Lucifer Rising

Rating:
Summary: Excellent plot, good writing, and mostly realistic
Review: I loved this book! It drew me in from the first page. I love both of the main characters (Jude and Elizabeth), who seem well-matched. Both are given some depth and not made to seem like caricatures, which sometimes happens in Xena uber-fiction.

The only thing that didn't seem real was the reason Jude was so haunted. I don't want to spoil the book so suffice to say i don't think in real life someone would ever do what Jude Lucien chose to do at this turning point in her life.

Sex scenes were excellent, venues were varied. About the only way i would've improved it would be to worry less about the stylish clothing and cars (and this is a HUGE issue for me in MOST lesbian romances) and a little more about issues of substance. You can write an enjoyable book that doesn't preach, but still actually "says" something without Vera Wang dresses and SUVs.

Too bad Ms. Bower never wrote any other books in print and her website is now defunct. I think she showed promise.

Rating:
Summary: Wow.
Review: Jude Lucien is every girl's wet dream: tall, dark, and gorgeously attired in black leather. Oh, and just happens to be packing under all that leather -- a Sig Sauer automatic, to be exact. The brooding, troubled drug dealer has it all -- money, women at her beck and call, and a rising empire of illicit activity. But nothing could have prepared her for the entrance of Elizabeth Gardner, the honey-haired investigative reporter bent on discovering the true story about Jude's rise, and subsequent fall, from the DEA. When Elizabeth sets Jude up, she isn't prepared for a fall of her own -- right smack dab in love with the troubled drug lord and the violent world in which she lives. As their lives become more intertwined, Jude and Liz find that neither is what the other expects -- a revelation that could prove disasterous for them both.

Lucifer Rising is a must-read, erotic sizzler guaranteed to heat up the night! Don't miss it!

Rating:
Summary: Non-stop thrill ride...
Review: Jude Lucien, former DEA agent turned drug dealer, lives and breathes in the darkest corners of the Miami underworld. Enter Elizabeth Gardener, a rookie crime reporter for The Miami Herald, who has developed an unwavering fascination/obsession with the former agent. Upon meeting one another, everything quickly spirals out of control for them both. To say that this novel is thrilling from beginning to end is a vast understatement. Once the book is opened and the first pages turned, the reader is left quite literally hanging on every word. The scenes depicted in this novel come alive with writing that is liberally laced with innuendo, verbal sparring and wonderful characterization. The reader cannot help but empathize with the two main characters as they struggle to deal with the feelings they have for one another and what that means for them both. The only drawbacks to this incredible novel are the persistent references of "dark" and "honey-haired" that Sharon Bowers has chosen to use in referring to the main characters. After the second reference, it went from dull to aggravating and this reader in particular was left gritting her teeth. That said, this novel is a non-stop action thrill ride from beginning to end. Be warned: there are scenes of graphic sex and violence which some readers may find uncomfortable. Just don't be surprised if you find yourself reading Lucifer Rising again well after you've finished it the first time.

Rating:
Summary: Look No Further!!
Review: Perhaps I expected too much after reading the glowing reviews of this book. Perhaps I should give the book another try now that the dark, dreary days of winter have come to an end. Ultimately, though, I suspect I will remain puzzled over the kerfuffle surrounding the book.
I really looked forward to reading Lucifer Rising. I expected a fast-paced thriller with a romantic subplot that happened to be between two women; I found a steamy pulp romance of the Nora Roberts ilk. The intrigue was a secondary pretext to drive the passion behind a series of romantic encounters. About 100 pages in, I tired of reading soft porn and disappointedly tossed the book aside.
Others here quibble with Mm. Bowers's overuse of "dark" and "honey-blonde;" I found her ability and willingness to aptly use a broad vocabulary refreshing. Unfortunately, her writing style is too heavy-handed in places, e.g., "To call Jude just a drug dealer would be about as accurate and all-encompassing as calling da Vinci just a painter." For now, I'll chalk the ham-fisted passages up to this being her first novel. I just hope that when Mm. Bowers finds her full voice, she elects to use her talents as more than a pulp romance writer.
Sorry to rain on the parade. (Why do I suddenly feel like I'm sitting in a carnival dunking booth with a whole line of women waiting to try to drop me in the tank?) I hope everyone take this review as it is offered - a sincere opinion, not an attempt to malign.

Rating:
Summary: Another Nora Roberts wanna-be
Review: Perhaps I expected too much after reading the glowing reviews of this book. Perhaps I should give the book another try now that the dark, dreary days of winter have come to an end. Ultimately, though, I suspect I will remain puzzled over the kerfuffle surrounding the book.
I really looked forward to reading Lucifer Rising. I expected a fast-paced thriller with a romantic subplot that happened to be between two women; I found a steamy pulp romance of the Nora Roberts ilk. The intrigue was a secondary pretext to drive the passion behind a series of romantic encounters. About 100 pages in, I tired of reading soft porn and disappointedly tossed the book aside.
Others here quibble with Mm. Bowers's overuse of "dark" and "honey-blonde;" I found her ability and willingness to aptly use a broad vocabulary refreshing. Unfortunately, her writing style is too heavy-handed in places, e.g., "To call Jude just a drug dealer would be about as accurate and all-encompassing as calling da Vinci just a painter." For now, I'll chalk the ham-fisted passages up to this being her first novel. I just hope that when Mm. Bowers finds her full voice, she elects to use her talents as more than a pulp romance writer.
Sorry to rain on the parade. (Why do I suddenly feel like I'm sitting in a carnival dunking booth with a whole line of women waiting to try to drop me in the tank?) I hope everyone take this review as it is offered - a sincere opinion, not an attempt to malign.

Rating:
Summary: Good Reading. Xena and Gabrielle? You decide !
Review: The short of it - "Lucifer Rising" is a good book. It's fun to read, the characters are well defined and the action is well written. The love scenes ( explicit ) are excellent and the emotions written into the characters, perfectly attributed.

My scoop on this - you know these characters already, if you've ever watched Xena: Warrior Princess, that is.

Yup, the general feeling is, here are Xena and Gabrielle, only the names have been changed and the story is set in contemporary times. If you're a fan of the series ( aren't we all ? ) - you'll notice it right off. These two women will seem VERY familiar.

Is this good or bad? Actually, it's quite GOOD.

If you're a fan of Xena:Warrior Princess then all the character flaws and morals and issues have a deeper meaning to you and it brings you further into the story. Also, if you've been waiting six years for Xena and Gabby to actually make love - this is the purchase of the century for you!

If you're not a fan of Xena ( well, first, what's wrong with you? Xena rules ! ) - then it's simply a very well written book with complex characters. It's about knowing people and trusting when it's not always easy to trust.

There are good guys and bad guys, good women and bad women, guns, drugs and lots of well written sex scenes.

Sharon Bowers is a great writer of "fan fiction", by the way. You can check out some of her other work at -...or... at the Yahoo search engine.

My recommendation - read it. You'll like it.

Best Regards, and Battle On, turtlex

Rating:
Summary: Amazing Ride
Review: There are not enough words to fully review this incredibly woven story. Sharon Bowers tells an incredible tale. The pages are filled with intensity, passion, angst and fast paced altercations. The interaction of the two main characters is believable as well as very palpable. You won't want to put this novel down. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Amazing
Review: There aren't words to explain how good this book is. Bowers delivers a basic Uber Xena and Gabrielle story in a surprisingly eloquent and original way. Of course, there is the dark, raven-haired and blue-eyed character with a dangerous past (Jude). Of course, there is the light, blonde-haired and green-eyed character who sees the good in everyone (Liz). Of course, they meet and immediately fall for one another. But this book is so much more. This is certainly one of the best books I've read in this genre. Where has Bowers been since 1999?

Rating:
Summary: Intense
Review: While this book is typical of many "good girl falls for bad girl" story lines, it manages to keep you on the edge. Neither character is truly "good" or "bad," but as are all of us; each has some of both in them.

This book is much more intense than any of this genre I've read. The emotions are extremely strong and grab the reader. I have to confess that it was such an intense book I did one of the things I rarely do...part way through the book I had to flip to the back to check out the ending. (The suspense was killing me.)

If you like full characters combined with a strong, complex and intriguing story line you will enjoy this book. It also has a very sexy main character; one that is dark and intense while also hiding a heart waiting to be loved.

Rating:
Summary: The best single Xena uber classic novel thriller!
Review: Yes, indeed, it is Xena "uber," an online fanfic phenom that has translated into first novels being published by some very talented writers, the sorts of books by women for women that I have been searching for all my life. This was one of the first and remains one of the best. It incorporates practically the whole overview of the series' dark backstory and character histories into what would be a great stand-alone suspense thriller by any standards, but which takes on a very special resonance and greater meaning when you fully realize and appreciate just who these characters are. Wow, how we'd love to see Lawless and O'Connor enact this, actresses dream of having roles like these written for them, and these two have inspired some of the best roles written expressly just with them in mind, wonderful variations on a theme.