*Book source ~ Home library

Orb Kaftan is born into a special family. Her father can make magical music and her mother was once an aspect of Fate. Her half-brother is a powerful magician and her niece can see auras and paint them. Orb herself has an incredible amount of music magic. As she grows her talent grows with her and when she becomes an adult she sets out to find the ultimate music of all, the Llano. Traveling all over Europe to various gypsy camps, she seeks the elusive music. In India she falls in love, but he’s taken from her. Continuing her quest in the United States has her meeting several new people who become important to her including Natasha, a handsome man who teaches her more about the Llano. But is everything the way it seems? Her mother has taken up the mantle of Fate again and comes to warn Orb about the prophecy that she will marry Evil and to offer her the job of the Green Mother. Orb has some big decisions to make and having lost one man she loved will she lose another?

I know I’ve said that I love this series, but if I had to pick a favorite inside it I’d say this one was it. Of course, it’s been many years since I read books 6 & 7, so I’ll need to reread those to be sure, but for now, this book is the one. Starting when Orb is four and following her into adulthood I love reading about all she has experienced. Though she is a tad obsessive about the Llano, at least she’s a decent person. My favorite part of the whole book is at the end. I’ve cried each time I’ve read it and I can’t remember what happens in the next book. So, I’m really looking forward to reading For Love of Evil. Of course, neither library system near me has it and I have no idea where I’ve stored my copy. Gah! 

*Book source ~ My home library

Niobe is 21 and her father finally puts his foot down and arranges a marriage for her to 16-yr-old Cedric Kaftan. No matter how much she cries and argues her father doesn’t waver in his stance, so she ends up married to Cedric. After a rocky beginning they make a go of the marriage before Cedric is shot and killed. Niobe finds out that Cedric had taken the bullet meant for her due to an evil plan of Satan. Satan should have left things alone because now Niobe is out for revenge. Even if she has to assume an aspect of Fate she intends to make the Devil pay for taking away the man she loved.

Niobe’s life is certainly an interesting one. From her marriage to Cedric to her role as Clothos and beyond, she has a definite link to a woman who will foil Satan’s ultimate plan. No wonder he tried to take her out when she was younger. However, if he hadn’t tried to have her killed then her husband wouldn’t have taken her place and she wouldn’t have assumed the office of Clothos. Oh, what a tangled web he tries to weave…and weaving is the province of Fate. He should have just left it all alone.

This story is interesting from beginning to end and Niobe has a long long life. I did get a bit confused at the end when she has to navigate the maze, but that didn’t stop my enjoyment of the book on the whole. I can’t say any more without giving away key plot points, but I can say it’s not a dull moment. I love seeing all of the Incarnations coming together to foil Satan’s Big Plan. I’m looking forward to revisiting Book 4 which is about Mars.

4.5

*Book source ~ Home library

One day when Norton is out camping he meets a ghost, Gawain. Gawain is from a noble family with a long lineage, but he died slaying a dragon (well, he thought it was a dragon) before he could marry and father an heir. So his parents arranged a ghost marriage for him and he’s wandering the Earth looking for a suitable man to get his wife pregnant. It is this meeting that changes Norton’s life in a really big way though he doesn’t know it yet.

Book 2 in one of my favorite series is actually my least favorite book because of the Time thing. When Norton becomes Chronos he starts living his life backwards. This is the part where I get lost and no matter how many different times it’s explained by various people throughout the book, I still don’t get it or precisely how the hourglass works. I didn’t get it the other times I read it and I had hoped, now that I’m older, I might understand it, but nope. Ah, well. Except for that fact, I did enjoy the story. I love Norton/Chronos. He’s a great character and so well-detailed he feels like a real person. Sning is my next favorite character. I’d love to have a ring like him!

When Satan’s plan is foiled by Death in Book 1, he tries his shenanigans with the new Chronos. Chronos shouldn’t have been so gullible, but who isn't a bit unsure in a new job? And being Chronos was way more than just any ol’ job. Whew! Anyway, despite the whole Time and paradox thing I once again enjoyed Norton’s story very much. 

*Book source ~ My home library.

Zane is a mediocre man that has led a less than stellar life. After purchasing a worthless Wealthstone from a magic shop he decides he’d be better off dead. Having acquired a gun by chance he decides to aerate his head. However, right before he pulls the trigger Death walks through the door startling Zane. Zane turns the gun on Death and kills him instead. The door opens again and Fate walks in to tell him that since he killed Death he must now fill the office. Zane’s life is about to get weird.

Back in 1997 a friend gave me a copy of this book. I had no idea what it was about or that I would devour it and all subsequent sequels with a veracity little seen. I was fascinated with the idea that Death is an office held by a living person. Not just Death, but Time, Fate, War and Green Mother as well as God and Satan though their offices were a tad different than the others. Also, the setting is interesting, where science and magic live side-by-side. How cool would that world be?

It was interesting watching Zane struggle to fulfill his office to the best of his ability. He may have been a loser in life, but he wanted to do a good job as Death. There were times he wanted to give up (not possible while his soul was in balance) and times when the rules frustrated him. So he changed some of them to suit his purpose hoping that when his trial time was up he would get a good report.

Among all the things Zane has to learn about the job there is a much larger plot going on behind the scenes and it has to do with a woman he meets through a powerful magician client. Her name is Luna and he falls in love with her. But Satan has other plans for her and it becomes a battle between Satan and Death, a battle Zane is determined to win.

The subject matter got a little weighty at times, but it really didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book. Since 1997, I have read this book several times and have enjoyed it each and every time.