Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
First in a new urban fantasy series with varied beings, 11 May 2007
This is the first in the Immortals series of five half-brothers and in this story we follow the brother Adrian, son of Isis. He has been searching for his brother Tain for 700 years and when he gets the first whiff of a clue he follows it - from Los Angeles to Seattle where he discovers a demon attacking a young witch, Amber. He saves the witch's life (although the demon gets away) and then the two of them band together to try to discover what's happened to Tain, why the witch's sister Susan was murdered by the demon a month ago, and why there is a significant increase in evil powers.
Of course throwing hero and heroine together right at the beginning of the novel leaves you pretty sure what's going to happen. Equally this is no story of people who initially dislike each other coming to change their minds (à la Pride & Prejudice), this is the sort of story where hero and heroine fall instantly in lust and the question in the reader's mind isn't 'will they get together?' but 'when will they get the sex over with so we can get on with the plot'. There's little character change or growth, it's more a story of fighting a quest to overcome evil, although with the sexual attraction between hero and heroine as a major element.
The world that Jennifer Ashley has created for this series has got an awful lot of different creatures in it; in fact, she seems to have pretty much anything that's ever been included in another paranormal fantasy book - vampires, werewolves, Unseelie, demons, witches, dragons, gods, goddesses... and of course Immortals. The Immortals have lived for thousands of years but their role has changed over that time and they don't do a great deal in the modern world apart from help out when they find a need. They've rather lost their way as all the really strong evil Old Ones were disposed of some time ago so there's nothing really significant for them to battle.
However it soon becomes apparent to Adrian and Amber that things are getting rather complicated and they end up working together with a dragon and a master vampire to try and get to the bottom of the demon magic that killed Susan and to find Tain.
Initially I found the book a bit slow-going but it perked up midway through as Adrian and Amber became more aware of the challenges they faced in rescuing Tain and disposing of the evil demon. The other characters working with them add an element of fun and variety to the story and the pace keeps going after the midpoint. I felt that the ending was rather an anti-climax but it sets the scene for the next stories in the series although there were still some loose ends, particularly regarding the long-term nature of their relationship.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Welcome to a new paranormal world, 3 Aug 2007
"The Calling" is the first book in an intended five novel series and refers to a spell only the most powerful of "life magic" witches can cast to summon the five sons of the Goddess. These Immortals; each born of a different aspect of The Mother Goddess were created thousands of years ago to battle those that wield "death magic"; vampires, demons and other nasty beasties who prey on mankind. Yet now in a modern world where paranormal species mingle freely with humans, death magic is in danger of overpowering life magic; threatening the future of the world. As powerful witches begin to die and mortal deaths at the hands of demons and vampires increase significantly, it appears The Immortals are needed again for the first time in 700 years.
Amber Silverthorne, a practicing witch is investigating her sister's murder when she is confronted by a demon and quickly rescued by a handsome stranger who "just happened to be passing". She knows immediately that he isn't human, having had close contact with both werewolves and vampires, yet he is something far more powerful than anything or anyone she has ever met.
The son of Isis, Adrian continues his endless battle against death magic alone; having completely lost contact with his siblings seven centuries earlier following the mysterious disappearance of his favourite brother Tain. Despite his continuous search Adrian finds no trace of Tain, who is hidden away by an ancient demon and tortured for centuries. It is not until Adrian feels the death of Susan (Amber's sister) that he has a place to search; but soon he finds himself torn between protecting either Tain or Amber when he falls heavily for a mortal witch.
It will be interesting to see how this series develops, as the next two books are written by different authors and the final two by Jennifer Ashley again. The next two are available in print and the fourth book is due for paperback release in the next few weeks; however the final story featuring Tain is currently in the works. "The Calling" has everything I enjoy in a paranormal romance; from of course the romantic relationship between the leading lovers to plenty of action and supernatural beings in scores. In this world, the average mortal (excluding Detective Simon) remains on the peripheral; expect instead to meet only powerful witches, a variety of shape shifters, Gods, Goddesses, vampires and demons. I think the only thing missing was an alien or two. This book was an exciting read and has definitely spurred me on to read the rest of this series. I have already ordered the next three paperbacks and eagerly await their arrival;
"The Darkening" by Robin T Popp
Featuring Darius (son of Sekhmet) and Lexi; a bounty hunter/witch/werewolf
"The Awakening" by Joy Nash
Featuring Kalen (son of Uni) and a witch named Christine Lachlan
"The Gathering" by Jennifer Ashley (due for pub. late Aug 07)
Featuring Hunter (son of Kali) and a witch named Leda Snow
Lastly Tain's story (the son of Cerridwen) is currently untitled and his heroine unnamed; although I have learnt she does appear in "The Gathering".
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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Readers beware, 23 Sep 2007
About two-thirds of the way through, this so-called paranormal romance changes into a very nasty, gory horror and sex story. Where the hero is brutalised and his brother is tortured. Just the kind of story I do not like at all. So much so that I had to skip to the final chapter just to make sure of the HEA. Which turns out to be very half-hearted. The heroine is brought back to life by a goddess.
But more than anything. I really felt that Adrian's brother Tain deserved a much better ending. The poor guy is still destined to be flayed alive every 3 days. The descriptions of which were really too much for me. I'm not surprised Tain yearns for the end of the world seeing that is the only way his torture will be finished. And the traitorous vampire Septimus thoroughly deserved to take Tain's place for a few decades at least. Instead he gets to remain Adrian's good buddy. Despite the fact that he nearly drained Adrian dry of blood. So for me the ending was highly unsatisfactory. And once again no other reviewer warned me of that fact.
What a nicompoop Adrian turned out to be. He searches for Tain for hundreds of years and then when he finally finds him he gives him up for the sake of 'true lurve' with a former college good-time gal. I'm just grateful my freedom doesn't depend on him. I felt that Adrian and Amber's dubious HEA came at too high a cost.
ps. This story also features lots and lots and lots of pretty useless trivial magic of all forms. Just bring along a few weapons next time dearies.
A very unsatisfactory read.
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by Jennifer Ashley
by Joy Nash
by Jennifer Ashley
by Robin T Popp
