Crystal Flame by Jayne Ann Krentz

Crystal Flame by Jayne Ann Krentz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SFR Reading Challenge 2011- I'll keep this here even though it might be better termed a fantasy set on another planet.


3.5*
Crystal Flame is a companion book to Sweet Starfire, although both are stand-alone reads. They are set int he same universe, but have no characters or events binding them. Sweet Starfire is an excellent sci-fi romance which I highly recommend. Crystal Flame is more fantasy than romance, and while still enjoyable, was a weaker book overall.

The story starts out strong, with main characters who are well-drawn and interesting. The plot set up well done and the book involves a favorite device of mine, the "road trip" with hero and heroine. The book starts to flounder when the two traveling companions reach their destination, and the real "fantasy" part of the plot comes to the fore. The entire history of the "Keys" was vague, and from there the plot gets vague as well. I still don't quite understand the power of the Keys or how it was channeled or controlled, and why, so what should have been the pivotal scene in the book is just sort of "whatever."

At over 400 pages, Crystal Flame could have used some good editing to remove redundancies and tighten the story to about 350 pages.

All that aside, I still enjoyed the story, especially the main characters, and will definitely read the last story set in this universe, Shield's Lady.

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