Armstrong, Kelley: Stolen
Stolen (2002)
Written by: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 468 (Mass Market Paperback)
I can't believe it's been three years since I read Bitten, the first book in Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. I enjoyed it very much, so much I bought the second book, Stolen, with the intent of reading it soon. But the problem that came up at the time was the fact that I was in grad school and was trying to read as many new-to-me authors as possible, which really didn't allow for continuing with a series, no matter how much I enjoyed the first offering.
Since I'm trying to make a better effort to catch up on the series that I own (and by catch up, I mean reading the books in the series I own, not go out and buy the whole series), I decided to finally get this book under my belt. So now, at long last, you have the review for the second book!
The premise: there's more than just werewolves in Elena Michael's world, and she's just now getting to know them, even though she'd rather not. But she doesn't have much of a choice: billionare Tyrone Winsloe is on the hunt for everything and anything supernatural, and what he wants, he gets. When his team captures Elena, she's got to use every skill at her disposal to stay sane, let alone alive. Because it's not just Winsloe she's got to watch out for: there's witches, vampires, sorcerers, shaman, half-demons, and best of all, a poltergeist that seems bent on killing everything in its path.
Review style: not a lot to say on this one, so I'm going to keep it stream-of-conscious. Spoilers? Not at all.
Ever since reading Bitten, I've heard more than once that Armstrong's series goes downhill from that debut book. And if this book is any indication, I can kind of see why.
For starters, what I LOVED about the first book was seeing the dynamics of Clay's and Elena's relationship. Flawed it was, and probably not healthy, but there was so much GOOD in it (CHRISTMAS. PRESENTS. GUH!) that you couldn't help but want them together. Also? Armstrong did a good job with the sex scenes, making Bitten more paranormal romance than urban fantasy.
However, Stolen is more urban fantasy than paranormal romance. Oh sure, we get Clay/Elena moments, but it's not the same, and coming back to this world after a three-year break, it was kind of hard to remember why I liked Clay and Elena together. They kind of annoyed each other, you know? Well, he annoyed her. For someone who doesn't have Bitten in their background (and they technically wouldn't NEED it, as this book gives you everything you need to know), Clay and Elena come off as, well, let's just say you wouldn't understand WHY they were together. Furthermore, you might not like Elena that much, though I appreciated her snide sense of humor and pop culture references.
That said, I almost feel like it was too soon to introduce us to EVERY OTHER SUPERNATURAL in the spectrum all in one book. Sure, the plot allows for it, but as it was a crash course for Elena, so it was a crash course for me. I would've rather been eased into the whole "other supernaturals" thing, because let's face it: the other thing I liked about Bitten? Werewolf culture maybe. And there's zilch in this book. Well, just about zilch, but close enough to count.
Elena is also pretty much a victim for the entire book. Oh sure, she makes decisions and gets away, but truly, she doesn't get away on her own, but rather with the help of the resident "poltergeist" instead. I know it doesn't qualify her as a damsel in distress, but she sure doesn't break free using her own means. That and if you really want to get picky, she's rescued by Xavier from the two stereotypical, gang-bang/love violence army guys, and then when she's making a break for it, it's Clay in wolf form who helps Elena take down the dogs (because would she have REALLY made it if Clay weren't there? Me thinks not).
Don't get me wrong, it's not a BAD book, not overall. It's just that in those three years, I've read A LOT of urban fantasy, so it makes something MORE to keep my attention and furthermore, to keep me happy. I worry about continuing with the series too: I've heard several readers complain that the non-Elena books aren't as good, and I know that Paige and Savannah are the center of Dime Store Magic. And really, while I appreciate Armstrong creating another strong woman in Paige, I really didn't like her character much. She wasn't empathetic with others at all save for Savannah, and when she fucked up (like plowing ahead with Elena before Ruth arrived, how stupid do you have to be?), I wanted to see her "get hers." Which begs the question: even though Paige is a wee bit more sympathetic by the end of the book, do I really want to read one or two books that simply focus on her? Sure, Armstrong's website says you can jump around in the series, and while that's tempting, I'm too much of a completionist to do that. If I read on, I'll want to know EVERYTHING about this world, so I have to decide whether or not the series is something I really want to continue with. Another worry about this series is that to my knowledge, there's no end in sight, and I'm not sure I want to really get into something that's so loosely structured (even though that's likely more profitable for the author, who's able to mix and match and introduce new characters whenever she pleases). We'll see. Right now though, especially given all the books I've got waiting on me, I think I'll pass.
My Rating
Worth the Cash: with qualifiers: if what you loved about the first book, Bitten, was the Clay/Elena relationship and the werewolf culture, you're going to find most of that lacking in Stolen. Armstrong busts the doors wide open for her supernatural world, and while the story in and of itself is solid (a wee bit predictable in some places, a wee bit surprising in others), I found the story just wasn't what I was hoping for in the continuation of this series. Then again, I'm perfectly happy to lay the blame on ME: not just my personal wants out of a book, but the fact that I haven't been in a reading mood lately, let alone a reviewing mood, so that likely colors my reading. That said, as far as urban fantasy goes, it IS a very strong offering, and while sometimes the characters make mistakes (you'll be scratching your head over certain moments, but thankfully, those moments don't effect the plot), this book is still a cut above your usual UF fare. Just know that Stolen is more in the urban fantasy camp, whereas I felt Bitten was a wee bit more in the paranormal romance camp (the difference being the focus on romance in the plot). Will I continue with the series? No hurry: the next book features a different heroine, and I've already got so much to read waiting on my shelves that I can wait before continuing with this particular series. Hopefully, by time I get my book stacks down to a manageable pile, perhaps Armstrong will have an end in sight for the series, giving me something to work towards (yes, I'm weird like that: I actually LIKE knowing when something will end). :)
Cover Commentary: I have the cover featured at the top of the review. Sure, it matches the MMPB cover quite well, but I have to laugh any time I hear people say UF covers look like they have prostitutes on the cover. This one certainly fits that bill. I mean, never ONCE is Elena in a corset in the novel, so it kind of gives the wrong impression in terms of content. Then again, the cover featured behind the cut isn't any better in terms of matching the content, but I do like it better. For starters, it's for a trade paperback copy (and I love trade paperbacks!), and the coloring is just pretty. Plus, I'm in the "yay for disembodied body parts!" as a cropping style, and the nudity is more in keeping with the book than the corset. If I'd had a choice in buying between the two, I'd go for the trade.
Next up: The Heart of the Beast by Dean Motter and Judith Dupré (graphic novel) and Wake by Lisa McMann (YA)