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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
Soft 4. This was stronger than the first one. I like the chemistry with Dina and Shaun. I like the different take with aliens etc.
3.5 stars
Fun, short, great beachy read. The perfect thing to spend a few hours flipping through after a long workday! For how short these are there's a large amount of character development. This is the type of short series I can see grabbing a few of for a plane ride or even listening to on audio for a road trip.
Fun, short, great beachy read. The perfect thing to spend a few hours flipping through after a long workday! For how short these are there's a large amount of character development. This is the type of short series I can see grabbing a few of for a plane ride or even listening to on audio for a road trip.
More delightful, original free-fiction from the authors
I originally read this story when it was on the author's website as free-fiction, in installments. I purchased it because I thought it was a good product, and I appreciated the effort the authors went to to do this for their readers. I hadn't reread it since, until now. It absolutely still holds up. More world and character building to an interesting and unique literary universe. However, it should be noted that the wink of characters from another of the authors series that was in the previous installment of *this* series became full blown major characters (and brought some others along with them) in this story. From The Edge series, if you are unfamiliar. They play huge roles in this story. Though I think this could be appreciated without needing to read The Edge books, I imagine it wouldn't hurt, if you were interested.
I originally read this story when it was on the author's website as free-fiction, in installments. I purchased it because I thought it was a good product, and I appreciated the effort the authors went to to do this for their readers. I hadn't reread it since, until now. It absolutely still holds up. More world and character building to an interesting and unique literary universe. However, it should be noted that the wink of characters from another of the authors series that was in the previous installment of *this* series became full blown major characters (and brought some others along with them) in this story. From The Edge series, if you are unfamiliar. They play huge roles in this story. Though I think this could be appreciated without needing to read The Edge books, I imagine it wouldn't hurt, if you were interested.
I only allow myself to read exciting books in bed a couple times a year, generally during the holidays when it doesn't matter whether I stay up too late. This series was my birthday present to myself this year, a triple shot of good clean fun -- a mental vacation for springtime, as it were.
The twist of this story is that Ilona Andrews (a husband and wife writing team) bends the tropes of urban fantasy -- magic, werewolves, vampires -- around the armature of the classic country-house mystery. The point of view character, Dina Demille, runs an interstellar inn that specializes in housing dangerous humanoid aliens. Here she is called upon to host a diplomatic summit between three cunning, bloodthirsty, yet not uncharming warring species: the vampires of the Holy Anocracy, the Hope-Crushing Horde (think Klingons), and the merchants of Baha-char whose vulpine fluffiness conceals a single-minded thirst for gain. Needless to say things do not go smoothly, and Dina will need to outsmart all her guests before any peace treaty can possibly be signed.
The real fun here comes in the form of many many amusingly drawn secondary characters -- like a chef who "might have poisoned someone", as well as the junior merchants who look like Disney characters and deal in rare goods such as "the Ennui predator". There are also several wholehearted depictions of different forms of worship and communion, as well as arrangements of family and military specialization which I enjoyed.
The twist of this story is that Ilona Andrews (a husband and wife writing team) bends the tropes of urban fantasy -- magic, werewolves, vampires -- around the armature of the classic country-house mystery. The point of view character, Dina Demille, runs an interstellar inn that specializes in housing dangerous humanoid aliens. Here she is called upon to host a diplomatic summit between three cunning, bloodthirsty, yet not uncharming warring species: the vampires of the Holy Anocracy, the Hope-Crushing Horde (think Klingons), and the merchants of Baha-char whose vulpine fluffiness conceals a single-minded thirst for gain. Needless to say things do not go smoothly, and Dina will need to outsmart all her guests before any peace treaty can possibly be signed.
The real fun here comes in the form of many many amusingly drawn secondary characters -- like a chef who "might have poisoned someone", as well as the junior merchants who look like Disney characters and deal in rare goods such as "the Ennui predator". There are also several wholehearted depictions of different forms of worship and communion, as well as arrangements of family and military specialization which I enjoyed.
Got a little lost in politics but it started making much more sense towards the end. I blame myself for not paying better attention -_-
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Do you know what I love...... I love a week when my husband goes on business and I am left to plough my way through as many books as possible and that's just what I did.......
Sweep in Peace was a definite step up from the first instalment with additional colourful characters introduced, my personal favourite being the new chef.....I would do anything to taste his culinary delights. A peace summit between the merchants of Bah-char, a group called the Hope-Crushing Horde and a band of Space Vampires, Dana finds herself with a lot to juggle, with much that could go wrong and her lively hood on the line, it's in this book that I felt that I saw the glimpse of who Dana is going to be as this series progresses.
This story also has some grown-up characters from The Edge series which has me intrigued.
Sweep in Peace was a definite step up from the first instalment with additional colourful characters introduced, my personal favourite being the new chef.....I would do anything to taste his culinary delights. A peace summit between the merchants of Bah-char, a group called the Hope-Crushing Horde and a band of Space Vampires, Dana finds herself with a lot to juggle, with much that could go wrong and her lively hood on the line, it's in this book that I felt that I saw the glimpse of who Dana is going to be as this series progresses.
This story also has some grown-up characters from The Edge series which has me intrigued.
Graphic audiobook
Didn't like this one as much as the first but the graphic audio is still really well done.
Didn't like this one as much as the first but the graphic audio is still really well done.
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No