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Noon Onyx #2
Fiery Edge of Steel
Lucifer and his army triumphed at Armageddon, leaving humans and demons living in uncertain peace based on sacrifice and strict laws. It is up to those with mixed demon and human blood, the Host, to prevent society from falling into anarchy.
Noon Onyx is the first female Host in memory to wield the destructive waning magic that is used to maintain order among the demons. Her unique abilities, paired with a lack of control and reluctance to kill, have branded her as an outsider from her peers. Only her powerful lover, Ari Carmine, and a roguish and mysterious Angel, Rafe Sinclair, support her unconventional ways.
When Noon is shipped off to a remote outpost to investigate several unusual disappearances, a task which will most likely involve trying and killing the patron demon of that area, it seems Luck is not on her side. But when the outpost settlers claim that an ancient and evil foe has stepped out of legend to commit the crimes, Noon realizes that she could be facing something much worse than she ever imagined…
Noon Onyx is the first female Host in memory to wield the destructive waning magic that is used to maintain order among the demons. Her unique abilities, paired with a lack of control and reluctance to kill, have branded her as an outsider from her peers. Only her powerful lover, Ari Carmine, and a roguish and mysterious Angel, Rafe Sinclair, support her unconventional ways.
When Noon is shipped off to a remote outpost to investigate several unusual disappearances, a task which will most likely involve trying and killing the patron demon of that area, it seems Luck is not on her side. But when the outpost settlers claim that an ancient and evil foe has stepped out of legend to commit the crimes, Noon realizes that she could be facing something much worse than she ever imagined…
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 28, 2013
7 people are currently reading
695 people want to read
About the author
Jill Archer
5 books225 followersJill Archer is the author of the Noon Onyx series, genre-bending fantasy novels about a postgrad magic user and her off-campus adventures. The series includes DARK LIGHT OF DAY, FIERY EDGE OF STEEL, WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE, and POCKET FULL OF TINDER.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
July 8, 2015
Why do we love PNR genre? (I assume you do because otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this review, would you?).
I think we do love to enter in a different world and really enjoy being there as much as possible, without nobody interrupting us and without the author’s lack of skill getting us out of it.
That means a book for us, but PNR? PNR is like instant cocoa. A quick yummy beverage. There’s no faster way to be out of our hectic or routinely days than visiting worlds where people have special powers, where you don’t know what’s going to happen next because you are still being introduced into a world with very different rules and where love makes you feel more than good.
The best fans of PNR have read tons of fun novels but unfortunately can get really tired of vampires, dragons, werewolves, demons or angels and their love triangles. Bla, bla, bla. No more, please. However they always end up faltering and revisiting the genre because they still love to fantasize and they consider that there are more warrants of fun in this type of series as long as they are well done and fresh made, at least at some point.
Fans of Vampire Academy didn’t run away from it when someone told them: Yeap, there will be vampires, but they are not exactly vampires!.. and oh yes, there are classes at the academy, of course, and yes, there will be more than one love interest for all the good students and part of the professorate as well. They didn’t, did they?. The same goes with Unearthly, Divergent or even Harry Potter. After the tons of book you’ve read, you’d laugh at their mini-summaries too if you hadn’t read and enjoyed them yet.
So, I was wondering… How to convince people that have read piles of PNR books to read one more?
Well. Fans of good books do like them when they are well written, have a good pace, interesting questions, the romance is well dosed, they have a bullet proof world-building and there are a bunch of appealing characters you want to know more about.
All of this is what I think this series can give you, but you’ll have to check out yourself.
I fear you’d run away if I mentioned presence of demons or angels or potential love triangle here. Ok. I’m not saying. Prepare yourself for the worse if you need to, but try. Try and stay if you like to have fun in a well written book. There’s no need to worry about when things are well done.
Honestly, I really don’t feel too much comfortable pushing you about reading a series that it’s not hyped at all because I express myself really bad but I just don’t get it! Why is that that there are far worse series succeeding out there whereas series like this one are just been left unnoticed?
So, here it goes. If you pay for fun, order The Dark Light of the Day. And if you liked it even a tiny bit, order this one too (and the third one, since we are at it. I’m loving it too).
I CAN’T promise you will be wowed.
I can’t say THIS SERIES IS THE BEST!
But I can say it is FUN READING and IT IS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER .
I liked this one much more than the first, probably because there is a way more adventure time and some new characters showed up along the way while the former ones remained as good as they were.
Besides, Jill Archer had left a lot of questions waiting for an answer in the previous one and she is doing a fantastic job with the world building, the characters and the lore. Where I struggled a bit in the first, I currently surprised myself enjoying it a lot. Now each time she tells me some demon lore, pre-Armageddon or St. Luck’s stuff I smile thinking in potential fantasy fans and friends enjoying this series a bit with me (and possibly guessing wrongly as I did). There’s even a travel and I have enjoyed it! That only happens to me when the companions are worthy and the writer is skillful enough. Finally this one has introduced (moderately) a bit of humor. Not for cracking up, but nice to have.
Do you wanna try? You don’t know? Ok. I’ll tell you my casting for Ari just if you reach book 2. How’s that? ;P
BTW. The sequels have both enough recap in case you are not reading them back to back.
I think we do love to enter in a different world and really enjoy being there as much as possible, without nobody interrupting us and without the author’s lack of skill getting us out of it.
That means a book for us, but PNR? PNR is like instant cocoa. A quick yummy beverage. There’s no faster way to be out of our hectic or routinely days than visiting worlds where people have special powers, where you don’t know what’s going to happen next because you are still being introduced into a world with very different rules and where love makes you feel more than good.
The best fans of PNR have read tons of fun novels but unfortunately can get really tired of vampires, dragons, werewolves, demons or angels and their love triangles. Bla, bla, bla. No more, please. However they always end up faltering and revisiting the genre because they still love to fantasize and they consider that there are more warrants of fun in this type of series as long as they are well done and fresh made, at least at some point.
Fans of Vampire Academy didn’t run away from it when someone told them: Yeap, there will be vampires, but they are not exactly vampires!.. and oh yes, there are classes at the academy, of course, and yes, there will be more than one love interest for all the good students and part of the professorate as well. They didn’t, did they?. The same goes with Unearthly, Divergent or even Harry Potter. After the tons of book you’ve read, you’d laugh at their mini-summaries too if you hadn’t read and enjoyed them yet.
So, I was wondering… How to convince people that have read piles of PNR books to read one more?
Well. Fans of good books do like them when they are well written, have a good pace, interesting questions, the romance is well dosed, they have a bullet proof world-building and there are a bunch of appealing characters you want to know more about.
All of this is what I think this series can give you, but you’ll have to check out yourself.
I fear you’d run away if I mentioned presence of demons or angels or potential love triangle here. Ok. I’m not saying. Prepare yourself for the worse if you need to, but try. Try and stay if you like to have fun in a well written book. There’s no need to worry about when things are well done.
Honestly, I really don’t feel too much comfortable pushing you about reading a series that it’s not hyped at all because I express myself really bad but I just don’t get it! Why is that that there are far worse series succeeding out there whereas series like this one are just been left unnoticed?
So, here it goes. If you pay for fun, order The Dark Light of the Day. And if you liked it even a tiny bit, order this one too (and the third one, since we are at it. I’m loving it too).
I CAN’T promise you will be wowed.
I can’t say THIS SERIES IS THE BEST!
But I can say it is FUN READING and IT IS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER .
I liked this one much more than the first, probably because there is a way more adventure time and some new characters showed up along the way while the former ones remained as good as they were.
Besides, Jill Archer had left a lot of questions waiting for an answer in the previous one and she is doing a fantastic job with the world building, the characters and the lore. Where I struggled a bit in the first, I currently surprised myself enjoying it a lot. Now each time she tells me some demon lore, pre-Armageddon or St. Luck’s stuff I smile thinking in potential fantasy fans and friends enjoying this series a bit with me (and possibly guessing wrongly as I did). There’s even a travel and I have enjoyed it! That only happens to me when the companions are worthy and the writer is skillful enough. Finally this one has introduced (moderately) a bit of humor. Not for cracking up, but nice to have.
Do you wanna try? You don’t know? Ok. I’ll tell you my casting for Ari just if you reach book 2. How’s that? ;P
I could never forget that this was the man who’d said he knew the spells Pat on the Back, Ladies Man, and Wet ‘n Wild.
BTW. The sequels have both enough recap in case you are not reading them back to back.
”I really do know Pat on the Back.”
November 6, 2017
A wonderfully original magical adventure and I am loving this mismatched band of travelers that gave me a laugh here and there as Noon Onyx and her band of angels battle to save The Shallows, fighting fabulous demons with their magic. I love how Noon Onyx grows and develops while on their mission and there are plenty of surprises and second chances along the way that kept me reading til the early hours of the morning. I won this book and now I wonder why it took me so long to read it.
I won this book and have not read the first Noon Onyx story, Dark Light of Day, by Jill Archer. Even though this is the second book in the series, I felt it filled in enough blanks, that my reading enjoyment did not suffer because of it. The result of their mission is wrapped up, but there is more to come and, if you are like me, you will want to know what happens on their next adventure and to know…what about Ari?
To see more visit fundinmental
I won this book and have not read the first Noon Onyx story, Dark Light of Day, by Jill Archer. Even though this is the second book in the series, I felt it filled in enough blanks, that my reading enjoyment did not suffer because of it. The result of their mission is wrapped up, but there is more to come and, if you are like me, you will want to know what happens on their next adventure and to know…what about Ari?
To see more visit fundinmental
March 16, 2017
If I were ever to take a class on World Building, I would want Jill Archer to be my professor. The intricate details and descriptions she's used in this book pushed me into the world of Halja. I was encompassed by the characters, the conflict, and the plot twists! (Oh, such good damn plot twists)
If you're a fan of in depth descriptions, anything by Jill Archer will be a great read for you. Specifically for this book, I give praise to the character development. The change in the main character (Onyx) was subtle but noticeable. She went from self-denial, hesitancy, and--in some case--meekness to owning her birth "mix-up" and pushing herself to be the best "abomination" she can be. Such strong character development with the world building caused me to feel like I was going the transformation with her.
Additionally, this story filled in some gaps from the last book. The author gave us more insight into the rules of the world, magical powers, the character roles, and the "hidden" plot (the story that is hidden within each novel--what will be the fate of Onyx, the "abomination," the female maegestar?)
Addmitedly, I will say the action/the main story in this book did not pick up until the last third of the book. The author spent a lot of time building up to that point and though that buildup has intense and interesting scenes, the main story didn't kick off until much after. Still, for someone like me who enjoys a nice buildup, I could not complain.
All in all, I highly recommend this book. It was much better than the first one (which was already stellar) and I can't wait to see what the series hold.
If you're a fan of in depth descriptions, anything by Jill Archer will be a great read for you. Specifically for this book, I give praise to the character development. The change in the main character (Onyx) was subtle but noticeable. She went from self-denial, hesitancy, and--in some case--meekness to owning her birth "mix-up" and pushing herself to be the best "abomination" she can be. Such strong character development with the world building caused me to feel like I was going the transformation with her.
Additionally, this story filled in some gaps from the last book. The author gave us more insight into the rules of the world, magical powers, the character roles, and the "hidden" plot (the story that is hidden within each novel--what will be the fate of Onyx, the "abomination," the female maegestar?)
Addmitedly, I will say the action/the main story in this book did not pick up until the last third of the book. The author spent a lot of time building up to that point and though that buildup has intense and interesting scenes, the main story didn't kick off until much after. Still, for someone like me who enjoys a nice buildup, I could not complain.
All in all, I highly recommend this book. It was much better than the first one (which was already stellar) and I can't wait to see what the series hold.
June 12, 2013
What is the deal lately with the whiny, sniveling heroines in books? I really enjoyed the world building in the first book of this series and felt some empathy for Noon who should have been a waxing magic user (think: plants, healers, life) and instead, she was born as the only woman to hold waning magic (think: fire, enforcer, withering plant life).
In this story, though, she was constantly complaining, constantly petulant, never willing to take responsibility. And WHY any guy would be interested in her, I don't understand. Ari, however, seems to care for her, but she treats him horribly. Yes, he can be high handed and yes, (not to give the ending away) he isn't what he seems, but neither is she.
The ending and the introduction of Rafe, Noon's Guardian Angel were the only highlights. It was very slow in the beginning what with the whining and complaining, but I'll read the next just to see what happens. I hope it's better than this (and that Ari gets some satisfaction) or I might have to leave Noon on the shelf.
In this story, though, she was constantly complaining, constantly petulant, never willing to take responsibility. And WHY any guy would be interested in her, I don't understand. Ari, however, seems to care for her, but she treats him horribly. Yes, he can be high handed and yes, (not to give the ending away) he isn't what he seems, but neither is she.
The ending and the introduction of Rafe, Noon's Guardian Angel were the only highlights. It was very slow in the beginning what with the whining and complaining, but I'll read the next just to see what happens. I hope it's better than this (and that Ari gets some satisfaction) or I might have to leave Noon on the shelf.
November 12, 2013
“Fiery Edge of Steel” is a moving and fun story about choices and consequences and love. The story starts off after Noon’s break between her first year and second learning to be a Magistrates. Basically she is a member of the Host, and as such she has magic. Nothing unusual with the Host but in New Babylon thousands of years after the Apocalypse. There are Demons, Angels, The Host and Humans. Many demons are under the guidance and law of the Magistrates. The world build is a bit complex and the story is highly political, as are most fantasy novels. So pay attention and you will quickly go “oooohhh!
(Book one has AWESOME info-dumping and world-building before it starts and though it isn’t necessary to read this book, you will have a different experience if you don’t)
Noon is training to be a magistrate and is in a unique position. She is a woman and no woman in the history of the new world holds waning magic, the magic of death and destruction. Instead of the magic of healing as her mother has. Her twin brother Night is the one who ended up being the only male in the healing side of magic. This just explains some of what is going on. For those that are into world-building you will really want to read book one. This book could have been read as a standalone. If I had done it that way, I think I would not be pissy about how I felt about Noon in the beginning. She has a hard time accepting who she is even in the second book but the first book due to how she was raised and shielded or forced to hide who she is, she is hobbled facing her advanced schooling to become who she was born to be.
(When we left off with book one, I wanted to smack her! Of course it is a book about a girl growing up, new adult not YA – see below- and this one is no longer a new adult read.)
I had some interesting takes on a few of the things which I feel are very important to mention. First, this book is listed as urban fantasy and I think when you are trade published they have to box you into a genre. It is a genre bender and I would list it as a post apocalyptic, urban fantasy, mystery and thriller. The first book could easily be labeled as new adult because of of a first love and sex scenes. The second was not a new adult but she is growing up and though she still has not been able to completely control her magic and form that fiery edge of steel.
She still is being pressured by the two men in her life, Ari and Peter. Ari is new and works (ed) for her father as a demon hunter and is strong in the force of waning magic (insert Star Wars voice here). Peter is part of the host and has been working on learning how to find the spell to reverse her magic.
Ultimately it comes down to acceptance versus encouragement (I would LIKE to say something different but I do not want to taint your feelings towards Peter). If she chooses not to do one thing or do the other is she really following her dream? Or is she not facing reality… you decide
She never wanted her magic, she does not want to kill. Yet when the book opens she is suppose to do the magical equivalent of a stoning and she cannot.
What would you do?
I recommend this book if you like all of the genres mentioned. If you like your fantasy with a twist, blended with some evil, an incredible mystery, questions of femininity, light sexuality. A story which addresses accepting yourself for what you are, for growing into that acceptance instead facing things with the fight against change. If you want to read a strong female character who is not strong because she has kick ass magic skills (which she does) but is strong because she can show weakness and she has moral character which cause her to really BE. If you like seeing evil stomped on and have some epicly awesome fantasy swirls of fun! Oh grab this series and get ready for book three (see cover here).
A few interesting aspects from the two men in her life from both sides of the host…
to wane or not to wane…
Ari: “I love you for who you are while [Peter] wants to turn you into something you’re not.”
Peter: “I want to give you your life’s dream, Noon. And then I want to live that life with you.”
Ohhh and there is this awesome MacGuffin, the BLACK ONION, basically the magical equivalent to a Magic 8 ball.. OK a bit more than that, but it is coveted and ends up being more important to the continuation and certain familial relationships than you would expect it to be! I love when random objects are used as plot devices!
(Book one has AWESOME info-dumping and world-building before it starts and though it isn’t necessary to read this book, you will have a different experience if you don’t)
Noon is training to be a magistrate and is in a unique position. She is a woman and no woman in the history of the new world holds waning magic, the magic of death and destruction. Instead of the magic of healing as her mother has. Her twin brother Night is the one who ended up being the only male in the healing side of magic. This just explains some of what is going on. For those that are into world-building you will really want to read book one. This book could have been read as a standalone. If I had done it that way, I think I would not be pissy about how I felt about Noon in the beginning. She has a hard time accepting who she is even in the second book but the first book due to how she was raised and shielded or forced to hide who she is, she is hobbled facing her advanced schooling to become who she was born to be.
(When we left off with book one, I wanted to smack her! Of course it is a book about a girl growing up, new adult not YA – see below- and this one is no longer a new adult read.)
I had some interesting takes on a few of the things which I feel are very important to mention. First, this book is listed as urban fantasy and I think when you are trade published they have to box you into a genre. It is a genre bender and I would list it as a post apocalyptic, urban fantasy, mystery and thriller. The first book could easily be labeled as new adult because of of a first love and sex scenes. The second was not a new adult but she is growing up and though she still has not been able to completely control her magic and form that fiery edge of steel.
She still is being pressured by the two men in her life, Ari and Peter. Ari is new and works (ed) for her father as a demon hunter and is strong in the force of waning magic (insert Star Wars voice here). Peter is part of the host and has been working on learning how to find the spell to reverse her magic.
Ultimately it comes down to acceptance versus encouragement (I would LIKE to say something different but I do not want to taint your feelings towards Peter). If she chooses not to do one thing or do the other is she really following her dream? Or is she not facing reality… you decide
She never wanted her magic, she does not want to kill. Yet when the book opens she is suppose to do the magical equivalent of a stoning and she cannot.
What would you do?
I recommend this book if you like all of the genres mentioned. If you like your fantasy with a twist, blended with some evil, an incredible mystery, questions of femininity, light sexuality. A story which addresses accepting yourself for what you are, for growing into that acceptance instead facing things with the fight against change. If you want to read a strong female character who is not strong because she has kick ass magic skills (which she does) but is strong because she can show weakness and she has moral character which cause her to really BE. If you like seeing evil stomped on and have some epicly awesome fantasy swirls of fun! Oh grab this series and get ready for book three (see cover here).
A few interesting aspects from the two men in her life from both sides of the host…
to wane or not to wane…
Ari: “I love you for who you are while [Peter] wants to turn you into something you’re not.”
Peter: “I want to give you your life’s dream, Noon. And then I want to live that life with you.”
Ohhh and there is this awesome MacGuffin, the BLACK ONION, basically the magical equivalent to a Magic 8 ball.. OK a bit more than that, but it is coveted and ends up being more important to the continuation and certain familial relationships than you would expect it to be! I love when random objects are used as plot devices!
June 30, 2013
Okay. I actually have to pause from reading in order to review this book. When I read the first was I found it to be overall enjoyable. Not a great work of fiction by any means but a fun pastime that kept me entertained. I wasn't super excited to start the next book but I figured it would be alright. At this point, though, I'm starting to think I might have been wrong in my analysis.
Problem 1: the recap. Now I find series recaps to be one of the hardest things to pull of by authors. Some get it perfect reminding the reader of just enough previous plot without hitting us readers over the head with it. Some author are competent, either reminding us of slightly too much or not enough. But it's still readable. With fiery edge of steel, however, I'm almost at my wits end. At about 35% through she's still reminding of book one. What's the point of an introductory book if you're going to teach the reader everything you taught us in book one again. I don't need to know what a signare is because Jill spent so much time on it. I don't need to be reminded of what waxing and waning magic are because they're the main concept. The plot is about a girl who supposed to have waxing magic and has waning instead. If I don't understand that by book 2 then I'm not doing a good job at reading.
Problem 2: the narrator. I used to not like first person books for precisely this reason. If the narrator is uninteresting than the entire book is uninteresting. Noon spends all her time whining about her magic, saying she's getting better, refusing to train, getting caught in dumb situations, and making out with her not so interesting boyfriend. The point of first person is to see situations through the main character. And these situations in turn should allow that character to grow. If there's not growth than what is there? Having a main character that by book 2 is doing the same thing she was doing in book one is more than a little annoying.
My intent is not to bash this this book with my review. The only reason I spent so much time reviewing is because I think the book has so much under utilized potential. If I thought it had no hope I wouldn't bother. The plot is original. I love the idea of demons and post apocalypse and angels. But at this point they feel like they exist in name only. If it a demon make it a demon. Make it nasty, cunning and mean. If it post apocalypse then use it. Don't make the world mostly the same. What the point of it being set in post apocalypse. I just want to see these great ideas fully utilized.
I'm not giving up yet, but I actually had to put the book down for a moment to write this. I still plan on finishing it and I hope I can write another review at the end where I'm pleasantly surprised by its improvement. We shall see.
Problem 1: the recap. Now I find series recaps to be one of the hardest things to pull of by authors. Some get it perfect reminding the reader of just enough previous plot without hitting us readers over the head with it. Some author are competent, either reminding us of slightly too much or not enough. But it's still readable. With fiery edge of steel, however, I'm almost at my wits end. At about 35% through she's still reminding of book one. What's the point of an introductory book if you're going to teach the reader everything you taught us in book one again. I don't need to know what a signare is because Jill spent so much time on it. I don't need to be reminded of what waxing and waning magic are because they're the main concept. The plot is about a girl who supposed to have waxing magic and has waning instead. If I don't understand that by book 2 then I'm not doing a good job at reading.
Problem 2: the narrator. I used to not like first person books for precisely this reason. If the narrator is uninteresting than the entire book is uninteresting. Noon spends all her time whining about her magic, saying she's getting better, refusing to train, getting caught in dumb situations, and making out with her not so interesting boyfriend. The point of first person is to see situations through the main character. And these situations in turn should allow that character to grow. If there's not growth than what is there? Having a main character that by book 2 is doing the same thing she was doing in book one is more than a little annoying.
My intent is not to bash this this book with my review. The only reason I spent so much time reviewing is because I think the book has so much under utilized potential. If I thought it had no hope I wouldn't bother. The plot is original. I love the idea of demons and post apocalypse and angels. But at this point they feel like they exist in name only. If it a demon make it a demon. Make it nasty, cunning and mean. If it post apocalypse then use it. Don't make the world mostly the same. What the point of it being set in post apocalypse. I just want to see these great ideas fully utilized.
I'm not giving up yet, but I actually had to put the book down for a moment to write this. I still plan on finishing it and I hope I can write another review at the end where I'm pleasantly surprised by its improvement. We shall see.
August 17, 2019
Enjoyed the new characters. A bunch of twists and turns throughout the book. Not sure I get all the magic uses/abilities/groups.
June 14, 2021
Really enjoyed
April 9, 2016
Originally posted on the blog: What the Cat Read
Archer is back with the second installment of her Noon Onxy series, and I must say that I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one. Maybe, dare I say, just a little bit more. As with book one, this novel grabbed me right from the start and wouldn’t let me go until I had finished it. The only reason that it took me longer to read was because I had to wait for my library to get a copy back in so I could finish it (I didn’t realize that I had started it so close to when I had to return it). Still having to wait built up enough suspense that I jumped right back into reading once it showed up and finished it that very night. This really is a delightful series of books and I’m glad that I started reading them.
It’s nice to see Noon finally coming into her own as a Maegester. Yeah, she’s still got a soft heart when it comes to killing demons, but at least she’s accepted who she is (for the most part) and isn’t trying to be something she’s not. She’s gotten fiercer, grown a thicker skin if you will, and is settling into her role nicely. My appreciation for Ari diminished in this book sadly. What happens to him at the end ticked me off to the point where I honestly can say that I wanted to claw him to pieces. Yeah, I probably should have seen it coming, but it took me by surprise. So as a result, I’ve replaced my interest of Ari with Rafe, Noon’s Angel Guardian. Ah, Rafe, he makes not caring or taking things seriously into an art form. I loved that he was mischievous. And the names of some of his spells had me smirking. In my opinion he stole the show in this book. He quickly became my favorite character out of everyone. Ari’s Angel Guardian, Fara, was a bit of an odd one. At first I was a bit put off by her continual preaching of the Book of Joshua. I had to agree with Noon that it got a bit tiresome after a while. However, I found her glamour to be rather intriguing. I actually wouldn’t have minded learning more about her character and I feel like Archer only touched the surface with her. And her tiger cub, Virtus, was awesome. Way to represent the feline race, cousin! As for Peter, well, he wasn’t really all that involved in this book, thank goodness. Yeah, my feelings for him haven’t changed any. And the least said about him, the better.
One thing that both intrigued me and drove me crazy was the Black Onion. It literally is a black onion, but it supposedly will answer 1 question, basically it’s like a Magic 8 Ball. I don’t know what it says about me that I spent the entire time wondering if Noon was ever going to use the blasted thing, but by the end of the book I wanted her to ask it a question! I don’t feel like I’m giving anything away when I say that she never did. Of all the things that could have driven me crazy, that’s what did it. Oh well, if I’m going to get hung up on something, might as well be something small like that. Heehee.
Since this is the second book in the series, it really does pay to have read the first novel. While Archer does provide some backstory throughout, and a lot of what happens in this book takes place outside of St. Luck (the demon law school where Noon is studying to be a Maegester), I don’t feel as though it is something that I’d want to jump in the middle of reading. Having full knowledge of what happened in Dark Light of Day made a lot of what happens in this book clearer. Apologies if my train of thought reads a bit muddled there, but when I first was introduced to this series, it was through a cover reveal for this book. And I will admit that I almost started reading this one first because the synopsis sounded interesting. I’m glad I didn’t though and instead got a hold of book one. I fear I might have been lost at times otherwise.
I liked that Archer took her characters to a new location this time around. The Shallows seem like both a dangerous and intriguing place to check out, though I wouldn’t want to stay there for long. I also liked that there were more demons in this book. Lots more demons. As a result, I felt like there was more action in this novel, something which I felt was a bit lacking at times in the first book. I got the sense that Archer had a better grasp of what she wanted her characters to experience this time. Not saying that Dark Light of Day wasn’t well written, but this one had that feeling of something more to it that was missing in the first. I still think both of them are great, but like I mentioned above, I liked this one just a tad more than the first.
Overall, Archer’s done a great job continuing to grow her characters, developing the world of Halja, and generally creating an entertaining series. I’m looking forward to seeing what she’s got in store for everyone in third book, especially considering the surprise revealed at the end of this one. Again, I probably should have seen it coming, but it did take me by surprise. Want to know what I am talking about? Read the book and find out for yourself. =^.^=
Archer is back with the second installment of her Noon Onxy series, and I must say that I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one. Maybe, dare I say, just a little bit more. As with book one, this novel grabbed me right from the start and wouldn’t let me go until I had finished it. The only reason that it took me longer to read was because I had to wait for my library to get a copy back in so I could finish it (I didn’t realize that I had started it so close to when I had to return it). Still having to wait built up enough suspense that I jumped right back into reading once it showed up and finished it that very night. This really is a delightful series of books and I’m glad that I started reading them.
It’s nice to see Noon finally coming into her own as a Maegester. Yeah, she’s still got a soft heart when it comes to killing demons, but at least she’s accepted who she is (for the most part) and isn’t trying to be something she’s not. She’s gotten fiercer, grown a thicker skin if you will, and is settling into her role nicely. My appreciation for Ari diminished in this book sadly. What happens to him at the end ticked me off to the point where I honestly can say that I wanted to claw him to pieces. Yeah, I probably should have seen it coming, but it took me by surprise. So as a result, I’ve replaced my interest of Ari with Rafe, Noon’s Angel Guardian. Ah, Rafe, he makes not caring or taking things seriously into an art form. I loved that he was mischievous. And the names of some of his spells had me smirking. In my opinion he stole the show in this book. He quickly became my favorite character out of everyone. Ari’s Angel Guardian, Fara, was a bit of an odd one. At first I was a bit put off by her continual preaching of the Book of Joshua. I had to agree with Noon that it got a bit tiresome after a while. However, I found her glamour to be rather intriguing. I actually wouldn’t have minded learning more about her character and I feel like Archer only touched the surface with her. And her tiger cub, Virtus, was awesome. Way to represent the feline race, cousin! As for Peter, well, he wasn’t really all that involved in this book, thank goodness. Yeah, my feelings for him haven’t changed any. And the least said about him, the better.
One thing that both intrigued me and drove me crazy was the Black Onion. It literally is a black onion, but it supposedly will answer 1 question, basically it’s like a Magic 8 Ball. I don’t know what it says about me that I spent the entire time wondering if Noon was ever going to use the blasted thing, but by the end of the book I wanted her to ask it a question! I don’t feel like I’m giving anything away when I say that she never did. Of all the things that could have driven me crazy, that’s what did it. Oh well, if I’m going to get hung up on something, might as well be something small like that. Heehee.
Since this is the second book in the series, it really does pay to have read the first novel. While Archer does provide some backstory throughout, and a lot of what happens in this book takes place outside of St. Luck (the demon law school where Noon is studying to be a Maegester), I don’t feel as though it is something that I’d want to jump in the middle of reading. Having full knowledge of what happened in Dark Light of Day made a lot of what happens in this book clearer. Apologies if my train of thought reads a bit muddled there, but when I first was introduced to this series, it was through a cover reveal for this book. And I will admit that I almost started reading this one first because the synopsis sounded interesting. I’m glad I didn’t though and instead got a hold of book one. I fear I might have been lost at times otherwise.
I liked that Archer took her characters to a new location this time around. The Shallows seem like both a dangerous and intriguing place to check out, though I wouldn’t want to stay there for long. I also liked that there were more demons in this book. Lots more demons. As a result, I felt like there was more action in this novel, something which I felt was a bit lacking at times in the first book. I got the sense that Archer had a better grasp of what she wanted her characters to experience this time. Not saying that Dark Light of Day wasn’t well written, but this one had that feeling of something more to it that was missing in the first. I still think both of them are great, but like I mentioned above, I liked this one just a tad more than the first.
Overall, Archer’s done a great job continuing to grow her characters, developing the world of Halja, and generally creating an entertaining series. I’m looking forward to seeing what she’s got in store for everyone in third book, especially considering the surprise revealed at the end of this one. Again, I probably should have seen it coming, but it did take me by surprise. Want to know what I am talking about? Read the book and find out for yourself. =^.^=
January 12, 2014
Nouiomo Onyx and her brother Nocturo are unique personages among the denizens of Halja, the post apocalyptic country in which Lucifer and his army rose victorious against the Savior and his angels almost two thousand years ago. In this world of demons and angels who live among humans it is up to the Host, humans whose bloodlines are mixed with demon-kind, to prevent total chaos by upholding and enforcing the strict laws of the land. The Host possess magical abilities. The females are born with waxing magic, or powers to create and heal. The males are born with waning magic; the power to destroy and to control Demons. Noon and her twin brother, Night, were born an anomaly. She is the only known female to possess the destructive waning magic and her brother the only male to possess waxing. Introduced in Dark Light of Day, the first book in this series, Noon, enrolls in St. Lucifer's Law School while she struggles with her identity as a wielder of waning magic and her feelings for the mysterious Ari Carmine.
*Spoiler alert: If you haven't read book one, but would like to, stop now, before ruining any of the excellent story.
Fiery Edge of Steel picks up with Noon’s second year at St. Lucifer’s. She has accepted what she is, a wielder of waning magic, and she has embraced her feelings for Ari, allowing them to bloom into a satisfying love affair. Noon's next adventure begins as the magistrates at St. Lucifer’s assign her a new case. This time, she may pick an angel from the neighboring Joshua School to accompany her on a journey to the "Shallows" in order to discover the cause of missing villagers. But she is not going alone; Ari is also assigned to travel with her. It is a dangerous mission as the most likely culprit is the "Shallows" patron demon. Upon their arrival, however, the residents insist that their patron demon is not to blame, but something more ancient and evil. A foe that may prove impossible to defeat and may even cost her her relationship and her life.
Trinitytwo's point of view:
Fiery Edge of Steel is the second urban fantasy book in the Noon Onyx Series. The book stands on its own, but I would highly recommend reading Dark Light of Day first to get the most out of the story. Halja's sole female waning magic wielder returns to St. Lucifer’s School of Law (St. Luck's for short) as a Maegestrar in training. She is assigned a new case that takes her and her band of assistants to "The Shallows", an outlying community that is being ravaged by an unknown demon where 17 of its citizens are missing and feared dead. Noon has embraced her unusual magic and has accepted her feelings for Ari, her powerful Host lover and classmate. She is in a good place in her life. I really enjoyed the early banter between Noon and her school friends. Because she has accepted who she is, Noon is able to exhibit her sense of humor and it is so wickedly delicious; I actually laughed out loud. The great quality about Noon is she never feels sorry for herself. In the first book she was dealing with a major life choice, but now that she has accepted who and what she is, she is free to let her heart and soul guide her life decisions. Although continually faced with adversity, she perseveres and meets most challenges head on. The second part of the book was pure adventure. The addition of two new angels with their unique personalities added another layer of interest to this fascinating world. Jill Archer has created a unique civilization, populated with angels, demons, humans, and Host and complicated laws in which they all must obey in order to coexist. Noon is a character that I really like and admire. In fact, in some ways, I wish I were more like her. Fiery Edge of Steel is a fantastic blend of danger, adventure, magic, love, and the quest for truth. I am invested in Noon Onyx; I have come to care for her and worry about her as if she were one of my own. I am looking forward to the release of the third book in the series, White Heart of Justice which will be released spring of 2014
*Spoiler alert: If you haven't read book one, but would like to, stop now, before ruining any of the excellent story.
Fiery Edge of Steel picks up with Noon’s second year at St. Lucifer’s. She has accepted what she is, a wielder of waning magic, and she has embraced her feelings for Ari, allowing them to bloom into a satisfying love affair. Noon's next adventure begins as the magistrates at St. Lucifer’s assign her a new case. This time, she may pick an angel from the neighboring Joshua School to accompany her on a journey to the "Shallows" in order to discover the cause of missing villagers. But she is not going alone; Ari is also assigned to travel with her. It is a dangerous mission as the most likely culprit is the "Shallows" patron demon. Upon their arrival, however, the residents insist that their patron demon is not to blame, but something more ancient and evil. A foe that may prove impossible to defeat and may even cost her her relationship and her life.
Trinitytwo's point of view:
Fiery Edge of Steel is the second urban fantasy book in the Noon Onyx Series. The book stands on its own, but I would highly recommend reading Dark Light of Day first to get the most out of the story. Halja's sole female waning magic wielder returns to St. Lucifer’s School of Law (St. Luck's for short) as a Maegestrar in training. She is assigned a new case that takes her and her band of assistants to "The Shallows", an outlying community that is being ravaged by an unknown demon where 17 of its citizens are missing and feared dead. Noon has embraced her unusual magic and has accepted her feelings for Ari, her powerful Host lover and classmate. She is in a good place in her life. I really enjoyed the early banter between Noon and her school friends. Because she has accepted who she is, Noon is able to exhibit her sense of humor and it is so wickedly delicious; I actually laughed out loud. The great quality about Noon is she never feels sorry for herself. In the first book she was dealing with a major life choice, but now that she has accepted who and what she is, she is free to let her heart and soul guide her life decisions. Although continually faced with adversity, she perseveres and meets most challenges head on. The second part of the book was pure adventure. The addition of two new angels with their unique personalities added another layer of interest to this fascinating world. Jill Archer has created a unique civilization, populated with angels, demons, humans, and Host and complicated laws in which they all must obey in order to coexist. Noon is a character that I really like and admire. In fact, in some ways, I wish I were more like her. Fiery Edge of Steel is a fantastic blend of danger, adventure, magic, love, and the quest for truth. I am invested in Noon Onyx; I have come to care for her and worry about her as if she were one of my own. I am looking forward to the release of the third book in the series, White Heart of Justice which will be released spring of 2014
February 27, 2014
Noon Onyx is a waning magic user--the same magic used to control the demons who won Armageddon. Her magic is not what's extraordinary, it's that she's a woman with an ability that manifests only in men. In the series' first book, DARK LIGHT OF DAY, Noon had to come to grips with her ability and be trained so she wouldn't be a danger to herself and others.
As her schooling progresses, Noon has improved--even if her control still isn't what it should be. But even as a maegester-in-training there is a lot expected of her. First off is that despite a pacifist philosophy she must be willing to kill the demons who transgress the law. The other is to accept a student of waxing magic as her protector. But as someone who doesn't plan to seek out dangerous situations, she finds this exercise pointless. That is, until she's sent on her first assignment to the Swallows, a swamp region where the locals complain of disappearances and blame their own demon protector as the culprit.
FIERY EDGE OF STEEL is told from Noon's straightforward point-of-view narrative. She's been raised in a privileged household, but even that has its own problems considering the magical ability of her parents, and especially her father, the head of the Demon Council. Noon knows she'll never live up to her father's expectations and she's determined to be her own woman. But as a future maegester she's under the direct influence of the Demon Council. Even by the end of the book I wasn't really sure what I thought about her. She wasn't too whiny, annoying, or unrealistic, but she was still meh for me.
I liked the secondary characters much better. There's the mysterious Ari Carmine, her boyfriend and partner on their assignment to the Swallows. There's Rafe Sinclair, the laid-back waxing magic user who's assigned to guard her, but Noon can't seem to get him to cooperate like she wants him to. There's Ari's guardian waxing magic user Fara, who exclusively uses glamour to cover her true appearance. Even the ship's captain is fascinating. The mystery of these people is unraveled throughout the book, and I found their quirks more interesting than even the main character's.
The setting is what makes this book shine--it takes place after Armageddon, only it wasn't the host of Heaven who won, it was the demons. That doesn't necessarily mean that demons rule the world, but it does mean they live openly among humans; fortunately humans have been given the ability to seek justice on demons using their magic. Sometimes it was weird to have this half-medieval, half-modern setting, with jeans and t-shirts, espressos, swords, scripture, and magic spells. The concept is interesting and the way Archer displays for us the landscape, people, and magic all work together well.
However, despite a fun setting and interesting characters, it was the story itself that held back my giving an unhesitating endorsement. Which is too bad because all of the elements are there. Well, except maybe for the meh main character, but she's fine as a narrator so it didn't bug me too much. It's that I had a hard time knowing where this story was going. Like Homer's The Odyssey, FIERY seems to be mostly about the journey (not that I'd compare them as equivalent in literary terms)--Noon and Co. spend three-quarters of the book trying to get to the Swallows. Maybe I'm being too nitpicky, but I waded through an extended focus on the tedium of traveling and study, waiting for Noon and her entourage to arrive in the Swallows where the real crescendo of action should happen. As a result, the ending didn't have the building action it needed to give it real significance.
I continue to find myself--even a couple of weeks after finishing it--thinking about the magic and demons and angels. The plot? Not so much.
Recommended Age: 16+
Language: Not that I remember
Violence: Scattered fighting with demons, but without gory detail
Sex: An undetailed scene; otherwise implied or referenced
***Read this and other reviews at Elitist Book Reviews***
As her schooling progresses, Noon has improved--even if her control still isn't what it should be. But even as a maegester-in-training there is a lot expected of her. First off is that despite a pacifist philosophy she must be willing to kill the demons who transgress the law. The other is to accept a student of waxing magic as her protector. But as someone who doesn't plan to seek out dangerous situations, she finds this exercise pointless. That is, until she's sent on her first assignment to the Swallows, a swamp region where the locals complain of disappearances and blame their own demon protector as the culprit.
FIERY EDGE OF STEEL is told from Noon's straightforward point-of-view narrative. She's been raised in a privileged household, but even that has its own problems considering the magical ability of her parents, and especially her father, the head of the Demon Council. Noon knows she'll never live up to her father's expectations and she's determined to be her own woman. But as a future maegester she's under the direct influence of the Demon Council. Even by the end of the book I wasn't really sure what I thought about her. She wasn't too whiny, annoying, or unrealistic, but she was still meh for me.
I liked the secondary characters much better. There's the mysterious Ari Carmine, her boyfriend and partner on their assignment to the Swallows. There's Rafe Sinclair, the laid-back waxing magic user who's assigned to guard her, but Noon can't seem to get him to cooperate like she wants him to. There's Ari's guardian waxing magic user Fara, who exclusively uses glamour to cover her true appearance. Even the ship's captain is fascinating. The mystery of these people is unraveled throughout the book, and I found their quirks more interesting than even the main character's.
The setting is what makes this book shine--it takes place after Armageddon, only it wasn't the host of Heaven who won, it was the demons. That doesn't necessarily mean that demons rule the world, but it does mean they live openly among humans; fortunately humans have been given the ability to seek justice on demons using their magic. Sometimes it was weird to have this half-medieval, half-modern setting, with jeans and t-shirts, espressos, swords, scripture, and magic spells. The concept is interesting and the way Archer displays for us the landscape, people, and magic all work together well.
However, despite a fun setting and interesting characters, it was the story itself that held back my giving an unhesitating endorsement. Which is too bad because all of the elements are there. Well, except maybe for the meh main character, but she's fine as a narrator so it didn't bug me too much. It's that I had a hard time knowing where this story was going. Like Homer's The Odyssey, FIERY seems to be mostly about the journey (not that I'd compare them as equivalent in literary terms)--Noon and Co. spend three-quarters of the book trying to get to the Swallows. Maybe I'm being too nitpicky, but I waded through an extended focus on the tedium of traveling and study, waiting for Noon and her entourage to arrive in the Swallows where the real crescendo of action should happen. As a result, the ending didn't have the building action it needed to give it real significance.
I continue to find myself--even a couple of weeks after finishing it--thinking about the magic and demons and angels. The plot? Not so much.
Recommended Age: 16+
Language: Not that I remember
Violence: Scattered fighting with demons, but without gory detail
Sex: An undetailed scene; otherwise implied or referenced
***Read this and other reviews at Elitist Book Reviews***
June 17, 2013
http://openbooksociety.com/article/fi...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
The Apocalypse has come and gone. And, the demons won. Now Hyrkes (humans), Demons, Angels and Hosts (those that are human with a drop of demon blood, causing them to possess magic) have learned to coexist together.
Noon Onyx is the first female Host in existence, wielding waning magic, which before her appeared in only males. She is a Maegester-in-training, as most hosts with waning magic are, perfecting her skills to become one of the few that can keep the demons in line and kill them if necessary.
Noon and her boyfriend and fellow Meagester-in training, Ari, have been given a field assignment that takes them to the outpost lands of the Shallows to investigate a complaint against a demon lord, Vodnik. He has ruled and protected his people for over 400 years, but now he has gone out on a couple of occasions with some of his followers and came back without them, claiming the mythical bogeyman, Grimasca, got them.
So as soon as they have selected their Guardian Angels from the nearby Jonathan School, Noon and Ari will be on their way to find the answers they seek. But the trip will be anything, but easy, as they must fight the elements, the starving people of the Shallows and various demons along the way.
I want to make it clear that I have not had the chance to read the first installment of the series, Dark Light of Day. But the author did a nice job of explaining everything the reader needs to know to be able to pick the series up from this book, without going overboard with details that would otherwise bog the story down.
This is also a book, like many, that isn’t for everyone. For the highly religious reader, this book may be seen as an insult to their faith, being the opposite of their own beliefs with Lucifer winning the Apocalypse and defeating God’s army. And, now the Angels train to protect those with demon blood running in their veins. Luckily, I’m not so easily offended and had no problem reading this story and realizing that it is just a work of fiction and was able to separate it from my own religious beliefs. I hope others are able to do so as well.
Now to the story itself.
I really enjoyed Noon as a character. She was strong and powerful, but with a conscience that people in power don’t always possess. I appreciated with her past experiences not wanting to work with an Angel and being able to speak her mind, even if it was an obvious display of losing control.
I also really enjoyed Ari. Strong, protective, and devoted to Noon. I definitely got the feel that there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.
Then we have Rafe. You knew as soon as he was introduced to the story that he would end up being Noon’s Guardian, whether she wanted him to be or not. I also assumed he was much more powerful than anybody realized and definitely a better angel than his written profile suggests. As their journey progressed, I definitely got a feeling that there is something more on the horizon for him and Noon and that Ari had reason to feel jealous.
There was a little twist at the end of this story with one of the characters that I hadn’t seen coming. I was a little bit sad at the outcome, but don’t feel the issue is quite finished. I’m interested seeing how it will play out amongst all of the players.
I think this book has many positive and negative points. The story engages you early on, making it read easily. But like many books it does get to a point that bores me. Once all the demons kept attacking, I did check out for a while. But the ending picked me back up nicely and I will definitely give book three a chance.
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
The Apocalypse has come and gone. And, the demons won. Now Hyrkes (humans), Demons, Angels and Hosts (those that are human with a drop of demon blood, causing them to possess magic) have learned to coexist together.
Noon Onyx is the first female Host in existence, wielding waning magic, which before her appeared in only males. She is a Maegester-in-training, as most hosts with waning magic are, perfecting her skills to become one of the few that can keep the demons in line and kill them if necessary.
Noon and her boyfriend and fellow Meagester-in training, Ari, have been given a field assignment that takes them to the outpost lands of the Shallows to investigate a complaint against a demon lord, Vodnik. He has ruled and protected his people for over 400 years, but now he has gone out on a couple of occasions with some of his followers and came back without them, claiming the mythical bogeyman, Grimasca, got them.
So as soon as they have selected their Guardian Angels from the nearby Jonathan School, Noon and Ari will be on their way to find the answers they seek. But the trip will be anything, but easy, as they must fight the elements, the starving people of the Shallows and various demons along the way.
I want to make it clear that I have not had the chance to read the first installment of the series, Dark Light of Day. But the author did a nice job of explaining everything the reader needs to know to be able to pick the series up from this book, without going overboard with details that would otherwise bog the story down.
This is also a book, like many, that isn’t for everyone. For the highly religious reader, this book may be seen as an insult to their faith, being the opposite of their own beliefs with Lucifer winning the Apocalypse and defeating God’s army. And, now the Angels train to protect those with demon blood running in their veins. Luckily, I’m not so easily offended and had no problem reading this story and realizing that it is just a work of fiction and was able to separate it from my own religious beliefs. I hope others are able to do so as well.
Now to the story itself.
I really enjoyed Noon as a character. She was strong and powerful, but with a conscience that people in power don’t always possess. I appreciated with her past experiences not wanting to work with an Angel and being able to speak her mind, even if it was an obvious display of losing control.
I also really enjoyed Ari. Strong, protective, and devoted to Noon. I definitely got the feel that there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.
Then we have Rafe. You knew as soon as he was introduced to the story that he would end up being Noon’s Guardian, whether she wanted him to be or not. I also assumed he was much more powerful than anybody realized and definitely a better angel than his written profile suggests. As their journey progressed, I definitely got a feeling that there is something more on the horizon for him and Noon and that Ari had reason to feel jealous.
There was a little twist at the end of this story with one of the characters that I hadn’t seen coming. I was a little bit sad at the outcome, but don’t feel the issue is quite finished. I’m interested seeing how it will play out amongst all of the players.
I think this book has many positive and negative points. The story engages you early on, making it read easily. But like many books it does get to a point that bores me. Once all the demons kept attacking, I did check out for a while. But the ending picked me back up nicely and I will definitely give book three a chance.
June 21, 2013
Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..
Noon is the only known female to hold waning magic, the power used to control the demons who won the apocalypse eons ago. So to say she has a bit of a hard time fitting in would be an understatement. Unlike her counterparts, she does not revel in the power and it's destructive nature, and as a result is very reluctant to learn to harness it. This has led to a lack of control that gets dangerous at times. But, she's still trying to come to terms with the need to take charge of her ability, and reluctantly sets out on a mission to investigate a string of disappearances. But this is no ordinary case as tales of an ancient demon plaguing the area are rampant. Noon will have to learn to use her magic in more than just a passive way if she is to have any hope at surviving the journey, let alone her destination.
Noon's behavior had seemed to start to turn around by the end of the previous book as she slowly accepted who and what she was, so I wasn't expecting to have to sit through her constant whining about her lot in life this time around. I don't want to sound too hard or picky, but she has said multiple times that she's finally accepted who she is, but yet she refuses to step up and take the steps to control her magic. There always is some excuse and she just shrugs off her dangerous misfires. Then there is a pretty surprising reveal later in the book that she does not handle very well at all. In fact, I was incredibly disappointed in her behavior and felt absolutely no sympathy for the pain it put her in. I was of the opinion that she made her bed and now has to lie in it, but she behaved like a wronged party. It just all sparks of an immaturity that I would not expect in a college age character and makes her seem much younger than she really is and just not someone who I could identify with at all.
It is never a good thing when you finish a book and wonder "what was the point?" Unfortunately, this was my first thought at the end of FIERY EDGE OF STEEL. I just felt like there was absolutely no momentum in this book. Between the plot and the almost complete lack of character development, especially on Noon's behalf, I just felt like the whole book only moved in circles. I constantly found myself getting distracted by other things rather than wanting to continue reading, which is never a good thing. When I read, I want to become immersed in the story and that just didn't happen here. Another thing preventing that immersion for me was the terminology. I had hoped that since this was the second book I would have had an easier time following the really complicated mythology and excessive amount of obscure names, but that wasn't the case. Unfortunately my constant frustration at trying to remember who or what that different name/term meant made it incredibly hard to enjoy this book.
The first book in this series was only a mediocre read for me, but I was intrigued enough with the world to want to continue on and give it another shot. Unfortunately, as I've said in this review, it just didn't turn around one bit making it not up to par for a preferred read. At this point, I'm pretty sure I won't be picking up this series again, which honestly is a shame because the world and premise have so much potential, but potential can only carry me so far before it's time to move on, an unfortunately that's the case here.
Noon is the only known female to hold waning magic, the power used to control the demons who won the apocalypse eons ago. So to say she has a bit of a hard time fitting in would be an understatement. Unlike her counterparts, she does not revel in the power and it's destructive nature, and as a result is very reluctant to learn to harness it. This has led to a lack of control that gets dangerous at times. But, she's still trying to come to terms with the need to take charge of her ability, and reluctantly sets out on a mission to investigate a string of disappearances. But this is no ordinary case as tales of an ancient demon plaguing the area are rampant. Noon will have to learn to use her magic in more than just a passive way if she is to have any hope at surviving the journey, let alone her destination.
Noon's behavior had seemed to start to turn around by the end of the previous book as she slowly accepted who and what she was, so I wasn't expecting to have to sit through her constant whining about her lot in life this time around. I don't want to sound too hard or picky, but she has said multiple times that she's finally accepted who she is, but yet she refuses to step up and take the steps to control her magic. There always is some excuse and she just shrugs off her dangerous misfires. Then there is a pretty surprising reveal later in the book that she does not handle very well at all. In fact, I was incredibly disappointed in her behavior and felt absolutely no sympathy for the pain it put her in. I was of the opinion that she made her bed and now has to lie in it, but she behaved like a wronged party. It just all sparks of an immaturity that I would not expect in a college age character and makes her seem much younger than she really is and just not someone who I could identify with at all.
It is never a good thing when you finish a book and wonder "what was the point?" Unfortunately, this was my first thought at the end of FIERY EDGE OF STEEL. I just felt like there was absolutely no momentum in this book. Between the plot and the almost complete lack of character development, especially on Noon's behalf, I just felt like the whole book only moved in circles. I constantly found myself getting distracted by other things rather than wanting to continue reading, which is never a good thing. When I read, I want to become immersed in the story and that just didn't happen here. Another thing preventing that immersion for me was the terminology. I had hoped that since this was the second book I would have had an easier time following the really complicated mythology and excessive amount of obscure names, but that wasn't the case. Unfortunately my constant frustration at trying to remember who or what that different name/term meant made it incredibly hard to enjoy this book.
The first book in this series was only a mediocre read for me, but I was intrigued enough with the world to want to continue on and give it another shot. Unfortunately, as I've said in this review, it just didn't turn around one bit making it not up to par for a preferred read. At this point, I'm pretty sure I won't be picking up this series again, which honestly is a shame because the world and premise have so much potential, but potential can only carry me so far before it's time to move on, an unfortunately that's the case here.
Read
June 27, 2013I don't use star ratings, so please read my review!
(Description nicked from B&N.com.)
“Noon Onyx is the first female Host in memory to wield the destructive waning magic that is used to maintain order among the demons. Her unique abilities, along with a lack of control and a reluctance to kill, have branded her as an outsider among her peers. Only her powerful lover, Ari Carmine, and a roguish and mysterious Angel, Rafe Sinclair, support her unconventional ways.
When Noon is shipped off to a remote outpost to investigate several unusual disappearances, a task that will most likely involve trying and killing the patron demon of that area, it seems Luck is not on her side. But when the outpost settlers claim that an ancient and evil foe has stepped out of legend to commit the crimes, Noon realizes that she could be facing something much worse than she ever imagined.”
This is the second book in the Noon Onyx series, and I was able to read both this book and its predecessor one right after the other. I found both books to be enjoyable, with interesting mysteries and a compelling setting. I also noticed some similar writing tactics that contributed to making the stories feel somewhat identical.
For one thing, even though the first novel dealt with the burgeoning love triangle of Noon and two men, this second book starts the same thing all over again. Noon’s boyfriend Ari is still around, but the Angel in question has changed to the aforementioned Rafe Sinclair. He, like Peter in the original story, is in a position of power over Noon: where Peter had the power to change her magic from waning to waxing, Rafe is Noon’s protector in dangerous situations. Both books also have a long buildup to a problem that solves itself rapidly and explosively, and both involve Noon finding answers to questions that have endured for thousands of years.
None of these things are really bad in and of themselves. The details of the individual plots are interesting enough to hold your attention, and the worldbuilding is still one of the most intriguing aspects of this series. Once the plot really got going, Fiery Edge of Steel kept me focused on it until the last page.
But that phrase “once the plot really got going” is the catch here. What you see in the book description is accurate, but it doesn’t happen until the last third of the book. Up to that point, what you get is a lot of preparation, and a whole lot of travelling. Granted, there are bits of info scattered throughout these pages, and there are some adventurous things that happen, but the meat of the plot is slow to arrive. I kind of wish that Archer had made the first two novels into one book and really cut out the fat from the narrative. There are some great ideas and images in this series, and although you’ll certainly notice them, I think they may have shone even brighter with less padding around them.
Despite a few complaints from me, and despite a slow start, I did end up enjoying Fiery Edge of Steel. I’ll probably only recommend this to the urban fantasy readers who like heavy romance aspects or don’t mind a more leisurely pace in their fiction. For the right reader, this series might strike a chord and be very entertaining.
This review originally appeared on Owlcat Mountain on June 27, 2013.
http://www.owlcatmountain.com/fiery-e...
(Description nicked from B&N.com.)
“Noon Onyx is the first female Host in memory to wield the destructive waning magic that is used to maintain order among the demons. Her unique abilities, along with a lack of control and a reluctance to kill, have branded her as an outsider among her peers. Only her powerful lover, Ari Carmine, and a roguish and mysterious Angel, Rafe Sinclair, support her unconventional ways.
When Noon is shipped off to a remote outpost to investigate several unusual disappearances, a task that will most likely involve trying and killing the patron demon of that area, it seems Luck is not on her side. But when the outpost settlers claim that an ancient and evil foe has stepped out of legend to commit the crimes, Noon realizes that she could be facing something much worse than she ever imagined.”
This is the second book in the Noon Onyx series, and I was able to read both this book and its predecessor one right after the other. I found both books to be enjoyable, with interesting mysteries and a compelling setting. I also noticed some similar writing tactics that contributed to making the stories feel somewhat identical.
For one thing, even though the first novel dealt with the burgeoning love triangle of Noon and two men, this second book starts the same thing all over again. Noon’s boyfriend Ari is still around, but the Angel in question has changed to the aforementioned Rafe Sinclair. He, like Peter in the original story, is in a position of power over Noon: where Peter had the power to change her magic from waning to waxing, Rafe is Noon’s protector in dangerous situations. Both books also have a long buildup to a problem that solves itself rapidly and explosively, and both involve Noon finding answers to questions that have endured for thousands of years.
None of these things are really bad in and of themselves. The details of the individual plots are interesting enough to hold your attention, and the worldbuilding is still one of the most intriguing aspects of this series. Once the plot really got going, Fiery Edge of Steel kept me focused on it until the last page.
But that phrase “once the plot really got going” is the catch here. What you see in the book description is accurate, but it doesn’t happen until the last third of the book. Up to that point, what you get is a lot of preparation, and a whole lot of travelling. Granted, there are bits of info scattered throughout these pages, and there are some adventurous things that happen, but the meat of the plot is slow to arrive. I kind of wish that Archer had made the first two novels into one book and really cut out the fat from the narrative. There are some great ideas and images in this series, and although you’ll certainly notice them, I think they may have shone even brighter with less padding around them.
Despite a few complaints from me, and despite a slow start, I did end up enjoying Fiery Edge of Steel. I’ll probably only recommend this to the urban fantasy readers who like heavy romance aspects or don’t mind a more leisurely pace in their fiction. For the right reader, this series might strike a chord and be very entertaining.
This review originally appeared on Owlcat Mountain on June 27, 2013.
http://www.owlcatmountain.com/fiery-e...
December 10, 2013
Last year a friend of mine gave me Darkest Light of Day, the first book in the Noon Onyx series. I got fascinated by the world Jill Archer had created. See, normally when we read about Armageddon, the good guys always win. Oh they might endure a whole hell lot of damage, but in the end… the good guys ALWAYS win. Not in Jill’s books.
Armageddon came and left and the BAD guys won. The Demons won. Guess what? The world is still turning. The sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. People’s lives didn’t change all that much. Life still continued. There are those with magic, and those without. There are demons and angels. Maegesters are male, have waning magic and controls the demons by the law they made – who knew that demons were so stuck with their precious rules?
Then we have the Mederi, females, healers, waxing magic. So, this is the normal pattern. But of course this doesn’t oblige to Noon and her brother, Night. Their magic got mixed up in birth, so Noon has the waning magic and her brother the waxing. In Darker Light of Day we follow Noon, and how she slowly goes from denial about her magic to accepting it – although not entirely willingly. My heart ached for Noon in Darkest Light of Day. I understood why she so desperately wanted to get rid of her magic, to be normal. See, Noon is the only one in a VERY long time to wield the waning magic as a female. NOT easy!! In reality, it’s no wonder Noon has trouble coming to terms with her magic. As a child, she was taught to hide her magic so nobody would notice the mix up (they don’t have to declare their magic before their 21th year). And when Noon finally declares, people (well, most people) look at her like she’s a freak, even her best friend through childhood tries to change her magic with an ancient spell…
In Fiery Edge of Steel, we see a Noon that has changed a bit. Although there are still times where she wish she didn’t have waning magic, that she was “normal”, she still hates to kill – Noon has mostly accepted her magic, with the abilities and responsibilities that comes with that. She’s even primorus in her class. Which also lands her first case. Out in the Shallows, a long boat trip away from “home”.
There are so many things I could say about Fiery Edge of Steel. Many, many things. And to be honest. I loved it. Every second, each page was amazing. The boat trip on the way to the Shallows are filled with action, lessons to learn, edges that needs to be filed down, assumptions and a downright emotional roller coaster.
As always there are little pieces of the big puzzle left here and there from Jill Archer to keep us on our toes. Not to mention, she throws a mean left hook. I did see one of her punches coming, but the one involving a special person close to Noon… Ouch. Seriously Jill…. Give a girl some warning first, will ya?
Closing the book, I was sad due to some events that will be too spoilerish to tell you about, but I was also… content. Happy and pleased. Jill Archer created another wonderful read in an amazing world that I have come to love dearly.
Now I just have to wait for the next book; White Heart of Justice, which should be released this spring.
Armageddon came and left and the BAD guys won. The Demons won. Guess what? The world is still turning. The sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. People’s lives didn’t change all that much. Life still continued. There are those with magic, and those without. There are demons and angels. Maegesters are male, have waning magic and controls the demons by the law they made – who knew that demons were so stuck with their precious rules?
Then we have the Mederi, females, healers, waxing magic. So, this is the normal pattern. But of course this doesn’t oblige to Noon and her brother, Night. Their magic got mixed up in birth, so Noon has the waning magic and her brother the waxing. In Darker Light of Day we follow Noon, and how she slowly goes from denial about her magic to accepting it – although not entirely willingly. My heart ached for Noon in Darkest Light of Day. I understood why she so desperately wanted to get rid of her magic, to be normal. See, Noon is the only one in a VERY long time to wield the waning magic as a female. NOT easy!! In reality, it’s no wonder Noon has trouble coming to terms with her magic. As a child, she was taught to hide her magic so nobody would notice the mix up (they don’t have to declare their magic before their 21th year). And when Noon finally declares, people (well, most people) look at her like she’s a freak, even her best friend through childhood tries to change her magic with an ancient spell…
In Fiery Edge of Steel, we see a Noon that has changed a bit. Although there are still times where she wish she didn’t have waning magic, that she was “normal”, she still hates to kill – Noon has mostly accepted her magic, with the abilities and responsibilities that comes with that. She’s even primorus in her class. Which also lands her first case. Out in the Shallows, a long boat trip away from “home”.
There are so many things I could say about Fiery Edge of Steel. Many, many things. And to be honest. I loved it. Every second, each page was amazing. The boat trip on the way to the Shallows are filled with action, lessons to learn, edges that needs to be filed down, assumptions and a downright emotional roller coaster.
As always there are little pieces of the big puzzle left here and there from Jill Archer to keep us on our toes. Not to mention, she throws a mean left hook. I did see one of her punches coming, but the one involving a special person close to Noon… Ouch. Seriously Jill…. Give a girl some warning first, will ya?
Closing the book, I was sad due to some events that will be too spoilerish to tell you about, but I was also… content. Happy and pleased. Jill Archer created another wonderful read in an amazing world that I have come to love dearly.
Now I just have to wait for the next book; White Heart of Justice, which should be released this spring.
June 12, 2013
Original Post June 12, 2013
A Triple Play With the Fascinating World of Jill Archer's FIERY EDGE OF STEEL
Spotlight, Review, Giveaway!
http://fangswandsandfairydust.blogspo...
I began writing this post while still reading FIERY EDGE OF STEEL, but my review was forming as I read and has kept coming back to a few thoughts. Since time is running out on me for getting this post up I wanted to give you my impressions even as I continued to read and I finished the book before I finished my post:
This is about a character, Noon Onyx, who is the only known female with her particular powers, called waning magic. It is a magic involving fire and causes living things to "wane" or die. The world has som technology, like motors but post-apocalyptic with a medieval feel, and it's a strange mix.
I keep thinking Kim Harrison'a Rachel Morgan meets Philippa Ballantine's Sorcha Farris, with a soupcon on Stacia Kane's Chessie Putnam.
Like Rachel Morgan, Noon seems to be an anomaly and is always blamed for everything that goes wrong. Unlike any of the characters I have mentioned, she seems unable to control her abilities.
Like Sorcha Farris and Chessie Putnam, Noon is being trained by an organization of beings with power. Unlike the other two series, the powerful beings are not just humans -- angels and demons have both been conscripted into service.
From a previous visit with Jill Archer (see below signature), I know she takes the naming of beings and other things in her world seriously. So, everything she names has been named with great meaning. The linguistically minded will see connections and intuit the meanings and relationships between critters and concepts. But this is the second book in a series and having not read the first I felt its missing pieces. I can't help but feel I would be getting so much more from having read the first book in the series before hand. But I do love the way that Jill uses Latin and Germanic roots to give species, items and concepts. Sometimes it is a phonetic spelling making the connection. This is hugely interesting to me. Some of it, in particular the names of spells, adds a touch of humor.
I keep coming back to how alone Noon is. Even though she has good friends and a lover to whom she is somehow bound, she feels solitary, lonely, unguided. I don't at all feel her relationship with her lover Ari, nor do I feel familiar with his character. Again, this character might be better known had I read the first book, THE DARK LIGHT OF DAY.
In the end, I think the stories themes are the nature of love and knowledge (or cnawlece as I think it is spelled in this book's world), as well as the impermanence. Cats are very present in both the cast of characters and the mythology. There are a couple of twists that make things more clear. But the themes are ethereal enough that they are a little hard to pin down, leaving lots of space for subjective interpretation. I have the feeling I will be making connections between elements in the text for some time.
The story moves with lots of action and little extraneous dialogue or other word waste. There is no filler or fluff.
If you like a mix of medieval, modern and fantasy with a kick-ass heroine, this is the series for you!
A Triple Play With the Fascinating World of Jill Archer's FIERY EDGE OF STEEL
Spotlight, Review, Giveaway!
http://fangswandsandfairydust.blogspo...
I began writing this post while still reading FIERY EDGE OF STEEL, but my review was forming as I read and has kept coming back to a few thoughts. Since time is running out on me for getting this post up I wanted to give you my impressions even as I continued to read and I finished the book before I finished my post:
This is about a character, Noon Onyx, who is the only known female with her particular powers, called waning magic. It is a magic involving fire and causes living things to "wane" or die. The world has som technology, like motors but post-apocalyptic with a medieval feel, and it's a strange mix.
I keep thinking Kim Harrison'a Rachel Morgan meets Philippa Ballantine's Sorcha Farris, with a soupcon on Stacia Kane's Chessie Putnam.
Like Rachel Morgan, Noon seems to be an anomaly and is always blamed for everything that goes wrong. Unlike any of the characters I have mentioned, she seems unable to control her abilities.
Like Sorcha Farris and Chessie Putnam, Noon is being trained by an organization of beings with power. Unlike the other two series, the powerful beings are not just humans -- angels and demons have both been conscripted into service.
From a previous visit with Jill Archer (see below signature), I know she takes the naming of beings and other things in her world seriously. So, everything she names has been named with great meaning. The linguistically minded will see connections and intuit the meanings and relationships between critters and concepts. But this is the second book in a series and having not read the first I felt its missing pieces. I can't help but feel I would be getting so much more from having read the first book in the series before hand. But I do love the way that Jill uses Latin and Germanic roots to give species, items and concepts. Sometimes it is a phonetic spelling making the connection. This is hugely interesting to me. Some of it, in particular the names of spells, adds a touch of humor.
I keep coming back to how alone Noon is. Even though she has good friends and a lover to whom she is somehow bound, she feels solitary, lonely, unguided. I don't at all feel her relationship with her lover Ari, nor do I feel familiar with his character. Again, this character might be better known had I read the first book, THE DARK LIGHT OF DAY.
In the end, I think the stories themes are the nature of love and knowledge (or cnawlece as I think it is spelled in this book's world), as well as the impermanence. Cats are very present in both the cast of characters and the mythology. There are a couple of twists that make things more clear. But the themes are ethereal enough that they are a little hard to pin down, leaving lots of space for subjective interpretation. I have the feeling I will be making connections between elements in the text for some time.
The story moves with lots of action and little extraneous dialogue or other word waste. There is no filler or fluff.
If you like a mix of medieval, modern and fantasy with a kick-ass heroine, this is the series for you!
June 9, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
With its very original post-apocalyptic setting and a fascinating main character, I had hoped FIERY EDGE OF STEEL would be better than it turned out. Sadly, this second book in the Noon Onyx series fell flat with a very slow beginning and poor world building. FIERY EDGE OF STEEL was different from the first book, DARK LIGHT OF DAY, in a few ways, but what stuck out to me was that it didn’t take place at the university for most of the book which means we didn’t have as many characters like Ivy and Fitz (Noon’s university friends) to shake things up, and Noon and Ari’s relationship was frustratingly static.
Because Jill Archer has created a mythology so different from our own, it sometimes necessitates a bit of explanation to make things clear to the reader. Most of the time, this is accomplished by Noon explaining things in her inner monologue that she likely takes for granted, which ends up sounding weird- if this is some story that everybody knows from when they were a kid, why is she repeating it? It comes off as inauthentic and feels like mini info dumps every few pages. Noon in general started to get on my nerves a little, especially because she doesn’t seem to have any more control over her magic than when she started classes, so it feels like she isn’t changing. I would like to see her grow more than she has in that way. I’m hoping since she started to change her mindset regarding using her magic at the end of the book that we see more of that in the future.
Another issue FIERY EDGE OF STEEL suffers from is that it was incredibly slow going. The book is split up into two parts. The first part is dedicated to Noon and Ari’s trip to the far flung location where they are investigating a complaint against a demon. The second part is the actual investigation. Unfortunately, part two doesn’t start until around page 200, which means nearly two thirds of the book is telling about the trip there. There were times during part one where I was actually checking the clock to see how long I had been reading…and unfortunately, time seemed to slow down. Luckily, part two had a bit more action, but it felt a bit too little, too late. It also meant the ending felt rushed and squashed into the remaining section of the book.
While FIERY EDGE OF STEEL was disappointing, I’d be willing to give the Noon Onyx series another go. I do like the law school in a post apocalypse world setting, and as we learn more about the demons, I’m hoping it will be easier going. Plus, Noon is a very complicated and conflicted character, and I’m curious about her growth as she learns more and is put in more situations where she has to use her magic. Here’s hoping for a better third book!
Sexual Content: Brief sex scene
With its very original post-apocalyptic setting and a fascinating main character, I had hoped FIERY EDGE OF STEEL would be better than it turned out. Sadly, this second book in the Noon Onyx series fell flat with a very slow beginning and poor world building. FIERY EDGE OF STEEL was different from the first book, DARK LIGHT OF DAY, in a few ways, but what stuck out to me was that it didn’t take place at the university for most of the book which means we didn’t have as many characters like Ivy and Fitz (Noon’s university friends) to shake things up, and Noon and Ari’s relationship was frustratingly static.
Because Jill Archer has created a mythology so different from our own, it sometimes necessitates a bit of explanation to make things clear to the reader. Most of the time, this is accomplished by Noon explaining things in her inner monologue that she likely takes for granted, which ends up sounding weird- if this is some story that everybody knows from when they were a kid, why is she repeating it? It comes off as inauthentic and feels like mini info dumps every few pages. Noon in general started to get on my nerves a little, especially because she doesn’t seem to have any more control over her magic than when she started classes, so it feels like she isn’t changing. I would like to see her grow more than she has in that way. I’m hoping since she started to change her mindset regarding using her magic at the end of the book that we see more of that in the future.
Another issue FIERY EDGE OF STEEL suffers from is that it was incredibly slow going. The book is split up into two parts. The first part is dedicated to Noon and Ari’s trip to the far flung location where they are investigating a complaint against a demon. The second part is the actual investigation. Unfortunately, part two doesn’t start until around page 200, which means nearly two thirds of the book is telling about the trip there. There were times during part one where I was actually checking the clock to see how long I had been reading…and unfortunately, time seemed to slow down. Luckily, part two had a bit more action, but it felt a bit too little, too late. It also meant the ending felt rushed and squashed into the remaining section of the book.
While FIERY EDGE OF STEEL was disappointing, I’d be willing to give the Noon Onyx series another go. I do like the law school in a post apocalypse world setting, and as we learn more about the demons, I’m hoping it will be easier going. Plus, Noon is a very complicated and conflicted character, and I’m curious about her growth as she learns more and is put in more situations where she has to use her magic. Here’s hoping for a better third book!
Sexual Content: Brief sex scene
June 18, 2014
This review originally appeared on my blog, Leeanna.me.
==
The second book in the Noon Onyx series, FIERY EDGE OF STEEL picks up Noon’s story just after book one, DARK LIGHT OF DAY . At the start of the book, Noon and her boyfriend Ari are at a Carne Vale: a demon execution. But Noon, still uncomfortable with the thought of killing demons, isn’t thrilled about having to participate. She doesn’t want to kill a demon just because she’s been told he’s guilty. She wants to know he’s guilty for herself.
In this installment in the series, Noon becomes more comfortable and accepting of her waning powers. It’s great to see her continue to evolve as a character. I like how realistic Noon is. Sometimes she won’t do something she knows she should do, because she’s in a bad mood or doesn’t feel like it. But eventually she’ll get over herself and do it. We’ve all had moments like that, right? Those moments tend to lead to more trouble for Noon, but she deals with whatever comes up.
For me, FIERY EDGE OF STEEL read smoother than the first book because there’s not as much information or worldbuilding needed. I think I read about a third of it before I knew it. This book isn’t set at St. Luck’s, because Noon’s client assignment for the semester takes her out into Halja proper. It was a good way to see how others live in Halja, especially “normal” humans who are just trying to eke out a living.
Much of the book is set during a journey down the river Lethe, which did slow down the middle of FIERY EDGE OF STEEL. However, two new characters are introduced in this book: Rafe, Noon’s Angel, and Fara, Ari’s Angel. Maegesters work with Angel partners. It was nice to see an angel other than Peter (I wasn’t a big fan of him in book one), and nice to see how the Angel side of things works. Rafe was like a breath of fresh air amongst the usually stuffy Angels, and I enjoyed his dry witticisms.
Overall, I enjoyed FIERY EDGE OF STEEL, since it shows more of the demon negotiations and trickery Maegesters are expected to deal with.
==
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews:
==
The second book in the Noon Onyx series, FIERY EDGE OF STEEL picks up Noon’s story just after book one, DARK LIGHT OF DAY . At the start of the book, Noon and her boyfriend Ari are at a Carne Vale: a demon execution. But Noon, still uncomfortable with the thought of killing demons, isn’t thrilled about having to participate. She doesn’t want to kill a demon just because she’s been told he’s guilty. She wants to know he’s guilty for herself.
In this installment in the series, Noon becomes more comfortable and accepting of her waning powers. It’s great to see her continue to evolve as a character. I like how realistic Noon is. Sometimes she won’t do something she knows she should do, because she’s in a bad mood or doesn’t feel like it. But eventually she’ll get over herself and do it. We’ve all had moments like that, right? Those moments tend to lead to more trouble for Noon, but she deals with whatever comes up.
For me, FIERY EDGE OF STEEL read smoother than the first book because there’s not as much information or worldbuilding needed. I think I read about a third of it before I knew it. This book isn’t set at St. Luck’s, because Noon’s client assignment for the semester takes her out into Halja proper. It was a good way to see how others live in Halja, especially “normal” humans who are just trying to eke out a living.
Much of the book is set during a journey down the river Lethe, which did slow down the middle of FIERY EDGE OF STEEL. However, two new characters are introduced in this book: Rafe, Noon’s Angel, and Fara, Ari’s Angel. Maegesters work with Angel partners. It was nice to see an angel other than Peter (I wasn’t a big fan of him in book one), and nice to see how the Angel side of things works. Rafe was like a breath of fresh air amongst the usually stuffy Angels, and I enjoyed his dry witticisms.
Overall, I enjoyed FIERY EDGE OF STEEL, since it shows more of the demon negotiations and trickery Maegesters are expected to deal with.
==
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews:
September 21, 2013
3.75 stars
FIERY EDGE OF STEEL is the second instalment in Jill Archer’s dystopian Noon Onyx urban fantasy/post-apocolyptic series.
BACKGROUND : Archer’s series focuses on the simmering truce between Angels and Demons 2000 years after Armageddon , and the destructive nature of the Maegester and their dark ‘waning’ magic. But for 22 year old Nouiomo Onyx (aka Noon) a reversal of fortunes has occurred at her birth-she was imbued with the dark waning magic (once only accorded to men) and her twin Nocturo (Night) was the waxing magic (once only accorded to women). Women were the creators not the destroyers. Noon’s ability to wield waning magic will become both a curse and a blessing.
Fiery Edge of Steel premise falls quickly on the heels of Dark Light of Day when our heroine Noon Onyx has been given the unenviable task of tracking down a killer and bringing him or her to justice; a potential rogue demon who has murdered numerous men and women in a small fishing village hundreds of miles away. The investigation will determine innocence or guilt and it will be up to Noon to mete out justice or the sentence when all is said and done.
Jill Archer takes the reader on a journey through hellacious swamp lands and black waters infested with numerous demons and magical creatures from childhood nightmares. The storyline is awash in mythical legends and lore once believed to be the foundation of many spiritual systems of belief. The world building continues to be aggressive, involved, detailed and dramatic. Any lull in the action will be countered with a renewed construct of Archer’s imagination.
Saying that, the storyline and premise are infinitely detailed with a spiritual belief system that rivals any religious construct or history and, is used to build upon the world of which Archer continues to create. The characters are colorful and many mask their true identities and purpose. The relationship between Noon and Ari continues to grow but will be met with a force so destructive that their love may never survive. As their journey proceeds, so too, do the threats against Noon and her companions as they search for a murdering demon.
Jill Archer brings originality to a genre that can get bogged down in the supernatural but the magic with which she weaves her story will pull the reader into a world of gifted angels and terrifying demons. But not all is as it appears in the world of Noon Onyx. Sometimes even demons can be an angel in disguise.
www.thereadingcafe.com
FIERY EDGE OF STEEL is the second instalment in Jill Archer’s dystopian Noon Onyx urban fantasy/post-apocolyptic series.
BACKGROUND : Archer’s series focuses on the simmering truce between Angels and Demons 2000 years after Armageddon , and the destructive nature of the Maegester and their dark ‘waning’ magic. But for 22 year old Nouiomo Onyx (aka Noon) a reversal of fortunes has occurred at her birth-she was imbued with the dark waning magic (once only accorded to men) and her twin Nocturo (Night) was the waxing magic (once only accorded to women). Women were the creators not the destroyers. Noon’s ability to wield waning magic will become both a curse and a blessing.
Fiery Edge of Steel premise falls quickly on the heels of Dark Light of Day when our heroine Noon Onyx has been given the unenviable task of tracking down a killer and bringing him or her to justice; a potential rogue demon who has murdered numerous men and women in a small fishing village hundreds of miles away. The investigation will determine innocence or guilt and it will be up to Noon to mete out justice or the sentence when all is said and done.
Jill Archer takes the reader on a journey through hellacious swamp lands and black waters infested with numerous demons and magical creatures from childhood nightmares. The storyline is awash in mythical legends and lore once believed to be the foundation of many spiritual systems of belief. The world building continues to be aggressive, involved, detailed and dramatic. Any lull in the action will be countered with a renewed construct of Archer’s imagination.
Saying that, the storyline and premise are infinitely detailed with a spiritual belief system that rivals any religious construct or history and, is used to build upon the world of which Archer continues to create. The characters are colorful and many mask their true identities and purpose. The relationship between Noon and Ari continues to grow but will be met with a force so destructive that their love may never survive. As their journey proceeds, so too, do the threats against Noon and her companions as they search for a murdering demon.
Jill Archer brings originality to a genre that can get bogged down in the supernatural but the magic with which she weaves her story will pull the reader into a world of gifted angels and terrifying demons. But not all is as it appears in the world of Noon Onyx. Sometimes even demons can be an angel in disguise.
www.thereadingcafe.com
June 19, 2013
Review to come with blog tour next week. DEFINITELY NOT DISAPPOINTED. <3
****************
Jill Archer is now at the top of my "always buy" list. This has everything I adore about fantasy novels: unique world, strong characters with flaws-but not wholly ruined-, great plot, smart writing.
This picks up where DARK LIGHT OF DAY left off. Noon is now Primoris and given a new case along with her lover, Ari, who is Secundis. They are heading to the dangerous shallows, after a complaint is received by the council accusing a Patron demon of murder.
I like the legal aspects and terminology in these novels. It asks moral questions, incredibly appropriate considering this world: post-apocalyptic, but thousands of years after and not a nuclear one, but of the fabled angel vs demons war. And the demons won!
But despite Lucifer's and his demons' victory, we have this new balance to the world. Demons may rule, but they are tempered by Lucifer's laws, enforced by the council and its Maegesters, Luck's enforcers who in turn are supported by Guardian Angels.
We have two new characters in this book - the Guardian Angels themselves, Rafe Sinclair and Fara Vanderlin. They are assigned to work with Ari and Noon. I found both incredibly likable despite seeming so cagey at first. Rafe's devil-may-care veneer is fascinating as it comes and goes, and though we never get Fara's full story (or Rafe's for that matter) she is just as intriguing with her constant chirping of quotes from the Book of Joshua, having a tiger as a pet, etc.
This book is faster paced than book one, which only makes sense since Dark Light of Day was setting up Noon's story, introducing us to the world and other main characters. I couldn't put this one down either. I love the world, I love the history, the characters, and the plot.
Noon is an amazingly feisty, complicated character whom we can relate to despite us not having magic. Self-doubt, apprehension, going with her gut, being brave in the face of danger (and then second guessing herself, and third guessing) - she is so normal emotionally.
There is a HUGE twist at the end. GEEBUS. I don't know what outcome I want in future novels. But I do know this: I. Want. More. Ms Archer - if you write it, I'll read it, especially in this Noon Onyx world!
****************
Jill Archer is now at the top of my "always buy" list. This has everything I adore about fantasy novels: unique world, strong characters with flaws-but not wholly ruined-, great plot, smart writing.
This picks up where DARK LIGHT OF DAY left off. Noon is now Primoris and given a new case along with her lover, Ari, who is Secundis. They are heading to the dangerous shallows, after a complaint is received by the council accusing a Patron demon of murder.
I like the legal aspects and terminology in these novels. It asks moral questions, incredibly appropriate considering this world: post-apocalyptic, but thousands of years after and not a nuclear one, but of the fabled angel vs demons war. And the demons won!
But despite Lucifer's and his demons' victory, we have this new balance to the world. Demons may rule, but they are tempered by Lucifer's laws, enforced by the council and its Maegesters, Luck's enforcers who in turn are supported by Guardian Angels.
We have two new characters in this book - the Guardian Angels themselves, Rafe Sinclair and Fara Vanderlin. They are assigned to work with Ari and Noon. I found both incredibly likable despite seeming so cagey at first. Rafe's devil-may-care veneer is fascinating as it comes and goes, and though we never get Fara's full story (or Rafe's for that matter) she is just as intriguing with her constant chirping of quotes from the Book of Joshua, having a tiger as a pet, etc.
This book is faster paced than book one, which only makes sense since Dark Light of Day was setting up Noon's story, introducing us to the world and other main characters. I couldn't put this one down either. I love the world, I love the history, the characters, and the plot.
Noon is an amazingly feisty, complicated character whom we can relate to despite us not having magic. Self-doubt, apprehension, going with her gut, being brave in the face of danger (and then second guessing herself, and third guessing) - she is so normal emotionally.
There is a HUGE twist at the end. GEEBUS. I don't know what outcome I want in future novels. But I do know this: I. Want. More. Ms Archer - if you write it, I'll read it, especially in this Noon Onyx world!
June 17, 2013
Fiery Edge of Steel is about a girl named Noon Onyx (which is a badass name btw) who gets to be the very first host to wield the destructive waning magic. Does she think this is awesome? Hell no, she hates every part of it. She hates killing, she hates the way everyone looks at her and so forth. But does she suck it up and do the best she can. Hell no again. Honestly, throughout the whole book she is whiney and runs away from almost everything that she has to do for her job I guess you could call it.
Don't get me wrong, I don't hate this book but it's not my favorite either. Noon is not the type of heroines that I like in my books and her whininess and lack of personality didn't help either. I would have rather have saw this character at least suck it up and do what she needed to do in the circumstances.
Anyway, there are some pluses through this book considering it is the second one in a series. I have not read the first one but that doesn't mean I didn't understand the backstory because it is given to you in the beginning of the book and even throughout. I am sure I would be complaining about this big time if I had read the first one but since I haven't I don't have that to complain about.
There is romance in this book but seriously why anyone would want to be with Noon is beyond me but Ari seems to love and care about her while she constantly treats him like crap and he covers up her hating her magic for her. But soon we find out that he isn't exactly who he says he is but then again Noon isn't who she thinks she is either. Yeah, that made the book much more interesting. Also when Noon's Guardian Angel, Rafe was introduced made the book much more interesting also.
However, I still wish this book had been better because I was really looking forward to reading it. It has so much promise and such an awesome and original concept that I've not read before. While it did start off very painfully slow I did like where things were going towards the end so I do want to read the next book to see what happens and hopefully it will be much better than this one.
Disclosure Notice: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my personal and honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Don't get me wrong, I don't hate this book but it's not my favorite either. Noon is not the type of heroines that I like in my books and her whininess and lack of personality didn't help either. I would have rather have saw this character at least suck it up and do what she needed to do in the circumstances.
Anyway, there are some pluses through this book considering it is the second one in a series. I have not read the first one but that doesn't mean I didn't understand the backstory because it is given to you in the beginning of the book and even throughout. I am sure I would be complaining about this big time if I had read the first one but since I haven't I don't have that to complain about.
There is romance in this book but seriously why anyone would want to be with Noon is beyond me but Ari seems to love and care about her while she constantly treats him like crap and he covers up her hating her magic for her. But soon we find out that he isn't exactly who he says he is but then again Noon isn't who she thinks she is either. Yeah, that made the book much more interesting. Also when Noon's Guardian Angel, Rafe was introduced made the book much more interesting also.
However, I still wish this book had been better because I was really looking forward to reading it. It has so much promise and such an awesome and original concept that I've not read before. While it did start off very painfully slow I did like where things were going towards the end so I do want to read the next book to see what happens and hopefully it will be much better than this one.
Disclosure Notice: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my personal and honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
November 16, 2014
The most incredible thing happened during this book !
I changed my mind three times I never do that about a book.
Well, now I'm sure you wonder what got into me (or you don't actually care and want me to write my damn review).
For starters, I'd like to applaud Jill Archer. I still think her settings are pretty cool and it doesn't get old by the second book like it did with Shadow Reader.
Also, the characters evolve but they keep true to how they were originally made, which is a lacking trait in most book. I consider that it means Archer is talented - that I knew - and a hard worker. I appreciate that.
So, why two stars ?
I began the book right after finishing the first one. The beginning felt like the very continuation of the book I had just finished. The main character is still hesitant and hurt about what happened but she came to terms with who she is (good because it was the boring part in the previous book).
Then, Noon leaves school to fulfil a Maegester duty. After the first evening on the boat, I grew bored. Very, very, very bored. And because they stayed on the boat for the second third of the book, I stopped caring for a while. I read the book in the transports without caring much for what I was reading. Jill Archer used that part to introduce us more closely to all the new characters. And, because we are all very intelligent, we know that when we care for characters… Something happens to them !
Finally, around 70-75% of the book, they got off the boat. They were changed, and part of my newly found interest was : how much have they changed ? What does Rafe know ?
Fortunately for Fara, she had changed the most, so she became interesting to read ! Hallelujah people !
The investigation was a much more interesting part. And full of revelations ! I mean, I thought something was bound to happen with Ari, but I was completely surprised. And even more so by Delgato.
I am very happy about how the book turned out. The only thing that sanctioned this book - beside the fact there is still no fun at all. Don't they ever laugh ? - was the second third. That part could have easily been shorter and the ultimate third longer. All in all, it was still a good book, that I will recommend to those who really liked - as much as I did - the first one.
I changed my mind three times I never do that about a book.
Well, now I'm sure you wonder what got into me (or you don't actually care and want me to write my damn review).
For starters, I'd like to applaud Jill Archer. I still think her settings are pretty cool and it doesn't get old by the second book like it did with Shadow Reader.
Also, the characters evolve but they keep true to how they were originally made, which is a lacking trait in most book. I consider that it means Archer is talented - that I knew - and a hard worker. I appreciate that.
So, why two stars ?
I began the book right after finishing the first one. The beginning felt like the very continuation of the book I had just finished. The main character is still hesitant and hurt about what happened but she came to terms with who she is (good because it was the boring part in the previous book).
Then, Noon leaves school to fulfil a Maegester duty. After the first evening on the boat, I grew bored. Very, very, very bored. And because they stayed on the boat for the second third of the book, I stopped caring for a while. I read the book in the transports without caring much for what I was reading. Jill Archer used that part to introduce us more closely to all the new characters. And, because we are all very intelligent, we know that when we care for characters… Something happens to them !
Finally, around 70-75% of the book, they got off the boat. They were changed, and part of my newly found interest was : how much have they changed ? What does Rafe know ?
Fortunately for Fara, she had changed the most, so she became interesting to read ! Hallelujah people !
The investigation was a much more interesting part. And full of revelations ! I mean, I thought something was bound to happen with Ari, but I was completely surprised. And even more so by Delgato.
I am very happy about how the book turned out. The only thing that sanctioned this book - beside the fact there is still no fun at all. Don't they ever laugh ? - was the second third. That part could have easily been shorter and the ultimate third longer. All in all, it was still a good book, that I will recommend to those who really liked - as much as I did - the first one.
April 25, 2014
And then came the second part... thank the writing gods! I can't believe it but this story is getting better and better.
Noon is assigned a case in the field. This time, she will have to deal with the real possibility of judging and executing a demon if found at fault. For that daunting purpose, she takes to the road so to speak in the company of a very interesting threesome.
- companion number one: Ari, attractive and powerful Magister-in-Training
- companion number two: a sea captain that will help with Noon's training
- companion number three: a Guardian Angel.
Oh, Ari, you know I love you and all, but you have a good/bad/impossible-to-beat rival in that bad-ass Angel Raphael.
Yes, there is a number four in that thrilling gang but this funny character and its adorable pet work on a different level.
The very first chapter is impressive. It sets the foreboding tone for the rest of the plot. Noon has to face her worst challenge. Kill or renounce the obligation and risk it all? The ceremony in which she has to choose an Angel as protector is magnificently solemn and astoundingly funny.
I still love Noon's wonderfully sardonic sense of humour. She's sensitive, cautious, smart, but then she goes boom with sudden bursts of power and frustrated self-restrain and imposed rules. She's always struggling with her inner morals that clash against the world she lives in. And she's so exotic but humane and relatable at the same time. I have to love her.
So Noon embarks on this journey that will be her baptism of fire, literally. Even though the journey takes a lot of space in the story, it's far from static in terms of plot. Actually, it's choke full of action, magic, hellish adventure and character development. And some heart-wrenching moments. And then the party gets to its final destination and all the mystery and questions come together in an ending that feels like fireworks. OMG, the things that happen. The're huge and mind-blowing and I'm trembling with anticipation for the third book.
First reviewed on Tower of Babel http://torretadebabel.blogspot.com
Noon is assigned a case in the field. This time, she will have to deal with the real possibility of judging and executing a demon if found at fault. For that daunting purpose, she takes to the road so to speak in the company of a very interesting threesome.
- companion number one: Ari, attractive and powerful Magister-in-Training
- companion number two: a sea captain that will help with Noon's training
- companion number three: a Guardian Angel.
Oh, Ari, you know I love you and all, but you have a good/bad/impossible-to-beat rival in that bad-ass Angel Raphael.
Yes, there is a number four in that thrilling gang but this funny character and its adorable pet work on a different level.
The very first chapter is impressive. It sets the foreboding tone for the rest of the plot. Noon has to face her worst challenge. Kill or renounce the obligation and risk it all? The ceremony in which she has to choose an Angel as protector is magnificently solemn and astoundingly funny.
I still love Noon's wonderfully sardonic sense of humour. She's sensitive, cautious, smart, but then she goes boom with sudden bursts of power and frustrated self-restrain and imposed rules. She's always struggling with her inner morals that clash against the world she lives in. And she's so exotic but humane and relatable at the same time. I have to love her.
So Noon embarks on this journey that will be her baptism of fire, literally. Even though the journey takes a lot of space in the story, it's far from static in terms of plot. Actually, it's choke full of action, magic, hellish adventure and character development. And some heart-wrenching moments. And then the party gets to its final destination and all the mystery and questions come together in an ending that feels like fireworks. OMG, the things that happen. The're huge and mind-blowing and I'm trembling with anticipation for the third book.
First reviewed on Tower of Babel http://torretadebabel.blogspot.com
September 15, 2016
From the moment Noon Onyx set foot in St. Luck's Academy, her life has never been the same. A waning magic user, she's done everything possible to make sure she survives. Getting a hold of her magic has been trying, however. Sometimes, things don't go her way. Nevertheless, she's determined in becoming something she's denied herself for so long—a Magester, whether people like it or not.
Picking up where Dark Light Of Day left off, Fiery Edge Of Steel drops the reader smack-dab in the middle of Noon's next plight. She's doing her best to survive every step of the way, while learning everything there is to know about waning magic. She's been able to make a few friends, and has a wonderful boyfriend to pull her through the darkest of moments. In a sense, she has it all, albeit reluctantly. Together, they're willing to take on their next task, or die trying.
In this book, Jill has expanded upon the world she's created, giving the reader a further in-depth look on the lore's surrounding various demons, as well as those of the angels. She shows us quite a few of the conflicting elements that surround both of these factions. We also get to see more of their interactions with humans, or the Hyrkes, as they are known in this world. While things aren't always copacetic, we get to see each of these races coexist in a way that allows them to move freely amongst themselves.
Mind you, there's more than meets the eye when it comes to demons, angels, and Hyrkes. We see a lot of this in the interactions Noon has with others. Tensions run high most of the time, and people do get hurt, whether it's by accident, or a consequence of the environment. I love the fact that Noon has grown so much between what's happened in Dark Light Of Day and now. She still doesn't have it easy, but she's making do with the cards she's been dealt. The fact that she's not alone to weather disappointments is a plus. Somehow, I think she'll come out on top. Only time will tell.
Picking up where Dark Light Of Day left off, Fiery Edge Of Steel drops the reader smack-dab in the middle of Noon's next plight. She's doing her best to survive every step of the way, while learning everything there is to know about waning magic. She's been able to make a few friends, and has a wonderful boyfriend to pull her through the darkest of moments. In a sense, she has it all, albeit reluctantly. Together, they're willing to take on their next task, or die trying.
In this book, Jill has expanded upon the world she's created, giving the reader a further in-depth look on the lore's surrounding various demons, as well as those of the angels. She shows us quite a few of the conflicting elements that surround both of these factions. We also get to see more of their interactions with humans, or the Hyrkes, as they are known in this world. While things aren't always copacetic, we get to see each of these races coexist in a way that allows them to move freely amongst themselves.
Mind you, there's more than meets the eye when it comes to demons, angels, and Hyrkes. We see a lot of this in the interactions Noon has with others. Tensions run high most of the time, and people do get hurt, whether it's by accident, or a consequence of the environment. I love the fact that Noon has grown so much between what's happened in Dark Light Of Day and now. She still doesn't have it easy, but she's making do with the cards she's been dealt. The fact that she's not alone to weather disappointments is a plus. Somehow, I think she'll come out on top. Only time will tell.
April 23, 2014
In Fiery Edge of Steel, Noon is starting to become more comfortable with her powers, but she's still reluctant to use them to kill. But, when she's sent off to the middle of nowhere on a field assignment, she finds that she has to learn to focus her powers - or die.
The negatives:
Slow start.
The first half of this book was a bit uneventful. Besides the part where Noon tries to choose her Guardian Angel (which I really enjoyed), not much really happens until the group is well on its way to The Shallows. However, the ending picks up A LOT and definitely gets exciting, which makes up somewhat for the slower start.
What I loved:
The characters.
Pretty much everything I loved about the characters in the first book still applied in book #2. But in this book, we had the added characters of Rafe and Fara. Noon assumed the worst about both of these characters at the beginning, but they proved themselves as the book went on - I loved getting to know both of them and hope that they are both still part of future books!
The Shallows mystery.
I was incredibly intrigued by the mystery of what was happening in The Shallows. Archer did a great job of pulling us into the mystery and making us wonder what might happen next!
The ending.
Like I said, the ending to this book was definitely action-packed. And something happens at the end that completely rocks Noon's world in a way that she did not see coming! I can't wait to read the next book to find out what will happen next!
So, Fiery Edge of Steel was a great follow-up to Dark Light of Day. I will definitely be following this series! 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
The negatives:
Slow start.
The first half of this book was a bit uneventful. Besides the part where Noon tries to choose her Guardian Angel (which I really enjoyed), not much really happens until the group is well on its way to The Shallows. However, the ending picks up A LOT and definitely gets exciting, which makes up somewhat for the slower start.
What I loved:
The characters.
Pretty much everything I loved about the characters in the first book still applied in book #2. But in this book, we had the added characters of Rafe and Fara. Noon assumed the worst about both of these characters at the beginning, but they proved themselves as the book went on - I loved getting to know both of them and hope that they are both still part of future books!
The Shallows mystery.
I was incredibly intrigued by the mystery of what was happening in The Shallows. Archer did a great job of pulling us into the mystery and making us wonder what might happen next!
The ending.
Like I said, the ending to this book was definitely action-packed. And something happens at the end that completely rocks Noon's world in a way that she did not see coming! I can't wait to read the next book to find out what will happen next!
So, Fiery Edge of Steel was a great follow-up to Dark Light of Day. I will definitely be following this series! 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
March 29, 2015
Captivating. Ms. Archer has created a unique world filled with vivid characters and interesting scenarios based on the premise that Armageddon came 2000 years ago, and Lucifer's army won. But the world Archer created is not what you'd automatically assume it to be. I absolutely love the world she's created and adore her characters.
I read this second book immediately after reading book one, Dark Light of Day, and it doesn't disappoint. While it could have been read as a stand alone, for the best experience in the world and with the characters, I highly recommend reading the series in order.
I finished the book in two days but have taken two months to write the review because the story and characters stayed with me. I wanted to wait to see if my feeling about the story would change with time. But here it is two months later, and I still miss the characters and the world. When is book four coming out? LOL!
I'm not usually a fan of first person because most authors can't write it well. Jill Archer is one of the few who writes it great! She is going to be my "go to" example when talking with new authors wanting to write first person.
This series reminds me a bit of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series except with demons and angels instead of vampires and damphirs and graduate school instead of high school. Also has a bit of a Chicagoland Vampires (Chloe Neill's series) feel to it.
I highly recommend this book and series. Can't wait to see what's next, where the series goes from here. Being able to read the books in a series one right after another with no delay: priceless!
I read this second book immediately after reading book one, Dark Light of Day, and it doesn't disappoint. While it could have been read as a stand alone, for the best experience in the world and with the characters, I highly recommend reading the series in order.
I finished the book in two days but have taken two months to write the review because the story and characters stayed with me. I wanted to wait to see if my feeling about the story would change with time. But here it is two months later, and I still miss the characters and the world. When is book four coming out? LOL!
I'm not usually a fan of first person because most authors can't write it well. Jill Archer is one of the few who writes it great! She is going to be my "go to" example when talking with new authors wanting to write first person.
This series reminds me a bit of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series except with demons and angels instead of vampires and damphirs and graduate school instead of high school. Also has a bit of a Chicagoland Vampires (Chloe Neill's series) feel to it.
I highly recommend this book and series. Can't wait to see what's next, where the series goes from here. Being able to read the books in a series one right after another with no delay: priceless!
July 3, 2013
Noon Onyx returns in ‘Fiery Edge of Steel’, the second book in the series. Noon has now declared herself to have waning magic and is in training to be a Magister. Yet, she still has what others would consider a “soft” heart for a person who wields so much waning magic. She and her lover Ari, along with their Guardians, are sent on a mission to a very remote outpost to determine if the charges leveled against the regions’ patron demon are warranted. What Noon and her companions will uncover might just change a lot more than a verdict…
‘Fiery Edge of Steel’ was my introduction to Noon and to a world where Lucifer won against the armies of Heaven during Armageddon. I liked Noon, but I felt she needed to step up and own her power – after all, she did declare her waning magic. Although she may not have the bloodthirstiness and coldness of her father, in the end I felt Noon grew up a lot. I think there are definitely more challenges ahead for her, especially considering the wicked curveball Ms. Archer threw her way. I liked the uniqueness of Noon’s world. Even though I hadn't read the first book in this series, I found ‘Fiery Edge of Steel’ to be pretty good. The long time it took for them to reach the outpost gave me time to learn more about Noon and how she ticks. I’m interested in seeing in the fallout from the news Noon and her companions received…to come in the next book.
Noon Onyx series: Dark Light of Day (1), Fiery Edge of Steel (2)
‘Fiery Edge of Steel’ was my introduction to Noon and to a world where Lucifer won against the armies of Heaven during Armageddon. I liked Noon, but I felt she needed to step up and own her power – after all, she did declare her waning magic. Although she may not have the bloodthirstiness and coldness of her father, in the end I felt Noon grew up a lot. I think there are definitely more challenges ahead for her, especially considering the wicked curveball Ms. Archer threw her way. I liked the uniqueness of Noon’s world. Even though I hadn't read the first book in this series, I found ‘Fiery Edge of Steel’ to be pretty good. The long time it took for them to reach the outpost gave me time to learn more about Noon and how she ticks. I’m interested in seeing in the fallout from the news Noon and her companions received…to come in the next book.
Noon Onyx series: Dark Light of Day (1), Fiery Edge of Steel (2)
August 6, 2014
I really enjoyed the first book in the Noon Onyx series, Dark Light of Day (I would definitely recommend reading it first, since there is a lot of world building that will allow you to dive right in to this book) and I wasn’t disappointed in Fiery Edge of Steel either. The action was stepped up a notch, when Noon and Ari, along with the two angels working with them, Rafe and Fara, go on a field assignment to the Shallows. The area is a remote outpost that has reported problems with its patron demon, with a number of people missing and feared dead. It’s up to Noon and Ari to determine what has happened and if the demon is guilty, they will be required to kill him. On the way, they are attached by rogare (or rogue) demons and run into other perils of the river and swampy landscape, not to mention the pitfalls they encounter once they reach their destination. In this story, Noon is learning to accept her magic and use it more effectively in a way that is uniquely her own. There are plenty of interesting characters, including the angels, several different demons and even a pet tiger, as we learn more about this demon ruled world and the people who live in it. This was another story I didn’t want to put down until it was finished. I love the way everything is wrapped up in the end with a satisfying conclusion, but with a few questions that are enough to entice me to eagerly anticipate the next adventure.
November 1, 2016
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Luna Lovebooks says…
Likes: I like that by the end of this installment in the Noon series, Noon is far more comfortable with her powers. I like the fact that she wants to know that a demon is guilty before executing it. She doesn’t want to just take someone’s word for it. I also like that none of the characters in this novel are what they seem to be. The mystery of the Shallows is a great addition to the Noon tale, and I am delighted in the way it was played out.
Dislikes: While there isn’t as much of an information dump, the first part of the book is still pretty slow. There are some parts that I found interesting in the first part – like Noon’s choosing of her Angel partner – but for the most part it doesn’t pick up until the second half.
While I will continue reading the series, I hope that the overload of information will improve. For this reason I give Fiery Edge of Steel 4 burn marks.
Our reviews in this series…
Dark Light of Day, Book 1
If you like this book you might try Dark Angel: A Gothic Fairy Tale by T.J. Bennett, The Haunting of Mitch Hamilton by Ann K. Shepherd, Open Gates by D.T. Dyllin.
FTC Notice: This book was provided free in exchange for an honest review. This is no way impacts my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Luna Lovebooks says…
Likes: I like that by the end of this installment in the Noon series, Noon is far more comfortable with her powers. I like the fact that she wants to know that a demon is guilty before executing it. She doesn’t want to just take someone’s word for it. I also like that none of the characters in this novel are what they seem to be. The mystery of the Shallows is a great addition to the Noon tale, and I am delighted in the way it was played out.
Dislikes: While there isn’t as much of an information dump, the first part of the book is still pretty slow. There are some parts that I found interesting in the first part – like Noon’s choosing of her Angel partner – but for the most part it doesn’t pick up until the second half.
While I will continue reading the series, I hope that the overload of information will improve. For this reason I give Fiery Edge of Steel 4 burn marks.
Our reviews in this series…
Dark Light of Day, Book 1
If you like this book you might try Dark Angel: A Gothic Fairy Tale by T.J. Bennett, The Haunting of Mitch Hamilton by Ann K. Shepherd, Open Gates by D.T. Dyllin.
FTC Notice: This book was provided free in exchange for an honest review. This is no way impacts my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 26, 2013
We have the sequel to Dark Light of Day, and we’re going on a field trip! Noon is growing, even if a little slowly, but that’s a good thing, as you have to have somewhere for your characters to go. She is learning about her magic and how it works, and she’s not running from everything as she once did. ooooh And though we have a few characters that I liked from the first book not have some major page time, we get to meet Rafe… I will leave it at that for now :)
Things are complicated. When a demon ruler starts loosing his friends, Noon and Ari have to find out what’s happening. They also have to work with angels to do this. It gets really fun, as the other demons just love to attack. So there’s some good action in this one. Also, you get to learn some things about both Noon and Ari you didn’t see in book one.
I am really enjoying this series. It get a little complicated when you start trying to talk about things in the continuations of a series because then you run into spoilers- and I don’t do spoilers- but I recommend this one to those who like action, who happen to like new takes on demons and laws, and apocalyptic type worlds and some quite interesting characters with some fun magic!!! 4.5 Demonically Delicious PAWS!!
Things are complicated. When a demon ruler starts loosing his friends, Noon and Ari have to find out what’s happening. They also have to work with angels to do this. It gets really fun, as the other demons just love to attack. So there’s some good action in this one. Also, you get to learn some things about both Noon and Ari you didn’t see in book one.
I am really enjoying this series. It get a little complicated when you start trying to talk about things in the continuations of a series because then you run into spoilers- and I don’t do spoilers- but I recommend this one to those who like action, who happen to like new takes on demons and laws, and apocalyptic type worlds and some quite interesting characters with some fun magic!!! 4.5 Demonically Delicious PAWS!!
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