Yasmine Galenorn – Sisters of the Moon series
August 20th, 2010 by Boudica
The “Sisters of the Moon” series, also known as the “Otherworld Series” by Yasmine Galenorn has reached the level of recognition it deserves. “Bone Magic” made the New York Times best seller list in Paperback Mass-Market Fiction, a place well deserved.
The series is labeled by the publisher as “paranormal romance”. Fantasy romance is my own choice as the books are more fantasy than “paranormal”. But whatever the label, this series will take you places that will spark your imagination and delight as well as entertain.
Before I go any further, a note about content. Yasmine Galenorn has never been one to be shy about sexuality. I know her from the pagan community; she is very much out of the broom closet and embraces all that it means to be pagan. This includes the pagan view of sexuality being very natural, open and honest. In many of her “romance scenes” nothing is left to the imagination. However, Ms. Galenorn treats these moments certainly not as pornography, but the exploration of human sexuality between consenting adults without the modern limitations that certain societies place upon relationships. While dressed in fantasy and drowning in romanticism, we encounter relationships that explore the intimacy of sexuality in a manner that would have been banned in Boston but is gradually being accepted in subcultures growing in today’s society. And it is done tastefully. If this kind of material bothers you, then this series is not for you.
However, that the series has made the Times Best Seller list suggests that this is not the issue it once was. While Ms. Galenorn does occasionally receive mail suggesting she has crossed a socially perceived boundary, her readers and fans do not object. In fact, they ask for more.
Having put that caveat in place, the rest of this review is dedicated to her writings.
The series is about three sisters who live in Seattle and are various forms of magical beings: a witch, a changeling and a vampire. Each book is told from the perspective of one of the sisters, so the story’s point of view varies from novel to novel.
The books center on the relationship between Earth and the Otherworld, which were once united and now are separated by dimensional doorways. The Otherworld has finally entered into the Earth World we know, and brings with it species from our myths and legends and we find out the myths and legends are based on fact. We also discover that many of these “fictional” species have been with us throughout history on our own world, but remained hidden because of human fears of things that are different. We are now face to face with these differences and everyone has their own idea of what may be good or not. And herein lies the basis for the conflicts within the stories.
The conflicts also arise in the Otherworld and this creates a setting for inner civil war that bleeds over to the Earth World. And here is where the sisters come into play. They are all children of both Otherworld and Earth, so their feeling for both worlds is of equal respect. And they are all that stands between the backlash from the conflicts in the Otherworld and Earth. They have a duty to support Otherworld while defending Earth.
They have their own agency to deal with these matters, an offshoot of an official office established by earth side law agencies and they receive assistance from both earth side creatures of myth and humans as well as those who assist from the Otherworld. There is magic, adventure, fantasy and all of this is wrapped in a cloak of romance. Not just physical, but also the kind of romance that is sung of in legend. There is respect, honor, and the call to duty. The characters are strong personalities, especially the women. No flinching from distasteful enemies or fainting at the site of blood. These women get into the heart of the battle just as easily as they get into the hearts of the men in their lives. And they do it in style, by the way. No shabby wardrobes here; we are given a full fashion statement as well as their choice of armor and armament.
The stories and plots are very original, and the books are tied into the theme with running plots, subplots and counterplots to keep the material interesting while linking the books together. And the romantic interludes provide the kind of spice that readers of “romance” novels always wanted but will never find in run of the mill romance series. They are very tastefully done whilst leaving you panting for more.
If you are looking for a little spice and fantasy in your romance novels, these are great books for those hot summer days when there is nothing else to do but sit quietly and read. However, be advised that these books will keep you on the edge of your chair and will require ice to cool down the hot blooded relationships. Enjoy!
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