Customer Reviews

Seduced by Crimson (Crimson City)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This series is back on track as things are heating up in the war between Earth and the demon world, Orcus. Patrick Lewis is the Draig-Uisge, an enforcer of sorts for the Druids. He is late to a meeting and thus arrives in time to hear his mother's dying words. Both of Patrick's parents, along with many other Druids, have been slaughtered by the demonic Bak-Farus who are entering Earth through an open gate. Patrick's mother instructs him to find the Phoenix Tear and close the gate permanently. Xiao Fei is the last Phoenix Tear, a woman whose power is the very blood that runs through her veins. Xiao witnessed a gate being closed in Cambodia when she was 8 years old; she was the lone survivor as over 30 monks and Phoenix Tears died for that closure. Los Angeles has truly become the Crimson City as it is rapidly being overrun by demons while werewolves, vampires, and humans are forced to fight together against the demonic onslaught. Patrick finds Xiao and informs her of his plan to close the gate; an ancient text indicates that the gate can be closed using Xiao's blood and Patrick's ability to bend and shape energy. Xiao is initially resistant to the idea as she believes Patrick is crazy. That is, until she accidentally poisons a child werewolf with her blood and cures a vampire! This book is action-packed and has several interesting twists along the way. Jade Lee has revived my interest in this series as the last book was definitely weaker than the earlier books and had me worried that the series was losing steam. Highly recommended!

I read all the others in this series and enjoyed them, thoroughly. Yet, this one left me wanting. The characters were flat and steriotypical. The action seemed forced. The entire book is of running, running, running. Same scenes over and over, just in a different location. There are brief injections of the vampires and werewolves, but only very, very brief. The demons are also flat and are left with the impression of them being completely evil. Which we learned in "A Darker Crimson" was not the case.

Overall, I found it a disappointment. I even had to force myself to finish the book, just so I would know what was going on in the next. Hopefully, the next author picks up the strings and delivers something with more action and more well rounded characters.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

As the war between the species heats up in Crimson City, a common enemy has all kinds banding together to fight.

"Find her... the Phoenix Tear. Close the gate. Permanently." These were the last words of Patrick's mother as she lay dying and there was no way he could possibly refuse her last wish. Thus begins Patrick's adventure.

Patrick is the Draig-Uisge, leader of the Druids, who has the power to shape energy to his magical needs. When the demon Bak-Farus invade Earth through a gate from Orcus, death and destruction follow in their wake and the world will die if they are not stopped. Being so closely linked to the Earth, Patrick can feel the vitality of the world seeping out the loner the gate remains open. Following his mother's plea, he goes in search of the only one who can help him, the Phoenix Tear.

Xiao Fei is a survivor, but barely. She is the last remaining Phoenix Tear, a hemophiliac whose strength and gift lies in her blood. Her blood has the ability to heal the gravest of injuries, it can even make a vampire human again. She came to Crimson City years ago, after helping to close a demon gate in Cambodia at the tender age of eight years old, and being the only one to survive. Now, hiding out in Crimson City, she's about to confront the horrors of her childhood once more.

Patrick is convinced that a ritual sex act pairing him and Xiao Fei will enhance their respective powers and bring about the closing of the gate. Xiao Fei has her doubts, after all it took 30 monks and Phoenix Tears to close a gate last time. But allied with the vampires and werewolves and all the Druids, they may very well have a chance. Too bad love has to interfere with Patrick's plans.

This is only my second read of the Crimson City series but it was most definitely more sensual than the previous book in the series I read. This is due to the nature of the plot. Patrick believes they need sex to conquer evil and Xiao Fei is resistant initially. The attraction between them however overcomes all doubt on more than one occasion. The sexual pull is increased even more though as something interferes every time they are close to succumbing to their desires. Initially, the two star-crossed love birds fight the feelings between them, convinced their emotions will only weaken their dedication to the plan. It certainly doesn't help matters any that Patrick will do whatever it takes to complete the ritual and close the gate, even knowing this course of action could very well be the death of the woman he has come to love.

In spite of the nature of Patrick and Xiao Fei's gifts and the dedication to the cause, they never lose their humanity, which is one aspect I especially loved about Seduced by Crimson. Patrick has many inner battles to face, stemming from events unfolding in his childhood. We are made privy to his history through entries in a journal he kept through his teen years. These entries give us a lot of insight into him and why it is so very important he win this battle. Xiao Fei lived a horrific life as a child and the incidents surrounding the closing of the demon gate so many years ago has left her traumatized. This adds to her fear in present day as no one can truly understand what it means to have that gate open unless they lived through it before. We are given a look into her life through flashbacks and her telling of the story. This made her previous experiences have that much greater of an impact on how we viewed current events.

Seduced by Crimson by Jade Lee starts with a bang and doesn't let up until the final page is turned. The opening scene sets the tone for the rest of the book. On a bloody battlefield, Patrick sees what havoc the demons have wrought and must close the gate and defeat the Bak-Farus before they destroy the entire city and possibly the world. The frenzied pace of the story and the desperation to close the gate before it's too late make for a very tension-laden story. I was on the edge of my seat and biting my nails as I waited to see what would happen next. Add in the fact you have rival species like werewolves and vampires being forced to work together to help fend off the demons and the pressure builds still more, knowing their animosity towards one another could come to the forefront at any given moment.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, April 2007. All rights reserved.

Sorry, rape and bondage themes are never going to be on my favorites list, even if it's for a "good cause." This story had some great ideas, but seriously---the victim falling in love with her would-be rapist is just gross.

I was expecting great things from this book due to the great ratings other readers gave it. The story felt very shallow and the characters were very weak and wishy-washy. I have read all of the other crimson city books so far and felt that this book was the weakest. I have really been enjoying this series.

I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of the Anita Blake series but not as dark and sexual. Once I picked this book up, I could not put it down. If you love the were's, vamps and all things goth, you will love this book and this series.

Ok, Ok I'm a big girl and can take a furturistic, paranormal delectible love story as good as the next girl. But WOW! this author goes very deep into not only "regular" paranormal complications but throws a very well developed paralell universe
where the sentient, senstive and eventually sacrificial doppleganger of the lead character makes deals with demons and dragons. Her characters are so specific and "believeable" as little personalities and her descriptions are so vivid that you can feel the heat and desolation of her paralell worlds. The only negative component is towards the last 2/3 of the book you really have to pay attention because the complexity of two universes, rules and regs of world building are done with such detail that you need to hang on tight to enjoy the ride. Is it worth the attention--oh yeah--but not a relaxing read. Gives a meaty bone of cultural differences, love and passion throws it in our Crimson City stew pot of familiar setting, stir well, take a deep breath and let the fervid imagination of this talented author create a dishy reading adventure.

I've enjoyed the previous "Crimson City" books, but this one is not a good one. While I like that the protagonists are unique and not your typical romance hero or heroine, they were a bit stereotypical in their own right. But really my major dislike about this book was that it included a rape scene where the woman eventually enjoyed it. Without giving too much away to the reader who still wishes to read this book, the rape is ignored and turns into a positive plot characteristic. This isn't BDSM or even the old "dominant man/submissive woman" sex reminiscent of old romances; this is *clearly* a rape scene, named so by the victim. It's the real thing. Enough said.

I found this book enjoyable to read, but it lacked the "punch" the other books in the series had. It was difficult for me to constantly have to try and wrap my tongue around the heroine's name, Xiao Fei. Otherwise it was good. I'm still looking forward to the next and final installment, "Crimson Rogue."

Long ago Los Angeles became Crimson City, a glittering metropolis and sometime-battleground-sometime-home for humans, werewolves and vampires. Before that, demons ruled. And with the Crimson Veil now torn asunder, those demons are on their way back.

There exist those who oppose the Dark Ones: mystics attuned to the earth, the druids. From San Bernardino they come, sending one of their mightiest - their Draig-Uisge. He can shape energy, twist it to harm or heal. But he must have something to bend, and the requisite power can be summoned by one method alone.. and from one source: the beauty Xiao Fei; her union with Patrick means salvation. Yet in a world of vampires, werewolves and evil untamed, even a kiss can be deadly. Opposition lurks in every shadow, peril in every caress... and both redemption and oblivion lie in one woman being...

SEDUCED BY CRIMSON..