Anne McCaffrey – Masterharper of Pern

A book in the Renegades of Pern series, published November 28, 1998
Genre: sci-fi / fantasy
Cover: love it



Master Singer Merelan en Harper Petiron were a brilliant and devoted couple. Merelan was the most outstanding soprano ever heard on Pern, and was often the only one who could master Petiron’s technically accomplished compositions. When, after a long and difficult birth, Robinton was born to them, it should have been the culmination of a unique partnership.
But Petiron, almost from the first day, had no time for his son, refusing to see the incredible talent the boy possessed, ignoring his achievements and maintaining a strict and disapproving vigilance over him at all times.
Carefully, secretly, the Harper Hall took over, training the greatest talent Pern had ever seen – a talent that was more than just musical, for Robinton was able to talk to the dragons of Pern.
As constant sadness beset his personal life, so a startling career sent him like a meteor through the Holds and Weyrs of Pern, until, as Master Harper, he became part of the great plan to rescue Lessa from the brutal rule of Holder Fax – Lessa, who was to be the saviour of the dragons of Pern.


Warning: I am in love with the books by Anne McCaffrey, and have been for over 20 years. I do re-read my favourites often, a few at a time, so there will be more reviews in the next few days. Master Harper Robinton plays a big part in most of the books in this series, so his own history is always a good one to start with.

Almost from the day Robinton was born, his father Petiron has been jealous of the time his wife Merelan spend with him. Petiron was madly in love with her, and he wanted her attention fixed on him, and the complicated music he wrote for her beautiful voice. He ignored Robinton if possible, and never noticed his child’s unusual gift for music. So what if the drum the boy made was not up to his standards, Robie was only 5 at the time! What Petiron also did not know, was that Robinton has been composing his own music from age 3, variations on melodies. On Pern, the children are thought everything they need to know my harpers, and for the most important things, there is a teaching ballade. To make them easier to remember, Robinton made up his own tunes, and he loved helping other children. The other masters and the Master Harper helped Merelan (who of course noticed everything Robinton did) to nurture his love for music, and made sure that he was kept out of Petiron’s way as much as possible.

And when Petiron did find out at last, hurt that Merelan kept things like that from him, and he intends to take over Robie’s education, Merelan just leaves him. Taking Robie with her, she sets out for Benden, where they are in need of a Singer of her qualities.
And there Robie meets his first best friend, Falloner, who will be a bronze dragon rider. Falloner and his father believe that the stories of Thread are true, and that it will fall in another 30 years or so, but most of Pern doesn’t believe anymore. They don’t honor the dragonriders who will defend the planet with their own lives, and that of their dragons. And as there is only one dragon Weyr left, instead of 5 full Weyrs, they are not going to be able to safe the whole planet again. Unless a miracle happens, but that is a story in another book.

When they are finally back at the Harper Hall in Fort Hold, Petiron keeps ignoring his son as much as possible, and Robinton is only too happy to be able to go live in the apprentice dormitories. As he loves teaching and helping those slower in class, he easily makes friends, especially when the other children see how his own father treats him. Never a good word, only criticism and sharp remarks. Robinton keeps hoping one day his father will approve of him, love him as a father should, but that day never comes. And so, when Robinton makes the rank of journeyman, the Master Harper send shim out all over the place on assignments. Learning there is more to being a harper than knowing music and how to sing and play and make instruments. He is to be knowledgeable in the law of Pern, the Charter, and to mediate in disputes. One of his assignments also brings him into contact with Fax, a greedy young man who will grow up into a dictator, who has never enough land and holdings and wives. The lords Holder are reluctant to make a move against Fax, and so he can continue to steal other peoples Holds and what ever else he fancies. All the while sowing hatred and distrust against the harpers and the dragonriders.

At another place, Robinton falls in love with a sweet young woman, but unfortunately, his happiness is not there to last long. Pern is not an easy world to live in, it has many dangers, and much knowledge and skills have been forgotten that the Ancients took for granted.

But life continues for Robinton, he learns what he can about the different provinces of Pern, and the people that live in it, high and low. And at a still young age, he makes Master Harper of Pern himself, as times are changing, and Pern needs a strong Master Harper to cope with it all.


A great book, a great story, that made me laugh and cry and that I will undoubtedly read many more times. The spine has faded, and the pages are coming loose, so it is time I bought a new set. Master Harper Robinton, with his love of live and people and knowledge, and especially the great Benden wine, is one of my favourite characters in this series. His life is not easy, but as his mother said, great gifts come with a price.

I do recommend this series to everyone who loves fantasy, or dragons, or just well written stories. I am very sorry that there never will be more new books by Anne McCaffrey. I just don’t like her son Todd’s writing style, the books he has written have lost their humor and lightness and are just gloomy.

10 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian

New additions to my addiction

Here is a list of the books and bookrelated goodies I received in the last few weeks, some have been read and reviewed already:

From Bookdepository:
Ilona Andrews - Magic Rises
Jill Archer - Dark light of day
Faith Hunter - Blood Trade
Faith Hunter – Raven Cursed
Faith Hunter – Mercy Blade
Faith Hunter – Death’s Rival
Kylie Griffin – Vengeance Born
Kylie Griffin - Alliance Forged
Kylie Griffin - Allegiance Sworn.
J.D. Robb – Calculated in Death
Darynda Jones – Fourth Grave beneath my feet
Jill Archer – Fiery Edge of Steel
Virginia Lowell – A cookie before dying
Virginia Lowell – Cookie dough or die
Virginia Lowell – When the cookie crumbles
Virginia Lowell – One dead cookie
Kate Collins – Seed no evil
Julie Hyzy – 8 books
Sara Humphreys – Tall, Dark and Vampire
Robin D. Owens – Heart Fortune.

Secondhand books:
Jill Mansell – An offer you can’t refuse

My birthday present from Maia:
Signed books and bookplates!
Pamela Palmer – Ecstacy Untamed
Pamela Palmer – Passion Untamed
Pamela Palmer – A love untamed
Pamela Palmer – Hunger Untamed
Pamela Palmer – Obsession Untamed.
The covers are (mostly) gorgeous!

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian

Jayne Ann Krentz – All night long

A stand alone novel by Jayne Ann Krentz, published January 3, 2006.
Genre: contemporary romance / romantic suspense
Cover: hate this one. My book has the pretty small cover.



After the violent deaths of her parents seventeen years ago, Irene Stenson left the tiny lakefront town of Dunsley, Oregon. Now she’s back, and determined to discover the truth about what happened that night. Armed with a shocking new lead and her experience as an investigative reporter, Irene dives straight into the mystery and finds herself in deep trouble.
Luckily, ex-Marine Luke Danner is on hand to pull her out, and his calm, quick thinking response in the face of danger makes him the perfect ally. And as the intrigue deepens and the secrets turn deadly, Irene will need all the help she can get if she is to lay the past to rest.


Since Irene Stenson discovered her parents’ dead bodies in the kitchen one summer night when she was seventeen, and her aunt took her away, she has never come back to Dunsley. But now her former-best-friend-for-one-summer, Pamela Webb, has contacted her and asked her to come visit. She hints at having information about what really happened that night, as Irene never did believe the police when they ruled it a murder-suicide by her father. Her father was the local chief of police, and he was very good at his job, he helped a lot of people. He and her mother were also very much in love.
According to her psychologists, Irene needs closure for what happens, she needs to find out the truth, or accept the verdict. And so Irene has come to Dunsley to find answers. Irene is staying at the old lodge motel at the lake, which is now run by Luke Danner, a former Marine.
Luke is intrigued by Irene from the moment she steps in his lobby and hires one of his cabins. He notices her nervous way of pressing the redial button on her phone every few minutes while they are watching the news together on his small tv. The cabins are rustic, without many amenities. So when he sees her leaving her cabin at ten in the evening that night, he decides to follow her in case she runs into trouble.
Pamela has not been answering her phone all day, and finally Irene decides to check out her house, to see if she is home at all. When she sees find Pamela at home, lying on the living room coach, Irene decides to take the key to the back door from its ancient hiding place and go check up on Pamela. But it is already too late, Pamela is dead. And when she finds that out, Irene is glad that Luke is suddenly in the room with her, even though she does not understand why he followed her.

An overdose by drugs and alcohol, suicide, is the quick verdict from the new police chief, as Pamela had a history of drug abuse ever since she was a teen. Why would Pamela kill herself when she wanted to talk to Irene after seventeen years? Why is there no note? Her father, Senator Ryland Webb, doesn’t want an investigation in Pamela’s death. He is going to run for president, he does not need any negative publicity; he wants the case closed, and Irene to keep her mouth shut.

The next evening, she goes back to the Webb house, intend on searching for any clue to why Pamela wanted to talk to her. And in the secret hiding place they used as girls, she finds a key. A shiny new key. But before she can think about it, she hears someone walking downstairs. Irene panics, and quietly leaves Pamela’s bedroom for the deck near the master bedroom. And suddenly there is Luke again, saving her when the house goes up in flames. The arsonist flees in his boat thought, without revealing himself to them.

The villagers think that Irene has post traumatic stress syndrome, from the shock of finding parents, and think her delusional in pursuing her investigation. But Luke agrees with Irene, that something is off here, he has a knack for connecting dots, and he offers his help in finding out the truth. Irene and Luke have a great connection, they understand the problems they have both faced, and how they are dealing with it all. Luke’s family also think he is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder after everything he saw while in the Marine Corps, and want him to visit a shrink. But Luke refuses; he just doesn’t like the family business, and wants to make a life on his own. And now there is Irene, whom is the first female he is truly interested in, in a long time. His short engagement six months ago was just a big mistake, of trying to live a normal life.

But investigating this case turns out to be dangerous, when Irene almost is driven from the cliff into the lake, and more people die.


I needed a feel-good read last night when my head was tired, and so I picked a Jayne Ann Krentz book. I really love her writing style, it is kind of laid back, easy to read and has a quiet kind of humor that totally fits me. I like her characters a lot, they often have unusual jobs, and a hard background, but are capable. And this was the case with Irene and Luke as well.

When the truth was revealed, I was shocked. But perhaps I am more shocked to realize that I am not surprised by this plot at all, that I completely believe that powerful men and especially politicians act this way, feeling entitled to whatever they want and do and expect to get away with it. Who was it that said power corrupts?

Even though this is a stand alone novel, I did recognize some of the names of secondary character in this book, but can’t remember their own titles.

8 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian

Jacqelyn Frank – Pleasure

The third book in the Shadowdwellers series, published August 25, 2009.
Genre: paranormal romance
Cover: boring



Discipline. Penance. Order. A Sanctuary priest's life revolves around such things. But when Sagan is taken captive and thrust into the Alaskan wilderness, he encounters a woman who challenges his faith and his self-control. Valera is a natural born witch who almost lost herself to the lure of dark magic. By rights, Sagan should shun her, but convention will count for nothing in the face of a passion that could change the world of the Shadowdwellers forever ...

As Chancellor of the Shadowdwellers, Malaya's first duty is to her people. Her bodyguard, Guin, knows this only too well. For tradition's sake, Malaya must marry, and the thought of this lush, vibrant, woman in a loveless union is impossible for him to bear. Guin loves Malaya-not as a subject loves his queen, but as a man craves a woman. And even if he cannot keep her, he'll show her everything she stands to lose . . .


This book contains two stories, the first one is a short story about Sagan, and the second story is the main one about Chancellor Malaya. Still, they are a little bit connected.

Sagan was poisoned and abducted in the previous book. His kidnappers have taken him topside, planning to take him somewhere, when they stumble upon Valeria and her little house in the middle of the Alaskan nowhere. Planning to have a bit of “fun” with her before they move on. But Valeria is a natural born witch, and she plans to just subdue them with her magic. But using defensive magic means making a high voltage blue light, and that burns them both to a crisp immediately. Now she understands why they had her turn of all the lights in the house and douse the fire in the hearth, but it was not her intention to kill them!
But now she has their prisoner to take care of. Her cat familiar tells her the man is poisoned, and she needs to heal him, even though he has already gotten an antidote.

When Sagan awakens, he has no idea what he is doing with a normal human. He has lost all memory of the last few days and cannot even remember his fight. But he has not been attracted to a woman in decades, ever since his handmaiden died he has put all his energy in training an the duties of a penance priest. Which is, partly, hunting down Sinners who have committed crimes in Dreamscape and Shadowscape. And Sagan is very good at his job. He knows that a relationship with a human is a Sin, but he just cannot repent something that feels so good. Even when he finds out that Valeria is a witch, a deadly enemy of his race, it does not deter him. He sees the good in her, and feels nothing of the taint that deathmagic leaves behind. But he knows he cannot stay with her, he is needed in Sanctuary.

But can he really leave her behind after nine glorious days in her arms?


Now that they know that Arcadia is still alive, the woman who tortured Trace, their main advisor, for a whole year, the Chancellors Malaya and her twin brother Tristan are determined to find out who she is. She is a Senate member, and so hiding in plain sight. The Senate is planning on forcing Malaya to marry due to some arcane law, and her bodyguard for the last 50 years, Guin, is not going to stand for it. He has spend those 50 years keeping her safe and he wants her to be happy, and that means a marriage for love, not for state reasons. He knows Malaya will do everything for her people, but he won’t have it. He will leave her if it comes to that. He has witnessed her having casual relationships with other men before, as he is never more than a few feet away from her, even in her bedroom, but this will be too much. He doesn’t care about those lovers, their society is very open to sexual relationships. He loves her too much to stand for it. Of course Malaya is too blind to notice that, she treats him like a close friend, until he lashes out of her, and her eyes slowly start to open. Still, she thinks a short affair between them before her marriage will be fine, not understanding it will never be enough for Guin.
Still, she can’t stand to loose him, and is desperate to find a way out of the Senate’s demands. Her brother has been acting like a fool for the last six months, knowing about this, and not knowing how to tell her. If only she had known sooner, perhaps she would have been able to come up with a plan to thwart them. She does not intend to give in to the Senate’s demands, as their rule is a monarchy and not a democracy, but they are also big on tradition, so she cannot ignore that old law. But they can change it for the future.

In the meanwhile, Arcadia is planning and exacting her revenge on Marcus and Dae, for killing her beloved daughter. She was so close to taking over Sanctuary, and now most of her allies are dead. They will pay for that, and pay heavily. Still, she has her own pawns in Court, and she will get to Malaya, especially now Guin is out of the picture …


I totally planned to stop reading in time for bed, but when it was that time, the book was incredibly good and suspenseful, I could not stop. And even when that bit was over, I just had to know what would happen, how they would find and defeat Arcadia, and before I knew it, the clock had struck twelve. This is not a good thing on a Sunday night with a busy work week ahead. Still, I would never have been able to sleep without knowing the end.

I loved the book. I loved Guin, for his quiet devotion to his mistress, and how he had his own standards and would not settle for crumbs. He is a very big man, strong and completely self assured and capable. A trained assassin who fell for his intended target 50 years ago.
Malaya was a bit spoiled, and a bit naïve, even though she grew up in wartime, and knows how to fight. She comes over as sheltered, and happy to behave to archaic standards. I usually like my heroines a bit more though. Still, she has a big heart, she is very smart, and she does get what she wants.

I do hope there will be a story with Tristan someday.

9 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian

One question for Gini Koch.

As you perhaps already know, I am a big fan of Gini Koch’s Alien series, a great science fiction romance series. But she also writes short and long stories under a lot of different pennames like Anita Ensal, Jemma Chase, J.C. Koch, G.J. Koch, and A.E. Stanton. And especially the short stories make me as a reader think: what if?

I am very much looking forward to reading the next Alien book, which will be published in December, Alien Research, but I am hoping for some information about the Necropolis Enforcement Files, and perhaps the next Alexander Outland, Space Pirate, book, which is written under G.J. Koch. The story The Happy Acres Haunted Hotel for Active Seniors sure took me by surprise.


Alien Research, the eighth book in the Katherine 'Kitty' Katt series, to be published December 3, 2013. I could not yet find a picture of the cover, but I did copy the blurb from fantasticfiction:

When rumors of a new super-drug surface, the FBI comes to Jeff and Kitty Katt-Martini for help. It becomes quickly apparent that the drug is merely the tip of a deadly iceberg and a much more insidious plan is underway involving Titan Security, Gaultier Enterprises, and YatesCorp.
As newly discovered A-Cs and hybrids begin to surface, each with expanded and deadly talents, more and more signs point to a new evil genius who's using the A-Cs and their enemies both as guinea pigs. Then Area 51 and the Dulce Science Center go silent while Alpha Team, Airborne, and most of the worldwide A-C Security team are there for training. And if that's not bad enough, Centaurion Division is hit with more bad, and deadly, news: Chernobog the Ultimate, isn't a hacker myth, he's a real person -- and he's on the bad guys' side.
Now Kitty and company must find the real Dr. Feelgood and stop him or her before the latest version of Surcenthumain hits the streets and more people they love are harmed, or worse. But when the inconceivable happens, Kitty's focused on two things only: reviving the ACE entity before their enemies realize Earth's best protection isn't actually active…and revenge.


Gini keeps her readers nicely updated on what is happening in her world with weekly newsletters, and on her blog but I would like her to tell us herself what she is planning and plotting for the future.

Aurian: Hi Gini, can you please tell me and my readers what your plans are? How many books and short stories have you planned and are you plotting in all the pennames you write under? I would love to know what to expect from you and look forward to in the coming years.

Gini: Hey Aurian, always nice to be here! As for what’s coming…well…a lot. LOL

As you know, because you’re on my Hook Me Up! subscribers list, DAW Books just contracted for Books 12 & 13 in the Alien series. So, after Alien Research in December, we have Alien Collective coming May ‘14, Universal Alien coming Dec. ‘14, Alien Separation coming May ‘15, Alien in Chief coming Dec. ‘15, and Camp Alien coming May ‘16. So that series is running for the next several years at least, which makes me very happy. And yes, for those who might wonder, I have more story ideas past Book 13 for Kitty and Company.

As for the next book in the Necropolis Enforcement Files after the first, The Night Beat, I’m working on Night Music, but I’m behind. I got backed up with both Alien in the House and Alien Research taking me longer than I’d planned for, and that impacted Night Music. However, it IS coming (soon, I swear!) and I plan at least five more in that series as well.

The Alexander Outland series was affected by the near-bankruptcy of Night Shade Books. That situation has been resolved, but my agent and I are still waiting to see whether or not the new publisher will continue the series or whether I’ll be able to take it and self-publish the rest. I have Alexander Outland: Space Avenger started, and Alexander Outland: Galactic Gigolo already planned, so hopefully we’ll know what’s going on in the near future.



As for shorter works, I’m excited to be in a new Kickstarter anthology from new small press Zombies Need Brains. The anthology is Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs. Aliens (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/543968884/clockwork-universe-steampunk-vs-aliens-anthology) and it’s open for funding through August 16, so there’s still time to be a part of it. We’re heading for stretch goals right now, one of which is that when we hit $13K in funding, every backer will get an e-copy of my novella, A Cup of Joe, written as Anita Ensal. (So hurry and join in today!) This anthology will also feature my first Alien series short, so I’m quite excited about that. And yes, you’ll be able to buy it, in ebook or mass market formats, once it’s published. Expected release date is in May 2014, so right about the time Alien Collective will be coming out.

I’m also going to be in another Kickstarter anthology -- this one writing as J.C. Koch, because J.C. writes horror -- Kaiju Rising. Funding hasn’t begun for this yet, but definitely keep your eyes peeled because it’s going to be starting soon.

Also as J.C. Koch, I’ll be in a couple of really exciting Lovecraftian anthologies. My short story, “The Outsiders” will be in A Dark Phanstastique, which will be out in October of this year, and my short “Little Lady” will be in The Madness of Cthulu, Vol. 2 which will be out in the first half of 2014.

I’m also finalizing my first humor collection, The Funny Girl, which I also expect to be out this year sometime. And there’s always something new on the horizon because, apparently, I don’t like sleep and love stress. LOL

My current bibliography is up at my website (http://www.ginikoch.com/bibliography.htm) and I’m trying to keep it updated with upcoming works as well, so everyone can see what’s coming down the road.

That’s all the writing at this moment. But I’ll also be making a variety of public appearances as well, most notably at DarkCon 2014 in Phoenix, AZ in January as the Local Author Guest of Honor, Coastal Magic in Daytona Beach, FL, in February, Phoenix Comicon in Phoenix, AZ in June, and San Diego Comic-Con in San Diego, CA in July. There are other big and little cons I’ll be at as well that will get announced as details are confirmed. My public appearance schedule can be most easily found at the Datebook (http://www.ginikoch.com/datebook.htm) page of my website.

Amazingly enough, I think that’s it! But, check back soon because I’m sure there’ll be more…there always is. :-D

Aurian: Thanks Gini! I am very glad you will be keeping me in books for a long time to come. The only ones not for me, are the horror stories, but I am certain you will find new fans through those as well.


If you want to know more about Gini Koch and her books, you can find her here:
Twitter: @GiniKoch
Website: Website
Blog: Blog
Facebook: Facebook
Facebook Fan Page, Hairspray and Rock ‘n’ Roll: Here
Official Fan Site, Alien Collective Virtual HQ: Alien Collective

© 2013 Aurian and Gini Koch

Jacquelyn Frank – Rapture

The second book in the Shadowdwellers series, published July 1, 2009.
Genre: paranormal romance
Cover: nice, strong.



The Shadowdwellers live in a realm of darkness and sensuality, where order is prized and sin must be punished. Yet for Magnus, the head priest of Sanctuary, salvation rests with the one woman who can entice him to break every rule. . .

She Was The Ultimate Temptation

Magnus is a man of contradictions--a spiritual leader in a warrior's body. To him, laws are for enforcing and visions must be followed--even if that means freeing a beautiful slave and making her his reluctant handmaiden. Betrayed once before, Magnus can barely bring himself to trust another woman. Yet Daenaira's fiery innocence is drawing them both into a reckless inferno of desire.
Daenaira grew up hearing tales of a fearsome priest who seemed more myth than reality. But Magnus is very real--every inch of him--and so is the treachery surrounding them. Beneath Sanctuary's calm surface, an enemy is scheming to unleash havoc on the Shadowdwellers, unless Magnus trusts in a union ordained by fate, and sealed by unending bliss. . .


After loosing his hand maiden in the first book, when she tried to kill him, Magnus has been reluctant to choose another one, but his goddess insists. She has chosen Daenaira for him, a young woman of only 20 years, and if not for her hard life, she would have considered a child by Shadowdweller standards, as they are very long-lived.
Daenaira grew up in her mother’s pub, listening to the warriors when they spoke of their battles, and learning how to fight at an early age. In a society where it is so very easy to prevent pregnancy out of marriage, her mother was shunned for being a single mother. The man who sired her lied about taking the contraceptive herbs. After her mother died, when her bar was set on fire, Daenaira was sent to her aunt and uncle, who have treated her as a slave for the past eight years. Even though slavery is illegal in their society, they kept her chained all the time, doing laundry for her aunt, who is a small merchant doing laundry for the nobility. Kept in check with electric shocks, Daenaira also has had to defend herself from unwanted male attention, like her uncle and his friends. She has become exceptionally good in fighting, and winning. But now, someone has bought her, and Dae just knows life will not get any easier for her.

Sexuality is a very important thing in Shadowdwellers lives. They are very sensual, and extremely sensitive to light of any kind. They live underground if possible, and they follow the path of winter. Half a year in Alaska, the other half in New Zealand. After a centuries long civil war, a fragile peace exists between them, and they are finally trying to re-build their society. Magnus is a very important piece of that, being the head priest and head of Sanctuary. Sanctuary is where the priests and their handmaidens live, and where the young people are being educated in religion, politics, fighting and sexuality.

But treachery runs hot in Sanctuary, and Dae is targeted from day one, just to hurt Marcus. Her attackers just did not count on the fact that she is more than capable of defending herself, especially now she is not chained anymore. So when the man tries to rape her, she hurts him badly where it counts. Unfortunately, her attackers do get away before Marcus and Brendan reach her. Marcus has been celibate for over 200 years, and his relationship with his former handmaiden was more like brother and sister, although he never noticed that she wanted much more than he gave her. Still, he cannot possibly ignore Dae’s charms or her fire, and he finds it impossible to keep his hands of her, even though she demands it of him. Dae has not yet taken any vows, she wants to see what life in the Sanctuary is like before she commits herself for the rest of her life to Marcus. She already senses more undercurrents than Marcus does, as he is blinding himself to the truth that his lifework is crumbling around him.

Marcus will need to open himself up to his feelings, and accept her as his equal if he wants to have a chance of regaining what he has lost.


I have no idea why I have waited so long to read the second book in this series, as I loved the first one so much. And this second book is even more intense. I highly recommend it. There is some fighting action in this book, which I loved, but the main focus is on emotions and lots and lots of sex. I think the book would easily be half as thick without the long journey to sex Marcus and Dae have. It was well written though, and realistically done, even though I would have preferred more time to pass for Dae to get used to Sanctuary and the duties of a handmaiden.

Dae is not a doormat, she is fire and even though she is a young girl compared to Marcus who is almost a saint for some people, she does not hesitate to tell him what she thinks and feels. Marcus can certainly be an ass at times, and he has a lot of trouble treating Dae as an equal instead of someone he needs to protect from real live. Even when he has fallen in love with her, he tries to keep his worries back from her.

Marcus will do whatever it takes to take the taint and corruption out of Sanctuary, and make it safe again for his students. Counselling their rulers also takes a lot of his time, but it is an important part of his job as well. And sometimes it really does take a woman to put some sense in dense male heads.


I enjoyed this book, and as soon as I have finished writing a stack of reviews, I will start reading the third book.

9,5 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian

ARC-review: Suzanne Johnson – Elysian Fields

The third book in the Sentinels of New Orleans series, be published August 13, 2013.
Genre: urban fantasy
Cover: strong, I like it.



The mer feud has been settled, but life in South Louisiana still has more twists and turns than the muddy Mississippi.
New Orleanians are under attack from a copycat killer mimicking the crimes of a 1918 serial murderer known as the Axeman of New Orleans. Thanks to a tip from the undead pirate Jean Lafitte, DJ Jaco knows the attacks aren't random - an unknown necromancer has resurrected the original Axeman of New Orleans, and his ultimate target is a certain blonde wizard. Namely, DJ.
Combating an undead serial killer as troubles pile up around her isn't easy. Jake Warin's loup-garou nature is spiralling downward, enigmatic neighbour Quince Randolph is acting weirder than ever, the Elders are insisting on lessons in elven magic from the world's most annoying wizard, and former partner Alex Warin just turned up on DJ's to-do list. Not to mention big manoeuvres are afoot in the halls of preternatural power.
Suddenly, moving to the Beyond as Jean Lafitte's pirate wench could be DJ's best option.


It is hard to write a review about this book, without spoiling any of the many surprises and twists in this book. The blurb tells a lot already.
Anew serial killer is in town, and the press has dubbed him the Axeman Deux (two). After every kill he leaves behind his axe. But no viable finger prints have been found so far, and the police is at a loss for clues. Nothing about the victims makes them related. DJ has discovered that this is not a copy cat killer, but the real thing. Something has resurrected the real Axeman and turned him loose again on New Orleans, where the historical (un)dead are still walking around. The power of their fame makes them sort of immortal, like the undead pirate Jean Lafitte, who has a thing for DJ and a nose for making a profit with his schemes, both legal and illegal. And as DJ is the Sentinel for New Orleans, it is her job to keep the pretes in check.

This is easier said than done, as her own magic is not very strong to use in a fight, and her inherited elven magic is still unstable. Even though the elven wand that has chosen her improves it a lot. And so the Regents have decided she needs lessons in her elven magic, and they have chosen the one wizard she hates the most, Adrian Hoffman, the one she blames for the death of her almost step-mother and best friend (read the previous book).
When Jean Lafitte tells her, that the Axeman has not left Old Orleans in the Beyond on his own powers, but that some necromancer has summoned him, and is using him for his own purpose, things get more dangerous instantly. DJ doesn’t know a lot about necromancers, so she needs help from some of the registered ones in town to explain things to her. And one of those is the currant Vampire leader.

Both DJ and Alex are worried about Alex’ cousin Jake, who does not seem to control his loup-garou side. He even nicked DJ, and now there is a chance… Only time can tell. For now, he is hiding out in the Beyond with Jean Lafitte, who will keep him in check.

Then there is her neighbour Quince Randolph (Rand), who is supposed to be her best friend Eugenie’s boyfriend, but he takes more of an interest in DJ herself, who finds him a slimy b@ and wants nothing to do with him. But even though Alex is guarding her after the latest Axeman attack, he tricks her into a transport and things go downhill from there fast.

When DJ finally meets the leaders of the 4 different elven clans, they turn out to be nasty, jealous that she has the staf, and really torment her. I feel very sorry for DJ as these are her (distant) relatives. The elves are selfish and relentless, and they don’t care what they do to DJ. It is more than just a dislike for wizards.

To help them with the investigation, Alex and DJ decide to fill in their detective friend on the fact that there are more things living in New Orleans than humans, and they need him to be their liaison. Ken takes a bit of convincing, but he is a great help.


A book filled with action and magic, and DJ doesn’t get a moment of rest. A murderer is after her, for unknown reasons, a man she cares about is hurting, is Alex interested in her after all, or not, and why can’t her neighbour not leave her alone? Add to that getting lessons from a man who dislikes her greatly, which is two sided, and an investigation that is going nowhere, and life is not fun for DJ.

There was not a big part for Jean Lafitte in this book, but he is there when DJ needs him. For help, for shelter, for hiding and for putting Rand is his place. And merman René Delachaise acts as DJ’s backup a few times when Alex is busy otherwise, I really like him. But as a friend, not as a potential lover.

When the plot finally was revealed, I was amazed by it, I had not seen that coming. At all. It was a great plot, and a great ending to the book.

Suzanne really puts DJ through a lot of pain and misery, and I hope that will improve a bit in the next book. I really like this series, it is fresh and original, and I cannot wait to see what will happen next. I don’t trust Rand for a minute, he is a manipulative @@, but then I really hate men who don’t hear the word “no” or “get out of my house”. As I tweeted to Suzanne when I finished the book, I hope he dies a slow and excruciating death in the next book.

9 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian