Veil of Shadows

The 3rd installment of this tale picks up after the battle to end all the underworld has taken place. Queen Ayla and Malachi (Cerridwen's father), along with countless Fairies, Elves, and other creatures have been killed by the fearsome Waterhorses. Cedric, faithful servant to several queens, fulfills a final promise to Queen Ayla to save her daughter Cerridwen. Cerridwen, Cedric, and a handful of palace guards make their way to a freighter that will deliver them all to an isolated island where Queen Danae resides. Altho appearing loving and accepting on the surface, Queen Danae is treacherous and tries to kill Cerridwen and Cedric and their love. Danae's treachery turns out to have had far reaching consequences both in the past and the future to come. Good triumphs in the end completing this trilogy. Ms. Armintrout's first two entries into this series were tight with well developed characters and plot develpoment. There was treachery, court intrigue, love, jealousy, revenge and a well written battle within the previous two books. I felt this third book was a bit of a disappointment. I didn't feel that all of the characters nor plots were as well developed as in the first two books. She spent a lot of time on Cerridwen (which was good), but a bit less with Cedric. I didn't feel she gave him as much in-depth development as Malachi was given. Brief mention of his previous life and children but that is about it. Two new important characters were introduced with not as much attention. Amergin is a being who is not quite human or Faerie. He is some type of a wizard/druid. Trasa is human "crow" handmaiden and is bound the goddess Morrigan. These characters are critical to the outcome of the book, but little character/historical development was present. The last several months of the book lasts but a few pages. The final battle includes old very well armed enemies against unarmed and untrained "farmer" fairies. They are led by Cerridwen and Cedric against human tanks and guns. There is very little detail to the battle in contrast to the epic battle in book two. Cedric is wounded but you have no idea how. Nothing is mentioned at all about Amergin and Trasa and her fellow handmaidens. You don't even know if they lived or died in the battle. The battle ends in defeat for Cerridwen, but yet with triumph. I almost feel the third book was rushed through just to end the story. However, don't let this stop you from reading and completing the trilogy. It is still a good story. I can see where the ending can be continued into a new series.

Well I have to admit with the conclusion of "Queene Of Light" I was concerned whether I would enjoy this series. Some elements were present from the get go: The writing was beautifully crafted, the Lightworld/Darkworld areas were intriguing, the politics were different than I have run across before. But I never felt close to part fae/part human Ayla or her lover, the fallen angel Malachi, perhaps because they didn't have enough 'humanity' for me to connect to. Plus, you know, first novels always have a tendancy to be bogged down with more background set up especially in a world so vastly different from our own. By "Child of Darkness" I knew I was hooked. "Child of Darkness" see Ayla ruling over the Fae Lightworld and her daughter Cerridwen flirting with an Elf who doesn't know who she really is. But Cerridwen is young, and had never been trained to take over her mother's throne because the fae are nearly immoratal. But Cerridwen accidentally betrays her mother and her people and a war starts between the Elves and the Queene's lightworld. The Elves call upon vicious blood thirsty creatures called waterhorses to attack the Lightworld. Soon there are very few of the fae left living. The end of Child of Darkness and the beginning of "Veil of Shadows" see Cerridwen and her appointed future mate/consort Cedric leaving the destroyed kingdom underworld and attempting to meet up with another group of Fae living above ground in an area hidden from the humans and their 'enforcers' by magic. Their is another Queene ruling these fae but Queene Danae was never a part of the line of the original Queene and Cedric and Cerredwen plan to gain rule over those people. First they must make sure to keep themselves alive and to play at Queene Danae's games. I think I still enjoyed the story to Child of Darkness best of the three novels, but "Veil of Shadows" was a wonderful book in its own right and a very worthy finale to this series. I felt closer to Cedric and Cerredwen and I approved of her reasons for wanting the throne. It was amazing watching the transformation from spoiled child to unselfish and strong queene. Equally exciting was watching the relationship between Cedric and Cerredwen change. In the first book he was with Queen Mabb and the second with a human gypsy so to see how he changed with each relationship also made for an intriguing character. I like this series leaps and bounds over Blood Ties (although I like it too) and if this is the true end of Lightworld/Darkworld I look forward to reading more of anything by Jennifer Armintrout. If she ever has an opportunity to continue this story though, I will be first in line to pick it up. I hope fantasy readers will not hesitate to read this series.

With the deaths of her royal parents Queen Ayla and Malachai during the battle between Lightworld and the Darkworld elves and waterhorses (see the second book Child of Darkness); the heir to the throne of Faery Queene, Cerridwen flees to the Upworld human realm. Accompanying her in order to keep her safe is her late mom's chosen betrothed for her Cedric. They make it to Eire, the last fairy realm amidst the mortals. Ruling over Eire in the new queene's absence is the High Priestess Danae. Although she pretends to bow to Cerridwen as the rightful ruler of the Fae, she is setting up her highness to destroy her so she can reign as the rightful ruler. With no experience as a leader making life and death decisions, Cerridwen must learn fast or see the usurper take her crown, kill her allies, and plunge her people into civil war at a time they need unity to battle the Darkworld denizen. The third Lightworld/ Darkworld (see the first book Queene of Light) centers on the next generation as Cerridwen with Cedric at her side having her back covered battles an internal betrayal as well as the Darkworld invaders. The story line is fast-paced with the romantic subplot enhancing the political seditious intrigue that threatens the heroine. Although it helps considerably to have read the previous two tales especially the Child of Darkness to understand how Cerridwen finds herself struggling to survive, fans will enjoy this exhilarating fantasy as the war has moved to Eire in the Upworld. Harriet Klausner