REVIEW: Pariah by (+$25 Amazon Giftcard)

Title: Pariah

Author: C. R. Richards

Series: N/A

Pages: N/A

Date Published: September 15th, 2014

Publisher: Smashwords

Format: ebook

Genre: Paranormal

Source: Goddess Fish Blog Tours 
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Synopsis:

Millennia have passed since the corrupt of Seelie society were banished from Otherworld. Abandoned in the Human Realm, their Descendants keep to the shadows, secretly controlling criminal organizations and swaying governments. Jin, a Seelie Descendant, refuses to swear allegiance to any Clan. Marked as a pariah, he is banished from their society. One ill-fated evening, Jin breaks the rules to visit the family he left behind. A chance meeting with an old enemy draws him into a murderous plot that could propel the Human Realm into a bloody war. His warning of insurrection goes unheeded. Determined to keep the plan secret, the conspirator summons an ancient demon with a taste for Seelie blood. It's reward? A pound of Jin's flesh. On the run with a Death Mark on his head, Jin is desperate to find the cunning spider behind the conspiracy. With the help of Gracie Berry, a pre-cognitive with a hidden past, Jin searches for their allusive enemy before his ruthless hunters find their target.

~My Thoughts~

Jin as a main character was the perfect blend of angst, strength, and power. As a Seelie descendant, I was interested to see what kind of abilities he and his brethren would possess. Fairies, and their other incarnations, are always big areas of interest for me, especially because of my fondness for Laurell. K. Hamilton's Merry Gentry series. I did enjoy what Jin was capable of, and wished we could have gotten a bit more on that end. The whole "leaping into nothingness" was a cool and unique power that is right up the mythological alley of the Celts and Norse and I thought that was really cool! C.R. also did a great job detailing Jin's age, as he would remember certain historical events when looking at a given place or thing, and that added a dimension and weight to the character that really helped round him out.

Even supporting characters were fully fleshed out and good. I particularly enjoyed Mai Ling and her reaction to her brother Jin's visits. She was the perfect child, though a bit well spoken for her age. Many side characters had lives of their own, which I appreciated, and gave better fullness to the story. I also liked how multiple cultures were represented. There were Asian influences, among others, and all of these gave a creative flavoring to the story that I didn't expect.

The writing style was good, but a little over embellished in my own opinion. That doesn't stop it from being good! I did enjoy the stylization, but it was a little at much at times, what with all the dramatic declarations and angsty pools of thought that seem to suck the life from you... See...now I'm doing it! Lol. As for the plot, it was original and fun and gave me a great run around as I was trying to stay one step ahead of the mystery. This was a great read and I'd be happy to get my hands on another C.R. Richards book soon! 

~Try an Excerpt!~

Family. It was a blessing to some and a soul-crushing inconvenience to others. Jin closed his eyes for a moment, willing the throbbing along his right rib cage to subside. Sticky blood soaked his shirt, binding the fabric to tender flesh. The bones in his family's closet were rattling again. Like a fool, he was dancing to their harsh beat. Old habits.

           

Jin steadied his body against the centuries-old window frame. Balancing on the ornate iron rod mounted four stories above the pavement, he was a black shadow against white stone. He remained perfectly still in the fading twilight of a Paris sky. Rue Saint-Dominique's ancient spine arched beneath him, a glittering highway for travelers in the evening rush. Normals, or humans as they preferred to be called, strolled obliviously hand in hand along the sidewalks below.

           

Two loud pings and spraying bits of stone brought Jin's focus back to the challenge at hand. Titanium quills were embedded deep into the building just inches from his head. Not a bad shot, but not good enough either. His intense eyes—not quite human—focused on the next section of window several feet above him. Nothing stood between him and the distant railing except empty air and a five-story drop.

~Meet C.R!~ 

C. R. Richards is the award winning author of The Mutant Casebook Series. Her literary career began as a part-time columnist for a small entertainment newspaper. She wore several hats: food critic, entertainment reviewer and cranky editor. A lover of horror and dark fantasy stories, she enjoys telling tales of intrigue and adventure. Her most recent literary projects include the horror short story, Lost Man's Parish and the newly released novel length dark fantasy thriller, Pariah. She is an active member of EPIC and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Find her at her Website, Blog, and Amazon Page! 

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