Sunday, July 20, 2008

Real & perceived hugeness

The Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole
Book #2: No Rest For the Wicked

What’s funny is that when I was writing about A Hunger Like No Other below and thinking about all the different scenes, I decided then and there that was my favorite book of this series. But now that I’m thinking about No Rest For the Wicked, gosh, this one was so good, too! Maybe this one is my favorite! Maybe I have two favorites. What the heck, it’s my blog.

This is the first book in the series that revolves around the Hie, a kind of road race/scavenger hunt for the immortals.

The hero is one Sebastian Wroth, who was turned into a vampire against his will… “Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead.”


The creature is Kaderin the Cold Hearted, a Valkyrie assassin sent to kill him. Their super lusty encounter shocks them both, but Kaderin takes off - she can’t think about Sebastian; she’s in the Hie, and the prize is the ability to go back and change history (save her dead sisters!) Sebastian decides to enter the Hie, too, though he just wants to seduce Kaderin and win the prize for her, or help her. This is a very fun and sexy book, which in fact spawned a certain infamous question of the day.

Real hugeness
Here’s what I want to talk about—one of the things I most love about this whole series: Kresley Cole doesn’t do anything halfway. Everything is HUGE!

In book #1, Lachlain didn’t just hate vampires, they burnt him to death repeatedly for 150 years. Kaderin’s not just cold-hearted, she hasn’t felt emotions for centuries, ever since her sisters were killed by a vampire she spared on the battlefield. It is her fault!

And Kaderin is sent to destroy Sebastian, but when she encounters him, she doesn’t just change her mind or fall for him—nothing so minor as that. Rather, her feelings come back, and his heart starts beating again (and they have a fabulously lusty encounter in his castle where he has hitherto suffered, tormented and alone for ages). And yeah, people here live in castles. Not condos. Not houses.

The Hie is also huge. You have minefields and shark infested waters and all-consuming immortal hell fires.

This hugeness of plot just makes everything more fun somehow. I really think this series is even more clever than it appears.

Perceived hugeness

Okay, here is another observation on hugeness: did you ever notice that in this series, as well as many many others, the heroes will frequently worry that they will hurt the women with their huge cocks?

It happens over and over—I would say the majority of paranormal reads in this very blog feature this idea on the part of the hero. Yet never once has a heroine felt upset or complained or been like, Yow!

I find this somewhat humorous, and I don’t think it’s exactly intentional on the authors’ parts. Taken case by case, I believe it’s supposed to suggest, well, yes he has a huge cock, but these two are perfectly suited so…

But when you look at it as an overall trend, it can only suggest that heroes have unrealistic assessments of their own sizes. Because they always seem to think it.

More opinions

Many of my esteemed colleagues have reviewed this series, including Sula, and Lisabea whose book this is, LesleyW, whose reviews on this series are way more thoughtful than mine, Taja who just finished them, too, and probably about 10 other people on my sidebar.  And you'll find MaryKate's fab reviews of #4 and #5 here!

17 comments:

Sarai said...

Wow there for a moment I got lost at the Huge balloon. Anywho I haven't read this (I know, I know) but I loved the first so I guess I should shuffle the pile around. You know for as many books as I read a month I should be caught up right? It might be all the fantasy and M/M I keep sneaking in there...

Tracy said...

This series just kept getting better and better for me. Cole really knows how to suck you into the lives of her heroes and heroines. Love the Valkyrie! Love them. lol

Yes, now that you mention it, the whole size of their cock thing is kind of a theme, isn't it? I never noticed it AS a theme before but it truly is. Very funny. Don't most guys think theirs is larger than it is? huh. Love the picture you put up for that segment. Too funny.

Carolyn Crane said...

Sarai: well, the consensus is that the series just gets better. You and your M/M and TBR!!

Tracy: I love the Valkyrie, too. What a great invention! Yes, I think most guys think that!

Kati said...

Hi CJ! I'm so glad you're enjoying this HUGE series! Great and thoughtful observations from you, as usual.

BTW, I reviewed the IAD Books 4 & 5
here.

Carolyn Crane said...

Nice! They are officially climbing my TBR laddar!

Joanna Chambers said...

Oh CJ, you do make me laugh! I love the idea of this man apologising at length for the size of his supposedly vast schlong and the heroine going "Um... yeah. You know, I think it'll be ok! Really. I'm quite - roomy!"

Wendy said...

Even though this one is pretty good, A Hunger Like No Other continues to be my favorite - love Lachlain and Emma!

KT Grant said...

Wow, you are quite right about their huge cocks. LOL
That balloon picture is priceless!

Carolyn Crane said...

T: doesn't it seem like it keeps happening? Or it is this grave worry they have.

Wendy: Yay, a fellow book #1 fan.

KB: Isn't it weird? It's actually vintage sci fi art!

Anonymous said...

I really liked this one. And I liked what you wrote about hugeness - real and perceived. So true. The balloon picture is just perfect there. Very funny.

Carolyn Crane said...

Hey Taja!! Thanks.

Joanna Chambers said...

I've never read KC but now I will!

The Bookworm said...

great review as always! *note to self, must read Kresley Cole*
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

Christine said...

it can only suggest that heroes have unrealistic assessments of their own sizes.

heroes or all men? ;)

ChariDee said...

OK, I really need to read these books now. I love hugeness, the huger the better, especially when it's well written hugeness. Yep, gotta put these in the To Buy pile. Sigh. That darn pile keeps getting Huger, and Huger.

writtenwyrdd said...

I read and liked this book. I didn't love it, but it was a good read.

As to hugeness...LOL! Your observation is funny! I did read something recently where she looked at him and thought, hmmm, this might be a problem...but it's the only time I can think of. And I've only seen a couple of guys thinking that in books. In real life, fit is important; but to dwell on it in books seems to make for a dragging anchor in a sex scene, is my guess why they leave the thought out most of the time.

Ciara said...

I liked the first one better. But I lurve this series. All of them are good!