by J. Kathleen Cheney
February 2nd 2016
by Roc
Pages: 432
Shironne Anjir's status as a sensitive is both a gift and a curse. Her augmented senses allow her to discover and feel things others can’t, but her talents come with a price: a constant assault of emotions and sensations has left her blind. Determined to use her abilities as best she can, Shironne works tirelessly as an investigator for the Larossan army.
A member of the royal family's guard, Mikael Lee also possesses an overwhelming power—he dreams of the deaths of others, sometimes in vivid, shocking detail, and sometimes in cryptic fragments and half-remembered images.
But then a killer brings a reign of terror to the city, snuffing out his victims with an arcane and deadly blood magic. Only Shironne can sense and interpret Mikael’s dim, dark dreams of the murders. And what they find together will lead them into a nightmare...
Shironne is a sensitive which has made her life very difficult. She has to be extremely careful about what she touches because she feels everything that the item touched. This gift also made her blind, which in this society is frowned upon. Mikael dreams about deaths and it affects not only his health but all the sensitives around him.
When I start reading a new book series, especially one from an author I’ve never read, it always takes me some time to get into it. I’m not sure if it’s me or the book. This one was no different. I really felt I needed a little more background into the setting. I had trouble following the story line because of it and it made it hard for me to read and stay interested. I had hoped as the book continued that the story line would speed up a little but it really didn’t. I just found it too slow for my tastes. The storyline itself was intriguing and if you are more patient than I am that it would be worth the read.
Getting 3 sheep
When I start reading a new book series, especially one from an author I’ve never read, it always takes me some time to get into it. I’m not sure if it’s me or the book. This one was no different. I really felt I needed a little more background into the setting. I had trouble following the story line because of it and it made it hard for me to read and stay interested. I had hoped as the book continued that the story line would speed up a little but it really didn’t. I just found it too slow for my tastes. The storyline itself was intriguing and if you are more patient than I am that it would be worth the read.
Getting 3 sheep
Denise B
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J. Kathleen Cheney is nothing if not versatile in her story telling, but weaving through her work is a common thread, that of the improbable heroine. From worlds set in humanity's distant post-apocalyptic future to alternate worlds of today or of the near past, Kathleen's heroines include a siren who with help from a gentleman of the city must stop a regicidal plot, the neglected daughter of an absent king coming to terms with her shapeshifting ancestors, a blind teenager who dreams of others' deaths and who uses her gift of touch to find their killers, and the widow of a trainer who with a most unusual horse must save her farm and way of life. All use their unusual gifts and talents to overcome obstacles and find their place in the world.
In 2005 Kathleen decided to pursue writing as a full-time endeavor and has since enjoyed seeing her stories published in Shimmer, The Sword Review, and Baen's Universe. Her novella "Iron Shoes" was a 2011 Nebula nominee. Kathleen twice attended the summer Writer's Workshop at the Center for the Study of Science Fiction under the tutelage of James Gunn. She lists C. J. Cherryh, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Georgette Heyer among the writers who influenced her most--as well as Ansen Dibell, whose ghostly fingerprints can be seen all over her work.
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Kathleen's parents actually were rocket scientists (they worked at White Sands Missile Range), which made for interesting dinner-time conversations. After graduating with degrees in English and Marketing she worked as a menswear buyer for retail department store chains before changing careers to become a teacher, where she taught mathematics ranging from 7th Grade Arithmetic up to Calculus. Kathleen also served a brief stint as a Gifted and Talented Specialist. She coached the Academic Team and the Robotics Team and was the Chess Club sponsor.
When not writing, Kathleen likes to don a mask and get sweaty fencing, both foil and saber. Quieter hobbies include putting on her Wellingtons and getting her hands dirty in the garden. She also enjoys traveling and taking care of her dogs. Two large, hairy, dogs.
J. Kathleen Cheney is nothing if not versatile in her story telling, but weaving through her work is a common thread, that of the improbable heroine. From worlds set in humanity's distant post-apocalyptic future to alternate worlds of today or of the near past, Kathleen's heroines include a siren who with help from a gentleman of the city must stop a regicidal plot, the neglected daughter of an absent king coming to terms with her shapeshifting ancestors, a blind teenager who dreams of others' deaths and who uses her gift of touch to find their killers, and the widow of a trainer who with a most unusual horse must save her farm and way of life. All use their unusual gifts and talents to overcome obstacles and find their place in the world.
In 2005 Kathleen decided to pursue writing as a full-time endeavor and has since enjoyed seeing her stories published in Shimmer, The Sword Review, and Baen's Universe. Her novella "Iron Shoes" was a 2011 Nebula nominee. Kathleen twice attended the summer Writer's Workshop at the Center for the Study of Science Fiction under the tutelage of James Gunn. She lists C. J. Cherryh, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Georgette Heyer among the writers who influenced her most--as well as Ansen Dibell, whose ghostly fingerprints can be seen all over her work.
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Kathleen's parents actually were rocket scientists (they worked at White Sands Missile Range), which made for interesting dinner-time conversations. After graduating with degrees in English and Marketing she worked as a menswear buyer for retail department store chains before changing careers to become a teacher, where she taught mathematics ranging from 7th Grade Arithmetic up to Calculus. Kathleen also served a brief stint as a Gifted and Talented Specialist. She coached the Academic Team and the Robotics Team and was the Chess Club sponsor.
When not writing, Kathleen likes to don a mask and get sweaty fencing, both foil and saber. Quieter hobbies include putting on her Wellingtons and getting her hands dirty in the garden. She also enjoys traveling and taking care of her dogs. Two large, hairy, dogs.
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