Title: Demon Bound
Author: Meljean Brook
Publishing Date: November 2008
Genre: Paranormal
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Hot
Demon Bound is the fourth full length book in Meljean Brook’s Guardian series. Alice Grey has been a Guardian for over a century. When she was a human, she made a bargain with the demon Teqon. She agreed that she would give him the heart of the lead Guardian Michael. This bargain has been haunting her all this time and now Teqon is asking that she fulfill her debt. Jake Hawkins, a novice Guardian has trouble controlling his gift of teleportation. He teams up with Alice to help her find a loop-hole in her bargain with Teqon.
The summary above is an overly simplified version of the plot of Demon Bound. Anyone who has read Meljean Brook knows that her series is anything but simple. The world she has created is very complicated with lots of history and mythology. Many times while reading this book I had to go back and reread passages and try to make sense of what I was being told. I am beginning now to understand Ms. Brook’s writing. It seems she purposely leaves holes in her passages only to fill them in a few pages later. Once I accepted that style of writing I was able to enjoy the book a lot more.
The strength of Ms. Brooks writing lies in the development of her characters. Alice and Jake are so completely fleshed out. Not only are they very complex. They change and evolve as the events in the book impact them. At first Jake and Alice are at complete odds and I wonder how on earth are these two supposed to fall in love. Over the course of the story the reader slowly gets to see them come together and make each other want to be a better person for the other. Oh, I just loved it. What makes it even better is at first, I didn’t really even like Alice or see her appeal. But just as Jake has the same reaction and slowly he comes to love her, so does the reader.
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8 comments:
I need a Jake. And I will take Michael also.
Jill,
Hey -- we are on the same wavelength tonight!
I love your point about Brook filling us in later. I used to get frustrated with it but now I accept it (although I still think there is some needless holding back).
Great review!
Katie, I loved learning more about Michael in this book. The mythology keeps getting tighter and tighter. What on earth is Meljean going to think up next?
Jessica, I really struggled with Demon Angel, the first book in the series. Since then, I just have tried to let it go. Sometimes, I really have to remind myself to keep reading and that it will all get explained later. I am glad to hear I am not alone in the perception :)
Great review Jill :D I loved how you simplified the storyline :D I really like Ms Brook's books...and I think part of it is due to the complexity and so on :D Loved Jake in this one :D
I agree, it was a great review. Can you give me an example of her leaving holes in the plot only to give it up a few pages later? I honestly never noticed that before. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, only that I haven't noticed it. =)
Wasn't Jake awesome. I love how Meljean can take a character I'm skeptical about and make him into..well, this.
Nath, I was surprised because I wasn't sure I would like Jake or Alice. That is why Meljean Brooks is so talented.
Holly, It is not exactly the plot that has holes. It's more like she is describing something and she leaves out a few key details only to reveal them a few paragraphs later. I don't have the book with me so I can't site specifics. It is hard to explain on paper. I remember one scene where she is refering to her pet spider and how it would scare the living daylights out of Jake, but we don't find out the reason why until later on in the book when Jake actually encounters it. It's like she leaves out details and then fills them in later. Am I doing a good job explaining? It is really hard for me to describe.
I know what you mean about the style of writing - you kind of piece certain things together as you go along. I haven't read this one yet, but I have it. I'm looking forward to reading it. I like what you say about the progress of the romance. Sounds fun!
Oh it is Carolyn Jean. I hope you like it!
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