Monday, August 10, 2009

Spider-Touched by Jory Strong


This book lived up to the potential left in the wake of Ghostland. I was very enthralled with it immediately. I just couldn't put it down. Loved it thoroughly. Just like Ghostland, this book isn't for the kiddies. It's got some serious lovin' in it, and if this is something they might want to read, they'll need to wait 'till they're older.

This book follows Araña. She's a young woman with the mark of demon. A spider. This spider makes skin-to-skin touch deadly, so Araña is forced to go through life without physical touch from a mortal. The spider moves into places that best suit the situation for her protection. At the beginning of the story she and her "family", for all intents and purposes, make their way on the boat Constellation to Oakland. Matthew and Erik are a couple, and Erik is sick with the wasting disease, and they've come to Oakland to find a healer. The problem is that the trio are thieves, and conduct justice when they find it appropriate. Who could find fault in executing a child molester?

The guard immediately catch on that they've arrived and they are ambushed. Araña is the sole survivor and she is turned over to run the maze, which is essentially the post-apocalyptic version of gladiators (criminals) vs. gladiators (Weres). The maze is also patrolled by a Djinn named Abijah, who is stuck to perform at the whim of his master.

Araña survives the maze and later ambushes a trapper's truck on it's way to deliver more gambling fodder to the owners. Tir is on board. He's an immortal, who has lost his memory from being imprisoned for so long. Araña risks her life to free him and she succeeds in doing so, but the collar that binds his memory still remains on his neck. Tir and Araña embark on an entangling journey of lust, passion, and love Even the spider comes to crave the touch of Tir. They work together as Araña seeks revenge for the men who killed Matthew and Erik, and Tir struggles to be free of his collar and seek revenge on those that enslaved him and gave him this life of torture.

I was very pleased to see Aziel in this book, and even more happy when the Wrainwright witches returned as well. But I was the most pleased when Aisling and Zurael came into the picture yet again to assist in Araña's journey. I can't wait to see more of this post-apocalyptic world that Araña and Tir, Aisling and Zurael have come to find love in. Who's next in the game of the heavens?

2 comments:

MrsMixx said...

Ahh i'm glad this book is not a disappointment. It's harder to start reading a book if you know the next one isn't good.
The story is intriguing,i really think i'd like this book (and Ghostland!)
The only thing that could slow me down is the fact that she has the mark of a 'spider'...lol i have a phobia of spiders =P But that can be overlooked if the story is good ;)

Stories of a Phoenix said...

Oh, no. The spider is very much something she's lived with her whole life. The spider has saved her life in the past, and unfortunately has struck when she didn't want it to. But the spider is more like a tattoo that moves around over her body as a protective shield. It too falls for Tir, and Tir doesn't ever feel as though the spider is a bad thing for Arana to have.