64 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad, but doesn't live up to the potential of "Staying Dead", July 29, 2005
Last year, "Staying Dead" got a 5-star rating. I thought it was an excellent fantasy novel with an interesting romance angle thrown in. In her second book, Laura Ann Gilman isn't making either the fantasy or the romance angles work that well for me.
The concept: Wren is a Retriever. Basically, she goes and steals back items that are taken by others. Sergei is her manager/partner. He's in his 40's, about 20 years older than she. They're in love, though neither is actively acknowledging it til this novel.
"Curse the Dark" sends the two of them after stolen Catholic Church relics. We get a better explanation than the initial one about the 'CosaNostradamus' the organization that controls mages and the 'Silence' the organization that makes sure the 'Cosa' is on the up-and-up.
"Curse the Dark" crosses a few more barriers than "Staying Dead" by introducing a mystery line--just what are the relics, what do they mean, and why are they protected so strongly against mages? And, finally, who but a mage could steal them? Gilman's good at setting up mystery, but her explanations are somewhat muddy.
"Curse" answers a few of the questions I had from "Staying Dead" but doesn't leave me looking forward to the sequel or as excited about new-author Gilman as I previously was.
I'm not sure I will read #3 next year. Will definitely have to sit down and make sure I can get through the first chapter or two before I commit to it. Feels as though Gilman is trying to please too many audiences at once and not doing very well at any of it.
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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great read for a first time author......................, October 30, 2005
I just happened to find this book at my local book store and what a great read. I could'nt find the first book of this series,but Laura blended both books so well together that I felt that I diddn't miss anything. Sergie and Wren are so great together that it was a joy just to see their reactions together. Also enjoyed how the electric current worked so well with the magic. Will have to someday pick up Staying Dead,but eagerly awaiting the next Retriever Novel. I highly recommend this series if you enjoy Jim Butcher,and Laurell K.Hamilton. Enjoyed it Laura,hurry up and finish the next book.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice start, flat ending, September 24, 2006
Curse the Dark is the second of the Retriever novels. The is the review of the trade paperback. Wren and Sergei are trying to figure out their personnel and professional lives. Since their last job, work has been falling off. Wren esp. needs some cash, so they jump at a chance to go to Italy and investigate the disappearance of an artifact for the mysterious Silence organization. The trip to Italy is short, a bit of a shame. However, the artifact and the guardians of the artifact are engaging. The political wrangling within the Silence is interesting as well. In chapter 15, the book starts to unravel or at least I started to loose interest. Here are two reasons:
1) On page 271, the author has a character say something that is completely against everything the character has done in the first book and the first 270 pages of this book for a little cheep complex. I but the book down and didn't pick it back up for a week. It completely turned me off to the story. I always feel a little betrayed when authors do this. Like we won't notice!
2)*****Possible Spoiler****The author also wastes a character that I hadn't formed an attachment to yet. So, the death, which is treated as pivotal, didn't mean much because I hadn't become involved with them.
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