Publisher: Coffee Squirrel Press
Date published: June 2013
ASIN: B00DK3DPSI (No ISBN number)
Genre: M/M urban fantasy with
romantic elements
Book format: E-book
Obtained via: Publisher Gift
Reviewed by Keldon__
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AT
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Author Rhys Ford has enchanted
us with her M/M contemporary novels, and now tackles the challenge of urban
fantasy with spectacular results.
After a past war, elfin
Underhill merged with the surface human realm, leaving the earthen landscape
and its populations changed forever. Humans occupy this brave new world, along
with two elfin races: the unsidhe make up the Dark Court, and the sidhe
comprise the Dawn Court.
Kai Gracen is an anomaly: elfin
by birth, human-raised by chance, and employed as the only elfin Stalker in
post-Merge San Diego. Kai goes about the daily business of Stalking, killing
off reptilian/canine black dogs and bringing in their hides for bounty. It’s a
living, and Kai is content with his career, his friends, and the occasional
anonymous hook-up in the Red Lantern District.
Sidhe Lord Ryder has recently
relocated to the San Diego area and established the new Southern Rise Dawn
Court. He aspires to have a Court that includes sidhe and unsidhe, as well as
the occasional human. Toward this end, he must bring his sister’s pregnant
friend Shannon down from Anaheim through the Pendle—during dragon mating
season. SoCalGov is willing to help the new Lord, and who could be better
qualified than an elfin Stalker to get the job done?
Kai is less than enthused, but
the threat of losing his Stalker license is enough to get him on board with the
job. He and Ryder set out at night in Kai’s forbidden combustion dream
machine—a bloodred restored Mustang with a back-up legal electric engine.
Dodging dragons and dangerous road conditions, they arrive at dawn in Elfhaine.
As Kai and Ryder manage a slew of complications on the return trip, they learn
to work together.
The resolution is short-lived,
as Kai’s past comes back to haunt him.
The bones of the story are
strong. Kai is a sympathetic character, and I bonded to him right away.
Retired Stalker Dempsey, the human who raised him, is a fair foil to what Kai
has become. Ryder is likewise a well-rounded character, as is the supporting cast.
The plot is excellent, with some unexpected twists, and moves right along. No
spoilers—it’s a must-read. I’m looking forward to reading the next two books in
the series.
This is an objective review and
not an endorsement of this book.
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