The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Vicki Pettersson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 27, 2007

When she was sixteen, Joanna Archer was brutally assaulted and left to die in the Nevada desert.

By rights, she should be dead.

Now a photographer by day, she prowls a different Las Vegas after sunset—a grim, secret Sin City where Light battles Shadow—seeking answers to whom or what she really is . . . and revenge for the horrors she was forced to endure.

But the nightmare is just beginning—for the demons are hunting Joanna, and the powerful shadows want her for their own . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Despite its romance pedigree (Kim Harrison and Charlaine Harris contribute advance praise), this moody, fast-paced debut falls into the growing "dark fantasy" category, which blends fantasy, comic book superheroism and paranormal romance, but holds no promise of a happily-ever-after. The book's heroine, Joanna Archer, has spent the years following a brutal attack learning martial arts and trolling Sin City, Nev., for trouble. On the eve of her 25th birthday, she finds it in the form of a peculiar date who looks like a gaunt banker one moment and like hell spawn the next. Joanna fights her way out of his grasp, but her close encounter is only the beginning. Before long, she finds herself caught up in a world where a superhuman few—the Light—fight evil from the Shadow realm, a world in which she's recognized as the "Kairos," a prophesied warrior made up of both Shadow and Light who's destined to help Light prevail. Pettersson centers her story around the signs of the Zodiac, putting an imaginative spin on a familiar setup. Though graphic scenes (in which tongues are severed, heads ripped off, etc.) will repel some readers, others will embrace Pettersson's enduring, tough-as-nails heroine and anticipate gleefully the next volume, due in April. (Mar.)
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Review

“The Scent of Shadows came out of nowhere and slapped me silly. … You’re going to love this.” (Kim Harrison )

“...Read at your own risk —it’ll keep you up past your bedtime.” (Charlaine Harris )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Harper Voyager (February 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060898917
• ISBN-13: 978-0060898915
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (103 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #264,933 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Vicki Pettersson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Signs of the Zodiac novels, a six-book urban fantasy series set in her hometown of Las Vegas. Though she'll always consider that glittering dustbowl home, she now splits her time between Vegas and Dallas, where she's learning to like good Tex-Mex (easy) and the Dallas Cowboys (easier than you'd think). Next up is a paranormal noir trilogy called Celestial Blues, debuting in 2012.
For more information on Vicki's books, please visit: http://vickipettersson.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre writing, but keeps you hooked to the end, March 3, 2007

By 

Christina Ravens Bridges - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I bought this book at a bookstore, not knowing what to expect. It sounded interesting, but the back cover didn't really tell you what it was all about...girl gets abused, girl gets angry, girl hunts the night.

This book is much more than that, much more ambitious. While the ideas are big, if a little on the hackneyed side, the writing is so-so. I've read romances, and am not hostile to them; I've read fantasy, sci-fi, dark fiction, and this was a mix of all but not enough of any. The romance bits felt uncomfortable and stiff, the fantasy felt like a retread, and there were some chick-lit moments that made me wonder why I was still reading.

And that's it. I was still reading, even though I could see the flaws. In spite of what feels like an overwritten first novel, the ideas and characters were intriguing enough that I still wanted to finish. And I did, in one day, sitting in the bath. Even as I huffed and muttered I needed to know what happened next.

Best book ever? No. But a good book for the bath or beach or when you want a relatively easy read with dark undertones. I haven't decided if I'll read the next one yet.

50 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dark and Edgy New Superhero!, February 27, 2007

By 

SciFiChick "The SciFiChick" (Fishers, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Joanna has grown up living the high life in Las Vegas. But she's had a troubled past and an even scarier future. Whether she likes it or not, Joanna finds herself in the middle of a war of super-powered beings. And if she makes it to her 25th birthday, she'll become one of them. The war is between the superheroes called the Light, comprised of people from the different star signs of the zodiac, and the Shadow, their evil opposites in the spectrum. Half Light and Half Shadow, no one truly trusts Joanna. She doesn't even trust herself.

While there are aspects of romance, Joanna faces more heartache than happiness. Pettersson weaves several elements from different genres: urban fantasy, violence, intrigue, superheroes, and myth. Pettersson has created an incredibly fun character in Joanna with many facets and layers to her personality.

This dark and edgy superhero story was a long novel at 464 pages. But I read it amazingly fast, as I literally couldn't put it down. I'm itching to get my hands on the next in the series that, thankfully, comes out in just a little over a month!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I wanted to like it , I really did, April 18, 2008

By 

Laura C. Hohman (Bloomington, IN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Honestly, I enjoyed the first hundred pages or so and thought it had great promise. The the major plot flaws started popping up. Top secret information available in the form of a comic book? Hiding the main character's identity through major (whole body) plastic surgery? And why couldn't the bad guys figure out her identity? Seemed like it could have been figured out with some basic logic. The Zodiac? A bunch of fools. I'm rooting for the bad guys this time - or I would be if I planned to keep reading.

By the way, this has the distinction of being the only book that I've ever given up on with only 30 pages to go. I just couldn't make myself care enough to finish.