Unmasqued
Colette Gale
Signet, Aug 2007, $14.00
ISBN: 9780451221377

In 1887 Paris, Raoul de Chagney vows to make the star of the Opera House Christine Daae his lover. However, Christine is already in love with her secret muse Erik, who hides in the shadows of the Opera House and wears a masque so she will never see his face. In the dark, visages do not matter when they touch, but when they do not she imagines all sorts of horror. When she finally unmasques her beloved, she is shocked, but her love for him is deep and strong.

When Raoul’s brother Philippe takes an interest in Christine, he is not a love sick patron begging favors. Soon after his entry into Christine’s life, someone kills a woman at the Opera House with the rumored Phantom being the culprit. An arsonist sets the Opera House ablaze forcing Erik and Christine to flee into the night. However, the de Chagney brothers catch them and take them prisoner. While Erik is tormented with his helplessness, Raoul and Philippe do what they want to Christine.

UNMASQUED is an erotic version of the Phantom of the Opera with a strong emphasis on the theme of the original tale as to who is the monster. Christine is a wonderful protagonist whose love for her mentor is so powerful she would give up stardom to live in the catacombs beneath the city to be with him. Erik is also a fabulous character as he tenderly makes love to his cherished Christine, but rejects her sacrificial proposals. The siblings are obviously the monsters of UNMASQUED as they take what they desire with no care about hurting others. Colette Gale provides an entertaining erotic version of the classic that the audience will enjoy if they can adjust to this rendition.

Harriet Klausner

Deeper
Jeff Long
Atria, Aug 2007, $25.00
ISBN: 9780743284547

Ten years ago, incredible inner earth labyrinths were discovered. A scientific expedition beneath the trenches of the Pacific Ocean occurred with most of the humans who came to explore Hades killed by the indigent predators who have terrorized the surface dwellers for millennia. The humans believed that they managed to kill the ruler.

One of the humans, linguist Ali von Schade, survived captivity by the Hadals to eventually return to her home on the planet surface with a vow to never go inside the earth again. Instead Dr. von Schade, suffering from the Stockholm syndrome especially after her time with the glamorous Satan, studies anything related to the several diverse Hadal peoples.

As a great war seems imminent on the Asian continent, children suddenly begin disappearing and ritual massacres occur. She knows who is responsible. Unable to resist, Ali joins the children rescue effort as all the evidence points towards Hades. Ali knows Satan lives as her affinity to him from her incarnation remains strong; she needs to see him as she remains attracted to Satan, yet also wants to kill him.

This exciting sequel to THE DESCENT (not read by this reviewer) is a fast-paced exhilarating gory thriller that never slows down once Ali realizes that the devil in her dreams remains alive inside the earth. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action and more action. Ali is the only multi-dimensional character and much of her flaws come from real demons and not her exploration of the cultures of Hell, but fans of non-stop action will not care as hell comes to earth through subway tunnels and humans go to Hell.

Harriet Klausner

Dark Possession
Christine Feehan
Berkley, Sep 2007, $24.95
ISBN: 9780425217092

Carpathian Manuel “Manolito” De La Cruz saves the life of a pregnant member of his species, but is stabbed and poisoned during his Good Samaritan jaunt. Dying, his family returns him to his South American home with faint hopes that he will recover.

Seattle battered women’s counselor MaryAnn Delaney flies to the De la Cruz Brazilian estate to help a pregnant rape victim, who has mixed feelings about the life she carries. As Manolito struggles with reality and a realm of dead vampires and were-jaguars, he realizes that MaryAnn is his lifemate. However, she rejects his plea of undying love even as she discovers her “supernatural” essence.

DARK POSSESSION is the best Carpathian paranormal romantic suspense thriller in several years as the deep storyline is enhanced with supernatural and fantasy elements beyond the usual components, which are all there. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action from the onset when Manolito risks his life. MaryAnn is a terrific heroine who knows she wants Manolito and probably loves him, but has doubts about strong virile Alpha males. Fans of the series will read Christine Feehan’s heated tale of the M & M (not the candy or the ’61 Yankees), couple finding love in the Brazilian Rainforest.

Harriet Klausner

The Master
Jean Johnson
Berkley, Sep 2007, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425217061

The Mandarites drugged and kidnapped Dominor from his home on Nightfall isle. When the Natallian slavers attack the Mandarite vessel, Dominor roots for the newcomers as his treatment cannot get much worse from the devil he does not know. In turn he is put up for sale and purchased by mathemagican Lady Serina Avadan, Guardian of Koral-Tai

She needs a male equal in power to her to right an ancient wrong; as some idiot apparently not understanding equal signs blew a spell causing an imbalance between the genders that is beginning to show devastating effects. Serina plans to break the error spell by reenacting the tantric sex mating that was used to bring power to the mage performing the spell. However, though she persuades her slave to voluntarily join her as she promises to free him once the chore is done; she omits to tell him the side effects on them.

The latest Sons of Destiny romantic fantasy (see THE SWORD and THE WOLF) is an entertaining entry, but lacks the multiple subplots that the previous tales contained. Still this is a solid stand alone story as readers will enjoy the antics of the lead couple with she as the Master and he the slave unless he can prove they are loving equals. Fans of the series will enjoy this straight to the point (his that is) thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Fairyville
Emma Holly
Berkley, Sep 2007, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425217054

In Fairyville, Arizona resident Zoe Clare communicates with the dead and with the living fairy population. Zoe also has the hots for her landlord Magnus Monroe, who every eligible female in town except her can claim they tasted his magic.

Alexander Goodbody of Goodbody & McCallum investigators leaves Scottsdale to come home to Fairyville on a case. Alex left town after high school breaking the heart of Zoe when he did. He never forgot her and wonders if she forgave him for the scandal he caused and left behind for her to suffer. Zoe has moved on as she wants Magnus, but decides to have fun with Alex, wondering how her unrequited beloved will react.

Emma Holly is incredible as she combines erotica (male-female, male-male and ménage a trois, etc.), fantasy, and romance into a whimsical contemporary tale that grips the audience from the onset and never slows down until the final coda as Bryan McCallum looks back in awe and forward in greater trepidation. The two prime subplots tie together nicely through the cast especially Zoe, the link between everyone and everything. Readers will want to travel to the renowned “fairy-spotting capital of the world”, Fairyville, Arizona where heated eccentricity is the norm.

Harriet Klausner

Ilario: The Stone Golem
Mary Gentle
Eos, Sep 2007, $14.95
ISBN: 9780061344985

Spanish King Rodrigo freed Ilario, the hermaphroditic freak, whose male and female sexual organs work, was abandoned by his mother at birth (see ILARIO: THE LION’S EYE). However, all is not idyllic for the mixed man-woman but he decides to become an apprentice painter in Roma. However, before he departs someone tries to kill him.

He flees Spain stopping in Carthage where the darkness of the Penitence leaves a cloud on everyone’s soul. However, Carthage proves a terrible mistake as he is captured and sold as a slave to the highest bidder. Having tasted slavery before, Ilario vows to regain his freedom and continue his trek to Roma. However, he-she is fortunate to have a kind master, a book collecting castrato. Ilario will soon learn the identity of his assassin, who tries again to kill him-her. Lady Rosamunda needs Ilario dead as she climbs the aristocratic ladder in Carthage; if the truth of her greatest shame came out she would be ostracized especially by her master Egyptian scholar Rekhmire.

Set in the Ash alternate historical universe, but decades earlier, Ilario is a terrific character driven tale that grips the audience from the onset as the author gently challenges readers’ concepts of reality with fascinating plausible spins and twists. Ilario is an interesting protagonist who thinks of people through which of his genders they have not yet met while Rosamunda’s motive to having him killed seems genuine especially anchoring the late fifteenth century era. Although one does not need to read the Ash saga, fans need to peruse THE LION’S EYE as THE STONE GOLEM is book two of the Story of the First History, Ilario’s tale.

Harriet Klausner

Shelter
Susan Palwick
Tor, Jun 2007, $15.95
ISBN: 9780312866020

In the future, colossal storms have devastated climates and the pandemic CV virus has killed off much of the human populace. MacroCorp CEO Preston Walford is a victim of the disease, but his intelligence is transferred into a virtual cyber-being. His “machine” has been declared legally a person as has some other transformations. This angers those opposed to artificial intelligence even if it originated in a God given natural state. However Preston could not care less about protestors who are like gnats in his mind; his plan is to change society into his image.

However, he keeps track of his estranged daughter Meredith, who cannot conceive so has adopted an African infant who survived the ravage of a virus. However, her Nicholas suffers from horrible nightmares of monsters that he must kill or die. Meredith tries to help her beloved son with the aid of excessive altruistic Roberta Danton and Fred the AI as mom realizes her child has been brainwiped probably by her father. Soon all those who offered solace will learn that the worst crime a person can commit is caring for another human.

This multifaceted science fiction contains two major complicated subplots that tie together through the Meredith’s relationships with her dad and her son. One theme focuses on the war as big business AI supporters (dad) vs. the anti-AI radicals. However, that subplot though well written lacks the heart of the other major subplot, caring for Nicholas in a world where kindness and compassion for others can prove deadly. Science fiction fans will appreciate Susan Palwick’s horrifying look at a near future San Francisco.

Harriet Klausner

An Ice Cold Grave
Charlaine Harris
Berkley, Oct 2007, $23.95
ISBN 9780425217290

The residents of Doraville, North Carolina fear the worst as the number of runaway boys seems improbable. The townsfolk believe a serial killer is living amidst them murdering their male offspring. Against the opinion of Sheriff Sandra Rockwell, psychic detective Harper Connelly and her manager stepbrother Tolliver Lang come to the town to find the missing boys. To the horror of both women and Tolliver, Harper earns her fee when she uncovers eight corpses.

Not long afterward, someone assaults an already weary Harper. Worn out to her bone marrow and fearful of further attacks, Harper wants to go home to heal from her injuries; not all being physical. However, a less skeptical Sandra pleads with her and the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation demands she continue to work on the case. The media, learning of the deadly find and psychic link, turns the inquiry into a circus while Harper’s psychic friends try to assist her as they begin to find more horrific remains.

The third grave Connelly psychic mystery (see GRAVE SIGHT and GRAVE SURPRISE) is a tense thriller that grips the audience from the moment the heroine finds the grisly remains of eight bodies and never slows down until the final confrontation. The cast enhances the tale either by bringing local flavor to the plot or assistance/deterrence to Harper. Although there is a binge of serial killers in literature of late, the fast-paced story line deftly uses the paranormal to make it seem normal as the heroine confronts an abnormal psychopathic killer in an entertaining regional whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

Driven
Eve Kenin
Dorchester Shomi, Sep 2007, $6.99
ISBN 9780505527097

The Second Noble War eradicated over a third of the human population. Those who survived the hostilities still suffer from the ordeal as the earth remains a bleak dark planet with some areas turned into dead zones in which no human life can survive and many others into vast wastelands where few live.

Trucker Raina Bowen lives for one thing only: revenge. Affluent businessman with protective and influential ties with the White House Duncan Bane assaulted Raina when she was a youngster. She plans to return his gift of abuse. As she travels to the Northern Waste, Raina is abetted by the Wizard, a detached soldier for hire. Bane knows she is coming so he sends his mercenaries to kill or better yet if possible capture Raina.

The bleak environs will have the audience feels they have been transported into a post apocalyptic realm where a Davidette vs. Goliath encounter is coming. Raina is a terrific protagonist who holds the tale together as she thirsts for revenge against Bane (great name for an evil person – ask Batman) while falling in love with her silent ally Wizard. Fans of a surviving earth thriller will appreciate this fine saga with the caveat that a love subplot is a silver lining for romance readers.

Harriet Klausner

Sorceress
Lisa Jackson
Signet, Sep 2007, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451221988

In 1289 Wales, Bryanna of Penbrooke hates being different, a feeling she has had since as a little girl she could see people and animals that no one else saw. Over time, she learned to hide her curse to see what others could not from her neighbors so that she is not ostracized. However, her time has come to use her gift to fulfill an ancient prophecy. Reluctantly she begins her solo odyssey to Tarth, praying she will find guidance there as she searches for four jewels that make up a magical dagger.

Sixteen years ago, Hallyd the watcher killed a witch who just before she died cursed him to live in the darkness. His only hope to ever see sunlight resides with that witch’s’ daughter Bryanna coming into his shrouded woods. He knows she is the Fates’ chosen one, but before she complete her destiny, he will make her lift her mother’s curse from him

Lord Agendor sends his paid assassins to kill his son Gavyn. They almost succeed, but the severely wounded Gavyn makes it to Bryanna’s camp. To his shock, he recognizes her as the female who has haunted his dreams; he believes he must protect her not aware that Hallyd is coming for her nor comprehending he endangers her with his father’s killers coming for him.

This exhilarating medieval romantic fantasy grips the reader from the opening sequence in 1273 when Bryanna flees while her mother is murdered and never slows down as each of the players on Lisa Jackson’s stage come together for a confrontational prophesy in 1289. The cast is solid as Bryanna the orphaned SORCERESS; Hallyd the patient Watcher; Gavyn the dream lover; and Agendor the killing ruler make the tale exciting. It is their destiny to complete the prophecy, but who will survive the ordeal will keep the audience reading SORCERESS in one superb sitting.

Harriet Klausner