % Main Character Identity: - Female Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's If magical mental powers: - mind reading - can cast many different spells - can read emotions - healing Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - long-lived adults Profession/status: How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting Earth setting: - during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times - near future (later in 21st century) Takes place on Earth? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |