This is good fun. In 1970s San Francisco, a middle-aged recovering alcoholic and writer of science-fiction/fantasy stories is drawn into a mystery involving a decades-old book called Megapolisomancy (in which the author, the fictional T. de Castries, suggests that the accumulation of steel, concrete, electricity and other elements in large modern cities, combined with certain geometrical realities related to buildings and the layouts of streets, may serve the incubation of occult forces) and the San Francisco-based writers (George Sterling, Amrbose Bierce, Clark Ashton Smith and Nora May French among them) de Castries tried to recruit as acolytes, a few of whom later died, perhaps, under questionable circumstances. Fritz Leiber maintained that the two texts "should be regarded as the same story told at different times." [2] Scarlett has absolutely no regard for others and constantly guilt trips Sorin into getting her way. And not in a cunning way that Aelin does it that has you applauding. Scarlett just does shit and holds people to a standard that she refuses to return.

There are more examples, these ones for me were kinda of the worst plot holes though. Oh, also, no man in this book (the four MCs and a rapist from Montenegro) don't have an issue at all with period sex. If nothing else was unrealistic, this takes the cake. The spice scenes in this were so so. One of the guys in the harem was portrayed as a big Dom and how other women did not sub well yet the Dom/Sub relationship went no where between him and Harlow. There is a tampon/period scene that was just gross. The word "sprayed" was use excessively in reference to female ejaculation. I found this duo to be highly unorganized and frankly boring. In the first part of book one there is a section describing the Lords, it was very confusing because she was talking about 3 but there are 4 Lords. Throughout the books the Lords personalities were not differeniated alot making it hard to seperate them or even to get emotionally attached to the character. When Harlows dad suddenly passes, she is tossed into this underground world where The Lords of Darkness have fought against the crimes of England for decades. The Lords are a group of 5 people from 5 different prominant house in England. Harlow bravely takes her younger brothers spot to save him from this life of crime and murder. Unable to let go of her old life Harlow fights against the other 4 Lords and even plans their death.....unsuccessfully. When Harlow is stolen by a rival gang the Lords threaten to burn a city to the ground to find her.

See a Problem?

The main character's best friend is named Cassius. And there was mention of someone named Azriel. These characters were introduced super early in the book and from that moment on this entire book read like a mashup up of ACOCAR and TOG but less interesting dialogue.

But I'm left with two feelings that have little to do with the book's main themes. The first is my envy of the main character's daily routine (until it's interrupted by occult forces, that is): wake up in the morning and make coffee; work on short stories for publications with names like Weird Underground in accordance with your occupation as freelance writer of all manner of unconventional fiction; take a long hike through the hills of San Francisco; maintain an affair with a beautiful and intelligent harpsichordist who lives on the fourth floor of your apartment building; eat at a German restaurant with friends; play a couple of nearly silent games of chess in the evening with an acquaintance in the building with whom you don't share a language; then go to sleep and do it all again. There’s so much wrong with her character I could write examples for dayss. I just wish she was smarter, stronger and didn’t rely so heavily on the men around her. This duet is definitely one of the best I’ve read this year. The undying loyalty, protectiveness, and honor this group of individuals has was incredible. While they were dark, their work was important and necessary.Overall, I can’t say I liked this book that much. There were some appealing components, such as the literary nods and the clear evidence of Leiber’s extensive knowledge of classic dark fiction and horror, as well having his bibliophilia show through in his characters. As a huge fan of MR James, it was great to see more than a couple of references to him. Similarly, fans of Lovecraft will appreciate the nods to his pivotal work in 20th Century horror and supernatural fiction. I guess my big issue was the fact that some concepts were just too out there for me (and their explanations somewhat tedious), the overall level of moral decadence (not a big draw for me), and the slow unfolding of the plot. Sure enough, the climax is a good payoff (really quite scary), but not enough to elevate this book to a higher level. Especially after how much I enjoyed its sister story, “Conjure Wife" out of Dark Ladies: Conjure Wife/Our Lady of Darkness. It's never a good idea to compare things, but sometimes the comparison is obligatory and that one thing fails to live up to its companion in the end. Such was the case with "Our Lady of Darkness." Fourthly, I think something needs to change with the "Dark vs Light" dichotomy that is so prevalent in YA novels. Like people are finer shades of gray too...you know...example excerpt below: The Lords of Darkness as a name for a vigilante Illuminati-Superpowerless-Avengers sorta organization is so cheesy it instantly reminds you you 're in a fake world and I personally like my books more immersive. I get that the author wanted the book to be called that because it's marketable AF but it didn't work for me at all. A fake corporate company with a somewhat less epic name would have been much better in my opinion. Then at the end idk she has a literal psychotic break because Sorin has not had the chance to tell her every single thing about his past. If she trusts him so much she won't kill him, give the man the damn chance to explains things in time without the dramatics. There’s a reason every single crime syndicate out there fears the Lady. She’s ruthless, and she’s carved herself quite the reputation in our world.