TEST
Before I get into the plot of Darkness Raging, I want to caution readers who are not caught up with the Otherworld series not to read this review. Unfortunately, I can’t adequately review this, the eighteenth entry in the series, without revealing some pretty serious spoilers relating to earlier books.
Things are heating up in Seattle. The D’Artigo sisters have been fighting goblins, trolls and minor demons every night for the past few weeks. It’s obvious to Camille, Delilah and Menolly that Telazhar, a powerful necromancer and ally of the demon lord Shadow Wing, has been taking advantage of countless rogue portals between the worlds. The sisters are determined to stop him, but they know they can’t do it alone. The dragons owe Camille a debt, so she and her husband Smoky head to the Dragon Reaches to enlist their help.
As if all this isn’t enough, Menolly and her wife Nerissa are summoned to meet with Blood Wyne, Queen of the Vampire Nation. Menolly has been acting as the consort to Blood Wyne’s son Roman for some time, but now, the queen wants to make things more official. Menolly isn’t sure how she feels about the order her queen gives her, but can she and Nerissa refuse? Refusing would not be in their best interest, and agreeing will bring the vampire nation one step closer to an alliance with the rest of the country’s supernatural beings.
Even more chaos ensues when, on the eve of a great battle with Shadow Wing, Nerissa is kidnapped. Menolly and her sisters are told to hand over the spirit seals they possess in exchange for Nerissa’s life. Obviously, Menolly knows she cannot give in to these demands. The spirit seals would allow Shadow Wing to destroy all divisions between the realms, something that would prove catastrophic to everyone. So, she devises a plan to bring Nerissa home. Can she succeed?
Narrator Cassandra Campbell has narrated every Yasmine Galenorn book I’ve listened to. I feel like they’re a team. Ms. Campbell seems to really get the author’s sense of humor, as well as seeming to possess a great understanding of the cast of characters Ms. Galenorn has created. She uses a wide range of pitches, timbres, and accents to make sure each character is distinctly voiced.
I was particularly impressed with this narrator’s portrayal of the characters who are demonic. Often, narrators try too hard to make a character sound evil, resulting in a depiction that is laughably over the top. Ms. Campbell does not do this. The listener is given a glimpse of the character’s demonic nature without having it come across too strong. This is a definite plus.
I applaud Ms. Galenorn’s ability to set the stage for future books in the series. Obviously, we aren’t given huge clues into the future of the D’Artigos and their family and friends, but we are given small glimpses. These served as teasers for me, making me wish 2016 would fly by so the next book would be released. Patience is not one of my virtues, especially when we’re talking about great books.
Breakdown of Grade: Narration, A; Content, A-. Unabridged. Length 11 hours 2 minutes.
Grade: A-
Book Type: Audiobook
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 12/02/16
Publication Date: 02/2016
I'm Shannon from Michigan. I've been an avid reader all my life. I adore romance, psychological fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and the occasional memoir. I share my home with my life partner, two dogs, and a very feisty feline.
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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.