Seduced by Moonlight (Meredith Gentry, Book 3)
by Laurell K. Hamilton
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Book Summary Information
Author: Laurell K. HamiltonEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-12-28
ISBN: 0345443594
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780345443595
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Seduced by Moonlight (Meredith Gentry, Book 3)
Book Review: Fertility, Power & Shrewd Alliances To Restore Faerie Might
Summary: 4 Stars
"Seduced By Moonlight" is the third novel in Laurell Hamilton's Princess Meredith Nic-Essus/Merry Gentry series. If you have not read the other two books, this is not the place to make your acquaintance with Merry and her fey friends for the first time. There is much to fascinate and intrigue between these pages, but not for novices to the High Court of Faerie. I would suggest beginning with "A Kiss Of Shadows."
Princess Meredith is still in Los Angeles with her elite bodyguards, each a potential father to the child she has been challenged to bear, and each a potential King to the Queen she may become. For if Meredith does prove fertile, and bears an heir to the throne, she will indeed inherit the Unseelie Crown, not her cousin Cel, the Queen of Air and Darkness' only child.
This novel is different from most. It is not a stand alone book. I look at Laurell Hamilton's tales of Merry Gentry as effective serial fiction - an epic story which is told over a number of separate installments. All Ms. Hamilton's novels, in both her Anita Blake and Princess Meridith series, are well plotted. Sometimes, however, the reader needs to take a step back and look at the big picture, because issues are not always resolved between the pages of one book. "Seduced by Moonlight" is not short-term plot driven. The epic's bottom line is that faerie is dying - Seelies and Unseelies, all. The sidhe rarely have children anymore, which is why Merry must bear a child in order to reign. Their custom is that marriage is not permissible unless the female becomes pregnant. Queen Andais is almost convinced that her son would make a rotten king, which is why she made Meredith co-heir, with the crown going to whoever becomes a parent first. Merry has a 6 month head start because Cel is imprisoned for a variety of heinous crimes he committed. He is fortunate his mother loved him too much to do the just thing and sentence him to death.
"Seduced By Moonlight" deals with the acquisition of power, the consolidation of alliances, Meredith's preparation for two crucial meetings, one with Queen Andais and her court, the other with Taranis, King of Light and Illusion, and his Seelie nobility, and the events which occur at the Unseelie banquet. The consequences of these assemblages could be critical to the entire future of the fey. Politics amongst the immortal is extremely tricky. There are all kinds of allies and enemies, supporters and detractors, neutrals, all the above, none of the above, and various combinations of the above - in the Seelie world, and in that of the Unseelies. If Merry comes into power, the good guys win, the fey folk survive and thrive, with their old magic restored. If they lose, I don't want to be around to watch. The action takes place over a short period, but much is accomplished in furthering Meredith's image as sidhe powerful, rather than the mongrel, part human mortal her detractors call her.
Meredith and her Merry men conference via mirror with Kurag, Goblin King. It is important to have his support and that of the slaugh, (nightmarish monsters which all the fey fear), for the upcoming events. They must negotiate all this. As part of the deal struck, the Princess' entourage is richer by two, the twin goblins Ash and Holly, who will be made sidhe. And for every goblin "turned" sidhe, Meredith's alliance with Kurag will accumulate in length of time.
Merry's powers increase significantly here. Danu, the Goddess whom the Tuatha De Danaan are named after, appears to Merry in a dream, and she is given a sacred chalice. The chalice remains with Meredith, however, in the waking world. She is now able to restore former powers, past magic, to some of her guards - reawaken their godhead. Maeve Reed, Hollywood star, and a Sidhe exiled from Faerie, was remade into Conchenn, the faerie goddess she once was. Rhys is Cromm Cruach once more, as in times of old. And Doyle takes on new form, actually many forms. The heavy silver octagonal ring Queen Andais gave the Princess has also regained power on her finger. Some lost Unseelie relics are found and their power restored through Meredith.
The Princess and her guards, (she picks up several new ones at the Queen's behest), attend the feast at the Unseelie court, after an assassination attempt is made on her life. The action-packed narrative chronicling this gala is outstanding. It includes: pageantry and processions, duels - verbal, physical and violent, introduction of new characters, revelation of Unseelie political groups, unveiling of 2 assassins, the first battle in Unseelie court involving the royal succession, etc.. I loved it!
For those who are turned off by Meredith's sexual activities, I say, do not place human values on the fey. Merry may be mortal, but she is not a human being. And who is to say she will remain mortal? She does have connections to the Goddess, after all. Also, the sex is not graphic, certainly not by today's standards. As a matter of fact not by the standards of 25 years ago either. I know it bothers some that she "sleeps around," but monogamy is just not part of the plot.
The pace is fast, although it may not carry anyone further than a few days forward in time, the dialogue is superb, often humorous, and hip, per usual. There are flaws, but I was so busy enjoying myself, I didn't bother to count them.
JANA
Summary of Seduced by Moonlight (Meredith Gentry, Book 3)
I am Meredith Gentry, P.I. and Princess Merry, heir to the throne of Fairie.Now there are those among me who whisper I am more.
They fear me even as they protect me. And who can blame them?
I?ve awakened the dazzling magic that?s slumbered in them for
thousands of years. But the thing is, I can?t figure out why.
My aunt, the Queen of Air and Darkness, is no longer distracted by her usual sadistic hobbies. Her obsession has turned unwaveringly to me. The mission to get me pregnant and beat my cousin Prince Cel to the crown is taking longer than expected. Even though I spend each night with the Queen?s Ravens, my immortal guards, no child has come of our decadent pleasures. But something else is happening. My magic courses through me uncontrollably. And as I lock my half-mortal body with their full-Sidhe blooded ones, the power surges like never before.
It all began with the chalice. I dreamed of it, and it appeared, cool and hard, beside me when I awoke. My guards know the ancient relic well?its disappearance ages ago stripped them of their vital powers. But it is here with us now. My touch resonates with its force, and they?re consumed with it, their Sidhe essences lit up by it. But even as they cherish me for this unexpected gift, there are those who loathe me for it. Me, a mongrel, only half fey and part mortal. The Unseelie court has suffered for so long, and there are some who would not have it weakened further by an impure queen. My enemies grow in number every day. But they do not know what I am capable of. Nor, for that matter, do I. . . .
In Seduced by Moonlight, Laurell K. Hamilton brings the dark, erotic reign of the immortal fey to a startling new depth. Full of sensuality and the consuming anticipation of latent powers unleashed, this world of gods, shapeshifters, and immortal souls is unveiled in all of its supreme magnificence and its treacherous deceits.
From the Hardcover edition.
The third novel in Laurell K. Hamilton's Meredith Gentry series, Seduced by Moonlight continues the story of Merry Gentry, a mortal Faerie princess hiding in L.A. Her aunt, the immortal and insane Queen of Air and Darkness, has ordered her to compete with her cousin, Prince Cel, in making a baby. Whoever produces a child first wins the throne of the Unseelie Court. But Merry still hasn't conceived--and that's not her only problem. Unknown assassins seek her life; her magical powers are becoming potent and uncontrollable; and her sadistic aunt has just commanded her to return to Faerie.
Readers tired of mild modern fairy-tales about nice, polite elves may want to explore the Meredith Gentry series, which remembers that Faerie was originally a dark, dangerous realm of sex and violence. Hamilton's Queen of Air and Darkness is a vicious killer and torturer, and many of her fay drink blood or practice kinky sex (or both). Under royal orders to bed many males, Merry is far from averse; she and several lovers hit the bedroom on page 8 of Seduced by Moonlight and don't emerge until page 175. There's no shortage of sex, but not as much as the page count may indicate; the characters like to talk and sulk even more than they like to fornicate. The large cast and complicated backstory make this book the wrong starting point; newcomers should begin with the first novel, A Kiss of Shadows. --Cynthia Ward
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