From Publishers Weekly
Though Farren's sequel to
Kindling (2004) contains orgiastic sex scenes, sadomasochistic romps and dark magic rituals, this alternate history is more intrigued by its own big black zeppelins than any girl-on-girl whip action. Cordelia, Jesamine, Argo and Raphael are "The Four," a multicultural band of teenagers able to function as a group mind that psychically fights Dark Things in the Other Place. Their powers are necessary to save the free world from the ravening Mosul Empire and its evil enchantress. The Four grow in mystical power and in their desire for alcohol and sex. They also become aware of their proclivities: Cordelia experiments with lesbianism and whips, while Jesamine succumbs to the sexuality of one Jack Kennedy, the prime minister of the Kingdom of Albany. Kennedy uses the Four to fight the Mosul enchantress, who seeks to enslave the world or destroy it and all its alternates. Confusing and murky, the mishmash of ahistoric detail, sexual innuendo and strange magic weighs things down until the plot is as hungover as the characters.
(June) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
The Four of Farren's
Kindling (2004) are plagued by visions of mysterious, pale twins. Meanwhile, freeing Virginia from Mosul rule goes well, with the Kingdom of Albany turning back the horde with surprisingly little supernatural aid. When Prime Minister Kennedy goes to London to negotiate with the English and Norse, the Four accompany him per the mysterious Yancey Slide's advice. They meet spies from the Morgana's Web network and hear rumors about the envisioned twins related to a breeding program Jeakqual-Ahrach has been working on. Then in one chaotic day and night, Kennedy is assassinated, and Four member Lady Cordelia is kidnapped and, with a detour past a pyramid being built in Amiens for some nefarious Mosul purpose, whisked to Paris. The other three Four (Argo Weaver, Jesamine, Raphael Vegas) come to her rescue, with Yancey and a group of Rangers striking at the heart of Jeakqual-Ahrach's most destructive plan yet. The struggle for freedom from a nearly unstoppable colonial force that Farren's fantastic alternate history portrays is altogether gripping.
Regina SchroederCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
