Son of Darkness

Rating:
Summary: Great Beginning, Now Let's Have A Sequel
Review: Although all of the favorable reviewers seem to agree that this book begs a sequel, it isn't dependent upon one because the conflict is resolved by the end of the story. It's just that the two main characters, Denise Sheridan and Ilaron Highborn, have finally become a team by the end of the book, and the reader just wants to see more of them.

This book provided an interesting view of the Unseelie court of Faerie, somewhat different than that of Laurell K. Hamilton or Emma Bull. This is a place of no sun, no joy, no love. Pain and torture are everyday occurances and advancement within the society is through assasination. There is no such thing as family loyalty. It is a much darker and bleaker place than other depictions.

Ilaron Highborn is considered to be a heretic within that culture because he has decided to turn away from the Darkness. Even though he renounced his claims to the Unseelie throne, no one believes him because no one tells the truth there. He escapes to the human realm and sets himself up as an art dealer. Ms. Sherman has created an interesting character in Ilaron, and fleshes him out by explaining the adaptations he's had to make to deal with exposure to the sun and the ever-present iron, which is deadly to the Faerie. Denise Sheridan is a curator of Mesopotamian art at a NYC museum, which is a thinly disguised copy of the Metropolitan. She is an annoyance to the museum director who considers her department not flashy enough to bring in the crowds and the money. Her work brings her into contact with Ilaron, and her historical expertise ultimately puts her in jeopardy.

While this isn't a romance, per se, there is a growing relationship between Ilaron and Denise based upon two rather lonely people from totally different cultures coming to understand and appreciate the other. Of course, this being an urban fantasy, there other beings involved - the ruler of the Unseelie who is trying to destroy Ilaron, a group of cultists who want to kill Denise, and a released Assyrian/Babylonian Demon of Disease who is set loose in NYC and wants to destroy Denise because she has the knowledge to banish it. Innocents and not-so-innocents are harmed, battles occur, and ultimately one side triumphs. I really enjoyed this book and hope that someday there'll be a sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Great Beginning, Now Let's Have A Sequel
Review: Although all of the favorable reviewers seem to agree that this book begs a sequel, it isn't dependent upon one because the conflict is resolved by the end of the story. It's just that the two main characters, Denise Sheridan and Ilaron Highborn, have finally become a team by the end of the book, and the reader just wants to see more of them.

This book provided an interesting view of the Unseelie court of Faerie, somewhat different than that of Laurell K. Hamilton or Emma Bull. This is a place of no sun, no joy, no love. Pain and torture are everyday occurances and advancement within the society is through assasination. There is no such thing as family loyalty. It is a much darker and bleaker place than other depictions.

Ilaron Highborn is considered to be a heretic within that culture because he has decided to turn away from the Darkness. Even though he renounced his claims to the Unseelie throne, no one believes him because no one tells the truth there. He escapes to the human realm and sets himself up as an art dealer. Ms. Sherman has created an interesting character in Ilaron, and fleshes him out by explaining the adaptations he's had to make to deal with exposure to the sun and the ever-present iron, which is deadly to the Faerie. Denise Sheridan is a curator of Mesopotamian art at a NYC museum, which is a thinly disguised copy of the Metropolitan. She is an annoyance to the museum director who considers her department not flashy enough to bring in the crowds and the money. Her work brings her into contact with Ilaron, and her historical expertise ultimately puts her in jeopardy.

While this isn't a romance, per se, there is a growing relationship between Ilaron and Denise based upon two rather lonely people from totally different cultures coming to understand and appreciate the other. Of course, this being an urban fantasy, there other beings involved - the ruler of the Unseelie who is trying to destroy Ilaron, a group of cultists who want to kill Denise, and a released Assyrian/Babylonian Demon of Disease who is set loose in NYC and wants to destroy Denise because she has the knowledge to banish it. Innocents and not-so-innocents are harmed, battles occur, and ultimately one side triumphs. I really enjoyed this book and hope that someday there'll be a sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Acceptable, but not very polished and sophisticated.
Review: As with every book I've read published by Roc, "Son of Darkness" is forthright and simplistic. Josepha Sherman weaves togeather good basic story elements, but misses the depth and development of details and character that make a good fantasy novel convincing. There are some excellent and imaginative touches, such as the relationship between magic and electrical energy, but overall it was disappointing.

Rating:
Summary: Light read
Review: Dark, mysterious Ilaron teams up with plucky Denise Sheridan, a museum curator. Through Ilaron, Denise discovers that the worlds she reads about in her beloved fantasy novels may not be completely fictional after all. Ilaron is handsome, strong, wealthy, and he harbors a secret past that no one on this earth could imagine. Once a cult leader fixates on Denise and attempts to offer her as a sacrifice to call an ancient goddess, Ilaron and Denise are thrown into a chaotic, dangerous quest to stop the destruction of this realm. Together they must fight Lamashtu, an arrogant, bored and powerful goddess, as well as Kerezar, a dangerous nemesis from Ilaron's past.
This was a relatively enjoyable read. There is a great deal of humor as both Ilaron and Kerezar struggle in a world full of technology and bizarre pop culture. Denise is interesting enough as the heroine of the story, but she buys into Ilaron's story of his secret identity a bit too quickly to be believable. What you won't find in this book is strong writing or a complex plot. Everything is pretty straight forward and moves quickly toward the predictable climax. SON is probably best suited as a young adult novel; the reader does not really have to guess at anything throughout the story. It's amusing, it's a quick read, and there are moments in the book that are quite enjoyable. Overall, I found it lacking challenge and depth, but if you are looking for something that is quick and light, this might be just the thing.

Rating:
Summary: Light read
Review: Dark, mysterious Ilaron teams up with plucky Denise Sheridan, a museum curator. Through Ilaron, Denise discovers that the worlds she reads about in her beloved fantasy novels may not be completely fictional after all. Ilaron is handsome, strong, wealthy, and he harbors a secret past that no one on this earth could imagine. Once a cult leader fixates on Denise and attempts to offer her as a sacrifice to call an ancient goddess, Ilaron and Denise are thrown into a chaotic, dangerous quest to stop the destruction of this realm. Together they must fight Lamashtu, an arrogant, bored and powerful goddess, as well as Kerezar, a dangerous nemesis from Ilaron's past.
This was a relatively enjoyable read. There is a great deal of humor as both Ilaron and Kerezar struggle in a world full of technology and bizarre pop culture. Denise is interesting enough as the heroine of the story, but she buys into Ilaron's story of his secret identity a bit too quickly to be believable. What you won't find in this book is strong writing or a complex plot. Everything is pretty straight forward and moves quickly toward the predictable climax. SON is probably best suited as a young adult novel; the reader does not really have to guess at anything throughout the story. It's amusing, it's a quick read, and there are moments in the book that are quite enjoyable. Overall, I found it lacking challenge and depth, but if you are looking for something that is quick and light, this might be just the thing.

Rating:
Summary: Not epic, but fun
Review: Despite the somewhat unimaginative plot (Dark Forces attack New York) the writing in this book is quite good. I thought Ilaron was a particularly interesting character (attempting to escape his Dark Past). This is a good book if you're looking for a quick adventure fantasy. I think it's a good setup for a sequel, too--how 'bout it, Ms. Sherman?

Rating:
Summary: Nicely Done
Review: I am a New Yorker and that was one of the things that drew me to the book. The City is described perfectly, along with it's denizens. The magics seem to be based on a lot of research, which appeals to me as well. And then of course there is Ilaron Highborn and his Inner Darkness... This is a wonderful book to curl up with. Just make sure that you'll have no interruptions. :)

Rating:
Summary: Son of Darkness -- Priceless
Review: I just can't say how much I love this book. Alot. Extremely much. Denise and Ilaron are characters you won't forget, and after reading this book, you'll be dying for a sequel.

Ilaron is a "Dark Elf" escaped from Sidhe-Land to lead a normal life as an art collecter and dealer. He's delicious. He's got long black hair and wicked cool shades. Yum yum yum. Denise is an museum curator, helping Ilaron fight bad Sumerian demons. No, no, really, there's more to it than that, but I shan't be giving it away.

Elves. Swords. Subway Trains. The perfect modern elf fantasy... I'd recommend this book to all Fantasy and Sci-Fi readers. Josepha Sherman never disapoints.

Rating:
Summary: Son of Darkness -- Priceless
Review: I just can't say how much I love this book. Alot. Extremely much. Denise and Ilaron are characters you won't forget, and after reading this book, you'll be dying for a sequel.

Ilaron is a "Dark Elf" escaped from Sidhe-Land to lead a normal life as an art collecter and dealer. He's delicious. He's got long black hair and wicked cool shades. Yum yum yum. Denise is an museum curator, helping Ilaron fight bad Sumerian demons. No, no, really, there's more to it than that, but I shan't be giving it away.

Elves. Swords. Subway Trains. The perfect modern elf fantasy... I'd recommend this book to all Fantasy and Sci-Fi readers. Josepha Sherman never disapoints.

Rating:
Summary: Not slick, but highly entertaining
Review: I read this book on the strength of its reviews--with trepidations, since I am also sick of the idea that New York City is the Center of the Universe. As soon as I finished the book, though, I hurried to update my EYES notifications to include books by this author. The plot is fun, with a lot of inherent humor, and the characters are written with affection and sympathy. While the book lacks some depth and polish, it kept me grinning from ear to ear most of the time. I especially enjoyed the ingenious details of how Ilaron, a former member of the Unseelie Court, has adapted to modern urban life. Fun and charming, overall. I don't even mind if the author sets a sequel in NYC, as long as there IS a sequel!