TEST
Paranormal romances seem to be everywhere these days, many of them covering the usual vampire/werewolf/psychic terrain. Vickie Taylor’s Carved in Stone offers paranormal fans something new, introducing a universe built around atypical supernatural creatures for the genre: gargoyles.
When she was a child, Rachel Vandermere saw her parents murdered by a monstrous creature with wings and three-toed claws. She soon learned not to share the story because no one believed her, but what she saw that long ago night continued to haunt her. She went on to become an Interpol agent, first tracking art thieves and smugglers, then moving on to work in antiterrorism. But she is constantly on watch for reports of strange activities and unexplained phenomena, searching for proof of the monsters she knows exist in the world.
One night while in pursuit of an assassin targeting a French diplomat in Chicago, she comes across a strange murder that reminds her of her parents’ deaths. She thinks she sees a creature flying away from the scene, and the lone survivor bears scratch marks that couldn’t be made by anyone’s bare hands – no one human at least. The man himself, Nathan Cross, clearly isn’t telling the whole truth about what happened. Rachel is determined to find out exactly what he’s hiding, but she can’t imagine how big his secrets are.
Nathan is one of Les Gargouillen, a race of gargoyles created centuries earlier to defend humanity from harm. Shapeshifters with both powerful physical and mental abilities, they are essentially immortal. Each time they die, their souls are reborn in a new generation to live, die and be reborn once more. It’s a patriarchal society, where sons are stolen away from their mothers at an early age to be raised and schooled in the ways of the congregation. Nathan himself left the congregation and is an outcast among his people, cut off from the others. He knows that his kind are not particularly necessary in our present-day world that has little use for creatures such as them, and he’s determined to find some kind of normal life. But when Rachel makes it clear she’s not going to stop investigating until she learns the truth about the murder that brought them together, Nathan agrees to work with her. He intends to keep her from finding out about Les Gargouillen. He doesn’t count on the powerful effect this human woman has on him.
This is an intriguing premise that makes for a fascinating read. With her gargoyles, the author has created a distinctive mythology that’s complex and very well thought out. The way this story unfolds offers a smooth introduction to their world and allows us to get a feel for these creatures and their society without being too overwhelmed. The author delivers a nice sense of atmosphere, with a fitting light gothic touch to the proceedings.
While Nathan can be a little manipulative at times, he and Rachel are a well-matched pair, since they are both strong, somewhat tortured individuals. Although the character development could have been deeper, they’re sympathetic with good chemistry between them. They share a supernatural connection that’s used effectively, and there are some nicely romantic moments.
In some ways, this particular story works better as an introduction to the gargoyles than it does as a compelling tale in its own right. The relationship between Nathan and Rachel is mostly well-done, but the external plot is less effective, as Rachel tries to locate the other man who was present at the murder scene that night. He’s also a gargoyle, so Nathan is determined to keep her from meeting him. This wasn’t all that interesting or suspenseful. As a reader, it never seemed to matter much whether she found this guy, because either way, it’s seemed pretty inevitable that she would learn about the gargoyles eventually. The plotting is a little uneven, and lacks tension. The only real antagonist takes a while to develop into a dangerous threat. There are hints that there’s a larger menace at work, but those hints remain vague and nebulous for too long. The way the story finally comes together is effective, with a suspenseful and frightening climax. Still, for the most part, the characters and their interaction was more interesting than the storyline itself.
There’s no mention on my review copy or the author’s website whether this is intended to be the beginning of a series. It certainly feels like it, though. In the end, the love story has a satisfying ending. At the same time, the larger issues raised for the gargoyles are left open, with much more obviously awaiting them on the horizon. The world of the gargoyles is not totally explored and there are some elements left a little murky. I hope this is just the beginning of a series. While certain aspects of this book could have been stronger, especially as a stand-alone, it is an intriguing introduction to a creative universe that deserves to be explored further.
Grade: B-
Book Type: Shapeshifter Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 31/05/05
Publication Date: 2005/06
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.