My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Alma Katsu's second book of The Taker series is an exciting read. To be perfectly honest, I liked it a lot better than the first book, The Taker. The story flows much more smoothly and the twists and turns are exciting, engrossing and gripping.
In the first book, Lanore's life in rural Maine is made much more lively by her friendship with the son of the town's founder, Jonathan. However, their relationship is more one-sided with Lanore caring much more for him than he does for her. Somewhere down the line, Lanore has to leave her home and is being sent to Boston. There she is met by Adair and his group of "friends" who introduce her to a very different life. As much as that life is full of opulence and riches, Lanny is not so happy with the way things are going. Especially when Adair forces her to bring Jonathan to him. But Lanny finds out that Adair has plans for Jonathan and she is afraid of losing the love of her life so she entombs Adair alive.
In The Reckoning Lanny is able to live her life free from Adair and his influence. She is happy and has found a new man to love until she suddenly "feels" that Adair has gotten free of the prison she had made for him. As it happens, Adair has gotten free and is out for revenge and he wants to make sure that Lanny pays for what she did to him. Lanny has to flee and try to stay alive. She also has to sacrifice her new love to protect him and those he cares about.
On the other hand, Adair finds the world has changed so much since he was imprisoned by Jonathan and Lanny. He now has to "learn" so much about the new world he finds himself in. He enlists the help of an old "acquaintance", Jude. And Adair will stop at nothing to find the woman who betrayed him.
Lanny knows she may not be able to hide from her pursuer so she tries to get in touch with the people who had been close to Adair. She needs their help though she is also afraid they may deliver her to the very man she is fleeing from.
The book is about how people can change -- some for the better, some for the worse, and some not too much one way or the other. It is about greed, selfishness, ruthlessness, and wanting redemption.
Alma Katsu tells a great story. She is able to articulate complex feelings and thoughts clearly and simply. The Reckoning is definitely a cut above The Taker and I have to admit that I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
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