A Stroke of Midnight, Laurell K. Hamilton

I was left with a feeling of wanting more after reading Seduced by Moonlight. I wanted the question of Merry's mortality. Which, I got no answers for. Although what develops out of this book is a portrayal of her new and ever growing powers.

What starts as the main theme of the book, a double homicide including a brownie and a human inside the slithen, becomes almost obsolete by the end. The homicide was reminiscent of old school Anita Blake with Merry attempting to solve the murder. But Andais ends up with the culprit after torturing him. We do not as the reader discover how Andais knows what noble to torture. We don't learn of all the events that went on after Merry passed out up until she wakes up in the Queen's bed. The only thing we gain from this crime is we learn that faery was so weakened by Taranis' and Andais' individual rulings that it did not even take cold iron to a fey's heart to kill them, and this fact is almost stated as an afterthought in the last few pages of the book.

Although it only lasted for a few pages, I was incredibly dismayed when I had thought that Galen had died. Though I am not rooting for Galen for kingship, I love his character. 

This book did not hold up to what is classically Laurell. The ending is typically the icing on the cake. And you have to struggle through the middle sections of the book. This however had a great build up in the middle and trickled off with no killer ending, just the scene with Onilwyn stating a fact we had already learned in the beginning of the book.

All in all, I think this is one of those books in the middle of series that we must endear in order to press on into the good stuff.

The Harlequin, Larurell K. Hamilton

Edward is back. As well as Olaf. I had debated whether I would actually continue on with Anita. And after a brief research of movie/tv adaptation of the series, I am not alone in my frustration with the last six or so books. But Edward is my favorite character, and I could not resist.

What I found was that I was not exactly disappointed. Not like previously. I read it quickly. There was less sex than you normally get, which was, I must say, a relief.

I enjoyed the concept of the Harlequin. That the vampire council has their own police. I liked the masks as a means of communication.

Although I found less action as well, and a bit less plot than Laurell tends to give us, it was still more reminiscent of earlier in her series... I just hope she keeps it up.