Tangled Webs by Anne Bishop

Mortification Scale: 2 Tomato Faces

• 1 TF for Romantic Fantasy novel
• 2nd for being a tag-on to a series

Mitigating Factors:

• Excellent book with which to while away a few hours in Borders
• Wonderful to catch up with the gang from the Black Jewels series
• Only a couple of love scenes in this one
• A little more background on Lucivar and Daemon

Synopsis:

Back to the Shadow Realm, to catch up with the SaDiablo family. This book doesn't really advance the storyline very much, but is more like a bonus novel for those of us who loved loved loved Anne Bishops original Black Jewels trilogy.

Surreal and Warlord Prince Rainier fall into a trap set for them by a failed artist with delusions of grandeur. They are trapped, with 7 landen children, inside a "scary house" set up by three black widows. They must somehow get themselves out of the house without using Craft (magic). This plotline continues parallel to the plotline for Lucivar and Marion; Daemon and Jaenelle; and Saetan at the Keep. All of the lines converge at the end.

This was a very tight story, consistent with the previous books and a great read all on its own. There is also a bonus short story about Surreal at the end of the book. I'd recommend this to anyone who's read the previous Black Jewels. I don't know if it would be enjoyable as a stand-alone, but I love that Ms. Bishop is writing for her fans. Thank you!