Book Log #16-17: More Barbara Michaels
Mar. 14th, 2008 08:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annathepiperDoing this as a two-for-one post because I'm behind thanks to the Martian Death Flu, and trying to get caught up! And also, because this is a pair of Dark-themed titles. You get that a lot in Barbara Michaels titles.
The Dark on the Other Side: This, hands down, is perhaps the strangest read of the entire Michaels set for me purely on the grounds that it spends almost more time in the hero's POV than it does in the heroine's. This is unusual for Michaels books--and for the Peters ones as well, with the notable exceptions of the large stretches from Ramses' POV in the Amelia Peabodies. And as of the time this book was written, I'm not entirely convinced that Michaels had the knack of writing from a male POV down. The scenes from Michael's POV in this book feel way more awkward to me than the Ramses ones do in the much later Amelia Peabodies.
And really, that's my overall perception of a lot of the elements of this book: all the right pieces gathered together, but not quite managing to fit smoothly yet. The book can't decide what exactly's up with its bad guy: is he a Satanist? A werewolf? An emotional vampire? All three? Elements that are much more deftly handled in later Michaels works feel stilted to me here, as if she hadn't really found her voice yet. Overall, I give this one two and a half stars--minus two for the overall stilted feel of the plot, but plus a half again for trying to spend some time in the hero's POV as well as the heroine's and therefore expanding the story's range a little.
Into the Darkness: This one, by contrast, is a later and much more smoothly executed Michaels. Once again we're back into the realm of paranormal-free plots, with Meg Venturi inheriting one half of her grandfather's jewelry business--with, of course, the catch that the other half has been left to his mysterious, taciturn, and extremely gifted young protege. But who is sending Meg creepy death-themed rings? And leaving threatening phone calls at her grandmother's mansion? And trying to run her off the road?
Generally fun all around, with Meg a nice balance between hardheaded and brainy, and love interest Riley striking fun, familiar Michaels-esque notes of being usually stone-faced and taciturn--except when he unleashes a smile on Meg. Michaels seems to have a thing for that, and guys with proud noses, too. ;) Four stars.
The Dark on the Other Side: This, hands down, is perhaps the strangest read of the entire Michaels set for me purely on the grounds that it spends almost more time in the hero's POV than it does in the heroine's. This is unusual for Michaels books--and for the Peters ones as well, with the notable exceptions of the large stretches from Ramses' POV in the Amelia Peabodies. And as of the time this book was written, I'm not entirely convinced that Michaels had the knack of writing from a male POV down. The scenes from Michael's POV in this book feel way more awkward to me than the Ramses ones do in the much later Amelia Peabodies.
And really, that's my overall perception of a lot of the elements of this book: all the right pieces gathered together, but not quite managing to fit smoothly yet. The book can't decide what exactly's up with its bad guy: is he a Satanist? A werewolf? An emotional vampire? All three? Elements that are much more deftly handled in later Michaels works feel stilted to me here, as if she hadn't really found her voice yet. Overall, I give this one two and a half stars--minus two for the overall stilted feel of the plot, but plus a half again for trying to spend some time in the hero's POV as well as the heroine's and therefore expanding the story's range a little.
Into the Darkness: This one, by contrast, is a later and much more smoothly executed Michaels. Once again we're back into the realm of paranormal-free plots, with Meg Venturi inheriting one half of her grandfather's jewelry business--with, of course, the catch that the other half has been left to his mysterious, taciturn, and extremely gifted young protege. But who is sending Meg creepy death-themed rings? And leaving threatening phone calls at her grandmother's mansion? And trying to run her off the road?
Generally fun all around, with Meg a nice balance between hardheaded and brainy, and love interest Riley striking fun, familiar Michaels-esque notes of being usually stone-faced and taciturn--except when he unleashes a smile on Meg. Michaels seems to have a thing for that, and guys with proud noses, too. ;) Four stars.