Beneath the Skin: Book Three of The Maker's Song

I am a huge fan of Adrian Phoenix and her Dante series, but this book just didn't do it for me. To sum it up, after the events of last book (In The Blood) Heather, Von and Annie try to get Dante back to his home in New Orleans, whilst trying to save his life from various different "people" and trying to help him keep his sanity.

This book is NOT a stand alone, you must read the previous two books before you'll have any idea what is going on. That said, within the first 100 pages there were SIXTEEN different characters. I know because I had to take a piece of paper and write down names and occupations. By the end of the book there are over 25 characters listed, with around 11 having major parts of the storyline.

On top of it, Dante is loosing his grip with reality so the book switches between here and now to past events. At the starting of the book is a glossary, ruh roh. Cajun and Italian have major roles in the book, so I found myself flipping to the front so often, I contemplated cutting out the glossary so I wouldn't have to keep flipping back to the front.

I am sad to say that the plot-line just wasn't clear enough, with the constantly shift POV's, the language changes and the overabundance of characters, it was just to hard to follow and it made it un-enjoyable. Even though I really love the main characters, I just couldn't take all the extras that made it muddy. I was disappointed with the ending as well, it was so sudden and cleared nothing up. I really wish most of the extra characters had been edited out which would have made the book flow better. Thankfully Dante's attitude is still intact and he carries the best parts of the book with his middle finger held high.

Beneath the Skin, the third book in The Maker's Song series, begins right where the second left off putting the reader back into the middle of all the action. After the unintentional death of an FBI agent at Dante's hands and the powerful display he makes in Oregon, Dante, Heather, Annie, Von, and new ally Caterina are on the run. Everyone wants a piece of Dante (mmmm yum, who wouldn't?).

Still struggling with his lost memories and slowly losing his grip on sanity, Dante is further injured by the loss of his bond to Lucien, his father. With his powers growing exponentially, only his ties to Heather and the love they have helps to anchor his sanity. On the run from the various factions that want him, some that want to protect him, others that want to exploit him, a third group begins to emerge: those who realize there is much more to Dante than they have been told and who seek to understand him. Saviour, Prince or deadly tool? What role will Dante play?

As in previous installments, Phoenix transports us to another world comprised of both shimmering beauty and tactile violence, peopled by characters so real you can hear their voices. Beneath the Skin is a dark thriller that will make you empathize with the beleaguered heros. Combining the worlds of fallen angels, vampires and mortals into a story where appearances hide greater truths, Phoenix provides a gripping and matchless reading experience that will keep you guessing to the end. As always, the wait for the next book in the series will be way too long.

2010-011