Iron Shadows [Hardcover]

Steven Barnes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1998

Cat Spaulding, a beautiful detective with a black belt and a knack for solving impossible cases, is hired to rescue a wealthy heiress from a mysterious cult. As Cat and her partner go undercover to infiltrate the cult, they find themselves being drawn into its seductive web--and learning the secrets of the group's terrifying mission Author publicity. .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Pounding on the heels of Blood Brothers, Barnes's 1996 fictionalized position statement on American racism, this non-stop erotic thriller seems tailored for the big screen, hormone-zapped adolescents and earsplitting wraparound sound. Cat Juvell, who's white, and Jax Carpenter, who's black, newly divorced but still best friends and private-eye partners, hire on to rescue wealthy heiress Kolla Sinclair from the Golden Sun, a cult led by enigmatic mixed-blood twin gurus Joy and Tomo Oshita. Once Jax and Cat plunge undercover into the titillating rites of the Golden Sun, Barnes doesn't overlook a single cliche of dark fantasy fiction. Before the final ectoplasmic chase, he peels off layer after layer of plot, alternating heavy-breathing sex therapy with heavy-handed flashbacks about the twins' darksome mission. Joy and Tomo, it seems, are two halves of a monstrous whole, post-Nagasaki mutations shaped by their revenge-crazed Japanese mother and a sexually abusive U.S. Marine stepfather into supernatural instruments of mass destruction. Barnes's occasional lapses into farce notwithstanding ("Take them to the yurt!"), this yarn packs a stinging punch.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Private detective Cat Juvall goes undercover to locate a missing heiress linked to a pseudoreligious cult led by charismatic twins said to possess miraculous powers. Cat's rescue attempt leads, instead, to the discovery of the terrifying origins of the Golden Sun cult and to a confrontation with her own darkest secrets. The coauthor (with Larry Niven) of Beowulf's Children (LJ 9/15/95) demonstrates his cinematic flair for action scenes to good advantage in this fast-paced sf thriller. Explicit sex and graphic violence, while integral to the plot, may limit this novel's audience. Purchase where Barnes has a following.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 383 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (February 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031285708X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312857080
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,505,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An intiguing & darkly mystical action/adventure tale, April 13, 1998

By 

Edward Alexander Gerster "miamibooks" (South Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Iron Shadows (Hardcover)

Steven Barnes has written alot of good, solid science fiction over the years -- and he uses that experience here to build a contemporary mystical fantasy adventure that entertains, intrigues and engages you completely. Iron Shadows makes forays into the darkly mystical world of cults & sexual magic, while maintaining a James Bondian plotline and reaching deep into the frailties of human interactions. The erotic tension and gripping issues make this a hard book to put down. My only amazement is that in all the explorations of human sexuality -- the only character that crosses over the standard straight stereotypes is the "evil" villain. Trite, but it doesn't destroy the quality of the remainder of the novel. Highly Recommended.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting Topic written with Barnes usual flair, August 21, 2001

By 

Scott Masterton (Blaine, MN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Iron Shadows (Mass Market Paperback)

Steven Barnes has a been personal favorite of mine ever since I read "Streetlethal". Barnes is an avid Martial Artist and student of eastern philosophy whose considerable knowledge in both of these subjects shows in his stories. If you are interested at all in either of these subjects you will definitely enjoy this book. On a story level, Barnes' plots are usually not too complex; however he is a master at characterization and he really makes you care what happens to his characters. I loved this book and have already pre-ordered a copy of "Lion's Blood".

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OUT STANDING, May 26, 2005

By 

ACE (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Iron Shadows (Hardcover)

This was an outstanding story. It was good to see a related story about the children of "The African" in Blood Brothers. Not to mention it appears that a government is also keeping tabs of some sort on the occult.