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Night Tales

Night Tales

List Price: $14.95
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Dry Run for J.D. Robb
Review: I came to this series by the back door, as it were, having first devoured all Ms. Roberts' J.D. Robb books. As a man who didn't have much experience with romance novels prior to the Dallas/Rourke series, I bought LOYALTY IN DEATH thinking it was a straight *policier* instead of a SF/mystery/romance - and loved it! After reading all the Robbs I could find, I tried several of the books published under Ms. Roberts's real name - but most of them didn't catch me up in the same way. In desperation, I bought NIGHT SHIELD - and while it read to me like she knocked it off on an errant weekend (which probably has more to do with writing for Silhouette than anything else), was still happy to find an earlier, less SFnal form of the same material I'd loved in the Robb books.

I went and bought NIGHT TALES once it came out. I was pleased to see that, with all of the first four books in the series together in one volume, the overall story arc was much richer than I'd gotten from NIGHT SHIELD alone - and the relationships that I'd been fuzzy on in NIGHT SHIELD made sense. I was also intrigued with her creation of Nemesis, a cross between the "Dark Knight" Batman of Frank Miller's graphic novels and Tim Burton's movies (traumatic loss of his parents, incredibly wealthy, millionaire playboy, masked vigilante crimefighter) and The Shadow (invisibility as a superpower). I especially enjoyed how she managed to fit Nemesis into a romance novel situation (something Batman's writers have never managed to do!), and even let us see that marriage to a prosecuting attorney wouldn't stop his crimefighting.

I could also see where she first tried out some of the ideas she'd later use in the Dallas/Rourke books. Althea Grayson in NIGHTSHADE is clearly a dry run for Eve Dallas (orphaned policewoman and sexual abuse survivor) - though I find the prickly, unkempt and uncultured Dallas a far more believeable and enjoyable character than the too-perfect, highly-finished piece of nature that is Althea Grayson. Some aspects of Gage Gutherie from NIGHT SHADOW and NIGHT SMOKE were clearly incorporated into Roarke, though Gutherie's a much more vulnerable character than Roarke's ever been. I even think I get a whiff of Captain Feeney in Boyd Fletcher - I wish she'd fill in Feeney's backstory more in the Dallas/Roarke books, but until then I'll just imagine that it's pretty much like Boyd and Cilla's life together (or would be if Feeney had inherited money!).

While NIGHT TALES isn't quite as complex or well-written as her J.D. Robb books are (for which again I blame Silouhette), they're still very good and recommended to anyone who enjoys that part of Nora Roberts's *ouerve*.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Eve and Roarke response
Review: I can see similar characteristics in these books to Eve and Roarke as well but the reader that said the characters in Night Tales were copies of Eve And Roarke must realize that these 4 stories were reprints written long before Nora Roberts began writing as JD Robb. As in all of Nora Roberts books she developes strong characters.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: short but sweet
Review: I enjoy reading Nora Roberts, but as a few others have noted these stories were very similar and too short. This book has 4 "mini-novels" in them that are very enjoyable. The characters all are connected, and I like to read about each character in his or her own situation and experiences. However, as soon as one gets aquainted with the character, it is time to stop reading because the story is over. I also have Night Shield, but haven't read it yet. I hope it is a little longer.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: short but sweet
Review: I enjoy reading Nora Roberts, but as a few others have noted these stories were very similar and too short. This book has 4 "mini-novels" in them that are very enjoyable. The characters all are connected, and I like to read about each character in his or her own situation and experiences. However, as soon as one gets aquainted with the character, it is time to stop reading because the story is over. I also have Night Shield, but haven't read it yet. I hope it is a little longer.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Nigth Tales
Review: I have a read many of Nora Roberts books, and my favorites are the series and compilations of stories like this one. In particular the characters here were fascinating and well-defined and the stories captivating. I couldn't stop until I'd finished. I especially liked the second story, which involved some of her more mystical notions, like in Tears of the Moon. Great Nora Roberts, as usual. She gets better and better.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Enjoyable light reading
Review: I have read most of Nora Robert's books and found this book of 4 "night stories" to be just great! I also recommend the sequel Night Shield. Written in true Nora Robert's romantic/mystery style, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and looked forward to my "nightly reading!"

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Enjoyable light reading
Review: I have read most of Nora Robert's books and found this book of 4 "night stories" to be just great! I also recommend the sequel Night Shield. Written in true Nora Robert's romantic/mystery style, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and looked forward to my "nightly reading!"

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Night Tales
Review: I just finished Night Tales, Night Shield and the new JD Robb book, Judgement in Death. They were all wonderful! I hope that she will continue with the Night stories. I can not tell you how much I enjoy the writing of Nora Roberts. I have read all her books and look forward to reading many more!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I'm impressed
Review: I must say this is my first Nora Roberts book. I liked it a lot. It kept my attention and I thought it was really exciting.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Way below Nora's usual standard
Review: I ordered this book after reading all of the high praise here, but I just can't agree with them. The one thing that I've loved about all of Nora's books is that there is always one part of the characters that you can identify with. They're human, they're believable, and you care what happens to them. And that's what I found lacking in these stories. I found the characters dull and boring, sometimes even laughable (Night Shadow with its Batman-like figure). The stories were tedious and predictible (the last one being the best of the lot). Since they are by Nora Roberts, Night Tales is of better quality than most romance novels out there, but I've been spoiled by her better efforts. Skip this collection and go straight to Night Shield.

A few reviewers mentioned that these resembled the J.D. Robb books. I've never cared for those (too dark) which is probably why I didn't like these.


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