Veena’s review of Chaos Burning (Bound by Magick, Book 2) by Lauren Dane
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 5 Jun 12
In Heart of Darkness Meriel Owen and Dominick defeated the mages and turned witches who were attacking clan witches. Understanding that this was an opening salvo in an organized attack on witches, they created a network to share information and train the witches in the clans across the country to defend themselves against attack. Lauren Dane continues the battle to turn the tide of darkness that is spreading with her next book in the series Chaos Burning.
Lark Jaansen is the Hunter for the Genesse clan based in Los Angeles. She arrives in Seattle to train the witches in Clan Owen on self-defense and to set up a system of alerts to reach out and touch scattered witches and keep them safe from kidnapping and attacks. She finds that she is battling a foe that scares the Fae, who are the most powerful race of Others. Through her network she learns that vampires and weres are also being targeted. She finds instant support from the local Cascadia clan of weres and the were elders join with the witch elders to learn more about the magister who is sucking the magic from the world. The vampires need a firmer hand to join in and share information, but ultimately they also fall in line.
Simon Levithian is a lycian male who has crossed the veil to live on earth amongst the humans. He is Dominick’s partner in his club, the Heart of Darkness. At Meriel and Dominick’s request he welcomes Lark to Seattle and almost instantly bonds with her in friendship and admiration. Slowly but surely Lark creeps into Simon’s heart and without realizing it, he has allowed her to climb over the wall which he uses to keep women as sex objects used to slate his lust. Being an extremely dominant male, the relationship between him and Lark is very interesting to watch as it develops. He tries to give her space to be her own person while watching her back. Pretty soon he is taking her across the veil to meet with his family to ostensibly warn them about the approaching chaos which is threatening earth but also to introduce Lark as his heart’s desire.
The witches race against the clock to collect information about the darkness that threatens Earth and how to defeat it. Lark is a kick-ass general as she takes over as hunter for the Seattle-based Owen clan and marshalls her troops. It’s interesting and amusing to watch Simon go behind Lark’s back and establish relationships with her parents. I’m very touched by how caring he is in ensuring that he has the restorative tea that she drinks on hand, even going so far as requesting her mother for more when Lark is running out. He seems to be such a perfect man – tall, dark, and handsome, and empathetic and caring to boot. Lark has been attracted to Simon from the begining but seems to have settled on friendship. She cannot believe she has a long-term potential for a relationship with a man of his caliber. It is interesting to see how he gives her enough rope to convince her and bring her over to his way of thinking. When I worked in a consulting job, they told us to learn how to lead from behind. Simon in this books gives those words substance and shows one how to do so in reality.
I read this book with bated breath and fingers crossed. Would the witches be successful in holding the line against the Magister and prevent him from sucking out all the magic on Earth? How will this new partnership between weres, witches, and vampires work? When the Fae prince appears with a message for Lark and a promise of personal help in the hour of need, that reminds me of the Fae who came to fight with the humans at Helms Deep to keep the darkness from swallowing all the light in the world. I really enjoyed the book, and with the cliff hanger at the end, I can hardly wait for the next in the series. I have read the Cascadia Wolves Series as well as the earlier books that deal with the witches and weres and throughly enjoyed them. It is not essential to have read those earlier books to enjoy this one. This is a solid story with well-fleshed-out characters. It has its share of romance and sex, but it is not in Lauren Dane’s erotic style. A thoroughly enjoyable story.
Summary:
The life of Lark Jaansen, hunter in Clan Gennessee, has been shaped by violence and unrest and it defines her future. Well-trained and resilient, she’s met her militaristic match in Simon Leviathan, a warrior not of this world. Locked in mutual admiration, and a desire so hot it burns, Lark and Simon have something else in common: they love the dark, and as a shadow is cast over their world, they’re each coming into their own.
A mysterious war has been waged among the Others. As witches and humans turn against each other, as fae retreat in fear, and as vampires rise, Lark and Simon discover that an unseen force is behind it. A single, hungry entity older than recorded history has returned to gorge on the magick of his victims. He is the Magister, nothing less than the end of time. Finding him is Lark and Simon’s first hope. Surviving him is their last.
Read an excerpt. (Click Read an excerpt link)
Other books in this series:
