Reviewer: Lori Graham
Title: True Blood
Author: Patricia Waddell
Publisher: Tom Doherty Books
ISBN: 0-765-35464-0
Release Date: September 2006
Genre/Sub-genre: Paranormal - Futuristic Romance
Year/Setting: Unknown Future/Earth, Korcia & other planets within the galaxy
Overall Rating: 4.5
Sexual Content Rating: Sexual
Language (Profanity) Rating: None
Violent Content Rating:Mild (Referred to but not graphic)
Patricia's Website: www.patriciawaddell.com
Danna MacFadyen is a diplomat with the League of Planets, a Terran with psychometric skills. This means she can pick up "dreamscapes" from objects she touches – if that object was important to the person who was touching it. She has been asked to join a team looking into an explosion on a space freighter. There is some question as to whether or not it was an accident. All in all, she is pretty excited about getting out in the field and using her skills.
The primary team is made up of herself, Magistrate Gilfo of the Japolean Court (neutral party) and Commander Cullon Gavriel of the Korcian Empire. There were additional members of the preceding Tribunal but these three would actually do the investigation and report their findings. Initially, the findings were leaning towards an accident as there was no real evidence to think the explosion was created by anything other than a natural event. However, Danna can’t shake the feelings overwhelming her with the dreamscapes that there is more going on with this situation.
It turns out she is quite right. Cullon knows more than he initially lets on but brings Danna into his confidence when he sees her dreamscapes bringing things to light that he needs more information from. Unfortunately (at least it appears that way), Danna reports even what Cullon told her to the Tribunal. She feels they are trying to prematurely close the findings and that Cullon is allowing it so he can go off and solve the mystery on his own. She can’t allow that to happen so she uses all her skills to convince the Tribunal to allow the investigation to continue.
Now, the question begs to be asked. Is she more interested in solving the mystery or in figuring out her fellow investigator?
I have to admit that with the exception of some of the different names (Korcia, etc.) I could easily see this happening in just about any time period. Substitute a few country’s names for planet’s names and change a name like General Tutunjan to General Smith and this could be placed in any time period, any geography. With that came a great ease of read to this story. I will admit I stumbled over a few of the proper names but that could also be kind of fun thinking of all the different ways they could be said. Once you got the hang of it though, it didn’t really make any difference because you had laid the groundwork in your mind.
The greatest part of this work, however, was the characters. Each of the characters, main or secondary, were really well fleshed out and complete. I could create of picture of them in my head with incredible ease. These players were far from one-dimensional and each unique ranging from Gilfo who was a dwarf to Cullon. Cullon created quite a challenge for Patricia Waddell to lay out in such a manner the reader could fully grasp him. I believe it is a bit easier to create a Terran (Danna) because we have a frame of reference for a human. But a Korcian - - well, that one Patricia had to completely build with every detail especially his ever changing eyes.
I enjoyed Danna with her courage and quite frankly spunky nature but I was particularly drawn to Cullon. This was truly a character completely built from scratch and yet made to be so very real. Truly an enjoyable piece to read and the mystery within it creates a bit of anticipation to get to the end. Well done!
Lori
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