Liu, Marjorie M. - A Taste of Crimson
Wed, Oct. 22nd, 2008 09:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterIn the future (or possibly an alternate world), Los Angeles is populated by humans, vampires and werewolves. The vampires are slightly more accepted, thanks to their romanticized image, and they get to live in luxury. But they're kept in line by the Ventrix, a vampire who executes other vampires. The werewolves, on the other hand, live in poverty in tunnels below the city. To make matters worse, the humans have been growing less and less tolerant of both the vampires and the werewolves, and a series of vampire murders that look like they were done by werewolves isn't helping matters.
Keeli Maddox, granddaughter of the Grand Dame Alpha of the LA werewolves, ends up helping Michael, the vampire Ventrix, investigate the murders. Given that this is a paranormal, they unsurprisingly end up attracted to each other, despite the strong animosity between the vampires and the werewolves. Even so, a lot of plot goes on, as some factions are trying for a vampire-werewolf alliance, foreseeing a human effort to get rid of both of them, while others are vehemently opposed and want to stand back and let the humans get rid of the other side first.
Anyway! As you can tell, there's a lot of plotting, which isn't atypical of a Marjorie Liu novel. But what is atypical is that it all makes sense and comes together! I suspect this is the benefit of writing a one-off; the Dirk and Steele series is getting so convoluted and involves so many different mythologies that it can be very difficult to follow.
Also, I was hesitant to read this at first because I'm so sick of vampires and werewolves, but I really like Liu's take on them. I like that the focus is on vampire-werewolf relationships, not on vampire-human or werewolf-human relationships, and I like that neither the vampires nor the werewolves are romanticized. Instead, there's a little commentary on the human propensity for vampires and the vampire image of wealth and luxury and beauty. And I love that the heroine is a werewolf and that she has problems with anger management and violence.
Michael's attractive like most of Liu's heroes; he's silent and has a lot of angst but attempts to be kind and just instead of wallowing. And as mentioned, I love Keeli and her Grand Dame Alpha grandmother.
In conclusion: despite some misgivings at first, this ended up being one of Liu's books that I really liked. It does have more plot than relationship, but on the plus side, the plot is fun and engaging, and I love having a romance heroine who's violent and powerful and not reined in by the hero.
Keeli Maddox, granddaughter of the Grand Dame Alpha of the LA werewolves, ends up helping Michael, the vampire Ventrix, investigate the murders. Given that this is a paranormal, they unsurprisingly end up attracted to each other, despite the strong animosity between the vampires and the werewolves. Even so, a lot of plot goes on, as some factions are trying for a vampire-werewolf alliance, foreseeing a human effort to get rid of both of them, while others are vehemently opposed and want to stand back and let the humans get rid of the other side first.
Anyway! As you can tell, there's a lot of plotting, which isn't atypical of a Marjorie Liu novel. But what is atypical is that it all makes sense and comes together! I suspect this is the benefit of writing a one-off; the Dirk and Steele series is getting so convoluted and involves so many different mythologies that it can be very difficult to follow.
Also, I was hesitant to read this at first because I'm so sick of vampires and werewolves, but I really like Liu's take on them. I like that the focus is on vampire-werewolf relationships, not on vampire-human or werewolf-human relationships, and I like that neither the vampires nor the werewolves are romanticized. Instead, there's a little commentary on the human propensity for vampires and the vampire image of wealth and luxury and beauty. And I love that the heroine is a werewolf and that she has problems with anger management and violence.
Michael's attractive like most of Liu's heroes; he's silent and has a lot of angst but attempts to be kind and just instead of wallowing. And as mentioned, I love Keeli and her Grand Dame Alpha grandmother.
In conclusion: despite some misgivings at first, this ended up being one of Liu's books that I really liked. It does have more plot than relationship, but on the plus side, the plot is fun and engaging, and I love having a romance heroine who's violent and powerful and not reined in by the hero.
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Sat, Oct. 25th, 2008 03:52 am (UTC)I like Liu's heroines a lot. They don't always get a lot of action, depending on the book, but I like that they have lives. And I really liked that this book was a lot about Keeli and her decisions.
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Sun, Oct. 26th, 2008 04:56 am (UTC)I only want action when the character is billed as an action heroine like when she's a cop, hunter, guardian, assassin, martial artist, superpowered hotshot, etc. It's when the story tells you that she's an elite hereditary ninja bounty hunter, but she keeps getting rescued by the hero. For example, there was this manga where the heroine could get herself out of duels to the death, desert ambushes, lion pits, and the plague--but when it came to pretty boys attacking her she couldn't fight them off and ALWAYS had to be rescued. It's hard to buy a romance when one love interest acts like kryptonite.