Host

So first Bloodring and then Seraphs and now Host. Same pros and cons pretty much. Unique setting. Good characters. Some convoluted and repetitive, yet remarkably difficult to understand, explanations of some of the metaphysical stuff. I could probably do with less of the harem of guys gravitating toward Thorn - though it is refreshing in a way seeing her not tossing herself into wild sex with them all (as opposed to, say, Anita Blake).

And in the wake of the first book I wondered "if a lot of things get explained better as the series goes on. The answer seems to be, for the most part, no. The "soullessness" of neo-mages is just accepted (to the point of ignoring that Thorn seems more able to call on seraphic support than pretty much anyone else), but never explained. Mage-heat is always there, but there isn't so much as a decent theory as to how or why that came about. The idea that seraphs may be aliens rather than angels is still floating around without proof either way. For the story arc of the trilogy, I suppose the answers aren't really necessary. It is, however, a plus. I find settings that don't have such big unanswered questions or apparent holes to be more believable and engrossing. It makes me wonder if that RPG based on the series will actually come out, and if they'll answer anything there.