Customer Reviews

Burning Alive: The Sentinel Wars

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

PLOT: Her entire life Helen Day has haunted by dreams of burning alive while a man watches her and smiles. So when she meets Drake, the man of her dreams, in a diner, she knows she doesn't have long to live. Drake is a Theronai warrior, sworn to protect humans. He's been protecting humanity from demons called the Synestryn for centuries.

PROS: It's not a totally new idea of immortal warriors fighting to save mankind, but I do like some of the details in this novel.
Enough cannot be said about a good beginning. I loved the beginning. The hero and heroine meet immediately. It's a funny and memorable meeting.
The warriors are all born with a tattoo of a tree on their bodies that conveys the state of their soul. As they grow, so does the tree.
The Theronai warriors' bodies pull power from their environment. Without an outlet for that power, they are in constant pain. The sound of Helen's voice soothes Drake's pain and her touch takes it away all together. In the beginning, Drake is constantly touching her. Though the touches were simple, like a hand on her arm, there was something so romantic and even erotic about it.
Drake and Helen are both likeable. Seems like a small thing, but who wants to read about two characters that you hope die on page two?
And it must be said, the sex is good, too. Maybe that should be at the top of the list? Second, at least.

CONS: Because almost always there must be a con. I deducted one star for what I like to call "sequel mania." While there is something to be said for planning out a series (maybe the author already has an end in sight?), I'd rather not read a book that is so invested in a series that it's like watching one episode of a soap opera. That means no cliffhangers or unanswered questions. Teasing me with more in an epilogue is OK. Better still include an excerpt of your next book. That gets me almost every time! But don't bring up a slew of questions and leave them unanswered. Burning Alive fortunately doesn't end in a cliffhanger. I'd have deducted more than one star for that! All the build up to create a sequel was just rather boring. I'll be interested in Zach and Lexi and all the others when the book is about them but not until then. Too many pages were wasted on them and other mysterious goings on in an effort to pique my interest in the sequel. This is my own personal pet peeve and it may not bother everyone. If you're in the mood for a new paranormal series, this may still be what you're looking for.

There was perhaps too much creature invention to be believable all at once. Spread out over the course of the series, it might seem more plausible. From the sounds of it, there are numerous of kinds demon beasties and lots of different types sentinels that most humans never notice. The theory that mortals are stupid and don't see anything is becoming a bit thin since everyone seems to be strapped with a camcorder or the equivalent thereof these days. No stars deducted for this one.

Burning Alive is best when Helen and Drake are together. It's well written and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Other than a few unanswered questions (something that I hope doesn't continue throughout the sequels), this is an excellent start to what promises to be an interesting series. 4 stars!

I thought I was burnt out on paranormal novels of all kinds. I'd struggled through the last three that I'd read and the last alternate universe novel that I'd read, I couldn't even finish.

But I must say that Shannon K. Butcher's Burning Alive: The Sentinel Wars burned away my ambivalence and I got hooked into the story of Helen and Drake from the first page. Actually, Butcher had me at the first sentence which was quick and to the point.

Helen Day is a woman who dreams of being burned alive and that there will be a man who will watch her burn. That man is sitting in a diner with two others and Helen feels the dread enclosing.

The man she dreads is feeling something else altogether. Drake is feeling relief. Relief after years and years (and even more years) of intense pain. In fact, when he touches Helen, the pain drains away.

Being a paranormal action-adventure/romance, Helen and Drake are bound to each other before they even know it. Yes, it is cliche, but cliches work when they are used right and Butcher uses the whole "you-are-my-destined-one" right because while Helen and Drake might be destined for each other in order to save the world (and a couple more races besides humans), nothing is guaranteed.

And although I like my heroines of action-adventures to be the kick-butt kind, I do like the change-up that Butcher does with Helen. First, I like Helen's old fashioned name. I like that she's not kick-butt right out of the gate. I like that she screams because all hell is breaking loose in her own house and that is worth screaming over. I like that she's both drawn to Drake and wants to run away from him at the same time. In short, I really liked Helen.

Drake is a great hero too because he is not always sure of himself, especially with Helen. I also like that he has to rely on others to help save the day too. He might be the hero but he does share the spotlight too. He has some alpha-male tendencies but those tendencies don't overwhelm him to the point of him being a jerk and that's kind of nice in this type of story.

Butcher's secondary cast of characters are interesting too. From Thomas to Miss Mabel to Logan to Zach to Lexi and others, each plays their role in the overall story that it is easy to wonder if there will be more to them. In fact, there is a secondary romance that is nearly as interesting as the primary romance. Perhaps the second book will yield more info.

If there is a criticism, I would say that it is that I didn't get enough about who the villains are. I knew that the Theronai (the race that Drake belongs to) and the Sanguinar (the race that Logan belongs to) are reluctant allies in a war against the Synestryn (who are big demon like monsters) but I felt like I could have used more info and appearances from the true foes of the war.

Still, this first novel offered a lot in the way of plot. Lots of action (and I did like that Butcher gave tactile descriptions of the carnage instead of the usual "there was blood everywhere!"), lots of "Protect the girl!" stuff; and even a holy grail-like quest too.

All-in-all, it was a fast-paced, enjoyable action-adventure read with a nice romance settled in the middle of it all and a cast of characters that I could root for.

As noted above, I was burnt out on the paranormal/romance genre but Butcher's Burning Alive: The Sentinel Wars was a pleasant surprise.

Like most paranormal romances, this series harkens back to the tried and true plot of finding the person out there that biologically fit w/ each other.

In this case, Drake who has been living in pain for centuries accidentally runs into the one woman who is compatible w/ him in a small town diner. Through a series of incidences, he drags Helen into his world and binds her to him.

The paranormal aspects invovle otherworldy beings uch as the Theronai, vampires, Synestrin, and etc.

Having read her fist novel, "No Regrets", previously, I actually found the writing style and personalities similar in both books. There's a rueful quiet strengh to her heros and heroines that make them very admirable.

W/ the influx of paranormal romance series in the market, it does take a little extra to make each story original. However, I would say Butcher accomplishes this and makes the story very different and intriguing in it's own right.

I enjoyed the background history on the War behind the scenes and how these races came to be. The sadness of loosing warriors to death in these centuries long wars also make the story very dramatic.

Giving the heroine a mental weakness also served to make her character 3 dimensional. As much fun it is read so many heroines in various books being such gung ho warriors, this flaw in Helen's character made her more realistic.

It was a great set up, and the premise kept me interested until the end. I read the book from straight to finish in a couple of hours and could not put the book down.

The only issue I had that prevented me from giving a 5 star was the fact that occasionally it dragged in batches here and there throughout the story. More action would have benefited from those parts, but Butcher's strengths may be in her character diaglogue as opposed to her action scenes.

I'd definitely recommend this book, and will await eagerly for the sequel.

And what it is, is a romance novel. There seem to be two broad categories of romance authors, those that focus on the plot while having romantic elements, and those that focus on the romance foremost with the plot being secondary. Patricia Briggs, Jeaniene Frost, and Linnea Sinclair are examples of the former, while Shannon Butcher is an example of the latter. There is nothing wrong with either approach, as long as you realize going in which type of book you are reading. (For great urban fantasy/fantasy reading, check out Shannon's husband, Jim Butcher.)

I've read all of Shannon Butcher's books, and I knew what to expect with Burning Alive. I wasn't disappointed. I got a decent fantasy setting with a good romantic story. However, Butcher perhaps spends too many pages on how the two main characters feel about each other- the powerful attraction, the stoic resolve to resist the attraction, the inevitable crumbling of said resolve. Since the book covers only a few days of time, this preoccupation with their attraction does tend to break up the action and take you out of the story. Right in the middle of rushing around to kill bad things, the two main characters stop to have either real or internal dialogs about their situation. While I was reading I kept thinking how they were standing there talking/thinking/touching while another character offstage was impatiently waiting for them to appear. That fact meant it was harder both to keep my head in the action part of the plot, or to relax and enjoy the physical chemistry of the main characters.

While half the book was spent on the attraction of the main characters, the other half was spent setting up for the next book(s). Very little was resolved in this book, although ground was laid for several plot lines that look very promising. All caveats aside, I did enjoy the book and plan to read the next in the series.

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. I ordered this novel for two reasons: 1) I'm a big fan of Jim Butcher, so I was curious to see what his wife could do 2) As you tell by the books I review, I adore urban fantasy, so I'm always on the lookout for a fresh new series

When the book arrived, I saw the dreaded words "Supernatural Romance" on the cover. I prefer stories with a tiny amount of lovey-dovey stuff and lot of actions, but I settled in to read it anyway. I'm glad I did.

The story is based around Helen, a young woman who has had visions of her death since she was a child. In this vision, a man watches her burn to death while smiling. So one evening as she is eating at a diner, imagine her surprise when the man from her vision walks in the door.

From here the action really takes off. Monsters attack, all hell breaks loose, and Helen, her friends, the man, and his friends are all running together for their lives. This all happens within the first chapter. So the story grabs you right away.

The novel does a good job of balancing the romance with the supernatural action. Occasionally, the gushy romance does it a little overbearing, but it really isn't that bad compared to some super sappy novels I've read in the past.

The most impressive facet of this novel was the story: Three ancient races are bound together in an uneasy truce to save the world. One race cannot live up to its full power, because their power comes from matched pairs of men and women, and almost all the women were slain hundreds of years ago. (You see where this is going right?)

All-in-all, I give this novel 4 stars. I will not give it 5 stars because while the story does wrap up, a good deal of energy is given to setting up the sequel and leaving LOTS of unanswered questions in order to make the reader buy the sequel. That said, I will buy the sequel because the storyline was good, and I want to know what happens.

I wasnt sure going in what I would think. Its similar to but not the type of world I usually choose to read. But the characters are great. A couple chapters in and I was completly hooked and went out to get the second book so I could read it right away. Looking forward to more in the series.

This is a very good book and I love the plot and the creative use of the tree of life. I can not wait to read the next one.

The story
Sentinels are made up of three different races. The theronai males are warriors fighting the demons races. The female theronai were all killed over 200 years ago. The males gather energy, they are like magnets. The females are supposed to pull that energy and use it magically to fight side by side with their mates. With the females extinct the males are in constant pain with no outlet to take that extra energy. The males are born with a seed of a tree that grows with them.... As they get older the leaves of the tree fall off. If all the leaves go, the man is left without a sense of right and wrong. Some sacrifice their lives so they cannot hurt anyone. The sentinels are protectors of humans and fighter of demons. If one were to find their mate their tree of life stays whole. While waiting for dark to retrieve their fallen friends sword from the demons, Drake is unable to keep his eyes off Helen Day. Once he approaches her he is unable to let go of her, his inexplicable attraction leads them on a path of great adventure and love.

My thoughts
This is everything I've been looking for in a paranormal romance. From the very beginning this book sucked me in. Drake is a likeable alpha male, Helen is a kind hearted woman with a understandable fear that holds her back. There are other characters that are very likable as well, Drakes friends. The story flows very nicely, fast paced and fascinating. It is a very original idea. Drake and Helens attraction and pull to one another is electric! I would definitely read the following stories. Recommended to any one into action, romance and suspense!

I really like this book and REALLY liked the main character Drake and I can't wait to read the rest of this series. Having said that, I am SOOOO annoyed with the other main character Helen. Could the author have created a more annoying, weak character? Ugh! I wanted to reach into the book and strangle her throughout the entire book. I hope the next heroine will have a little more backbone!

Burning Alive is the introductory novel to a new series by Shannon Butcher. Like a lot of the different series books coming out these days, it's a mix of magic, romance and sex. The basic plot revolves around a young woman, Helen, who's convinced that she's going to burn to death. Unfortunately, she bumps into the man who's going to cause it on the first page of the book. It turns out though, that the man, Drake, is a Sentinel, a sort of alien from an alternate dimension who is effectively immortal, is actually a ruggedly handsome good guy. The Sentinels are at war with the Synestryn, who are decidedly not ruggedly handsome. The plot progresses from there.

Ms. Butcher is a good writer but not a terribly good story teller. I realize this is an introductory novel to a series, but there was way too much back story and explanation and far too little movement for the plot. The sex scenes were fairly graphic without getting into any sort of Penthouse Letter framework. However, let me repeat that, the sex scenes were fairly graphic.

While I found the plot to be a bit over-run with the back story, it was still a good read. There were enough problems presented in the plot to keep the series going for quite a while. If you do enjoy this style of book, I think you can look forward to many more in this series.