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Diana Tregarde #1
Burning Water
A sexy witch who writes romances and a police detective who sees more than mortal man team up to battle an ancient Aztec god!
Dallas Police Detective Mark Valdez isn't just any cop, he's a psychic who knows that the cattle mutilations and torture murders he's been investigating are somehow tied together. He also knows that his meager psychic abilities aren't enough to identify the killers, much less stop them.
Luckily, Mark has an ace up his sleeve: an attractive young romance novelist who happens to be a practicing witch. And not just any witch, either-Diana Tregarde is a Guardian, charged with protecting the Earth and all its creatures.
Using modern science and ancient magics, Diana and Mark discover that they are tailing no ordinary serial killer but the awakened avatar of an Aztec god. Tezcatlipoca and his four beautiful handmaidens are preparing for a great sacrifice that will transform North America into a new Aztec realm.
Diana isn't sure her powers are strong enough to take on those of a risen Aztec god, but she has no choice. As a Guardian, she is sworn to protect mankind, even at the cost of her own life. Luckily, she does not stand alone. Mark Valdez is more than just a cop. And Tezcatlipoca is not the only Aztec god walking in the world.
Dallas Police Detective Mark Valdez isn't just any cop, he's a psychic who knows that the cattle mutilations and torture murders he's been investigating are somehow tied together. He also knows that his meager psychic abilities aren't enough to identify the killers, much less stop them.
Luckily, Mark has an ace up his sleeve: an attractive young romance novelist who happens to be a practicing witch. And not just any witch, either-Diana Tregarde is a Guardian, charged with protecting the Earth and all its creatures.
Using modern science and ancient magics, Diana and Mark discover that they are tailing no ordinary serial killer but the awakened avatar of an Aztec god. Tezcatlipoca and his four beautiful handmaidens are preparing for a great sacrifice that will transform North America into a new Aztec realm.
Diana isn't sure her powers are strong enough to take on those of a risen Aztec god, but she has no choice. As a Guardian, she is sworn to protect mankind, even at the cost of her own life. Luckily, she does not stand alone. Mark Valdez is more than just a cop. And Tezcatlipoca is not the only Aztec god walking in the world.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
342 people are currently reading
2957 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
441 books9,527 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
April 22, 2021
🐹 A Guinea Pig is Me Buddy Read (AGPiM™) with the MacHalos my lonesome little self and stuff 🐹
💀 DNF at 25%. (Because I'm patient like that.)
Well this is awkward. I was going to write a semi-full review for this one, but even though IDNFed read the book only last week, I can’t remember a bloody shrimping thing about it. (Except from the fact that it was both boring and outdated as fish, obviously.) Wait, I seem to recall there might have been something about Aztec gods in there somewhere. (This should have obviously made the book Slightly Very Cool Material—SVCM™—but guess what? ⚠️Spoiler Alert⚠️ It didn't.) Oh, and I do remember that the male MC is a cop . And that the female MC is some kind of romance author/witch . Hey, it looks my two little grey cells aren't in such a decrepit state as I thought!
Oh wow, that's the 42-year-old MC from Magical Midlife Madness giving me two thumbs up! Coming from someone as youthfully youthful as he, it really means a lot.
Anyway, now that my memory has made a most unexpected comeback, I remember two key facts about this story I wanted to share with you:
① Fred the Kraken didn’t dignify this story with an appearance. (Which is no wonder given his very high literary standards.)
② No crustaceans—neither the murderous nor the despicably non-lethal type—were involved in the story at any point. Which is a damn shame, for it is a truth universally acknowledged that crustaceans make everything better.
See what I mean?
👋👋 The end and stuff.
[Pre-review nonsense]
Ah, the smell ofnapalm outdated as fish UF in the morning. There really is nothing quite like it.
That's the idea, yes.
➽ Review to come and stuff.
💀 DNF at 25%. (Because I'm patient like that.)
Well this is awkward. I was going to write a semi-full review for this one, but even though I
Oh wow, that's the 42-year-old MC from Magical Midlife Madness giving me two thumbs up! Coming from someone as youthfully youthful as he, it really means a lot.
Anyway, now that my memory has made a most unexpected comeback, I remember two key facts about this story I wanted to share with you:
① Fred the Kraken didn’t dignify this story with an appearance. (Which is no wonder given his very high literary standards.)
② No crustaceans—neither the murderous nor the despicably non-lethal type—were involved in the story at any point. Which is a damn shame, for it is a truth universally acknowledged that crustaceans make everything better.
See what I mean?
👋👋 The end and stuff.
[Pre-review nonsense]
Ah, the smell of
That's the idea, yes.
➽ Review to come and stuff.
September 5, 2018
This is the first book in the Diana Tregarde series but the book didn’t quite feel like Di was the main character. It was more about Mark and his observation of Di as she helps him solve some killings in Dallas. The book was released in 1989 and you can tell it was. There are some definite points that show its age but that also help give it a fantastical feel which is exactly what this book is – paranormal goodness.
The book is really good and full of action, history and relationships. The story starts off immediately and it doesn’t really ever ease up on the intensity until the last few pages of the book. Both Mark and Di are very interesting characters and the author establishes the length of the relationship and you never doubt it because of the ease they have with each other. The mystery is a little obvious and there were times I wondered why Mark and Di didn’t see it. The author tried to explain it away but it still seemed too obvious.
The friendship between Mark and Di was so refreshing because it was a man and woman true friendship. No gay best friend, no secret love for each other, no friends with benefits -- just a good friendship built over years of knowing each other.
I actually had to deduct a whole star for the ending. I can’t really get into too much other than to say it was less than satisfying. I also think the Kindle version needs some editing as there several editing errors in the book.
Overall a really good book and I look forward to reading the next one in the series.
The book is really good and full of action, history and relationships. The story starts off immediately and it doesn’t really ever ease up on the intensity until the last few pages of the book. Both Mark and Di are very interesting characters and the author establishes the length of the relationship and you never doubt it because of the ease they have with each other. The mystery is a little obvious and there were times I wondered why Mark and Di didn’t see it. The author tried to explain it away but it still seemed too obvious.
The friendship between Mark and Di was so refreshing because it was a man and woman true friendship. No gay best friend, no secret love for each other, no friends with benefits -- just a good friendship built over years of knowing each other.
I actually had to deduct a whole star for the ending. I can’t really get into too much other than to say it was less than satisfying. I also think the Kindle version needs some editing as there several editing errors in the book.
Overall a really good book and I look forward to reading the next one in the series.
January 6, 2016
I am so bored by this book! They never do anything, just sit around and talk about the case or how great Di is. The only action is from a victim's perspective, usually a loser or a jerk or both so I don't even care about them. It's also ridiculous how quickly a small Texas town Sheriff accepts her. And if I see just one more word unnecessarily italicized I shall go batty!
October 22, 2014
I've enjoyed Lackey's fantasy books, but never felt a burning urge to read them all. They're enjoyable, but not my first choice. This series is paranormal & was done before it was really cool, so I give her a bonus for that. It wasn't badly written, but I just never developed much interest in any of the characters nor was the end ever in doubt. Actually, the script of the book wasn't in doubt.
Diana, the heroine, is tough, smart & pretty powerful. I expected to like her, care & worry about how she'd overcome the various obstacles in her life. I didn't. I KNEW she would & she did, in perfect style. She was never in any danger, thus never really engaged me. I knew pretty much how the book would turn out from the first few pages & it never varied much from that format. The few 'dangerous' situations were shallow. Everyone loved her, she never did any wrong. Too perfect, perhaps.
There were other characters in the book, but none of them grabbed me either. The police chief was overdone & I don't care much for reading mangled language - only done in his case. Our hero, blindly following in Diana's footsteps, was a perfect gentleman. The only sexual tension was explained & taken care of early, never mentioned or felt again. Everyone & everything was perfectly scripted, adhered to their niches in society without ever straying or really making me take notice.
If there was a 'yawn' rating, I'd give it that. A good book to read if you're sick & not tracking so well.
Diana, the heroine, is tough, smart & pretty powerful. I expected to like her, care & worry about how she'd overcome the various obstacles in her life. I didn't. I KNEW she would & she did, in perfect style. She was never in any danger, thus never really engaged me. I knew pretty much how the book would turn out from the first few pages & it never varied much from that format. The few 'dangerous' situations were shallow. Everyone loved her, she never did any wrong. Too perfect, perhaps.
There were other characters in the book, but none of them grabbed me either. The police chief was overdone & I don't care much for reading mangled language - only done in his case. Our hero, blindly following in Diana's footsteps, was a perfect gentleman. The only sexual tension was explained & taken care of early, never mentioned or felt again. Everyone & everything was perfectly scripted, adhered to their niches in society without ever straying or really making me take notice.
If there was a 'yawn' rating, I'd give it that. A good book to read if you're sick & not tracking so well.
February 1, 2021
Read as part of my ongoing shelf audit. Verdict: It was interesting to read an urban fantasy that predates the paranormal romance boom, but ultimately I don't think I'd return to this book or series.
Honestly, the most interesting part of this book for me was the window into the 1980s it provided. People going all the way up to airplane gates without a ticket (okay, technically I've experienced this, but I've flown more post-9/11 that I don't have any specific memories of the before times); smoking everywhere; using pay phones... saying 'ack-emma' for A.M., which I'm skeptical was actually widespread. It wasn't written as a 'period piece' but as a 90s kid, I found that aspect of the setting fascinating.
Story-wise, it was... okay. The plot moves slowly, as our protagonists investigate a series of ritual murders in a very... passive way. It takes until the final chapter for them to figure out who the perpetrators are, so they spend the overwhelming majority of the book reacting and analyzing, but not moving forward. This is made all the more frustrating by the fact that the reader knows exactly what's going on, thanks to some antagonist POVs at the beginning, and by the way Diana Tregarde is set up as hyper-competent and knowledgeable in pretty much every other way. (Lackey does throw in a clever bit of warding to explain why it takes Di so long to figure out what's going on, but it still just feels like a cover for a foot-dragging pace.)
And then the final chapter happens and... it doesn't feel like a resolution. Especially after all the gory details about horrible sacrifices throughout the book, the way the long-awaited 'confrontation' went down just felt lackluster, as if Lackey was in a rush to simply be done with it and so just chopped the story off almost at random.
There were aspects I liked (ie, the total lack of romance between Mark and Diana) and some bits that felt like good ideas with ham-fisted execution (Diana explaining to Mark why 'good Christians' do bad things and reminding him that Christianity is no longer the underdog faith - something I think a lot of people need to be reminded of). Ultimately, though, just 'meh' overall.
Honestly, the most interesting part of this book for me was the window into the 1980s it provided. People going all the way up to airplane gates without a ticket (okay, technically I've experienced this, but I've flown more post-9/11 that I don't have any specific memories of the before times); smoking everywhere; using pay phones... saying 'ack-emma' for A.M., which I'm skeptical was actually widespread. It wasn't written as a 'period piece' but as a 90s kid, I found that aspect of the setting fascinating.
Story-wise, it was... okay. The plot moves slowly, as our protagonists investigate a series of ritual murders in a very... passive way. It takes until the final chapter for them to figure out who the perpetrators are, so they spend the overwhelming majority of the book reacting and analyzing, but not moving forward. This is made all the more frustrating by the fact that the reader knows exactly what's going on, thanks to some antagonist POVs at the beginning, and by the way Diana Tregarde is set up as hyper-competent and knowledgeable in pretty much every other way. (Lackey does throw in a clever bit of warding to explain why it takes Di so long to figure out what's going on, but it still just feels like a cover for a foot-dragging pace.)
And then the final chapter happens and... it doesn't feel like a resolution. Especially after all the gory details about horrible sacrifices throughout the book, the way the long-awaited 'confrontation' went down just felt lackluster, as if Lackey was in a rush to simply be done with it and so just chopped the story off almost at random.
There were aspects I liked (ie, the total lack of romance between Mark and Diana) and some bits that felt like good ideas with ham-fisted execution (Diana explaining to Mark why 'good Christians' do bad things and reminding him that Christianity is no longer the underdog faith - something I think a lot of people need to be reminded of). Ultimately, though, just 'meh' overall.
September 27, 2010
This is the first novel by Mercedes Lackey involving Diana Tregarde. There are two others, Jinx High and Children of the Night.
I read somewhere they didn't sell relatively well, and because of that Lackey doesn't intend to write more of them. I consider that a shame. Lackey is a favorite author and the Tregarde books are among my favorites by her. Before LK Hamilton's Anita Blake, before Buffy, Lackey was writing an appealing, strong heroine in Urban Fantasy and she was unusual back then in presenting pagan beliefs and Wicca in a positive light. I think that gives a kind of verisimilitude to Diana and her supernatural investigations. The Aztec material is interesting and it's striking and unusual to see that used in fantasy. This is an engaging and fun read.
I read somewhere they didn't sell relatively well, and because of that Lackey doesn't intend to write more of them. I consider that a shame. Lackey is a favorite author and the Tregarde books are among my favorites by her. Before LK Hamilton's Anita Blake, before Buffy, Lackey was writing an appealing, strong heroine in Urban Fantasy and she was unusual back then in presenting pagan beliefs and Wicca in a positive light. I think that gives a kind of verisimilitude to Diana and her supernatural investigations. The Aztec material is interesting and it's striking and unusual to see that used in fantasy. This is an engaging and fun read.
March 6, 2009
The original "urban fantasy" series. Its really too bad that people decided that Mercedes Lackey was obviously a demon worshipper or satanist because we might have more of this awesome character to read. She was a bad ass female lead before Buffy, or Anita Blake, or Xena!
May 26, 2022
I remember when I first found this book. It was so exciting and new because very few authors were writing this type of fantasy/suspense/paranormal story. I have since learned this type of book is labeled as Urban Fantasy. I devoured this book and wanted more. Specifically, I liked the guardian theme and pairing up the paranormal with the "normal". Happily, after this first book, two more followed, and then nothing. So you can imagine my surprise after waiting several years, I looked up the author's website to find out why no more were being written.
To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.
To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.
July 13, 2016
1st in series.
Kindle Daily Deal 2/21/15 $1.99.
Kindle Daily Deal 2/21/15 $1.99.
June 30, 2020
I love the Diana Tregarde books, and this one is 2nd only to *Children of the Night*.
October 9, 2024
The first book in the Diana Tregarde Investigations series introduces romance writer/practicing witch Diana Tregarde.
When Dallas Police Detective Mark Valdez runs across crimes with a paranormal twist, he knows who to call. Mark met Diana in college when she saved him from a miscast spell he and his buddies tried one evening after drinking just a little too much. After that, he worked with her when she handled some other paranormal crimes.
Mark is a medium, but Diana put a shield on him when she last saw him to protect him. Which is lucky for him, since this new growing evil is looking for people just like him for his growing army. Diana is called in as a consultant for the Dallas Police. The two of them begin trying to track down the evil doer by doing lots of research to find out the evil one's magical tradition.
Turns out Mark's childhood friend Robert has gotten in way over his head with the occult. In exchange for fame and fortune, he has become the old god's avatar and future sacrifice. Unfortunate, his wife who Mark has fallen in love with, is also slated to be a less-than-willing sacrifice too.
The story is filled with a lot and action and danger as Mark and Diana need to find a way to battle an ancient god looking to find a foothold in the modern world.
I enjoyed all of the different mythologies that were part of this story from Cherokee to Aztec. I liked Diana who was determined to save the world and her friends. I liked that she was forced to count pennies since her paranormal gig was not a paying one and her gig as a romance author didn't make her rich.
When Dallas Police Detective Mark Valdez runs across crimes with a paranormal twist, he knows who to call. Mark met Diana in college when she saved him from a miscast spell he and his buddies tried one evening after drinking just a little too much. After that, he worked with her when she handled some other paranormal crimes.
Mark is a medium, but Diana put a shield on him when she last saw him to protect him. Which is lucky for him, since this new growing evil is looking for people just like him for his growing army. Diana is called in as a consultant for the Dallas Police. The two of them begin trying to track down the evil doer by doing lots of research to find out the evil one's magical tradition.
Turns out Mark's childhood friend Robert has gotten in way over his head with the occult. In exchange for fame and fortune, he has become the old god's avatar and future sacrifice. Unfortunate, his wife who Mark has fallen in love with, is also slated to be a less-than-willing sacrifice too.
The story is filled with a lot and action and danger as Mark and Diana need to find a way to battle an ancient god looking to find a foothold in the modern world.
I enjoyed all of the different mythologies that were part of this story from Cherokee to Aztec. I liked Diana who was determined to save the world and her friends. I liked that she was forced to count pennies since her paranormal gig was not a paying one and her gig as a romance author didn't make her rich.
January 25, 2024
I really struggled with this book. My girlfriend and I trade chapters with each other on different books, and every time we mentioned a book to read, we felt we needed to go back and finish Burning Water. It was the elephant in the room that made reading un-fun. Every time it came time to read this book, there was an inevitable groan or sigh indicative of our displeasure. It really was a slog and ultimately we just DNFed the book. I'm not going to spend time describing how the plot is constructed, the characters interact, or how often the book displays ill-conceived and offensive portrayals of different groups. Every other word was italicized, and I'm relieved I didn't finish the second half of eternity.
December 3, 2024
Actually a re-read, but I read it first back in the early 90s and didn't remember a lot. Somewhat dated in sections but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. Yes, Diana is in some ways a Mary Sue, always perfect, but I did like the bits of philosophizing and not too much judging. Plot was interesting; slow in places, but not boring. Will definitely read the others in the series.
September 21, 2014
This series first came out in the late eighties and early nineties. I always meant to read it since the mid nineties but just never got around to it. I finally saw it on sale for the kindle and decided it was time to give it a try. Needless to say, it is showing its age somewhat. Computers were still fairly new for most people and there is comments about using a modem and diskettes. The economy is suffering because gas prices have dropped so low. (Wouldn't you like to have that problem now?) One character buys six hot pretzels in the mall for two dollars. Finally airport security has just been lessened to allow anyone into the loading area. But while this might cause you a moments pause, you just have to remember it is accurate for when the story is set.
There were a few glitches in the book. Some were from transferring it to ebook form such as spacing problems. I am also guessing that some obvious typos were from the transfer as well. There were a few glitches that were in the form of continuity problems. Diana knocks on a door but a few pages later it says she rang the doorbell. One character changed names over a few pages. There was also the strangeness of a walk-up apartment having a backdoor and a porch attaches to it.
Briefly, this story is about Diana Tregarde helping an old college friend, now a Dallas homicide officer, with a series of ritualistic murders. Diana is a self-proclaimed witch with some unique powers that just might give her an edge in figuring out this series of grisly murders.
This series came out before the big trend of powerful female characters fighting he forces of darkness. Truthfully, if I had read it when It first came out, I would have probably given it a much higher rating. But now, a lot of the things that I would have thought were inventive and cool concepts seem awkward or just not handled as well as it could have been. Diana says she is a witch of the new age type. (The term wiccan is used only once in the entire book.) While she does say she is using spells, her powers (and the powers of all the others in the book) are psionic powers. (I guess that would make Professor X of the X-Men a witch as well.) It read like it was a fantasy but using science fiction explanations.
Diana gets a little preachy at times about accepting those that don't fit into "normal" society. I was living in the Bible Belt when the story was set (and still living there actually) and I really can't say that new age followers (including wiccan, witches , druids, and others) were really persecuted and having to hide in fear. (Yes, I did know quite a few people that fit those categories.) I guess it was more of a live and let live, even if you thought the other was a weirdo. As a final note to this, after all of this talk of acceptance, Diana calls a German a Kraut. Not very accepting of her.
Another problem is the pacing of the book. A lot of books of this type, the action would only last a few days before the final confrontation between the good guys and the forces of evil. This book takes months for everything to happen, but you only know that because of off-hand comments made by the characters. Now this is more like it would probably happen in real life, so it is a plus. But on the other hand, one of those reasons came off as contrived. During her investigation, Diana hits a "trap" when mentally probing which causes her not to think of some fairly obvious things. (The readers are given the information from the start with just makes it even more of a problem.) When Diana finally figures out this information, it leads to a very anti-climatic conclusion. This conclusion was again probably more believable than most of the other stories of this type, but it was not very satisfying.
I guess I have become accustomed to fantasy books saying magic exists without trying to explain it scientifically. I am also used to the quick pacing with big flashy conclusions. They may not be as close as they could be to real life, but considering mental powers, like those described in the book, are not part of real life either. Just go ahead and accept the fantasy moniker and make magic magical.
These were the problems with the story. There was good things as well. The characters and premise were promising and interesting for most of the time. It had enough appeal that I will try the next book in the series (especially considering I already got it when it was on sale). Would I recommend the book? Probably, but with reservations.
There were a few glitches in the book. Some were from transferring it to ebook form such as spacing problems. I am also guessing that some obvious typos were from the transfer as well. There were a few glitches that were in the form of continuity problems. Diana knocks on a door but a few pages later it says she rang the doorbell. One character changed names over a few pages. There was also the strangeness of a walk-up apartment having a backdoor and a porch attaches to it.
Briefly, this story is about Diana Tregarde helping an old college friend, now a Dallas homicide officer, with a series of ritualistic murders. Diana is a self-proclaimed witch with some unique powers that just might give her an edge in figuring out this series of grisly murders.
This series came out before the big trend of powerful female characters fighting he forces of darkness. Truthfully, if I had read it when It first came out, I would have probably given it a much higher rating. But now, a lot of the things that I would have thought were inventive and cool concepts seem awkward or just not handled as well as it could have been. Diana says she is a witch of the new age type. (The term wiccan is used only once in the entire book.) While she does say she is using spells, her powers (and the powers of all the others in the book) are psionic powers. (I guess that would make Professor X of the X-Men a witch as well.) It read like it was a fantasy but using science fiction explanations.
Diana gets a little preachy at times about accepting those that don't fit into "normal" society. I was living in the Bible Belt when the story was set (and still living there actually) and I really can't say that new age followers (including wiccan, witches , druids, and others) were really persecuted and having to hide in fear. (Yes, I did know quite a few people that fit those categories.) I guess it was more of a live and let live, even if you thought the other was a weirdo. As a final note to this, after all of this talk of acceptance, Diana calls a German a Kraut. Not very accepting of her.
Another problem is the pacing of the book. A lot of books of this type, the action would only last a few days before the final confrontation between the good guys and the forces of evil. This book takes months for everything to happen, but you only know that because of off-hand comments made by the characters. Now this is more like it would probably happen in real life, so it is a plus. But on the other hand, one of those reasons came off as contrived. During her investigation, Diana hits a "trap" when mentally probing which causes her not to think of some fairly obvious things. (The readers are given the information from the start with just makes it even more of a problem.) When Diana finally figures out this information, it leads to a very anti-climatic conclusion. This conclusion was again probably more believable than most of the other stories of this type, but it was not very satisfying.
I guess I have become accustomed to fantasy books saying magic exists without trying to explain it scientifically. I am also used to the quick pacing with big flashy conclusions. They may not be as close as they could be to real life, but considering mental powers, like those described in the book, are not part of real life either. Just go ahead and accept the fantasy moniker and make magic magical.
These were the problems with the story. There was good things as well. The characters and premise were promising and interesting for most of the time. It had enough appeal that I will try the next book in the series (especially considering I already got it when it was on sale). Would I recommend the book? Probably, but with reservations.
April 30, 2015
This isn't the first time I've read this. I went through a craze several years ago where I tried to read everything Mercedes Lackey had ever written, and this one, along with select books out of the Heralds of Valdemar series, is one of the ones that I still like.
The good? It's a portrayal of strong women written in the eighties, when the rapetastic Old Skool romances were still being written (not that they're not being written now, unfortunately, it's just a much less widespread phenomenon. Also, nowadays it is often diluted into stalking/emotional abuse/extreme possessiveness=sexy, which... no. And it often involves the supernatural, maybe in an attempt to justify it in some way? This is a topic for another time)
This book is one of a trilogy, though I think she meant it to be a longer series. They include werewolves and vampires (though the vampires are more psychic vampires than blood-drinking ones. Sort of. It has both, okay?) and witches. A strong heroine, men who don't see it as a problem, men who she is just good friends with, men (or a vampire) who thinks it's sexy as hell. Aztec gods. Loving and longing from a distance. Women who get along. On paper (no pun originally intended)? This book sounds like the best book ever, tailor-made to fit my interests. That's how I feel about a lot of ML's books, actually - in theory, they are perfect.
Because I'm contrary, I of course have some problems with them.
My main problem is that Di is just so damn preachy. About everything. She is the most open-minded person on the planet, and she will tell you so. And that you should be more open-minded. And that your third cousin twice removed should be more open-minded. I am all for open-mindedness. I love open-mindedness. I write entire papers about open-mindedness. But I feel the same way about telling people to be open-minded as I do about Avatar telling people to save the trees, dammit. It doesn't work if you beat them over the head with it, and to those of us who agree with you, it's downright annoying to have it every five pages or so.
Also, Di just bugs me sometimes. I should like her, and often I do, but sometimes I just want to shake her and be like 'stop going on and on about how open-minded you are! Stop being so infernally omniscient! Have a little more difficulty in taking on a freaking god!' (the ironic thing is that ML has Di tell an aspiring writer the same thing in another book)
Oh, and did you notice how often I used italics up there? Was the enforced stress beginning to hurt your brain? Try reading three hundred and twelve pages of it.
I don't remember the other two being like that, and I should probably mention that they were published out of chronological order if you're thinking about picking them up. Burning Water is smack-dab in the middle chronologically but published first, and unfortunately, that reflects poorly on Di, since you can see more development in the first (chronological) one.
Please don't take all of the above as meaning I don't like the book. I do. I wouldn't reread it so many times if I didn't. It's just that Mercedes Lackey almost always does these things, and after a while you begin to sense a pattern. And a little while after that, you begin to wonder why Diana has to be so crazily and amazingly awesome without being shown that she's worked for it while the narrative keeps telling us that it is showing us that she's working for it.
I give it a 3.5/5, partially for nostalgia, partially because it introduced me to Aztec mythology, and partially because it is advertised as a mystery and you do really want to figure out who the hell is killing every-freaking-body.
The good? It's a portrayal of strong women written in the eighties, when the rapetastic Old Skool romances were still being written (not that they're not being written now, unfortunately, it's just a much less widespread phenomenon. Also, nowadays it is often diluted into stalking/emotional abuse/extreme possessiveness=sexy, which... no. And it often involves the supernatural, maybe in an attempt to justify it in some way? This is a topic for another time)
This book is one of a trilogy, though I think she meant it to be a longer series. They include werewolves and vampires (though the vampires are more psychic vampires than blood-drinking ones. Sort of. It has both, okay?) and witches. A strong heroine, men who don't see it as a problem, men who she is just good friends with, men (or a vampire) who thinks it's sexy as hell. Aztec gods. Loving and longing from a distance. Women who get along. On paper (no pun originally intended)? This book sounds like the best book ever, tailor-made to fit my interests. That's how I feel about a lot of ML's books, actually - in theory, they are perfect.
Because I'm contrary, I of course have some problems with them.
My main problem is that Di is just so damn preachy. About everything. She is the most open-minded person on the planet, and she will tell you so. And that you should be more open-minded. And that your third cousin twice removed should be more open-minded. I am all for open-mindedness. I love open-mindedness. I write entire papers about open-mindedness. But I feel the same way about telling people to be open-minded as I do about Avatar telling people to save the trees, dammit. It doesn't work if you beat them over the head with it, and to those of us who agree with you, it's downright annoying to have it every five pages or so.
Also, Di just bugs me sometimes. I should like her, and often I do, but sometimes I just want to shake her and be like 'stop going on and on about how open-minded you are! Stop being so infernally omniscient! Have a little more difficulty in taking on a freaking god!' (the ironic thing is that ML has Di tell an aspiring writer the same thing in another book)
Oh, and did you notice how often I used italics up there? Was the enforced stress beginning to hurt your brain? Try reading three hundred and twelve pages of it.
I don't remember the other two being like that, and I should probably mention that they were published out of chronological order if you're thinking about picking them up. Burning Water is smack-dab in the middle chronologically but published first, and unfortunately, that reflects poorly on Di, since you can see more development in the first (chronological) one.
Please don't take all of the above as meaning I don't like the book. I do. I wouldn't reread it so many times if I didn't. It's just that Mercedes Lackey almost always does these things, and after a while you begin to sense a pattern. And a little while after that, you begin to wonder why Diana has to be so crazily and amazingly awesome without being shown that she's worked for it while the narrative keeps telling us that it is showing us that she's working for it.
I give it a 3.5/5, partially for nostalgia, partially because it introduced me to Aztec mythology, and partially because it is advertised as a mystery and you do really want to figure out who the hell is killing every-freaking-body.
April 12, 2013
Diana Tregarde is a romance novelist, that is what pays her bills but her greater duty is within the realm of the supernatural as a Guardian. Mark Valdez is still a Catholic but this detective went to college with Diana and learned that there are other powers out there. A major case has undeniable traces and so Diana is called in to consult but she is in a strange place with unfamiliar traditions. Searching for and fighting unfamiliar magic will not be easy.
Over a decade ago my sister handed me what was actually the second book in this series, so now I finally read the first book. I did finally learn that this is definitely a series where it doesn't matter the order. It is interesting that this first volume actually introduces Diana outside of her natural habitat (Part of what I love about book two is where Diana lives). First published in 1989 this book does show it's age, especially with this cover! Diana's standard dress is a leotard with jeans. I'm pretty sure kids today don't know what a leotard is unless they do gymnastics and they could never imagine wearing one in public. There are other details as well though none that made me chuckle quite as much.
There are times when I wanted to throw things at Diana and Mark for not catching on, even though I knew there was a reason they weren't. I think it is just a dilemma that arises when the reader is given access to information way in advance of the characters. The story takes place over a much longer period of time then you would expect based on the pace. There is a degree of diversity and it is not just because the magic here is not of western origin. Diana also talks about and deals with issues happening back home. I felt like Mark's personal connection to the case might have been a bit too much coincidence. Really I enjoyed it but I it is not my favorite of Lackey's work.
(This is the first book of the Diana Tregarde Investigations.)
Over a decade ago my sister handed me what was actually the second book in this series, so now I finally read the first book. I did finally learn that this is definitely a series where it doesn't matter the order. It is interesting that this first volume actually introduces Diana outside of her natural habitat (Part of what I love about book two is where Diana lives). First published in 1989 this book does show it's age, especially with this cover! Diana's standard dress is a leotard with jeans. I'm pretty sure kids today don't know what a leotard is unless they do gymnastics and they could never imagine wearing one in public. There are other details as well though none that made me chuckle quite as much.
There are times when I wanted to throw things at Diana and Mark for not catching on, even though I knew there was a reason they weren't. I think it is just a dilemma that arises when the reader is given access to information way in advance of the characters. The story takes place over a much longer period of time then you would expect based on the pace. There is a degree of diversity and it is not just because the magic here is not of western origin. Diana also talks about and deals with issues happening back home. I felt like Mark's personal connection to the case might have been a bit too much coincidence. Really I enjoyed it but I it is not my favorite of Lackey's work.
(This is the first book of the Diana Tregarde Investigations.)
October 5, 2011
A fun read, but not as good as the other Diana Tregarde mysteries for me. This was the first of these that Lackey wrote, but the third that I've read (Children of the Night and the novella in Trio of Sorcery, which is what made me pick up the others). I wish I had read this one first because I was disappointed that the character of Diana Tregarde wasn't who I had gotten to know in the other books. I think that's just because Lackey didn't know her that well yet either. She was just starting to write about her and maybe hadn't figured out her full background yet. Children of the Night fills in so many things that are character questions in this book, but I have a feeling that they wouldn't have been questions if I hadn't already known the answers, if that makes any sense.
My library copy was labeled "Mystery" but I didn't find that there was much mystery involved for me. It was pretty obvious from the very beginning who the bad guys were and why and there was even a plot device worked in to explain why the good guys didn't figure it out as easily as the reader does. The knowledge that the reader has makes it seem ridiculous that the good guys haven't figured it out yet. I was waiting for the big battle at the end because there really wasn't any point in a reveal and then that battle wasn't all that exciting and the resolution was kind of glossed over.
Not the best for me, but still fun.
My library copy was labeled "Mystery" but I didn't find that there was much mystery involved for me. It was pretty obvious from the very beginning who the bad guys were and why and there was even a plot device worked in to explain why the good guys didn't figure it out as easily as the reader does. The knowledge that the reader has makes it seem ridiculous that the good guys haven't figured it out yet. I was waiting for the big battle at the end because there really wasn't any point in a reveal and then that battle wasn't all that exciting and the resolution was kind of glossed over.
Not the best for me, but still fun.
December 31, 2018
I first read this book more years ago than I care to contemplate, and fell in love with it. The admixture of urban fantasy noir with neopagan dialectic and some cool Meso-American mythmaking was utterly awesome, and I practically wore out my first copy.
I've revisited it a few times in subsequent years, and, alas, it's not aged well. The story dwells a bit too much on the gruesome Aztec sacrifices dotting the Dallas area (and on the sacrificees, almost all of whom are folks who nearly seem to karmically deserve it). The plot wanders hither and thither, showcasing different "real" and "fake" mystic tradition, and hindered by an overt anti-deus ex machina: the protagonist has had her mind confused by the antagonist, sufficient to handwave away any solutions to the mystery that should have been obvious.
The book get downright preachy in places as well. Though its underlying message of tolerance for unorthodox / non-Christian beliefs is a good one, what seemed like a bold statement in the late 80s feels tried and repetitive now.
That said -- there's still some good stuff here, and the underlying mystical plot is a fine one. Di and the supporting cast are nicely drawn. It's enjoyable, not terribly deep, entertainment, and if you can overlook where it takes itself a bit too seriously, worth a read.
I've revisited it a few times in subsequent years, and, alas, it's not aged well. The story dwells a bit too much on the gruesome Aztec sacrifices dotting the Dallas area (and on the sacrificees, almost all of whom are folks who nearly seem to karmically deserve it). The plot wanders hither and thither, showcasing different "real" and "fake" mystic tradition, and hindered by an overt anti-deus ex machina: the protagonist has had her mind confused by the antagonist, sufficient to handwave away any solutions to the mystery that should have been obvious.
The book get downright preachy in places as well. Though its underlying message of tolerance for unorthodox / non-Christian beliefs is a good one, what seemed like a bold statement in the late 80s feels tried and repetitive now.
That said -- there's still some good stuff here, and the underlying mystical plot is a fine one. Di and the supporting cast are nicely drawn. It's enjoyable, not terribly deep, entertainment, and if you can overlook where it takes itself a bit too seriously, worth a read.
February 12, 2008
Burning Water is just a fun book. Fun not as in making me laugh or anything, but fun in the sense that it was just a good old adventure/occult fiction story. I happen to really like that type of book and a person can't read literature all of the time!
Synopsis:
There is a bizarre killer on the loose in the Dallas TX area. People are turning up dead everywhere, with the only clue left at the scene usually some flower petals. Mark Valdez, a detective in the police department, knows that these killings smack of something not of this world and calls on his old friend Diana Tregarde to help out. Diana writes romance novels but is also a witch and has great powers. So they join forces in trying to solve the murders.
Like I said, this was a fun diversion from my more "serious" reading. I'd recommend it to people who want something less serious in their reading, who like occult fiction and who are interested in this series.
read: 3/23/2004
Synopsis:
There is a bizarre killer on the loose in the Dallas TX area. People are turning up dead everywhere, with the only clue left at the scene usually some flower petals. Mark Valdez, a detective in the police department, knows that these killings smack of something not of this world and calls on his old friend Diana Tregarde to help out. Diana writes romance novels but is also a witch and has great powers. So they join forces in trying to solve the murders.
Like I said, this was a fun diversion from my more "serious" reading. I'd recommend it to people who want something less serious in their reading, who like occult fiction and who are interested in this series.
read: 3/23/2004
April 11, 2014
I like Mercedes Lackey but this book was not as well written as some of her latter works. Plus it lacked her voice. The story dragged a bit and was not as sharp. I came into this novel backwards, I read a short story prequel about our heroine and liked it a lot.
This book starts off with an earthquake in Mexico which leads to ritual killings in Dallas, Texas. Our protagonist is called in by a college friend. There is some occult mixed in with the police procedural drama. There as a lot of dead bodies by the end of this book and not as much outrage as there should have been.
My biggest complaint with this book is the rather anti-climactic ending. There was a lot of build up and then a rather bland finale. It also took me some time to finish this book which says a lot because I usually blow through a novel by Ms. Lackey in a week because I can't put it down. This was not the case with this novel.
This book starts off with an earthquake in Mexico which leads to ritual killings in Dallas, Texas. Our protagonist is called in by a college friend. There is some occult mixed in with the police procedural drama. There as a lot of dead bodies by the end of this book and not as much outrage as there should have been.
My biggest complaint with this book is the rather anti-climactic ending. There was a lot of build up and then a rather bland finale. It also took me some time to finish this book which says a lot because I usually blow through a novel by Ms. Lackey in a week because I can't put it down. This was not the case with this novel.
January 26, 2015
Did not finish, abandoned about halfway through. Every time I get in the mood for a trashy paperback, I neglect to remember that these things don't hold my interest. There were some interesting elements here- I liked the main character and the magical storyline, but overall it was pretty slow and just really started dragging for me and feeling like a chore. Oh well.
September 5, 2010
You'd never believe it was the same author. A bit like Anita Blake but much softer although just as deadly.
March 3, 2013
I enjoyed the Aztec flavouring.
June 1, 2020
Mercedes Lackey admitted to writing the Diana Tregarde books because paranormal investigations were big at the time and she had no problem with making a little cash by playing the fads. I’m glad that she did, because although the series isn’t fantastic, it’s still very entertaining to read through. In this one, Diana is called upon to help with a police investigation of a serial murder, and ends up getting tangled up in the middle of a plot to resurrect ancient Aztec gods into modern-day (or relatively modern, at least) Dallas.
I admit, it’s a little disconcerting to read Burning Water and seeing the remarkably un-PC language used throughout. References to “Indians”, “krauts”, and “gypsies” are littered through the pages, terms which people don’t tend to use anymore unless they want to get glared at on the street and called ignorant. Sometimes I had to make myself take a step back and remember that this was all written before PC language was really coming into its heyday, and such terms, while not perfectly acceptable, were still in more common use, and so in context, it’s not that unusual to see them mentioned.
That being said, the attitude towards paganism as a relgion as expressed in the novel is rather ahead of its time, given that even today, 20 years later, some people still don’t have that level of understanding when it comes to non-Abrahamic religions. The idea that there’s no one true way seems to be a common theme in Lackey’s work, though, and so it was no surprise to see it echoed here.
The writing style is still very early-Lackey, lacking some of the polish she attained with more practice, though it still shows a lot of promise of what’s to come, all the good bits that I like about her writing. True to style, too, it’s a rather large amount of build-up, finding the pieces of the puzzle, and a then a relatively short period of high-action tense conclusion at the end.
Burning Water‘s ending was interesting because although there was a conclusion to the immediate problem, it was still remarkably open-ended and unfinished. The immediate resurrection plot ends, but the god is not destroyed, not even really defeated or even daunted, and the reader is left with a slight feeling of incompletion. Which, I have no doubt, was the entire point. The battle was won, but the war goes on, and when one is dealing with things on a scale as grand as gods, you often can’t expect much better at the end.
Definitely a book worth reading if you’re into Lackey’s work or you enjoy a good paranormal investigation that doesn’t get bogged down in being overly dark and gritty.
I admit, it’s a little disconcerting to read Burning Water and seeing the remarkably un-PC language used throughout. References to “Indians”, “krauts”, and “gypsies” are littered through the pages, terms which people don’t tend to use anymore unless they want to get glared at on the street and called ignorant. Sometimes I had to make myself take a step back and remember that this was all written before PC language was really coming into its heyday, and such terms, while not perfectly acceptable, were still in more common use, and so in context, it’s not that unusual to see them mentioned.
That being said, the attitude towards paganism as a relgion as expressed in the novel is rather ahead of its time, given that even today, 20 years later, some people still don’t have that level of understanding when it comes to non-Abrahamic religions. The idea that there’s no one true way seems to be a common theme in Lackey’s work, though, and so it was no surprise to see it echoed here.
The writing style is still very early-Lackey, lacking some of the polish she attained with more practice, though it still shows a lot of promise of what’s to come, all the good bits that I like about her writing. True to style, too, it’s a rather large amount of build-up, finding the pieces of the puzzle, and a then a relatively short period of high-action tense conclusion at the end.
Burning Water‘s ending was interesting because although there was a conclusion to the immediate problem, it was still remarkably open-ended and unfinished. The immediate resurrection plot ends, but the god is not destroyed, not even really defeated or even daunted, and the reader is left with a slight feeling of incompletion. Which, I have no doubt, was the entire point. The battle was won, but the war goes on, and when one is dealing with things on a scale as grand as gods, you often can’t expect much better at the end.
Definitely a book worth reading if you’re into Lackey’s work or you enjoy a good paranormal investigation that doesn’t get bogged down in being overly dark and gritty.
September 24, 2021
“Burning Water” is the first of the fantasy books by Mercedes Lackey about her character, Diana Tregarde. It takes place in 1980’s Dallas, Texas.
In this book Diana, or Di, teams up with an old friend of hers, a Dallas homicide detective, Mark Valdez, to investigate a series of murders in Dallas that involve magic and the supernatural. Valdez knows Di is a powerful witch, so when he suspects there’s a magic aspect to the murders he asks his chief to let him call Di in as a consultant. For the whole time they’re investigating they know there’s magic, but they have to keep reporting to the chief as though there isn’t, because who would believe that?
We know from the first chapter that the supernatural villain is based on Aztec mythology.
I was disappointed by the deus ex machina ending, feeling like that left the story kind of flat.
I didn’t like the depiction of white Texans in the story, their dialogue all made them sound like cartoon caricatures of Texans. Maybe many Texans talk like that, but the only Texan I personally know certainly doesn’t, he speaks English like the well educated person he is with barely an accent.
Overall, the book was alright. I was entertained for a few hours reading it. If I hadn’t already bought the two follow up Diane Tregarde novels, I’m not sure this book alone would’ve motivated me to buy them.
In this book Diana, or Di, teams up with an old friend of hers, a Dallas homicide detective, Mark Valdez, to investigate a series of murders in Dallas that involve magic and the supernatural. Valdez knows Di is a powerful witch, so when he suspects there’s a magic aspect to the murders he asks his chief to let him call Di in as a consultant. For the whole time they’re investigating they know there’s magic, but they have to keep reporting to the chief as though there isn’t, because who would believe that?
We know from the first chapter that the supernatural villain is based on Aztec mythology.
I was disappointed by the deus ex machina ending, feeling like that left the story kind of flat.
I didn’t like the depiction of white Texans in the story, their dialogue all made them sound like cartoon caricatures of Texans. Maybe many Texans talk like that, but the only Texan I personally know certainly doesn’t, he speaks English like the well educated person he is with barely an accent.
Overall, the book was alright. I was entertained for a few hours reading it. If I hadn’t already bought the two follow up Diane Tregarde novels, I’m not sure this book alone would’ve motivated me to buy them.
June 20, 2021
This was the second story in the omnibus of Diana Tregarde Investigates and, like the first, I enjoyed it a lot.
This story is set a little time after Children of the Night, and Diana is called by an old friend, Detective Mark Valdez, to help him investigate some terrible murders that seem to have an occult touch to them.
In this story, Diana meets her match as she, and Mark, try to discover who is causing these hideous murders, and it takes everyone she can find, with any sort of power for good, to fight what they finds is behind it all - as they are dealing with an Aztec deity, determined to finish off all those who had invaded his lands, enslaved his people, and stole his world.
I loved learning about the Aztec culture in this, although Mercedes herself points out that she used a lot of leeway with that (I'd read a lot about the Aztecs when in high school, so realised how convoluted it could be), but it was a good plotline, with a great mix of characters, as usual, and it came to a good conclusion, too.
This story is set a little time after Children of the Night, and Diana is called by an old friend, Detective Mark Valdez, to help him investigate some terrible murders that seem to have an occult touch to them.
In this story, Diana meets her match as she, and Mark, try to discover who is causing these hideous murders, and it takes everyone she can find, with any sort of power for good, to fight what they finds is behind it all - as they are dealing with an Aztec deity, determined to finish off all those who had invaded his lands, enslaved his people, and stole his world.
I loved learning about the Aztec culture in this, although Mercedes herself points out that she used a lot of leeway with that (I'd read a lot about the Aztecs when in high school, so realised how convoluted it could be), but it was a good plotline, with a great mix of characters, as usual, and it came to a good conclusion, too.
March 9, 2022
Another great read, though darker than most Mercedes Lackey books
One warning, this book does contain more graphic violence than many of her other stories. It centers on various forms of occult and includes grizzly sacrifices. Violence is appropriate to the story, but its not intended for younger readers. A good read. I do have to say that I probably would not have even tried this book were it from another author, but ML has a talent for tackling difficult, even touchy subjects with discretion and understanding. Even so, I almost quite after the first chapter, but I am very glad I trusted ML enough to keep on. I was rewarded with an intriguing tale. I look forward to sequels. I find her treatment of various occult and Roman Catholic beliefs to be respectful of all, much as anyone familiar withstand and make an her works would expect. I know that some people will, unfortunately find any even tolerant mention of non Christian beliefs to be offensive. All I can say is to remember to look at the log in your own eye before the speck in anothers.
One warning, this book does contain more graphic violence than many of her other stories. It centers on various forms of occult and includes grizzly sacrifices. Violence is appropriate to the story, but its not intended for younger readers. A good read. I do have to say that I probably would not have even tried this book were it from another author, but ML has a talent for tackling difficult, even touchy subjects with discretion and understanding. Even so, I almost quite after the first chapter, but I am very glad I trusted ML enough to keep on. I was rewarded with an intriguing tale. I look forward to sequels. I find her treatment of various occult and Roman Catholic beliefs to be respectful of all, much as anyone familiar withstand and make an her works would expect. I know that some people will, unfortunately find any even tolerant mention of non Christian beliefs to be offensive. All I can say is to remember to look at the log in your own eye before the speck in anothers.
September 29, 2020
Burning Water is a story about Diana Tregarde who is a “Guardian,” someone picked to use her psychic and witch powers to help others. In this case, she is called in to help an old college chum who used to be on her Spook Squad in college--a group of college kids who debunk fake occult practices or foil real ones. Mark is now a cop in Oklahoma and has mediumistic talents so he’s sensitive to spiritual things but that only makes him aware of a bigger world than just what he deals with as a policeman. The area is dealing with what they media is dubbing the Tulsa Rapist with animals being mutilated at first but now escalating to people being mutilated. Interestingly, all the victims being chosen are presented as people we sort of don’t approve of, making their torture and murders more acceptable to the reader. The mythology revolves around the Aztec beliefs. Author Mercedes Lackey must have done a lot of research for the book.
April 23, 2025
Not up to her usual standards. Don't get me wrong, this is a competently written book, the characters are engaging, and the plot, well, that's where there are problems. Things keep happening and the characters get involved. And they do research. And interview people. And discuss theories. And do research. And interview more people. And discuss theories. And do research and discuss theories until you want to yell at them to DO SOMETHING!! In the end ... spoiler alert . . .okay, I won't spoil the ending. But I was disappointed. One good thing about this book is that you get to know a lot more (or I got to learn a lot more) about Diana Tregarde and I believe this made her a much more interesting character now, at least for me. I have read maybe two other books in which she is featured, and, honestly, they weren't my favorites. In fact I was looking for one of the Elemental Master books when I got into this one by accident. Now I'm back to searching . . .
October 4, 2025
Burning Water was one of those books that found me at exactly the right time. Long before urban fantasy became the genre it is today, Mercedes Lackey was already blending folklore, modern life, and the human heart in ways that felt real and raw.
This story has grit. It’s steeped in magic, but not the clean or polished kind — it’s old, tangled, and tied to the earth. Diana Tregarde is one of those heroines you don’t forget: strong without being hardened, compassionate without being naïve. She’s the kind of protagonist who feels lived-in — tired, determined, and deeply human in a world that doesn’t always reward goodness.
What I love most about Burning Water is how it treats belief as both weapon and salvation. It’s eerie and mystical, but also grounded in emotion and authenticity. Lackey didn’t just write urban fantasy — she helped define what it could be.
This book reminded me why I love this genre. The mix of myth, magic, and real-world stakes still hits hard.
This story has grit. It’s steeped in magic, but not the clean or polished kind — it’s old, tangled, and tied to the earth. Diana Tregarde is one of those heroines you don’t forget: strong without being hardened, compassionate without being naïve. She’s the kind of protagonist who feels lived-in — tired, determined, and deeply human in a world that doesn’t always reward goodness.
What I love most about Burning Water is how it treats belief as both weapon and salvation. It’s eerie and mystical, but also grounded in emotion and authenticity. Lackey didn’t just write urban fantasy — she helped define what it could be.
This book reminded me why I love this genre. The mix of myth, magic, and real-world stakes still hits hard.
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