I enjoyed A CARESS OF TWILIGHT quite a bit, in the same way I would enjoy a action adventure movie. It is straight action from beginning to end. This book is the continuining adventures of Princess Meredith as she learns about her powers and about what is going on in both courts of the Sidhe. She still has her group of men, she is developing more as a leader, but the question of who will be the next king/queen of the unseelie court is still undecided. Lots of sex, but more alluded to than described - I actually think the recent Anita Blake books are much more graphic. Then again, there are a few scenes that are definitly described, and if LKH went into full description every time Merry and one of her men had sex the book would be 1200 pgs long. I would not describe it as traditionally romantic, but it does seem to be moving that direction as part of the larger story arc. Definite recommend for those of you who do not mind the multi partner plot line.--Shelley (29 Mar 02)And then there was CARESS OF TWILIGHT. Yeah, what Shelley said yesterday. Not a romance since we have multiple partners and we're left not exactly sure who Merry is going to end up with. Where Anita is a story about chasing bad guys and where do you become like them after thinking like them (to catch them), this is a tale about learning to wield power and learning to lead.
In this book, we have Merry in LA and half way though the six month period when her cousin Cel is being punished for trying to have her killed. The politics at the Unseelie Court are a pain - so are the politics at the Seelie Court, and we discover some secrets about the King of Light and Illusion we really wish we didn't know.
While this tale comes to a conclusion with two very important revelations, it's definitely part of a series. We will have to wait another year (or two) for the story to continue.
Obviously I couldn't wait to read it but won't be revisiting like I do the Anita Blake books.--Barbara (31 Mar 02)
I finally found some selfish just for me time and read through Laurell K. Hamilton's A CARESS OF TWILIGHT in two days. That's saying something because I haven't finished a 300+ page book in less than a week in over two (maybe even three) years.
Possible Spoilers . . I'll try to be vague
ACoT was very difficult to put down and it was most definitely entertaining. But when I finished it I felt like I was missing out on something and it took me about three days to discover exactly what it was. The writing was emotionally empty and the story seemed very rushed. The plot zips along from one crises to another and though LKH reveals a little more about Merry's feelings for her group of men (and reveals some interesting bits about their history) when she proclaims (to herself) that she's in love with one of the men I was hard pressed to understand why. Maybe I've read too many romances but these guys are all (for the most part) hunky, adoring and strong but they started to blend together in my head.. Especially Nicca, Rhys and Frost. I never felt like I knew all that much about any of them and never felt any true emotional bond between the men and Merry. I'm guessing her king won't be any of the guys in this current group . . .
Another problem for me was the muted gore. Call me a gorehound but the total lack of any sort of detail of the horror distanced me from the horrific impact of a few scenes that should've been tragic. There was absolutely no emotional reaction. Maybe it's that emotional distance thing again. I'm not sure. I just remember feeling horror, disgust, anguish and a wee bit of fear when reading the early Anita Blake books. I never felt any of that here. It all felt too safe.
Despite all that put me down as a recommend. I didn't pick up this book expecting to be put through the emotional wringer anyway and it was a lot of fun to read. The sex was plentiful but toned down and I think Merry is an interesting character and particularly enjoy the scenes where she's dealing with members of the Unseelie and Seelie court while learning to weild her power and become a tough leader. She's free of sexual hang-ups and I like that too. If LKH would flesh out her plot lines (that creature at the end was pretty lame and too darned easy to take down for my liking), add in some of the dark humor that made me love the early Anita books and concentrate on a smaller cast of characters I might be tempted to rave.--Laurie (11 Apr 02)
I highly recommend this book!!!!!. I'm enjoying this series *so* much that I think I may like it even better than the Anita Blake books!! Princess Meredith is back at the detective agency with her bodyguard lovers. Of course she is following orders and trying to get pregnant so she will be heir instead of the Queen's son. If she fails her life expectancy and that of most of her guards are about nil.
I usually don't like it when there are multiple partners but LKH has sucked me into this world so much that I've gotten the same attitude toward sex that the unseelie have.<g> You would think this would turn into a boink fest but it doesn't. More like a smorgasboard of paranormal delights.<g> You learn more about the guards, epecially Doyle, Rhys and Frost. I've come to really like Kitto, the snake goblin-seelie mix.
There is just so much going on. Ghosts on a rampage, The Nameless on the loose, secrets becoming known, characters growing and changing, powers discovered, and power moves (alliances) made. You learn more information about the goblins and fey. Its just fascinating.
I'm just hoping Merry gets pregnant by the right guy since she has to marry the one that is the father. Love is already being mentioned but obviously that won't matter; it's who gets her pregnant. The long awaited love scene with Doyle was quite a surprise!! ;-) I unfortunately had to put this book down a lot, but it was so good it didn't matter. I still loved it.--Linda (26 Apr 02)
