Gwen’s review of Undead On Arrival (Crimson Moon, Book 3) by L.A. Banks
Urban fantasy released by St. Martin’s 31 Mar 09
Sybil sends me random urban fantasies and paranormals to read and review. I’m usually happy with the books – sometimes they suck and sometimes I’m pleased as punch with the book. This book sits in the middle of that spectrum for me.
My first mistake was to read this book before I read the first two in the series. Undead is most definitely not a standalone book and relies heavily on the reader’s foreknowledge of the world, the players, and all the plottin’ and politickin’ in this series.
My next mistake was ignoring the “at sea” feeling I developed, and never gave up, during the beginning few chapters. I should have just stopped, put the book down, and picked it up after reading the previous two books. But nooooo. My OCD wouldn’t let me. Once I start something I just have to finish it. That means I sat reading this book, puzzling thru the plots, subplots, names, personalities, and details that make up this world of Banks’s.
GAH!
Frustrating as hell.
One of the things that made me a little crazier than normal was the herky-jerky path the book takes down the plotline. Banks does do a LOT of head and scene jumping, sometimes for only a paragraph. It’s not that I dislike this – it’s rather invigorating to read constant forward motion down a complex path. However, I was *completely* and *utterly* lost on several of these side trips. Plus, sometimes a plot jump lasts for several pages and when we return to a previous plot line (frequently hours later, once some laundry and soccer practice has seen the positive side of my “to do” list), I have NO IDEA what the hell I’m reading about. I have to go back and re-read the previous plotline just to catch up.
Frustrating as HELL.
I’m sure this series is fun if/when you start at the beginning. It seems exciting. It doesn’t come together very well for me, though. There’s just too much unsaid, too much going on, too many heads and factions, and too much that didn’t seem important to the story. Remember – I’m the Johnny-come-lately to this series.
I can recommend this book to fans of the series. If you like L.A. Banks’ other books, then you may like this one – IF you start at the beginning, that is.
Grade: C
Summary:
Just one month ago, secret government operative Sasha Trudeau thought she’d tasted victory. Orchestrating détente between the warring factions of the supernatural world had nearly cost her life—but it also opened the door to a future with Max Hunter, her mate and fellow Shadow Wolf.
Until now. A poisonous virus is wreaking havoc on Hunter’s immune system. And the passionate man who Sasha loves has become unpredictable, dangerous—and possibly deadly. When Hunter disappears the night a human is found ravaged, Sasha is thrust into a race against the clock to find the cure for her mate…and the traitor who’s determined to see them both dead.
Read an excerpt here.
Other books in the series:
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