Half-Navajo Janet Begay comes to Magellan to investigate the mysterious disappearance of the police chief's daughter. But the people of Magellan sense that Janet is not what she seems, and they're right.Janet possesses extraordinary power which is tied to the storms that waft across the desert. The only person who can control her when she's caught in the storm's evocative power is Mick, a dark-haired, blue-eyed biker Janet can't seem to touch with her powers. He can wield fire and not get burned, and Janet's never sure where he goes when they're not together.
Together they investigate mysterious disappearances, which Janet fears are tied to her mother's people, the mythical gods from below the earth. They are helped along the way by Coyote and Crow, but these shapeshifting gods have their own agendas.
I finished up this book yesterday and I'd have to say that it was good, definitely worth the read, but I'm not sure if this series is going to be a stand out one or not. I don't want to imply that the book isn't fun - I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that there have been a lot of 'mixed heritage' paranormals thrown out into the market lately. I'm sure it's a factor of what's selling and what's not, but it does imply that one has to be more discerning in their tastes to decide which books are their favorites.
For this particular series, Janet and Mick are what help me place it higher up in the rankings. They have a relationship with a serious amount of sparks, and his mysterious past and present keep the reader guessing throughout. Nash is a little annoying in the beginning, but I think that's James writing true to character for this unbelieving sheriff. In general I'd have to say that the supporting cast of characters is pretty good all around, and that their motivations help keep the more mundane mysteries hidden till the end.
I hate to say it, but this might be a library read. I just can't decide how this series is going to develop and with it having so many similar elements to other ones that are already out there, I recommend trying before buying.
Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. A good beginning to a new series, but I'm going to wait and see if this series really lives up to some of the other paranormal/urban fantasy romances that are out there.
Series - 1) Stormwalker 2) Firewalker (November 2010)
