Book Log #6: The Pagan Stone, by Nora Roberts

[annathepiper]

The conclusion of Nora Roberts' Sign of Seven trilogy, The Pagan Stone, was about what I expected: the remaining couple of the feature characters, Gage and Cybil, wind up pairing off while they deal with their respective bits of familial angst. Cal and Quinn and Fox and Layla get to radiate soon-to-be-wedded bliss. The showdown with the Big Bad comes. Things go splody, and it's not really much of a spoiler for me to conclude that our six demon fighters do prevail. This is, after all, a Nora Roberts novel; a Happily Ever After is part of the package.

And this really was most of the issue I had with the book. By Book Three, the pattern of the storyline had been established, and there weren't any real surprises left. Sure, I liked Gage and Cybil well enough. But I have to admit that they got my biggest sympathy by initially rebelling against pairing off just because they were Fated(TM) to do so. I think I'd have respected this book a little more if they hadn't fallen in line with the forthcoming marital bliss laid down for the first two pairoffs.

I'd have liked it more too if the final arrival of the Seven on camera had had more heft to it. After the buildup it got, it's disappointing that very little of the town wigging out is actually shown on camera. Instead, our heroes and heroines take the fight to the title locale, and we get only interspersed glimpses of the demon-inspired havoc.

On the other hand, I think both of my objections come from my history of being an SF/F reader rather than a romance one. After all the gritty urban fantasy I've read and/or seen on TV, I'm used to seeing the apocalypses actually playing out on camera--but that doesn't mean I actually really need to see one every time. And I will grant that in this case, the real action was actually at the Pagan Stone.

So yeah. Overall not quite as enjoyable as the first two but still solid enough. Three stars.

Comments

[raise-a-jar.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with you, that it was pretty easy to guess where things were going to go with this one. About half-way through I was convinced that Lump was going to be the one to save the day, because they made such a big deal of making him one of the circle throughout the story. It would have killed me if the puppy had died, but it would have been a much less formulaic end to the story.

I will read almost anything this woman writes, but I think she's getting to the point where she needs to shake things up again.

[annathepiper]

My friend kisanthe has commented to me that Nora would actually do better staying out of paranormal, and at the moment I'm kind of inclined to agree. Aside from the JD Robbs, which I cheerfully munch down like the snack food reading they are, I've much preferred her suspense-flavored standalones.

[raise-a-jar.livejournal.com]

I've been a bit disappointed with her last couple male leads in the standalones, though. They've seemed a little...wishy-washy? I guess that's the word I'm looking for. I'm all for the strong, self-sufficient female, but the recent ones have almost seemed too independent.