Rating: 
Summary: a great darkness
Review: I think this books was great one of hamiltons best the series is only to books in and I want more this like many of her books is a dark funny exciting thrill ride into a creative world where creatures of dream and fantasy exist together with man in a worl alot like ours but also so different all the same I can't wait for her next book
Rating: 
Summary: Series is looking up
Review: I almost didn't buy this book after reading "A Kiss of Shadows". I have all of the Anita Blake series but between the last couple of books in that series and the first one of this I amost wrote Laurell K. Hamilton off as a writer. I am glad I changed my mind. This book is starting to develop the characters beyond the who is sleeping with who mark. The characters are actually developing into beings that you care to read about. There is a small plot line in this book involving good and evil with a twist on who the bad guy really is. If the series continues in this manner I will be happy to buy and read more.
Rating:
Summary: A Caress of Twilight is Terrific
Review: The simplest thing I can say about the book is that I loved it. But that is not nearly enough to convey how much I enjoyed reading this book. Ms. Hamilton has been my favorite author for some time now and I await each new novel with bated breath. I have not been disappointed. I recommend her books to my friends and have introduced many of my friends to her work. So far, each and every one that I have recommended her to has enjoyed the books and wanted to read everything she writes. A Caress of Twilight's main character, Princess Meredith NicEssus (aka Merry Gentry or Meredith, Princess of Flesh and Blood), heir to the throne of the Unseelie Court, is written in such a way that you feel her loves, her pains and her hungers. The reader becomes involved in the lives of the characters. Ms. Hamilton writes about strong women who take control of their own lives and destinies. The characters are not perfect and make mistakes that are not always without serious consequences. Princess Meredith is strong, independent, and forges her own destiny. However, Ms. Hamilton has given her fears and insecurities which make her human and someone with whom the reader can identify. She loves strongly and not always wisely. The men in Princess Meredith's life are also written in such a way that each one would appeal to different types of women. Doyle is the strong, silent type who feels things deeply and passionately. Frost appears more aloof but is sensitive and caring. Rhys is fun loving but whose core personality has a strength untapped. Nicca is sweet and young. Galen is gallant, protective and loving. Kitto is small, vulnerable and in need of love and protection. Princess Meredith cares deeply for all of these men and it shows in her interaction with each one. As a reader, it is hard for me to decide who I like best. I cannot imagine how difficult it is for the author to choose between them for her main character. Each character is important to the story and brings something unique and interesting to the story. Even characters with smaller roles, such as King Kurag, Queen Andais, Queen Niceven, Sage, Prince Cel and Princess Besaba, are integral parts of the tale being told and each brings something unique and imaginative to the telling of Princess Meredith's story. In addition, the very minor charactors are written in such a way that the reader can visualize them. They are as "human" as the rest of us with the same character quirks and flaws, each an individual in thought and action. In Ms. Hamilton's books, even weapons have distinct identities. For example, Frost's "Winter Kiss" sword has extraordinary powers, as does Doyle's "Black Madness". Each weapon was forged long ago with individual powers to be wielded by strong warriors. However, they are not merely weapons, they are a part of what makes each man an individual and are a part of their identity. The main story line concerning Princess Meredith and her group of handsome Fae is written with compassion and heart. By itself, it makes for an interesting story. When combined with the other subplots in this book, it takes on deeper meanings and possibilities. The story line concerning Maeve Reed and King Taranis was definitely an interesting development in the series and I can't wait to see what happens in future novels. The weaving of this story line with that of both the hungry ghosts and the "Nameless" descending upon Los Angeles and wreaking havoc was imaginative and wonderfully entertaining. The outcome of all storylines was satisfying and inventive. The ending of this book opened up wonderful possibilities for future novels. As a fan of Ms. Hamilton, I can't wait to see what comes next for Princess Meredith and her harem of men. I think it would be wonderful to live in Ms. Hamilton's version of our world (or at least take a long vacation there). There are so many layers to Ms. Hamilton's story that it is impossible to simply say it is a story about a fairy princess. Although this is not a book I would recommend for young people because of the sex and violence necessary in the telling of this story, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good love story or a good fantasy novel. This is definitely a book for adults...
Rating:
Summary: Brava! What a read!
Review: I read this in about two hours - to the exclusion of all else - and was so taken with it that I went back, re-read Kiss of Shadows and then Caress of Twilight again. (Frankly, I am rooting for Frost.) The book is well written, exciting and fulfills so many fantasies from a woman's point of view. It is a pleasure to read something that is a mix of fun, sex, adventure. Hamilton's wit shines through on each page and her attention to detail makes one feel part of the story. I teach a course on Faerie and its impact on modern life through literature. Hamilton's interpretations are on the money - she doesn't create a glamour where everything is all sweetness and disneyfied. She puts the bite back into these tales of sidhe, goblins, fey and mortals. The world she creates is a wonderful meld of the exotic and the mundane. Enjoy
Rating:
Summary: A Modest Effort
Review: A Caress of Twilight is pleasant, it's readable, but... The book suffers greatly from lack of plot development. I don't know what the problem is, perhaps the author's trying to crank out books too fast. Obsidian Butterfly is the last book she wrote that managed to be plotted well. Apparently the author can write sex scenes well or develop a plot, but not both. There were three important plot elements in this book: the relationships between Merry, the Ravens, and the Courts of the Sidhe; the problem of the goddess/movie star, Maeve; and the Nameless. Only Merry's relationships get full treatment. Maeve and the Nameless, which should have added considerably more dimension to the book, are mere afterthoughts. The ending is shabby and disappointing. As with the author's other heroine, Anita Blake, Merry gets more powers in the end of the book without much effort. And here is another big failing: the author's heroines have it much too easy. The heroines get more assets, men and powers, without ever really doing anything to earn them. These careless aquisitions substitute for plot. Things are too easy in these books. In the early books, Anita was much more interesting: a human among immortals, who realized that temptation was just tempting, who had to give everything she had in order to make it to the next book. Now she seems to have no job, let alone killing vampires, she's incapable of saying "no"-to anybody, and she gets new powers at the drop of a bed sheet. Sex substitutes for character development. At least for now, Merry is a more interesting character. She is part mortal, and there are things she knows she can't confront alone. This will doubtless change in the next book, since she and the Ravens slew the Nameless (not with much a struggle, either) and she gained numberless talents. At least her second Hand of power was alluded to in the first book. I hate to be disappointed by my favorite authors. Ms. Hamilton needs to slow down and find someone who is willing to make her work to turn out a well-plotted, exciting book. Just because she can get away with the dross she's been churning out lately doesn't mean she should, and doing so cheapens her considerable talent. We anticipate each book eagerly, but I'd be willing to wait longer for books that I will actually reread. Make the heroine work for what she gets--make her struggle just to maintain the ground she's gained. Introduce more ambiguous characters--friends or foes? Who knows--and this is even more important for Merry, travelling uncertain ground in her aunt's court. Make the plots against the characters actually threatening--mind, body, or spirit--not just a poorly-constructed device to limp to the end of the book. Give us villains who are really, actually evil! There is no such thing as a free lunch, but you can't tell by this author's latest offerings. Tension is critical in a book, but there is none here. The protagonists always dictate from a position of strength. There is no worry that there will not be upcoming books with the same crew. The books are fast becoming casts of thousands, but without any spectacle--or interest. It's probably too late for Anita to close her legs and regain the interesting personality she had in the first books, but perhaps Merry can be redeemed...
Rating:
Summary: A superb book, much better than the first in the series
Review: I was a little wary of this book - I love Laurell K. Hamilton's books, but her first in the Merry Gentry series (A Kiss of Shadows) went WAY too heavy on the sex. While sex is an integral part of the series, fortunately it's been toned down some for this second book. Fewer hot and heavy sex scenes means that Hamilton's intriguing characters and well-paced plot have a chance to shine. Merry is the same pragmatic we saw in A Kiss of Shadows. She and her troupe of guards are trying to stay alive and avoid her host of enemies. However, that's not all they're doing. Merry's Aunt Andais, queen of the Unseelie Court, has decreed that her son, Cel, and Merry are co-heirs to the throne: the first to have a child will succeed Andais as ruler. So Merry and her guards are working very hard on that end as well. ^_^ A Caress of Twilight especially fleshes out a couple of the characters who were passed over in the first book - Rhys, the film-noir wannabe, and Kitto, the representative of the goblins. It also further develops Merry and her two leading suitors, Frost and Doyle. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read dark urban fantasy with a touch of humor.
Rating:
Summary: Some girls have all the luck...
Review: Picking up right where A Kiss Of Shadows left off, this book continues the story of Meredith and her quest to stay alive by gaining the throne of the Unseelie court. Back in L.A. Meredith continues her job as an investigator while trying to get pregnant by one of her sexy sidhe guards. In one of her cases, Meredith meets up with an exiled member of the Seelie court and becomes privy to a powerful secret. But it also paints a new target on her back. Now she has to navigate the treacherous political waters of the Seelie court as well as the Unseelie. We get to meet the King of the Seelie court (great scene) and also Merry's mother. I am enjoying this series immensely. It is unabashedly erotic and extremely imaginative. I enjoyed the first book, but felt it was a 'setting the stage' book somewhat. Now that I know many of the players, I was ready to sit back to watch them on their continuing adventures. We learn a little bit more about Doyle, Frost, Rhys and even Kitto. We also learn more about the deep past of the Faerie. The politics of the Seelie court make for an interesting contrast to those of the Unseelie and it is fascinating to 'watch' the infighting amongst the faerie world. The ending was slam-bang and promises a fascinating future for our Merry band. I can't wait to see where they go from here. My only quibble with the book is that it was too short! I wanted it to last longer.
Rating:
Summary: Shows the Promise of Her Earlier Works
Review: While the quality of Ms. Hamilton's writing has degraded in her Anita Blake series, and the first Fey book was a pale shadow of that series, this book shows characterization and patterning that is distinct and interesting. I feel that there are a few problems with pacing and Deus Ex Machina here, but most readers will enjoy this book as a fun romp. It isn't on par with the best of Fantasy, but if you like Honor Harrington, the Three Musketeers, or faerie tales you might like this series, and definitely this book.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful bridge book
Review: Hamilton does a wonderful job of character development in this book. It's a beautiful setup for the rest of the series, and reading about the relationships, conflicts, and passion between Merry and her men was great fun! Ms. Hamilton seems to have skimped a little on the plot though. The plot line was a great idea (a monster called "the Nameless", a movie star who was exiled from fairy, political intrigue in both courts), but it wasn't developed enough at all. I don't want to give it away for those of you who haven't read it yet, but the ending also seemed very abrupt to me, as if she had actually written a longer book and cut it back. The writing over all was good. My only complaint was that she used the phrase "and well you know that" WAAAAAY too often. I found it jarring in a book that otherwise flowed very well. Caress of Twilight wasn't as good as Kiss of Shadows, but it was a good light read that I hope is preparing us for a fabulous third installment in the fairy world!
Rating:
Summary: Consistent anyway
Review: Caress of Twilight continues where Kiss of Shadows leaves off: more sex to solve more fey problems. Even if the sex isn't usually graphic, it's prevalent throughout the entire book. If she's not having sex, Merry is thinking about it or someone near her is. While the point of Merry's life in this sequel is to have a child to gain the fey throne, the use of sexual energy continues into situations that have nothing to do with that. A prominent actress has a problem she wants Merry to help with - now how is Merry going to help? You guessed it - sex. A friend of Merry's needs a cure - how does she get it? Right again.
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