After Dark

Rating:
Summary: Let down
Review: If you're a Jayne Ann Krentz fan like me you might really be looking forward to "After Dark", but I was really let down. It was very hard to care about the main characters in this story. I kept reading hoping it would get better but it didn't. I've read Krentz's other books writting as Jayne Castle and relly enjoyed them, so my advice is to read one of her Jayne Castle books.

Rating:
Summary: Not a lot of romance, but a very nice mystery
Review: AFTER DARK is Jayne Castle's 4th futuristic novel. I liked all 3 previous books, so I anxiously awaited this one. Lydia Allen, a para-archeologist suffering from a close encounter with a ghost, has lost her university job and her reputation in one swoop. She is trying to establish herself as a highly paid para-archeologist consultant, but she has to pay the bills so she is working at a third-rate museum until she makes it big. But clients are hard to come by, especially when "friends" like Chester steal the best ones away. So when Emmett London, a hotshot businessman who likes his privacy, wants to hire Lydia, she's thrilled but wary. Emmett wants Lydia to find a stolen family heirloom, and her inquiries into the matter unleash all sorts of problems for Lydia. Emmett's really looking for his 18-year-old nephew who pawned the heirloom and subsequently disappeared. Together, Lydia and Emmett make an unbeatable team as they handle the bad guys with aplomb.

Now, I really did like Castle's previous futuristic books (ORCHID, AMARILLYS, and ZINNIA), and I was prepared to like AFTER DARK as well. Unfortunately, there's not much romance in the book. It seemed to me that Castle concentrated on the mystery aspect to the detriment of the romance. And yes, the mystery was pretty good, especially for a book classified as romance. But if a book is going to be classified as a romance, it should have at least *some* romance in it (as opposed to sex scenes). While she did admire Emmett's physique early in the book, Lydia never seems to fall in love with Emmett. And isn't that--falling in love--what qualifies as romance?

All in all, I think AFTER DARK could have been a really great book, but it suffers from the rush-to-print syndrome. It reads awkwardly in places, and the book would have been better if the author had spent a bit more time polishing and developing the romance between Lydia and Emmett. However, the mystery is a nice one, and if you like futuristic novels, you should enjoy AFTER DARK.

Rating:
Summary: A Disappointing Read
Review: I'm a big Jayne Castle fan and thought this would be some sort of continuation or pre-quel to her last sci-fi trilogy. Set in a similar environment, a world created after settlers came through the "Curtain," I never did figure out how, of if, this book works in relation to her others. While her characters do possess psyhic powers, the powers are different, and not nearly as interesting. The book was rather lackluster and the chemistry between the hero and heroine never clicked for me. It was a quick, and forgettable, read. Although still a big fan, I'd say this book would make me pause before picking up my next Jayne Castle novel.

Rating:
Summary: Let the Fun Begin!
Review: It's nice to have Jayne Castle return to the writing scene. It's been too long since she has written a futuristic romance and I, for one, have missed her style of writing.

Lydia Smith is a licensed Para-archaeologist who unfortunately made contact with the wrong type of alien in a tomb she was investigating. No one will work with her now. Everyone knows once your senses are fried, you become mentally unstable. Even the leading experts think she'll crack under pressure. Trying to put her career back on track, Lydia has taken a part-time job at Shrimpton's House of Ancient Horrors (don't you just love that name). While meeting with what she hopes will be a new client, Emmet Smith, Lydia is horrified to discover the body of an acquaintance named Chester who is known to be a small time crook. Expecting her new client to fade away, she is surprised when he sticks around and offers her job. Excitement turns into disgust when she finds out he sees her in the same light as Chester--just another small time crook that he wants to use to his advantage. Outraged, but desperately needing the job, Lydia sets out to prove to not only Emmet, but to the community that she is is not burnt out and has not stooped down to the criminal element. Determined to get her reputation back, Lydia goes off to solve a case that will not only restore her reputation, but will make her see some of her so-called friends in a new light.

Jayne Castle has worked her magic and brought back the same inventive story line that she has used previously. One word of caution for those who have not read anything by Ms. Castle--it's a little hard to get into the terminology when you first start reading this book if you haven't read any of her previous books. But hey, stick it out for a couple of chapters and you'll have a fun story with excitement, romance, and the unknown. In fact, read her three previous books and you'll really understand why everyone is glad to have Jayne Castle writing in this sub-genre again.

Rating:
Summary: Dull, Uninteresting and Not Worth the Price
Review: I have read all of the Jayne Castle books and really enjoyed them; however, this one is sorry. There is no spark between Lydia, para-archeologist and Emmett London, businessman, formerly ghost hunter. They're just blah.

The plot, if you can call it that, does not hold your interest. In fact, the further you read the more you'll decide "Who cares". This is not one of Jayne Castle's best efforts.

Rating:
Summary: What happened?
Review: A true disappointment from one of my favorite all time authors. Lets talk chemistry. Their is none between the two main characters lydia and Emmett. The storyline never takes off. I can say that this is the first Jayne Ann Krentz book that I was able to put down. This book lacks all the elements that made Orchid, Amaryliss and Zinnia fanatastic reading which was characters that came alive, chemistry that was so hot you couldnt put down the book for a minuted so you could absorb every delicious detail. After Dark, not a favorite.

Rating:
Summary: Where's the rest of the story?
Review: I picked up After Dark in the airport while waiting for a plane that was delayed...and was thrilled to discover that there was a newly published Jayne Ann book. I did enjoy the book, but felt like it wasn't quite a complete story...is there a sequel? There were several hints about unfinished story lines, like Emmett's relationship to Mercer Wyatt being the subject of gossip. It was another great futuristic story by Jayne, my all time favorite author, but I want the rest of the story!

Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good
Review: A few hundred years ago, colonists from earth passed through a curtain in the universe that took them into another part of the galaxy. The curtain closed without warning, separating them from the mother planet forever. The colonists then make their home on the planet of Harmony where, after several generations, their progeny begin developing extraordinary psychic abilities.

There were peoples that dwelled on Harmony before the earth colonists arrived, but their race died out centuries beforehand. They left behind some rather unusual things, however, such as channeled psychic energy called illusion traps that, if a person wanders into them, can send them into a psychosis.

Lydia Smith is a para-archeologist currently working at a less than reputible museum of artifacts. She used to be high up in the academic world, but after she fell into an illusion trap in the old catacombs in Cadence City, her colleagues feared that she would be too unstable to work with. Lydia is trying to make a name for herself so she can start her own consulting firm. She finds her first big client in Emmett London. She and Emmett work together to find his missing nephew Quinn and develop an undeniable attraction for each other along the way...

"After Dark" is very enjoyable, but the flower series is better. The planet of Harmony simply feels too modern day earth-like to be a futuristic set on a different planet. At least in "Amarillis", "Zinnia", and "Orchid", the people who dwelled within St. Helen's had noticeably different inventions, such as coff-tea and ice jelly. On Harmony, they drink regular old tea and eat pizza. Same with the lingo. On St. Helen's, the inhabitants used phrases like "five hells" whereas when they cuss on Harmony, it's just "hell". In other words, I wasn't convinced that I was reading about life in another time on another world.

One more criticism stems around the alleged "romance"...the protagonists don't get together until the book is all but over and even then you're kind of left hanging as to whether or not the hero and heroine make it to happily-ever-after. According to her website, JAK originally intended for this to be a series, but now isn't certain she wants to write one. IF this turns into a series, then I'm certain we'll all find out what happens with Lydia and Emmett. But if it doesn't, then readers that like their happily-ever-afters spelled out for them will probably find the lack of description about what becomes of the protagonists' relationship disgruntling at best and annoying at worst.

Regardless of those two criticism, I still thoroughly enjoyed "After Dark". It contains all of the usual witticisms that JAK is known for and the city of Old Cadence with its ghost hunters and para-archeologists makes for an entertaining way to spend a day. I don't regret buying this book, but I'm still convinced it could have been better.

Rating:
Summary: A good read
Review: I enjoyed this book- it is certainly worth the 6 bucks. If you enjoyed "Orchid" and "Zinna" you would probably like this one as well. This book has an element of humor also. The ending was a bit confusing to me. I felt that she didn't tie up some of the loose ends. There was not that usual"happily ever after" ending. If was almost like JAK intends to write a sequel. Which I am sure I would enjoy. I would recommend this to people who enjoy futuristic romances.

Rating:
Summary: Castle fans Celebrate
Review: Jayne Castle has written another solid novel set beyond the curtain on Harmony. Lydia and Emmet are engaging, the pace is fast, and all true Castle fans will not be disappointed.