Rating: 
Summary: too much is getting to be too little
Review: If reading this book was almost enjoyable, reviewing it is rather frustrating. I find it quite difficult to explain the particular love-hate feeling I had for this much awaited third installment. I do love the concept of the series and the main characters. Magic, beautiful sidhe, court intrigues, sex - what more to get me going?... Actually, I really felt there should have been a bit more in this latest book to really get me going, and I don't mean pages. The first book set up the big questions: Will Merry get a child? Who's her consort going to be? What will happen when Cel gets released? The second book was, inevitably, a transition to future books: Merry got more power, her personal relationships got more complicated ... All the while the reader hoped the third book would eventually return to the main questions. The third book doesn't. If at all possible, it conveys even more the "transition" feeling of the second book. We are still at the stage when the chess pieces are layed out on the board, with two more months to go until Cel becomes a major player again. Merry gets even more power and her personal relationships get even more complicated. (I really wonder how many more potential consorts could be piled up on her bed). She doesn't even make it to Taranis' ball - that's still 2 days away, I mean, one book away. Sorry, readers, this time we don't get even the customary detective mystery - just the teasing of "more to come in the future". There are some nice things in the book. I am happy with how Merry develops, quite pleased that her personality and demeanor are a lot lighter than Anita's latest. Rhys and Nicca get more attention (nice), Kitto more power, Frost's past more explanation (bizarre, but interesting). The whole history of the chalice and what it portends for Merry in terms of her magical power is an intriguing addition - although, like many other details in LKH's latest books, it sort of stays "on hold", making the reader hope the (yet) next book will actually explain it all (judging from the latest trend, I am assuming it won't). The not-very-nice thing is that the manner in which the story unfolds is terribly unfocused. Gone are the times when Ms. Hamilton's books were action-packed and self-contained. Whatever "action" there is in here, it only happens towards the end and is quite anticlimactic. Many new characters are squeezed in the last third part of the book, all of them potentially major, all of them potentially a future consort, as if to warn us that the next book will tease the reader even more and still nothing will happen. If this book actually had a plot, I would have gotten quite interested in it. Since the plot was mainly non-existent, I just relaxed, enjoyed whatever I could enjoy of the book, and hated that I really couldn't love it. Not as bad as "Cerulean Sins", but not a 4-star either.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I am a big fan of Hamilton. But with that caveat, this was by far the weakest of the three Merry books (and of all of the Anita Blake books). Nothing much happens until the last 80 pages. The first half of the book is one sex/magic scene after another and really drags - it could have been condensed into two or three chapters. The second Merry book left off with the impending visit to the Seelie Court, and yet Hamilton cannot even get Merry there in the third book.
Perhaps Hamilton has bitten off more than she can chew what with writing two series at the same time. This book suffered from some of the same infirmities as the last Anita Blake book (e.g. weak on plot, using sex as a filler, and too short). Here is hoping for better in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing but probably necessary
Review: Like many of the above reviewers, I rushed to get this book and then was disappointed. The entire book takes place in about 2 days and went from confusing to disjointed back to confusing for me. I've enjoyed almost all of the Anita books and the first 2 about Merry so feel I've put in my time with Hamilton. I think this book is probably necessary as a device to set up the rest of the series and we have to get this info somewhere if it's going to matter later. It's not even as introspective as it probably should be as merry just rolls from event to event without telling us how she feels about any of this. And the addition of the new guards got very annoying-I actually had to make a list to keep them straight. (Descriptions of Frost and Barinthus were intriguing.) I was comfortable with the earlier group but this was too many except for the CAT! Anyway--I held on and will wait for the next--but will probably wait for my area library to get it.
Rating: 
Summary: good but not the best
Review: though the story itself was good, the plot wasn't as captivating as before. the explations offered in this case were better and i found the fact that certain events were actually explained a fresh change from the "boom magical powers wow" phase of the first two. the progression of the plot is interesting, and the possibilities it hold for future books are numerous. i wouldn't say this is her best work in this series but its certaintly gotten me looking forward to the next one.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the Plot?
Review: I have to say I was somewhat disapointed with this one. I *LOVE* the other Laurell K. Hamilton books. Usually they leave me eager for the next book, and wanting more. This book was the exception. Oh, there's lots of the usual graphic details and yummy bits, but the actual *PLOT* doesn't hold it together. There just wasn't much substance there. I'm hoping that she used this book to set up the next one, but somehow I'm doubtful. I hope the next one's better.
Rating: 
Summary: Ugh!
Review: I do not know what book everyone is reading because the Laurell K. book that I read was awful. I was so excited to get this book. I went home and curled up on the couch and read up to page 136 and started shaking my head. My husband asked, "is the book any good?" My response? I usually only give a book 50 pages. If it hasn't grabbed me I get rid of it. I read a lot and I don't have time to let a writer "slowly" pull me in. At page 136 this book had not only not grabbed me, it was boring me and I was having a hard time concentrating. I have read every book that Laurell has written. This and the last Anita book have been very disappointing to me. I will still read her, but I may not be as eager to pick the book up off the shelf and buy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Serious addition
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I feel it's imcomplete because it stops so abruptly, but I love it. It sets up for the next book, probably wouldn't stand alone, but if you love the Merry series, it's a must read. I love the emphasis it places on the guards, and how Merry now has to sleep with some she doesn't like. Poor baby. What I like most about this book is that it's explained why she is getting these powers. They didn't just appear without reason like in AB. The destruction of the Nameless gave her something. Immortality I am thinking, and the Gods see her as a vessel now. And through her they wish to return power to the fey, but only should she be in power I think.
Rating:
Summary: Only Part of the Book
Review: The other reviewers were pretty ticked off about the shortness of the book. Oh, do I ever agree!! While I would definitely have to say I really enjoyed this book, and thought about it long after I was done - I felt Ms. Hamilton wrote an entire book, cut it in half, put the other half aside for 2005 and then published this. It is obvious that this book is the "bridge" of the entire series. Merry gets more powers, gives her guards more powers, obtains more guards, helps cement her position in the Unseelie Court, and sets the stage for visits to the goblins and Seelies. While some questions were answered - for instance, "Why did the guards fear/hate the Queen so much?", actually more questions cropped up than were answered. On the plus side, the action was nonstop, the book was well-written and Ms. Hamilton has her usual gift of description. Although sex is a part of the book, the sex scenes were actually metaphysical sex instead of the real thing. Frost, Doyle, Kitto, etc. are very much present, but the focus drifts from the guards and Merry's relationship with them to setting the stage for Merry's destiny and consequently the end of the series. If you liked Book 1 and 2 of this series, you will enjoy this book. I still don't know if I enjoyed it more or less, because the entire book was just a different slant from the other two, but because I thought about the book long after I was through reading it, I would have to give it at least 4 stars, and would give it 4-1/2 if I could.
Rating:
Summary: Ok but not great
Review: The story took up with Merry and her guards preparing to visit the unseelie court, the Goblins court and the seelie court.There are a lot of new men introduced in this book and a lot of mind wandering by Merry on sunlight and meadows,etc; that take up a lot of the story and which I skipped.
I have to admit I had vowed not to buy another new book by Ms. Hamilton because of the deterioration of the Anita Blake series but this is an OK read and you might want to wait until it is out in paperback.
Rating:
Summary: I love all Laurell K. Hamilton's books
Review: I first became infatuated with Ms. Hamilton's books through the "Anita Blake" series, thanks to my girlfriend. Now I'm bound to read everything this great author puts out and "Seduced by Moonlight" was no exception (even though I liked the "Anita Blake" books better). Another book I happened across that, even though written entirely different, could make a good addition to books such as this is "Darkeye". Once again, Laurell K. Hamilton knows her stuff!
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