Rating:
I'm a greedy reader. If I love a book, I'm always left wanting more when it ends. So, I was delighted when I stumbled upon Nora Roberts' trilogies. Now, Roberts as a writer is amazingly prolific, ranging across tons of romance novel forms, but I think these trilogies are the best idea she could have ever had.
Basically, the trilogy consists a common storyline with 3 couples, each book being given over to the romance between one of the couples. I love her paranormal romances where across the 3 books, the couples unite to fight paranormal forces. 'Blood Brothers', Book 1 in the Sign of Seven trilogy is one such.
Cal, Fox and Gage share the same birthday, July, 7, 1977 and have been inseparable friends since birth. On their tenth birthday, they escape from parental supervision to the forbidden Pagan Stone in the woods surrounding their home in Hawkins Hollow.
There, an innocent boyish ritual involving an oath and the mixing of their blood unleashes something dark, powerful and evil. Now, every seven years starting on their birthday and continuing 7 days after, the entire town goes mad.
21 years later, Cal with the premonition that this year is going to be the worst, hires a writer Quinn Black to document the history of the town, hoping that a fresh pair of eyes will unearth some of the answers he and his friends have been searching for - what is the nature of the Beast and how can they overpower it?
With Quinn comes her researcher friend Cybil and a stranger Layla and it soon becomes apparent that the 6 of them together share a powerful connection. But, will this connection be enough to help them tame the Demon, read Books 1-3 to find out.
Book 2 in the series is 'The Hollow' and book 3 is 'The Pagan Stone' (due to be released in Dec '08). If I knew that the last one hadnt been printed yet, I wouldnt have picked this up since I like reading these trilogies at a single go.
Anyways, as a romance writer Roberts is always a sure bet. You know you cannot get a lousy read with her books - she is a master at characterisation, pacing, dialogues and family dynamics. I especially like her writing for all the spunky, take-charge heroines she creates. No virginal, hand-wringing, bosom heaving heroines for Roberts. And the heroes are no slouches either.
The paranormal romaces require a leap of faith, she creates alternate universes and uses a lot of magick (that spelling always cracks me up) and spells etc. This book is a PG-13 version of Roberts meets Stephen King. The paranormal never gets scary, these are primarily romance novels with the little fanciful plot elements thrown in.
And while, they are somewhat predictable, like knowing the characters and the couples you can almost predict who'll hook up with whom, Roberts never gets repetitive and I'm sure is the envy of many a romance writer for the snappiest dialogue around. Book 1 isnt the strongest start for a trilogy, but good fun to read! Now, to wait till December :((
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If you want to start off with the trilogies - The Circle Trilogy (vampires), The Three Sisters Island Trilogy (witches), the Key trilogy (mythological) are wonderful reads in that order.
Basically, the trilogy consists a common storyline with 3 couples, each book being given over to the romance between one of the couples. I love her paranormal romances where across the 3 books, the couples unite to fight paranormal forces. 'Blood Brothers', Book 1 in the Sign of Seven trilogy is one such.
Cal, Fox and Gage share the same birthday, July, 7, 1977 and have been inseparable friends since birth. On their tenth birthday, they escape from parental supervision to the forbidden Pagan Stone in the woods surrounding their home in Hawkins Hollow.
There, an innocent boyish ritual involving an oath and the mixing of their blood unleashes something dark, powerful and evil. Now, every seven years starting on their birthday and continuing 7 days after, the entire town goes mad.
21 years later, Cal with the premonition that this year is going to be the worst, hires a writer Quinn Black to document the history of the town, hoping that a fresh pair of eyes will unearth some of the answers he and his friends have been searching for - what is the nature of the Beast and how can they overpower it?
With Quinn comes her researcher friend Cybil and a stranger Layla and it soon becomes apparent that the 6 of them together share a powerful connection. But, will this connection be enough to help them tame the Demon, read Books 1-3 to find out.
Book 2 in the series is 'The Hollow' and book 3 is 'The Pagan Stone' (due to be released in Dec '08). If I knew that the last one hadnt been printed yet, I wouldnt have picked this up since I like reading these trilogies at a single go.
Anyways, as a romance writer Roberts is always a sure bet. You know you cannot get a lousy read with her books - she is a master at characterisation, pacing, dialogues and family dynamics. I especially like her writing for all the spunky, take-charge heroines she creates. No virginal, hand-wringing, bosom heaving heroines for Roberts. And the heroes are no slouches either.
The paranormal romaces require a leap of faith, she creates alternate universes and uses a lot of magick (that spelling always cracks me up) and spells etc. This book is a PG-13 version of Roberts meets Stephen King. The paranormal never gets scary, these are primarily romance novels with the little fanciful plot elements thrown in.
And while, they are somewhat predictable, like knowing the characters and the couples you can almost predict who'll hook up with whom, Roberts never gets repetitive and I'm sure is the envy of many a romance writer for the snappiest dialogue around. Book 1 isnt the strongest start for a trilogy, but good fun to read! Now, to wait till December :((
----
If you want to start off with the trilogies - The Circle Trilogy (vampires), The Three Sisters Island Trilogy (witches), the Key trilogy (mythological) are wonderful reads in that order.
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6 comments:
Hey Papaya!
Will read them. I recently finished Salem Falls on your reco. The word Pagan reminded me of it :)
this sounds really cool!!
someday i will be able to buy and read all the books you talk about! :)
and i do love anything to with magic... with or without K! :)
cheers!
abha
Hey papaya .. good to get a book review out of you. Now Nora Roberts and I are strangers, you have given me something to add to my wishlist.
:)
WIAN - didju like it?? this one's totally diff, read it u'll find out! it says pagan but doesnt have witchcraft as far as i read, more -like sanitised horror ....
abha - i never buy girl, i use the library! someday i will buy all my books, but that's a long time away and i fear i might be too much of a cheapskate. this one doesnt have too much magic, try the three sisters island trilogy for spells, magicks, withces - male and female ...
avdi - if u want to start and like vampires, that trilogy is my fav .... bit fantastical but it does have one scorching hot vampire :D
/p
Hmmmm....
If WIAN is buying it am reading it :)
On a serious note I guess I might like it as u know I liked ur previous recco of Jodi Picoult...lemme try scouting for these....
S
S - god i envy u girls and the lending system u have set up!!! enjoy maadi (kannadaspeak for enjoy the book if u read it :)
wld u consider buying this ?? i never buy romance titles unless they're austen or heyer :)
/p
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