Rating: 
Summary: A Stunning New World
Review: Following in the stunning tradition of such notable authors as Laurell K. Hamilton, Christine Feehan, and J D Robb, Melanie Jackson has created a new world, a world unlike any we've encountered before. A world populated by Goblins and Fey, by the Selkie and other Magical Creatures, she takes us into a thrilling new Romantic Suspense series."Traveler" takes place in Detroit, now named "Goblin City". It is the center of Goblin activity, a den of iniquity, a hive of filth and poor unfortunate humans who have nowhere else to go. Through a combination of "goblin fruit addiction" and "perfume-induced hallucination", the Goblins (whom the United States was generous enough to give sanctuary to, following a purge from Europe) are bent on world domination. It is into this dark and dismal world that we find our heroine Io Cyphre and our hero Jack Frost, struggling to prevent the takeover of the world as we know it. Though Io is distrustful of Jack, with good reason, sparks fly between them. They must use each other's strength and talents to overcome this disturbing challenge to humanity, to the continued existence of man as we know it. The sparks become embers, the embers become a full-blown conflagration that encompasses them both, and the passion grows and engulfs their bodies, as well as their minds. Challenges, danger, suspense, and tragedy abound in this newest world, a creation of pure genius by Ms. Jackson. One can only surmise that she intends to get us as addicted to her goblin and fey-infested world and the goblins who peddle their addictive fruit. This is a tremendous addition to the Romantic Suspense genre and is what I would call a new genre of it's own, Gothic Comedy. A tremendous thumbs-up and five stars to Ms. Jackson, and an eager audience awaits the next installment in this series.
Rating:
Summary: A page turner
Review: I have always enjoyed Melanie Jackson's historical novels, and being a fan of the genre, it was with a little bit of trepidation that I picked up this novel. I was not disappointed.
It is action packed, full of wit and humor. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. I love this world!
Rating:
Summary: A page turner
Review: I have always enjoyed Melanie Jackson's historical novels, and being a fan of the genre, it was with a little bit of trepidation that I picked up this novel. I was not disappointed.
It is action packed, full of wit and humor. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. I love this world!
Rating:
Summary: You will gobble up Melanie's Goblins!
Review: Looks like we have trouble right here in Goblin City...aka Detroit. Do you know the French word for Goblin? Do you know what Goblin fruit is and why it's so addictive? Do you know why you don't want Jack Frost nipping at your nose? Or why Goblins won't drive American made cars? Well, these and other pressing questions are answered by Melanie Jackson with the style and panache of a tightrope walker in her first of the Goblin series called Traveler. It is a highly imaginative work and draws the reader into the world of Goblins, The Fey and rock singers with more than one set of mammary glands, and keeps you turning the pages, wondering what dark corridor Ms. Jackson will lead you next. Jackson, always a strong writer of historical fiction with near poetic prose, demonstrated in Belle and The Selkie, that she has a deft hand with comical romance that is delivered with a twinkle in the eye and a dimple in a cheek. She brings this talent to bear in the story of Jack Frost and Io Cyper. Detroit under the Lutine Empire, plays similar to the Detroit of Rob Cop or John Carpenter's Escape from New York. The rest of the US has sort of taken a hands off of the city and turned it over to the Lutine Empire, Goblin escapees from France. They peddle Goblin Fruit, which is addictive, but they also are quietly waging warfare with biochems in Lutine Air a perfume they are preparing to market. Io Cyber feels there is potential threat to mankind, and for personal reasons, wants to see their plan stopped. Io is a member of H.U.G.S (Humans Under Ground) and is sent in to find Horroban, the head of the Lutine Empire before they find a magick crystal that could strengthen the Goblin's rule. Jack Frost a "death fey" is on the trail of the crystal, too, and links up with Io. Both quickly come to the conclusion that Io was sent in more to distract Jack from finding the crystal than helping to end the Goblin threat. However, this dynamic duo soon comes to the conclusion the perfume the goblins are making is a bigger danger to mankind. So they team up to stem the rising Goblin threat, while fighting sparks that fly between them. It's wonderful, refreshing bit of fun!! Look for the second in the series The Outsider in early 2004.
Rating: 
Summary: fabulous romantic fantasy thriller
Review: Most people ridicule H.U.G. members as lunatic conspiracy buffs seeing the improbable. However, the members of the Humans Under Ground group know that though paranoid, they are right about nasty happenings. This time the threat is the goblins going after possession of the magical generator. Xanthe of H.U.G. believes the Motor City police too weak and ineffective to stop the goblins so she sends her disciple Io to end that potential problem. Io meets the notorious Jack Frost in Goblin Town just beneath the Motor City. They are attracted to one another from the start, but she keeps her distance partially out of fear because he is a death fey. Still as they work on stopping the Goblins, whose plan is even more devious than Xanthe told Io, she and Jack fall in love, but first they must win the day against impossible probability and somehow stay alive doing this and that makes for even more impossible odds. By page thirteen this reviewer began thinking of shutting down the novel and not critiquing it as it was impossible to follow. However, because of enjoying Melanie Jackson's previous romantic speculative fictions such as THE SELKIE and DOMINION, I decided to persevere for a few more chapters, but not past page fifty. Four hours later I had finished a fabulous romantic fantasy thriller. The story line needs a couple chapters to let the audience know this isn't Kansas, but once the alternate world is introduced the plot turns into an exciting other world fantasy thriller starring two delightful protagonists on a quest to save an unbelieving and unthankful world. Those fans that stay the course will relish this walk on Ms. Jackson's weird wild side. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: fabulous romantic fantasy thriller
Review: Most people ridicule H.U.G. members as lunatic conspiracy buffs seeing the improbable. However, the members of the Humans Under Ground group know that though paranoid, they are right about nasty happenings. This time the threat is the goblins going after possession of the magical generator. Xanthe of H.U.G. believes the Motor City police too weak and ineffective to stop the goblins so she sends her disciple Io to end that potential problem. Io meets the notorious Jack Frost in Goblin Town just beneath the Motor City. They are attracted to one another from the start, but she keeps her distance partially out of fear because he is a death fey. Still as they work on stopping the Goblins, whose plan is even more devious than Xanthe told Io, she and Jack fall in love, but first they must win the day against impossible probability and somehow stay alive doing this and that makes for even more impossible odds. By page thirteen this reviewer began thinking of shutting down the novel and not critiquing it as it was impossible to follow. However, because of enjoying Melanie Jackson's previous romantic speculative fictions such as THE SELKIE and DOMINION, I decided to persevere for a few more chapters, but not past page fifty. Four hours later I had finished a fabulous romantic fantasy thriller. The story line needs a couple chapters to let the audience know this isn't Kansas, but once the alternate world is introduced the plot turns into an exciting other world fantasy thriller starring two delightful protagonists on a quest to save an unbelieving and unthankful world. Those fans that stay the course will relish this walk on Ms. Jackson's weird wild side. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Confusing at first but well worth the read
Review: This book started off very confusing with alot of references to HUG and other things as if the book really should have had a few chapters before the beginning. But, once I got past the first few chapters this book was a page turner. Great story line and am really hoping this will become a series of novels about the fey and HUG. What's going to happen to Zyne and Chloe? This book was similar to Laurell K. Hamilton's Fairie storyline with Meredith Gentry. My only complaint was the confusing beginning. I would suggest Ms. Jackson not deluge the reader with all the trivia at the beginning with the next in this series.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Dark Fantasy. A Thrilling Page Turner.
Review: This is a book I just want to gush about. Simply put, it's probably one of most enjoyable books that I've read in a while. The paranormal romance genre is cluttered mainly by vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and timetravelers. Melanie Jackson's imagination introduces readers to a world very much like our own- but where the Fey Folk and goblins walk among humans. It's very evocative of Laurell K. Hamilton's work, but without the extreme gore factor and the ridiculous bed-hopping nonsense of her later works.
Io is one of the Fey. After her mother was killed by Goblins, she hooked up with HUG or Humans Underground, a vigilante group that is violently pro-human and anti-everything supernatural. Io is sent on a mission to find out what the goblins of Goblin Town are plotting and to keep an eye on Jack Frost, a death fey who works for an unknown third-party. However, Jack suspects that HUG itself may be compromised by the Goblins, who have now replaced the world's most prominent humans with their own kind. Jack and Io must team up to take out the goblin trash.
I absolutely loved this story. It's an action packed roller coaster through a dark urban environment, my favorite kind. I found Goblin Town, with its perpetual Halloweenish landscape, to be an absolutely facinating setting.
If there is anything wrong with the story, it's that the characters really aren't that meticulously developed, but they serve their purpose as sexy, magical action heroes.
Rating: 
Summary: Different & Hard to follow at First...but a good Read
Review: This was my First Melanie Jackson Novel. It was different than what I was used to and was hard to follow at first. I expected it to be like other books I have read, I guess. Melanie Jackson Definately "Breaks" the rules of the average Romance Novel but really pulls you in with a storyline that you have to read & FInish, even if the Love scene's were somewhat lacking. This writer definately DOES have talent though, because it has made me want to read her other stories to see if they could be better than this one. If you are looking for Something Different & Interesting to pass the time, Get this book. If you are looking for something like hot and steamy, you'll be disappointed in this book. If half star's were an available rating, I would rate this 3 1/2 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Different & Hard to follow at First...but a good Read
Review: This was my First Melanie Jackson Novel. It was different than what I was used to and was hard to follow at first. I expected it to be like other books I have read, I guess. Melanie Jackson Definately "Breaks" the rules of the average Romance Novel but really pulls you in with a storyline that you have to read & FInish, even if the Love scene's were somewhat lacking. This writer definately DOES have talent though, because it has made me want to read her other stories to see if they could be better than this one. If you are looking for Something Different & Interesting to pass the time, Get this book. If you are looking for something like hot and steamy, you'll be disappointed in this book. If half star's were an available rating, I would rate this 3 1/2 stars.
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