Helpful Score: 2
Loved it! This book has it all. Complex world, strong heroine, action and adventure, emotional intensity, edge of your seat suspense, nothing is missing. If you've been following Joanna's adventures, this is a must read. If you haven't, the series is best read in order and it starts with The Scent of Shadows.
Karissa E. (ophelia99) reviewed City of Souls (Sign of the Zodiac, Bk 4) on + 2527 more book reviews
This is the 4th book in the Signs of the Zodiac series by Vicki Pettersson. It was my least favorite book in the series so far. Joanna is confused and is running around not accomplishing a whole lot for most of the book.
Joanna broke her changeling in the last book and because of that the Manuals of Light can't be written and the Light agents have lost all their safe zones. Needless to say the Agents of Light are in serious trouble. Warren tells Joanna that she better fix it ASAP and hints that Joanna will find her answers in Midland and that she should find the new tulpa (her doppelganger from the last book).
First for the good stuff. It was cool to learn more about Midland. It was also nice to have the doppelganger involved more. A lot of the plot elements relating to how the changelings affect the Agents' powers were really interesting.
Joanna screws up a lot in this book. Those who thought she was changing as a character in the third book will be disappointed. Even worse is the fact that many of the Agents of Light are not what they appear to be. By the end of the book I felt like there were no Agents of Light. I thought many of the characters acted very out of character; there weren't really any characters that I liked by the end of the book. The deal with Joanna and Hunter was kind of whacked; I can't say more without revealing spoilers. Also I thought it was odd how Joanna is trying to convincingly play Olivia's lifestyle in the beginning of the book but then she (kind of) forgets about being Olivia. There were some small parts where she has to "act like" Olivia; but there aren't really any repercussions for her walking out on the bachelorette party in the beginning or of her doing any other un-Olivia actions. There is one spoiler I need to address cause it irritated the heck out of me so...
SPOILER START-------------------------------------------
What was with the amount of time spent on Joanna losing pieces of her soul and powers? It seemed like it was going to play a really important part in the story; like getting her powers back was going to be a major plot point. Then at the end of the book she looses all of her powers. Well then what was the point of angsting over some small power loss. The only thing I can think of is that now she can go and get the lost power back or something like that. The way the book ended really made me wonder if this is the last book in the series.
Okay, I need to comment about Hunter and Warren too. Hunter was such a sincere character, what was the point of having him do a complete 180? Also what was the point of Warren aiding this whole twisted set-up?
SPOILER END----------------------------------------------
So overall I though the book was okay. Some of the plot line was interesting and the plot definitely twists and turns enough to keep your mind engaged (or at times just plan confused). The characters don't really act like themselves and the bizarre end to the book leaves you wondering if there will be anymore books in the series. Kind of a disappointing book but still kept my interest.
Joanna broke her changeling in the last book and because of that the Manuals of Light can't be written and the Light agents have lost all their safe zones. Needless to say the Agents of Light are in serious trouble. Warren tells Joanna that she better fix it ASAP and hints that Joanna will find her answers in Midland and that she should find the new tulpa (her doppelganger from the last book).
First for the good stuff. It was cool to learn more about Midland. It was also nice to have the doppelganger involved more. A lot of the plot elements relating to how the changelings affect the Agents' powers were really interesting.
Joanna screws up a lot in this book. Those who thought she was changing as a character in the third book will be disappointed. Even worse is the fact that many of the Agents of Light are not what they appear to be. By the end of the book I felt like there were no Agents of Light. I thought many of the characters acted very out of character; there weren't really any characters that I liked by the end of the book. The deal with Joanna and Hunter was kind of whacked; I can't say more without revealing spoilers. Also I thought it was odd how Joanna is trying to convincingly play Olivia's lifestyle in the beginning of the book but then she (kind of) forgets about being Olivia. There were some small parts where she has to "act like" Olivia; but there aren't really any repercussions for her walking out on the bachelorette party in the beginning or of her doing any other un-Olivia actions. There is one spoiler I need to address cause it irritated the heck out of me so...
SPOILER START-------------------------------------------
What was with the amount of time spent on Joanna losing pieces of her soul and powers? It seemed like it was going to play a really important part in the story; like getting her powers back was going to be a major plot point. Then at the end of the book she looses all of her powers. Well then what was the point of angsting over some small power loss. The only thing I can think of is that now she can go and get the lost power back or something like that. The way the book ended really made me wonder if this is the last book in the series.
Okay, I need to comment about Hunter and Warren too. Hunter was such a sincere character, what was the point of having him do a complete 180? Also what was the point of Warren aiding this whole twisted set-up?
SPOILER END----------------------------------------------
So overall I though the book was okay. Some of the plot line was interesting and the plot definitely twists and turns enough to keep your mind engaged (or at times just plan confused). The characters don't really act like themselves and the bizarre end to the book leaves you wondering if there will be anymore books in the series. Kind of a disappointing book but still kept my interest.
Great Book, my favorite in the series so far. I am a huge fan of this series. I really loved the twists and turns and action this book had. I can't wait for #5!
I liked this book much better than the 3rd installment. It seems like this is the last in the series by the way it ended. Not sure. Lots of action, which I like. It had pretty much everything in it, action, romance, sex, lies, secrects etc.
A good read.
A good read.
Enjoyed continuing along with the saga!
I have to agree I was reading with baited breathe and bam Hunter gone all is gone. I can only figure no soul left means old Daddykins can't suck it from her. I am wondering if Vicki is truly a Sag and they have no real use for men. My mother, 2 aunts and my sister all were yeah buh bye creepo. And I was left in tears. Can't we have one story where the man and woman manage to stay in love longer than a microt? (farscape lingo for a minute). Buy alas all that Sagitarius females in my family are now diehard fans and I keep praying book 5 brings me back to read book 6. I mean dang Jo pretty much managed to lose 2 dudes in little more than a year and they were good men. ME I get Mr dippo and am stuck with him forever. *sigh* why can't my dad be Warren and drive both men off lol
