Sin Undone by Larissa Ione Review

I decided, while riding the strong currents of the book-high Sin Undone produced, an attempt at a review was a definite must. Generally the idea of giving/writing a review for a book makes me bulk and quake (I feel I suck at writing them); however, Sin Undone and Larissa Ione deserves the best I can attempt.

Each book in the Demonica gets better than the last where it becomes hard to choose a favorite. In my estimation Sin Undone was the best out of the previous four before it. Larissa neatly ended the Demonica series and brilliantly introduced/teased with the spine-off Lord of Deliverance

In Lore’s book, Ecstasy Unveiled, we were introduced to Sin and Conall, the attraction the two had. Sin was everything I like in my heroines: saucy, independent, able to hold her own in a male dominated world, bad-ass, a fighter, and yes tortured by her past. Though her past and mine vastly differs (greatly) I connected with Sin on a much deeper level than the previous four heroines.

My evil side is rearing up for me to add this… For you Luc lovers, well let’s just say you will NOT be disappointed about his role in this book and possibly shocked. * grins sweetly* That is all I am going to say on that front.

Wraith was his usual sarcastic, charming self along with the other brothers. As for Conall - his species is completely different which intrigued me. He fit Sin like the perfect puzzle piece. The romance aspect did not disappoint and fed the needs that I had.

For all who are anticipating this book, you all are in for a definite treat. Thanks again Larissa for giving me a world that I can loose myself in, and the sweet message you inscribed in my book.

De-skimpifying a character's wardrobe

Only a few people (mostly my role playing cronies) possibly remember my golden-haired changeling/shape-shifter Kiirri Dallig (Morindum). She was my very first character, my most beloved and cherished, and the one many of my rping buds responded best too (with my drui Zion and drow Isto'barra coming in second).

At the time of her creation I was testing the waters; especially with her ensemble. I am ashamed to say that I followed along with the crowd on the skimpy clothing deal. For a while it seemed the skimpier the outfit, the more people paid attention and wanted to react to her.

Guilty.

Couple months back I had decided to give Kiirri's story a make-over, deleting some characters that no longer fit, and inserting new and improve characters to the story-line. The majority of the story got scrapped (believe me, I did right on this; it jumped far too often.)

For some days now I have had a scene playing in my head. Those who have read the miserable first draft may remember this. It was the one many have reacted and responded to on my fictionpress days.

The scene is where Kiirri gets rip, roaring drunk. She is with Fei, at his place (can not remember "why" she was there in the first place) and well, the two have been skirting around their attraction for some time. Alcohol helped Kiirri loosen her inhabitions (*smirks* doesn't it always?).

Kiirri and Fei somehow manage to tumble onto his bed. She's on top.. there's much kissing and clothing removal. Fei asks again if Kiirri is certain she wants this... Poor girl, she nods only to pass out on the drow.

See, Kiirri was never much of a drinker. Her adopted mother, a sylvan elf royal, never seen the benefit of polluting one's body with booze, and so taught her charge that, just as the woman taught her adoptive daughter to see what is within than the outter appearance (as Kiirri proves to do with Fei on seeing him).

That scene, with some tweaks, is remaining in the story. Hey even I like it.

Last night, and then today, while doing dishes (ALWAYS happens this way) I decided to give Kiirri a make-over. No worries, I am NOT changing her coloring. She will still be golden haired, peach n' cream skin tone, and azure-blue eyes.

To give you an idea of her "old" look is here: http://www.elfwood.com/~rachelf/Child-of-Prophecy.3140238.html (the drawing is old and yes I'm aware sucky)

Now, by looking at her, you would never guess/think that she was raised by a sylvan elf. Yeah, most would think "Bimbo". About Kiirri, she is hunted by demons for an essense buried deep into her person, an essence a certain Demon King covets so he can once more reign havoc on the world. This essense gives her an aura of purity and innocence, no matter what she does.

The new look, hair wise. Instead of wearing her hair loose (which would be a pain in the arse for a bounty hunter when they are thick in the fighting aspect) I thought perhaps she could wear it in a series of braids, much how sylvan elf rangers and trackers do. Gonna skip the hair dying part.

Another aspect that I'm toying with. My sylvan elves, especially from Aelin Forest, to show how much pain they can tolerate, especially since their ears are so sensitive, to see how many piercings they can get in each ear. The con to this... earrings have a tendency to snag and get torn out of one's ears. A friend suggested an ear cuff which I like.

And another aspect is tattooing. Where Kiirri's adoptive mother came from (yes Zhimmer came from Aelin Forest) tattoos are seen as a rite of passage, to show one's advancement from childhood to adult hood. The tattoo is anything the wearer wants along with its placement.

Now we get into her wardrobe. Now I was debating on giving her a top much like in this picture (love this artist's work) but a little longer to tease along the belt/pant line. http://nathie.deviantart.com/gallery/?8631161#/d2r86wc .

Or a leather jerkin. This one: https://www.by-the-sword.com/acatalog/100764.jpg , without the sleeves, more fitted for a female frame, but not as long. The hem would fall like the top, flirting along the belt and pant line but showing just a slither of her trim belly. Trousers/breeches are loose yet not tight, allowing for easy maneverabilty. Her boots will be much like the sylvan's, soleless. The leather bracers and pauldrons I could see came from Zhimmer so they would be decorated accordingly.. All this she hides beneath a drab, dungy colored cape

Any ideas or input one will like to supply would be excellent. Remember this is for fantasy fantasy, elven type world.

The Top Twelve Cons against Book Character Role Playing on Facebook

A little FYI - I, myself, am a role player.

My start was in AOL chat rooms. For a spell, I observed the players before I felt comfortable and confident to join. Now my first character was very loosely based on a book character, the changeling part, but she had my looks and shy personality.

It took me years of modifying the character, flushing her out, and giving her the personality my fellow players liked about her. Kiirri Dalig came from my own mind, her background to her future.

Kiirri's creation taught me a valuable lesson. She was my creation. I had her future and offspring mapped out, and it would kill me to see another attempting their own storyline with my character.

This is why I respect other authors by not attempting to role play their characters.

The Cons Against Book Character Role Players

1. Sooner or later, a player is going to think the author "took their idea" and then demand payment or recognition for "their work"

2. Some fans may not realize that the RPers have no idea or clue what is going on in current WIPs and these fans may believe what the RPers are saying will make appearances in upcoming books. Confusion and disappointment reigns when what they read from the RPers standpoint does not show up in the new releases.

3. Some RPers think nothing of spamming other authors and cause general annoyance.

4. It looks tacky and rude to non role players seeing these characters posting on other author pages where there is no association.

5. Most RPers do not have personal pages just character pages. Their opinion will be coming out of the mouth of a character created by someone else. No matter the skill of the player, they can not adapt to a character they did not create.

6. RPers tend to "sluttify" their "borrowed" characters

7. The RPers eventually stop buying the author's new release because they feel their progress/direction is better than the creator's.

8. They become addicted to the point where they shun friends, family, and their work to spend time with false characters

9. They start to blur the two worlds, reality with fiction

10. Cybering. There is more to role playing than re-acting the bedroom scenes. Then these players get huffy when the impression they give off to the public attracts the unsavory who are not associated with the rping groups want to cyber with them. They get offended.

11. The RP groups are so abundant on Facebook it is not unusual for someone to get five friend requests for the same character a day. This annoys and alienates fans from the series.

12. The different factions of Role Playing groups tend to be Clique orienated. If you do not belong to their little/big group, then they want nothing to do with you.