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

~ Vicki Pettersson (Author)
Key Phrases: other star signs, first life cycle, rogue agent, Ben Traina, Las Vegas, Joanna Archer (more...)

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

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

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

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Eos (February 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060898917
• ISBN-13: 978-0060898915
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (88 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #220,672 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 1 in The Sign of the Zodiac Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 59 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)

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.

47 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	SciFiChick "www.SciFiChick.com" (Fishers, IN USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)

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!

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative but falls way short., August 9, 2008

By	Aegis Nod (Smalltown, USA) - See all my reviews

The Sagittarius, or the Archer, in the Zodiac is a symbol of individual prowess, fire as well as uncivilized behavior and temper. And encompasses a dual relation between things, especially being both Light and Shadow, and not becoming consumed by either. This fits Joanna Archer to a tee. And it should, since that is not only her Sign, but her birthright. Born to a mother of the Light and a father, the Tulpa, who is the hellfire leader of the Shadow Zodiac side, Joanna isn't just special: she's destiny and fate itself. And choosing the Light side isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Not when she's expected to kill the Tulpa, while trying to wrestle with her abandonment issues about her mother who's still alive and hiding, and of course, save the world one kick and punch at a time.

With a troubled past of rape in the cool sands near Las Vegas continue to haunt her, and the listless questioning existence following the brutal attack, Joanna is left wondering what her purpose is in life as her 25th birthday comes looming after her. It isn't the only thing after her either. For Shadow agents (of comic cheesiness) have scented her out, and want nothing but to destroy the sign and portent that could destroy the Shadow Zodiac side entirely.

But it's not going to be that easy. For Joanna or the Light side. Because Joanna is a tough chick who doesn't take crap from anyone and lets nothing get to her. Huh-huh.

Is Scent of Shadows creative and different? Yeah, I'd say so. But that's where the positives end. Joanna's heartbreaking entry into the 'dark' and self-immolation is clichéd and dragged out unnecessarily, and fights the actual premise of the story as she resists her fate as well as glossing over the important things in her life as she is morphed into someting else entirley. She more or less leaves her old life behind, without much consideration or emotional repercussions. I didn't buy it, at all.

Her romance with her one and only flame, Ben Traina, while at one point was very sweet and tender, never came off as important or dramatic as it was touted to be. Maybe it gets important later in the series...Here, it fell pretty flat, pretty darn quick. This is the same with all the relationships in this book, mostly mechanical, standardized character arches and dull interactions that show no personality and little development. There is no emotional hook, and considering a major element to the book centers on Joanna impersonating her dead sister to get to dear old dad, it was left wanting.

The writing is meandering and marginally okay, the character's are awkward and forgettable, the plot choppy, and not very consistent. And it's all very noticeable--in about 500 pages. The buildup is slow, parts of it painfully boring, punctured with a few bits of action that was just oaky. There was so much introspection, it makes you want to throw the book across the room in frustration, because the story, the plot, the characters go nowhere, with scenes the author thought was 'cool'--hence the comic book element done bad. I had to FORCE myself to read the whole thing because the idea was different and a nice change from the other clichéd fantasy/urban/sci-fi/supernatural books out there. Instead, by the halfway mark, you'll wonder: why, oh why, are you torturing yourself?

And by the end. I just sighed and shook my head. What a waste of my time. But this book seems to have gotten a lot of positive reviews, so maybe I missed something, that magic that just wasn't there for me at all. But no, I think not. I'm not even enticed to read the second one, to see if it's better or if it'll get better. But to each their own, and may the force be with you. God knows, you'll need it.