Burned (House of Night) by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Paperback, 323 pages
Published April 27th 2010 by ATOM
Zoey Redbird is the youngest High Priestess in House of Night history and is the only person – vamp or fledgling – that can stop the evil Neferet from raising all kinds of immortal trouble. And she might just have a chance if she wasn’t so busy being dead.
Well, dead is too strong a word. Stevie Rae knows she can bring her BFF back from her unscheduled va-cay in the Otherworld. But it’s going to take a lot more than hoping to bring Zoey back. Stevie Rae will have to give up a few secrets of her own . . .
Well, dead is too strong a word. Stevie Rae knows she can bring her BFF back from her unscheduled va-cay in the Otherworld. But it’s going to take a lot more than hoping to bring Zoey back. Stevie Rae will have to give up a few secrets of her own . . .
Book Review by Namz K.
Kalona killed Heath. Zoey witnessed the murder and though she sent out her element ‘Spirit’ to protect Heath, she was unfortunately too late. The shock shattered Zoey’s soul, dissolved all her intricate vampyre tattoos (save the outline of a crescent moon) and left behind the shell of her comatose body.
Her soul and it’s fragmented pieces now whirl incoherently in the Otherworld where Zoey also encounters the soul of Heath. If Zoey’s soul is not returned to her body in seven days, she will die and her fractured soul will roam forever in unrest.
Stark, Zoey’s oath-sworn warrior witnessed Zoey’s fall and despite his mind-numbing grief knows that he will do anything to get Zoey back, even it means dying himself and heading off to the Otherworld to yank Zoey back to the Land of The Living.
An intent which is bolstered by Aphrodite’s startling visions and Kramisha (the newest Vampyre Poet Laureate)’s cryptic poems. Everything points to the fact that Stark will have to die, become a shaman and then enter Nyx’s realm to convince Zoey to return.
Warrior Stark’s work is cut out. Besides the obviously gruesome fact that he has to drop dead, he also has to deal with several road-blocks:
a) No warrior in times past has ever returned from the otherworld; either alone or having rescued his high-priestess.
b) Kalona, weakened by Zoey’s last-ditch attempt to save Heath is in a debilitated state which is fully exploited by Neferet. Wielding the powers of darkness, she orders Kalona’s weakened spirit to head off to the Otherworld and make sure that Zoey never, ever returns.
And the third and most pressing problem
c) Zoey is shattered by the loss of Heath. She feels responsible for his death and bogged down by her vanishing spirit, she may never want to return back to her body and the living world.
Stark’s seemingly impossible quest and the painful journey that he undertakes is what “Burned” is predominantly all about. I enjoyed seeing my favourite character go through the drill of self-evolvement and maturity. The Scottish legends woven in, added the essential touch of mystery and olde worlde lore. Add to that the ancient symbolisms of the Black and White Bulls (depicting Light and Darkness respectively) and you have a tale that binds urban fantasy with mythical elements.
An intriguing parallel story was Stevie-Rae’s relationship with Raven Mocker Rephaim. Full credit to the Cast duo for building up a tale that makes you root for the unlikely pairing of a red vampyre and a supposed monster.
I don’t care what the critics say, I loved Burned. I adored Stark and his true-blue heroic quest. Heath, the only human in the whole proceedings rises to the occasion even in the Otherworld and has you applauding him for his selflessness and All-American bravado. Zoey, despite being the satellite around which all else orbited, was effectively relegated to the background and that worked perfectly well.
A lovely tale and all I can say is that it is going to be a lo-ong and impatient wait till ‘Awakened’ comes out.
Her soul and it’s fragmented pieces now whirl incoherently in the Otherworld where Zoey also encounters the soul of Heath. If Zoey’s soul is not returned to her body in seven days, she will die and her fractured soul will roam forever in unrest.
Stark, Zoey’s oath-sworn warrior witnessed Zoey’s fall and despite his mind-numbing grief knows that he will do anything to get Zoey back, even it means dying himself and heading off to the Otherworld to yank Zoey back to the Land of The Living.
An intent which is bolstered by Aphrodite’s startling visions and Kramisha (the newest Vampyre Poet Laureate)’s cryptic poems. Everything points to the fact that Stark will have to die, become a shaman and then enter Nyx’s realm to convince Zoey to return.
Warrior Stark’s work is cut out. Besides the obviously gruesome fact that he has to drop dead, he also has to deal with several road-blocks:
a) No warrior in times past has ever returned from the otherworld; either alone or having rescued his high-priestess.
b) Kalona, weakened by Zoey’s last-ditch attempt to save Heath is in a debilitated state which is fully exploited by Neferet. Wielding the powers of darkness, she orders Kalona’s weakened spirit to head off to the Otherworld and make sure that Zoey never, ever returns.
And the third and most pressing problem
c) Zoey is shattered by the loss of Heath. She feels responsible for his death and bogged down by her vanishing spirit, she may never want to return back to her body and the living world.
Stark’s seemingly impossible quest and the painful journey that he undertakes is what “Burned” is predominantly all about. I enjoyed seeing my favourite character go through the drill of self-evolvement and maturity. The Scottish legends woven in, added the essential touch of mystery and olde worlde lore. Add to that the ancient symbolisms of the Black and White Bulls (depicting Light and Darkness respectively) and you have a tale that binds urban fantasy with mythical elements.
An intriguing parallel story was Stevie-Rae’s relationship with Raven Mocker Rephaim. Full credit to the Cast duo for building up a tale that makes you root for the unlikely pairing of a red vampyre and a supposed monster.
I don’t care what the critics say, I loved Burned. I adored Stark and his true-blue heroic quest. Heath, the only human in the whole proceedings rises to the occasion even in the Otherworld and has you applauding him for his selflessness and All-American bravado. Zoey, despite being the satellite around which all else orbited, was effectively relegated to the background and that worked perfectly well.
A lovely tale and all I can say is that it is going to be a lo-ong and impatient wait till ‘Awakened’ comes out.
About P. C. Cast
P.C. Cast was born in Watseka, Illinois, and grew up being shuttled back-and-forth between Illinois and Oklahoma, which is where she fell in love with Quarter Horses and mythology (at about the same time). After high school she joined the United States Air Force and began public speaking and writing. Since her tour in the USAF, she has been speaking and teaching professionally.
Ms. Cast is a New York Times Best Selling author. Her novels have been awarded the prestigious: Oklahoma Book Award, YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Prism, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Booksellers’ Best, and the Laurel Wreath.
Ms. Cast writes the popular Goddess Summoning Series for Berkley Publishing. The sixth book in the series, WARRIOR RISING, was released in May 2008. Cast also writes an epic fantasy series for LUNA set in Partholon, the unique, award-winning world she created.
Ms. Cast coauthors a paranormal young adult series with her daughter, Kristin. CHOSEN, the third book in their House of Night series (St. Martin’s Press) debuted at #2 on the New York Times Best Seller List. HUNTED, the 5th book in this blockbuster series, will be released on March 10th, 2009. Please check out the series website, www.houseofnightseries.com.
P.C. Cast is an experienced teacher and talented speaker. If your organization is interested in information about her workshops or presentations, please contact phyl@pccast.net, or if the request is specific to her young adult series, you may contact her St. Martin’s publicist, Katy Hershberger, at Katy.Hershberger@stmartins.com.
Ms. Cast lives in Oklahoma with her fabulous daughter, her spoiled cat, and her adorable Scotties!
Ms. Cast is a New York Times Best Selling author. Her novels have been awarded the prestigious: Oklahoma Book Award, YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Prism, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Booksellers’ Best, and the Laurel Wreath.
Ms. Cast writes the popular Goddess Summoning Series for Berkley Publishing. The sixth book in the series, WARRIOR RISING, was released in May 2008. Cast also writes an epic fantasy series for LUNA set in Partholon, the unique, award-winning world she created.
Ms. Cast coauthors a paranormal young adult series with her daughter, Kristin. CHOSEN, the third book in their House of Night series (St. Martin’s Press) debuted at #2 on the New York Times Best Seller List. HUNTED, the 5th book in this blockbuster series, will be released on March 10th, 2009. Please check out the series website, www.houseofnightseries.com.
P.C. Cast is an experienced teacher and talented speaker. If your organization is interested in information about her workshops or presentations, please contact phyl@pccast.net, or if the request is specific to her young adult series, you may contact her St. Martin’s publicist, Katy Hershberger, at Katy.Hershberger@stmartins.com.
Ms. Cast lives in Oklahoma with her fabulous daughter, her spoiled cat, and her adorable Scotties!
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6917952-burned
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário