Monday, March 17, 2008

Angela Knight's Mageverse Series

American agent Erin Grayson has a new mission: romance international businessman Reece Champion. Seducing the handsome millionaire could put her that much closer to the revenge she craves against a murderous organization.

Erin doesn’t realize she’s being manipulated by the very group she hunts. Champion is actually an agent of the U. S. government.

He’s also a vampire.

Reece senses the latent supernatural powers hidden within Erin, powers as dangerously irresistible to him as her lush body and hot blood. Yet he also knows that yielding to their mutual desire will make them pawns in a deadly game- a game in which their opponent is, quite literally a monster.

To survive, Erin must embrace talents she never knew she had- and trust a man who is Master of the Night.

Title: Master of the Night
Author: Angela Knight
Series: The Mageverse
Published: 2004
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Pages: 309
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Angela Knight’s Mageverse series takes place in a fantastic fantasy world that draws upon the Arthurian legends and then twists them into something much more supernatural to say the least! Master of the Night is the first book in erotic romance author Angela Knight’s Mageverse series but technically the second story (the first is a short story in the anthology Hot Blooded called Seduction’s Gift). It features the vampire, (or Magus if you will) named Reece who must save his entire race from an ancient evil who has captured him by not having sex and thereby awakening the powers in the latent Magi (pretty much someone who can do magic) of his dreams Erin.

The Mageverse series takes place in an elaborate, complex world of supernatural beings and uses ancient Arthurian legends to elaborate the story. Arthur and his knights of the round table became vampires to protect humanity from destroying itself. The Magi (women who can do magic) feed and fight alongside the Magus (and sometimes become partners for life- like marriage with no chance for divorce ever) and the Magi in turn need the Magus to feed from them or else they can have a stroke from all the magic in their bodies. They in turn beget children who could later become Magus or Magi if the council deems them worthy. If they are turned without permission they could very well be destroyed as a safety measure (if they can’t handle the Mageverse which gives them their powers, they go insane) or as a warning.

Like I said, very elaborate and complex, also very good. Once you understand the plot (and the author lays it out as easily as she possibly can) it’s not very hard to get wrapped up in the series. Vampires, “witches,” fairies, demon-things, and others are part of this good vs. evil series. Each book (and short story) focuses on two characters and their fight against the Dark Ones and the evil they wrought. It also focuses on the main character’s love of course and they spend half of the book locked up in a cell.

I really liked Reece and Erin (although they aren’t my favorite couple from this series) and was happy with the ending. I also like how this and each subsequent book introduces the next main character during the course of the book. The major minor character Lyr (the king of the fairies) has his story told in Master of the Moon.

Diana London works hard in her day job as the city manager of a small South Carolina town. Yet she still finds time to moonlight for the Verdaville Police Department.

As a werewolf.

But while helping the police investigate a brutal murder, Diana discovers she’s not the only magical creature in town. A female vampire has also decided to make Verdaville her murderous playground. What’s worse, she has powers even Diana can’t match.

Fortunately, Diana is not the only one determined to stop her. Llyr Galatyn is the king of the Cachamwri Sidhe- a seductive otherworldly warrior with fantastic abilities. He’s sworn to hunt down the murderer, and he’s more than willing to give Diana any help she needs.

And not just with the case. Diana is in her Burning Moon, a time of sexual heat, when need rides her hard. Llyr is delighted to be the answer to her erotic prayers.

But as they hunt the vampire while desire runs hot between them, a deadly enemy urges the killer to turn her sights on Llyr. It seems Llyr isn’t only the king of the Sidhe- and his brother wants him dead.

Title: Master of the Moon
Author:
Angela Knight
Series: The Mageverse
Published: 2005
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Pages: 322
Genre: Paranormal Romance

The second official book in Angela Knight’s Mageverse series, Master of the Moon continues right where Master of the Night left off but this time the main characters are Diana London (who happens to be a werewolf- a race Merlin created for insurance if the Magi and Magus’ he created ever went bad) and Lyr Aleyn Galatyn- the King of the Fairies (seriously!).


I really liked Master of the Moon because it’s the same erotic action-packed book as the first book in the series and I like the fact that the main plot line from the last book is continued which is one of the reasons this series is so interesting to me. You get the romance but you also get a real substantial story that you can sink your teeth into too.

Although the characters from Master of the Night don’t make an appearance, other characters from short stories in anthologies Angela Knight has done do and of course so does one of the next main characters in the third book in the series, Master of Wolves. His name is Jim London and he happens to be Diana’s brother.

Officer Faith Weston, head of the K-9 department of Clarkston, has lots of experience handling dogs. Except the kind that walk on two legs- like her lewd boss. So Faith puts up a front that reads “all business”...

Jim London is outraged over the death of his friend, a fellow bounty hunter and werewolf- and thinks the police department of nearby Clarkston cooked up a phony story about Tony’s murder. The only way to find out is to go undercover. And, in his wolf form, Jim can do that better than anybody...

There’s one complication, though. The new police-dog handler, Faith Weston, is sexy enough to bring out the animal in any man...

Title: Master of Wolves
Author:
Angela Knight
Series: The Mageverse
Published: 2006
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Pages: 294
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Master of Wolves is Angela Knight’s third book in her Mageverse series and the winner of Romantic Times’ Best Werewolf Romance beating out four other werewolf paranormal’s including one by Sherrilyn Kenyon. This is the story of Jim (Diana from Master of the Moon is his sister) and how he takes on a corrupt police station (who serve one of the bad vampires c
reated in Master of the Night) with the help of the only good officer left on the force, Faith.

Although I really enjoyed this story so many of the Mageverse heroines are cops before they meet their mate it kind of makes it hard to keep the books straight but Merlin’s creatures and the latent Magi and Magus’ were born to serve and protect so it makes sense even if it can be a little confusing. What made this more distinguishable than the others is that much more time and attention are spent on explaining the werewolf race (for example: they can shapeshift into dogs) and of course the hero and heroine are up against an entire police force plus an evil vampire!

Because I sat and read the entire Mageverse series straight through I was starting to get a little sick of the sex scenes by the time I got to Master of Wolves. Thankfully there is no sex when the characters are furry but I was much more interested in catching and stopping the bad guys to really care about the romance.

Witch Lark McGuin has survived a vicious vampire attack that shook her confidence and left her struggling with feelings of helplessness and fear. The last thing she needs is a partnership with Gawain, a handsome vampire knight who means to seduce her every chance he gets.

Gawain believes he needs Lark for one thing and one thing only- and it’s not her skill with magic. In the process, he plans to help her overcome her fear and show her the pleasures to be found in a vampire’s arms.

Title: Master of Swords
Author:
Angela Knight
Series: The Mageverse
Published: 2006
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Pages: 294
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Angela Knight’s Master of Swords is the fourth book in the Mageverse series and the first one to be set primarily in the Mageverse itself. It’s also the first book whose main character is one of the original Knight’s of the Round Table (the short stories in anthologies usually feature them) i
n this case it’s Gawain and he eventually falls in love with Lark who is the great-granddaughter of another knight, Sir Tristan.

Gawain is my second favorite hero in this entire series. He’s brave, loyal, and it’s always great to see a notorious womanizer fall in love! Oh and there is a reason why this book is called Master of Swords, Gawain’s best friend was a dragon named Kel and someone changed him into a sword until he killed his friend (dragons do NOT like humans for the most part). Instead he stayed a sword for centuries linked to Gawain through some kind of mind-link thing.

A lot of the romance was put on the back-burner for this book (although Gawain and Lark certainly do sizzle) for the extremely exciting action-packed adventure. Dragons, Magus and Magi, curses, Dark Ones, steamy sex, what more could you want?

The last time fairy princess Nineva Morrow engaged in magic, evil forces rendered her an orphan—isolated and incapable of trusting in anyone's survival. But after years of hiding on Earth, she'll use her powers once more—and attract more knights than she can handle.

Now at the center of a rebellious Mageverse noble's plot and helplessly dominated by a powerful, body-possessing spirit, Nineva's only hope is the smoldering Dragon knight Kel. This renegade of Arthur's court has enough desire to burn down every door to her heart—if the surrounding forces of King Llyr would subside long enough to let him.

The survival of the Mageverse hangs in a passionate balance of entitlement and pleasure, with destruction threatening to bring an entire magical universe to it's knees...

Title: Master of Dragons
Author:
Angela Knight
Series: The Mageverse
Published: 2007
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Pages: 304
Genre: Paranormal Romance

The current book in Angela Knight’s best-selling Mageverse series, Master of Dragons picks up where Master of Swords left off but this time instead of being a witty sidekick stuck in a sword, Kel’s curse has been lifted and he’s 100% dragon again. He’s also a Knight of the Round Table now and he has to protect princess Nineva because lot’s of people are out to kill her. Can he protect her from himself?

Master of Dragons is my favorite book in the entire series! There’s less unimportant sex scenes, more adventure than any other book (the climatic battle scene is probably the best out of the entire Mageverse series), and my favorite character Kel has a starring role! He’s sexy, funny, courageous and a bit scaly at times (he is a dragon after all) and I just loved him.

I’m also pleased with the way the story arc that connects the entire series ended. I can’t wait for her to continue on with the Mageverse series. There are still so many characters that are just mentioned briefly that I would like to explore in full.


When I was reading the Mageverse series I kept referring back to this Wikipedia page about the
Knights of the Round Table and although Angela Knight did play with a lot of known history she also used some of the information provided for her characters based on Arthurian legends. I also stumbled upon several interviews with Ms. Knight all over the internet: this 2006 interview with Paranormal Romance talks about several of her Mageverse books, A fun Vamps and Scamps interview in 2007, an RBL 2005 interview, and this interesting short interview with Penguins Group.

I also found a video interview with her too (pay no attention to the chick in the hat):

6 comments:

  1. They look quite interesting. I like the idea of the Arthurian legends added into the mix. I have yet to read any paranormal romance, but I like urban fantasy so I am game for giving it a go.

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  2. I read a short story by Angela Knight quite a while ago set in this particular world, which I liked. I keep meaning to try something else by her. Not being a big romance fan, I've been reluctant though. Thanks for the reviews!

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  3. These sound good, I've never read her before. I'm adding her to my TBR list. Especially anything 'vampire related', thats right up my alley.

    great reviews!
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  4. I really enjoy books from Berkley Sensation, but haven't heard of these. :) Thanks for the heads-up!

    Happy Easter!! :-D

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  5. I think I tried one of these books awhile ago (though which one is escaping me.) But I really enjoyed Knight's Jane's Warlord, which was recently republished along with a short story in Warlord. I'll have to give these ones another go!

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  6. Hi LadyTink!

    I loved your reviews! I had no idea that Angela Knight has so many books dealing with the Avalon theme. Clearly I have some reading to do!

    I'm glad I read Bite so I could find all the other books. I should have started blogging earlier.

    Dottie :)

    ReplyDelete

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