The Summoner Aphrodite’s Apples Press
April 8, 2007REVIEWED BY:
SCORE:
Author: Alisha Steele
Publisher: Aphrodite’s Apples Press
REVIEW:
CONTRASTS REVOLVING AROUND TORRID SEX
The Summoner by Alisha Steele is one of the most erotic books that I have ever read. The eroticism is possible due to the collision of the real world and the underworld.
The main character, Alex, is a no-nonsense, young woman who manages a Safe House for abused women and children. She is tough and sassy, and completely her own person.
“Her nightshirt …was so ancient the fabric was practically see-through at her shoulders and across the top of her modest B-cup breasts. And didn’t that make her feel older than dirt. She’d dated guys who were younger than her sleep apparel.”
Not exactly the image one would have at the beginning of an erotic novel! Although this was exactly the type of person I wanted to see!
Alex has been plagued by periodic nightmares from a very early age. She is in a bleak, murky landscape hearing her name being called out and something more.
“Aaalexxx…”“Alexaaandraa…”“Hear me, Summoner…”
Alex continues her daily life dealing with new arrivals at the Safe House, and settling into her Victorian house in
Seattle. In her house, the nightmares start up again after a 10-year absence. She tries to weather these particularly trying dreams by going on with her life.
In one of her dreams, she can’t take it anymore and she summons the voice she hears. Here our modern, strong Alex is face to face with Kasdeya, a being so fantastically beautiful, and as equally frightening.
This is why I liked the book; contrast. The modern world and the ancient world colliding by the meeting of two entities who are as opposite as any could be.
Alex’s personality is a winning element of this book; she is likeable and believable as a young, self-possessed woman. Any woman reading this book would find Alex a good friend, and a moral, decent person.
At home, Alex is constantly bothered by the demon showing up in all of the mirrors and reflective surfaces in her house. We enter again into a contrast between Alex’s demonic home-life and her reality-based work.
Another fine woman is introduced. Rose is Alex’s best friend and employee at the Safe House. Maternal and honest, wise and caring, Rose is very perceptive to Alex’s dilemma.
Alex is completely exhausted and distracted by the constant harassment of Kasdeya, all the while there are real-life menaces facing her. Rose sees that her friend is in trouble. Rose tries to get the details but Alex is not talking. This, I found, all too real! Finally she admits to having bad dreams and insomnia. Rose suggests that she visit an occult shop for a sleep remedy.
When Alex enters the shop, she meets Melynda. Melynda is another contrast in this novel, unusual and eccentric; she’s bought her attire on E-Bay, but is a witch and belongs to a coven. Melynda knows that she is looking for something more than an insomnia remedy. After a brief comment from Alex, Melynda recognizes her immediately as the Summoner. She knows that Alex has “nabbed” a demon. Then Alex finds out that her demon is in fact a Prince of Hell and the brother of Shaitan, the devil himself. Alex leaves with more on her demon and her own powers.
As Alex tries her power to banish Kasdeya, he breaks through her hard-crust exterior and seduces her. “Her body acknowledged defeat before her mind did.”
Now the torrid sex begins; Kasdeya’s ploy to keep Alex from banishing him. Soon, the sex grows into an attraction and all-encompassing spell around the two lovers. There is still hesitation on Alex’s side. She’s not quite sure what to make of this “relationship”, but she enjoys herself too much to break it off. As for Kasdeya, he finds with amazement that his disgust for mortals does not apply to his “little pet”.
Until Alex faces a life-threatening attack, neither she nor Kasdeya realize the depth of their attachment.
I will say I would have liked to have had more information on the dark side and the occult. Though well-placed eroticism is enticing and heady, I did feel this story falls into overkill. A little is good reading, but for me there was too much. I’m sure readers who enjoy erotic-heavy works will love this book. I prefer plot-heavy.
Many of my preconceptions of Heaven and Hell were challenged. I liked this! Heaven’s creatures came off far crueler than any of Hell’s minions.
Because Alex remains the moral person she is; she makes the supreme sacrifice for one of the children at the Safe House. I found this another interesting contrast; finding a good, loving woman cast out of God’s favor for an act of selflessness.
I give this book 3 flutes for a superficial but easy read, non-macho but excessive sex, and being unexpectedly surprised by the series of contrasts up until the end.
