The Third Circle (Arcane Society, Book 4) | Amanda Quick | Do not read in order of publication....

The Third Circle (Arcane Society, Book 4) | Amanda Quick | Traveling through the ages with the Arcane Society

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The Third Circle (...

	The Third Circle (Arcane Society, Book 4) Amanda Quick Putnam Adult, 2008 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 30 reviews view larger image
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Do not read in order of publication. See review...

Leona Hewitt's power is crystal working. Crystal workers are held in a very low opinion in the Arcane Society due to the legend of Sybil, the rival of the Arcane Society's founder, Sylvester. In her time, Sybil used the green Aurora Stone often. The crystal is useless unless it is activated by someone with the very rare talent. The Aurora Stone was stolen from Leona's mother eleven years ago. So when Leona received word that Lord Delbridge currently had possession of the stone, she crashed his party to retrieve it. The last thing Leona expected was to meet Thaddeus Ware, especially while he was standing over the body of a streetwalker with her throat slashed.

The papers call the serial killer the Midnight Monster. Gabriel Jones, the new Master of the Arcane Society, has given Thaddeus the job of finding out the name of the killer and stopping him. The killer is not only an intelligent madman, but is also a Hunter. Using a Hunter's psychical abilities means that the normal police would never capture him. When Leona crashes into Thaddeus, he immediately sets out to get her to safety. However, it turns out that the lady is after the same artifact he is. Circumstances soon compel the two to join forces. For Leona's protection, she and her extraordinary dog, Fog, move into a townhouse with Thaddeus and his formidable great-aunt.

Another secret society, The Third Circle of the Order of the Emerald Tablet, has been promised the Aurora Stone as a gift from Lord Delbridge and they are en route to pick it up. The Third Circle will also need someone able to work the crystal. It just so happens that Lord Delbridge knows about Leona's crystal talents.

**** Let me say first off that you should NOT read the first four books of this series in order of release. Instead, read them in the order events happened. Read in the following order:

SECOND SIGHT, Book One
THE THIRD CIRCLE, Book Four
WHITE LIES, Book two
SIZZLE & BURN, Book Three

In this story readers will see the J&J agency's birth. After this book, the story jumps to the modern day with the title, WHITE LIES (book two). Readers get the last of the solid foundation needed to set up the rest of this series. Krentz made sure to keep all of the era's rules of etiquettes in mind as the situation evolved around the story's characters. I found that the secondary characters are almost as interesting as the main. The great-aunt is included in a sub-plot, which makes the entire story even more entertaining. Highly recommended! ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

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Traveling through the ages with the Arcane Society

I've been reading Amanda Quick stories since SEDUCTION hit the book shelves, quickly followed by Jayne's contemporaries and futuristics. Her Arcane Society books have been a delightful travel through time, connecting her writing in her historical and contemporary sub-genres.

The Third Circle, while still part of the history of the Arcane Society's creation, brings us another element of para psychology. A crystal worker and a psychological hypnotist. While they investigate the disappearance of a special crystal and a series of gruesome murders, our heroine and hero interact with Quick's usual Victorian period sensibilities and dry wit. For me, the discovery of a love so pure it affects the hero and heroine on "a metaphysical plane" carries this story as much as the plot.

Another reviewer suggested that you read the stories as they happen chronilogically rather than in publication order. You can, but trust me, we're going to go back and forth through time with this special society and I for one don't want to wait until they're all written and published to enjoy such good reading!

Thanks Amanda/Jayne!

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OK- not the best in the series

I think the idea of the series is a very clever one in that JAK can write books with the ongoing theme of the Arcane Society that carries over from the past (as Amanda Quick)into the present(as JAK). Some of the previous books in this story have been pretty good. This one is probably my least favorite of all so far. The characters didn't grab me as they have in other stories. I didn't feel that I knew them any better at the end of the book as I did in the beginning. Thaddeus is a member of Society, but how does he fit into it? Nobility? Gentry? It is difficult to know. There was not enough family background to really understand either of their histories. They were likeable, but not compelling. If you have been following the series you should read this just to keep up with the storyline- otherwise you can pass this one up pretty easily. My fingers are crossed for Caleb's story and Fallon's from the JAK lineup.

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Good but not Great

The Third Circle by Amanda Quick was a good novel don't get me wrong, but it wasn't a great one---at least not by old Amanda Quick standards. The premise is a familar one, the lead characters must find something that was stolen from one of them, catch a murderer, and foil a super-secret society derived from another secret society while falling in love along the way. Like I said---a familiar premise.

Unfortunatly, I just could not get into this book. Leona, the heroine was a likeable character while the hero Thaddeus (gotta love the name!) is all that he should be, I just wasn't feeling it. Perhaps it is simply too many Arcane Society novels. Either contempary or historical, take your pick. I am ready for something different from the author--perhaps why I liked The River Knows so much. That was more like vintage Amanda Quick.

All in all though, The Third Circle does set up for future Arcane Society novels---Caleb Jones is a very intriguing character--the book is a pleasant way to pass the time. Still, I'm glad I checked this out from the library though.

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not her best

Although I have enjoyed all of JAK's books under all three names, this one is by far the least enjoyable. This book seems to be a combination of other books, just rewritten with differnt names.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, page 5, 6

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