Customer Reviews

Paradox III

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

 

 

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

With Paradox III we have two more tantalizing tales from writers JC Wilder and Rosemary Laurey. As with the two preceding titles in the series, each story revolves around the same element, in this case, stone.

In The Shattered Stone by Rosemary Laurey, Alys is left alone after both her parents die from the gray plague. Forced out of the only home she has ever known, Alys sets off on a westward journey to find the home of her mother's people. Along the way, Ranald ven Strad, serving the monarch by hunting down a long lost relative, comes to her aid. Little did either of them know that The Shattered Stone pendant Alys carries is the answer both of them are seeking.

The Shattered Stone is a wonderful quest story. Alys has nothing left of her life except the few hidden items of her mother's she found. All she wants is to grieve for her parents but circumstances won't allow for that. She shows strength and grit in her decision to venture out alone, against the odds. Ranald is a man on a mission who never lets personal feelings get in his way. Yet something about the innocent Alys reaches out to him and makes him want more for the first time in his life. Seeing these two find peace and happiness together makes for a passionate love story. I do think Ranald was a little bit too oblivious to who Alys really was but I guess that had to be the case to allow the story to progress to the requisite Happy-ever-after.

Halfling Li is exiled from her home and her people when she reveals she would be happier living amongst the humans than with the elves who have never treated her well. Now working at Graystone House, her job is to take care of the Evil Ones - hundreds of stone gargoyles, rumored to be cursed, that make her nervous. When she accidentally releases Nikolaz "Nik" of Riverhaven from his stone prison, Li finds out that the best things in life come After the Rain.

In After the Rain, we find a little bit of everything that makes fantast romance so popular. Here we have witches and curses, gargoyles and elves, and a love that transcends them all. Li was heartbroken over her family's betrayal yet still believes someday she'll meet the right one to love her. When she accidentally releases Nik, he does not trust Li, convinced she is the witch who cursed him and takes her captive. As their travels continue on the way back to Riverhaven, Nik and Li slowly come to trust each other, and that leads to a passion they've only dreamed about. They rain too is an important player in this story. Every single traumatic event in Li's young life has occurred during a storm so it is fitting the way the story concludes.

I've loved each book in the Paradox series and Paradox III is everything I expected. Keep in mind however, that while this book is classified as an erotica, it is not nearly as spicy as you'd think. There are only a few passionate encounters to each story. The sexual tension between the couples is what up the ante here, adding to pleasure to be found in the reading. I am still hopeful that eventually we'll see more stories in this wonderful Paradox series.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, June 2009. All rights reserved.

Paradox III, the stories get better and better(more steamy!). Rosemary Laurey & J.C. Wilder will be on my list of 'must buy' authors

I have read only the first half of Paradox III anthology, which is "Shattered Stone".

I won't write a summary of the story, because the other reviewer did an excellent job.

Pros of Shattered Stone:

(1) It doesn't deal with vampires. I know vampire and were-folk tales are popular nowadays, but I have to say I am getting heartily sick of authors jumping the vampire bandwagon. Those who do it well...ohhh, they do it WELL. But those who are just riding on the tails of the vampire comet make me dread going to the bookstore.

(2) The story is actually quite interesting. Although not really as fantastical as her dragon story, the tale of Alys is interesting enough to warrant some interest. The hero is noble and not struggling with some sort of dark tragedy or obsession - as much as I like the tortured hero, this noble and loyal hero was a refreshing change of pace. Alys herself was also a refreshing change of pace... She's reminiscent of the heroines of old. She's kind, pure, courageous, etc. While I love my heroines strong and knife-wielding, too much of a "good" thing can become a bit tiresome. Thus, these simple and noble characters are like coffee beans after too much perfume. Refreshing and cleansing.

(3) The story sets up an interesting premise as well. Who are Alys' kinsfolk? What awaits her in the Western lands? What will happen to the hero once he reaches the Western lands as well?

The CONS of Shattered Stone:

(1) The questions I posed in number three above...? Never answered. The book ends abruptly! I was so upset at the ending that I immediately came on here to write a review. I do not appreciate such clumsily unfinished stories. There is no indication that there will be a sequel, either. However, I do not want to have to buy another book to find out what happens to them!

There was absolutely no attempt to tie all the loose strings together! Alys merely makes a comment at the end, as if her prediction of the future would be satisfactory enough to answer all the questions raised in the story! We have no idea what happens to Alys. The story builds the reader's expectation of a grand adventure on the road - but it seems they only trek a mile or so, and then voila, the story is finished. We have no idea what happens to the vagabonds that set upon Alys earlier. We have no idea whether the leaders of her old village are punished for their crimes. We have no idea whether the hero is freed of his mission. We have no idea why Alys' mother had the books and why Alys' father had royal coins. Arg!

(2) The writing was less than stellar. It was adequate enough to move the story along, but there wasn't a lot of depth to the writing. Several times, I was physically jarred from the tale due to the quality of the writing. I don't expect Pulitzer Prize material, but I did expect some sort of quality prose due to the "praise" this author received.

Mainly, I give the story 2 stars due to the ending of "Shattered Stone". I could've trudged along with the writing if she had just finished the story in a satisfactory manner.

I don't know if she intended there to be a sequel, but if there IS a sequel in the works, I am not interested. I was just too frustrated with the way she ended this story to continue.

AGAIN, THIS RATING IS FOR "SHATTERED STONE" ONLY - NOT THE ENTIRE BOOK.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

With Paradox III we have two more tantalizing tales from writers JC Wilder and Rosemary Laurey. As with the two preceding titles in the series, each story revolves around the same element, in this case, stone.

In The Shattered Stone by Rosemary Laurey, Alys is left alone after both her parents die from the gray plague. Forced out of the only home she has ever known, Alys sets off on a westward journey to find the home of her mother's people. Along the way, Ranald ven Strad, serving the monarch by hunting down a long lost relative, comes to her aid. Little did either of them know that The Shattered Stone pendant Alys carries is the answer both of them are seeking.

The Shattered Stone is a wonderful quest story. Alys has nothing left of her life except the few hidden items of her mother's she found. All she wants is to grieve for her parents but circumstances won't allow for that. She shows strength and grit in her decision to venture out alone, against the odds. Ranald is a man on a mission who never lets personal feelings get in his way. Yet something about the innocent Alys reaches out to him and makes him want more for the first time in his life. Seeing these two find peace and happiness together makes for a passionate love story. I do think Ranald was a little bit too oblivious to who Alys really was but I guess that had to be the case to allow the story to progress to the requisite Happy-ever-after.

Halfling Li is exiled from her home and her people when she reveals she would be happier living amongst the humans than with the elves who have never treated her well. Now working at Graystone House, her job is to take care of the Evil Ones - hundreds of stone gargoyles, rumored to be cursed, that make her nervous. When she accidentally releases Nikolaz "Nik" of Riverhaven from his stone prison, Li finds out that the best things in life come After the Rain.

In After the Rain, we find a little bit of everything that makes fantast romance so popular. Here we have witches and curses, gargoyles and elves, and a love that transcends them all. Li was heartbroken over her family's betrayal yet still believes someday she'll meet the right one to love her. When she accidentally releases Nik, he does not trust Li, convinced she is the witch who cursed him and takes her captive. As their travels continue on the way back to Riverhaven, Nik and Li slowly come to trust each other, and that leads to a passion they've only dreamed about. They rain too is an important player in this story. Every single traumatic event in Li's young life has occurred during a storm so it is fitting the way the story concludes.

I've loved each book in the Paradox series and Paradox III is everything I expected. Keep in mind however, that while this book is classified as an erotica, it is not nearly as spicy as you'd think. There are only a few passionate encounters to each story. The sexual tension between the couples is what up the ante here, adding to pleasure to be found in the reading. I am still hopeful that eventually we'll see more stories in this wonderful Paradox series.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, June 2009. All rights reserved.