Customer Reviews

The Reckoners

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

 

 

I gave it a 2.5/5

I found the dialogue hard to follow, I would have to go back and read over a passage I just read to try and figure out who was talking and what they were talking about. Also the POV were really jumpy and made me wonder if I missed a page in between. Its classified as a Paranormal Romance but truthfully there isn't much of a romance. Lisa (Garrie) and Trevarr are hot for each other sure but all they really share is a steamy kiss a few times in the whole book. I liked the story, the characters were like-able and there was some great action, but the execution of everything was rough around the edges. The author left a lot of things I felt I needed to know out, Maybe it will be in STORM OF RECKONING? My overall opinion? I would MAYBE borrow it from the library ,but would not purchase myself a copy.

It is enjoyable: like the cover blurb writers I liked the "not a cat", and also liked the chapter heading quotes. The actual adventure held the interest, and even the love story was tolerable. My only caveat is that it is the beginning of a series, and it shows. -- One sequel is out, Storm of Reckoning, but there is definitely more to come.

This was a fun read, especially since I live near San Jose and have visited the Winchester Mystery House, the setting for much of the action. I love anything Doranna Durgin writes, she puts together unique and interesting characters and storylines.

I met Doranna Durgin on facebook via C. J. Cherryh who pointed me to the Backlist E-books Group that Doranna was founding.

Eventually, I asked what she's been writing lately, so she sent me an ARC of The Reckoners.

I was very pleasantly surprised to see The Reckoners is set in my home stomping grounds of California and at one of my all-time favorite haunts, The Winchester House (built by the widow of the fellow who invented the Winchester rifle that "won the West.")

One of the main characters, Lisa McGarrity, has the talent for dismissing ghosts to go on to the next realm. But she hasn't developed a theory of how and why this works, or what it means about the structure of the universe.

The male lead character, Trevarr, seems to be from another dimension, and is partnered by a third character who is not human. Some of the story is told through this third character's view, and that might be awkward for some people looking for a routine Romance novel.

The multiple points of view give us an intriguing angle on the universe that has shaped these characters, and opens possibilities for sequels as Lisa learns (mostly from Trevarr) what her talent is about.

If you're looking for a simple, ordinary Romance novel, this one might not satisfy you because this complex background does tend to squeeze out the physical intimacy scenes.

But if you're thirsty for a Romance set against a broad tapestry of a universe at the intersection of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance and Mystery, The Reckoners is for you.

"If you can take the Romance out and still have a story, the novel is not a Romance Novel." Well, you can't take the Romance out of The Reckoners and still have a story. In fact, if you took the Romance out, you wouldn't have a Universe because Love would not have Conquered All. This is a novel of the triumph of the human spirit and does deliver that lift we all look for at the end of a really good Romance.

The Reckoner Lisa "Garrie" McGarrity learned to be a ghost hunter when she was ten years old; her mentor was Rhonda Rose, who she later learned was a ghost. Fifteen years later, Garrie is mentally tired having spent years helping ghosts move on by assisting the spirits in doing what is needed that is keeping them amidst the living.

She is retiring as she informs her crew (Lucia, Drew and Quinn), but half-human bounty hunter Trevarr, accompanied by his companion Skylayne the energy essence cat, convinces her to fly from Albuquerque to San Jose because ghosts living in the Winchester Mystery House are extremely upset. Trevarr helps her with the ghosts and she is attracted to him; perhaps even loves him. However, she wonders what his real game is as she distrusts anyone who voluntarily accompanies her on her ghost inquiries. Yet some Bad Beings are disturbing the spirits and exponentially more remain anchored to the world of the living.

The Reckoners is a fun paranormal romantic fantasy starring a wonderful lead character who has burned out and thinks she suffers from PTSD, a mysterious maybe hero (or perhaps villain) and a strong support cast especially her team, the ghosts, the Bad Beings, and the haunted house. Although too much remains unanswered for future entries, sub-genre fans will enjoy this fine tale summed up at the end by Rhonda: "Don't die in order to live".

Harriet Klausner

Like all of Durgin's books, Reckoners has glorious 3D characters. It has all the joy of Ghostbusters, all the incredible monsters of the paranormal, and a delightful romance that never lets you down. Durgin deftly avoids cliché, and builds a rock-solid high-tension story. Best of all, it comes with an excellent twist at the end that will leave you begging for more.