More magic battles and intrigue, 24 Nov 2008
I totally disagree with the first two reviewers. Yes the rape doesn't traumatize her as much as it would a normal person, but she is supposed to be a magical person descended from a love goddess who has unborn twins genetically derived from 6 of her lovers trying to stay alive long enough to rule the fey! - surely you cant quibble about reality at this point in the series...

If you like a fun fantasy with a sassy heroine, trying to deal with court intrigues, old feuds and the various lands of the sidhe all battling each other then this is a great series, and a good book. However you rea;;y do need to read them in order to keep track of who is who.

Non stop action, 14 Nov 2008
So many things happen in such a short space of time that there is no chance to be bored with this book. Everyone is still trying to assassinate Merry and her men, there are lots of cliff hanger moments and plenty of blood, but very little sex in this one.
I agree with some other reviewers that the rape is glossed over, but I think this is more to do with so much happening and Merry has not yet remembered it than being ignored by Hamilton.
The book left me itching to know what will happen in Los Angeles, will she ever be queen, how will the men who have spent little or no time outside faerie adapt to the human world, how will magic spread to the humans... I could go on and on with questions. All good books leave you with wanting more, and this one certainly left me waiting impatiently for the next Merry book.


poorly written., 09 Nov 2008
Laurell K Hamilton's books have been getting steadily worse for a long long time. I'm still reading in the hopes that she'll start to show some of what used to make her so enjoyable again. The early Anita Blake books were quite entertaining and when the Merry Gentry series started I really enjoyed the first few books too. Sadly things started to slide when the books lost all plot and descended into almost constant sex scenes that spanned the whole entire book. I enjoy sex in books but not to the exclusion of plot. This book can't be tarred with that reason for being bad however as the sex is kept to a minimum - well as minimum as LKH seems to be able to keep it these days anyway and there is a storyline of sorts.

To summarise the plot, the book starts directly after the events of A Lick of Frost (Meredith Gentry 6) with Merry in hospital after being raped by her Uncle Tarranis (Merry shows almost no signs of any trauma - very strange) then a plot to kill Merry's guards begins to unfurl and Merry calls up te wild hunt in revenge to go chassing after the plotters. And that's about it as far as plot goes, Merry reacting to all that the seelie and unseelie and the sluagh and the goblins can throw at her while gaining magical power ups from the Goddess. There is a plot, even if it's mostly the tying up of old threads and dealing with random people that get in her way.

The real problem I found was her repetitive and silly descriptions that read as if they had been lifted directly from one book to the next. On more than one occasion I laughed out loud they were so bad - it sort of spoils the mood of the story when the terrible prose distracts you from the plot. Everything is all sparkly and moonlight lit with detailed pointless descriptions of hair and clothes and rose petals raining from the sky.

I enjoyed the early Merry Gentry novels and I suppose that this book could have seen an end of the series as many of the loose ends from previous books have been tied off. Her father's killer has been unmasked and her enemies defeated for the most part. Unfortunately I don't think that this will be the case and more stories will be spun out with Merry doing more sparkly, magical, and wonderful things with new powers given conveniently by the Goddess just in time and with conversations that start in the middle of the action and just drag on and on to showcase Merry's wonderfullness. I think LKH need to take a break from writing for a while not churn out a Merry and an Anita book every year. She needs to go back and re-read all her books and rediscover her characters for herself and maybe things might improve. I'm still reading in hopes they do but i'm not sure how much longer I will be.

Swallowing tedium, 05 Nov 2008
For her last few books, Laurell K. Hamilton has been toning down the sexual content in favor of what can be loosely termed "plot."

Well, turns out there are far worse things than endless sparkly-magical sex scenes. After the shattering cliffhanger ending of the previous book, the seventh Merry Gentry book "Swallowing Darkness" promptly goes on a road tour of Faerie instead of sticking to an actual central plot. It feels like Hamilton has gone as far as she can, and is flailing around instead of getting out of the water.

In the aftermath of being raped by her uncle, Merry is recovering in the hospital... and despite all the moping about how doctors "can't undo the damage," she gets over the rape by cuddling her favorite boytoy.

After ordering her various fey boytoys not to attack Taranis, she receives a visit from her feisty brownie grandma. Unfortunately there's a malign influence warping Gran's thoughts -- with disastrous and fatal results for three people close to Merry. Enraged, she and Sholto summon the Wild Hunt and set out to destroy the conspirators.

But it turns out that the conspiracy goes far further than Merry expected -- and that certain Golden Court sidhe are trying to weed out the stronger boytoys. And of course, divine magical favors just rain down on Merry whenever she sneezes. To keep her entire harem (half of whom I've forgotten) safe, Merry decides to take drastic steps in the human world... but only finds a new conflict with her cousin Cel.

Having knocked up her heroine -- which is supposedly the series' goal -- Laurell K. Hamilton seems to be at a loss for what to do to keep the series going ahead. So we end up with a bunch of vaguely connected crises, punctuated by interludes of Sparkly Magic From Goddess-Merry, magic horsies and lots of sparkly magic roses. It's a little like being alternately choked with flowers and clubbed with a rock.

"Swallowing Darkness" does manage an impressive amount of plot, including the resolution of couple half-forgotten subplots -- and a surprising twist during Merry's stay in the sluagh. Unfortunately most of the plot is just Hamilton slapping in new random problems whenever things get too peaceful. Whoops, somebody's suddenly dying! Eek, a traitor! Yikes, a royal challenge from out of nowhere!

Nor does Hamilton's writing help, since she seems to be bored with her own story when she isn't trying to channel Patricia McKillip's lush prose. Her incredibly stilted, rambling dialogue ("We ride." "To save your Storm Lord." "To save the future of faerie"), repetition (everybody seems to have "moonlight skin") and awkward descriptions ("Gold like the metal of a piece of jewelry") hamper the story even further.

And as with all Hamilton's fairy novels, we get hot pale supernatural men who all worship the heroine, dumb blinkered mortals, lightweight Wiccan theology, Christian-bashing, oral sex worship, and lots of nasty and/or crazy women who simply can't measure up to the heroine. Yes, even a sweet li'l old grandma, who is reviled for daring to hold a grudge against her mother's murderer.

But the book's biggest weakness is Merry Gentry herself. She floats through the book in a cloud of Convenient Magical Powers and occasionally pauses to cold-bloodedly kill people. Everybody is awed by her even if she kills them -- and she declares herself to be a goddess as well. It gets rather nauseating to have a heroine who is such a blatant self-insert.

"Swallowing Darkness" has some shreds of good plot in there, but they're surrounded by jack-in-the-box disasters and a main storyline that is being stretched way too far. And it's not over yet....

More magic battles and intrigue, 24 Nov 2008
I totally disagree with the first two reviewers. Yes the rape doesn't traumatize her as much as it would a normal person, but she is supposed to be a magical person descended from a love goddess who has unborn twins genetically derived from 6 of her lovers trying to stay alive long enough to rule the fey! - surely you cant quibble about reality at this point in the series...

If you like a fun fantasy with a sassy heroine, trying to deal with court intrigues, old feuds and the various lands of the sidhe all battling each other then this is a great series, and a good book. However you rea;;y do need to read them in order to keep track of who is who.

Non stop action, 14 Nov 2008
So many things happen in such a short space of time that there is no chance to be bored with this book. Everyone is still trying to assassinate Merry and her men, there are lots of cliff hanger moments and plenty of blood, but very little sex in this one.
I agree with some other reviewers that the rape is glossed over, but I think this is more to do with so much happening and Merry has not yet remembered it than being ignored by Hamilton.
The book left me itching to know what will happen in Los Angeles, will she ever be queen, how will the men who have spent little or no time outside faerie adapt to the human world, how will magic spread to the humans... I could go on and on with questions. All good books leave you with wanting more, and this one certainly left me waiting impatiently for the next Merry book.


poorly written., 09 Nov 2008
Laurell K Hamilton's books have been getting steadily worse for a long long time. I'm still reading in the hopes that she'll start to show some of what used to make her so enjoyable again. The early Anita Blake books were quite entertaining and when the Merry Gentry series started I really enjoyed the first few books too. Sadly things started to slide when the books lost all plot and descended into almost constant sex scenes that spanned the whole entire book. I enjoy sex in books but not to the exclusion of plot. This book can't be tarred with that reason for being bad however as the sex is kept to a minimum - well as minimum as LKH seems to be able to keep it these days anyway and there is a storyline of sorts.

To summarise the plot, the book starts directly after the events of A Lick of Frost (Meredith Gentry 6) with Merry in hospital after being raped by her Uncle Tarranis (Merry shows almost no signs of any trauma - very strange) then a plot to kill Merry's guards begins to unfurl and Merry calls up te wild hunt in revenge to go chassing after the plotters. And that's about it as far as plot goes, Merry reacting to all that the seelie and unseelie and the sluagh and the goblins can throw at her while gaining magical power ups from the Goddess. There is a plot, even if it's mostly the tying up of old threads and dealing with random people that get in her way.

The real problem I found was her repetitive and silly descriptions that read as if they had been lifted directly from one book to the next. On more than one occasion I laughed out loud they were so bad - it sort of spoils the mood of the story when the terrible prose distracts you from the plot. Everything is all sparkly and moonlight lit with detailed pointless descriptions of hair and clothes and rose petals raining from the sky.

I enjoyed the early Merry Gentry novels and I suppose that this book could have seen an end of the series as many of the loose ends from previous books have been tied off. Her father's killer has been unmasked and her enemies defeated for the most part. Unfortunately I don't think that this will be the case and more stories will be spun out with Merry doing more sparkly, magical, and wonderful things with new powers given conveniently by the Goddess just in time and with conversations that start in the middle of the action and just drag on and on to showcase Merry's wonderfullness. I think LKH need to take a break from writing for a while not churn out a Merry and an Anita book every year. She needs to go back and re-read all her books and rediscover her characters for herself and maybe things might improve. I'm still reading in hopes they do but i'm not sure how much longer I will be.

Swallowing tedium, 05 Nov 2008
For her last few books, Laurell K. Hamilton has been toning down the sexual content in favor of what can be loosely termed "plot."

Well, turns out there are far worse things than endless sparkly-magical sex scenes. After the shattering cliffhanger ending of the previous book, the seventh Merry Gentry book "Swallowing Darkness" promptly goes on a road tour of Faerie instead of sticking to an actual central plot. It feels like Hamilton has gone as far as she can, and is flailing around instead of getting out of the water.

In the aftermath of being raped by her uncle, Merry is recovering in the hospital... and despite all the moping about how doctors "can't undo the damage," she gets over the rape by cuddling her favorite boytoy.

After ordering her various fey boytoys not to attack Taranis, she receives a visit from her feisty brownie grandma. Unfortunately there's a malign influence warping Gran's thoughts -- with disastrous and fatal results for three people close to Merry. Enraged, she and Sholto summon the Wild Hunt and set out to destroy the conspirators.

But it turns out that the conspiracy goes far further than Merry expected -- and that certain Golden Court sidhe are trying to weed out the stronger boytoys. And of course, divine magical favors just rain down on Merry whenever she sneezes. To keep her entire harem (half of whom I've forgotten) safe, Merry decides to take drastic steps in the human world... but only finds a new conflict with her cousin Cel.

Having knocked up her heroine -- which is supposedly the series' goal -- Laurell K. Hamilton seems to be at a loss for what to do to keep the series going ahead. So we end up with a bunch of vaguely connected crises, punctuated by interludes of Sparkly Magic From Goddess-Merry, magic horsies and lots of sparkly magic roses. It's a little like being alternately choked with flowers and clubbed with a rock.

"Swallowing Darkness" does manage an impressive amount of plot, including the resolution of couple half-forgotten subplots -- and a surprising twist during Merry's stay in the sluagh. Unfortunately most of the plot is just Hamilton slapping in new random problems whenever things get too peaceful. Whoops, somebody's suddenly dying! Eek, a traitor! Yikes, a royal challenge from out of nowhere!

Nor does Hamilton's writing help, since she seems to be bored with her own story when she isn't trying to channel Patricia McKillip's lush prose. Her incredibly stilted, rambling dialogue ("We ride." "To save your Storm Lord." "To save the future of faerie"), repetition (everybody seems to have "moonlight skin") and awkward descriptions ("Gold like the metal of a piece of jewelry") hamper the story even further.

And as with all Hamilton's fairy novels, we get hot pale supernatural men who all worship the heroine, dumb blinkered mortals, lightweight Wiccan theology, Christian-bashing, oral sex worship, and lots of nasty and/or crazy women who simply can't measure up to the heroine. Yes, even a sweet li'l old grandma, who is reviled for daring to hold a grudge against her mother's murderer.

But the book's biggest weakness is Merry Gentry herself. She floats through the book in a cloud of Convenient Magical Powers and occasionally pauses to cold-bloodedly kill people. Everybody is awed by her even if she kills them -- and she declares herself to be a goddess as well. It gets rather nauseating to have a heroine who is such a blatant self-insert.

"Swallowing Darkness" has some shreds of good plot in there, but they're surrounded by jack-in-the-box disasters and a main storyline that is being stretched way too far. And it's not over yet....

got hooked, 20 Oct 2008
oh WOW this book was great just glad what i got it i also got the other 2 as i have 3 to read one after the other i could not put them down and now i am waiting for the next one they are full of action and you get thinking that you are really living as cassie if you get in to your books like me and can get the pictures in you head as you read. you really get in to it a great book and left me wanting more not looking for all her books

Great Start to a Wonderful Series, 12 Oct 2008
Loved it! Wonderful characters, a swift moving plot, a deft sense of humour and a surprising ending--this book had it all. And unlike many series I've read, this one keeps getting better with each book. Claimed by Shadow, the sequel, is also a very strong title, and Embrace the Night, the third book in the series, is simply brilliant. The three work together to tell one complex and fascinating tale. Curse the Dawn, the fourth book, is out in April and I can't wait! If you're looking for something a bit different with a stronger plotline and better characterization than normal for genre fiction, this is it!

I really wanted to say I liked this book, 11 Oct 2008
This is the sort of book that anyone who reads Laurel K. Hamilton or Kim Harrison will probably end up reading.

It's set in an underground of vampires and werewolves that exists in parralel to the human world, and sees a female heroine do battle against the powers that be in that world.

One of my biggest grumbles about Hamilton and Harrison is the fact that there's too much 'love interest' and too little story in their books. That's why I turned to this book. I hoped that I'd get more story. I can't work out quite how wrong I was yet.

Don't get me wrong, the lead protagonist isn't jumping into bed with people, but the story (which sees her try and work out who's killing the Vampire Council in America and how to stop him) feels a little clunky all the same.

I don't know about you, but when I tell a story I try to weave the back story into the main text fairly seamlessly. I don't want people getting confused about what's going on, but I don't want the back story to get in the way of the story's flow either.

That didn't happen here. Every so often she'd stop to lay this whole exposition about the past on you.

This was ok at first, but it got on my nerves after a while. If you can get your head round that irritating tendency the author has, you might enjoy this book. If you can't you should go elsewhere.

I would read the sequel, 02 Sep 2008
Deliciously gory and sexy. I liked the well-established supernatural world that Chance created and her exploration of ideas. The magic involved was unusual (in that I hadn't come across it quite like that in a novel before) and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading until the end, though I don't think I would read it again. The story is a series of detailed, lengthy scenes that takes place over a fairly short space of time and I did find the sometimes slow pace of events irritating at times, but I would buy and read the sequel for more.

Fascinating... Enjoyable, 27 Jul 2008
First book I have read by Karen Chance, and found it enjoyable.

I liked Cassie, at times she could be infuriating... but thats normal, charactors can't always do what you want them to do.

I liked the fact that we got loads more magical creatures like demons and mages, and can't wait to read the 2nd in this series.

I definately recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, vampire, werewolf type fiction.

More magic battles and intrigue, 24 Nov 2008
I totally disagree with the first two reviewers. Yes the rape doesn't traumatize her as much as it would a normal person, but she is supposed to be a magical person descended from a love goddess who has unborn twins genetically derived from 6 of her lovers trying to stay alive long enough to rule the fey! - surely you cant quibble about reality at this point in the series...

If you like a fun fantasy with a sassy heroine, trying to deal with court intrigues, old feuds and the various lands of the sidhe all battling each other then this is a great series, and a good book. However you rea;;y do need to read them in order to keep track of who is who.

Non stop action, 14 Nov 2008
So many things happen in such a short space of time that there is no chance to be bored with this book. Everyone is still trying to assassinate Merry and her men, there are lots of cliff hanger moments and plenty of blood, but very little sex in this one.
I agree with some other reviewers that the rape is glossed over, but I think this is more to do with so much happening and Merry has not yet remembered it than being ignored by Hamilton.
The book left me itching to know what will happen in Los Angeles, will she ever be queen, how will the men who have spent little or no time outside faerie adapt to the human world, how will magic spread to the humans... I could go on and on with questions. All good books leave you with wanting more, and this one certainly left me waiting impatiently for the next Merry book.


poorly written., 09 Nov 2008
Laurell K Hamilton's books have been getting steadily worse for a long long time. I'm still reading in the hopes that she'll start to show some of what used to make her so enjoyable again. The early Anita Blake books were quite entertaining and when the Merry Gentry series started I really enjoyed the first few books too. Sadly things started to slide when the books lost all plot and descended into almost constant sex scenes that spanned the whole entire book. I enjoy sex in books but not to the exclusion of plot. This book can't be tarred with that reason for being bad however as the sex is kept to a minimum - well as minimum as LKH seems to be able to keep it these days anyway and there is a storyline of sorts.

To summarise the plot, the book starts directly after the events of A Lick of Frost (Meredith Gentry 6) with Merry in hospital after being raped by her Uncle Tarranis (Merry shows almost no signs of any trauma - very strange) then a plot to kill Merry's guards begins to unfurl and Merry calls up te wild hunt in revenge to go chassing after the plotters. And that's about it as far as plot goes, Merry reacting to all that the seelie and unseelie and the sluagh and the goblins can throw at her while gaining magical power ups from the Goddess. There is a plot, even if it's mostly the tying up of old threads and dealing with random people that get in her way.

The real problem I found was her repetitive and silly descriptions that read as if they had been lifted directly from one book to the next. On more than one occasion I laughed out loud they were so bad - it sort of spoils the mood of the story when the terrible prose distracts you from the plot. Everything is all sparkly and moonlight lit with detailed pointless descriptions of hair and clothes and rose petals raining from the sky.

I enjoyed the early Merry Gentry novels and I suppose that this book could have seen an end of the series as many of the loose ends from previous books have been tied off. Her father's killer has been unmasked and her enemies defeated for the most part. Unfortunately I don't think that this will be the case and more stories will be spun out with Merry doing more sparkly, magical, and wonderful things with new powers given conveniently by the Goddess just in time and with conversations that start in the middle of the action and just drag on and on to showcase Merry's wonderfullness. I think LKH need to take a break from writing for a while not churn out a Merry and an Anita book every year. She needs to go back and re-read all her books and rediscover her characters for herself and maybe things might improve. I'm still reading in hopes they do but i'm not sure how much longer I will be.

Swallowing tedium, 05 Nov 2008
For her last few books, Laurell K. Hamilton has been toning down the sexual content in favor of what can be loosely termed "plot."

Well, turns out there are far worse things than endless sparkly-magical sex scenes. After the shattering cliffhanger ending of the previous book, the seventh Merry Gentry book "Swallowing Darkness" promptly goes on a road tour of Faerie instead of sticking to an actual central plot. It feels like Hamilton has gone as far as she can, and is flailing around instead of getting out of the water.

In the aftermath of being raped by her uncle, Merry is recovering in the hospital... and despite all the moping about how doctors "can't undo the damage," she gets over the rape by cuddling her favorite boytoy.

After ordering her various fey boytoys not to attack Taranis, she receives a visit from her feisty brownie grandma. Unfortunately there's a malign influence warping Gran's thoughts -- with disastrous and fatal results for three people close to Merry. Enraged, she and Sholto summon the Wild Hunt and set out to destroy the conspirators.

But it turns out that the conspiracy goes far further than Merry expected -- and that certain Golden Court sidhe are trying to weed out the stronger boytoys. And of course, divine magical favors just rain down on Merry whenever she sneezes. To keep her entire harem (half of whom I've forgotten) safe, Merry decides to take drastic steps in the human world... but only finds a new conflict with her cousin Cel.

Having knocked up her heroine -- which is supposedly the series' goal -- Laurell K. Hamilton seems to be at a loss for what to do to keep the series going ahead. So we end up with a bunch of vaguely connected crises, punctuated by interludes of Sparkly Magic From Goddess-Merry, magic horsies and lots of sparkly magic roses. It's a little like being alternately choked with flowers and clubbed with a rock.

"Swallowing Darkness" does manage an impressive amount of plot, including the resolution of couple half-forgotten subplots -- and a surprising twist during Merry's stay in the sluagh. Unfortunately most of the plot is just Hamilton slapping in new random problems whenever things get too peaceful. Whoops, somebody's suddenly dying! Eek, a traitor! Yikes, a royal challenge from out of nowhere!

Nor does Hamilton's writing help, since she seems to be bored with her own story when she isn't trying to channel Patricia McKillip's lush prose. Her incredibly stilted, rambling dialogue ("We ride." "To save your Storm Lord." "To save the future of faerie"), repetition (everybody seems to have "moonlight skin") and awkward descriptions ("Gold like the metal of a piece of jewelry") hamper the story even further.

And as with all Hamilton's fairy novels, we get hot pale supernatural men who all worship the heroine, dumb blinkered mortals, lightweight Wiccan theology, Christian-bashing, oral sex worship, and lots of nasty and/or crazy women who simply can't measure up to the heroine. Yes, even a sweet li'l old grandma, who is reviled for daring to hold a grudge against her mother's murderer.

But the book's biggest weakness is Merry Gentry herself. She floats through the book in a cloud of Convenient Magical Powers and occasionally pauses to cold-bloodedly kill people. Everybody is awed by her even if she kills them -- and she declares herself to be a goddess as well. It gets rather nauseating to have a heroine who is such a blatant self-insert.

"Swallowing Darkness" has some shreds of good plot in there, but they're surrounded by jack-in-the-box disasters and a main storyline that is being stretched way too far. And it's not over yet....

got hooked, 20 Oct 2008
oh WOW this book was great just glad what i got it i also got the other 2 as i have 3 to read one after the other i could not put them down and now i am waiting for the next one they are full of action and you get thinking that you are really living as cassie if you get in to your books like me and can get the pictures in you head as you read. you really get in to it a great book and left me wanting more not looking for all her books

Great Start to a Wonderful Series, 12 Oct 2008
Loved it! Wonderful characters, a swift moving plot, a deft sense of humour and a surprising ending--this book had it all. And unlike many series I've read, this one keeps getting better with each book. Claimed by Shadow, the sequel, is also a very strong title, and Embrace the Night, the third book in the series, is simply brilliant. The three work together to tell one complex and fascinating tale. Curse the Dawn, the fourth book, is out in April and I can't wait! If you're looking for something a bit different with a stronger plotline and better characterization than normal for genre fiction, this is it!

I really wanted to say I liked this book, 11 Oct 2008
This is the sort of book that anyone who reads Laurel K. Hamilton or Kim Harrison will probably end up reading.

It's set in an underground of vampires and werewolves that exists in parralel to the human world, and sees a female heroine do battle against the powers that be in that world.

One of my biggest grumbles about Hamilton and Harrison is the fact that there's too much 'love interest' and too little story in their books. That's why I turned to this book. I hoped that I'd get more story. I can't work out quite how wrong I was yet.

Don't get me wrong, the lead protagonist isn't jumping into bed with people, but the story (which sees her try and work out who's killing the Vampire Council in America and how to stop him) feels a little clunky all the same.

I don't know about you, but when I tell a story I try to weave the back story into the main text fairly seamlessly. I don't want people getting confused about what's going on, but I don't want the back story to get in the way of the story's flow either.

That didn't happen here. Every so often she'd stop to lay this whole exposition about the past on you.

This was ok at first, but it got on my nerves after a while. If you can get your head round that irritating tendency the author has, you might enjoy this book. If you can't you should go elsewhere.

I would read the sequel, 02 Sep 2008
Deliciously gory and sexy. I liked the well-established supernatural world that Chance created and her exploration of ideas. The magic involved was unusual (in that I hadn't come across it quite like that in a novel before) and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading until the end, though I don't think I would read it again. The story is a series of detailed, lengthy scenes that takes place over a fairly short space of time and I did find the sometimes slow pace of events irritating at times, but I would buy and read the sequel for more.

Fascinating... Enjoyable, 27 Jul 2008
First book I have read by Karen Chance, and found it enjoyable.

I liked Cassie, at times she could be infuriating... but thats normal, charactors can't always do what you want them to do.

I liked the fact that we got loads more magical creatures like demons and mages, and can't wait to read the 2nd in this series.

I definately recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, vampire, werewolf type fiction.

Buffy is back, 19 Nov 2008
That is a great comics, really hold your breathe in till "the end" of the book!! i am waiting for the vol.3 with great impatience!
At least in this one we find again the usual Buffy VS Faith fight!!
Fantastic

Gotta have faith!, 14 Jul 2008
I was a late convert to the world of Buffy. Like many I had watched it as a teenager, enjoyed it, and then been persuaded by who knows who, that it was not something one should be proud of watching. Then I watched Serenity and thought it was great, backtracked to firefly and loved that too. Then one day somebody told me that the same guy that did those, did buffy. "WHAT!" I said, "That cant be!", half clouded by the fact that everybody said that Buffy was rubbish, half trying to cover up my embarrassment of not making this ling earlier.

So to cut a long story short, I watched all of Buffy in a very short time, and I loved it. And then I watched Angel and I loved it less, but loved it all the same.

Before Mr. Whedon ever entered my life, and then during, and still now, I've been an avid reader of comics. All comics, from the good, to the bad, to the fugly. Some of my favourites in the world of comics were the likes of Y the last man, and Runaways. Boy, I'm rambling here. Bear with me. What I'm really trying to say here, with probabl too much context, is that this comic is great. It's great as a part of the Buffy canon. I couldn't be happier with how the series has been carried on, and BKV's addition is on par with Whedons.

This is probably not a comic that is going to be among the greats. It's no Maus, it's no Watchmen. But it does what it sets out to do well, it carries on the story of our favourite vampire slayer (or whichever is your favourite). It's not a comic that revels in the medium of comics. If it was adapted into another series or a film, it may be even better. But that aint going to happen. And honestly, i'm not complaining.

Sorry for the diatribe, one last thing i'd like to say... Keep it coming.

P.S. It's also way better than Angel: after the fall. Seriously.

Disappointingly unoriginal 'new' story, 08 Jul 2008
I was severally disapointed by this new part in the so-called Season 8 of Buffy. Not because it is a bad tale overall or badly written or anything like that, but because the story is completely unoriginal and tired. A story about a rogue Slayer trying to kill Buffy has been done already in Season 3 of the original TV series, with Faith herself as the rogue Slayer. An episode of Angel Season 5 also featured a rogue Slayer trying to kill Spike. And Giles asking Faith to help track down the rogue Slayer to redeem herself is also a bit silly considering the events at the end of Season 7. I think her saving Buffy's life at the end should have been more than enough to be forgiven for her past sins. Original ideas needed for the next installment please!

so after reintroducing buffy and co we then move away from them to faith., 07 Jul 2008
Which in some ways seemed an odd idea, because it focuses so much on Faith that buffy barey gets a look in. Grumble over, it is still a fine read and faith has been part of buffy for years so why whinge anyway.
The same flaws with the art apply, as well as the same benefits. Brian k vaughns handle on faith is pretty good, his Giles is perfect.
The story is fairly simple but well handled and leaves a few more dangling threads.

Revisionist history?, 17 Jun 2008
I'm somewhat confused about the plot of this one. It seems to me that Faith was more than redeemed during S7 of the show and more than made up for her previous evil and mistakes. Seems rather churlish to be talking about wiping the slate clean after that!

More magic battles and intrigue, 24 Nov 2008
I totally disagree with the first two reviewers. Yes the rape doesn't traumatize her as much as it would a normal person, but she is supposed to be a magical person descended from a love goddess who has unborn twins genetically derived from 6 of her lovers trying to stay alive long enough to rule the fey! - surely you cant quibble about reality at this point in the series...

If you like a fun fantasy with a sassy heroine, trying to deal with court intrigues, old feuds and the various lands of the sidhe all battling each other then this is a great series, and a good book. However you rea;;y do need to read them in order to keep track of who is who.

Non stop action, 14 Nov 2008
So many things happen in such a short space of time that there is no chance to be bored with this book. Everyone is still trying to assassinate Merry and her men, there are lots of cliff hanger moments and plenty of blood, but very little sex in this one.
I agree with some other reviewers that the rape is glossed over, but I think this is more to do with so much happening and Merry has not yet remembered it than being ignored by Hamilton.
The book left me itching to know what will happen in Los Angeles, will she ever be queen, how will the men who have spent little or no time outside faerie adapt to the human world, how will magic spread to the humans... I could go on and on with questions. All good books leave you with wanting more, and this one certainly left me waiting impatiently for the next Merry book.


poorly written., 09 Nov 2008
Laurell K Hamilton's books have been getting steadily worse for a long long time. I'm still reading in the hopes that she'll start to show some of what used to make her so enjoyable again. The early Anita Blake books were quite entertaining and when the Merry Gentry series started I really enjoyed the first few books too. Sadly things started to slide when the books lost all plot and descended into almost constant sex scenes that spanned the whole entire book. I enjoy sex in books but not to the exclusion of plot. This book can't be tarred with that reason for being bad however as the sex is kept to a minimum - well as minimum as LKH seems to be able to keep it these days anyway and there is a storyline of sorts.

To summarise the plot, the book starts directly after the events of A Lick of Frost (Meredith Gentry 6) with Merry in hospital after being raped by her Uncle Tarranis (Merry shows almost no signs of any trauma - very strange) then a plot to kill Merry's guards begins to unfurl and Merry calls up te wild hunt in revenge to go chassing after the plotters. And that's about it as far as plot goes, Merry reacting to all that the seelie and unseelie and the sluagh and the goblins can throw at her while gaining magical power ups from the Goddess. There is a plot, even if it's mostly the tying up of old threads and dealing with random people that get in her way.

The real problem I found was her repetitive and silly descriptions that read as if they had been lifted directly from one book to the next. On more than one occasion I laughed out loud they were so bad - it sort of spoils the mood of the story when the terrible prose distracts you from the plot. Everything is all sparkly and moonlight lit with detailed pointless descriptions of hair and clothes and rose petals raining from the sky.

I enjoyed the early Merry Gentry novels and I suppose that this book could have seen an end of the series as many of the loose ends from previous books have been tied off. Her father's killer has been unmasked and her enemies defeated for the most part. Unfortunately I don't think that this will be the case and more stories will be spun out with Merry doing more sparkly, magical, and wonderful things with new powers given conveniently by the Goddess just in time and with conversations that start in the middle of the action and just drag on and on to showcase Merry's wonderfullness. I think LKH need to take a break from writing for a while not churn out a Merry and an Anita book every year. She needs to go back and re-read all her books and rediscover her characters for herself and maybe things might improve. I'm still reading in hopes they do but i'm not sure how much longer I will be.

Swallowing tedium, 05 Nov 2008
For her last few books, Laurell K. Hamilton has been toning down the sexual content in favor of what can be loosely termed "plot."

Well, turns out there are far worse things than endless sparkly-magical sex scenes. After the shattering cliffhanger ending of the previous book, the seventh Merry Gentry book "Swallowing Darkness" promptly goes on a road tour of Faerie instead of sticking to an actual central plot. It feels like Hamilton has gone as far as she can, and is flailing around instead of getting out of the water.

In the aftermath of being raped by her uncle, Merry is recovering in the hospital... and despite all the moping about how doctors "can't undo the damage," she gets over the rape by cuddling her favorite boytoy.

After ordering her various fey boytoys not to attack Taranis, she receives a visit from her feisty brownie grandma. Unfortunately there's a malign influence warping Gran's thoughts -- with disastrous and fatal results for three people close to Merry. Enraged, she and Sholto summon the Wild Hunt and set out to destroy the conspirators.

But it turns out that the conspiracy goes far further than Merry expected -- and that certain Golden Court sidhe are trying to weed out the stronger boytoys. And of course, divine magical favors just rain down on Merry whenever she sneezes. To keep her entire harem (half of whom I've forgotten) safe, Merry decides to take drastic steps in the human world... but only finds a new conflict with her cousin Cel.

Having knocked up her heroine -- which is supposedly the series' goal -- Laurell K. Hamilton seems to be at a loss for what to do to keep the series going ahead. So we end up with a bunch of vaguely connected crises, punctuated by interludes of Sparkly Magic From Goddess-Merry, magic horsies and lots of sparkly magic roses. It's a little like being alternately choked with flowers and clubbed with a rock.

"Swallowing Darkness" does manage an impressive amount of plot, including the resolution of couple half-forgotten subplots -- and a surprising twist during Merry's stay in the sluagh. Unfortunately most of the plot is just Hamilton slapping in new random problems whenever things get too peaceful. Whoops, somebody's suddenly dying! Eek, a traitor! Yikes, a royal challenge from out of nowhere!

Nor does Hamilton's writing help, since she seems to be bored with her own story when she isn't trying to channel Patricia McKillip's lush prose. Her incredibly stilted, rambling dialogue ("We ride." "To save your Storm Lord." "To save the future of faerie"), repetition (everybody seems to have "moonlight skin") and awkward descriptions ("Gold like the metal of a piece of jewelry") hamper the story even further.

And as with all Hamilton's fairy novels, we get hot pale supernatural men who all worship the heroine, dumb blinkered mortals, lightweight Wiccan theology, Christian-bashing, oral sex worship, and lots of nasty and/or crazy women who simply can't measure up to the heroine. Yes, even a sweet li'l old grandma, who is reviled for daring to hold a grudge against her mother's murderer.

But the book's biggest weakness is Merry Gentry herself. She floats through the book in a cloud of Convenient Magical Powers and occasionally pauses to cold-bloodedly kill people. Everybody is awed by her even if she kills them -- and she declares herself to be a goddess as well. It gets rather nauseating to have a heroine who is such a blatant self-insert.

"Swallowing Darkness" has some shreds of good plot in there, but they're surrounded by jack-in-the-box disasters and a main storyline that is being stretched way too far. And it's not over yet....

got hooked, 20 Oct 2008
oh WOW this book was great just glad what i got it i also got the other 2 as i have 3 to read one after the other i could not put them down and now i am waiting for the next one they are full of action and you get thinking that you are really living as cassie if you get in to your books like me and can get the pictures in you head as you read. you really get in to it a great book and left me wanting more not looking for all her books

Great Start to a Wonderful Series, 12 Oct 2008
Loved it! Wonderful characters, a swift moving plot, a deft sense of humour and a surprising ending--this book had it all. And unlike many series I've read, this one keeps getting better with each book. Claimed by Shadow, the sequel, is also a very strong title, and Embrace the Night, the third book in the series, is simply brilliant. The three work together to tell one complex and fascinating tale. Curse the Dawn, the fourth book, is out in April and I can't wait! If you're looking for something a bit different with a stronger plotline and better characterization than normal for genre fiction, this is it!

I really wanted to say I liked this book, 11 Oct 2008
This is the sort of book that anyone who reads Laurel K. Hamilton or Kim Harrison will probably end up reading.

It's set in an underground of vampires and werewolves that exists in parralel to the human world, and sees a female heroine do battle against the powers that be in that world.

One of my biggest grumbles about Hamilton and Harrison is the fact that there's too much 'love interest' and too little story in their books. That's why I turned to this book. I hoped that I'd get more story. I can't work out quite how wrong I was yet.

Don't get me wrong, the lead protagonist isn't jumping into bed with people, but the story (which sees her try and work out who's killing the Vampire Council in America and how to stop him) feels a little clunky all the same.

I don't know about you, but when I tell a story I try to weave the back story into the main text fairly seamlessly. I don't want people getting confused about what's going on, but I don't want the back story to get in the way of the story's flow either.

That didn't happen here. Every so often she'd stop to lay this whole exposition about the past on you.

This was ok at first, but it got on my nerves after a while. If you can get your head round that irritating tendency the author has, you might enjoy this book. If you can't you should go elsewhere.

I would read the sequel, 02 Sep 2008
Deliciously gory and sexy. I liked the well-established supernatural world that Chance created and her exploration of ideas. The magic involved was unusual (in that I hadn't come across it quite like that in a novel before) and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading until the end, though I don't think I would read it again. The story is a series of detailed, lengthy scenes that takes place over a fairly short space of time and I did find the sometimes slow pace of events irritating at times, but I would buy and read the sequel for more.

Fascinating... Enjoyable, 27 Jul 2008
First book I have read by Karen Chance, and found it enjoyable.

I liked Cassie, at times she could be infuriating... but thats normal, charactors can't always do what you want them to do.

I liked the fact that we got loads more magical creatures like demons and mages, and can't wait to read the 2nd in this series.

I definately recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, vampire, werewolf type fiction.

Buffy is back, 19 Nov 2008
That is a great comics, really hold your breathe in till "the end" of the book!! i am waiting for the vol.3 with great impatience!
At least in this one we find again the usual Buffy VS Faith fight!!
Fantastic

Gotta have faith!, 14 Jul 2008
I was a late convert to the world of Buffy. Like many I had watched it as a teenager, enjoyed it, and then been persuaded by who knows who, that it was not something one should be proud of watching. Then I watched Serenity and thought it was great, backtracked to firefly and loved that too. Then one day somebody told me that the same guy that did those, did buffy. "WHAT!" I said, "That cant be!", half clouded by the fact that everybody said that Buffy was rubbish, half trying to cover up my embarrassment of not making this ling earlier.

So to cut a long story short, I watched all of Buffy in a very short time, and I loved it. And then I watched Angel and I loved it less, but loved it all the same.

Before Mr. Whedon ever entered my life, and then during, and still now, I've been an avid reader of comics. All comics, from the good, to the bad, to the fugly. Some of my favourites in the world of comics were the likes of Y the last man, and Runaways. Boy, I'm rambling here. Bear with me. What I'm really trying to say here, with probabl too much context, is that this comic is great. It's great as a part of the Buffy canon. I couldn't be happier with how the series has been carried on, and BKV's addition is on par with Whedons.

This is probably not a comic that is going to be among the greats. It's no Maus, it's no Watchmen. But it does what it sets out to do well, it carries on the story of our favourite vampire slayer (or whichever is your favourite). It's not a comic that revels in the medium of comics. If it was adapted into another series or a film, it may be even better. But that aint going to happen. And honestly, i'm not complaining.

Sorry for the diatribe, one last thing i'd like to say... Keep it coming.

P.S. It's also way better than Angel: after the fall. Seriously.

Disappointingly unoriginal 'new' story, 08 Jul 2008
I was severally disapointed by this new part in the so-called Season 8 of Buffy. Not because it is a bad tale overall or badly written or anything like that, but because the story is completely unoriginal and tired. A story about a rogue Slayer trying to kill Buffy has been done already in Season 3 of the original TV series, with Faith herself as the rogue Slayer. An episode of Angel Season 5 also featured a rogue Slayer trying to kill Spike. And Giles asking Faith to help track down the rogue Slayer to redeem herself is also a bit silly considering the events at the end of Season 7. I think her saving Buffy's life at the end should have been more than enough to be forgiven for her past sins. Original ideas needed for the next installment please!

so after reintroducing buffy and co we then move away from them to faith., 07 Jul 2008
Which in some ways seemed an odd idea, because it focuses so much on Faith that buffy barey gets a look in. Grumble over, it is still a fine read and faith has been part of buffy for years so why whinge anyway.
The same flaws with the art apply, as well as the same benefits. Brian k vaughns handle on faith is pretty good, his Giles is perfect.
The story is fairly simple but well handled and leaves a few more dangling threads.

Revisionist history?, 17 Jun 2008
I'm somewhat confused about the plot of this one. It seems to me that Faith was more than redeemed during S7 of the show and more than made up for her previous evil and mistakes. Seems rather churlish to be talking about wiping the slate clean after that!



got it, 20 Nov 2008
just got it will start reading soon :)

i got into a few lines and its quite addictive, niceee :D



Pretty good, 28 Sep 2008
I bought this recently, having never read (but often heard about) Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos.

I'm only about a third of the way through, but it seems pretty good (although the author does seem to have swallowed a thesaurus - and a particularly gibbous and over-nourished one at that, most likely recovered from some Stygian Pit that the mortal mind was not meant to know of). Plus, he does have some rather - ahem - "old fashioned" attitudes to race and class that can seem rather jarring to a modern reader.

This particular edition also does, unfortunately, have a number of typos in the text, some of which ("Necroriomicon", "clay" instead of "day", and "Gthulhu") suggest to me that the publishers had the original text scanned and digitised, but imperfectly. (I'm keeping a note of them as I find them, and will inform the publishers when I've finished the book).

Still, all said, I don't regret getting the book, and if you don't mind those faults, I'd certainly recommend this to anyone interested in the genera.


Just as I remembered!!, 14 Sep 2008
Excellent, worth the wait!! I remember reading this as a child, it's just as good as I remembered. Real Classic stuff!!

I recommend it to anyone looking for some good old creepy stories.

JOIN THE DARKSIDE!!!!, 19 Jul 2008
What can i say that already hasn't been said.
This is truly awesome, a complete collection of lovecraft in a well bound casebound book with faux Leather cover, in black.
All your favorites are there. If you're a real lovecraft fan this is deffinately for you.
And for a very reasanoble price.
100% recommended, buy now & join us on a truly Dark venture into the world of the one & the only H.P.lovecraft


Beautifully produced edition, but -2 stars for horrible tacky price sticker on the back, 28 Jun 2008
Finally a beautifully produced and complete edition of H.P. Lovecraft's works, but whoever at Gollancz/Orion decided to spoil each book with a tacky price sticker - not even put on straight - that leaves a sticky residue when removed (and believe me, it's tenacious) should be punished by the elder gods, or at least someone senior at the publishers.

More magic battles and intrigue, 24 Nov 2008
I totally disagree with the first two reviewers. Yes the rape doesn't traumatize her as much as it would a normal person, but she is supposed to be a magical person descended from a love goddess who has unborn twins genetically derived from 6 of her lovers trying to stay alive long enough to rule the fey! - surely you cant quibble about reality at this point in the series...

If you like a fun fantasy with a sassy heroine, trying to deal with court intrigues, old feuds and the various lands of the sidhe all battling each other then this is a great series, and a good book. However you rea;;y do need to read them in order to keep track of who is who.

Non stop action, 14 Nov 2008
So many things happen in such a short space of time that there is no chance to be bored with this book. Everyone is still trying to assassinate Merry and her men, there are lots of cliff hanger moments and plenty of blood, but very little sex in this one.
I agree with some other reviewers that the rape is glossed over, but I think this is more to do with so much happening and Merry has not yet remembered it than being ignored by Hamilton.
The book left me itching to know what will happen in Los Angeles, will she ever be queen, how will the men who have spent little or no time outside faerie adapt to the human world, how will magic spread to the humans... I could go on and on with questions. All good books leave you with wanting more, and this one certainly left me waiting impatiently for the next Merry book.


poorly written., 09 Nov 2008
Laurell K Hamilton's books have been getting steadily worse for a long long time. I'm still reading in the hopes that she'll start to show some of what used to make her so enjoyable again. The early Anita Blake books were quite entertaining and when the Merry Gentry series started I really enjoyed the first few books too. Sadly things started to slide when the books lost all plot and descended into almost constant sex scenes that spanned the whole entire book. I enjoy sex in books but not to the exclusion of plot. This book can't be tarred with that reason for being bad however as the sex is kept to a minimum - well as minimum as LKH seems to be able to keep it these days anyway and there is a storyline of sorts.

To summarise the plot, the book starts directly after the events of A Lick of Frost (Meredith Gentry 6) with Merry in hospital after being raped by her Uncle Tarranis (Merry shows almost no signs of any trauma - very strange) then a plot to kill Merry's guards begins to unfurl and Merry calls up te wild hunt in revenge to go chassing after the plotters. And that's about it as far as plot goes, Merry reacting to all that the seelie and unseelie and the sluagh and the goblins can throw at her while gaining magical power ups from the Goddess. There is a plot, even if it's mostly the tying up of old threads and dealing with random people that get in her way.

The real problem I found was her repetitive and silly descriptions that read as if they had been lifted directly from one book to the next. On more than one occasion I laughed out loud they were so bad - it sort of spoils the mood of the story when the terrible prose distracts you from the plot. Everything is all sparkly and moonlight lit with detailed pointless descriptions of hair and clothes and rose petals raining from the sky.

I enjoyed the early Merry Gentry novels and I suppose that this book could have seen an end of the series as many of the loose ends from previous books have been tied off. Her father's killer has been unmasked and her enemies defeated for the most part. Unfortunately I don't think that this will be the case and more stories will be spun out with Merry doing more sparkly, magical, and wonderful things with new powers given conveniently by the Goddess just in time and with conversations that start in the middle of the action and just drag on and on to showcase Merry's wonderfullness. I think LKH need to take a break from writing for a while not churn out a Merry and an Anita book every year. She needs to go back and re-read all her books and rediscover her characters for herself and maybe things might improve. I'm still reading in hopes they do but i'm not sure how much longer I will be.

Swallowing tedium, 05 Nov 2008
For her last few books, Laurell K. Hamilton has been toning down the sexual content in favor of what can be loosely termed "plot."

Well, turns out there are far worse things than endless sparkly-magical sex scenes. After the shattering cliffhanger ending of the previous book, the seventh Merry Gentry book "Swallowing Darkness" promptly goes on a road tour of Faerie instead of sticking to an actual central plot. It feels like Hamilton has gone as far as she can, and is flailing around instead of getting out of the water.

In the aftermath of being raped by her uncle, Merry is recovering in the hospital... and despite all the moping about how doctors "can't undo the damage," she gets over the rape by cuddling her favorite boytoy.

After ordering her various fey boytoys not to attack Taranis, she receives a visit from her feisty brownie grandma. Unfortunately there's a malign influence warping Gran's thoughts -- with disastrous and fatal results for three people close to Merry. Enraged, she and Sholto summon the Wild Hunt and set out to destroy the conspirators.

But it turns out that the conspiracy goes far further than Merry expected -- and that certain Golden Court sidhe are trying to weed out the stronger boytoys. And of course, divine magical favors just rain down on Merry whenever she sneezes. To keep her entire harem (half of whom I've forgotten) safe, Merry decides to take drastic steps in the human world... but only finds a new conflict with her cousin Cel.

Having knocked up her heroine -- which is supposedly the series' goal -- Laurell K. Hamilton seems to be at a loss for what to do to keep the series going ahead. So we end up with a bunch of vaguely connected crises, punctuated by interludes of Sparkly Magic From Goddess-Merry, magic horsies and lots of sparkly magic roses. It's a little like being alternately choked with flowers and clubbed with a rock.

"Swallowing Darkness" does manage an impressive amount of plot, including the resolution of couple half-forgotten subplots -- and a surprising twist during Merry's stay in the sluagh. Unfortunately most of the plot is just Hamilton slapping in new random problems whenever things get too peaceful. Whoops, somebody's suddenly dying! Eek, a traitor! Yikes, a royal challenge from out of nowhere!

Nor does Hamilton's writing help, since she seems to be bored with her own story when she isn't trying to channel Patricia McKillip's lush prose. Her incredibly stilted, rambling dialogue ("We ride." "To save your Storm Lord." "To save the future of faerie"), repetition (everybody seems to have "moonlight skin") and awkward descriptions ("Gold like the metal of a piece of jewelry") hamper the story even further.

And as with all Hamilton's fairy novels, we get hot pale supernatural men who all worship the heroine, dumb blinkered mortals, lightweight Wiccan theology, Christian-bashing, oral sex worship, and lots of nasty and/or crazy women who simply can't measure up to the heroine. Yes, even a sweet li'l old grandma, who is reviled for daring to hold a grudge against her mother's murderer.

But the book's biggest weakness is Merry Gentry herself. She floats through the book in a cloud of Convenient Magical Powers and occasionally pauses to cold-bloodedly kill people. Everybody is awed by her even if she kills them -- and she declares herself to be a goddess as well. It gets rather nauseating to have a heroine who is such a blatant self-insert.

"Swallowing Darkness" has some shreds of good plot in there, but they're surrounded by jack-in-the-box disasters and a main storyline that is being stretched way too far. And it's not over yet....

got hooked, 20 Oct 2008
oh WOW this book was great just glad what i got it i also got the other 2 as i have 3 to read one after the other i could not put them down and now i am waiting for the next one they are full of action and you get thinking that you are really living as cassie if you get in to your books like me and can get the pictures in you head as you read. you really get in to it a great book and left me wanting more not looking for all her books

Great Start to a Wonderful Series, 12 Oct 2008
Loved it! Wonderful characters, a swift moving plot, a deft sense of humour and a surprising ending--this book had it all. And unlike many series I've read, this one keeps getting better with each book. Claimed by Shadow, the sequel, is also a very strong title, and Embrace the Night, the third book in the series, is simply brilliant. The three work together to tell one complex and fascinating tale. Curse the Dawn, the fourth book, is out in April and I can't wait! If you're looking for something a bit different with a stronger plotline and better characterization than normal for genre fiction, this is it!

I really wanted to say I liked this book, 11 Oct 2008
This is the sort of book that anyone who reads Laurel K. Hamilton or Kim Harrison will probably end up reading.

It's set in an underground of vampires and werewolves that exists in parralel to the human world, and sees a female heroine do battle against the powers that be in that world.

One of my biggest grumbles about Hamilton and Harrison is the fact that there's too much 'love interest' and too little story in their books. That's why I turned to this book. I hoped that I'd get more story. I can't work out quite how wrong I was yet.

Don't get me wrong, the lead protagonist isn't jumping into bed with people, but the story (which sees her try and work out who's killing the Vampire Council in America and how to stop him) feels a little clunky all the same.

I don't know about you, but when I tell a story I try to weave the back story into the main text fairly seamlessly. I don't want people getting confused about what's going on, but I don't want the back story to get in the way of the story's flow either.

That didn't happen here. Every so often she'd stop to lay this whole exposition about the past on you.

This was ok at first, but it got on my nerves after a while. If you can get your head round that irritating tendency the author has, you might enjoy this book. If you can't you should go elsewhere.

I would read the sequel, 02 Sep 2008
Deliciously gory and sexy. I liked the well-established supernatural world that Chance created and her exploration of ideas. The magic involved was unusual (in that I hadn't come across it quite like that in a novel before) and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading until the end, though I don't think I would read it again. The story is a series of detailed, lengthy scenes that takes place over a fairly short space of time and I did find the sometimes slow pace of events irritating at times, but I would buy and read the sequel for more.

Fascinating... Enjoyable, 27 Jul 2008
First book I have read by Karen Chance, and found it enjoyable.

I liked Cassie, at times she could be infuriating... but thats normal, charactors can't always do what you want them to do.

I liked the fact that we got loads more magical creatures like demons and mages, and can't wait to read the 2nd in this series.

I definately recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, vampire, werewolf type fiction.

Buffy is back, 19 Nov 2008
That is a great comics, really hold your breathe in till "the end" of the book!! i am waiting for the vol.3 with great impatience!
At least in this one we find again the usual Buffy VS Faith fight!!
Fantastic

Gotta have faith!, 14 Jul 2008
I was a late convert to the world of Buffy. Like many I had watched it as a teenager, enjoyed it, and then been persuaded by who knows who, that it was not something one should be proud of watching. Then I watched Serenity and thought it was great, backtracked to firefly and loved that too. Then one day somebody told me that the same guy that did those, did buffy. "WHAT!" I said, "That cant be!", half clouded by the fact that everybody said that Buffy was rubbish, half trying to cover up my embarrassment of not making this ling earlier.

So to cut a long story short, I watched all of Buffy in a very short time, and I loved it. And then I watched Angel and I loved it less, but loved it all the same.

Before Mr. Whedon ever entered my life, and then during, and still now, I've been an avid reader of comics. All comics, from the good, to the bad, to the fugly. Some of my favourites in the world of comics were the likes of Y the last man, and Runaways. Boy, I'm rambling here. Bear with me. What I'm really trying to say here, with probabl too much context, is that this comic is great. It's great as a part of the Buffy canon. I couldn't be happier with how the series has been carried on, and BKV's addition is on par with Whedons.

This is probably not a comic that is going to be among the greats. It's no Maus, it's no Watchmen. But it does what it sets out to do well, it carries on the story of our favourite vampire slayer (or whichever is your favourite). It's not a comic that revels in the medium of comics. If it was adapted into another series or a film, it may be even better. But that aint going to happen. And honestly, i'm not complaining.

Sorry for the diatribe, one last thing i'd like to say... Keep it coming.

P.S. It's also way better than Angel: after the fall. Seriously.

Disappointingly unoriginal 'new' story, 08 Jul 2008
I was severally disapointed by this new part in the so-called Season 8 of Buffy. Not because it is a bad tale overall or badly written or anything like that, but because the story is completely unoriginal and tired. A story about a rogue Slayer trying to kill Buffy has been done already in Season 3 of the original TV series, with Faith herself as the rogue Slayer. An episode of Angel Season 5 also featured a rogue Slayer trying to kill Spike. And Giles asking Faith to help track down the rogue Slayer to redeem herself is also a bit silly considering the events at the end of Season 7. I think her saving Buffy's life at the end should have been more than enough to be forgiven for her past sins. Original ideas needed for the next installment please!

so after reintroducing buffy and co we then move away from them to faith., 07 Jul 2008
Which in some ways seemed an odd idea, because it focuses so much on Faith that buffy barey gets a look in. Grumble over, it is still a fine read and faith has been part of buffy for years so why whinge anyway.
The same flaws with the art apply, as well as the same benefits. Brian k vaughns handle on faith is pretty good, his Giles is perfect.
The story is fairly simple but well handled and leaves a few more dangling threads.

Revisionist history?, 17 Jun 2008
I'm somewhat confused about the plot of this one. It seems to me that Faith was more than redeemed during S7 of the show and more than made up for her previous evil and mistakes. Seems rather churlish to be talking about wiping the slate clean after that!



got it, 20 Nov 2008
just got it will start reading soon :)

i got into a few lines and its quite addictive, niceee :D



Pretty good, 28 Sep 2008
I bought this recently, having never read (but often heard about) Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos.

I'm only about a third of the way through, but it seems pretty good (although the author does seem to have swallowed a thesaurus - and a particularly gibbous and over-nourished one at that, most likely recovered from some Stygian Pit that the mortal mind was not meant to know of). Plus, he does have some rather - ahem - "old fashioned" attitudes to race and class that can seem rather jarring to a modern reader.

This particular edition also does, unfortunately, have a number of typos in the text, some of which ("Necroriomicon", "clay" instead of "day", and "Gthulhu") suggest to me that the publishers had the original text scanned and digitised, but imperfectly. (I'm keeping a note of them as I find them, and will inform the publishers when I've finished the book).

Still, all said, I don't regret getting the book, and if you don't mind those faults, I'd certainly recommend this to anyone interested in the genera.


Just as I remembered!!, 14 Sep 2008
Excellent, worth the wait!! I remember reading this as a child, it's just as good as I remembered. Real Classic stuff!!

I recommend it to anyone looking for some good old creepy stories.

JOIN THE DARKSIDE!!!!, 19 Jul 2008
What can i say that already hasn't been said.
This is truly awesome, a complete collection of lovecraft in a well bound casebound book with faux Leather cover, in black.
All your favorites are there. If you're a real lovecraft fan this is deffinately for you.
And for a very reasanoble price.
100% recommended, buy now & join us on a truly Dark venture into the world of the one & the only H.P.lovecraft


Beautifully produced edition, but -2 stars for horrible tacky price sticker on the back, 28 Jun 2008
Finally a beautifully produced and complete edition of H.P. Lovecraft's works, but whoever at Gollancz/Orion decided to spoil each book with a tacky price sticker - not even put on straight - that leaves a sticky residue when removed (and believe me, it's tenacious) should be punished by the elder gods, or at least someone senior at the publishers.

Back on Form, Yay, 15 Aug 2008
The first Merry Gentry book was a breath of fresh air, more recent ones have got bogged down in endlessly creative sex scenes (emphasis more on the endless). This is the author back on form, much plot and characterisation, the story moves forward for the first time in ages and its a zinger - waiting impatiently for the next installment now.

Wow!, 31 May 2008
I used to be a huge fan of Laurell K. Hamilton's books. That was, until the plot got railroaded in favour of sex.

I didn't mind if the sex scenes had a reason behind them, as they tend to in the Merry Gentry books, but I admit that I put off reading this book, until I had a holiday coming up.

Now I wish I hadn't waited! I'm glad I took two books with me, even though I'm not a fast reader, because I finished this in a single day! It usually takes a few weeks for me to read a book about this size, but once I started it, I couldn't put it down! That says a lot about this book.

The story starts slow, but as it grows you find yourself sympathising with Merry... when the moment that this book was written for comes, you feel the same emotions that Merry does (trying not to spoil it for you), I even shed a tear at this point, and I'm not afraid to admit it!

It is a good book, easy to read and a welcome return to form for LKH!

The plot thickens!!!, 08 May 2008
This is an excellent addition to the Merry Gentry series, whilst it continues the theme of sex, more sex, and yet more sex, it continues to move the story on.
You find yourself empathising with Merry as she tries to look forward to what happens if she does get pregnant and has to stick to one man, and worries about who it will be, and what will happen to the rest.
The continuing peeks into the minds of the supporting characters really helps to draw you into the world.
Once again another page turner - keep you up all night till you've finished it - book from LKH.

A good fantasy, 04 Feb 2008
The story goes something like this: Prince Cel is freed from his imprisonment so Princess Merry Gentry and her retinue (bodyguards and lovers) travel to Los Angeles to escape her insane cousin's assassination attempts. Cel wants Merry dead to insure she never gets pregnant because if she does she becomes the heir to the throne of the Unseelie Court currently ruled by the sadistic Queen Andais. At present Merry is at her lawyer's office dealing with the authorities who consider pressing charges against three of her guards for rape against a member of the Seelie Court. Merry's Uncle Taranis, King of Light and Illusion of the Seelie Court, made the accusation that his niece believes are false instead she thinks there is a method to his madness that she just ahs not figured out yet. When things do not go according to his plan, Taranis becomes irate and tries a more direct approach on Merry. Meanwhile members of the Seelie Court offer her his throne. With Cel, Andais, and Taranis aiming at her, Merry finds Los Angeles as unsafe as the Unseelie Court!! I'd also recommend, if you missed Tino Georgiou's novel--The Fates, getting a copy--absolutely fab..

Well finally..., 29 Jan 2008

A book in which something other then sex actually happens - I love the characters and am fascinated by the story but the endless, mindless, pointless sex in the series was really beginning to wear me down. So thank God that we got some plot in this one... Keep it up Laurell - I'm dying to see what happens!

More magic battles and intrigue, 24 Nov 2008
I totally disagree with the first two reviewers. Yes the rape doesn't traumatize her as much as it would a normal person, but she is supposed to be a magical person descended from a love goddess who has unborn twins genetically derived from 6 of her lovers trying to stay alive long enough to rule the fey! - surely you cant quibble about reality at this point in the series...

If you like a fun fantasy with a sassy heroine, trying to deal with court intrigues, old feuds and the various lands of the sidhe all battling each other then this is a great series, and a good book. However you rea;;y do need to read them in order to keep track of who is who.

Non stop action, 14 Nov 2008
So many things happen in such a short space of time that there is no chance to be bored with this book. Everyone is still trying to assassinate Merry and her men, there are lots of cliff hanger moments and plenty of blood, but very little sex in this one.
I agree with some other reviewers that the rape is glossed over, but I think this is more to do with so much happening and Merry has not yet remembered it than being ignored by Hamilton.
The book left me itching to know what will happen in Los Angeles, will she ever be queen, how will the men who have spent little or no time outside faerie adapt to the human world, how will magic spread to the humans... I could go on and on with questions. All good books leave you with wanting more, and this one certainly left me waiting impatiently for the next Merry book.


poorly written., 09 Nov 2008
Laurell K Hamilton's books have been getting steadily worse for a long long time. I'm still reading in the hopes that she'll start to show some of what used to make her so enjoyable again. The early Anita Blake books were quite entertaining and when the Merry Gentry series started I really enjoyed the first few books too. Sadly things started to slide when the books lost all plot and descended into almost constant sex scenes that spanned the whole entire book. I enjoy sex in books but not to the exclusion of plot. This book can't be tarred with that reason for being bad however as the sex is kept to a minimum - well as minimum as LKH seems to be able to keep it these days anyway and there is a storyline of sorts.

To summarise the plot, the book starts directly after the events of A Lick of Frost (Meredith Gentry 6) with Merry in hospital after being raped by her Uncle Tarranis (Merry shows almost no signs of any trauma - very strange) then a plot to kill Merry's guards begins to unfurl and Merry calls up te wild hunt in revenge to go chassing after the plotters. And that's about it as far as plot goes, Merry reacting to all that the seelie and unseelie and the sluagh and the goblins can throw at her while gaining magical power ups from the Goddess. There is a plot, even if it's mostly the tying up of old threads and dealing with random people that get in her way.

The real problem I found was her repetitive and silly descriptions that read as if they had been lifted directly from one book to the next. On more than one occasion I laughed out loud they were so bad - it sort of spoils the mood of the story when the terrible prose distracts you from the plot. Everything is all sparkly and moonlight lit with detailed pointless descriptions of hair and clothes and rose petals raining from the sky.

I enjoyed the early Merry Gentry novels and I suppose that this book could have seen an end of the series as many of the loose ends from previous books have been tied off. Her father's killer has been unmasked and her enemies defeated for the most part. Unfortunately I don't think that this will be the case and more stories will be spun out with Merry doing more sparkly, magical, and wonderful things with new powers given conveniently by the Goddess just in time and with conversations that start in the middle of the action and just drag on and on to showcase Merry's wonderfullness. I think LKH need to take a break from writing for a while not churn out a Merry and an Anita book every year. She needs to go back and re-read all her books and rediscover her characters for herself and maybe things might improve. I'm still reading in hopes they do but i'm not sure how much longer I will be.

Swallowing tedium, 05 Nov 2008
For her last few books, Laurell K. Hamilton has been toning down the sexual content in favor of what can be loosely termed "plot."

Well, turns out there are far worse things than endless sparkly-magical sex scenes. After the shattering cliffhanger ending of the previous book, the seventh Merry Gentry book "Swallowing Darkness" promptly goes on a road tour of Faerie instead of sticking to an actual central plot. It feels like Hamilton has gone as far as she can, and is flailing around instead of getting out of the water.

In the aftermath of being raped by her uncle, Merry is recovering in the hospital... and despite all the moping about how doctors "can't undo the damage," she gets over the rape by cuddling her favorite boytoy.

After ordering her various fey boytoys not to attack Taranis, she receives a visit from her feisty brownie grandma. Unfortunately there's a malign influence warping Gran's thoughts -- with disastrous and fatal results for three people close to Merry. Enraged, she and Sholto summon the Wild Hunt and set out to destroy the conspirators.

But it turns out that the conspiracy goes far further than Merry expected -- and that certain Golden Court sidhe are trying to weed out the stronger boytoys. And of course, divine magical favors just rain down on Merry whenever she sneezes. To keep her entire harem (half of whom I've forgotten) safe, Merry decides to take drastic steps in the human world... but only finds a new conflict with her cousin Cel.

Having knocked up her heroine -- which is supposedly the series' goal -- Laurell K. Hamilton seems to be at a loss for what to do to keep the series going ahead. So we end up with a bunch of vaguely connected crises, punctuated by interludes of Sparkly Magic From Goddess-Merry, magic horsies and lots of sparkly magic roses. It's a little like being alternately choked with flowers and clubbed with a rock.

"Swallowing Darkness" does manage an impressive amount of plot, including the resolution of couple half-forgotten subplots -- and a surprising twist during Merry's stay in the sluagh. Unfortunately most of the plot is just Hamilton slapping in new random problems whenever things get too peaceful. Whoops, somebody's suddenly dying! Eek, a traitor! Yikes, a royal challenge from out of nowhere!

Nor does Hamilton's writing help, since she seems to be bored with her own story when she isn't trying to channel Patricia McKillip's lush prose. Her incredibly stilted, rambling dialogue ("We ride." "To save your Storm Lord." "To save the future of faerie"), repetition (everybody seems to have "moonlight skin") and awkward descriptions ("Gold like the metal of a piece of jewelry") hamper the story even further.

And as with all Hamilton's fairy novels, we get hot pale supernatural men who all worship the heroine, dumb blinkered mortals, lightweight Wiccan theology, Christian-bashing, oral sex worship, and lots of nasty and/or crazy women who simply can't measure up to the heroine. Yes, even a sweet li'l old grandma, who is reviled for daring to hold a grudge against her mother's murderer.

But the book's biggest weakness is Merry Gentry herself. She floats through the book in a cloud of Convenient Magical Powers and occasionally pauses to cold-bloodedly kill people. Everybody is awed by her even if she kills them -- and she declares herself to be a goddess as well. It gets rather nauseating to have a heroine who is such a blatant self-insert.

"Swallowing Darkness" has some shreds of good plot in there, but they're surrounded by jack-in-the-box disasters and a main storyline that is being stretched way too far. And it's not over yet....

got hooked, 20 Oct 2008
oh WOW this book was great just glad what i got it i also got the other 2 as i have 3 to read one after the other i could not put them down and now i am waiting for the next one they are full of action and you get thinking that you are really living as cassie if you get in to your books like me and can get the pictures in you head as you read. you really get in to it a great book and left me wanting more not looking for all her books

Great Start to a Wonderful Series, 12 Oct 2008
Loved it! Wonderful characters, a swift moving plot, a deft sense of humour and a surprising ending--this book had it all. And unlike many series I've read, this one keeps getting better with each book. Claimed by Shadow, the sequel, is also a very strong title, and Embrace the Night, the third book in the series, is simply brilliant. The three work together to tell one complex and fascinating tale. Curse the Dawn, the fourth book, is out in April and I can't wait! If you're looking for something a bit different with a stronger plotline and better characterization than normal for genre fiction, this is it!

I really wanted to say I liked this book, 11 Oct 2008
This is the sort of book that anyone who reads Laurel K. Hamilton or Kim Harrison will probably end up reading.

It's set in an underground of vampires and werewolves that exists in parralel to the human world, and sees a female heroine do battle against the powers that be in that world.

One of my biggest grumbles about Hamilton and Harrison is the fact that there's too much 'love interest' and too little story in their books. That's why I turned to this book. I hoped that I'd get more story. I can't work out quite how wrong I was yet.

Don't get me wrong, the lead protagonist isn't jumping into bed with people, but the story (which sees her try and work out who's killing the Vampire Council in America and how to stop him) feels a little clunky all the same.

I don't know about you, but when I tell a story I try to weave the back story into the main text fairly seamlessly. I don't want people getting confused about what's going on, but I don't want the back story to get in the way of the story's flow either.

That didn't happen here. Every so often she'd stop to lay this whole exposition about the past on you.

This was ok at first, but it got on my nerves after a while. If you can get your head round that irritating tendency the author has, you might enjoy this book. If you can't you should go elsewhere.

I would read the sequel, 02 Sep 2008
Deliciously gory and sexy. I liked the well-established supernatural world that Chance created and her exploration of ideas. The magic involved was unusual (in that I hadn't come across it quite like that in a novel before) and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading until the end, though I don't think I would read it again. The story is a series of detailed, lengthy scenes that takes place over a fairly short space of time and I did find the sometimes slow pace of events irritating at times, but I would buy and read the sequel for more.

Fascinating... Enjoyable, 27 Jul 2008
First book I have read by Karen Chance, and found it enjoyable.

I liked Cassie, at times she could be infuriating... but thats normal, charactors can't always do what you want them to do.

I liked the fact that we got loads more magical creatures like demons and mages, and can't wait to read the 2nd in this series.

I definately recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, vampire, werewolf type fiction.

Buffy is back, 19 Nov 2008
That is a great comics, really hold your breathe in till "the end" of the book!! i am waiting for the vol.3 with great impatience!
At least in this one we find again the usual Buffy VS Faith fight!!
Fantastic

Gotta have faith!, 14 Jul 2008
I was a late convert to the world of Buffy. Like many I had watched it as a teenager, enjoyed it, and then been persuaded by who knows who, that it was not something one should be proud of watching. Then I watched Serenity and thought it was great, backtracked to firefly and loved that too. Then one day somebody told me that the same guy that did those, did buffy. "WHAT!" I said, "That cant be!", half clouded by the fact that everybody said that Buffy was rubbish, half trying to cover up my embarrassment of not making this ling earlier.

So to cut a long story short, I watched all of Buffy in a very short time, and I loved it. And then I watched Angel and I loved it less, but loved it all the same.

Before Mr. Whedon ever entered my life, and then during, and still now, I've been an avid reader of comics. All comics, from the good, to the bad, to the fugly. Some of my favourites in the world of comics were the likes of Y the last man, and Runaways. Boy, I'm rambling here. Bear with me. What I'm really trying to say here, with probabl too much context, is that this comic is great. It's great as a part of the Buffy canon. I couldn't be happier with how the series has been carried on, and BKV's addition is on par with Whedons.

This is probably not a comic that is going to be among the greats. It's no Maus, it's no Watchmen. But it does what it sets out to do well, it carries on the story of our favourite vampire slayer (or whichever is your favourite). It's not a comic that revels in the medium of comics. If it was adapted into another series or a film, it may be even better. But that aint going to happen. And honestly, i'm not complaining.

Sorry for the diatribe, one last thing i'd like to say... Keep it coming.

P.S. It's also way better than Angel: after the fall. Seriously.

Disappointingly unoriginal 'new' story, 08 Jul 2008
I was severally disapointed by this new part in the so-called Season 8 of Buffy. Not because it is a bad tale overall or badly written or anything like that, but because the story is completely unoriginal and tired. A story about a rogue Slayer trying to kill Buffy has been done already in Season 3 of the original TV series, with Faith herself as the rogue Slayer. An episode of Angel Season 5 also featured a rogue Slayer trying to kill Spike. And Giles asking Faith to help track down the rogue Slayer to redeem herself is also a bit silly considering the events at the end of Season 7. I think her saving Buffy's life at the end should have been more than enough to be forgiven for her past sins. Original ideas needed for the next installment please!

so after reintroducing buffy and co we then move away from them to faith., 07 Jul 2008
Which in some ways seemed an odd idea, because it focuses so much on Faith that buffy barey gets a look in. Grumble over, it is still a fine read and faith has been part of buffy for years so why whinge anyway.
The same flaws with the art apply, as well as the same benefits. Brian k vaughns handle on faith is pretty good, his Giles is perfect.
The story is fairly simple but well handled and leaves a few more dangling threads.

Revisionist history?, 17 Jun 2008
I'm somewhat confused about the plot of this one. It seems to me that Faith was more than redeemed during S7 of the show and more than made up for her previous evil and mistakes. Seems rather churlish to be talking about wiping the slate clean after that!



got it, 20 Nov 2008
just got it will start reading soon :)

i got into a few lines and its quite addictive, niceee :D



Pretty good, 28 Sep 2008
I bought this recently, having never read (but often heard about) Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos.

I'm only about a third of the way through, but it seems pretty good (although the author does seem to have swallowed a thesaurus - and a particularly gibbous and over-nourished one at that, most likely recovered from some Stygian Pit that the mortal mind was not meant to know of). Plus, he does have some rather - ahem - "old fashioned" attitudes to race and class that can seem rather jarring to a modern reader.

This particular edition also does, unfortunately, have a number of typos in the text, some of which ("Necroriomicon", "clay" instead of "day", and "Gthulhu") suggest to me that the publishers had the original text scanned and digitised, but imperfectly. (I'm keeping a note of them as I find them, and will inform the publishers when I've finished the book).

Still, all said, I don't regret getting the book, and if you don't mind those faults, I'd certainly recommend this to anyone interested in the genera.


Just as I remembered!!, 14 Sep 2008
Excellent, worth the wait!! I remember reading this as a child, it's just as good as I remembered. Real Classic stuff!!

I recommend it to anyone looking for some good old creepy stories.

JOIN THE DARKSIDE!!!!, 19 Jul 2008
What can i say that already hasn't been said.
This is truly awesome, a complete collection of lovecraft in a well bound casebound book with faux Leather cover, in black.
All your favorites are there. If you're a real lovecraft fan this is deffinately for you.
And for a very reasanoble price.
100% recommended, buy now & join us on a truly Dark venture into the world of the one & the only H.P.lovecraft


Beautifully produced edition, but -2 stars for horrible tacky price sticker on the back, 28 Jun 2008
Finally a beautifully produced and complete edition of H.P. Lovecraft's works, but whoever at Gollancz/Orion decided to spoil each book with a tacky price sticker - not even put on straight - that leaves a sticky residue when removed (and believe me, it's tenacious) should be punished by the elder gods, or at least someone senior at the publishers.

Back on Form, Yay, 15 Aug 2008
The first Merry Gentry book was a breath of fresh air, more recent ones have got bogged down in endlessly creative sex scenes (emphasis more on the endless). This is the author back on form, much plot and characterisation, the story moves forward for the first time in ages and its a zinger - waiting impatiently for the next installment now.

Wow!, 31 May 2008
I used to be a huge fan of Laurell K. Hamilton's books. That was, until the plot got railroaded in favour of sex.

I didn't mind if the sex scenes had a reason behind them, as they tend to in the Merry Gentry books, but I admit that I put off reading this book, until I had a holiday coming up.

Now I wish I hadn't waited! I'm glad I took two books with me, even though I'm not a fast reader, because I finished this in a single day! It usually takes a few weeks for me to read a book about this size, but once I started it, I couldn't put it down! That says a lot about this book.

The story starts slow, but as it grows you find yourself sympathising with Merry... when the moment that this book was written for comes, you feel the same emotions that Merry does (trying not to spoil it for you), I even shed a tear at this point, and I'm not afraid to admit it!

It is a good book, easy to read and a welcome return to form for LKH!

The plot thickens!!!, 08 May 2008
This is an excellent addition to the Merry Gentry series, whilst it continues the theme of sex, more sex, and yet more sex, it continues to move the story on.
You find yourself empathising with Merry as she tries to look forward to what happens if she does get pregnant and has to stick to one man, and worries about who it will be, and what will happen to the rest.
The continuing peeks into the minds of the supporting characters really helps to draw you into the world.
Once again another page turner - keep you up all night till you've finished it - book from LKH.

A good fantasy, 04 Feb 2008
The story goes something like this: Prince Cel is freed from his imprisonment so Princess Merry Gentry and her retinue (bodyguards and lovers) travel to Los Angeles to escape her insane cousin's assassination attempts. Cel wants Merry dead to insure she never gets pregnant because if she does she becomes the heir to the throne of the Unseelie Court currently ruled by the sadistic Queen Andais. At present Merry is at her lawyer's office dealing with the authorities who consider pressing charges against three of her guards for rape against a member of the Seelie Court. Merry's Uncle Taranis, King of Light and Illusion of the Seelie Court, made the accusation that his niece believes are false instead she thinks there is a method to his madness that she just ahs not figured out yet. When things do not go according to his plan, Taranis becomes irate and tries a more direct approach on Merry. Meanwhile members of the Seelie Court offer her his throne. With Cel, Andais, and Taranis aiming at her, Merry finds Los Angeles as unsafe as the Unseelie Court!! I'd also recommend, if you missed Tino Georgiou's novel--The Fates, getting a copy--absolutely fab..

Well finally..., 29 Jan 2008

A book in which something other then sex actually happens - I love the characters and am fascinated by the story but the endless, mindless, pointless sex in the series was really beginning to wear me down. So thank God that we got some plot in this one... Keep it up Laurell - I'm dying to see what happens!

I've been more scared getting lost in lakeside, 10 Oct 2008
I was very disappointed with this book, it started off really well but just seemed to evaporate into nothing, the story was ok but nothing was really explained and it wasn't scary either! the story wasn't in anyway spine tingling, infact it feel flat on it's face, very disappointing and even more so for the fact that it's a very thin paperback (I read it in a day) and it cost me £6.99 !!! not worth it at all !!!

Great start but then..., 02 Sep 2008
Not as good as the "Woman in Black". It starts (very)