Sister to the Rain

Rating:
Summary: Second time's the charm.
Review: I must say that I enjoyed this book much more than the first in the series, Cold Iron. Ms. Michael's concept of elves as charming sociopaths is fascinating, but it made the elf rock stars in Cold Iron hard to take and even harder to care about. That concept is ameliorated somewhat in Sister to the Rain. The elves are still incredibly self-involved and lacking in human morality, but they're a lot more likable and a lot less randomly destructive. Plus, Rosie herself is funnier and less self-destructive in this book, and who wouldn't like her beautiful, but occasionally hapless partner, Shannon? All in all, a very enjoyable read. I understand that Ms. Michaels doesn't plan another sequel, which is a shame, because I'd love to read one.

Rating:
Summary: Second time's the charm.
Review: I must say that I enjoyed this book much more than the first in the series, Cold Iron. Ms. Michael's concept of elves as charming sociopaths is fascinating, but it made the elf rock stars in Cold Iron hard to take and even harder to care about. That concept is ameliorated somewhat in Sister to the Rain. The elves are still incredibly self-involved and lacking in human morality, but they're a lot more likable and a lot less randomly destructive. Plus, Rosie herself is funnier and less self-destructive in this book, and who wouldn't like her beautiful, but occasionally hapless partner, Shannon? All in all, a very enjoyable read. I understand that Ms. Michaels doesn't plan another sequel, which is a shame, because I'd love to read one.

Rating:
Summary: Humorous, riveting in the tradition of Sayers and Paretsky
Review: I've been reading Melisa Michaels' books for years, and have always found the sense of humor she brings to the subject wonderful. When she combines this with a well-told mixture of hard-boiled detective and modern fantasy, the result is excellent.

Readers who have enjoyed Sarah Paretsky or Dorothy Sayers in the past may see some pleasing similarities in a few of the characters. The client, for example, is a dead ringer for Lord Peter Wimsey, seen from the outside world's point of view.

If you're looking for fantasy written for someone past adolescence, pick this book up, and be sure to share it with a friend. You won't be sorry.

Rating:
Summary: Humorous, riveting in the tradition of Sayers and Paretsky
Review: I've been reading Melisa Michaels' books for years, and have always found the sense of humor she brings to the subject wonderful. When she combines this with a well-told mixture of hard-boiled detective and modern fantasy, the result is excellent.

Readers who have enjoyed Sarah Paretsky or Dorothy Sayers in the past may see some pleasing similarities in a few of the characters. The client, for example, is a dead ringer for Lord Peter Wimsey, seen from the outside world's point of view.

If you're looking for fantasy written for someone past adolescence, pick this book up, and be sure to share it with a friend. You won't be sorry.

Rating:
Summary: Unconvincing, poor world-building, a waste of time
Review: My Scale:
1 star--wretched, don't bother;
2 stars-somebody will like it, flawed;
3 stars-pretty darn good with some flaws;
4 stars-great, I'll re-read it;
5 stars-flawless, a classic of the genre.

The World:
Modern San Francisco-with pointy-eared people. Elves have been part of the world for there to have been second or maybe third generation elf-human hybrids (haflings). Elves can do magic. No other changes in human society, economics, technology, or values reported.

The Plot:
Rose Levine is a private investigator is hired to investigate unusual occurances in a mixed (human, elf, Halfling) art colony east of Berkeley. Is it Bigfoot? Another kind of being? Or are mere humans trying to scare the colony off the land, so that it can be developed into a gated, golf course community?

The Review:
This is an uninspired girl P.I. novel, not even as interesting as the previous, *COLD IRON*. Once again, the characterization stinks. The elves come across as just humans with pointy ears stuck on. There's no convincing background framework or explanation: how are elves different from humans in psychology, motivation, elven interpersonal relationships, and so forth-just labels: elves are charming sociopaths.

It also flunks the fantasy test: Elves evidently can do magic, but you don't see that reflected anywhere in the setting--that is, how has the presence of magic changed the world from the way we would perceive it now?

This is too bad. Michaels is a more-than-competent writer (if she hadn't put the elf wrinkle in, these might be better books). Either she should stick to plain mystery fiction, or imagine her worlds much more in depth.

All in all, not worth the time or money.

Rating:
Summary: This rocks
Review: San Francisco private investigators Rosie Lavine and Shannon Arthur do not want to have elves as clients ever again after their previous case almost left themr for dead (see COLD IRON). Who would want as their client a sociopath, which is what an elf actually is. So who else would walk into their office seeking to obtain their services than one of those frail looking, too pretty beings. Rosie and Shannon were recommended to Lord Finandiel, a FOOF if there ever was one. He wants the sleuths to investigate a manifestation that is frightening all the children (wee ones are held in honor by elves) in his community of truebloods, mortal, and halflings.

Since the fee is good and the case seems easy enough, Rosie and Shannon agree to look into the eerie noises that are frightening everyone. However, the simple case takes a bizarre turn when a mortal is murdered. Now, the two Bay area detectives must ferret out a killer before things turn bloody between the races struggling to share a community in the California mountains.

SISTER TO THE RAIN, the second book in the Lavine fantasy mysteries, is a astounding who-done-it that makes supernatural creatures seem absolutely real. The story line is fun, but the characters steal the show. From the acerbically sarcastic Rosie to the prejudicial Finandiel, readers feel like elves are genuine and living in California. Though similar to Laurell Hamilton's Blake mysteries, Melissa Michaels makes her own distinct magic that fans of fantasy who-done-its and the fantasy genre as a whole will want to read. P.S. To learn what a FOOF is, read the book.

Harriet Klausner