Sins and Shadows (Lyn Benedict)
“Sylvie Lightner is no ordinary PI. She specializes in cases involving the unusual and unbelievable, in a world where magic is real, where hell is just around the corner--and where death isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you...” (Lyn Benedict, Sins & Shadows)
Absolutely brilliant pacing! I kept turning pages without having to skim through boring descriptions. (Because there is nothing worse than skimming through boring descriptions in order to find the action and the plot.) Benedict’s writing is concise and fast--a lovely combination for a mystery/fantasy writer.
And there was a plot! A plot that Benedict kept together throughout the book. Benedict was able to weave mystery, mythology, and magic together and create a wonderfully delicious tale.
However, I kept wondering if Sins & Shadows was the first book in the series. Each time I asked Google whether or not Sins & Shadows was indeed the first book in the series, I was matter-of-factly informed that: yes, Sins & Shadows is the first book in the series. There are no prequels or short stories involving Lightner. Sins & Shadows is it.
Lightner’s introduction into the world is rocky. Her past is an infuriating, confusing mystery. I don’t like picking up a book, reading it, and feeling like I’ve missed something. A lot of something. So, while Benedict kept the present plot together (missing man, upset god, and magical power struggle), she had holes in Lightner’s past.
Of course, this is also the first book in the series. There is a chance that Benedict will piece together Lightner’s past. In fact, a small part of me even likes the missing background. Lightner is an angry woman haunted by a violent past; her past drives her to do what she does.
I doubt Lightner’s angry character would be sympathetic if her entire past was known. After all, Lightner is not exactly loveable. She’s rough around the edges with a tendency to act as a vigilante--this is a woman with very few rules. She is not someone to cross.
Personally, I like her pissed off attitude and her stubbornness. But Lightner’s character is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. And neither is her story.
[/cross posted on GoodReads.com]
Absolutely brilliant pacing! I kept turning pages without having to skim through boring descriptions. (Because there is nothing worse than skimming through boring descriptions in order to find the action and the plot.) Benedict’s writing is concise and fast--a lovely combination for a mystery/fantasy writer.
And there was a plot! A plot that Benedict kept together throughout the book. Benedict was able to weave mystery, mythology, and magic together and create a wonderfully delicious tale.
However, I kept wondering if Sins & Shadows was the first book in the series. Each time I asked Google whether or not Sins & Shadows was indeed the first book in the series, I was matter-of-factly informed that: yes, Sins & Shadows is the first book in the series. There are no prequels or short stories involving Lightner. Sins & Shadows is it.
Lightner’s introduction into the world is rocky. Her past is an infuriating, confusing mystery. I don’t like picking up a book, reading it, and feeling like I’ve missed something. A lot of something. So, while Benedict kept the present plot together (missing man, upset god, and magical power struggle), she had holes in Lightner’s past.
Of course, this is also the first book in the series. There is a chance that Benedict will piece together Lightner’s past. In fact, a small part of me even likes the missing background. Lightner is an angry woman haunted by a violent past; her past drives her to do what she does.
I doubt Lightner’s angry character would be sympathetic if her entire past was known. After all, Lightner is not exactly loveable. She’s rough around the edges with a tendency to act as a vigilante--this is a woman with very few rules. She is not someone to cross.
Personally, I like her pissed off attitude and her stubbornness. But Lightner’s character is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. And neither is her story.
[/cross posted on GoodReads.com]