Shannon C. (Shannatram) reviewed on 4/21/2010 + 33 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

Somewhere in this book there is a good plot and good supporting characters. It's hard to tell because it's buried under a cranky lead character and tedious narration.

Danny Valentine, the main character, was just... angry. She yells at snaps at people for seemingly no reason, or if she has a reason her reactions seem like overreactions. There's more to her than this, but it's masked under all her anger and snappy comebacks. She's trying so hard to be tough, and it's just screamingly obvious. We know that it's part of her insecurities (if I remember correctly, she even mentions that she acts needlessly cruel at some point). If she actually learns and grows and changes it would be great, but she doesn't. (I've read the whole series, believe me, she doesn't).

The book is, of course, narrated by Danny. We are given tons and tons of new phrases and concepts which is cool, but some of them are never explained, although they are repeated. A lot. She talks about how much she loves slicboarding, but we never learn what a slicboard is. You can guess from context clues, but you know, one sentence explaining it would be great. She does this, a lot.

On top of that, the stuff that is explained she drones on and on and on about. Some of it gets repeated over and over again (sometimes using the exact same wording). By the end of the book (and sereis) you will know the religious history of that world inside and out, but you wont know a lick about the technology, why her rings spit energy when she's mad (believe me, you'll hear about it a lot) or why she does the things she does.

And speaking of the religion in the book. It's all over the place. This is obviously the author's dream world, which is fine, if Saintcrow wants to completely dismantle Christianity in her imagination (or Christers as they're named in the book) that's fine. It's her world. But then she does things that don't make sense. She makes a constant and repetitive point that Christianity was proven absolutely 100% wrong because of some scandal that happened, and everyone who believes in it is narrow minded and dumb. Then she bases the premise of her book on hell. Ok, the underworld is a concept that most religions have, but she uses Christian specific ideas. Satan is referred to as Lucifer and the king of lies. I know that's nit picky but was just irritating.

The plot, I really liked the plot. I liked her supporting cast. I just wish there was more of it. It would be a pretty awesome book if there was, and if the leading lady was more dynamic.

And one more note, I've read the subsequent five books, hoping they'd improve (series like this often improve in time) and they don't. All this gets worse, as do the plots. All in all it's just not worth the read.

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