Lyn Benedict

Books: Fantasy

Sins & Shadows (2009)

If this hadn't been my carry around to read during lunch book, I probably wouldn't have finished it. But having nothing else to read, I slogged through and finished.

But I didn't like it.

Where to begin with what I didn't like? First and foremost, although there don't seem to be any earlier books in this series, it felt like I'd come into things in the middle, and was missing bits and pieces that were important. The book opens with Sylvie packing up her office and quitting because of some huge horrible thing that isn't extremely clear, but for which Sylvie is to blame. Then there are the other characters who never quite feel fleshed out, and I really can't understand why the hell they have any loyalty to Sylvie.

And then there's Demalion. Sylvie hates him. Believes he works for the enemy. Believes he betrayed her. Doesn't like him. But boinking? Well certainly! Yeah, whatever. We spend the first part of the book learning why Sylvie hates Demalion, then with good explanation, she's suddenly all hot and bothered and ready to boink. Whatever. And why on earth would Demalion want to boink Sylvie? She's a bitch, she's rude to him, she doesn't respect him, she lies to him and hides things from him, and she's generally unpleasant. I fail to see what earthly reason he has to be attracted to her.

And there's the story, which ranges all over, and pulls bits and pieces from many different mythologies and never really settles down into what the world/mythology wants to be. There's magic, obviously, but it isn't clear what status magic has in the world, how that status came to be, and how people deal with that status.

Basically, too many unanswered questions, an incredibly unlikable main character and cardboard supporting characters.

BLETCH.

Published by Ace

Rating: 3/10