Veena’s review of Night’s End (Indigo Court Novel) Book 5) by Yasmine Galenorn
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 01 Jul 14
This is my first book by Yasmine Galenorn. Not sure why, with my love for paranormal romance, I just never picked up one of her books before. There is a lot going on in this book, especially with it being a conclusion to a five-book series. The series appears to be a cross between a paranormal and urban fantasy being set in Washington state but peopled with a plethora of supernatural and magical beings. Based on my experience, I would definitely urge readers to be sure to read the series in order, because I was often lost and puzzled, which took away from my enjoyment in the story.
While there appears to be two queens who are defenders of the fae world, it really seems to be Cicely’s story. She is the winter queen and is gradually losing her humanity to become a true ice queen, as is evidenced by her actions in using invasive techniques to test her friends and followers for their loyalty, starting with her consort.
I have a lot of issues with Cicely’s character. While there are times where she demonstrates compassion and empathy overall, I feel she’s two-faced. She feels that her friend needs to be told before she can have him tested for loyalty and yet she feels no need to offer that some courtesy to her other friends, when she orders them to a similar test of loyalty. Yes, I understand that she’s now royalty and that carries a heavy burden and difficult choices, but some of her actions are so inconsistent that it kept me guessing and not in a good way.
The bizarre nature of her relationship with Lannan did not help my feelings either. Here she is married to her soul mate for whom she’s waited several incarnations to meet and mate and yet she hungers at a physical level for something that Lannan can give her. I know she rationalizes it as needing it for her darker side that’s been created due to circumstances that happened prior to this book, but, even so, it smacks to me of adultery, even if it is with the consent of her husband.
Clearly there’s back story with the vampires, but it is a bit inconsistent that she subjects everyone in her life to a test of loyalty except the vampires, even going so far as to use the ancient vampire crawl, who’s quite repulsive and sent shivers up my spine, for the purpose. I will grant that this might be something that is a carryover from earlier books that I might not know about.
The quest to find and destroy Myst stands out as a highlight, especially the battles they fight with the guardians to proceed into the inner sanctum. For me the story seems to proceed in leaps and jerks. Not having read the earlier books in the series, the sheer number of characters and the twists and turns of the plot just left me lost. This book did not appeal to me at all.
Grade: C –
Summary:
Eons ago, vampires tried to turn the dark Fae in order to harness their magic, only to create a demonic enemy more powerful than they could have imagined. Now, in a final push, Myst returns with a vengeance to bring the Golden Wood forever under the rule of the Indigo Court.
Newly crowned Fae Queens Cicely and Rhiannon have embraced their destinies and claimed their thrones. But Myst is rising once more, and now, at the helm of her armies, she begins her final assault on the Golden Wood. As Fae, vampires, and magic-born alike fall under the tide of blood, Cicely and her friends must discover a way to destroy the spidery queen before they—and their people—face total annihilation.
Other books in this series:
