Review: So much better than Twilight
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 28, 2012
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.As readers of Ms Roberts' work will be aware, this is the third book in a series about fallen angels, and a love that transcends space and time. My remarks are primarily about Bound by Blood, but in a more general way can be taken to apply to the series as a whole as published to date, comprising the first three books.CONTENTThe story is gripping and well told, and it seems clear that Ms Roberts has carefully planned out the whole series before starting. The world in which the action takes place is convincing and believable, provided that one can accept the idea of fallen angels as vampires. Some readers may find this theologically questionable, but in a work of fantasy fiction these things are perfectly allowable. With all of the vampire fiction that is constantly spawning these days, it was refreshing to find a genuinely original take on the subject.The action moves swiftly and the book is a real page turner. The characters are beautifully drawn and quite believable. I was quite delighted with it, and will certainly look forward with pleasure to the advent of further books in the series. This is in spite of the fact that in general I find vampires appallingly tedious.In the few places where sexual activity is depicted, it is treated with delicacy and restraint. I wish more modern writers would exert such control.FORMMs Roberts is a seasoned writer and has quite obviously spent many years developing her craft. To me, this book is like a richly embroidered sampler, demonstrating her mastery of many techniques.The voices of the different characters use different language and are most believable. The tone of the writing varies according to the subject matter, and at different times we are treated to low comedy, spine-chilling horror, romance and at times the true Gothic tone. Ms Roberts' descriptions of scenes are a particular treat, and in my opinion her ability in this area stands with that of Dickens. At different times we see used past tense, present tense, first and third persons, all with equal facility, and, which is even more rare, used appropriately to further the impact of the work. I was glad to see no instances of the egregious second person narrative.I have only one serious criticism to make of this work, and that is that the suspense ending prevents the book from standing alone, as a truly perfect novel must be able to do.Overall, I was delighted with the book, and its preceding books, and I believe that in this writer we have a truly major talent.