2010 ROC: ISBN 978-0-451-46302-9

Longtime husband and wife team Barb and J.C. Hendee have penned their latest fantasy, part of the Noble Dead series. It begins with Wynn, a young girl with a psychic talent she considers a strange malady. In addition, she’s surrounded with sages and mayhem, and it’s the latter that draws the reader in. Murder politics, drama and interrogation involving a whole cast of characters all play their parts, and there’s mystery is in the air concerning the dead sages. The story goes at a steady pace, never hurried, so the reader can take in everything that’s going on. For a while it’s a bit like an Agatha Christie novel, focusing on on plot and details surrounding the murders. There is a twist to it, quirky enough to set it apart from the average mystery. Moments of horror are sprinkled into the mix, and the drama that ensues keeps a hold on the reader.

Wynn herself is a bookish character, and it’s her driving curiosity that makes her come alive. She is also a very virtuous person and a resourceful one. The reader easily comes to like her. Her character is the one that stands out the most while all the others are secondary, although Rodian, one of her allies, is nearly as prominent as she is.

However, the story is meant to be a fantasy and there’s hardly any to be seen: only a smattering at the most. Wynn has a crystal, but seldom do we see her powers at work, so as a sorceress she’s far from being credible. We don’t even know the extent of her powers, since what we see is so minimal. It’s a bit like an understated cloak-and-dagger story, but without very much intrigue. It’s some-what too laid back.

Besides this, the characters’ names are often long and unpronounceable. This is a stumbling block when all the reader wants is an easy read. One either has to skim over the names or ignore them altogether. The story slows down when it nears three hundred pages. One would think it to be more climactic than this, especially when there’s an element of magic in the air. We perk up at the mention of vampires, but alas, the authors hardly do anything with them. When it comes to thrills it’s a bit disheartening.

Once we’re properly introduced to the undead, the horror starts to come to fruition. As we’re immersed in Wynn’s world the tension builds, and we’re led on an adventure as the book draws near its end. There’s ancient history, a bit of shady business and even a hint of the occult to add to the excitement and the more progress Wynn makes, the more mysterious the tale becomes. Deception and danger reign, and the story rapidly builds to an all-important climax.

Overall, the story itself is a solid one, and those who like a well thought out tale of the supernatural will definitely come to enjoy this taut, entertaining, often scary novel. Adults and even young adults will find it a very satisfying read.

To learn more about Barb and J.C. Hendee go to their website at http://www.nobledead.com.