Review: Sky Pirates (The Chronicles of Light and Shadow Series #3 )by Liesel Schwarz
Book Summary
Set during the Belle Epoque, Sky Pirates is a thrilling and inventive historical fantasy novel, where the myths and legends of Old Europe live side by side with the wondrous creations of modern scientists and aviators. It's also set in a world haunted by vampires, fairies, and other supernatural creatures. And it mixes a thrill-a-minute page-turning plot with a genuinely moving love story. In Sky Pirates, Elle and Marsh escape to the jungles of Cambodia in search of a sacred temple that holds the key to erasing the barrier between Shadow and Light.
Book Details
Sky Pirates by Liesel Schwarz
The Chronicles of Light and Shadow Series #3
Fiction \ Steampunk \ Paranormal
Published on June 3rd 2014 by Del Rey
Source: Publisher
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Books in the Series
Book Review
Sky Pirates is the third and final book in Liesel Schwarz's The Chronicles of Light and Shadow series and continues to be an entertaining read with touches of Steampunk and the Paranormal which keeps things fun and interesting.
Filled with globe-trotting adventure and romance, this series follows spunky heroine Elle as this time around she travels to the far reaches of the jungles of Cambodia in search of a way to break the curse placed on her beloved Hugh who is trapped between the realm of Light and Shadow, forced to wonder as a wraith in the dark recesses of the Netherworld.
One of the most enjoyable aspects I find when picking up this series is discovering just where author Liesel Schwarz intends to take the reader as Elle's adventure usually take her in quick succession to several locals across the globe.
Sky Pirates opens up in the desert of Sudan with Elle riding a mischievous camel name Hamsa and being chased by bandits. Does our heroine take cover and hide? NO! She pulls out her Colt 1878 Frontier revolver. Cleverly attached to the side of a custom made leather corset she wears over her shirt for a quick draw.
Elle reaches for it, checks to make it's loaded, aims and fires at the enemy knocking him on his butt and throws him from his camel, saving the day.
Schwarz takes readers from the sun-baked flats of Sudan to Venice, Paris, San Francisco, and the Arabian Sea to finally to the mythical City of Angkor Watt.
The story takes a new turn when Elle meets up by chance with Captain Logan Dashwood, whom if you've read book one, may remember she won his ship the Iron Phoenix in a game of poker in which was later destroyed while trying to rescue Marsh from Lady in White.
Captain Dashwood has plans for revenge at first, but after some tense negotiations (ahem, and attractions spark) and a bit of blackmailing of Elle to become part of his pirate crew, Dashwood agrees to help Elle in search of the fabled city of Angkor.
I enjoyed seeing Elle get her chance to be a part of the crew, and found the exchanges between her and Dashwood entertaining. Old friends and enemies are both back in this installment including Elle's cursed husband Marsh, Old Jack, the Baroness Loisa Belododia, the willy, and dangerous Patrice, as well as the conjured hellhound Cerberus who's task is to capture Elle. My heart went out Elle and Marsh and I can't help, but continue to root for this couple who have both endured so much together.
In the End
The Chronicles of Light series continues to be a fun hit with this reader as Warlocks, Vampires, and Fae intermingle with Steampunk airships and fun gadgets, and a destined romance between Marsh and Elle.
