Ashes of Aries, by Martha C. Lawrence

Retrieved from: the library (ILL)
(0312202997), 2001
Suggested by: The List
My Ratings: 9 Merit, 9 Interest, 8 Fun

It's kind of fun to watch a writer develop her craft over several books. You can see Lawrence trying out some concepts here, stretching herself. It's not always successful, but it keeps the story from stagnating.

So, Elizabeth is still dealing with her fiance's death here. She is getting some training from her shaman friend, someone who is helping her be less willy-nilly in her attention to her psychic abilities. Unfortunately, her willy-nilly-ness mostly takes over at some key moments in this story, which is filled with red herrings and some very creepy behavior on her part. It's also clear that this story was written (and published) before 9/11: at one point, she wanders through the corporate headquarters of a telecommunications without so much as one person querying her right to be in front of the CEO's office. There were a couple other jarring moments, too, that just brought home how different the world is 4 years after this book was written.

But it's good to see Elizabeth meeting up with some more folks, making some new acquaintances. I hope Lawrence isn't done with the series. I'm also glad to learn more about her parents, who seem like really cool people.