fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsDon't Kill the Messenger by Eileen RendahlDon’t Kill the Messenger by Eileen Rendahl

Don’t Kill the Messenger is a paranormal romance that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Eileen Rendahl is not a visionary writer, but in this genre she doesn’t need to be, as long as she knows how to write a handsome, edgy love interest for the main character. My cynical attitude aside, Don’t Kill the Messenger is really not bad.

Melina drowned as a young girl. The near-death experience brought some pretty amazing changes, as she went from being Mundane like the rest of us to having her eyes opened to the things that go bump in the night. Melina’s special abilities enable her to become a Messenger, delivering messages and packages from one supernatural being to another. It’s risky work. A recent job lands her face down on the concrete after being jumped and having the package she is supposed to deliver stolen.

Don’t Kill the Messenger tells the story of Melina’s transformation from lowly go-between to someone who is willing to stand up for what she thinks is right. Rendahl’s cast of characters isn’t particularly special, but she doesn’t go overboard and make everyone sexy and irresistible and otherwise over-sexualizing the story. The bad guys are well-developed; their ruthless, self-serving motivations are so much easier to swallow than some need to just be evil. It’s still a paranormal romance, but there is enough action and adventure that I was not put off by all the relationship-focused parts of the book.

As a time-filling novel, Don’t Kill the Messenger is easy to enjoy. The pace is fast, there’s enough humor to entertain, and Rendahl does not spend too much time with her characters in between the sheets, which would have ruined the story. Not too shabby….

Began in 2010. Publisher: The first in a fantastic new paranormal series about a messenger from the supernatural underworld. Melina Markowitz is a Messenger, a go-between for paranormal forces and supernatural creatures. Problem is, when a girl’s a go-between, it’s hard not to get caught in the middle… When ninjas steal an envelope from Melina, her search leads her to a Taoist temple in Old Sacramento, where the priests seem to practice Zen and the art of mayhem. Melina learns from the handsome ER doctor (and vampire) who gave her the envelope that it contained talismans created by the priests to control Chinese vampires, who are attacking gang members to spark a street war. Although he may look more like a surfer than a cop, Ted Goodnight is dead serious about investigating the surge in gang violence. At every turn he runs into Melina, a very attractive — and very mysterious — young woman. Can Melina enlist his help to battle something he doesn’t even believe in without blowing her cover?

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  • John Hulet

    JOHN HULET is a member of the Utah Army National Guard. John’s experiences have often left a great void that has been filled by countless hours spent between the pages of a book lost in the words and images of the authors he admires. During a 12 month tour of Iraq, he spent well over $1000 on books and found sanity in the process. John lives in Utah and works slavishly to prepare soldiers to serve their country with the honor and distinction that Sturm Brightblade or Arithon s’Ffalenn would be proud of. John retired from FanLit in March 2015 after being with us for nearly 8 years. We still hear from him every once in a while.