Review: A GraveTells review: THIS is what self-pub should be!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 1, 2012
Blaze, a 6'4" flame-haired woman with a mysterious past and a passion for reclaiming our food supply from the clutches of big corporations who care more bout how long a food will last in transit than how healthy it is, buys a lodge in the Alaskan bush hoping to start her own business. With very few choices in knowledgeable, skilled natives to hire, Blaze's pretty much stuck with Jack, whether she likes him or not, even after he reveals his beastly nature. But neither Jack nor Blaze is what they seem, and a whole host of otherworldly problems are about to snow them under. When every choice you make affects whether you live or die, who do you trust? Alaskan Fire is a must-read!Wereverines aren't exactly your average romantic hero shifters... well, Jack isn't, anyway. This guy, extremely hairy and only around 5'7" in human form, takes one whiff of Blaze and knows she's more than the simple, freakishly tall human she believes she is. He also knows that while he has no plans to hurt Blaze, none of his otherworldly neighbors would feel the same and, like it or not, she's safest... and stuck... with him.It took me a while to get into this book. Stories set in the bush, even some by my very favorite authors (and by "bush" I'm not limiting that to just Alaska), are just not my thing. On top of that, neither Jack nor Blaze are even remotely your typical romantic hero/heroine pair, and while I appreciate good, creative writing, I generally prefer the more standard characterization. So the first 7% of Alaskan Fire didn't really grab me. It wasn't until Blaze really got into her groove talking about GMOs (Genetically Modified Organism) that I started getting chills. My first thought was "oh my god, is that for real?!" followed immediately by "must keep reading!" The intensity went from I-can-read-this passively to I-cant-wait-to-see-what-happens-next.In a story where the physical attributes of the characters are important to the plot arc, it would be easy for the author to drop the ball and let the reader forget how uncomfortably different they are from typical romantic heroes and heroines. Ms. King does a great job of integrating that physicality into the story without over- or under-playing it. In fact, Ms. King never allowed her manuscript to fall victim to any of the pitfalls that commonly plague self-published authors... no head hopping, no tense switching, no repetitive adjective usage or flawed grammar and spelling.The lore is also unique and we'll developed. Don't let the cover of this book put you off! This is not some half-brained, convenient, created-for-the-story world... it is easily a story in itself, with so many intricacies and diversity, yet without confusing the reader with lack of information or by, conversely, giving too many details. I've never seen an explanation of weres and vampires quite like this and I love it. It makes so much sense! And where else would a bunch of supernaturals who don't want to be discovered live than in the Alaskan wilderness?The sexual tension between Jack and Blaze is complicated, and I should probably point out (for my fellow PNR smut fans) that this book is predominantly urban fantasy... although, in this case, perhaps we should term it rural fantasy? *grin* The progression of their relationship both made me smile (and laugh, a lot) and irritated me. It seemed to take forever for them to finally get together, but the journey is so worth the wait.Imaginative, snarky, action-packed, visceral... in a word, Alaskan Fire is entertaining, and more than worth your while to read. This book is so unconventionally compelling you won't be able to keep your eyes off it. Ms. King delivers just about everything you could want out of a good book, with nearly nothing you don't. The writing is sophisticated, the characters are wonderfully complex, and the world takes on a life of its own. I have read books published by the big name houses that have less polish and sophistication than this self-pub. Ms. King takes us on an adventure of hope, dreams, life, love, and the struggle that comes with fighting for what you believe in, and I cannot wait to start the next book in the series!4.5/5 starsYou might also like...Alaskan Fury (Guardians of the First Realm)The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden)The Iron King (Harlequin Teen)