Ok, I *didn't* know where you were going, Richelle.
Given how long Seth had the book, I thought when she got it back, it would turn out he was the reincarnation...or same man, turned lesser immortal...of Letha's betrayed husband, and the dedication would reveal that. This was before I found out about the wiping of his mind.
I like what you did much better.
Posted a review here:
http://www.jim-butcher.com/bb/index.php/topic,2356.msg51520.html#msg51520
I finished it late last week. It was wonderful.
Major spoiler (end of the book kind of thing)
I figured out Roman was behind the attacks shortly after he showed up. I didn't figure out Helena until he mentioned his sister and then I knew it was her. Don't worry, Richelle, you did a great job, I just have a really devious mind. It didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.
Great job.
-paul
Spoiler space
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I have to admit, I too had my suspicions of Roman right from the beginning, if only because he had that whole Eurotrash/lounge lizard vibe going that turns me off in a big way.
As a now spoilerish review; I very much enjoyed the book, loved the characters and thought that there was some great characterization. Ms. Mead also avoided a lot of the pitfalls that abide in the fantasy-fiction genre.
Now, onto the more interesting stuff; the spoilerish review and comments.
I have to say that I liked how you portrayed Roman. One of the things that bothers me about a lot of fantasy these days is that the Antagonist does evil things for the sake of being evil. Roman felt very human (errm; even if technically he wasn't), he wasn't pure evil (I actually felt sorry for him), he had reasons for his actions (not just "I'm going to kill people 'cause I can"), etc.
Actually, as an extension of that, I enjoyed how you portrayed all of the characters. They all felt very human and natural; none of them stuck in the various cliches that would normally surround them, none of them were one-dimensional with the possible exception of Lucinda... but she was a fairly minor character and she fit in fine.
As far as the plot goes I thought that it was solid. It felt very organic, growing out of the characters, rather than the other way around. As far as this goes I like it; I get tired of stale characters that are only there in order to further the plot, and it's refreshing to see a plot that is there to further the characters. I also liked the directness of the plot (that is, how it affected the characters, but not a whole lot else)... I also get tired of "Now then Rathgar, son of Ugdar, you must venture into the underworld and bring down the prince of darkness else the world shall end in six days... and all that you may use in this quest is... a herring!" (errm; I read more fantasy set in its own world than Urban Fantasy as a general rule, but I assume that such plots are fairly common to both, just a bit different... but anyways, I like how you avoided that.)
That's most of what I had to say, I think... If I think of anything else I'll be sure to let you know.
Spoliery speculation
Is Seth a reincarnation of Kyriakos' soul?
I FINALLY got Succubus on Top!!! Yay!
One question I have:
In SB, Georgina cannot sense or see Carter or Roman when they are invisible; but in SOT, she mentions Bastien's body language and facial expressions when he is invisible. Can you explain that?
My favorite scene:
The scene with Seth where they start kissing in bed. That scene had a lot of passion, even though it ultimately had no sex.
What I'm still dying to find out:
. Yes, I know that won't be revealed for a while - if in fact ever, but I keep looking for clues!
And finally, I love Carter. I hope he continues to be a calming and counseling influence on Georgina.
BookLover: Let's see if I can explain it (it makes sense in my head). Angels and demons are "higher immortals" and infinitely more powerful than "lesser immortals" like Georgina and others who used to be human. Lesser immortals can see each other in "invisible mode." Carter and Roman can choose to be in an invisible mode to humans but that lesser immortals can see. Since they operate at a much higher level of power, though, they can also completely obscure themselves from other kinds of immortals. Does that make sense? I find there's a lot of rules that sound really weird when I actually try to articulate them. :)
Yeratel: Oh my goodness. That would be so cool...yet I worry I'd fall behind! I disappear from other forums for months at a time. I'd feel horrible doing that to my own forum. Maybe it'd give me incentive to be diligent, though.
I'd defer to Richelle too, but my instinct says no. My reasoning is twofold. First, the main character would probably be more mainstream about her advertising. Second, if the supernatural were out in the open, the roommate would all but scrawl SHAMAN ASK ME HOW!! on Eugenie's forehead in order to help authenticate his own Native American schtick, and therefore get laid even more often than he does now.
his running shoe- de-demonized or something-- didn't get the whole story
Did not like at all how it ended with Seth. Ok, part of that is the hopeless romantic in me. But it's also because I think that having him cheat on Georgina was totally out of character. To me, it does not synch with his approach to sex as part of a relationship (vs. sex on the first date; and yes, I realize she wasn't a stranger). I also don't like how it played out for their conversation... seriously, would he pick her up for Christmas with his family and tell her then?? It made me really dislike his character. Really, really.
I also didn't like the Joel/Yasmine/Vincent situation. Again, I know that everything can't have a happy ending, but it seemed to be too much.
All in all, I put the book down feeling angry and depressed - although that speaks to how well it was written ;) , it's not what I wanted/expected. I will definitely read the next in the series, because I like it overall and want to see what happens, but I'm not sure I'll be as anxious for Heat as I was for Blues.
I was kinda like you were after I read it BL but at the same time, I can see where the guy was coming from after he did that.. I am really wondering what is going to be happening in the next one for sure... I did here that Richelle did finish the Heat and it is on its way to the editor...
I can definitely see where he was coming from, and there were enough issues leading up to it. (spoilered because it gives away the character) And I don't begrudge him for wanting to move on for a variety of reasons (even though the romantic in me wishes it would work out).
My disconnect with it is that Seth is continually represented as a respectable guy with a pretty pure soul; from my perspective, he lost major, major ground in both of those. He was an ass, not only because he cheated -- and not just by making out or something, but by having sex, which according to his character is very serious -- but also because he pretty much went straight from telling her how much he loved her and would do anything to be with her to having sex with someone else (and deciding that he didn't want to be with her), and because he let her find out through Maddie, and even seemed like he expected to get through Christmas day without telling her. He acted like a total jerk.
Again, I realize that even nice people do mean and stupid things sometimes, especially when confused or frustrated. But it really ruined his character for me.
I noticed that Heat is set to come out next summer, versus next fall, so at least we don't have quite so long to wait to see how the story unfolds.
I guess I have a different take on the Seth angle. Yes, it came as a wow--but it was set up, it's just sad sometimes when characters head away from places that you've assumed they were. To be perfectly honest, Seth was boring the 'crap' out of me and I'm glad to see her heading forward. JB mentioned that he needed to slap down the side characters occasionally. I think Seth has been slapped down, in the kindest possible way. I mean look what JB did to Michael, ouch! That is a slap down!
It wasn't going to be a happy ending as far as I could tell anyway. Requited love is nice for awhile, but not for a life time and there was the mortal angle to deal with, which Richelle handled well, IMO.
I'm much more invested in thinking that a time will come when Georgiana is hopefully 'redeemed' at some point and she and the angel find a strange weird attraction that lingers on the 'oh so wrong' side for some added spice. :-) Through the series I've felt that there were references that might have held that Seth was more than he seemed, even a vague wonder in my head if he were the original lover she done wrong in grecian times. Would be fitting to realize she never should have been with him anyway--and this time it worked out the right way? Does that make sense?
I guess I have a different take on the Seth angle. Yes, it came as a wow--but it was set up, it's just sad sometimes when characters head away from places that you've assumed they were. To be perfectly honest, Seth was boring the 'crap' out of me and I'm glad to see her heading forward. JB mentioned that he needed to slap down the side characters occasionally. I think Seth has been slapped down, in the kindest possible way. I mean look what JB did to Michael, ouch! That is a slap down!
It wasn't going to be a happy ending as far as I could tell anyway. Requited love is nice for awhile, but not for a life time and there was the mortal angle to deal with, which Richelle handled well, IMO.
I'm much more invested in thinking that a time will come when Georgiana is hopefully 'redeemed' at some point and she and the angel find a strange weird attraction that lingers on the 'oh so wrong' side for some added spice. :-) Through the series I've felt that there were references that might have held that Seth was more than he seemed, even a vague wonder in my head if he were the original lover she done wrong in grecian times. Would be fitting to realize she never should have been with him anyway--and this time it worked out the right way? Does that make sense?
The way I read it was that Carter's trying to get Georgina to figure out that there's a loophole in her contract with what's his face, and that it has something to do with love and choosing to go forward because of love. If I'm remembering right, he keeps telling her that it's Seth's choice to make, not hers, and to trust in love. So it sounds to me that if she and Seth were to consumate their relationship, and do so because they love each other, it would have a major effect on the contract. Just don't know what kinda effect. And Carter seems to be like a guardian angel for Georgina.
The line that made me feel the most was when Georgina admitted she didn't want to make immediate peace with Seth out of pride. I personally could relate. When a relationship ends, i end it with an ax and refuse to look back.
My favorite issue addressed was the question of "Why do people have to make deals with the devil to get what they want? Why can't they make deals with angels too?"
Fantastic and the end wasn't as anticlimactic as the last two. The last two had such a huge build up and then it had like a four paragraph resolution. I like books to end with a bang (and not just the romantic one either, i need action). I also have a weird soft spot for Jerome. Maybe it's the John Cusack look or how he swings between protecting his people and being an asshole. I dunno, but i like him and Carter and Hugh.
One thing i kind of didn't like but was okay with was the romantic character suicide of Dante. Ms. Read spent the book making him a good guy even though Georgina's getting together with Seth and then BAM convenient way to get rid of him. He's evil.
but so far, I'm liking Seth again. I was getting tired of him... Just can't figure out why they are playing it so coy--hey the time frame window is open, jump on it guys!
I think my favorite thing about the Succubus series is that the characters are so human. They screw up, they make decisions, and I don't necessarily always *like* them when they make certain decisions, but I don't doubt for a second the reasons why they do what they do. They make sense. Wanna shake them sense, sometimes, but sense nonetheless.
Like Seth, for instance. I have to disagree with you, Meg, because I'm actually liking him less this time around. It bugged me that his soul didn't have a guilt stain before the cheating, because he never did tell Maddie that he was dated Georgina, then broke up with Georgina and hooked up with Maddie on the same damn night. That kind of thing might have influenced her decision to date him. Maddie deserved fair warning.
Instead, this entire relationship a waste of Maddie's time and warm fuzzies that'll only hurt worse when she finally finds out. Sure, he cheated, but he's been lying by omission to Maddie all along. Georgina's on the hook for it too, but Seth's the one who made that mess. It makes him kind of a scumbag even before the cheating, in my eyes. If he was truly concerned about Maddie's happiness, then he'd let her go to find someone who's actually devoted to just her. Instead, he's being pretty self-centered and not seeing things past his own nose. He's a coward. Smack him in the head with a comb till some sense falls in, I say.