Review: Vicious Circle by Linda Robertson

Vicious Circle

Author: Linda Robertson

A world where the supernatural is acknowledged (if not necessarily accepted). A world-changing destiny for the heroine. An earthy werewolf love interest and a seductive vampire homme fatale. Linda Robertson uses standard urban fantasy tropes, but her breezy style and approach to characterization helps make Vicious Circle a quick, enjoyable read.

Persephone Alcmedi is a witch who also gives werewolves a place to crash during the full moon. But when a friend is killed, and a particularly infamous vampire is singled out as the murderer, Alcmedi must use her abilities to make sure that justice is done.

While people die and innocents suffer in Vicious Circle, overall it has a breezy tone that goes down well. It is a fast-paced read with a lighter-than-expected touch that doesn't try to be DARKER THAN DARK. The writing is natural and unforced, partially because Robertson isn't trying to be more outre than the rest of the urban fantasy pack.

Vicious Circle succeeds as well as it does due to Robertson's knack for creating likable characters. In fact, I felt like the actual plot got in the way of just spending time with the book's colorful cast. But to Robertson's credit, she keeps things subdued even when the plot moves to the front of the narrative. Despite the de rigueur "Chosen One" prophecy, the action mostly takes place around Persephone's home. I like world-spanning action as much as the next reader, but this was a nice change of pace.

My goodwill towards the characters even extends to Johnny, the werewolf frontman for a "techno-metal-goth" band. Now you all know that describing a character as a goth is like a lightning rod for my ire. But Robertson sidesteps Bad Goth Depiction Syndrome by making Johnny so darned likable. I didn't see anything particularly goth about the character, but at least he wasn't depicted as a nitwit. He's a nice, funny guy in a genre overrun with moody trenchcoat ninjas. I liked him.

For me, the star of the book was Demeter Alcmedi, aka "Nana." She's loud, she's crass, she unwittingly brings home a Great Dane puppy she names "Poopsie." Nana's attitude changes as the threat level rises, but she steals the book. I wish that the marketplace could support a paranormal novel where a cranky senior citizen was the protagonist - I'd read it!

The principal threat in Vicious Circle are the vampires, and we meet two of them - Goliath and Menessos. Goliath is a bit of an enigma; he obviously has a violent temper, but he was more multifaceted than I expected at first. Menessos the local vampire master, and he fills the role of the dangerous "bad-for-you" character that is popular in this genre. I really hope that Robertson resists the urge to soften him up somehow. Characters like Menessos are at their best when they remain unsavory.

Robertson is not reinventing the wheel with Vicious Circle. But she does come up with a few interesting wrinkles that explain how things like lycanthropy and magic could function in the world she has created. Now that the perfunctory "introductory" novel is out of the way, I am curious to see where Robertson takes these characters next.