DARKFEVER

Author: Karen Marie Moning ISBN: 0440240980 9/2007 PARANORMAL Publisher: BANTAM DELL

When MacKayla's sister was murdered, she left a single clue to her death—a cryptic message on Mac's cell phone. Journeying to Ireland in search of answers, Mac is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to master a power she had no idea she possessed—a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae. As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho... while at the same time, the ruthless Vlane—an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women—closes in on her. As the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: to find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book—because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of both worlds in their hands. . . .

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Before I get to my actual review, I need to say a few things to those of you that are thinking of purchasing DARKFEVER because:

a.) You love the Highlander books Moning has written.
b.) You think DARKFEVER is a romance.
c.) You enjoy Moning's writing style that consists of third person narratives.

NONE of those things apply to DARKFEVER. So, unless you are open-minded about an author following his or her muse in a completely different direction, DARKFEVER is going to be quite a surprise to you.

Now on to the review!

Following a trend that I enjoy from the likes of C. E. Murphy, Kim Harrison, and Lori Handeland, Karen Marie Moning has chosen to deliver a first person series. Hers involves the Fae along with some other creatures, and takes place in the present city of Dublin—and in all honesty, is devoid of romance. Though I notice on the jacket it is billed as one—and not that some sexual type things are absent entirely—but in no way are those things romantic. Truly, this is a tale of revenge and of a typecast heroine (blond hair/perfect/loves pink) that is forced to grow up when she spies dead people... I mean, Fae. It also reminds me A LOT of the Crimson City series, except that series involves Demon that are escaping to invade the human world instead of Fae. Anyway, I am not completely sure that Moning is in her element here, but I will continue to ride along and see.

As Moning is a fantastic writer, and I find myself drawn to this anti-heroine looking to save the world (if it comes at the price of avenging her slain sister), I do look forward to the next Fever book. DARKFEVER leaves so many loose ends that I just have to finish this story. It is like The X-Files in that way. And just because I do not consider this first book Moning's greatest achievement—NOTHING tops Daegus from DARK HIGHLANDER anyway, so that does not really matter to me—DARKFEVER does move quickly, is suspenseful, and dangles enough cryptic scenes to keep me interested.

Shannon Johnson