Kim Lenox
So Still the Night (Shadow Guard #2)
Signet Eclipse
ISBN-10: 045122678X
ISBN-13: 978-0451226785
Historical paranormal romance
May 5, 2009
Marcus Helios was a member of the Shadow Guard until one reckless act changed it all. His hope for salvation lies in an ancient scroll, which is now in the possession of an enigmatic beauty named Mina, who has no intention of handing it over.
But someone else has designs on the mystery of the scrolls, and on Mark. She is Jack the Ripper’s jilted bride, whose own dark secrets will challenge the powers of everyone in her reach…
Review of the first book here.
It feels like yesterday that I read Night Falls Darkly, the first in Ms. Lenox’s Shadow Guard series. Rife with tension, both romantic and suspense-filled, I embarked then on a new version of Jack the Ripper as the hero and heroine fought not only their passion, but the more insane variety of the villain’s. I happen to be a fan of Jack the Ripper retellings and I enjoyed Lenox’s version as much as I’d anticipated I would. I looked forward to the second book, but I admit I wondered at how well it would live up to such a well done first.
I was delighted to find myself immediately drawn into So Still the Night. I think the fact that it doesn’t start off in London is a plus. In the remote mountains of Bengal, we meet the heroine. The action starts immediately and from the thick fog that permeates their encampment to the deliberate mysteriousness of her father, Mina Limpett becomes a great focal point from which to begin the story. Thrust out of the last remnants of familial security, she’ll have to take the reins when her father disappears, who demands she bury him once she returns to London.
Once there, we meet the hero, Marcus Helios, or Lord Alexander as he is referred to as in elevated London society. Having intended to pursue an important matter, he’s surprised to find himself back in London, with no knowledge of having gone back there. He took on a terrible price to save Lord Archer, his fellow Shadow Guard (immortals who seek to protect their inner realm from “transcended” souls, souls that have turned evil), and now Marcus seeks a solution to the madness that will soon grip him. I found myself rather surprised at how well Lenox drew his character, one that made enough of an impression to be interesting in the first book, yet in no way did I expect him to be so much more this time. I enjoyed being surprised at how much I liked his character right off; attuned to only his needs, then flummoxed though determined when it comes to Mina, who he knows can lead him to something he needs. He pursues her with a need that is transparent to readers, that is until he clearly begins to fall for her. He’s devious and dishonest in his actions sometimes, yet this time this is a hero that has his reasons, for the most part good.
In the meantime, don’t think for a second that Mina lets him get away with anything. She’s a remarkably smart and independent woman. No matter how odd her and Marcus’ relationship gets, she doesn’t shy away or cower, in tears. She gives a s good as she gets and does so with a cool confidence that gives her away as no ordinary young London miss content to while away her days in balls and tea time. She is, in fact, the perfect match for the inexhaustible Marcus. She brings a down-to-earth quality to the book and grounds the otherworldly elements in Marcus.
Add in her almost normal extended family, which misfortune unfortunately frowns on, and we get a secondary cast of characters that helped to keep me on my toes. Where we had the well know Jack the Ripper to lend a believable air of menace before, the evil that encroaches on Mina and her family – and Marcus as well – this time reminded me of the chilling horror that sets in with Bram Stoker’s Dracula, that roiling sickness that strangles those he gains control of. That same kind of atmosphere paints much of the book and I loved the eerie feel it gave everything, delighted that once again Lenox managed to draw me in such a way.
I found myself once again wishing for more background on the Shadow Guard themselves, and their world, but also accepted the seeming fact that the series focuses on the Shadow Guard characters themselves, on there lives, feelings and wants. As a result, this and its predecessor are lovingly rich in historical detail and atmosphere. Lenox excels at allowing the reader to sink into the location and ambiance of the story. Visualizing comes easy thanks to a very well done building of this London and the few other locations we visit.
Once that’s established, prepare to enjoy getting to know the characters. Marcus himself grows well throughout the book. I felt like the Marcus I met in the first book was nothing like this one, but it made sense given his situation – full Shadow Guard one minute, then a fallen angel of sorts the next, prepared for the worst from those he used to aid in ridding the world of evil. In fact, I liked him better this time, much more intrigued by him as well as his sister Selene, another Shadow Guard, both of whom have a very clever parentage readers will recognize. I was surprised at first at the roll reversal between him and the villain, but the way evil targets him only makes his character more sympathetic in the long run. Throw in that excellently drawn heroine and this made for a fast, thrilling adventure romance that wasn’t hard to read from beginning to end in almost one sitting.
Needless to say, I eagerly await the third book, which I’m pretty sure will feature Selene. I’m excited to see what Lenox can do for a female Shadow Guard. So far, she does the “regular” heroines very well, so I expect Selene can only be more so.
If you’re a fan of historical romance with a paranormal flare, but not too heavy on the paranormal, this is the series for you. Lenox weaves a suspenseful story of mystery, romance and good vs. evil quite skillfully.
Rating: Four and Half Scoops
Series order to date:
- Night Falls Darkly
- So Still the Night
- Darker Than Night (Selene’s story, tentative March 2010 release)
For more on the author and her work, visit her site. Read an excerpt of So Still the Night here.
February 21, 2012
January 3, 2012
January 11, 2012
February 28, 2012
April 3, 2012
April 3, 2012
May 8, 2012
March 6, 2012
February 28,2012
EEEE, Glad to hear the second book is good as well! You know how much I loved the first one so I am looking forward to reading this one as well. We got it last week, now Thea must send it to meeeee. the wait – it is so hard. *sighs*
Geez, this sounds so good. I STILL have the first one in my TBR pile… must get to it and catch up so I can read this one.
I feel like this review is kind of vague, but it’s just one of those books where I really, really didn’t want to give anything good away, you know?
Ana, I hope you like this one just as much. It’s really different from the first book while also reserving strong ties to a series “feel”.
Hils, with as fast as you read, lol, I know you can do it! Me? I only got SEVEN chapters of a book read this past weekend. That is just sad!
I’m so behind the times…
I just recently came across this title and didn’t now what to think. Your review makes it sound promising. I don’t usually read historicals but I like Colleen Gleason’s Gardella Vampires. How do they compare?
Azteclady, don’t worry, I think pretty much all readers are in the same boat. :)
Doug, it’s hard for me to say fairly – I’m afraid the first Gardella book was a huge disappointment and a DNF for me. So it’s easy to say that this series is better for me. I think the Gardella books have a good atmosphere/world, it’s the characters and TSTL motivations and consequent actions of the heroine that did that series in for me. *mini spoiler* What she does to her husband still chaps my behind lol.
With Lenox’s characters, I feel the hero and heroine are both strong and nothing they do feels out of place. Lenox’s paranormal characters are also not vampires – which might be a decision-maker for some, but there’s a similarity in that there’s a secret organization protecting the world from evil.
Thanks Kmont. You know me, I have no particular bias for one paranormal critter over another, so your recommendation is enough to get it on my TBR pile.
Hm, sounds like I should check this series out. The cover is just so…cheesy. I would have passed it over if looking at it on the shelf.
I have this one in my TBR pile. When I saw Mina, I automatically thought of Dracula. So, Jack the Ripper is like Dracula, yearing for Mina and Marcus would be Jonathon?
Fantastic Review Kmont!
I have ‘Night Falls Darkly’ in my TBR pile but have yet to read it. Your review of it’s series sequel though has rekindled my spark for the novel and I plan on reading it very soon.
I remember back when I was interested in this series and I was reading the excerpts to see if it would be something I would enjoy, and ‘So Still The Night’ and its excerpt was what drew me to the series in the first place. That happens a lot for me. I tend to be excited about a book that is generally the second and occationally the third in a series and it’s that novel that encourages me to buy the first. I have OCD when it comes to reading series in order. :)
Thanks!
:) VFG
Kati, I tld the author once Iw as worried those moons were trying to boink the heros on the head.
Katiebabs, think more role reversal. Mina is actually more like Johnathan, just nowhere near as dismissible. But I may have confused you. Jack the Ripper was the villain in the first book and was vanquished. there’s a different villain in this one that’s after Marcus.
So in essence, Marcus is more like Bram Stoker’s Mina. Got it? :D
VamFanGirl, I cannot stand when I start in the middle of a series, unless it just somehow works out. I just bought the first in a loooong series today, but it was the newest installment that got me interested. No, no, must start at beginning!
Aw shucks, no Jack rising from the grave of the other dimension he went into?
Nope, Lord Archer took care of ‘ole Jack the Ripper in book one. Book one was gooood too. Just a really awesome job of the eerie icky eew feelings in the book! Probably as close as I’ll get to liking a more horror-filled suspense tone.
I don’t think your review was vague KMont – I thought you did a really good job of explaining while at the same time avoiding spoiler pitfalls :)
I read a couple of reviews of Night Falls Darkly and was rather intrigued (I went on the Jack the Ripper walk when I lived in London), but somehow this series fell off my radar! Am putting it back on (but I’ll start at the beginning :)
Thanks, Orannia. :) I no longer find it surprising when I find a book in a TBR pile and wonder how I let it get off the radar. We’ve all just got too much to do and read! No fair lol.