Seraphim

Rating:
Summary: Infernal Torture
Review: After finishing up my graduate work in literature, I looked forward to a nice piece of fiction to help me relax and unwind. The cover and teaser on the back of this book intrigued me, and I must say the premise and ideas contained in the text are interesting. The major flaws lie in the fact that this is NOT A FANTASY NOVEL. The author's history as a romance novelist is quite evident from the triteness of the characters to the stiff and unrealistic dialogue.

The ideas are worth considering, yes, and the novel reads like a Hammer vampire film or a Bulwer-Lytton novel. It's a plane crash with a huge fire from which you cannot pull away. Do not expect Tolkein or Anthony; this is nowhere near the par of even the adventures created by a neophyte Dungeonmaster.

Read at your soul's peril.

Rating:
Summary: Not up to LUNA standards....
Review: Any LUNA books that are released, I buy immediately because I am usually assured of the sorts of fantasy and romance that I prefer. This book was unpleasant in the beginning and I stopped reading halfway once I figured it out: what was the point...? I worked at a bookstore at the time and read it on my breaks, and I am glad, so that I didn't waste money buying it...

Rating:
Summary: It could have been better.
Review: I like the beginning but I was disappointed in how the story went. It is easy to read a book that takes place in a different realm with fariys ect., but when you mix fariys ect. with reality it's a little hard to grasp.

Rating:
Summary: Worse of the Lunas Thus Far
Review: I've been keeping up with the Luna imprint for a friend interested in submitting. I love fantasy, like a well-written romance. No hardship I'd have thought. If it weren't for that, I would have stopped reading "Seraphim" at the prologue.

From the start, the prose was riddled with jarring point of view shifts, tense shifts, and the purplest of prose. There is much use of words like "'twas," "magick," "damsel" "yonder" and such overwrought mixed metaphors as "[He] shot cupid's arrow through her heart, where the iron branded a new scar onto her soul." The hero's eyes are "violet" and the heroine's is often described as "sapphire." This kind of writing is especially evident in the explicit, graceless major love scene. It's the kind of book it's more irresistable to MST than read.

I won't spoil things for those insistant on trying it anyway, but it's filled with the most implausible plot twists in creation--I guess they are twists except in the case of the heroine and antagonist their very names makes them seem clueless not to realize their own natures. It's not giving much away though to relate this is based on the hoarist of fem fantasy cliches--rape and revenge. Only so many have done it so much better.

I've never even submitted a review here before, I don't live to tear authors' works apart. On the whole, I've liked the Lunas. I enjoyed Lackey's "Fairy Godmother" which had the best world-building, was disappointed with Asaro's given her rep (but it wasn't as bad as "Seraphim"), truly loved Zettel's "In Camelot's Shadow" which managed to make that legend fresh, and was charmed by Hale's "The Wizard's Ward" which had perhaps the most appealing hero and interesting character arc. But skip "Seraphim"--which I can only hope is an abberation in this line of books.

Rating:
Summary: 4 Stars for Attempting Something Very Different & Difficult
Review: I've read a few of the Luna titles and for reviewers to say this is one of the worst is really a bit much. While Ms Hauf could do more with some of her writing techniques, such as POV and over lush sentences, she has attempted to write a very difficult novel, and the heroine is complex. I really admire the concept. Frankly, the Luna line has been a mixed bag from the beginning. We've had some excellent writing and bad stories, and we've had some fair writing and good stories.

Combining two genres is never easy work. I am going to follow this series and hope for the best.

Good luck Ms. Hauf and keep working.

Rating:
Summary: 'Read at your soul's peril?' PLEASE... this book was great!
Review: It took me awhile to pick up this one from the shelf, because I wasn't interested in another Joan D'Arc story. But I am extremely glad I forced myself to read it.

I found the story very gripping and moving. My favorite character, by far, is Baldwin Ortolano. I laughed with him, cried with him, laughed AT him (in the most endearing way possible, of course). I was moved by him.

I also really enjoyed the male lead, Dominique San Juste.. and wouldn't mind having my own 'moonlight knight'.

As for the female lead, Seraphim, it's hard to get to know her at first but it's because she's been through so much trauma and tragedy.

If this isn't a fantasy novel, I don't know what is. There is heaven, and hell, demons and faeries (FAERIES, can't get much more fantasical).

I enjoyed it and cannot wait for Gossamyr!

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely dreadful
Review: The author had some interesting ideas, but the writing was so poor that I couldn't get through the book. This is a romance novel thinly disguised as fantasy - full of the most trite cliches. It doesn't belong in the sci fi/fantasy section. Stay away unless you want to read a romance novel

Rating:
Summary: Ignore the other reviews
Review: This is a difficult book to read, not because of the prose or writing (it's actually quite good), but because Sera is a difficult heroine. You immediately feel her pain, it's pulsing and neverending. Dominique (the hero) is also in pain. Two wounded soldiers meet and have to battle one of the greatest evils with very little imformation. I loved the book and you will enjoy it too.

Rating:
Summary: Dragged down
Review: This was not a hopeless read, not so bad as that - there were some very good ideas, but the poor things were dragged down by the sludge of purple prose and weak points in the story premise.
Seraphim is Seraphim d'Ange the only survivor of her murdered family. Armed as the black knight and aided only by the ex-novice monk Baldwin, she is fuelled by a furious thirst for vengeance against the evil de Morte brothers, authors of her suffering.
At the opening of the tale, she has already dispatched one, quickly chops up a second and then rides on for the remaining trio. With all the much vaunted evil of these fallen angels, Seraphim's defeat of them is just not believable, it is far too easy.
On the road to vengeance, she encounters Dominique San Juste. He is a changeling faery desperately seeking his own origins, who joins her for that end. He is definitely the best part of the tale. Interesting, haunted, handsome, magical etc. etc. Far too good for the slightly cardboard Sera. She is described in glowing terms as being so very wonderful, but unfortunately she is not that at all.
There is a good deal of horror enmeshed in the story, of the nasty slimy type. The way in which the next two demons are dispatched is more than revolting.
Secrets of both Sera and Dominique eventually emerge on the journey and then in the final confrontation with the most evil brother, Lucifer.
A shame so much promise was lost in the mix.

Rating:
Summary: Pleasant read- better as you get in to it
Review: To the other readers who abandoned the story early on- you missed out on climactic action, a battle between good and evil, some cool plot twists and introductions to new realms of magic that will be continued in another volume.
Seraphim in brief opens with a woman in black armor travelling with her reluctant squire on quest for vengeance against the evil brothers who have tormented and tortured through a reign of terror. THe worst of the 5- Lucifer killed Seraphim's family leaving her for dead.
Along the way she is forced to do battle with real evil, accept the help of a mysterious mercenary, put aside her hatred and prejudices to conquer evil.
Solid broad fantasy themes, good action and an intersting heroine and decidedly different hero who embraces her as a partner and equal.
I am a firm believer that the solid themes in all of the Luna books of equality, strength and moral fortitude make for great reading. I highly recommend this line particularily for younger readers.