Customer Reviews

Jinx High: A Diana Tregarde Investigation

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the third and last of Mercedes Lackey's stories about Diana Tregarde. Diana is a Guardian, a witch/sorcerer trained to oppose those who misuse Magick and the creatures that serve them. This time Diana has been asked to come to a small suburb of Tulsa, Oklahoma by an old friend, Larry Kestrel. Ostensibly, Diana is there to teach a short course in the practical side of professional writing, but Larry wants here to look into premonitions he is having about a threat to his son, Derek.

While there is no apparent danger to the boy, he has been mixing with a wild crowd, led by Fay Harper. If bad mojo does not get him, his lifestyle just might. In any case, what Diana realizes right away is that the real problem is that there isn't any problem. Tulsa sits in the middle of a nulls zone where nothing sends out mystical signals, and not even tornadoes show up to disturb the ether. When she checks with other guardians in the area, she discovers that there are legends of something very powerful lying asleep below the city. Something that nothing in its right mind would ever choose to wake up.

No sooner does Diana start to settle into her role, when the apparent quiet is disturbed by several severe magical attacks on Monica Carlin, a new girl at the high school. The attacks are sudden, too swift for Diana to pinpoint. And they are strong, the world of a mature, skilled sorcerer. This is the rub. Unlike Diana, the reader knows from the beginning that Fay Harper is the sorcerer, who disguises her age by jumping from her body to her daughter's every 30 years. Diana's struggles to identify this source of magic before it wakes the sleeper are limited by her inability to accept a teenager as a master sorcerer.

'Jinx High' is probably the best of the three books in this series, but it is not without a few irritating quirks. If you can get by the fact that Diana's favorite expression is 'Jesus Cluny Frog,' you will probably find the story interesting and entertaining. Lackey has a good grasp of ceremonial magic, and doesn't make the kind of oversimplifying mistakes that many writers in the magic genre are prone to make.

However, if Diana's faults are bearable, the characters of her high school students, villains and heroes, are less attractive. Without exception, they have shallow and self-centered streaks that create a little too much distance between the reader and the plot. Some people would argue that that is only reality. But, I'm old fashioned, and like al my protagonists to be, well, protagonists. That everyone has the same character defect doesn't build interest either.

For all my grumbling, this is a solid, readable story. It is a shame that there have been no follow-ups, because Tregarde's character has finally matured. Lackey's skills have continued to improve as well and it would be interesting to see where she would bring this series now.

Having really enjoyed the first two Tregarde books, this one was a great disappointment that I had several problems with. As the series was stopped here, it went out on a low point.

The biggest problem by far is that Diana is a secondary character in her own book. Of 300 pages I doubt she got 100 of them. Even when she is "on-screen" she's overshadowed by the high school students. The true main characters are the high school students, spoiled, self-centred, shallow and mean-spirited high school students. Even the ones who are made out to be the good kids eventually show their darker side, and do so after the evil has been vanquished.

As well, possibly due to her lack of being the main character Diana does not seem to be the same as she was previously. This new catch phrase "Jesus Cluny Frog", where the heck did that come from? As well she no longer seemed to be the caring Guardian she was before. She also lacks even the limited forensic skills she showed in previous books. She was never an ace investigator, but at least she tried in the other two books. Here she decides the villain must be an adult, and can't find one so she shields a couple students and then waits for the villain to reveal herself. Somebody with a special investigator card from the police, and a friend in Det. Mark Valdez should have better skills than the reactive wait for the villain to reveal herself while she causes more harm.

It was nice to see Mark Valdez again. Unfortunately he does nothing. He chauffeurs Diana and then waits in a barn. Literally. As well, the sub-plot of the goddess under Tulsa goes out with a whimper, never really happens.

The villainess is easily the best thing about the book. An aged sorceress in a young body, gorgeous, evil, ruthless and totally without a redeeming characteristic. Yet, she is unable to manipulate the high school students unless they themselves have given her a hook by doing wrong themselves.

Despite my criticisms, this isn't a bad book. It is firmly average, worthy of an evening or two's entertainment. However, it is not a Diana Tregarde book as we know it as she is at best a secondary character. The writing is, as with the previous two, fast-paced and easy to read.

R.I.P. Diana, it is a shame your last book had you as a secondary character.

This is the end-cap of the Diana Tregarde trilogy, where Diana has to come to Jenks, OK (a suburb of Tulsa) to teach an honors English class - and try to figure out why her friend Larry Kestrel has been having premonitions of danger about his son. As it turns out, Deke has fallen into the clutches of an ancient sorcerer who has been taking the bodies of her daughters for over 300 years in order to basically make herself young and beautiful forever. Also on the line is Monica, a new arrival to Jenks High, whom Fay (the current incarnation of the sorcerer) has set her sights on as a rival for Deke, and possibly a rival power (since Monica has some minor psi potential). Frustratingly, the ending of the book leaves things open for more Diana Tregarde investigations, but it has been over a decade (almost two) since this final book was written, so I don't think we will be seeing anymore. Grab it if you can - it's a great read.

A fast-paced novel based in Oklahoma of a ancient witch who steals the bodies of her daughters to live in, then uses them up to breed the next generation. This book demonstrates exactly how hormone-driven young men *can* be if they allow themselves to think with their "little heads" and indulge in substance abuse.

Intense magical descriptions, with a fascinating twist at the end that I'd love to see Ms. Lackey follow up on in another book.

I think the book an accurate depiction of High School in the modern age. It is bot appalling, apealing, and at a deeper level quite erotic.

I loved "Burning Water" and "Children of the Night". However, I had to struggle through this book, and it felt like it was targeted to a younger audience. It reminded me of the movie "The Craft" which was better IMHO.

I like Mercedes Lackey's books, but the Diana Tregarde are my favorites. Unfornately, due a few people out of touch with reality, she won't write any more of these. IF you miss these books, an dwonder why whe doesn't continue, check out Firebird arts.

I loved all the Diana Tregarde investigations, but where did she go? Jinx High was published in '94; it's been a while. I'd love to read more about this refreshing heroine.

This is the first book I've read of this type, that not only engages science-fiction, but also engages fantasy. In the form of psychics and sorcerers, in the same reality. For being unrealistic material, it is written very realistic. I didn't give it a 10 because it didn't hold my attention, but it is a very good book.

Interesting as "May you live in Interesting times" Luved being shown a wee bit more of Ms. Di's past. Found this book #2 of this series, really a fast paced, spooky read. I really enjoyed all the interesting weaving of plots & people. Introduced in this book is a young male(power) that I found later in a "Urban series" When I made the connection I had that wonderful little "bing" of discovery.