Talon
Posted by Editor Alexandra Wolfe | Filed under Book reviews
Title: TALON
Author: J. P. Mercer
Publisher: P. D. Publishing, 2006
ISBN: 1-933720-03-4
Rated: 3 Stars
Genre: Action Romance
I was a little reluctant to read this because I’m just tired of lesbian fiction being filled with Bigger Than Life CIA operatives, detectives and doctors wearing Armani suits, all who get laid five nights a week by a different gorgeous, anonymous pickup gals in a bar. One can only read, oh, three or four hundred of those and then the plot gets a little tiresome.
That said, however, a friend twisted my arm until I screamed Uncle! and agreed to read this one. While my arm is a tad sore, I’m very glad that I read it!
Here’s the gist of it:
Liberty Star has just finished FBI training and has joined the Talons, a secret and elite operative group formed by the President to address the rapid rise of terrorism. She rises in ranks to become the deadliest, most accurate operative in the group. In the process she looses much of her humanity.
The Talons have been corrupted by the Vice-President in his quest for money and power. Unbeknownst to the President, the VP utilizes the group to his advantage right on down to murder for his political gain. And then one by one the Talons start disappearing.
After Liberty is ambushed in a murder attempt she runs to the mountains of northwestern Montana. Her plan is to take refuge at a ski resort in order for her physical wounds to heal. Here she meets Kayla Sinclair, the owner of the resort.
Kayla of course, has her own demons to deal with. She used to be the best woman downhill skier in the world. An avalanche put an end to that. It didn’t end her life but it might just as well have. It killed her lover and soul mate and sent Kayla spinning into a world of alcohol and denial to escape her pain.
By the time these two damaged women meet neither one believes they can find happiness again. Then the danger of whoever is assassinating the Talons engulfs the two of them and threatens to swallow them alive.
I enjoyed this book very much. J.P. Mercer has stuffed it chock full of action, espionage and romantic tension. Considering its genre, this book was quite a pleasure. The writing is far more mature than even the most heralded lesbian fiction authors. I do wish however that the author had expanded and gone into more detail with most of it. Simply put, I wish the book were twice the size it is.
Evidently others enjoyed the book as much as I did. Talon was the finalist in the 2007 Golden Crown Literary Society’s Mystery/Thriller award.
REVIEWED BY JARRON ENNIS
Kissed By Venus is a web site for the discussion and promotion of lesbian literature. We publish lesbian fiction, articles, book reviews, and interviews.
May 21st, 2009 at 8:35 am
I really enjoyed this book as well. Nice job of summing up the plot line without giving anything away. And your summary really is spot on. This is definitely more of an action/adventure type of book rather than a romance. Great review of a real “page turner”.