Thursday, May 5, 2011

Book Review: A Moth in Darkness

A Moth in Darkness

By:  Frances Pauli

Publisher:  Mundania Press

Publish Date:  February 2011

Format:  Paperback 207pgs, 5"x8"

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  1st book of Trilogy, The Changeling Race

Recommendation:  Yes.  A mystery read filled with the fey world created to get lost in joined with our world.

Book Synopsis:
The boundaries between the worlds have fallen.  Forced to integrate the creatures of fantasy into real life, humanity struggles against its disillusionment, prejudice and an inevitable feeling of inadequacy.

Once an agent for the embassy that mediates between the worlds, Elizabeth Larson has abandoned her past and slipped into a world of nostalgic addiction to fairy revels, dancing, and the dark lure of her own memories.  But when her former partner and lover goes missing, she is pulled reluctantly back into service.  She must venture once more across the borders, into the land that haunts her, facing a string of gruesome murders, the imposing Sidhe rulers and her own addiction in the process.

When the Embassy's agents attempt to soothe tensions between the races, Liz and her new partner search the fairy realm for Lockland Sheen.  Fighting the constant temptation of the revels, they piece together the trail of an unknown enemy.  But the longer they follow it, the more it appears that the man they came to rescue is more villain than victim.  And the more they rely on Elizabeth's ties to the fairies, the closer she inches toward the madness that lurks behind her fantasies.

First Sentence:
The dancing would kill her eventually.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Liz is one of three women to create the first doorway for the fey to cross into our world.  For a while she worked at the Embassy tending to fey/human relations.  But she left the job after something happened with her partner, and now she ushers fey into the world at a place not so different of feel than a tram station.  Liz seems to be trying to escape, or maybe remember, something inside herself as she goes with the fairies who call to her every night into the Middle World.  Here is where she eats their snacks and drinks their juices, and dances the night away.  But, now the agent friend that Liz trained, Bev, shows up with a warning that her name is being tossed around the Embassy and something is a buzz...  There's a rogue elf killing other elves and Liz is drawn back into the service of the Embassy because of who it is.  Maybe her addiction to the fairy dancing will help with the case, or maybe not...  Will her new temporary partner go with his instincts or follow orders?

I have to say the world created here is really a great one full of Fey of all kinds; elves, pixies, fairies, trolls, and gnomes.  The connection between the fey world and human on is neat with the portals that takes an ability and power to help open the doorway, on both sides.  Now the fey come to our world openly, but they are not always accepted here.  And vice versa.

But the fairies where an attraction to me.  I liked how they came to Liz every night as they loved the way she danced.  But they left me wondering if there wasn't more behind that visiting than I was aware of.  And they always seemed adorable with the way they looked.  And there is one fairy in particular I'm curious about.

I liked the way I got the story of Liz and her past partner through out the book.  I wanted to get more of that connection and see them together, but he is to be dead.  We learn of Liz and her past partner through her memories and it is a wonderful way to bring you to love a character that's not physically present in the story.  Then we have a new friendship that starts to bloom with her new temporary partner as the characters start to relate and care for each other.

We do get a few different view points in the book as the different characters learn different pieces of the puzzle, and it adds to the anxiety you start to feel for the characters and the situation they are in.  I left the book wanting more.  I'm hoping there is a second book with these characters as I want to follow the story line further and see what happens.  Really a fun fey-magic mystery read!

You can check out the book and the author over at the Mundania Press site, or the Author, Frances Pauli's, site.


I received this book from the publisher for review.


This book qualifies for my Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge, hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books.

7 comments:

  1. I do like the opening sentence. As for the rest...I am pretty torn, just dunno

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  2. All I can say is... WOW!!! I've got to read this!!!

    Faeries & Faeries & Faeries--OH MY!

    Oh, how I love a good Fae book, hence the name The Book Faery! Mel-How could you hold out on me, chica?

    I forgive you! With a review like this how could I not :o] I love it and I'm off to buy this book-immediately!

    Thanks so much for a great review and turn on to a great book! You Rock, Melissa!

    Hugs!

    Kristi-The Book Faery

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  3. Blodeuedd - Hey thank you. :) Glad you stopped by. It's a new book maybe if a few more reviews pop up it will help shed some more light on it for you. :)

    Kristi The Book Faery - lol. I thought of you when I read this one. It has a little of a darker side to it, but it is really a great fey mystery read. :) Oh, you are so welcome. And if you get it I do hope you enjoy. :)

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  4. Hm... this one sounds interesting. I still say that the cover freaks me out. Usually I like the unusual, but it is disturbing. *shakes head* As far as the review... oh I'm curious. The world building really sounds good. I think I'd like to see if the story goes further before I invest the time, but it really sounds very promising. Great review!

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  5. *Frances's editor pokes her head in* Moth is the first of a trilogy--A Fly in Paradise will be out in a few months, and the final book was just contracted, to be released early 2012. Thanks! *pops back out again*

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  6. Skyla, Thank you! I saw A Fly in Paradise as a work she was working on, but wasn't sure it went with this book. :) Had a feeling, but didn't want to say. :) Yeah! I liked this book and look forward to reading of the characters again. :)

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  7. Melissa (Books&Things) - he he he. Well, glad to make you curious about the story behind the cover. ;) I just saw Skyla mentioned it's the beginning to a trilogy. I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book. :) Thank you!

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