When last we saw Cassie Palmer, she had just been elevated to the status of Pythia-elect, the leader of the sybils. She needed only to complete one more ritual to become Pythia in fact. However, Cassie doesn't really want to be the Pythia; she just wants to have a chance to live the life of her choice without interference from mages, demons or vampires.

Now, in Claimed by Shadow, Cassie is once more on the run, filled with the Pythia's power, but refusing to use it. Meanwhile, the Vampire Senate and the mages all want to get their hands on her, and Myra, the sybil who had been trained to become the next Pythia, wants her dead.

Like the previous novel, Claimed by Shadow is a non-stop thrill ride from beginning to end, a wildly entertaining romp with a strong, likeable heroine. The story is fast-paced and barely lets up from the word "go," lightened with plenty of wry humor and more than a dash of romance.

In Cassie's last adventure (Touch the Dark), the focus was on vampires. Here, we see more about the mages, especially Cassie's nemesis Pritkin. It's obvious that Chance has even more wonders to reveal, and I am very much looking forward to the next installment of Cassie's adventures.

by Laurie Thayer
Rambles.NET
7 April 2007