Atlantis Rising
Grade : B-

The good news is that with this book the author (aka Alesia Holliday) begins a new series featuring outrageously sexy and oversized paranormal warriors and…well, the bad news is that with this book the author begins a new series featuring outrageously sexy and oversized paranormal warriors.

For the most part, I enjoyed this story, but at the same time, the elaborate world-building and massive amounts of time devoted to the setting-up of future heroes brought out my cynical side. Still, while there isn’t anything even remotely original about the general concept and its six upcoming sequels, the author’s Atlantis and her Atlantean heroes largely succeeded in holding my attention and interest.

To make a very long world-building story short, the Warriors of Poseidon – all impossibly gorgeous, impossibly big, and impossibly warrior-like – are sworn to protect humanity. After their prince, Conlan, returns to Atlantis after long years of being held captive by a supervixen vampire type with dreams of conquering the world, their fears that Conlan might have been turned during his ordeal are set aside due to the theft of a trident that Conlan must have in order to ascend the throne and protect Atlantis. With immediate recovery critical, Conlan sets his sights on Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he senses the trident must be.

When he arrives on the beach late at night, he immediately feels the psychic call of Riley Dawson, a young social worker who has gone there for solace following a horrific day on the job. Riley, Conlan knows immediately, is an empath, someone who can both feel the emotions of others and send her own to them. There have been no empaths in the history of Atlantis for more than 10,000 years and Conlan knows immediately that Riley is somehow important to Atlantis and to himself.

Riley’s introduction to her stud is suitably dramatic when he saves her from attack by scary paranormal thugs. (To further complicate the world-building, shapeshifters "came out" ten years earlier and have now risen to positions of great power in the U.S. government. Though humanity accepts the shapeshifters, a small, but growing band of humans are on to their nefarious true purposes. Now I ask you: Since much of “humanity” won’t even accept homosexuals, how likely is that? ) Riley and Conlan psychically communicate immediately and both are in no doubt about their powerful physical and emotional connection.

Well, you get the picture. The action centers around the epic battle to save the world and Atlantis from really evil vampire types, along with a whole lot of scenes surrounding this book's version of the seemingly obligatory Warrior Boys Club. Basic character sketches are provided for each of the upcoming heroes.

As for the romance, it works well enough – but, again, without absolutely any surprises whatsoever. He is large. He is hot. She is human. She fights against the overwhelming nature of the man and her feelings, but, well…duh, I think you can guess what happens.

The author writes solid prose and knows how to tell a good story and, if this book isn’t quite on the level of that very popular series I know you’re thinking about right now, it’s also w-a-a-y better than that other, longer-running series featuring oversized paranormal warriors I know you’re thinking about. As for me, I enjoyed Atlantis Rising well enough, but can’t say I really have the interest in taking on another series. But if you like your warriors hot and paranormal and are looking for something new – if not different – then you could certainly do a lot worse.

Reviewed by Sandy Coleman
Grade : B-

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date : February 21, 2007

Publication Date: 2007/03

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