J.L. O'Faolain

I have to admit that I enjoyed this story. The three main characters were all well fleshed out and I enjoyed the way that their sexuality was dealt with. While Push and Wrath had super powers, Scratch did have his gadgets going for him. The largest problem that I had with the story was the lack of world building and the information that goes with it. I would liked to have known more about the Association. The members all had impressive names but did the have super powers? How was the Association formed. I think that the author missed a lot of spots where some one-liners would have lifted the story with humor. After all, there was a lot of spandex in play, have some fun with it. I liked that there was some personal resolutions made between Push and Scratch. The ending was a little confusing because Wrath, Push and Scratch were left chasing Sloth but Yotaka was introduced as a new player.… (more)

There are many legends that personify the seasons, and this story is about to of them. The Holly King, or winter, fights the Oak King, or summer, twice each year at the summer and winter solstice. The focus here is, fittingly as a winter story, on Yule, and Holly is supposed to lose. Now, I can see why this "eternal battle" is needed, since it is actually not people but nature that we're talking about, Still, making the seasons people and then "expecting" them to behave like they're supposed to is not concept that fits easily into my 21st century brain!

Having said tat, there is real beauty in the battle between Holly and Oak here. Forces of nature are used, their old rivalry comes into play, and despite the fact that Holly "is supposed to lose", he puts up one heck of a fight! When Oak des win, this time around, there is no gloating or even celebration, since everything is as it should be.

And this is where the story breaks with tradition and we have the two brothers "go for a coffee". It is a clear indication that the setting is contemporary, not some ancient century. The discussion that follows is interesting, and the brothers' dilemma, that of finding a lover, becomes obvious. Both of them are immortal, and mortals don’t live very long. While the brothers do want a partner, and there are hints that mortals can be made immortal, Holly doesn't seem overly committed. Interestingly, that seems to change when he meets his lover, Sergio, in a cabin they have rented in the mountains somewhere.

The one thing am not sure about is the ending. As far as I can see, it is left undecided, but you'll have to decide for yourself. This is one of those stories that allows for different interpretations, I think, and what you make of it will depend on what you see in it. So, if you like stories about heroes from the old times, if you don't mind a slightly ambiguous ending, and if you’re looking or a fantastical read about immortals and their issues, then you will probably like this short story.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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The thirteenth Child is a hard one for me to rate. For a long while I really didn’t know what to think about it. It definitely wasn’t what I expected after reading the blurb, but that is not always a bad thing. I liked the fantasy elements and seeing mythical creatures like fae in a modern world (which makes it urban fantasy, I guess) can be very interesting. What stopped me from really liking it were three things: there was way too much violence for my tastes (I expected some, but not in this much gruesome detail), the two main characters not just hated each other in the beginning but they really didn’t admit their feelings even at the end (romance failure), and there was more cheating going on than I was able to shake a stick at, so to speak (some of it with women, which I REALLY didn’t expect).

Now, don’t get me wrong: some of what attracted me in the blurb was really well done. The characters obviously grabbed me enough to make me mad at them, so that part was great. The world with all its rules and creatures was well developed, even though I hated how awful some of the bests were. The suspense about what was going on and who was behind it all kept me reading. But my biggest complaint is that nothing was resolved at the end. The heroes were still pretty much at each other’s throats, not even a hint of a HFN and the overall plot has left enough questions open for me to want a sequel - but there is no hint of one to be found anywhere I checked. And to be quite honest, I am no even sure I’d want to read it – being afraid I’d be heading for another disappointment.

All in all, the reasons why I couldn’t like this book are purely personal. If you like urban fantasy, don’t mind cheating heroes and don’t expect a romance, the world building, urban fantasy elements and overall plotline will probably keep your interest and let you like this book a lot more than I did.… (more)