I just ran across something that made me realize that I’m not bothered when generalizations are used to criticize the romance (or other) genres. For example, “So many alpha men!” We all have our preferences, and not all of them run the same way, and we all seek out books that we think we will like according to our individual tastes.

I am bothered when generalizations are used to criticize a specific book/relationship. “This romance sucks! Yet another alpha man! Why couldn’t she be with a beta hero?”

Especially when it ignores a) the heroine’s character, b) the success/failure of the romance and the chemistry (or lack thereof) as described in the book. (If it ignores that particular heroine would walk all over a hero who wasn’t alpha, for example.) The problem is, of course, separating a dislike for alpha heroes and that the book didn’t work according to personal taste — and recognizing that the book just doesn’t work. Sometimes, an asshole alpha and a TSTL doormat have a romance that does work, because they are made for each other — but that doesn’t mean the book is good, because…well, asshole and TSTL.

I do have a soft spot for betas, but I find myself wishing less for certain trends in romance than just finding the individual book that works on its own terms, no matter what category the characters fall in to.

Taste and technique. Here’s to hoping that in 2009, all of the books we read (and write) will hit our sweet spots in both categories (or if not, that one aspect of it will hit your sweet spot so hard, that you don’t mind so much about the other).

That’s what this book is like.

And I loved every second of it.

*Wait … you didn’t do this? Ummmmmmmm.

::backs slowly away::

And that is all.

Meljean: Last week on Twitter, a few of us were waxing nostalgic about Silhouette Shadows books — the category paranormal line that came out in the early- and mid-1990s — and it reminded me that I’ve been drafting this post for … well, almost a year now.

Missy: Wait, wait! 1990s? As in … you were in your mid- to late-teens?

Meljean: Yep.

Missy: And you’re not Missy anymore.

Meljean: Nope. And it’s too bad you missed out on the Shadows line, because the books were awesome. Especially the two I’m going to write about today and (maybe) next week.

Missy: Jeez, thanks. I hate you. I’ve been waiting for romances like this my whole life–

Meljean: Actually, only since you were eight. And the first couple of years, you were too enraptured with rubbing thighs to think about combining your love of vampires and werewolves and things that go bump in the night with … well, things that go bump in the night.

Missy: –and I spent tons and tons of time reading Nancy Garden and Bunnicula and haunting the 398.4 section of the library, yet all I had to do was wait a few more years and I’d have vampire romance???

Meljean: Not just vampire romance. Sexy vampire romance.

Missy: … I hate you.

Meljean: Well, if it makes you feel better, the first one doesn’t really have a sex scene at all … and that’s probably a good thing.

Missy: That doesn’t make me feel better, so suck on it.

Meljean: You’re such a little snot. In any case, now that I’ve thought about it for two seconds, I’ve realized that you wouldn’t have liked them.

Missy: Vampires. Werewolves. Duh! Of course I would. What books are they, anyway?

Meljean: The first is a werewolf novel, WOLF IN WAITING by Rebecca Flanders, and is the second in her Heart of the Wolf series. Flanders has written a ton for Silhouette and Harlequin, but werewolf fans might actually know her best from her Donna Boyd novels, THE PASSION and its sequel, THE PROMISE (the Devoncroix dynasty series.) Those aren’t romances, but they are dang good books (and highly recommended.) And, for those familiar with the Boyd books, you’ll find many similarities in the worldbuilding in the Heart of the Wolf series — the uber-rich pack, the Alaskan seat, the werewolf disdain for humans.

Missy: Blah, blah. What’s it about?

Meljean: I don’t remember you being this annoying before.

Missy: I’ve been stuck in a closet for two freaking years! And you bring me out to tease me about books I’ve never read! I hate you!

Meljean: You’re so cute when you’re angry and your nose scrunches up like that. Okay, so here’s the back cover copy:

He was the standard against which all others were measured — the strongest, the smartest, the sexiest and the most noble of his kind: Noel Duprey, whose birthright forbade him even to look Victoria St. Clare’s way, for his destiny would never allow him to take her as his bride.

Furthermore, Noel believed she was a traitor, out to destroy his legacy — out to destroy him. But all she was really after was his heart . . .

Missy: … and you think I won’t like this?

Meljean: Well, for one — it’s in alternating first person POV.

Missy: *I* don’t have a problem with first person.

Meljean: But … Oh.

Missy: Yeah, genius. That’s you. I was going along just fine until you got that stupid preference for third person in your big fat head.

Meljean: Well that’s just weird. I wonder when it happened. It was before this book, btw — because I actually put off reading it for a little while when I saw the POV.

Missy: A little while? Like … a day?

Meljean: Hey, that was a huge effort when I was seventeen. Anyway, it didn’t matter — the voices are distinct, and each time I get in either of their heads, I like being there.

Missy: Whatever, loser. So he’s gorgeous, rich, and a werewolf. Why can’t he marry her?

Meljean: Because she’s an anthromorph — a werewolf who can’t change shape. And if Noel is going to be king one day (which he never intended to be, btw — his cousin gave up the throne in the first book) he can’t have an anthromorph for a queen.

Missy: Well, he can just give up his throne, too. Duh.

Meljean: No, he can’t.

Missy: Why?

Meljean: A) it’s not in his character, B) the pack would go to hell.

Missy: Literally?

Meljean: Do you see a capital letter in hell? So, anyway, Victoria is the pack outcast, despite being super-gorgeous and talented.

Missy: And he thinks she’s a traitor?

Meljean: Well, yeah. There’s this ad campaign, and bits and pieces of it are being leaked to rival companies. So he’s like, “Are you screwing with the pack?” and she’s like, “Go fuck off, you sexy beast! And I should screw the pack, because all you shape-shifters are assholes!”

Missy: …

Meljean: What? That’s kind of what happens. Anyway, it’s really awesome.

Missy: And you’re leaving it at that?

Meljean: Well, yeah. I’ve got work — and any more might be spoilers.

Missy: Then I’ll read it.

Meljean: Uh, but you weren’t actually old enough –

Missy: I’M READING THIS FREAKING BOOK, FATHEAD! You explaining it like this is stupid.

Meljean: But –

Missy: Shut up. Go write, and I’ll read.

ONE. YEAR. LATER.

Meljean: So … ?

Missy: So, what?

Meljean: There weren’t any horsies in it.

Missy: Up yours.

Meljean: Or any virgins.

Missy: Well, actually, it’s hard to tell, considering that the first time they –

Meljean: We won’t go there. Flanders didn’t, and she handled it just right. So, uh — weren’t you going to give the readers a blow-by-blow account?

Missy: *kicks rock* I don’t really want to spoil it for anyone. It’s … different.

Meljean: In a bad way?

Missy: A good one. First, there’s Victoria. I want to be Victoria! I want her hair and her apartment –

Meljean: Yep, here we go.

Missy: Shut up, loser! She’s awesome! Everybody in the pack hates her and she doesn’t really fit in with humans, either, but she doesn’t sit around crying. She’s kind of happy with her life, even though she’s lonely. And she’s smart! And you can tell she’s a werewolf! She has totally different ways of looking at things than most heroines do. She really thinks she’s superior to humans — smarter, stronger, better suited to everything. All of the werewolves do.

Meljean: The werewolves actually remind me of most romance-novel vampires in many respects: cultured, rich, viciously manipulative. This is a scene where, while trying to sniff out the traitor, Noel takes her to a party and everyone insults Victoria to her face. Noel begins to leave, the hostess begs him not to … and

I realized they had no idea they had done anything wrong. In fact, no one in the room saw anything wrong with the way they had reacted to Victoria, not even Victoria herself. That in itself infuriated me, and I might have left, anyway, but for the steadying pressure of Victoria’s fingers on my arm [...]

I said in quiet, polite French, but distinctly enough for everyone to hear, “It is not my wish to make anyone uncomfortable. Please remember, however, that when you insult my guest, you insult me.”

Stillman avoided my eyes, clearly confused. His wife tugged at her necklace in increasing distress. “Sir, I don’t understand what you mean. Of course–”

And then, to my surprise as much as anyone’s, Victoria spoke up. Her voice was cool and clear and held only the slightest tinge of impatience, nothing more. “What he means,” she said, “is that he is the heir designé. If he brought a trained monkey to dinner with him, he would expect it to be seated at the table. Is that really such a difficult concept?”

“Oh.” The faces around me cleared. “Oh, yes, of course.” Avril Stillman bowed deeply, as did her husband. “Our pardon, sir. We intended no offense.”

I turned again to Victoria, raising an inquisitive eyebrow as I offered her my arm.

She lifted a dismissive shoulder and murmured, “You just have to put it in terms they can understand.”

Missy: Oh, and the bathtub scene.

Meljean: Yeah, that scene, too. Sexy, yet at the same time underscoring not only the differences in werewolf culture, but the problems Noel and Victoria have to overcome. It’s just a fantastic scene … and, ew, that I’m talking about it with you. What about Noel?

Missy: Who cares???? Victoria! Victoria!

Meljean: I actually like him. It took me a while to warm up to him, but once I looked at everything like Victoria did — that, to her werewolf sensibilities (and in many respects, human ones), it was honorable and heroic to sacrifice his personal happiness for the sake of the pack, which translated to the sake of the world — I appreciated his character much, much more.

I said simply, gazing into the dark woods, “I cannot rule alone. But for me there will never be another queen but Victoria.”

And that was the essence of it, the summation of all my despair. For the love of a woman an empire was lost? Not quite. Only the heart of its ruler. And I was sure this was not the first time in history, human or werewolf, that has happened.

Meljean: He really turned my head around when it came to thinking about different types of heroes. Plus, he’s got a good character arc in this story. And although I’m not completely sold on the traitor’s identity and how that came about … it fits the category length, and is appropriate to the internal conflicts of the characters. Really, despite the traitor plot that puts the events in motion — this book is all about the characters.  And at the time, I’d never read a character like Victoria.

Missy: Blah, blah, shut up! Victoria! Victoria!

Meljean: You say that now — but you haven’t met Rhiannon yet. Between the two of them, I’m pretty sure my idea of romance heroine got a complete shift.

Missy: Whatever! Victoria!

Meljean: … Next up, Maggie Shayne’s TWILIGHT MEMORIES.

Do any others have a June 24 release? I know there are a ton more coming out July 1st. *whimpers*

• “Fairies Make Wishes, Too” by Maggie Shayne — in A SPRINKLE OF FAIRY DUST (like a fairy Little Mermaid)
• “Everything She Does Is Magick” by Maggie Shayne — in BEWITCHED (Virgin Hero would have sold me on this, anyway)
• “A Dream of Stone and Shadow” by Marjorie M. Liu — DARK DREAMERS (read this one recently; the voices are incredible. *happy sigh*)
• “Roarke’s Prisoner” by Angela Knight in SECRETS VOL. 2 (I remember thinking: shit. this is what I want to be writing.)
• “Love’s Prisoner” by MaryJanice Davidson in SECRETS VOL. 6 (The elevator scene isn’t for everyone, but works for me.)
• “The Nekkid Truth” by Nicole Camden in BIG GUNS OUT OF UNIFORM (and it’s even in first person, which I’m usually kind of squiggy about in romances)
• “The Night Owl” by Emma Holly in HOT BLOODED (the hero is just…yeah. And the heroine, too. But it’s so sweet how he’s tongue-tied around her. Awwww.)
• “Dark Journey” by Anne Stuart in STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT — about Death, and a little holiday that he takes.

Since then, I’d add to the list with Patricia Briggs’s “Alpha and Omega” in ON THE PROWL and Kresley Cole’s “The Warlord Wants Forever” in PLAYING EASY TO GET, Nalini Singh’s “Beat of Temptation” in AN ENCHANTED SEASON … okay, and I know there are others, but my memory is not-so-good, and I sucketh at the record-keeping. (Also, I haven’t read as much in the past year as in previous years. The anthologies in my TBR pile are almost as high as the single-titles.)

So are there any out there that you think are worth the price of the entire anthology? I’ve listed paranormals only here (I fudged a little on “The Nekkid Truth”) but I should also compile a list of my favorite contemporary and historical novellas at some point — but feel free to mention novellas in any genre.

Echo, don’t read this. Really.

One of the problems that I have with the BJT is that I loved it so much.  It’s very difficult for Bishop’s work to live up to my hopes (but I think this is a danger that every author runs — there will be the one book that is just IT, and you hope to recapture that feeling with every book. But I don’t know if any author can hit it out of the ballpark every single time. Now, there are authors that are consistently good or even fantastic, and they always deliver a solid read even if it doesn’t get you right in the gut — and Bishop is one of those authors for me. I’m never sorry I read her work, even if not all of it has that special thing that made the BJT a yearly re-read.)

Case in point: TANGLED WEBS. Here’s the description:

The invitation was signed Jaenelle Angelline, she who had been both Witch and Queen.

It summons her family to an entertainment she has specially prepared. Surreal SaDiablo, the former courtesan and assassin, is the first to arrive. But as she and her escort enter the house, the door disappears. Surreal finds herself trapped in a nightmare created by the tangled webs of Black Widow witches…a nightmare where the monsters are all too real, and if she uses Craft to defend herself, she risks being sealed in the house forever.

But Jaenelle did not send the invitation.

Now, Jaenelle and her family must rescue Surreal and the others inside without becoming trapped themselves—and they also must discover who created such an evil place, and why. Because there is one thing they all know about this house: no matter who planned it as a way to kill members of the SaDiablo family, only one of the Blood could have created the trap…

Like the Jaenelle and Daemon novella in DREAMS MADE FLESH, this book takes place after the events of the BJT. And like DREAMS MADE FLESH, I enjoyed Lucivar’s portion of the story the best.

The problem with these two stories is — as many have noted before me — that after the huge conflict in the BJT and villains like Hekatah and Dorothea, the antagonists aren’t as … well, don’t quite measure up. So I do think it was a good idea  to put Surreal and her Warlord in physical danger, rather than trapping the big guns inside, and to make the challenges that Daemon and Lucivar face more internal than physical.

Despite the lack of huge conflict, I enjoyed this quite a bit. I would have liked just revisiting the characters, but Bishop managed to include them and to expand her world a bit. Or, perhaps, deepen it. For example, showing the role of the landens vs. the Blood, and Saetan’s concern about Jaenelle’s haunted house.  Daemon’s worry that he’s lost his edge. Of the original three primary male characters, though, I felt that Lucivar was filled out the most, and I especially liked how the different manner in which he saw the world — and the uncertainty that brings him early on in the story — plays into the haunted house plot.

And I really enjoy the family/friendship dynamics in this series. These characters are family, and you can feel it. So this book ended up being a nice return to the BJT world, even if it wasn’t as an incredible one. Also, it included one of my favorite lines of the year so far, when Lucivar walks into the haunted house. There was some writer-envy and hate going on from me, because it was one of those, “Oh, damn! I wish I’d written that!” moments.

So overall, I liked it — I don’t think I’d recommend it to someone who wasn’t familiar with the BJT world, though. There is a plot and a fun storyline, but I don’t know if characters like Daemon or Jaenelle would seem all tell and not-much-show, unless a reader knew what they were capable of doing.

BELLADONNA wasn’t as successful for me. I’m always amazed by Bishop’s world-building, but in this book, I never felt I got a tangible grasp on the world (heh, and the world is called Ephemera.) And because I couldn’t visualize it as well as I did the BJT, I struggled in a few places.

This is the second book in the duology (the first book is SEBASTIAN, which I talked about way, way back when). And it’s not that it isn’t a solid story; it is. But I was confused more than once (and I don’t think I forgot that much about SEBASTIAN) and I didn’t feel the romantic tension between the leads. The big thing, though, was that in this book, the family scenes kind of made me grit my teeth. Maybe it’s because I don’t know these characters as well? I’m not sure (and this isn’t just BELLADONNA; I also have problems in, say, an NR book with family scenes if there are characters from previous books that I don’t know. But I don’t with Robb, so I really, really think it is my familiarity that’s an issue when it comes to family dynamics in books. An ‘it’s not you it’s me’ thing.)

And I liked how the plot played out, the sacrifice and the resolution; but, maybe because of my confusion (hee hee, I know! I know! Pot meet kettle) it felt like it took extra long to get there. But still, Bishop is a fantastic writer and I don’t regret reading it at all — but I would not recommend starting here (or a two year break between the books). You would want to read SEBASTIAN first (and it is definitely fantasy, though, and not nearly as dark as the BJT — there is a romantic thread (and it’s stronger in the first book) but could not be labeled a paranormal/fantasy romance.)

In Sebastian, national bestselling and award-winning author Anne Bishop introduced a stunning new realm, a world of strange and magical landscapes connected only by bridges – bridges that may transport you where you truly belong, rather than where you wished to go. But only the magic of the Landscapers can protect this world from the entity determined to enshroud it in darkness…

One by one, the landscapes of Ephemera are falling into shadow. The Eater of the World is spreading its influence, tainting people’s souls with doubts and fears, and feasting on their dark emotions. With each victory, the Eater comes closer to extinguishing Ephemera’s Light.

Only Glorianna Belladonna possesses the ability to thwart the Eater’s plans. But she has been branded a rogue, her talents and vast power feared and misunderstood. Determined to protect the lands under her care, Glorianna will stand alone against the Eater if she must – regardless of the cost to her body and soul.

But she is not alone. In dreams, a call has traveled throughout Ephemera: “Heart’s hope lies within Belladonna.” That call has traveled far from the landscapes Glorianna claims and reached Michael, a man with mysterious powers of his own. It awakens a fierce hunger within him to find the dark-haired sorceress he’s dreamt of, over and over again – a beautiful woman named Belladonna.

As Michael and Glorianna’s hearts call out to each other across the Landscapes, together they may offer Ephemera the very hope it needs…

I got an advance e-copy of this book and I was massively excited to read it because — well, the blurb and the excerpts I’ve read hooked me. So I started it … but kept having trouble staying with it. Usually, I print off an e-book so that I can go relax with it in the sofa (or my car, where most of my reading is done) but I used up my last ream of paper printing off my revision manuscript and was too lazy to go buy another just yet.

Here is what I have realized about myself: I have trained myself too well (and guilted myself too well). When I sit at the computer, it’s either for writing or editing. So I’d get antsy and Alt+Tab to my revisions or the novella I’m writing instead of reading.

So, what do I do? Go get paper? An e-book reader? Nope (although my birthday is coming up, and I think one is going on my list). I went and bought the book this weekend (because it’s out now) and settled into it.  And … yep, much easier, and I tore through it in a single evening.

Not that you don’t have to pay attention, because you do. In the first chapters I’m still familiarizing myself with the world Shiloh has created, and it’s a multi-layered one with different realms and caste structures, and types of demons. There’s our world (where the heroine, Lee, starts out), the realm of Ishtan (which I wanted to call Ishtar, because I’m re-reading the Epic of Gilgamesh) where the hero Kalen lives and leads the resistance against the forces of Anqar. There’s magic and technology in an interesting mix, but a mix that makes sense — the warriors live in tents and don’t use their tech for good reasons, and I really, really appreciated that it wasn’t barbarians with phazors. It’s fully realized, with reasons for how they live, where they live, how they fight. And the Warlords have their own, different reasons for fighting, and the politics there and the machinations are dependent on individual characters. No hive minds here, but many different motives. There’s a lot to absorb, in other words, but — because Lee is thrust into the world just as we are — it’s not hard to follow along.

Lee herself is a mystery — I won’t give anything away, but there is a real question as to who she is, and how she’s been crossing the Veil in her dreams for so many years. I really enjoyed how that played out, particularly a few of the characters and their roles (gah! so hard to avoid spoilers). The story takes a few unexpected turns, and there were a few points where I was whacking my head and thinking, “Don’t do that, Lee!” but then I’m happily surprised when she doesn’t go where I thought she was going. (I love being proved wrong and surprised )

On the fantasy romance slide, I do think this leans slightly more toward fantasy — not that there isn’t a core relationship that develops and Shiloh’s trademark wayhawt scenes, because there is. But the setting is a warrior’s setting, so there isn’t much of the softer side of it (which wouldn’t be realistic anyway — there is a lot of death in this story, so anything romantic in the flowers and perfume sense would just feel wrong). And the hero is part of the reason for that; he’s solid and steadfast (and you can feel how torn he is by what the war is doing to his world, and his people) and he’s been waiting for Lee all his life. And because their romance is so tied up with Lee accepting and knowing the world around them, the romance itself is much more tightly entwined with the fantasy aspects than I usually see in paranormal romance (hence the weight on the fantasy side.)

So now I’m wondering — is there going to be a sequel? Because the world built here has a LOT more that I think could be explored, and I’m interested in a couple of characters in particular. No spoilers, but — one who wore a mask and also two on the other side of the Gate, who we don’t meet, but who have a connection to Lee (and, it seems, a reason to come looking for her).

If so, count me in Here’s the blurb, and there’s more info at Shiloh’s site (ooooh, and a Mrs. Giggles review!)

Found wandering in a field as a child, Lee Ross was given a name by the state and put in a foster home—without anyone realizing she wasn’t entirely human. All her life, she’s tried to forget the odd dreams that have plagued her, of monsters creeping through the night and a man fighting demons by her side. But the bruises she wakes with are all too real to ignore…

Then the man from her dreams appears—in the flesh. His name is Kalen—and he insists that her destiny lies in his world, the world of her dreams. To save their people, he must convince Lee to give up everything she knows, follow her heart, and cross over into the Under Realm—even though once she does, she’ll never be able to return…

Steven Brust’s Firefly novel now online.

“My Own Kind of Freedom,” the Firefly book Steven Brust wrote as a proposal for a tie-in Serenity novel back in 2005, has finally been released as fanfic. Really, really good fanfic.

*Note: Joss Whedon doesn’t mind this kind of stuff, and loves fan participation. So go, read, if it interests you.