Embrace the Night

March 17, 2008
Returning from Touch the Dark
and Claimed by Shadow
, Cassie Palmer has finally become Pythia, the supernatural community’s all-knowing oracle. She’s struggling with her new powers (such as shifting back and forth through time) and is stuck between good and evil factions of the paranormal community. Her main concern, though, is to figure out how to reverse a pesky spell that threatens her independence: the geis, once placed on her for protection, is now trying to bind her to the handsome master vampire, Mircea, with results detrimental to them both. The only solution is to find the fabled book that has the counterspell—find it in space and in time. Cassie—in her struggles between her passionate need for independence, her burgeoning feelings for Mircea and her conflicts with her new role as Pythia—is a well-rounded character, and the intensity and complexity of the plot puts her through her paces physically, emotionally and psychically.

As a newly appointed oracle, Cassandra Palmer has a new enemy, The Silver Circle, powerful mages from whom the oracle has traditionally been selected. But Cassie's more pressing matter of concern is how to unbind herself from a master vampire. The key, contained within the Codex Merini, an ancient grimoire, has been hidden because its powerful incantations are dangerous. But Cassie believes she can handle this power. Cynthia Holloway renders a rhythmic performance in this paranormal drama. Variations in tone effectively communicate the subtle nuances and underlying wit in the story. Holloway's masterful control infuses drama into key scenes yet avoids melodrama. In all, this well-crafted story and Holloway's soothing vocals are a satisfying pair. A.L.B. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine