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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
3.5 Klovers - Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques, April 21, 2008
This review is from: Eternal Love (Berkley Sensation) (Mass Market Paperback)
~ETERNITY~
Raven St. James and her mother are accused of witchcraft one fateful evening, and summarily executed in the center of their village. One man stood alone against their accusers, trying to save them, but was doomed to failure in the face of so many.
Duncan Wallace never forgot his failure, nor could he forget the beauty that touched his heart so in the space of a mere moment. Her vision haunts him as if she were still alive and breathing even today.
But Raven is alive and breathing, and Immortal High Witch who is now immersed in the struggle for her very life as she flees from the mortals who would kill her out of fear and the Dark Ones who would take her very heart in order to prolong their own evil lives. Her flight lands her in America, where she and Duncan finally meet again and consummate their love all to briefly before he is killed trying to save her from a mob once again.
Having sacrificed himself to save another witch, Duncan will be reborn as an Immortal High Witch one day. If it takes an eternity, Raven will wait for him.
Having read some of Maggie Shayne's previous work, I expected to love this book. It had everything I wanted - an author whose work I admired, a plot that intrigued me, and characters who piqued my interest.
What unnerved me in the story was the fact that it moves back and forth between first person point of view and third person point of view. I am not a reader who minds either one, and I rarely notice which voice a story is written in, but having both in the same book was extremely distracting for me, and made it difficult to really immerse myself in the book, no matter how interesting the plot was.
Other than that, the plot stood up to my expectations, as did the character building. Were it not for the issue I had with the book constantly switching between first person and third person, I imagine I would have been able to enjoy ETERNITY much more than I did.
All that aside, I am glad I read the book, as it provided a basis for the later stories in this saga, which I was able to enjoy more from knowing the history behind all of the characters.
~INFINITY~
After the defeat of the Dark One who took the life of Arianna's lover centuries ago, she discovers the many secrets in his journals - among them the fact that an Immortal High Witch whose heart has been taken can be revived by replacing their heart.
This knowledge brings Arianna hope she never dreamed of, and she sets off on a journey to Nicodimus' resting place, to attempt just such a resuscitation herself.
It works. But Nicodimus has few memories upon waking, and those he has brand her a betrayer to him.
As with the first book in this collection, I fully anticipated this being a tale I would adore. Also like ETERNITY, I enjoyed the plot and characters in INFINITY immensely.
While it was not quite as prevalent as in the previous story, INFINITY also switched between first person and third person point of view, which disrupted the flow of the story and made it impossible for me to lose myself in it. I will say that there was less of this in INFINITY than there was in ETERNITY, however.
As with the preceding tale, I wouldn't recommend missing this story if you are planning to read those that follow INFINITY in this saga.
Series Order:
Eternal Love (Berkley Sensation)
Immortal Desire (Paranormal Romance (Berkley Sensation))
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Two novellas joined by secondary characters, November 6, 2007
This review is from: Eternal Love (Berkley Sensation) (Mass Market Paperback)
The book Eternal Love comprises two novellas, Eternity and Infinity, that are joined by mutual characters. These are both reprints of stories that were previously published in the `90s.
Eternity
In Eternity, we meet Raven St. James, a young witch sentenced to death by an evil priest named Nathaniel Dearborne. Raven is an immortal High Witch, which means that she cannot be killed and she gained her immortality because she died trying to save another witch in a previous life. Dearborne, however, is an immortal High Witch as well, but he is a Dark Witch who gained his immortality through stealing the hearts of other immortals. Since Raven is reborn the first time, her entire life is a struggle to keep her secret and escape Dearborne's desire for her heart. She also finds love with Dearborne's protégé, a young man named Duncan Wallace, who becomes immersed in the conflict between the two and whose love gives Raven the power to wait an eternity...
Infinity
The second novella, Infinity, tells the story of Arianna, who is first introduced in Eternity. Arianna lives in the Scottish town of Stonehaven centuries before Eternity takes place. She is also an immortal High Witch of the Light who is in love with a man called Nicodimus Lachlan. Nicodimus is one of the oldest and most powerful High Witches in existence and there are many dark ones who want his heart. He realizes what Arianna is, though he thinks she's too young to handle the import of her immortality so he keeps it a secret from her. When the townspeople begin to talk about Arianna, and her solitary ways, Nicodimus realizes something must be done to stop them before they brand her a witch. Though Nicodimus has sworn off love, he agrees to marry Arianna to save her from being persecuted by the people in their small village. Arianna swears that she will make him love her. Before she can, however, someone comes between them who wants to take the one thing that Arianna wants for herself'Nicodimus's heart.
Eternity and Infinity were two very different stories joined by secondary characters. Though they are reprints of previously published stories, if you've never read them before they are worth a try. Eternity is a sweeter story than Infinity. Raven is a more likeable heroine, in my opinion, since she realizes that her immortality comes at the expense of those around her and therefore tries to live a more peaceful and solitary life. Arianna, on the other hand, is headstrong and willful and will do anything in her power to get what she wants. I didn't really like that about her. I've never read a Maggie Shayne book before this one, but I liked Eternal Love enough to try some of her other work. These witchy stories aren't as good as say Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, but they are just enough if you're in the mood for a simple romantic tale.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Love can be eternal., November 5, 2007
This review is from: Eternal Love (Berkley Sensation) (Mass Market Paperback)
In the year 1689, when Raven St. James was twenty-one years old, Raven died beside her mother as a witch. They were hanged in the town square. Duncan Wallace had been a young Scot in training for priesthood. Duncan tried to convince his mentor, Nathanial Dearborne, that should he hang Raven and Lily it would be murder, not justice. When that failed, Duncan tried to reach Raven and help her escape. Alas, Dearborne had Duncan restrained until the two women died.
Raven is shocked to find herself breathing shortly thereafter. Raven returns to the only home she had ever known to find a note from her mother and a necklace. This was how Raven learned that she was part of an elite set of people, the Immortals. As a Light Immortal, Raven's crescent moon mark is on her right hip. In a previous life, she had died defending another Immortal. This was how Raven earned the Immortal gift. But there are Dark Immortals in the world too. Their crescent moon is upon the left hip. These witches have immortality by killing another Immortal and locking the Witch's beating heart in a small box. Whoever retains the box, retains the power. Problem is that the captured heart will eventually weaken and stop beating. The dark witch will begin to age and sicken. This is when the dark witch must kill another Immortal.
Raven leaves England and travels to America. In Sanctuary, Massachusetts, Raven is taken in by her aunt, who is mortal. This is where Raven meets Arianna, another Light Immortal. Arianna becomes Raven's friend and teacher. Raven must learn about dark and light witches and to how to defend herself. Duncan earns his Light Immortal crescent mark. Therefore, when he and Raven are reunited, it is Duncan who must learn. Biggest problem is that Dearborne is Duncan's father and a Dark Immortal. And if Dearborne cannot have Raven's heart, then he will just have to settle for Duncan's.
**** The old saying "Time is fleeting" is even more true for this story. From the Crusades, to American Indians, and onward, readers will witness time marching on as Raven's adventures continue. The author succeeds in creating a villain that readers will love to hate. Dearborne's character is evil personified. The author could not have done a better job. I can only hope that the next IMMORTAL book is as good as this one is. ****
Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
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