Book Review: Harvest Moon by Mercedes Lackey, Michelle Sagara & Cameron Haley

HARVEST MOON ANTHOLOGY
Authors: Mercedes Lackey, Michelle Sagara & Cameron Haley
LUNA/Harlequin Books
October 1st, 2010
Paperback
4 out of 5


Three novellas from three authors who will captivate you from beginning to end. Get ready for a little HARVEST MOON.

A Tangled Web by Mercedes Lackey
This is a retelling of Persephone and Hades mythology told from Persephone's point of view. She is determined to get away from her overprotective mother and she wants to be with Hades, a misunderstood man/god who makes her heartbeat fast and who she loves very much. Set in the five hundred kingdoms series, a fake kidnapping has a mix up and the wrong goddess is taken. Can Persephone and Hades find a way to be together and fix the problem of the wrong goddess being kidnapped?

I have to admit, I never read one of this author's Five Hundred Kingdom's books before and found myself a little confused as to why I should care if one god/goddess was kidnapped or not. It felt like there was a backstory of one set of characters I was missing and it had me scratching my head at times as I tried to puzzle out some of the storylines. Overall, this was a well written story but one I freely admit not enjoying too much in the end.

Cast In Moonlight by Michelle Sagara

Kaylin Neya is a thief and an assassin. She also has a smart m outh, covered in mysterious markings and has street smarts. The Hawklord thinks she is a perfect bait for a child prostitution sting...that is if Kaylin can keep her mouth shut for five seconds to do the job.

This is a perfect way to be introduced into the world of Elantra. I love this series and found this prequel to be a wonderful icing on the cake so to speak in this anthology. Ms. Sagara delivers a stirring story that shows how Kaylin met the Hawklord and her introduction into the world of the Hawks. The writing was slow and steady and kept me on the edge of the seat, waiting to see what would happen next for Kaylin. Would it be death for trying to assassinate the Hawklord or life serving him? This is a perfect story to be introduced into the world of Elantra and one that had me dragging out the books in the series to read again.

Retribution by Cameron Haley

A contract is put out on Dominca Riley and she has something to say about it. An attempt on her life has Dominica racing against the clock to find out who wants her down and out for the count. Retribution is best served cold!

I freely admit, I read Mob Rules, the kick off to this new series on gangsters and magic and didn't care too much for it. It could have been the mood I was in at the time but after reading this short story, I am picking it up again. This was a fantastic story and though if you haven't read Mob Rules yet, you should read that one first before reading this one.  A dark tale of violence, magic and self-discovery, Cameron Haley delivers a pulse pounding ride from start to finish. A gritty tale to keep you entertained and one that had me eager to see what else is coming fromt his talented author.

HARVEST MOON is an anthology that had two wonderful stories and one lackluster one. The writing in all three were tight and the authors did their best in keeping my attention with their novellas. I look forward to another anthology with these three talented storytellers in the future.