St Patrick's Gargoyle - Katherine Kurtz.

St. Patrick's Gargoyle
Katherine Kurtz
Ace Books
Copyright: 2002
978-0441009053

The description from Katherine Kurtz's website:

In St. Patrick's Gargoyle, Dublin's St. Patrick's Cathedral becomes the target of an act of vandalism, and the gargoyle guardian of the building enlists the aid of an aging Knight of Malta to assist him in his pursuit of the vandals. Combining an interest in Irish history with snatches of Templar lore, the author of the Deryni and Adept series creates a story of angelic powers and demonic forces locked in an eternal struggle. Engaging characters and gentle irony add a light touch to a metaphysical drama that belongs in most fantasy collections.

I've read and reviewed St. Patrick's Gargoyle previously, back in 2011. It's a really good book, but I find that I have to be in the right mood for it these days. This time was close, but not quite, so I found some of the character attitudes to be a bit grating. Still, by half-way through, I was finding that yet again I couldn't put the book down.

St. Patrick's Gargoyle is whimsical at the right times, if more than a bit irreverent, and full of little bits of historical imagery. Also, as with so many other Katherine Kurtz novels, the Knights Templar do come up as a part of the story.

It's reading books like this one that make me want to travel to places like Ireland to see where the author's inspiration comes from. You? Do you find that reading a book makes you want to see the places described?

I know I'll be re-reading this one again at some point. Even when it grates, the story is beautiful - especially the ending.

Read for the Hardcore Re-Reading Challenge.

My Top Seven Historical Fiction Novels

Inspired by the post over at Anna's Book Blog on her top ten favorite historical fiction novels. Here are my top seven favorite historical novels:

1. Hand of Isis by Jo Graham.
   The amazon.com blurb:
   

   Set in ancient Egypt, Hand of Isis is the story of Charmian, a handmaiden, and her two sisters. It is a novel of lovers who transcend death, of gods who meddle in mortal affairs, and of women who guide empires.

   
   I love the mix of history and fantasy in this series of Jo Graham's novels.
2.  Black Ships by Jo Graham.
   The amazon.com blurb:
   

   The world is ending. One by one the mighty cities are falling, to earthquakes, to flood, to raiders on both land and sea.
   
   In a time of war and doubt, Gull is an oracle. Daughter of a slave taken from fallen Troy, chosen at the age of seven to be the voice of the Lady of the Dead, it is her destiny to counsel kings.
   
   When nine black ships appear, captained by an exiled Trojan prince, Gull must decide between the life she has been destined for and the most perilous adventure -- to join the remnant of her mother's people in their desperate flight. From the doomed bastions of the City of Pirates to the temples of Byblos, from the intrigues of the Egyptian court to the haunted caves beneath Mount Vesuvius, only Gull can guide Prince Aeneas on his quest, and only she can dare the gates of the Underworld itself to lead him to his destiny.
   
   In the last shadowed days of the Age of Bronze, one woman dreams of the world beginning anew. This is her story.

   Black Ships is set in the same world as Hand of Isis, but covers the time-period just after the Trojan War.
3. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
   The amazon.com blurb:
   

   In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, an “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s written a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on the fan and compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together they endure the agony of footbinding and reflect upon their arranged marriages, their loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace in their friendship, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their relationship suddenly threatens to tear apart.
   
   Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a captivating journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. Now in a deluxe paperback edition complete with an expanded Random House Reader’s Circle guide and an exclusive conversation between Lisa See and her mother, fellow writer Carolyn See, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel is, as the Seattle Times says, “a beautifully drawn portrait of female friendship and power.”

   I've read this book a couple of times now, and seen the movie, loving it every time.
4. Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran
   The amazon.com blurb:
   

   The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony’s revengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome; only two– the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander–survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian’s sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.
   
   The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra’s Daughter. Recounted in Selene’s youthful and engaging voice, it introduces a compelling cast of historical characters: Octavia, the emperor Octavian’s kind and compassionate sister, abandoned by Marc Antony for Cleopatra; Livia, Octavian's bitter and jealous wife; Marcellus, Octavian’s handsome, flirtatious nephew and heir apparent; Tiberius, Livia’s sardonic son and Marcellus’s great rival for power; and Juba, Octavian’s watchful aide, whose honored position at court has far-reaching effects on the lives of the young Egyptian royals.
   
   Selene’s narrative is animated by the concerns of a young girl in any time and place–the possibility of finding love, the pull of friendship and family, and the pursuit of her unique interests and talents. While coping with the loss of both her family and her ancestral kingdom, Selene must find a path around the dangers of a foreign land. Her accounts of life in Rome are filled with historical details that vividly capture both the glories and horrors of the times. She dines with the empire’s most illustrious poets and politicians, witnesses the creation of the Pantheon, and navigates the colorful, crowded marketplaces of the city where Roman-style justice is meted out with merciless authority.
   
   Based on meticulous research, Cleopatra’s Daughter is a fascinating portrait of imperial Rome and of the people and events of this glorious and most tumultuous period in human history. Emerging from the shadows of the past, Selene, a young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, will capture your heart.

   I really need to re-read this one actually. The blurb is calling out to me again.
5. 
   Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
   The amazon.com blurb:
   

   Claire Randall is leading a double life. She has a husband in one century, and a lover in another...
   
   In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an "outlander"—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of our Lord...1743.
   
   Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire's destiny in soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie and the forbidden Castle Leoch. She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life ...and shatter her heart. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

   I remember reading this one for the first time over ten years ago. It was a book I picked up on a whim from a charity-sale table, and once I started, I couldn't put the book down. Then I discovered there were sequels...Except, I was about to go away for a month so couldn't borrow them from the library until I got back. Oh, the wait.
6. 
   Lammas Night by Katherine Kurtz
   The back cover blurb:
   

   What magic can stop Adolf Hitler - History's most evil Black Magician?
   
   Modern War
   The year is 1940
   Hitler's Germany is about to employ the secret arts of evil witchcraft to destroy England. What can stop them?
   
   Ancient Weapon
   It is the mission of John Graham, colonel in British Intelligence, to stop the onslaught of evil with an extraordinary strategy that defies all the rules of twentieth-century warfare: Unite the different witches' covens throughout England, drawing upon powers that reach back through dark centuries, in a ritual of awesome sacrifice on the first night of August, the magical Lammas Night.

   An older book that's well worth the hunt if you like historical fantasy.
7. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
   The amazon.com blurb:
   In this literary tour de force, novelist Arthur Golden enters a remote and shimmeringly exotic world. For the protagonist of this peerlessly observant first novel is Sayuri, one of Japan's most celebrated geisha, a woman who is both performer and courtesan, slave and goddess.
   
   We follow Sayuri from her childhood in an impoverished fishing village, where in 1929, she is sold to a representative of a geisha house, who is drawn by the child's unusual blue-grey eyes. From there she is taken to Gion, the pleasure district of Kyoto. She is nine years old. In the years that follow, as she works to pay back the price of her purchase, Sayuri will be schooled in music and dance, learn to apply the geisha's elaborate makeup, wear elaborate kimono, and care for a coiffure so fragile that it requires a special pillow. She will also acquire a magnanimous tutor and a venomous rival. Surviving the intrigues of her trade and the upheavals of war, the resourceful Sayuri is a romantic heroine on the order of Jane Eyre and Scarlett O'Hara. And Memoirs of a Geisha is a triumphant work - suspenseful, and utterly persuasive.
   
   I've only read the book once, but it's stuck with me ever since.

I'd meant for this to go to a full ten books, but I'm reaching a point where they wouldn't truly be my favorites any more, only books I've thrown in to fill out the list.

15 Days Book Blogging Challenge - Five of My Best Posts

If you've been following my blog for the past few days, you know by now that I'm participating in the 15 Days Book Blogging Challenge hosted at Good Books and Good Wine. My introductory post for the challenge is here, and I've been having fun writing up these posts, though I've decided to write them all up ahead of time to post each day. Quite the departure from normal for me. I'm generally more of a "write and post right away" type blogger.

How do you objectively chose five posts to spotlight? The five that are the tops in your stats? Your favorite books? Randomly? Today's post has been giving me a lot of trouble. I just don't know how to pick my best posts. I'm going to give it a try though by going with a mix of the above methods.

1. The Adept by Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris. January 16, 2012. I call it historical fantasy, Katherine Kurtz has used the term "crypto-history" on her website IIRC. Either way, this is the first book in one of my favorite series.
2. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. January 27, 2009. A book I've been re-reading regularly for more than a decade now. Some call it a teen novel, some say it's regular fantasy. I just call it a very good read.
3. Worlds of Medieval Europe by Clifford R. Backman. April 22, 2009. As I noted in my review, this was one of those rare textbooks that left me snickering as I reviewed for the final exam. It's also one that's still in my collection today.
4. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. April 21, 2011. For a short book, this is one incredibly vivid and well written story. One of my favorites too. Also, this is a book that more than a dozen people recommended to me.
5. The Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. June 24, 2009. One of those "all ages" books that's good for early teens on up. Again, the first book in the series, and one I quite enjoyed reading. I do have to point out that this is going to be a fairly quick read, as are the sequels.

The Adept - Katherine Kurtz & Deborah Turner Harris

The Adept
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Books
Copyright: 1991
0441003435

The blurb on the back of the book:

More than a doctor,
more than a detective...

He is Sir Adam Sinclair: nobleman, physician, scholar - and Adept. A man of learning and power, he practices ancient arts unknown to the twentieth century.

He has had many names, lived many lives, but his mission remains the same: to protect the Light from those who would tread the Dark Roads.

Now his beloved Scotland is defiled by an unholy cult of black magicians who will commit any atrocity to achieve their evil ends- even raise the dead!

Only one man can stand against them...
The Adept

This is the first book in the series: The Adept, The Adept: the Lodge of the Lynx, The Adept: The Templar Treasure, Dagger Magic and The Death of the Adept. Two other books, The Temple and the Stone and The Temple and the Crown are set in the middle ages in the last years of the Templar Knights are linked to this series as well. There are also two short stories set in the same world and time period in two of the Templar anthologies Katherine Kurtz has edited.

The Adept is one of those books/series which can be hard to describe, but which is (to the right reader) quite captivating. There's a term on the Katherine Kurtz website which might fit - "Crypto-history". I tend towards using the term "historical fantasy", but that doesn't quite fit for these books as they're set in contemporary times. But, if you like historical fantasy, these are still worth a try - they're littered with historical references and themes. That might be the author's MA in Medieval Studies showing through, as the most common period is the medieval era - Templar references, Scottish history and folklore and the like. There's enough of them that you're not likely to catch them all on the first read.

For example, during this past read, I picked up on a new one. There's an offhand reference to one Matthew Paris, a monk and chronicler. I never thought too much about that every other time I read the book, but this time, I'm also working my way through a biography of King Edward Longshanks, and the same figure is fairly prominent there.

Not to mention all of the Latin phrases and snippets. Trying to translate those can be rather entertaining too, though not a requirement to enjoy the book. I find that all of those add a whole extra layer to the reading experience.

An experience which is built on vivid descriptions, interesting characters and a very intriguing world concept. I said last time I reviewed The Adept, that I wish I knew of more books like this series. I've found something somewhat similar since: the books by Jo Graham (Hand of Isis and Black Ships primarily). Even so, I'd like to find more. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to see them.

Honestly, The Adept is the first book in a series that I've read before several times and I know that I'm going to be reading it again many more times.

St. Patrick's Gargoyle - Katherine Kurtz

St. Patrick's Gargoyle
Katherine Kurtz
Ace Books
Copyright: 2002
978-0441009053

The description from Katherine Kurtz's website:

In St. Patrick's Gargoyle, Dublin's St. Patrick's Cathedral becomes the target of an act of vandalism, and the gargoyle guardian of the building enlists the aid of an aging Knight of Malta to assist him in his pursuit of the vandals. Combining an interest in Irish history with snatches of Templar lore, the author of the Deryni and Adept series creates a story of angelic powers and demonic forces locked in an eternal struggle. Engaging characters and gentle irony add a light touch to a metaphysical drama that belongs in most fantasy collections.

St. Patrick's Gargoyle is another of Katherine Kurtz's fantasy novels set in the modern day world, somewhat along the lines of her Adept series (The Adept, The Adept: Lodge of the Lynx, The Adept: The Templar Treasure, Dagger Magic and Death of an Adept). There's all of her usual elements, along with a good sense of fun. And, some thought-provoking dialogue.

At the same time, it's got some beautifully bitter-sweet moments included and the whole book just kept me hooked the whole time I was reading it - even though I've read the book several times before.

I've seen some reviews of this book which called it more or less a tourist's guide to Dublin, and after skimming a travel guide or two to the city, I can see what they mean. On the other hand, it's something I liked about the book, not having been anywhere near Ireland ever. It was kind of neat to be recognizing the places in the tour guide descriptions from Katherine Kurtz's descriptions.

The biggest negative I can see with St. Patrick's Gargoyle is that it's a very short read. I was able to finish it in only a few hours reading time. And yet, there isn't really anything that could be added. Nor does the book really call out for a sequel. Although the ending was left open enough that one could be possible.

A wonderful, short read that I have to recommend to any fantasy lover.

Teaser Tuseday - September 20

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week:

Paddy recalled that this was the one where tourists were allowed  to view a few of the famous "mummies of St. Michan's." Though several relatively intact coffins were pushed against the wall to either side, their lids adorned with a few skulls and other assorted bones, there were three open coffins in the middle of the chamber, their heads pointed away from the doorway, and another open one beyond, set parallel to the back wall.

St. Patrick's Gargoyle by Katherine Kurtz, page 127

Death of an Adept - Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris

Death Of An Adept
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 1996
0441003044

According to the back of the book:

Mystic and historian, Sir Adam Sinclair is Master of the Hunt, leader of a secret brotherhood at war with the dark and unholy Powers that menace our world. In his time he has challenged the forces of evil and been victorious. Now evil is rising once again - an extraordinary evil born of ancient elemental magic and twentieth-century ambition.

And Adam Sinclair will face the most unthinkable crime against his kind: murder.

In this, the final book in the Adept series everything seems to come full circle, back to the events of the first book, with attempts by the Lodge of the Lynx, a cast of familiar villains who've been popping up through most of the other books to summon the aid of Taranis in order to take up their self-appointed task once again. At the same time, Adam's relationship with Ximena, absent except in a few references from the previous two books is taken to a new level as they prepare for marriage.

Death of An Adept is the final book in the series. The first books are: The Adept, The Adept: Lodge of the Lynx, The Adept: The Templar Treasure and Dagger Magic. Also in the same world are short stories in two anthologies edited by Katherine Kurtz, Lammas Night and, set during the Middle Ages, The Temple and the Stone, and The Temple and the Crown.

It had been long enough since the last time I read Death of an Adept that I'd forgotten a lot of the details, such as the fact that John Graham from Lammas Night has a part in this book as well. I'd thought it was just the third book in the Adept series that he came in (as well as one of the short stories), so that made it almost like reading the book for the first time. Always a neat thing to have happen.

Although this book winds up the series (and does so in a very dramatic fashion) the authors left a possible hint for more books. I just wish they'd followed through with other books. Perhaps though, this is a good end. After all, Adam is set to be married, Peregrine is married, and they'd have to find a new villain to write. More books might be a let down, although I think I'd gladly read them.

Overall, I really like this series, although there are one or two little things that niggled on this read through, namely that nearly everyone, when introduced to the supernatural and the psychic believed immediately. There seemed to be no skepticism on the part of any characters.

In all of the books in the series, any of the books from Adam's library which is used in the story, it is likely a real book: I know that Holy Blood, Holy Grail and The Temple and the Lodge, both by Baigent and Leigh are real books (they're both in my library, thanks to Kurtz). It's a neat little touch.

One thing I wish when I'm reading this series is that I could wander through Adam's library and see what else he's got on those shelves. It would be interesting to say the least.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes urban fantasy.

Dagger Magic - Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris

Dagger Magic
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 1995
0441003044

According to the back of the book:

An ancient order reawakens. A modern evil returns...

Deep within a sea cave, sacred texts of the black arts have been recovered from the corroded hulk of a World War II German submarine. Within these pages lies the power to spwan a new, demonic Third Reich - and make Aryan world conquest a terrifying reality. Now they rest in the hands of the Phurba, a vile Dagger Cult older than Christianity itself.

Only Adam Sincalir can prevent the deadly blades of the Phurba from piercing the heart of humanity. Only he can quell the darkness that lives in

Dagger Magic

As usual with the Adept series, the back of the book is rather over dramatic. Especially so for this book.

Dagger Magic is the fourth book in the series. The other books are The Adept, The Adept: The Lodge of the Lynx, The Adept: The Templar Treasure and Death of the Adept. There's also Lammas Night, short stories in two anthologies, The Temple and the Stone and The Temple and the Crown set in the same world.

The authors did something new for this series with this book: they split the storyline. The book starts with the event that will set off the mystery, the death of two Irish Fisheries officers, then moves to Peregrine's wedding reception where things start to be set up for the rest of the story. There's the main line which starts with Peregrine and Julia on their honeymoon. That one starts with the two of them discovering a dead body washed up on the beach. However, there are some hints that come earlier of another plotline where there are a mysterious series of accidents happening along a particular road. I don't want to go into detail lest I spoil the book though. Either way, the two combine to make a book that's twice the size of any of the previous three volumes in the series.

As I said with the previous books in the series, I think it would be neat to have visited Scotland, as the author has thrown in little details that would make it easier to see the places described if I'd already seen them. It's something I've noticed when I've read books that show places I've been, there's just that little extra bit of enjoyment there when something you've seen is well described.

The cover of this book, I found when I was reading it this time can be rather off-putting to anyone around you. It stars a rather gruesome dagger and the Nazi swastika on a vivid red background. I found passers by asking what I was reading, mostly I think, through disapproval of the cover being in a public place. Funnily enough, it's never bothered me. Neither has the cover of Lammas Night, which is similar in layout and subject.

I wish I knew of books with a similar style to this series as I keep reading and re-reading it, enjoying it more each time.

The Templar Treasure - Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris

Edited January 20th to add links to the other books in the series.
Edited August 21, 2011 to add the cover image.

The Templar Treasure
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Books
Copyright: 1993
0441003451

According to the back of the book:

A Secret Brotherhood. An Ancient Evil...

Mystic and historian, Sir Adam Sinclair is Master of the Hunt, leader of a secret brotherhood at war with the dark and unholy Powers that menace our world.

Now an urgent summons sets the Adept on a life or death search for the Seal of Solomon, an ancient bronze artifact that can bind - or unleash - the demons of old. Guarded for centuries by the legendary Knights Templar, the Seal has been stolen by ruthless and dangerous forces.

If humanity is to survive, Sinclair mus complete the quest for...

The Templar Treasure

This is the third book in the series. The other books are The Adept, The Adept: The Lodge of the Lynx, Dagger Magic and Death of an Adept. Also set in the same world are Lammas Night, The Temple and the Stone, and The Temple and the Crown.

The authors have filled this book with lots of little details that fill out the locations and scenes. I just wish I was more familiar with the settings. I think someone from Scotland or England who's visited Scotland before might have an even greater appreciation for the settings of the books. I know I do when I read books set in places I know or have been to.

The Templar Treasure is set about nine months after the end of The Lodge of the Lynx, and clearly things have happened since then, although everyone is still alright. Some of the things are setting up the next two books, like the relationship between Peregrine Lovat and Julia Barrett, introduced in the first book. Also the one between Ximenia and Adam.

The villains are all new as well, although just as interesting as the ones in the first two books. I can't help having some sympathy for Henri Gerard as well, despite all of the evil he ends up setting off.

Unlike the previous two books, the authors leave some of the side situations unanswered, and they don't come back to them in later books. I'd love to know what it was that Adam and the others found at Fyvie Castle in that hidden room. On the other hand, perhaps it's best not to know, even though the books are fiction.

This is the book which introduced the character of John Graham to me, although there is nothing said in The Templar Treasure to suggest that he has his own book, Lammas Night. That information came from one of the two stories set in this world in the three Templar anthologies Kurtz has edited.

Although I've seen some reviews criticizing writing in these books, to me they are 'old friends' that I can keep coming back to and enjoying over the years.

The Adept: The Lodge of the Lynx - Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris

Edited on January 20th to add links to the other books in the series.
Edited on August 21, 2011 to add the cover image and some formatting.

The Adept: Lodge of the Lynx
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Books
Copyright: 1992
0441003443

The blurb on the back of the book:

He is eternal
So are his foes...

Through countless lives and eras, the Adept has fought against the powers of Darkness. Now, as psychiatrist Adam Sinclair, he leads his loyal Huntsmen against supernatural evil in all its myriad forms.

But the Darkness is striking back - In the guise of an unholy cult long thought to be extinct. Endowed with the elemental energy of an ancient Druidic artifact, the Lodge of the Lynx stands ready to unleash destruction on Sinclair, his allies and, ultimately, all of Scotland.

The old battle begins anew - and this time the future may belong to The Lodge of the Lynx.

This is the second book in the series, which is comprised of: The Adept, The Adept: the Lodge of the Lynx, The Adept: The Templar Treasure (I'm now rereading this one), Dagger Magic and The Death of the Adept. Two other books, The Temple and the Stone and The Temple and the Crown are set in the middle ages in the last years of the Templar Knights that are linked to this series as well, although somewhat tentatively if I'm remembering right. Its been a while since I've read those two books. There are also two short stories set in the same world and time period in two of the Templar anthologies Katherine Kurtz has edited.

The Lodge of the Lynx follows up on The Adept, starting almost immediately after that book left off. Given the start of this book, I'd say it isn't more than a couple of weeks after the end of the previous book. The two books could almost be seen as one book in two parts. This was the first book from the series that I read originally, and I did find things a bit confusing at first then, as the character introductions all occurred in The Adept. Now though, having read the books several times in order, I consider them to be 'old friends'.

All of the loose ends from The Adept are wound up in this book: Gillian Talbot/Michael Scot being the main one, and a whole host of new characters are introduced. Some of them, such as the villains will turn up in later books in the series. In fact, some of the events in this book are setting the stage for the fifth book in the series, Death of an Adept.

To give you an idea of how much I've enjoyed this book, my copy is starting to look as though it came from a public library: a couple of the pages are torn, the spine is getting faded and the corners and edges are all battered.

As with Lammas Night, this is an older series, marked by Indigo Books as 'sold out', and your best bet for finding the books is a used book store.

I wish I knew of more books like these. The closest I can think of are Mercedes Lackey's Diana Tregarde books.

The Adept - Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris

Edited on January 20th to add the links to other books in this series.
Edited again on August 21, 2011 to add the cover image.

The Adept
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Books
Copyright: 1991
0441003435

The blurb on the back of the book:

More than a doctor,
more than a detective...

He is Sir Adam Sinclair: nobleman, physician, scholar - and Adept. A man of learning and power, he practices ancient arts unknown to the twentieth century.

He has had many names, lived many lives, but his mission remains the same: to protect the Light from those who would tread the Dark Roads.

Now his beloved Scotland is defiled by an unholy cult of black magicians who will commit any atrocity to achieve their evil ends- even raise the dead!

Only one man can stand against them...
The Adept

This is the first book in the series: The Adept, The Adept: the Lodge of the Lynx (my current read), The Adept: The Templar Treasure, Dagger Magic and The Death of the Adept. Two other books, The Temple and the Stone and The Temple and the Crown are set in the middle ages in the last years of the Templar Knights are linked to this series as well. There are also two short stories set in the same world and time period in two of the Templar anthologies Katherine Kurtz has edited.

As the first book in the series, The Adept sets up the major characters very well, but it also stands as a full book on it's own, although it doesn't exactly wrap everything up, leaving plenty for the next book.

As with Lammas Night, this is an older series, and your best bet for finding the books is a used book store.

There's plenty of action as well, making this an exciting book. Even though I've read it several times, I generally have trouble putting the book down at night. It's always 'just one more page and I'll put the book away'. Then I realize it's already the next day and the book is finished.

Kurtz and Harris use foreshadowing and hinting very well in all of the books to build the tension, and the events, taken in sequence, even with the magical included are very believable, building one on the next.

I wish I knew of more books like these. The closest I can think of are Mercedes Lackey's Diana Tregarde books.

Lammas Night - Katherine Kurtz

Edited on January 23rd, 2009 to add links to the books in the Adept series.

Lammas Night
Katherine Kurtz
Ballantine Books
Copyright: 1983
0345295161

The blurb on the back of the book:
What magic can stop Adolf Hitler - History's most evil Black Magician?

Modern War
The year is 1940
Hitler's Germany is about to employ the secret arts of evil witchcraft to destroy England. What can stop them?

Ancient Weapon
It is the mission of John Graham, colonel in British Intelligence, to stop the onslaught of evil with an extraordinary strategy that defies all the rules of twentieth-century warfare: Unite the different witches' covens throughout England, drawing upon powers that reach back through dark centuries, in a ritual of awesome sacrifice on the first night of August, the magical Lammas Night.

Lammas Night is an older book. I tend to say it's set in the same world as the Adept series: The Adept (which I'm reading now), The Adept: Lodge of the Lynx, The Adept: The Templar Treasure, Dagger Magic and Death of an Adept. Thing is, it was written before the other series, so properly, I should say they were set in the world of Lammas Night. However. the books don't overlap until The Templar Treasure, when Gray (John Graham) plays a role. There's also, if my memory is correct a short story in one of the Templar anthologies that Katherine Kurtz has edited (Tales of the Knights Templar, More Tales of the Knights Templar and Crusade of Fire) where Grey and Adam are interacting.

Good luck finding Lammas Night, although it's well worth the read. I ended up searching used bookstores for a few years, but it was well worth it. I've read the book before, but this last time the ending brought tears to my eyes.

Katherine Kurtz uses foreshadowing very well in this book and the others that I've read. As the book builds I found myself hoping that this time things would work out, even though I've read the book before. Of course the story didn't change though. Every time I wish it would. I don't want to say more for fear of spoiling the story, however.