Comments on: REVIEW: What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris

By: Jayne

Jayne — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:11:27 +0000

Whoa, how cool is that?

By: Patricia

Patricia — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 18:56:39 +0000

Hey, I have not read the book yet but my daughter has. She really was surprised when she read the Author’s note. You see, she has one light brown eye and one dark brown eye, and now I guess we know why. Very cool. My great grandmother was Cherekee, and my mom always told me I have some Welsh ancestry. My daughter is one of eight children. It was nice to have a reason behind the colors of her eyes. She does have good night vision and is very quick with her hands. We’ve never checked her back for the vertebrae condition though. I’m glad you put that note in your book. I may put another note here after reading your book. Thanks for solving our mystery.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:47:58 +0000

Fans should also check out Deanna Raybourn’s Silent in the Grave. She has a sequel coming out later Silent in the Sanctuary.

By: Keishon

Keishon — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:38:11 +0000

Glad to know that the problem may just be with the romantic subplot, not the mystery.

Romantic subplots rarely get the focus or the attention like it does in a romance novel. So, while the romance may suck as Michelle says, the mystery aspect of the novel is what I would be focusing on more anyway. However, it’s always nice to get a bonus with any novel outside romance with a romantic subplot that is pretty good and steamy.

By: Susan/DC

Susan/DC — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:54:54 +0000

I agree with Sandy in that I rank this series with P.B. Ryan’s Golden Age mysteries. However, I wouldn’t want to be a young, beautiful, pregnant woman in this series, as my life expectancy is about as long as one of James Bond’s love interests. This series is very well written, but very dark (which is not actually a criticism but merely a heads-up for other readers).

By: sandy l

sandy l — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:48:29 +0000

I really enjoy this series also. It ranks with my all time favorite, the P.B. Ryan mysteries with Nell and Will. I have WMS on reserve at the library, so I will probably read it.

By: Sora

Sora — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 06:47:39 +0000

Having just finished Why Mermaids Sing, my reaction is different from Michelle’s. Perhaps because my idea of ‘TSTL’ (I gather it means Too Stupid To Live?) is different from hers? *shrug*

I’m trying so hard not to spill. Find out for yourself, Jayne (or anyone else who are going to pick up WMS)

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 05:18:52 +0000

I enjoyed When Gods Die and What Angels Fear.
I am sorry to see Michelle’s comments about the third book, but I will likely still read it. Glad to know that the problem may just be with the romantic subplot, not the mystery.

Love the Dear Author site, Jayne and Jane, even though I rarely comment. Thank you for all your hard work and enjoyable content. It’s great to see romances discussed in a thoughtful way, and I appreciate the info on ebooks. I am still learning how to use and fill my ebookwise reader.

Have a great Thanksgiving holiday.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:47:15 +0000

The actual mystery in WMS isn’t too bad. It is the relationship part that was ridiculous. It really had most of the parts of a bad romance novel/bad soap opera. I won’t post spoilers but ugh, just left a bad taste in my mouth. Sebastian is a very likable honorable character and he just gets shafted by most everyone (except the lovable orphan that he takes care of, and his friend/doctor). I guess I am somewhat sexist in that I am more offended by stupidity in women characters than in male characters. Oh well.

By: Jayne

Jayne — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:25:17 +0000

Michelle, that utterly reeks. I wonder if the problems she had while writing it (transplantations after Hurrican Katrina) influenced her writing and caused this?

By: Jayne

Jayne — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:23:06 +0000

Kristie, there is a little romance in the present and the remembrance of it from the past and the chance of it for the future…but overall, it’s more of a historical mystery than a romance.

By: Jayne

Jayne — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:20:52 +0000

Well if I spelled the condition correctly, it would help. This is the author’s note at the end of the book. It might be considered a spoiler.

S
P
O
I
L
E
R

Although it would not have been recognized in the early nineteenth century, the unusual abilities displayed by Sebastian St. Cyr are characteristic of Bithil Syndrome, a little-known but very real genetic mutation found in certain families of Welsh descent.

Bithil Syndrome is marked by astonishingly acute eyesight and hearing, and an abnormal sensitivity to light that allows those with this genetic variation to see clearly in the dark. Other characteristics of the syndrome include extraordinarily quick reflexes, a misshapen vertebra in the lower back, and yellow eyes, the eye color being recessive to both blue and brown.

Although rare, Bithil Syndrome is nevertheless quite ancient, having been discovered in at least one individual known to have died in Wales some ten thousand years ago. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, immigrant Welsh families carried this mutation to North America, where it can be found today, particularly in the southeastern United States amongst families of mixed Cherokee and Welsh descent.

By: Janine

Janine — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:19:50 +0000

I love, love, love her writing as Candice Proctor and was quite disappointed when she moved to historical suspense. Of course it didn't stop me from buy What Angels Fear or When Gods Die though I haven't read either of them yet. Is there much romance at all in this one?

There is a romance between Sebastian and Kat, but it’s a subplot rather than the main plot, and it continues from book to book. I enjoyed What Angels Fear and really recommend it, but I have not read the second and third books.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:19:56 +0000

One warning, the latest book Why Mermaids Sing is absolutely HORRIBLE. Main characters acting like idiots/TSTL, soap opera like twists, just ridiculous. Very disappointing compared to the previous books.

By: Kristie(J)

Kristie(J) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:07:34 +0000

I love, love, love her writing as Candice Proctor and was quite disappointed when she moved to historical suspense. Of course it didn’t stop me from buy What Angels Fear or When Gods Die though I haven’t read either of them yet. Is there much romance at all in this one?

By: Elly Soar

Elly Soar — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:21:10 +0000

Help me out, what’s “Bilith”? – I tried googling with no sucess.