"A spellbinding and enthralling urban fantasy"
As the plane lands, passenger Joanne Walkingstick sees a man
with a knife, a pack of dogs and a woman running. Joanne
grabs a taxi to head to the spot where she saw the crime
take place. She finds Maria D'Ambra who tells her she was
being chased by Cernunnos a Celtic god and leader of the
Wild Hunt. She is a banshee who can tell when someone is
about to die making her invaluable to the Wild Hunt who
collects the souls of the dead. The metaphysical is not in Joanna's world view until
Cernunnos runs her through with a sword and while near death
her spirit guide Coyote tells her how to heal herself. She
also learns she is a shaman with the power to heal. When she
goes to talk with Maria, she finds her murdered in the same
way five other shamans were killed in recent weeks. Not much
later, the killer attacks schoolchildren in their classroom
murdering some and injuring the teacher. He is Herne a
demigod who was once mortal and has his own plans for the
world and the Hunt. Unless Joanne can grow into her powers
to send Cernunnos and Herne back to where they belong Earth
is doomed. The relationship between Cernunnos and Herne is familial but
there is an enmity that exists between them because of their
different goals with mortals caught in their cross fire.
Joanne accepts the metaphysical work and her shamanic powers
a bit too easily but she has the strength and determination
to use them in order to fight the two gods. C.E. Murphy has
written a spellbinding and enthralling urban fantasy in the
tradition of Tanya Huff and Mercedes Lackey. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted February 18, 2006
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