fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsurban fantasy book reviews Jennifer Armintrout Lightworld/Darkworld 3. Veil of ShadowsVeil of Shadows by Jennifer Armintrout

I’m sad to say that I was a little disappointed in Veil of Shadows. I loved the first Lightworld/ Darkworld novel, Queene of Light, and while I didn’t like Child of Darkness quite as much, I was intrigued by the plot elements that Jennifer Armintrout moved into place during that book.

The first part of Veil of Shadows deals with Cerridwen and Cedric’s journey to Ireland, where they plan to confront the pretender Queene, Danae, who caused so much trouble for the Lightworld in Child of Darkness. Cerridwen’s old impulsiveness dies hard, and she does some frustratingly rash things during the voyage. It’s probably realistic; no one changes overnight. But her immature acts, and Cedric’s reactions to them, make it harder for me to “buy” the romance that Armintrout is setting up between the two. The difference in their ages is measurable in millennia, and sometimes I get more of a father-daughter vibe from this pair. While there was also a vast age difference between Ayla and Malachi, Malachi’s “fish out of water” status put them on a more even footing. Malachi may not have been young, but he was green in many respects.

When our protagonists reach Ireland, it gets better. Here, we see Cerridwen truly step into a queenly role. Then, when Queene Danae hatches a diabolical plot that threatens to destroy Cedric and Cerridwen by using their budding feelings against them, Armintrout makes the scene so wrenching, so heartbreaking, that I completely forgot I had issues with these two as a couple. I suddenly wanted nothing more than to see them triumph over this particularly nasty bit of adversity. I also loved the scenes in which Cerridwen does some soul-searching and realizes what sort of Queene she wants to be, and what goals she’d like to achieve for her people.

Unfortunately, these sequences are followed by a couple of scenes — a battle and a supernatural event, but I won’t spoil any more than that — that feel a little rushed. Veil of Shadows is the shortest book of the three, and it’s not for lack of plot. There are several plotlines here that, in my opinion, could have been better if explored at greater length.

I enjoyed the Lightworld/Darkworld series overall, but I think Queene of Light was the best of the three novels.

Lightworld / Darkworld — (2009) Publisher: An unimagined destiny an undeniable passion. In a time not long from now, the veil between fantasy and reality is ripped asunder creatures of myth and fairytale spill into the mortal world. Enchanted yet horrified, humans force the magical beings Underground, to colonize the sewers and abandoned subway tunnels beneath their glittering cities. But even magic folk cannot dwell in harmony and soon two Worlds emerge: the Lightworld, home to faeries, dragons and dwarves; and the Darkworld, where vampires, werewolves, angels and demons lurk. Now, in the dank and shadowy place between Lightworld and Darkworld, a transformation is about to begin… Ayla, a half-faery, half-human assassin is stalked by Malachi, a Death Angel tasked with harvesting mortal souls. They clash. Immortality evaporates, forging a bond neither may survive. And in the face of unbridled ambitions and untested loyalties, an ominous prophecy is revealed that will shake the Worlds.

Jennifer Armintrout Lightworld/Darkworld 1. Queene of Light 2. Child of Darkness 3. Veil of Shadows Jennifer Armintrout Lightworld/Darkworld 1. Queene of Light 2. Child of Darkness 3. Veil of Shadows Jennifer Armintrout Lightworld/Darkworld 1. Queene of Light 2. Child of Darkness 3. Veil of Shadows

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  • Kelly Lasiter

    KELLY LASITER, with us since July 2008, is a mild-mannered academic administrative assistant by day, but at night she rules over a private empire of tottering bookshelves. Kelly is most fond of fantasy set in a historical setting (a la Jo Graham) or in a setting that echoes a real historical period (a la George RR Martin and Jacqueline Carey). She also enjoys urban fantasy and its close cousin, paranormal romance, though she believes these subgenres’ recent burst in popularity has resulted in an excess of dreck. She is a sucker for pretty prose (she majored in English, after all) and mythological themes.

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