Scan barcode
A review by laurenjodi
Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle
3.0
Midnight Crystal
3 Stars
Series Note: This is book #7 in the Ghost Hunters series and book #9 in the Arcane Society series. While I have read all of the previous Krentz and Quick (Arcane) books, this is my first Jayne Castle (Harmony) book and my review is probably influenced by a complete lack of background on this series and the world created within.
The story and characters are entertaining but the futuristic world is not my cup of tea.
The story is actually comprised of four separate subplots - Is Adam Winters a Cerberus? Who is trying to kill him and why? Who stole the Burning Lamp? What is going on in the underground maze? While each of these storylines is successfully interwoven into a cohesive whole, none is particularly exciting and all are resolved rather anti-climactically.
Adam and Marlowe are carbon copies of their historical/contemporary counterparts in the first two books of the trilogy. While their romance is better than Griffin and Adelaide's in Burning Lamp, it doesn't come close to the chemistry and spark between Chloe and Jack in Fired Up. The villains are also stereotypical although I did love Marlowe's pet Dust Bunny, Gibson and his kleptomaniac tendencies.
The real problem with the book is the world building. There is a significant amount of backstory that is completely missing for newcomers to the Ghost Hunters series. While readers familiar with this world might not have any difficulties, any one else will probably be confused by the alien technology, new world politics and history, and the futuristic terminology.
All in all, the Dreamlight Trilogy in general, and Midnight Crystal in particular, are prime examples of how stale a story can become once a series becomes formulaic. Unfortunately, the Arcane Society series is beginning to lose its way. Hopefully, it will get back on track in the next installments.
3 Stars
Series Note: This is book #7 in the Ghost Hunters series and book #9 in the Arcane Society series. While I have read all of the previous Krentz and Quick (Arcane) books, this is my first Jayne Castle (Harmony) book and my review is probably influenced by a complete lack of background on this series and the world created within.
The story and characters are entertaining but the futuristic world is not my cup of tea.
The story is actually comprised of four separate subplots - Is Adam Winters a Cerberus? Who is trying to kill him and why? Who stole the Burning Lamp? What is going on in the underground maze? While each of these storylines is successfully interwoven into a cohesive whole, none is particularly exciting and all are resolved rather anti-climactically.
Adam and Marlowe are carbon copies of their historical/contemporary counterparts in the first two books of the trilogy. While their romance is better than Griffin and Adelaide's in Burning Lamp, it doesn't come close to the chemistry and spark between Chloe and Jack in Fired Up. The villains are also stereotypical although I did love Marlowe's pet Dust Bunny, Gibson and his kleptomaniac tendencies.
The real problem with the book is the world building. There is a significant amount of backstory that is completely missing for newcomers to the Ghost Hunters series. While readers familiar with this world might not have any difficulties, any one else will probably be confused by the alien technology, new world politics and history, and the futuristic terminology.
All in all, the Dreamlight Trilogy in general, and Midnight Crystal in particular, are prime examples of how stale a story can become once a series becomes formulaic. Unfortunately, the Arcane Society series is beginning to lose its way. Hopefully, it will get back on track in the next installments.