Rating: Summary: Disappointing Review: Laurell Hamilton is undoubtedly a talented writer-- her success testifies to that-- so why is she spending nearly this entire novel stuck in Merry's bedroom? Okay, her take on faerie is strongly based on sexuality, but *everything* in this novel seems to revolve around sex. It's so prevalent that it is (remarkably) reduced to being dull and uninteresting. There's not much characterization-- descriptions of how each one was traumatized or otherwise brutalized by their society becomes repetitious and reduces a reader's interest rather than building it-- and the "metaplot" of the series barely advances an inch. This doesn't serve Hamilton as a writer; she's *much* better than this. I really loved the balancing act she pulled off in the early Anita Blake books, setting up an interesting personal and professional life for her character and establishing deep, meaningful conflicts between these two "lives," but the potential to do likewise for Merry has been squandered. I read "Seduced" but am doubtful if I'll be back for the next book.
Rating: Summary: TMI too much information!! Review: I was really disappointed in the 3rd book in this series. The 1st two books I expected some background information to bring the current story into play. But this book spent 3/4 of the time into background information (this happened back because of this & that blah blah blah blah). I found myself bored beyond belief. I am disappointed as this definetly doesnt meet Ms. Hamilton extreme work's of art out there.
Rating: Summary: Bloody, dark and seductive... but still too damn mysterious Review: I love Laurell K. Hamilton. She writes like a dream (nightmares included). She has taken horror and fantasy novels to new places with her novels and I always enjoy reading them.That being said (written?), I only can wish for more from this book. More explination, more mysteries revealed. More Doyle loving (laugh). Though I sit here hungry for more of these sidhe, it will be a few more years until I can read of them again. *sigh* But this novel is wonderful read. Almost a 5. If only there was more.....
Rating: Summary: oh sigh :-( Review: I devour everything Hamilton puts out. Her books are a great distraction as well as mind-candy. I even put in an order for this book before it was even published, then eagerly awaited its arrival. All that anticipation ended like a balloon with a hole. The story of Merry picks up with her harem (um, I mean guards). The boys are back, trying their best to impregnant their (hopefully) future queen. This is where everything gets difficult. You see, I want to explain the plot, but there is no plot to explain. Scenes of the book move from one sexual romp to another, even going as far as girl on girl. Perhaps I'm just too innocent, but that was a new one for me. About half way through the book, the reader finally gets excited, because it sounds like something is actually going to happen. Merry and her men have an agenda. They are to visit the Seelie Court, then King Kurag (who want her to attempt procreation with a few of his creepy dudes), then on to the Unseelie Court. Yeah! Possible conflict, possible suspense, possible action! Then just more sex. Oh, well. It won't stop me from reading her books, since I truly do love the Anita series and did love the Merry series. I hope Hamilton does read these reviews and perhaps she will take a little more time in building up the elements of plot in her future books so that instead of a feeling of dispointment, we can all lay back in the afterglow. (No pun intended!)
Rating: Summary: interest Review: If sex dosen't interest you then don't bother picking up this book? On the other hand, if you enjoy a little "action" you will absolutely love this book or any of LKH's other books. They are all kick ass with enough "action" to make your toes curl.
Rating: Summary: Sex in Lieu of Plot... Review: Frankly, a sad waste. The meteoric descent and deterioration of both of LKH's series continues, and it's painful for readers who have been fans since her first book Nightseer and the first AB, Guilty Pleasures. While the MG series showed some initial promise, and titillated with steaminess, Hamilton seems to have run out of plot, or at least out of enough plot to fill out a good-sized novel without resorting to endless, boring and repetitive sex scenes. The *worst* part isn't the sex, despite what some of the folks who are still fans seem to think - it's the fact that the sex scenes aren't even interesting anymore, and the only "variety" isn't in the writing, it's in the endless parade of partners for both MG and AB. Sex in LIEU of plot isn't "erotica," it's BAD WRITING. (And let's not even *discuss* the grammar and spelling!!). Add to that the virtual interchangeability of those various "supernatural studs" between the two series, and you've got a cure for insomnia. I mean, let's face it - Doyle = Jean Claude, Rhys = Jason, Frost = Richard, Nicca = Damian, blahbety-blah blah blah....snore. At least in MG, the implausibility of *everyone* wanting to sleep with the female protagonist is made *somewhat* more believable by the ludicrous royal guard enforced celibacy plot element (although the pregnancy angle and the celibacy angle does NOT explain two of MG's partners in this book, one of which is FEMALE). Then we have a character (no spoilers, shan't name him or her) that is killed off who has the *identical* name as a character killed off elsewhere in the series - and it's clearly NOT the same character. No two OTHER characters in the series have identical names; it's either absurdly sloppy, or the author's cavalier disregard of the readers' intelligence or memories, take your pick. And, speaking of cavalier, we have the final insult of the book simply stopping, not ending; a pathetically transparent device increasingly used by various authors to boost sales of future books. I predict that the next MG book will also only cover a 24-36 hour period, perhaps only the visit to the Goblin mounds. It shall probably take yet *another* release to get to the Seelie Court, and a third to start to get ANYWHERE in the plot. Like I said, for those of us who stuck with LKH all these years expecting witty writing, mystery and actual PLOT, both series are now major disappointments. I'm certainly not wasting any more money on either; LKH is clearly writing for a different type of reader.
Rating: Summary: THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM, HOPEFULLY Review: Well just how many men (elves, goblins, demi-fey....) will Princess Meredith actually take to bed in her quest to get pregnant? How many 'true' and 'final' loves does she have? Guess the number of jellybeans in the jar and win the kewpie doll! There's the five of six she has regularly, then the two new goblins, then another four or five, maybe six, new guards the queen sends her, then there is the queen herself... Heck I can't keep track, and to be honest after the fifth or sixth time it happens I kind of lost interest. It seems the only criteria the ring uses to select her bedmates is the ability to move, and even that's not a forgone conclusion. Everything in SEDUCED happens in the span of two days and if you read it and look back over the entire story you realize although you've gone through a lot of pages you really haven't accomplished much. Hopefully SEDUCED is being used as a setup for a grand finale because it really isn't all that interesting in and of itself. For those of you, like me, who have followed this story from A KISS OF SHADOWS thru A CARESS OF TWLIGHT you will probably want to continue, but be warned, you just might give up on the series after this. I'm going to bite the bullet and RECOMMEND it, but I'm hoping the next one makes it worth the time.
Rating: Summary: Taken to extremes, but still... Review: Hooooh-boy. What a waste of money. SBM is without a doubt the worst in the series. And the series was mediocre to begin with. First off... will someone please inform Ms. LKH that the repetitive descriptions to make the book longer really aren't necessary? PLEASE? I like the little details. They make the characters fun. But I really don't need little details about everything! Secondly... yes, Merry is on the quest to become pregant, take the throne, yadda, yadda, yadda. Enough with the sex already. It's not titillating, it's not intersting, it's not exciting. It's boring. One or two passionate encounters per novel...? I can definitely deal. I cannot deal with the one or two sexual encounters per chapter! Much like the Anita Blake series, LKH's writing is quickly moving from sci-fi into a really bad mix of sci-fi and soft-core porn. And it's not even interesting. It's kinda like the "Witchcraft" films... a touch of plot and dialogue, a lot of sex, a little bit of plot and dialogue, lots of sex, wash, rinse, and repeat. It's dull. Yet another case of taking something to the extreme and making it boring. Thirdly... the men. Much like Anita Blake, every major male character has to at least be in lust with Merry, with the possible exception of two. Wow. Gee, just like Anita! This would be a lot more tolerable if she would do us all a favor and just stick with a few good men, maybe just Doyle, Frost, Rhys, and Galen. Who needs the rest of them? Again... exteremes convolute the plot to boredom. There are some good points, really. I truly enjoy the political machinations, especially Merry's ability to take everything she has learned from her father and the "real" world, and how she brings it into the world of the Sidhe. I find the powers to be very creative. The major fight scene, for want of a better phrase, was LKH at her best! There really is potential here, folks. Too bad most of the good is completely overshadowed by the fact that the majority of the book is boring, poorly written, poorly edited, and poorly conceived.
Rating: Summary: Sidhe don't need night lights--they glow in the dark Review: Between Hamilton's last Anita Blake book and the reviews for this one, I wasn't expecting much, and aside from occasional glimmers of plot between the heavy breathing, I didn't get it. What plot there is consists of Merry having sex, Merry acquiring a new power, Merry getting new men, and Merry not getting pregnant. In between there are the requisite Unseelie Court politcs plus an attempt or two to kill Merry. Alas, this storyline has become pretty formulaic by now, even though "Seduced by Moonlight" is only the third book in the series. Too many descriptions of glowing sidhe magic, floor-length male hair, and thrilling touches made this reader's eyes glaze over. Nonetheless, Hamilton is a talented writer. Her descriptions, when they're not repetitive, make for some fine reading. She has a surprisingly lyrical touch at times and can even come up with some interesting plot twists. Unfortunately these gifts get lost under the verbiage, and "Seduced by Moonlight" is mediocre at best.
Rating: Summary: Possibly the worst book I have ever read Review: This is by far the worst LKH book I have read and possibly the worst book I have ever read! While the past two Merry Gentry books have been somewhat interesting and entertaining, this one is nothing but soft-core porn that is incredibly boring and repititive. If I read how somebody's skin glowed or sparkled one more time I may have vomitted. And the ending - at first I thought that my copy was missing a chapter. It just ends! You're left wanting the time back that you spent reading this awful book. I used to be a LKH fan - but no longer.
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