The Phoenix of the Opera

The Phoenix of the Opera #1

by Becky Boling

The Phantom of the Opera had released the love of his life, Christine Daaé, from his possession and retreated to his subterranean lair-to die. Young Meg Giry remained fascinated with her friend's captor, whom she would not permit to destroy himself. Through Meg's care the Phantom returns to life and makes his courageous savior his protégeé. But can the Phantom, hunted by Parisian authorities and Christine's husband, the dashing Count de Chagny, escape his criminal past? Can he forget his first beloved or will he continue to haunt Christine, as she does him? Will Meg, who hungers for his love, be able to heal his heart and make him her own? The Phoenix of the Opera explores the limits of redemption and the power of love, taking us into the tortured souls of its protagonists. It is a grand tale of despair, obsession, rekindled passion, and the power of love.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Retellings, Historical

224 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 2007

Reviews

[Shelbia Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story captivated me from the first page to the last!
We thought that the Phantom's story ended after Christine ran off with the love of her life, Raoul, but destiny had a different idea.
When Meg goes deep into the catacombs to search for Erik, she finds more then she expected, including love.

I couldn't put this book down and recommend it to everyone who loved the Phantom musical. It's the best way for someone to continue the story. I am thankful to have discovered this book via amazon.com
I almost died after reading the original novel and watching the movie, this book was all I was hoping for and more!

[Goth Gone Grey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent premise, poor execution, almost DNF'ed

Ahhh, the sweet mental release of Phanfic. With familiar characters, plot, and locations, it's easy to slip into such stories. Each author has their own spin and favorite version that they build upon. This one is quite heavily based on the movie version, with the chandelier falling a climactic final act for the Opera Populaire. (Typing with a sigh and grimace; Michael Crawford is my Phantom and the theater is rebuilt...)

That said, the actual story here is interesting, primarily true to characters, occasionally far fetched, and decent yet slow moving. Erik's obsession with Christine continues, Raoul jealously broods, the Girys play their roles. Other characters are mentioned, but do not emerge from the shadows of memory.

My issue? The writing style is absolutely painful to read. Tenses change, point of views change with no break or warning...

there are long rambling poorly punctuated paragraphs, pages sometimes, stream of consciousness moments, a glimpse inside the mind of the character who you may or may not recognize at first so you go back and read it again from the top in sheer Kindle throwing frustration wondering if it's permissible to DNF a Phantom book at 25 or 30 percent it sounds awful to do but for the love of Erik perhaps you'll push through to discover the author using these and the rapid fire POV changes a bit less as it continues so you fall more readily into the story, suddenly it's over - finished neatly but still more of the story to tell - and you're writing a review but fairly certain you won't read the sequels

Yeah. It's like that, but worse. An example of the writing:

"He glances around the corner of the crypt and sees Christine’s carriage approach. She didn’t come yesterday, nor the day before that. I wait here for her, knowing that she will come. I spent too long in the darkness trying not to forget her face. These moments in the graveyard are my only peace. He feels his blood rush to his heart as he sees her descend from the carriage; the driver assists her. She’s delicate."

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was mad at Erik during the ending of this book, for the way he treated Meg. But I could also understand why he did so. In other books I've always disliked Christine; for not choosing him of course, but this book shed a new light on things between her and The Phantom - mostly through view of the situation from Erik's point of view. It just really made me realize how strong his love and obsession was for her, maybe even stronger in this book than in others. I know he'll always have a spot for his beloved Christine, but I cannot wait to see how things unfold with him and Meg.
Also what I found very interesting in this book, that I have never seen in others, is that he actually got caught by police. He did not quite get away. Not so easily. He actually had to pay some amount for his crimes. While I simply adore The Phantom, it was about time someone had him pay for things he had done. Perhaps in the next books of this series it will help him move on from that part of his life.

[Leslie Farquharson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story that continues the movie version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. Characters are well developed. The story is compelling. The erotic bits are tastefully done. Easily addicting.

[the pickwick club · Rating 3 out of 5]

i like how erik is somehow bella swan, edward cullen, and jacob black all at the same time

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the Militant Recommender Book Review Blog:
http://militantrecommender.blogspot.com/
Having read and reviewed a number of Phantom fictions, I've enjoyed a variety of variations on the Erik, Christine and Raoul canon, and also a number of books that bring in a new love for Erik, someone to ease the heartbreak as he longs for Christine. Those are really good, too! But Sadie Montgomery's Phoenix of the Opera does something entirely new, it seems. Because, as Christine is torn between the safety of Raoul and the magnetism of Erik, and as Erik lets her go... there is someone waiting in the wings watching it all.
Meg! And of course Meg would be wondering what the heck is going on! Her Mother, Madame Giry, has been protecting and delivering notes and whatnot for some mystery Opera Ghost for YEARS! Her best friend, Christine, went from a member of the ballet corps as a girl to being tutored by someone she referred to as her Angel of Music... and as she gets older, she is on the verge of becoming a major Opera Star and then, she also has Raoul hanging around the stage door. Meg isn't jealous, though. She's a great friend and happy Christine is doing so well. She, after all, is becoming a prima ballerina! But... she has always been aware of a presence in the Opera House. Shadows, voices, odd laughter. Is there really an Opera Ghost? A Phantom of the Opera? It seems terribly romantic.
It all becomes clear when Christine leaves with Raoul after her mysterious disappearance. This is where our story really begins and this is also the beginning of a Phantom series by Ms. Montgomery.
Meg has followed the mob out for Erik's blood, in the aftermath of Christine's kidnapping and release, to try and warn him. Becoming lost in the tunnels she becomes trapped in one of his snares and screams. Thinking Christine has come back he rescues her from the watery trap only to find, to his horror, it is Little Meg, his old friend Madame Giry's daughter! He turns to leave her there, when she calls him back and pleads with him, telling him she knows how her mother helped him and she wanted to help him. He ignores her and she, cold and wet, unsteadily follows him back through the passages. Finally he sweeps her up in his arms and carries her.
Back in his lair, Erik falls ill to a fever and dreams of Christine. Meg cares for him through his illness. This act leads to others and eventually, Erik comes to realize the shoe is on the other foot, while he longs for Christine, Meg has become infatuated with HIM!
There are many complications, among them an ongoing manhunt led by the horrid Inspector Leroux (!). There are moments of heart-stopping suspense, moments so disturbing you wonder how there will be a sequel! If you enjoy the Phantom and are looking for an intriguing read...then download or buy the "Phoenix of the Opera"! A perfect title... as we watch Erik rise from the ashes of the Opera House and his past!
(This is the first in Ms. Montgomery's Phantom series. The other titles are: Out of the Darkness: The Phantom's Journey / The Phantom's Opera / Phantom Death / Phantom Madness / Phantom Murder )

[Veronica R. Winters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that it took me a long time to read this book. I think it was due to getting used to reading on the Kindle. I much prefer a paperback over an eBook. Regardless, there are many Phantom novels out there! This is the first one I've read and I chose it because I'm acquainted with the author from a few online communities.

I guess I've never really thought about what happened to the Phantom between the time he walked through the broken mirror of his lair to the closing scene at Christine's grave. Ms. Montgomery is quite the storyteller, going places that I never even considered. I liked getting another's perspective on the events that happened in the original story and how she took the story from there. I found the way she wrote character's inner dialog to be unique, with omitting capitalization and punctuation. It took a little brain-teasing on my part to decipher it. I found that it symbolized how our jumbled thoughts could run together; the inner turmoil. Some readers would find it as words bunched together, where I found it to be expressive. I plan to read the other books in her series. If you're looking for a Phantom book to read, I recommend this one. She left me wanting more.

[Karrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a great idea to continue the Phantom of the Opera story, where the movie left off, though I was greatly disappointed. For one, the grammar was punctuation was horrible, and I was also offended when the author would capitalize the "h" in "him" when referring to Raul. The story was weird at times, and the end seemed too dramatic. The part that was especially annoying was whenever a character was thinking, the words would be all jumbled and very hard to read. The characters weren't what I had imagined them to be either. The author made Raul look like a man whore looking for his next fling at the opera house (until he saw Christine) and the chorus girls all prostitutes. That really turned me off, and made me ask others if they thought of Raul as anything else than a respectable, handsome man with a love for the arts (they didn't.)

It was nice to read a continuation of the story, and there were some good things in it, but I wish it had been better... much better. It certainly didn't meet my expectations.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written after the 2004 movie. Which adds to the appeal because the Phantom Montgomery describes screams with Gerard Butler’s screen presence. Influenced by the film? Feels like it to me. The tone and language work well with the characters and subject matter. Dark, dramatic and sumptuous. Christine is as insipid as ever. Raoul I like even less in this and I wasn’t a big fan to begin with, when reading the book in grade school. The Phantom’s obsession with Christine...still nauseating and frustrating. But the pieces of back story, Erik’s friendship with Madame Giry and especially the budding relationship with Meg are worth the read. Spoiled Christine seems to be laboring under the misconception that she can have both men and Erik will be content with her scraps. Maybe he will be? But maybe not… Let’s just say “blondes have more fun” in this title and in some respects it’s the brunettes turn to be jealous.

Did I mention...this book's Phantom is as sexy as the most recent film's version?

[J · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't expect this book to be ~good~certainly not Shakespeare, but I at least expected some entertainment.
Is entertainment wanting to pull out your hair?
Because that's what this book makes you want to do.

First off: it's based off the 2004 film version of Phantom of the Opera, so there goes the interest factor. Gerard Butler's 1st degree sunburn will haunt every page. No agonizing about his deformity can be taken seriously going forward.
A romance between Meg and uggo fuggo Leroux, Chaney or stage Phantom (minus 25th anniversary Ramin with his clean shot lines and soft lighting) was the only reason I picked up this book initially,but we don't even have that.

We are left with nothing except to believe that a man who was a social outcast and who grew up in a glorified waste management system for most of his formative years somehow has a "manly masculine commanding aura."
This book makes the Phantom somehow more of a trash human being ( considering he doesn't actively murder anyone in this book) that "aura" is probably just a lingering miasma of sewage.

[Audrey Hacker · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was a really good poto spin off. This book the charcters actually act like the charcters unlike other poto spinofff. *cough *darkness brings the dawn* *cough* But this is a sequel to the movie so if you expect it to be like Leroux's its not.This book is truelly good. If your a poto fan of the play or the movie this is the book for u!

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Phantom of the Opera, but the book was difficult to read because of the frequent switches in point of view. I thought that the story was a good continuation of the movie, but I'm not certain if I would have gone about it in the same way. Overall, a fun read.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Sadie's series. She took the characters places and directions that I wouldn't have taken them had I been writing the stories. But that made the books interesting.

[Laura]

Insulso, non ce la vedo proprio Meg che vuole diventare una cantante e che accetta di stare con Erik sebbene lui ami ancora Christine.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting. The stream of consciousness, with no punctuation was confusing and just didn't work. I didn't buy into the Erik/Meg relationship at all.