Dark Watcher (2004)

This is the second book I've read by Saintcrow and they've both been bad. To be fair, though, this book would have had to be fantastic for me to give it more than three stars. I'm only reading it because I bought both books at the same time.

The main character is much too perfect for my taste. And while I wouldn't quite call the watcher a "possessive caveman," isn't it creepy to be informed that this guy you just met will follow you around for the rest of your life to protect you, whether you like it or not?

However, the main character only fainted once. That's an improvement over The Demon's Librarian I suppose. ( )

Not a bad read. I liked the underlying concept of the Watchers being "bonded" with a particular Lightbringer, but the ending in this book felt a little hurried and forced. I'm interested to see what the story is in the next two books, whether it continues Dante and Theo's story or whether it involves more of the Watchers and the Lightbringers who are a little suspicious. ( )

Not bad. Makes me want to read the others in the series again - this is the first and I'm reading it fourth. So I knew pretty well what happened - even about the spell and Suzanne - but now I can't remember in detail what happened later on, with Hansen and the others. I do remember some of the things I learned as a reader about Circle Lightfall and Watchers - Dante is less down on himself than some of the others, he's merely willing to totally subordinate himself to his witch (except in the matter of her safety). Not bad, not wonderful, but a good intro to this universe. ( )

This is another author I discovered while bloghopping--this time, through a religion blog called "God and Consequences" which is no longer around. Darnit.

Theodora is a witch who's finally found a place where she can settle down, with three other magically-inclined women. All she wants is to be safe and comfortable, and maybe to take a nice vacation to Mexico, lie on the beach a while.

But that's not very likely, when there are forces out there who want her dead.

Enter Dante, a Watcher, who works for Circle Lightfall, a paranormal organization. It's his job as a Watcher to watch over a witch--Theodora in particular.

Watchers are formerly violent men who were saved from death and turned into guardians with supernatural strength. Being around witches is painful for them, unless it's the one witch who's their witch (aka soulmate). The prospect of finding their one witch keeps them in line.

So Dante and a buddy show up and protect Theo and friends. Somewhere along the line, he gives her the low-pressure spiel about joining Circle Lightfall.

Okay. Not going to write a synopsis of the entire book, though it's tempting. I think a very large part of why I didn't love this book is the glut of paranormal romance out there. If I'd never read about real witches before, or guardians, or supernatural soulmates, I'd be enthralled. As it is, I didn't see anything here that I haven't seen a hundred times before.

I also didn't really bond with the characters. The women all seemed... muted, somehow. They didn't seem to want anything very strongly. In fact, their main goal is a negative--to be left alone. Even when the climax comes and they do have to fight for their peace, they take what to me seems to be a lazy and short-sighted (or maybe just narrow) option. Even Theodora's desire for a vacation in Mexico--it's mentioned pretty frequently, but she doesn't seem to really want it all that badly--it's just something she daydreams about off and on.

The men were better--they were fighting for something. And I never did understand why Theo & co. were so against Circle Lightfall, beyond a bland wish to be peaceful.

My biggest problem with the book was the ending: I could not understand why they made the choices they made. But more than that, I couldn't forgive them for their isolationist point of view. ( )

umm yes forgettable.