Taltos

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We ended the last book, Lasher with Michael listening to Lasher’s story about how he came to be what he was and then without any remorse, Michael killed Lasher because he was corrupt and evil. He killed too many Mayfair women by trying to breed with them and he also kept his Rowan away against her will. With Rowan in a comatose state, her daughter, another Taltos, came to her out of love and gave her the milk from offspring that couldn’t be born and Rowan was well again. Once Rowan figured out what happened, she shot her child, this abomination, her child, more than once in the head. Afterwards, Michael and Rowan sat up and talked about what had happened while she was gone and he was home with Mona for company. Rowan seemed fine until the following day. She stopped talking to everyone after that. She would get dressed herself, eat whatever Michael put in front of her, but she wouldn’t pay any attention to anything going on around her. She was lost deep in her soul from all the torment she went through and killing her own daughter really took its toll. She will never bear any children anymore after her surgery but that was an emergency surgery. When Michael’s friend and confidante is deliberately run down and over in a car, Rowan decided that the family needed her help and so did Michael. She had to find out what the Talamasca was wanting besides the Taltos. If the whole group was corrupt or just a few. When she found out Mona was pregnant with Michael’s child, she understood but had to leave. After Mona tells her that she couldn’t keep Michael’s heart from giving out if she left him again so he came along. What they discover on their journey isn’t what they expected but they learn more than they thought they would.

It all comes together so beautifully when the Taltos is learned more about and Rowan begins to figure everything out. With Mona, she and another cousin, Mary Jane, take off and have to figure things out on their own. I can’t say anything more without giving something away. I really enjoyed this series. I wished it would have continued on. I didn’t want it to end or at least not that way. I wanted to know what else happened. I couldn’t imagine reading this one by itself and knowing what is going on but together with The Witching Hour and Lasher, you are going to have a great weekend of explosive emotions and a great story that really brings you into New Orleans. I was not too into the religious aspect during the story of the Taltos but that is just me being uncomfortable with that whole subject. I really got into this series. I recommend this wholeheartedly.

Lasher

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Lasher was born to Rowan Mayfair and her husband, Michael Curry. Lasher was a restless spirit bound by the Mayfair family and destined to become flesh again. He was born on Christmas and was walking and talking right off. He isn’t human even though the baby started out that way. Somehow Rowan was the doorway and Lasher was able to come through the veil of the other-world. While Rowan was intrigued by her scientific and medical brain, she fled with Lasher after having a huge fight with Michael. Michael could only grasp that his child was gone and Lasher had taken its place.

Rowan thought that she could have the upper hand with Lasher but soon found that his intelligence was much more than what she thought and had underestimated him greatly. She became his hostage and all he thought of was creating more and more of his kind. He would get upset with Rowan and hit her but would soon be sorry for it. She was to breed again. That was her purpose for him.

Michael almost died on Christmas. He was thrown into the swimming pool and about drowned. His heart was weakened and he is fighting for his life. Also he is fighting not giving up on Rowan and trying to figure out what is going on with her. Along comes Mona Mayfair. She seduces Michael and helps him deal with the loss of his child and Rowan and also healing his heart. Mona is a firecracker for sure and did I mention she’s thirteen.

This story is about the Taltos, Lasher. There is more to learn about the Mayfair family for sure and the Talamasca. Aaron Lightner, from the Talamasca is there to comfort the family about the loss of the heir to the legacy, Rowan,  and to help Michael any way he can. He feels the guilt of not being there when Michael was confronted with the Lasher situation.

I refused to put this book down and didn’t write this review until the last of the series was finished. I was enthralled with the Mayfairs and witchcraft. It didn’t take me long to finish this after learning most of the history from the first book. This storyline was entertaining and emotional to read. I felt like I was a part of the family. Rice is such a great author to be able to put you right into the story. Kudos to Rice. Great Read!

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Rowan Mayfair was known for her ability to heal with her touch as well as know when and where a person is bleeding. This made her an exceptional surgeon but a difficult person to everyone else. She was well liked but still different.  Her trips on her boat were her only salvation. Her beloved Christine was sea worthy and she preferred to go out alone since being around people made her uncomfortable. While out on one of her excursions, Michael Curry came into her life. He was clinically dead but Rowan knew there was a spark inside him by her gift, and revived him.

Michael Curry woke up with power in his hands that everything he touched, he knew all about it. It was driving him crazy and the visions he saw while he was dead wouldn’t let him be at peace. He knew that the visions meant something and he was brought back for a purpose but he couldn’t remember what he was to do.

The history of the Talamasca is a group of scholars and those who have abilities that study abnormal people and their lives. Which is how the history of the Mayfair Witches is kept. It seems that a being or ghost of some sort has been haunting the women of the Mayfairs for a long, long, time. Suzanne Mayfair had called up this being and he has attached himself to this family. He has helped them become very wealthy but when one dies, he takes his place by the next female witch in line. At long last there is Rowan.

Rowan gets a letter from Michael Curry that says he wants to meet her and lay hands on her boat to see if he could find his purpose of the visions. She wanted to meet with him since she has been dreaming of him for some reason.

Michael was born in New Orleans and walked by the Garden District and had fallen in love with a house there when he was a boy. Going back, he still could see “the man” or ghost of the house. It was the Mayfair house on First Street. When Aaron, a member of the Talamasca entices him to join him to learn more about the Mayfairs and Rowan herself, Michael couldn’t resist. Having fallen in love with Rowan when they first met, he wanted to know everything he could about her. It seems that the Talamasca knew the whole story back to Suzanne and her witch daughter, Deborah, which has ties with Peter, another member of the Talamasca.

This history is lengthy and very informative but it seems that it goes on forever but then at times this story flies by very quickly. I really enjoy this book. I have read it more than once. Actually the first time I read this series, I had started with Lasher. While at the bookstore, I was told that this book was first in the list, so I bought this one and read all them in order again. I was able to make sense of it by itself but much better with the whole series. I have a love of Louisiana now that’s for sure. You need to sit down with a cup of coffee and step into New Orleans back in the day. It is well worth it. I could write so much but it seems that I wouldn’t stop. There’s so much to tell and then again there is so much that I don’t want to reveal. Anne Rice has proven herself as a worthy vampire author but on to the witches and she’s magnificent.