Genre: Fantasy
Book 2 in the Lords of Avalon series
ISBN: 0-0607-9662-6
Releasedate: October 31, 2006
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishing Inc
Format owned: HC Rhapsody & MPB
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
For countless centuries, I've been the assassin for the infamous Merlin, even though the woman who birthed me sits at the right hand of our enemy, Morgen le Fey. Now both my mother and Morgen have decided that it's time I take my place on their side of this conflict.

Normally, telling them no wouldn't be a problem, except for the fact that the good guys I protect think that I'm an even worse demon than the ones we fight. Hmm, maybe they're right. I have to say that I do enjoy maiming anyone who gets in my way.

At least until my mother gives me a simple choice: join Morgen's Circle of the Damned or see an innocent woman die. I'm all for saving the innocent, but Merewyn isn't as innocent as she seems. And she's none too fond of the fact that her fate is in my dubious hands. Personally I'm all for taking the easy way out, but leaving her to Morgen is rough, even for me. Now the only way to save both our lives is to face the evilest forces ever known-;my mother and Morgen. And two people who know nothing of trust must learn to rely on each other or die: provided we don't kill each other first.

REVIEW
They always told me never judge a book by it's cover, but I judged this book sinfully by its cover and boy the inside was more sweet than any honey I ever tasted!!!

Varian - a selfconfessed evil to the bone - knight in shining armor; Merewyn - a self-turned ugly to the bone-servant. And both captured my heart.

I still find it difficult to read past the nowadays language, the use of movies and tv's in the time of King Arthur as there is no further mentioning of some sort of time travelling whatsoever still is misplaced to me within this series. Unlike 'Sword of Darkness' I had to read a few chapters before I got caught into this story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book but I'm still not getting the connection as a series. What I miss most, I think, is the book about what happened in King Arthurs last years. Bits and pieces were explained in this one.

"Beau" has captured my heart by storm. I want my own 'gargoyle-baby...' And ofcourse I loved the "Erik-bros" Merrick, Derrick and Erick as well as Blaise. Dare I say either Faran or Damé Fortune is 'Lord of Avalon's' Acheron Parthenopaeus or Adam Black (Monings Highlanders)??? I laughed my head off when Merewyn fell into the 'pit of despair' and ranted on for hours in her depressing state of mind. Mentioning Varian's bits and pieces...(quite literally!!!!).

What I loved from the start was no matter how Varian tried to come across as tough and evil, I kept seeing through it and in my mind knowing that he was just one of the threads woven by fate (Damé Fortune in this case) - the perfect balance of duality that, in Sword of Darkness existed between Kerrigan and Seren, existed here within this gorgeous knight who entered my heart (But then again every man with gorgeous looks and a tormented soul does... sigh!!!!).

I'm left confused however with all the "Merlins" flying around, it's either 'Penmerlin'; 'Merlin'; or 'Waremerlin' they all call themselves Merlin. But if this series continues on, I'm hoping that the things that are still confusing me will later on have a purpose and clarify themselves piece by piece.

After reading these two books I am curious to find out what the next one brings. With this series Kinley MacGregor is slowly going towards my keeper bookshelf (and that's partly because I'm completely blown away by the covers, partly because as Sherrilyn Kenyon she is one of my favorite authors and now added onto that because Varian's story caught my heart, not as much in the historical King Arthur kind of way but more leaning towards the Fantasy part. It made me feel a bit like it was leaning towards the Lord of the Rings-queste - but maybe that's only in my twisted mind (lol).

4,5 Stars