MOON'S WEB
REVIEWS
For those who like the whole story! Following are all of the reviews that MOON'S WEB has received. Some of these are a bit long, so it could take awhile to read:
SERENA, Fallen Angel Reviews.
RECOMMENDED READ! We met Tony and Sue in Hunter’s Moon, and Moon’s Web
continues their story. You should read these books in order to truly
appreciate them.
Tony is different; he’s an assassin for the Family, but that’s not what makes him different. Tony is part of an amazing, unknown society; The Sazi. The Sazi are a community of shape shifters with amazing powers. Tony is having the difficult time of adapting to being the low man on the totem pole. When he starts to show some of his own powers, things get even more interesting.
Bobby was introduced to us in Hunter’s Moon as a Warden, one of the Sazi police force answerable only to his boss. Bobby has summoned Tony for his particular brand of help and finds himself enmeshed in a whole lot of trouble.
I could not put down this book and really enjoyed it. In fact, while
writing this review, I was tempted to pick up Hunter’s Moon and
dive right back into the world of the Sazi. I may have to buy another
copy of each so that I don’t wear them out! By the way, if you couldn’t
tell, I liked the book. This was one of the most unique stories I’ve
read. There have been many books written about shape shifters and this
one blows them all right out of the water. The idea of combing the mafia
and shape shifters is brilliant!!! I cannot wait for MORE! Being serious
now, not only is the premise amazing, but the characters are so real and
the emotions are, too. The secondary characters aren’t just window
dressing, they have lives as well. The character development is
fantastic and I found the plot fascinating! I truly hope that these two
talented ladies have many, many more Sazi stories in their future.
NEW! PAULA, A Romance Review. The writing team of C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp introduced readers to the Sazi with their first romance, Hunter’s Moon. The Sazi are the consortium of were-creatures that have combined their forces into a unified entity with their own structure and laws. The second book in the series, Moon’s Web picks up a few months later.
Former Mafia hitman Tony Giodone and his mate, Sue Quentin, are still coming to grips with all of the changes in their lives. Becoming a werewolf will have that effect on a person, and when Tony discovered that Sue was his human mate, difficulties were bound to pop up.
While he is eager to put his past life behind him, it seems that the Sazi have need of a man with his skills. The various factions never seem to agree and constantly try to undermine each other with any number of tricks. To make matters worse, his former boss has entangled himself with a shapeshifter, and vows revenge when she goes missing.
Moon’s Web is an action-packed novel filled with all kinds of unusual characters. Unfortunately, it also is not much of a romance. While there are romantic aspects around Tony, Sue, and other characters, the romance no longer drives the story. It has become a paranormal action series. The writing is sharp, and the plot delightfully twisted as the council descends on Chicago while a killer is in their midst. Tony is still learning all of the aspects of his new powers, and there is plenty of sexy animal magnetism affecting more than one pair of lovers.
In all, Moon’s Web is a very entertaining book that was hard to put down. The rating reflects the lack of "romance" not the quality of the book. I believe this series will progress much as the Anita Blake series has with plenty of hot sex and driving action, less true romance.
1. DIANA TIXIER HERALD, American Library Association BookList. Tony and Sue Giodone's story starts up right where it left off following their introduction in Hunter's Moon (2004). Tony, a Sazi wolf shape-shifter, formerly a Mob hit man, and the very human Sue are, as newlyweds, facing challenges posed by their intense link to each other and the politics of life for Tony as a new pack member. Tony and Sue risk life and limb when a horrifying kidnapper abducts the pregnant Komodo dragon shape-shifter who is of special interest to Bobby, the sometimes snake operative for the enforcement organization of the Sazi. The relationship between Tony and Sue proves that romance can sometimes mean staying in love despite adversity. Adams and Clamp are adept at writing intensely sensuous, hot lovemaking scenes, but where they really shine is in the creation of an unforgettable world where secret shape-shifters live, love, and scheme. Laurell K. Hamilton readers will enjoy this edgy world.
2. JILL SMITH, Romantic Times BOOKClub Magazine.
TOP PICK! In the year since becoming a
werewolf, former mafia assassin Tony Giodone's life has undergone some
major changes. He and his human mate, Sue, have relocated to Chicago
under new names and have joined the pack of alpha wolf Nikoli Molotov.
Agent Bobby Mbutu is a member of the "Wolven," the cops of the Sazi (shape-shifting) world, and also a friend of Tony's Bobby's arrival, however, signals big trouble, for it turns out that Tony's old mafia boss, Carmine, is read to make war on the Sazis. Carmine's Sazi girlfriend, Babs, has been abducted and Bobby announces that she is not the first to go missing.
Having Tony on the case will pacify Carmine and buy them some time to uncover the truth. Time is of the essence, though, since all the powerful Sazi leaders are coming to town for a meeting and a Sazi serial killer is still on the loose.
It's only taken two books for the dynamic duo of Adams and Clamp to cement their position as premier authors of paranormal fiction. Picking up where last year's Hunter's Moon left off, Moon's Web adds more intricate layers and terrifying action to the adventures of Tony and Sue. Gritty and unique, with amazingly Byzantine character development, this inside look at the unconventional world of shape-shifters is a page-turner in the truest sense.
3. TRACY MARSAC, New and Used Books. Moon's Web is the sophomore collaboration by Adams and Clamp and even more compelling than their first stunning debut novel, Hunter's Moon. Its star, Tony, is back and more surely than ever, with good reason. After the disastrous events of the last ending, he and his mate Sue, have had to relocate. Now circumstances force him back into his old world. Carmine, his ex-mob boss, has a problem. His Sazi mistress, Babs, has been kidnapped. Since Babs is responsible for making Tony a werewolf or Sazi, he'd just as well leave her missing forever. However, Carmine is ready to launch a war to recover her and his actions will put Tony's secret society at risk of being discovered. In exchange for Carmine's stand down, Tony has agreed to do what he can to find Babs and ascertain who's killing female shapeshifters and why.
Bobby, the judge, jury, and executioner of all shapeshifters is back to help Tony along with Asri, the komodo dragon of punishment. Their relationship adds interesting depth to the story as Bobby and Asri fight their mating. Along with all that drama, Tony's magical abilities are becoming more complex, much to his irritation. The power and intensity is enhanced because of his mating with Sue, a human. Their joining is unheard of in Sazi history and has a great impact on his dealing with his pack. Nikoli is Tony's Alpha leader and not used to being challenged by a whelp. Tony's not accustomed to being subordinate to anyone and so they have their power struggles as Tony chafes at the rules and restrictions of pack life. Moon's Web follows the adventurous lives of a fascinating group of supernatural creatures and their magical talents. Adams and Clamp's imagination and creativity is evident in every page and collides for a superb story!
4. DONNA,
Fallen Angel Reviews.
RECOMMENDED READ!
Tony has been brought into the Chicago pack with his
first hunt. He isn’t used to being a part of anything; he’d been a loner
for so long, until Sue came into his life. To take orders from his pack
leader is totally foreign to him. When he’s finally able to reconnect with
Sue, Tony notices something is definitely different. Touching someone
brings on hindsight flashes of their past and Tony doesn’t like it. He
can’t be away from Sue without feeling closed off, and she’s feeling
smothered, just like she did with her family. Then he finds he’ll be
helping Bobby, the Sazi cop, find Babs, who has been taken. Carmine also
wants Tony to find out who or what took her. What Tony finds is beyond his
imagination, like something out of a horror book. While all of this is
happening, Tony finds himself back in the security business. He has to
make it safe for all the members of the council who are meeting in the
Chicago pack’s hotel. Will Tony be able to keep all the council members
safe? Will the person or thing that has taken not only Babs but others as
well be found? Read this exciting book to find the answers to those
questions and so much more.
Ms. Adams and Ms. Clamp have once again written a book that will enthrall
readers from the beginning until the end, plus deliver a surprise ending.
The authors first brought us Tony and Sue in their book Hunter’s Moon;
now they’ve brought them back and have also given us Bobby and Asri’s
story. We see the characters that we’ve come to love and meet engaging new
ones. I hope the authors continue with these fantastic shapeshifters in
more books. If you love shapeshifters, then don’t miss out on this book,
you’ll be glad you didn’t.
5. TAMI BRADY, Blether. 8 Stars! Moon’s Web is the second book of this series. In the first book of this series, Hunter’s Moon, the reader was introduced to Tony Giodone. Tony was an assassin for hire. Tony was also a newly turned werewolf. In Hunter’s Moon, Tony was hired by Suzi (Sue) Quentin to conduct a hit on herself. Sue was being terrorized by her sisters Bekki and Mitzi and her mother Myra and she felt that the only way out of her situation was death. Destiny, however, had other plans for Sue.
In Moon’s Web, we find Tony and Sue adjusting to life as a couple. Tony
has finally decided to accept the werewolf in himself and has just taken
his place with the pack. Immediately after accepting Nikoli as his pack
leader, however, Tony realizes that something is amiss. As most Alpha
males, Nikoli demands complete control over all his underlings. Following
without question is not exactly an easy task for Tony who is used to
taking care of business himself. However, when Tony finds out some of this
pack leader’s future plans and expectations, Tony suddenly realizes how
big of a mistake he’s made.
Like the first book of this series, Moon’s Web has a little bit of
something for everyone: romance, irony, action, and intrigue. Likewise,
like Hunter’s Moon, the characters in Moon’s Web are highly original and
entertaining, adding a little extra flare to the story. In Moon’s Web the
reader gets an opportunity to get a deeper look at the characters
previously met in the first book. Though this second book does contain a
good number of flashbacks about what happened in the first book of this
series, I suggest reading Hunter’s Moon before reading Moon’s Web as the
books lead logically from surface characterization in the first book to a
more in depth inspection of these characters in the second book. This
aspect allows the reader progressively deeper understanding of the main
characters and the world that they live in.
6.
KATHY SAMUELS,
Romance Reviews Today.
A PERFECT
10!
Women
of the Sazi, the
werewolf culture, are disappearing. Tony Giodone (AKA Joey Giambrocco),
ex-assassin for the mob and a recent addition to the Sazi, has been asked
to assist in the investigation when Babs, the werewolf who turned him, is
kidnapped. Tony has no love for Babs. Truth be told, if she's dead, he
certainly won't mourn for her. But two things bring Tony into the
game: first, Babs is an alpha wolf and there are few things that should be
able to hurt her, indicating a stronger than average kidnapper; second,
Babs has some really powerful friends in the form of Tony's old mob boss
Carmine and his wife Linda, both of whom comprise a threesome with Babs.
Not too many people know werewolves exist, but if Carmine goes on a
rampage searching for Babs, the Sazi secret might be revealed, and that
can't be allowed. To allay Carmine's fears and prevent the Wolven,
werewolf law enforcers, from intervening and instigating a bloodbath, Tony
agrees to the job. Little does he know what he's about to step into.
Tony's wife and mate Sue has just returned from a visit to another wolf
Pack where she was recovering from extensive injuries (see HUNTER'S
MOON). Having been separated for almost two months after their recent
mating, all these two can think about is being together. Unfortunately,
Pack business and the alpha, Nikolai, keep interfering, making Tony wonder
if he wouldn't rather be a rogue werewolf. To top it all off, the
were-Council has decided to meet in Chicago, and Nikolai is woefully
unprepared to support and secure these august personalities. Tony's
experience with security comes in quite handy and he's once again called
to help. Of course, while all of this is going on, Tony continues to get
into all kinds of hot water. His first issue is that he doesn't consider
himself subordinate to anyone, including Nikolai, his new Pack leader.
Oops, Tony forgot to read the werewolf manual and is breaking the rules
and asserting his dominance all over the place, inviting all sorts of
punishment. In addition, with his new wolf status, Tony has gained two
magical powers, neither of which he is prepared for or able to control.
With all of these things standing between Tony and Sue, it's a wonder he
doesn't hurt someone...oh, wait, he does. But will he be able to figure
out who is kidnapping the Sazi women and why before they kill again? What
will Tony do when he learns the Council has come to Chicago to meet him?
MOON'S WEB is a fabulous sequel to HUNTER'S MOON with enough action,
humor, and romance to satisfy any reader. HUNTER'S MOON introduced
readers to Tony, Sue, and several critical secondary characters including
Bobby, Carmine, Babs, and Linda. This second book expands the
story amidst an intriguing backdrop of the paranormal as Tony has to learn
and adjust to some interesting magical powers. Readers will enjoy seeing
Bobby's new relationship through Tony's eyes, with his witty, or is that
pithy, asides attached. There is so much going on in this book that your
eyes will be positively glued to the pages waiting to see what happens
next. The plot is well-paced and the dialogue fantastic. I laughed out
loud when Tony berates himself for thinking in Lovecraftian terms and
scaring himself to death.
These aren't your average characters. They're gritty and often brutal.
To them, death is a natural act, especially when it comes at their hands.
But the authors have made them complex and three-dimensional, inviting
readers to care for and love them. It's rare when a second book surpasses
the first, but MOON'S WEB explodes onto the scene, earning a Perfect 10.
If you're
a fan of
Laurell K. Hamilton or Kelley Armstrong, MOON'S WEB is definitely a book
for you!
7.
SUSAN
WHITE, Coffee
Time Romance.
Moon's Web is the second book in a new series by authors C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp. The first book, Hunter's Moon, began the story of the Sazi.They are shapeshifters of many different types, from many different
cultures, who do their best to keep society at large from learning of
their existence.
Anton Giodone is a former Mafia hitman turned werewolf. In Moon's Web, he has changed his name to Joe Giambrocco, but many of his friends and family still call him Tony. He has a close bond with his mate and will do his best to protect her. Forced to become an Omega for his new pack, he does his best to show the pack leader, Nikoli, that he is stronger and smarter than the pack might think.
Sue fell in love with Tony and formed a mate bond with him despite being fully human. She loves him very much and will do anything in her power to assist him. She is a sweet woman with a very loving and giving nature. Dealing with the circumstances of her new life is not easy, but she does it with grace and aplomb.
The main characters are strong individuals with complex personalities. The relationship between Tony and Sue is a very caring and loving one that touched my heart. The love scenes are sensual and tender with just the right amount of detail for this particular storyline. The supporting characters are interesting and have some very unique personality traits.
Even though the story is told by Tony using the first person point of view, the authors do a wonderful job of expressing all of the thoughts and emotions of the other characters. The use of a variety of smells to explain the different emotions that are felt by the Sazi was, in my own opinion, a truly inspired idea. The plotline is fascinating and contains some interesting ideas that give the story a new and refreshing outlook that makes it different from traditional shapeshifter storylines. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next, something would change and I discovered something new. Ms. Adams and Ms. Clamp are talented authors with extremely creative imaginations. I enjoyed their story of shapeshifters trying to survive in today's society so much, that once I started reading, I could not put the book down. I highly recommend the entire series to anyone interested in werewolves and the paranormal. Moon's Web is most definitely a keeper!
8. KELLEY HARTSELL, Love Romances. 5 BLUE RIBBONS! Moon’s Web continues the story of Tony and Sue, which was begun in Hunter’s Moon, and is sure to have readers as engrossed in this one as well.
Tony and Sue had their deaths staged at the end of book one so they could go on with their new lives as members of a new Sazi (shape shifter) pack and not have to worry about their pasts coming back to haunt them. Now known as Joe and Jessica Giambrocco, they have begun to adapt to their new home, and have many challenges facing them in their mated relationship as well.
Almost immediately upon recovering from injuries sustained in his last battle, Tony is called upon by his old mob boss, Carmine, for a special case. It turns out Carmine and his wife Linda’s special third party in their marriage, Babs, who just so happens to be the werewolf who converted Tony, has been kidnapped, but not by any ordinary villain. Her captor is thought to be another Sazi, who is preying on others of their kind. Only Tony can handle this case, with help from friend Bobby Mbutu, Wolven agent to the whole Sazi population.
Things grow more complicated however; as Tony begins to acquire new Sazi powers he can’t quite control yet and has to adjust to his position in his new wolf pack in Chicago, headed by Nikoli. When more Sazi women turn up dead, and others disappear, all in the midst of planning a huge conference for all of the Sazi species, the situation grows more dire. They all realize the enemy they are dealing with is far deadlier then anything they’ve encountered in a very long time, and is a species they thought long obliterated. Can they track down the kidnapper before it is too late for Babs and the other women?
Wow! Ms. Clamp and Ms. Adams pull no punches with this story. It is darker, grittier, and more suspenseful then its prequel. Readers will love the world created in this series, and especially enjoy the complex society made up of shape shifters of every kind imaginable. The plot is fast paced, full of mystery, and drives onward to the thrilling climax that will leave readers breathless.
The authors’ voice is truly their own, and that is all the more evident in this book. Though there is less focus on the Mafia world here, readers are given a glimpse into an even more compelling and complicated world, that of the Sazi. Yet there is still enough of the darker side of Tony’s personality visible, and readers also get to visit with some old acquaintances.
What is interesting is that though Sue and Tony are the main characters again in this story, the underlying story is about Bobby and Asri, his mate whom he finds in this story. Seeing the reptilian Bobby brought to his knees by his love for the petite but powerful dragon of a woman, Asri, is a sight to behold. All of the conflicts arising between them are given full rein, through the newfound powers of Tony, who is still the storyteller here.
Readers, be they new to the world of the Sazi, or coming back for more, are guaranteed to be thoroughly entertained. This reviewer has become a diehard fan of these two rising stars of the paranormal romance genre. One will be dying to read the next chapter in the exciting saga.
9. CHERE GRUVER, ParaNormal Romance Reviews. Once again, we're back in Tony's world of werewolves and WOLVEN. When we pick up this story, Tony is now living in Chicago and is a part of the Nikoli Molotov's pack. Since it's the full moon, Tony is out on a hunt with the rest of the pack. When he awakens the next morning, another pack member, Yurgi, is there and telling him they have to bury the bones of their last night's dinner since they're the Omegas. After Tony hears his wife, Sue, telling him to hurry home, he manages to subdue Yurgi and races home to his apartment, where he finds a bunch of kids terrorizing his wife and his old WOLVEN friend, Bobby is there as well. It turns out Bobby is here for a reason, Babs, the werewolf that turned Tony, has been kidnapped from his old boss, Carmine and Linda's home. Since Carmine will only trust Tony to find her and "take care" of the kidnapper, it is vital he go with Bobby.
It turns out Babs wasn't the only Sazi kidnapped, which is how Bobby came to be involved in the whole mess. After getting Sue settled, Bobby and Tony go to the pack headquarters and Tony ends up shooting the second in command with a silver bullet. Whereupon, he's introduced to the pack's disciplinarian, Asri, who turns out to be a Komodo dragon. Sparks begin flying between Bobby and Asri before Bobby and Tony go to Carmine's place. When the two of them begin investigating, they find a really strange smell, one neither one of them recognize.
Will Bobby and Tony be able to the find the one kidnapping and killing Sazi? Will anything happen between Bobby and Asri? Will Tony ever be able to handle pack life?
MOON'S WEB is a thrilling continuation to HUNTER'S MOON. C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp have outdone the wonderful job they did with HUNTER'S MOON! The action begins on the very first page and doesn't let up throughout the story. There are plots and subplots galore, but they never become overwhelming. In this story, we get to meet a lot more of the Sazi people and begin to understand a bit more about them and their culture, including their various "gifts". This is also where Tony learns of his "gift" of being a seer with hindsight. And I loved the way Tony discovered his gift. Not to mention, the way everyone kept trying to help Tony by blocking his connection with Sue. I was immediately drawn into this story from the very first page and found myself enthralled discovering new things about the Sazi. This is definitely a book you don't want to miss reading and I cannot recommend it highly enough!
10. HARRIET KLAUSNER, Midwest Book Review. Whether he goes by Tony Giodone or Joe Giambrocco, he was one of the best hit men the Mafia employed until he attempts to kill the wrong target. His intended victim tears into his throat like a feral animal, but instead of dying Tony is turned into a werewolf (see HUNTER’S MOON). His new essence embellishes his skills as a paid assassin. He met Sue when she hired him to kill her, but his enhanced animal senses told him that she was his prime mate.
Sue and Tony (Anton to his Czarist Russian pack leader Nikoli) are a couple who belong to a shapeshifting community. As Tony begins to have strange visions of other people, he realizes he, his beloved, and the Sazi werewolf community is in trouble by a creature much more powerful and deadlier than he ever was. When the malevolence abducts the shapeshifting girlfriend Babs of his former employer, Mafia Don Carmine threatens to expose werewolves to the media with an old fashioned gang war if Tony fails to rescue his woman.
The second Tony and Sue werewolf chronicle is a terrific tale that will have fans howling for more escapades from this couple and their pack. The action-packed story line converges around Tony as he is linked to the evil, to his former employer, and to his pack while all he wants is to persuade Sue that they can make it running around together. The key to the moon tales are simple; C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp insure their audience believe in the supernatural.
11. CAT CODY, Romance Junkies. 4.5 RIBBONS! Assassin turned werewolf Tony Giodone is back, and as bad as ever. With a new name and recently reunited with Sue, he thinks life with a new pack in Chicago looks pretty good. At least until Bobby--his friend and shape shifter watchdog--comes back with ajob for him to do. A job which will bring him back to his old life.
As Tony's talents begin to come to the fore, he sees things of the past and in the present he'd much rather not know. If it wasn't bad enough that he turned into a wolf three nights a month, now he has to worry about being a seer. Will the freakiness never end?
Sue is thrilled to be away from her manipulative family and starting a new life, but does she has the self-esteem necessary to stand up to Tony and be his partner? She doesn't want to be protected for the rest of her life, but sometimes it's hard not to fall back on old familiar patterns.
Tony and Sue have to learn to live together within the pack, and how to work together as a married couple while all hell breaks loose around them. Can they work through their issues without losing each other? And will they live long enough to find out?
The writing team of C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp work together beautifully to write an engrossing story that will have you reading long into the night. Once you start MOON'S WEB you won't be able to put it down until the last page is turned. Fast paced with a dash of humor and romance thrown in, this book has something for everyone. Even if you haven't read HUNTER'S MOON, the first book in the series, which I highly recommend, you can still enjoy MOON'S WEB. I know I certainly did!
12. BEVERLY FOREHAND, Roundtable Reviews. Former Wiseguy Tony Giodone is finding his new life in Chicago to be a little more than he thought he'd bitten off. Not only is he having a hard time taking orders--this time from the Chicago pack-master, rather than a Mafia Don, but he is also still reeling from his new status as a werewolf. His relationship with Sue is really heating up, but they are handicapped by being "mated"--since Sue is a plain old human and Tony is not. And, Tony, always on the wrong side of the law, finds himself teamed up with Bobby and the Sazi (Wolven) police--not exactly a role for which this former hitman is suited. But, the quick-witted Tony is definitely Bobby and the Sazi's best-bet for finding a missing Wolven, Babs, who just happens to be Tony's former associate's current squeeze.
Tony and Bobby must find Babs (dead or alive) before the Mafia and the Shape-shifting communities come to blows. What's worse, Tony discovers that not only does he have his Wolven shifting abilities to deal with, but now he's plagued with other paranormal abilities--gifts which even the Wolven consider rare and disturbing. What's a wiseguy to do when his life and love are on the line? Can Tony toe the line long enough to save the girl and find the bad guy? There's peril and mystery around every corner in Cathy Clamp & CT Adams' sequel to HUNTER'S MOON!
For those readers that loved HUNTER'S MOON, MOON'S WEB is a must-have sequel. All your favorite characters (Tony, Sue, Bobby) are back with a vengeance and their stories are greatly developed, as are their personalities. Bobby has his own love story this time and Sue and Tony's relationship takes on a much deeper dimension. This time, the real heat comes from Bobby and Asri, the cold-blooded (literally) lover and enforcer for the Wolven boss, Nikoli. There are also a plethora of interesting new characters (Yuri, Pamela, etc.) who help move the story along and are compelling in their own right.
MOON'S WEB is Mickey Spillane and the Godfather meet Bram Stoker. The action is hard-hitting. The characters are emotional and often very raw. The mystery is dynamic and moving and the romance is steaming. For fans of crime fiction and fiction noir, MOON'S WEB has all the drama, adventure, and devious twists that you could hope for. For mystery and romance fans, you'll find a mystery worth of Ellery Queen and enough romance to steam up your glasses. MOON'S WEB is an all-around great read. I'm certainly looking forward to the next installment.
13. LILLIAN CAULDWELL, The Lillian Cauldwell Radio Show. I read "Moon's Web" by Cathy Clamp and C.T. Adams in under four hours. I found "Moon's Web" tantilizing, gut-chilling, and stupendous. I haven't had a good werewolf read since I saw Michael J. Fox in 'An American Werewolf in London', but "Moon's Web" is vastly superior. Close the windows, lock the doors, stir up the fire, and have a silver knife or bullet handy cause you're going to need them to finish reading this book in one piece! I rate "Moon's Web" six thumbs up on a rating of one full hand (that's fingers to you humans.)
14. ROBYN ROBERTS, Once Upon a Romance. What a delight this story is! Ms. Adams and Ms. Clamp have an uncanny knack for creating a fictitious subculture that actually could be reality in our world. Tony is quite a loveable werewolf (but don’t tell him I said that). He reminds me of Bruce Willis in Die Hard—tough guy, nothing to lose, but a tender heart in there somewhere. I haven’t ever been so drawn into a werewolf story before. I think these authors write such a gripping tale, that you won’t want to put it down. I had a terrible time walking away and found myself flying through the pages.
The characters have such depth and even though we are involved in a foreign culture, they have written in such a way that I found it easy to grasp the workings of the Sazi. I haven’t been this involved in a story in a very long time. I also loved the suspense and drama that unfolded during the story. It’s not just a romance or just a werewolf or just a mystery book, it’s a wonderful combination of all these elements. Add to it the bonus of more than one romance being watched and you’ve got a winning combo.
This book is a sequel to Hunter’s Moon, however, I didn’t know it was part of a series until I was finished reading it. There were times that I suspected a prior book, but it in no way affects the enjoyment of this story. In the beginning chapters, I struggled slightly as I learned about Sazi and werewolves and their culture, but it was never a real distraction. I think that others who are skeptical of werewolf books will be pleasantly surprised. I know I was.
15.
LYSA DEMOREST, Suite Magazine.
GREAT! Lions, tigers, and bears…
Almost. This is the world of the Sazi, were-creatures that blend into the
normal everyday lives of humans. When you're not born into it, you're
turned to it, and have to catch up with the rest of the class to what's
going on in the new world. It's just what narrator Tony needs with the new
move to a wolf pack in Chicago. With his mate, Sue, and new talents
emerging, the Sazi council decides it's time for a group meeting.
The world of the Chicago wolf pack is thrown into chaos with members scrambling to cope with a new wolf, Tony, who doesn't fit into all the rules, the Wolven agent Bobby, who happens to be a python, walking into their lair, and a string of crimes ranging from kidnapping, murder, and assassinations of the high ranking members. A creature, that two of the oldest Sazi thought was long extinct, happens to be breeding and hunting down Sazi to use as baby food. It's up to the current Wolven leader, Lucas, and Tony, to defeat the creature, but it's not easy. Bobby decides he has to help, slowed down with his own mate being taken, and Sue, Tony's mate, decides to play recon and decoy. Did anyone happen to mention that when one mate dies, so does the other?
In this story of animals coming out to play, everything isn't as it seems. The council meeting is just a way to deal with Sazi business once a year, usually held in someplace warm and sunny, but something changed for this one year -- Tony. He's the newest seer in the Sazi world with the rarest gifts and everyone's here to meet him. MOON'S WEB is an interesting tale that teaches Tony and the reader that there are plans within plans, and nothing happens for reasons that they appear to be.
CT Adams and Cathy Clamp's latest story into the Sazi world is filled with the magic that does more than inspire, but leaves the reader in awe. Boundaries are pushed and visions are changed with a new respect to the other side. Shapeshifting is taken to a new level in CT and Cathy's writing under graceful language and believable details. Even without reading the previous story, it's easy to catch up to the Sazi and fall into the magic spells they weave.
MOON'S WEB is a great story for anyone who loves
were-creatures. There's a wide range of animals brought through this world
aside from just the normal wolves. Chicago is brought in contact with
pythons, komodo dragons, owls, bears, bobcats and more. I wouldn't mind
getting my hands on the previous Sazi story and any in the future. The
Sazi are great to add to any paranormal fan's shelf with believable
aspects that keep the mind ticking and wondering “what if?”
16.
DETRA FITCH, Huntress Reviews.
Tony was one of the best assassins for the mafia until
he was turned into a werewolf. Now he is the best assassin in the world.
Tony is still trying to learn the rules of being part of a pack. His human
mate, Sue, has to quickly adapt as well. But Tony is about to face even
more changes within himself. Talents that only a rare few shifters are
gifted with are beginning to emerge from within Tony as well, and he does
NOT like them!
Something is kidnapping the female shapeshifters. This is not something
that would normally affect humans, but the most recently kidnapped shifter
is the girlfriend of a human named Carmine Leone. Carmine is the Mafia don
and Tony's former boss. Unless Tony, Sue, and an elite group of shifters
can locate the kidnapped shifters quickly and destroy an unknown menace,
Carmine is prepared to wage an all out war. Even though the shapeshifters
would win a war against the Mafia, doing so would expose their culture to
the humans.
An exciting sequel to "Hunter's Moon" but it does start up too
slowly. Readers learn more about shifters, pack members, and the super
natural world these two talented authors have created. I cannot tell more
without spoilers, which is something I refuse to do. But rest assured, you
are going to enjoy this one!
17. MRS. GIGGLES, Everything Romantic! (Yes, we even put the not so good reviews on this page! But, hey, we LOVE the evil Mrs. Giggles anyway!) Despite being published in the Tor Romance line, the second book in the series of CT Adams and Cathy Clamp is firmly in the "adventures of our ghoulie fighting other ghoulies" territory that have everybody rushing to write and put out after Laurell K Hamilton proves that you can make boatloads of money and find a new husband from these stories. Readers who have read the previous book Hunter's Moon will be familiar with some of the characters in this book as Moon's Web is a sequel in every sense of the word.
Our hero, Anton "Tony" Giodone, in this book, is now learning the ways of the Wolven community while trying to keep his wife Sue Quention from getting more crazy than usual and shoving her head into the oven to figure out why there are blinking lights inside. Or something. I'd love to compare Sue, one of the most stupid and useless heroines I've come across, to a tub of babboon turd but at least you can use babboon turd to cook and heat up an African hut. Sue is absolutely useless. In this book she apparently would love to have a job but she can't find one of her own so Tony has to ask his lyncanthrophic buddies to recommend any potential future employers to Sue. Anyway, Bobbie, our charming Sazi weresnake, shows up in this book to drag Tony into a new advanture: there is a someone kidnapping female shapeshifters and who knows what this villain is doing to them. When some of these victims show up dead, oh dear.
I'd like to know one thing: what happened to make Tony this annoyingly wimpy in a goody-woody way in this book? I know marriage can make a man mellow but come on, really! The authors are also developing some Anita Blake syndrome but giving Tony some super-duper psychic powers out of the blue in this book. While I'm all for character growth, I'd like to see my lead characters earn their powers through training, hard work, or at least from a reasonably credible source instead of getting powers conveniently in some genetic or inherent manner. The authors should also stop trying to force Sue down my throat. Stop it, please. She's not going to transform into some likeable heroine if only because she follows Tony into the enemy's lair at the end and ends up becoming another liability to Tony to keep an eye out on. Sue otherwise spends a lot of her mercifully minimal screentime either standing there in silent confusion, helpless desperation, or pathetic weepiness for the hero's wounds or pains. It gets to a point where, because Sue can feel the agonies Tony receive and because Tony can heal while Sue - a human - can't, I find myself wishing really hard for horrible calamities to befall Tony so that Sue will finally expire from shock.
After an initial bang involving a deliciously chilling confrontation between Tony and a were-Komodo dragon (cool), the book eventually peters down to a more sedated pace with Tony and Bobby conducting their investigations. The pace picks up again when the story hurtles towards its denouement. Throughout it all, while there are a few inventive scenes in Moon's Web such as the scene involving a shapeshifting Komodo dragon, this book is surprisingly derivative and even generic. What I mean is, if you read even a few dark fantasy or horror books starring vampires, werewolves, and what-not nowadays all mould after Laurell K Hamilton's successsful Anita Blake series and other similar series, there are very few scenes here that will actually surprise the reader, except perhaps how good Bobby would be as an efficient babysitter. In fact, sometimes this book reminds me of a CSI: Miami episode featuring shapeshifters. Character development isn't too compelling for me because Tony is defanged in this book, Sue is... well, Sue, and the other characters never actually attain two-dimensionality.
Moon's Web is not a bad read at all, but I don't particularly find much about this book to howl at the moon at. It's better than the previous book because Sue is not shoved at my face every other page whining and weeping like the pathetic waste of carbon material that she is, the storyline is stronger, the canon is being developed as it should be, but at the end of the day, I am hard-pressed to find anything memorable about it apart from a rather chilling scene of being chased around the room by a hungry Komodo dragon.
Rating: 76
Hunter's Moon Page Acknowledgements Book News Read a Sample Chapter Review Page
Road to Riches Page Acknowledgements Historic Photos Book Signing Photos Read a Sample Chapter
Moon's Web Page Acknowledgements Read a Sample Chapter Review Page
The Abyss Page Acknowledgements Read a Story Sample Review Page
Secrets, Fact or Fiction Page Acknowledgements Read a Story Sample Review Page