Claimed by Shadow (Cassandra Palmer, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

A fair maiden tough enough to kick [vampire] butts. -- Rebecca York, USA Today bestselling author Shadow of the Moon

An engaging heroine. -- Kelley Armstrong, USA Today bestselling author of Broken

Like the previous novel, CLAIMED BY SHADOW is a non-stop thrill ride from beginning to end, a wildly entertaining romp with a strong, likeable heroine. The story is fast-paced and barely lets up from the word "go," lightened with plenty of wry humor and more than a dash of romance. In Cassie's last adventure, TOUCH THE DARK, the focus was on vampires. Here, we see more about the mages, especially Cassie's nemesis Pritkin. It's obvious that Chance has even more wonders to reveal, and I am very much looking forward to the next installment of Cassie's adventures. -- Rambles.com

Magic aplenty populates this fast moving, rather dark tale of power, corruption, double-dealings and painful attractions as Cassie comes to grips with her new role in this follow-up to TOUCH THE DARK. It is nice to see a strong, capable heroine taking charge with a kick butt attitude while attempting to balance right and wrong in the face of impossible odds. -- monstersandcritics.com

Ms. Chance is a master at fleshing out her secondary characters and keeping her storyline moving at a lightening fast pace. Cassie remains the funny and smart heroine we came to love in book one. She solves her own problems and trusts her intuition. This is a series well worth getting hooked on. -- FreshFiction.com

The much anticipated sequel to TOUCH THE DARK, CLAIMED BY SHADOW picks up right where Cassie left off in the first book, infused with a power she doesn't want. From tacky Vegas showgirl costumes to moveable tattoo parlors to a zombie Elvis, Karen Chance takes readers on another wild ride with never-ending action. CLAIMED BY SHADOW should not be missed. -- Romance Reviews Today

The second installment of Karen Chance's paranormal fantasy saga to feature psychic Cassandra Palmer (after 2006's Touch the Dark) explores new territory, as the 23-year-old heroine is forced to deal with the unfathomable power -- and danger -- associated with being the heir to the Pythia, the world's most influential clairvoyant. Palmer's newfound position makes her a prime target for supernatural factions (vampires, the Fey, mages, etc.) looking to monopolize -- or simply destroy -- her powers. To complicate matters, Palmer learns that someone, most likely a 500-year-old master vampire who happens to be Dracula's older brother, has put a "geis" on her, a magical bond that not only deters any potential suitors but also makes Palmer irrationally attracted to her supernatural subjugator. But when she vows to remove the geis, she finds herself an unwilling pawn in the middle of a dangerous power play...

Blending contemporary fantasy, romance, and horror into an appetizing literary amalgam, the crossover appeal of Chance's Cassie Palmer saga will undoubtedly find a more than welcoming audience with fans of authors like Laurell K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, and Charlaine Harris. Chance's left-of-center sense of humor -- in particular, bastardized Latin one-liners like "stercus accidit" -- makes this relatively lighthearted series a fast-paced and highly entertaining read.-Paul Goat Allen -- Explorations SF/F Reviews

Product Description

Clairvoyant Cassie Plamer has inherited new magical powers-including the ability to travel through time. But it's a whole lot of responsibility she'd rather not have. Now she's the most popular girl in town, as an assortment of vamps, fey, and mages try to convince, force, or seduce her-and her magic-over to their side. But one particular master vampire didn't ask what Cassie wanted before putting a claim on her. He had a spell cast that binds her to him, and now she doesn't know if what she feels for him is real-or imagined...

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 374 pages
• Publisher: Roc (April 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451461525
• ISBN-13: 978-0451461520
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,368 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #28 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror > Occult
  #54 in	Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Dark
  #65 in	Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Urban

• This is item 2 in The Cassandra Palmer Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

115 of 134 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Running in place..., April 9, 2007

By	Wooddavis (California) - See all my reviews

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In anticipation of this novel, I re-read the first in the series, Touch The Dark. Fresh, different, original writing style, and a not so subtle hook that insured I'd buy the next book. At the end of that book, Cassie had received a new and unwanted mantle (Pythia), a sexy love interest was left at the altar (so to speak), and she was running from things that go bump in the night.

After finishing Claimed by Shadow, I was a little annoyed to find that I was pretty much in the same fix. Cassie has a new and unwanted power, the sexy love interest is still off limits, she's still running from things that go bump in the night. It may be too soon to judge, and I will read the next book in the series, but I'm sensing a pattern here.

Claimed by Shadow does introduce more fascinating aspects of the world she has created, but her new powers are still unexplained, and likely to remain so for some time. Whipping through history is interesting, but can she do anything else with the title of Pythia? Charging into situations she doesn't understand, with "allies" that have shown themselves to be less than trustworthy in the first book is also interesting, but seriously makes me question her basic common sense. Worse, I no longer know who the good guys and the bad guys are. Except for Tony, everyone seems to have reversed roles. As for the Geis... big sigh, annoying and becoming redundant quickly.

Either I'm losing it (always a very strong possibility), or the author is losing me, I'm not sure which. I'll hang in there for another installment, but if this doesn't start going somewhere soon, I might just as well get on my treadmill for entertainment rather than brave the elements.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In defense of Cassie, April 9, 2007

By	Michelle (Indiana) - See all my reviews

I'm not here to write a summary, read the one provided. This review is meant to defend the book from what others have mentioned. It was claimed basically (I am only paraphrasing) that Cassie is a weak willed, wimpy, good for nothing heroine. I'll come out and say it, she's no Anita Blake (even if you no longer like them, just think of the first 9 or so books), but she's not meant to be. Cassie reacts like a normal person, she doesn't want to be a superhero, and this book allows her to grow into her power somewhat and to begin to accept it. I feel that it is a good follow up to Touch the Dark and look forward to the next in the series.
Before you judge her actions, put yourself in her shoes. If as much power as she has to deal with was dumped into your lap, would you take it in stride? Or would you been sitting in a corner, rocking back and forth, crying for Mommy? Honestly, it's probably somewhere in between the two.
So, for realistic coping with huge powers and great danger, pick up the book.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely wonderful read....., April 25, 2007

By	Deborah Wiley (Winter Haven, FL) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

CLAIMED BY SHADOW picks up shortly after TOUCH THE DARK as Cassie Palmer is now the reluctant Pythia. Myra, the supposed heir to the Pythia, was rejected by the powers in TOUCH THE DARK but that hasn't stopped her deviousness. After all, if Cassie is killed before the ceremony is completed, the powers of the Pythia will go to someone else. Cassie certainly doesn't want the powers for herself, but she also doesn't want to see these powers in the hands of the wrong person either.

The Senate is also chasing after Cassie and she finds herself teamed up with the war mage, Pritkin. Meanwhile, Cassie's wards are failing and she has a geis on her that is making her separation from the vampire Mircea more difficult by the moment. Who can Cassie trust when it seems there is danger lurking in every direction she turns?

CLAIMED BY SHADOW is one high speed thrill ride! I couldn't stop turning the pages as the story sped along, chock full of exhilirating action coupled with superb characters. Karen Chance takes the series to new heights with her sophomore effort as CLAIMED BY SHADOW keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The various twists and turns of the plotline are fiendishly clever!

Karen Chance has produced some extraordinarily memorable characters. Who can't help but love Mac? The unusual aspects of both his store location and his numerous tattoos make him stand out but it is his steadfastness and heart of gold that make him so beloved. Billy, the ghost, of course returns and Ms. Chance has quite the surprise in store for him.

Karen Chance proves that she is a force to be reckoned with in CLAIMED BY SHADOW. Just one note of caution: this series should most definitely be read in order as the underlying plots continue throughout both books and there are threads still left to be finished even upon the conclusion of CLAIMED BY SHADOW. Don't miss out, however, as CLAIMED BY SHADOW is one book you won't be able to put down!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES