Swallowing Darkness (Meredith Gentry, Book 7)

I loved this book! I didn't have very high expectations when I started it (primarily because I made the mistake of reading the Amazon.com reviews, which skewed poor), but I was hopeful as the series had really picked up with "A Lick of Frost" and I wasn't disappointed. The book was wonderful and has fully restored my faith in the talents of Laurell K. Hamilton.

I listened to the audiobook before buying and reading it myself, and the new narrator, Claudia Black from the tv shows "Farscape" and "Stargate SG-1," did an amazing job. As soon as I finished the last disc I went out and bought a copy so I could re-read it. So many major plots are resolved in this book it makes up for the pacing problems in the last couple of books.

I don't understand the complaints or negativity about this book at all. Yes, I agree that there were some problems with the last couple (okay, maybe several) books, primarily the focus on sex to the exclusion of plot, but that's been fixed in this book- the sex is almost nonexistent and what there is does not get in the way of progression of the story. It was worth everything in the previous books to get to this point. The author has made it clear that this is NOT the last book in the series but it could easily function as the ending, with as much resolution that occurs.

I highly recommend that anyone who loved "A Kiss of Shadows" or any of the early Merry Gentry books pick this one up, even if they strayed from the series, because this book is terrific.

I'm not quite sure why people keep saying this is the last Merry Gentry book - it's not. Ms. Hamilton has stated numerous times that it most definitely is not the last Merry book.

I'm also not sure why so many people are up in arms about Merry supposedly forgetting she was raped. This book takes place over the space of a few hours, not days or weeks. It's very easy to forget something (that you don't remember happening to you in the first place) for a few hours while people are trying to kill you and your loved ones.

I like this book and the other books in the series. I especially like the ending which I'm not going to describe since that would be a spoiler. I am very much looking forward to the next book.

When I first finished this book I was disappointed. The ending was not at all as I expected. However, after further thought I have to give LH her due for the unexpected ending. As a loyal fan I was put off by the uncharacteristic behaviors of some of the characters. LH had alot of loose strings dangling and had to tie them together somehow. Granted some connections were a bit sloopy and ridiculous but she got the job done and returned the storyline to its roots. This book reminded me of the term paper from hell. After countless revisions and reviews you know it's not your best work but you turn it in anyway because you know you have nothing else to give to it. So.....I believe that the next book is going to be great and filled with lots of explainations because I just can't get over the guards abandoning Doyle. Remember a twist in the plot is a good thing.

In spite of the few reviews I read, I really liked the book. I agree that there were many inconsistancies in the characterizations, but, for some reason, I didn't mind. (I mean, after all, how long was it going to have to take for Merry to toughen up against all her enemies???)

I really enjoyed having (at long last) a book that was more plot than sex from Hamilton's pen. It had reached a point where more pages were devoted to the sex scenes than to the actual story. This book, to me, was a nice change, and if it truly is the end of the story, I'm glad it was the best of the series.

I hope there is more to come. I really like how she writes. It keeps you reading all night lone. I do not want to put it down.