Sheep Book Review: The Reckoning, by Alma Katsu

The Reckoning, by Alma Katsu, is book two of the Taker Trilogy. Katsu is a story teller, plain and simple; she can lay it all out there and let the reader sit back and enjoy the ride. While book two drifts away from the twisted darkness of the first in this trilogy it's equally compelling.

Plot:

Lanore McIlvrae is the kind of woman who will do anything for love. Including imprisoning the man who loves her behind a wall of brick and stone.

She had no choice but to entomb Adair, her nemesis, to save Jonathan, the boy she grew up with in a remote Maine town in the early 1800s and the man she thought she would be with forever. But Adair had other plans for her. He used his mysterious, otherworldly powers to give her eternal life, but Lanore learned too late that there was a price for this gift: to spend eternity with him. And though he is handsome and charming, behind Adair’s seductive façade is the stuff of nightmares. He is a monster in the flesh, and he wants Lanore to love him for all of time.

Now, two hundred years after imprisoning Adair, Lanore is trying to atone for her sins. She has given away the treasures she’s collected over her many lifetimes in order to purge her past and clear the way for a future with her new lover, Luke Findley. But, while viewing these items at an exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Lanore suddenly is aware that the thing she’s been dreading for two hundred years has caught up to her: Adair has escaped from his prison. He’s free— and he will come looking for her. And she has no idea how she will save herself.

Book Two picks up a few months after the end of The Taker (Book One) giving the reader a nice flow into the continuing saga. A rough road is in store for our leading lady Lanny and while she's forced to sit down and make some tuff decisions about the future I found her less engaging than in book one. Lanny simply lacked a little of that magic I felt for her in the beginning. She's still looking out for number 1 (herself) and those same old naive tendencies are lingering around, but overall the gal fell down a few notches for me.

Adair's back and man oh man is he a little ticked off about being locked up for the last two hundred years! He's got a whole new world to adjust to and loads to catch up on with the ongoings of his people but in true form he gets hip with the times. This guy was one dark and bad dude but now he's going through a change; can he grow past his wicked darkness to become a better man? And as the reader do you want to see that or is he the guy you just love to hate? I don't know just yet which way I stand on this issue of Adair but hopefully after book three hits I'll be able to come to a better conclusion one way or the other.

This trilogy is out of my normal reading realm but I still find quite a bit I like here. A darker story with more hate than love but maybe change for our lead characters is on the horizon.

Getting 3 and 1/2 'pass the hookah' Sheep

KD

Sheep Book Review: The Taker by Alma Katsu

The Taker, by Alma Katsu, is a PNR for readers who like some good old-fashioned storytelling mixed in with the darker side of life. And oh my my does this book take on the darkness!

Plot:
True love can last an eternity...Have you ever loved someone so much that you'd do anything for them? When Dr Luke Findley turns up to his hospital shift in the small town of St Andrews, Maine, he's expecting just another evening of minor injuries and domestic disputes. But instead, Lanore McIlvrae walks into his life - and changes it forever. For Lanny is a woman with a past...Lanny McIlvrae is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. Hers is a story of love and betrayal that defies time and transcends mortality - and cannot end until Lanny's demons are finally put to rest. Her two hundred years on this earth have seen her seduced by both decadence and brutality - but through it all she has stayed true to the one true love of her life. Until now. An unforgettable novel about the power of unrequited love to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy, "The Taker" is an immortal love story on an epic scale...

The Taker starts out in the cold, East Coast town of St. Andrews in the present day. We follow the lonely life of Luke, the small town doctor, and a night shift that might change his entire life. Luke is immediately drawn to the young woman Lanny, but with the cops trying to pin murder charges on her Luke has to make some hard decisions and possibly ruin not only his life but his career as well. It's a high risk gamble but one that could end up being the most life changing event! What will he do?!

What I liked the most about this story was the fact that the author takes the time to tell her story. It's like when you watch a well-written film for the dialog and character interaction, rather than the bang-bang and special effects. As the story continues into the history of St. Andrews you get to totally immerse yourself in the hard life our early settlers faced in the snow-covered lands close to Canada. The perfect amount of time is used to get the reader to feel as though they have become a part of that time, the people, and the family life that was so different. I was never bored in these moments and truly enjoyed them.

One of the major downfalls though was the present day interaction between Lanny and Luke. I never understood it and frankly wish this was either taken out or written completely different. Luke never strikes me as the type of guy to jump through so many hoops nor do or say all the things he does over the course of the book. In fact I would go so far as to say he was "Luke warm". (Get it? Pun usage. Point for me!) I am trying to keep this review spoiler-free but if you've already read this and would like to know my point of facts please feel free to email me privately.

Aside from the present-day nonsense, the story does have a very dark and twisted element; you should be aware this includes suicide, rape, kidnapping, murder and physical abuse towards women. I had to skim over a couple of pages, so make sure to put your big girl pants on before diving into this one. It's dark and twisted, but hopefully a message can be gained from the experience. If nothing else...never get in the car with strangers.

The next edition to this saga, The Reckoning, hits shelves June 19th 2012.

Getting 3 'Barn yard escapades' Sheep
KD