I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Tempest Reborn
by
Nicole Peeler
urban fantasy in Paperback edition that was published by Orbit on May 28, 2013 and has 339 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Tempest Rising, Tracking the Tempest, Tempest's Legacy, Tempest's Fury, Eye of the Tempest, Jinn and Juice
Sixth and last in the Jane True urban fantasy series revolving around Jane, the champion who’s lost her love.
My Take
I was somewhat afraid to read this — I was worried about Anyan and if Jane could get him back after events in Tempest’s Fury, 5!
I was a bit disappointed that Peeler didn’t include her usual Jane-isms against/about seals. And I was disappointed with the universe popping in to help out. It felt like a cheat, an easy out.
Actually there were a lot of things I was disappointed in, primarily that this concluded too easily. Hmmm, maybe that’s why all those good guys had to die…’cause otherwise, I don’t get it. It’s the end of the series, so why kill off a bunch of good guys? It doesn’t contribute anything to the storyline except to make me cry. I don’t understand the purpose of the costumes at the end either.
I do enjoy Peeler’s numerous contemporary references from Supernatural to Star Trek, Rambo to Scooby Doo, Weird Science to Dilbert; it keeps the fun in.
Whoa, humans and supernaturals are Life 2.0? That’ll rock’em back on their heels! Too bad the English Alfar can only understand one alliance: the take-orders-from-us or you’re-against-us. Oooh, yeah, Jane! I love her new take-charge attitude. And the “slap in the face” she gives Luke and Griffin.
Hmmm, history and no coincidences…it’s clever and does make me think. Always a useful way to wake up the brain cells.
Okay, not expecting that one. Although it figures that it gets that switch-up at the end. All in all, I’m rather disappointed with this last story. Oh, it does everything I want it to do at the end, but it seems too easy with some silly bits in between.
The Story
Anyan’s “death” and Blondie’s true death send Jane spiraling into depression, and it’s only the Creature’s intervention that prevents it. Just as it’s only Magog, Gog, and Hiral between Jane and the Alfar who are only interested in using Jane, and they do their best to protect her, even as they too grieve.
It’ll be them against the Alfar who simply want the Red and the White destroyed while Jane and crew are determined to rescue Anyan…somehow…without killing the White.
The Characters
Jane True is a selkie, and she’s been “gifted”, making her the world’s and the Creature’s champion. The Creature is a good child of Earth and Water, and he has chosen Jane to be his champion who will wield Blondie’s labrys.
The folks back in Rockabill include:
Jane’s dad, Calvin, is okay with finally learning who and what Jane truly is. Tracy and Grizzie (she’s pregnant) are Jane’s bosses at Read It and Weep, their bookstore. Iris is a succubus who is involved with Caleb, a satyr who never wears pants! Trill is a kelpie; Nell is a gnome. Amy is a nahual waitress at the café. Gus is a stone-spirit who lends a hand.
Morrigan was the Alfar queen until she killed her husband, Orin, and resurrected the Red Queen and White King, two of the biggest bugaboos in supernatural lore who are the product of a rape by Fire of Air. Anyan, a barghest who shifts into a dog form, a fierce warrior with a fiercer rep, and Jane’s love, was absorbed, possessed by the White in Tempest’s Fury. The Healer is back. He’s a nasty goblin with a penchant for torture who kidnapped Jane and Iris in Tempest’s Legacy, 3.
The Alfar can manipulate the four elements
The American contingent
Ryu, a baobhan sith, is co-leading the Alfar in America with Nyx since Orin’s death. Daoud is a djinn who keeps pulling stuff out of his pants. Maeve is the Initiative human working with Ryu.
The English contingent
Magog is a Raven shifter partnered with Gog Coblynau, an earth elemental. Hiral is a perverted three-foot creature who stinks, a gwyllion, with some extremely useful skills. Technically, they’re all spying on Jane for the English Alfar. Jack Young is a wyvern who leads the British supernatural rebels. Luke is the de facto leader of the Alfar in Great Britain, but, I think Griffin, his second, is the true leader.
Daniel Rankin was the British Military Intelligence liaison with the supernaturals at York, but he intervenes to work directly with Jane. Trevor is Daniel’s American equivalent. In title only.
Graeme is a rapist incubus freed in Tempest’s Fury by Lyman.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a cartoon, consistent with the later covers. It’s a dark background with bright highrises and claws of red reflecting in the windows as the Red and the White dragons wreak havoc in Hong Kong while Jane stands strong, labrys in hand.
The title is Jane, for she is the Tempest Reborn.
