Review: Fascinating shifter fantasy. Very well done indeed.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 19, 2012
If you look up wikipedia, you will find how the phoenix is described, repeated below:"The phoenix..is a mythical sacred fire bird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Turks, Indians and (according to Sanchuniathon) Phoenicians/Canaanites.[1]It is described as a bird with a colorful plumage and a tail of gold and scarlet (or purple, blue, and green according to some legends). It has a 500 to 1000 year life-cycle, near the end of which it builds itself a nest of twigs that then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix or phoenix egg arises, reborn anew to live again. The new phoenix is destined to live as long as its old self... It is said that the bird's cry is that of a beautiful song. The Phoenix's ability to be reborn from its own ashes implies that it is immortal, though in some stories the new Phoenix is merely the offspring of the older one. In very few stories they are able to change into people.."The writer has weaved most, if not all the above definitions, marvelously into his story. Phoenix Rising is a fascinating fantasy featuring this great, mystical and god-like bird and what better way than to pair this beautiful creature in his human form with a hot detective. The plot is fast paced and have me turning the pages, sometimes not quickly enough, to find out what happened next. So much packed into just 134 pages with no words wasted. Part mystery, part thriller, part fantasy and of course romance at its very core this is one very enjoyable read. Talis is sexy and god-like (and he should be!) and Aremis, a hardened cop, is a perfect fit. Maybe the ending is a bit over-the-top but this is fantasy and why not in this broken world of ours.Fascinating read. Even if this is my first book from this writer, I have to agree with the other reviewer that I want more MM fantasies from this writer.