The Eterna Solution by Leanna Renee Hieber

Eterna Files, Book 3

Synopsis: The exciting conclusion to a sumptuous gaslamp fantasy series

Leanna Renee Hieber brings Victorian London and New York to life and fills both cities with ghosts and monsters. Two groups of paranormally talented investigators discover that the Eterna compound—thought to be the key to immortality—is, instead, a powerful protective charm. That protection is sorely needed, for both England and the U.S. are under attack by dark forces.

Having vanquished the demonic pretender to the British throne, the now-united forces of the Eterna Commission and the Omega Department reach America ready to take on a new menace. But like the United States itself, this evil is rapidly spreading from sea to shining sea. Will the new magic our heroes have discovered be strong enough to defeat it?

With its blend of Victorian details, complex plots, and compelling characters, Hieber’s fascinating historical fantasy continues to earn critical acclaim and has a dedicated readership.

Review: After reading the first two volumes, I was curious to embark on this third and last opus. As always, we find all the characters that we took pleasure to discover in the previous volumes. Besides, I really appreciated the fact that the story focuses mainly on Rose and Clara. I always find them both very interesting!

Our heroes are facing a new affair here and they will have to make every effort to manage this new threat. In addition to that, we will also follow the relationships of the young women and I admit that it was very touching to see Clara and Bishop turn around clumsily throughout the story.

I had a little trouble getting into the story for the first two volumes and it is true that I had the same feeling with this last novel. I can not really point the reason but it’s true that I still have some problems with the story. In any case, it was a really interesting trilogy and the author has created a really fascinating universe in this series!

 

 

The Eterna Solution de Leanna Renee Hieber (VO)

Eterna Files, Tome 3

Résumé (traduction personnelle) : Leanna Renee Hieber donne vie à Victorian London et New York et remplit les deux villes de fantômes et de monstres. Deux groupes d’investigateurs paranormaux talentueux découvrent que le composé d’Eterna – considéré comme la clé de l’immortalité – est, au contraire, un charme protecteur puissant. Cette protection est grandement nécessaire, car l’Angleterre et les États-Unis sont tous les deux attaqués par des forces obscures.

Après avoir vaincu le prétendant démoniaque au trône britannique, les forces désormais unies de la Commission Eterna et du Département Omega atteignent l’Amérique prêtes à affronter une nouvelle menace. Mais comme les États-Unis eux-mêmes, ce mal se propage rapidement de la mer à la mer brillante. La nouvelle magie découverte par nos héros sera-t-elle assez forte pour le vaincre?

Avec son mélange de détails victoriens, de complots complexes et de personnages fascinants, la fascinante histoire de Hieber continue d’être acclamée par la critique et a un lectorat dévoué.

Avis : Après avoir lu les deux premiers tomes, j’étais curieuse de me lancer dans ce troisième et dernier opus. Comme toujours, nous retrouvons tous les personnages que l’on a pris plaisir à découvrir dans les tomes précédents. D’ailleurs j’ai beaucoup apprécié le fait que l’histoire se concentre principalement sur Rose et Clara. Je continue de les trouver très intéressantes toutes les deux !

Nos héros sont face à une nouvelle affaire ici et ils vont devoir tout mettre en œuvre pour gérer cette nouvelle menace. En plus de cela, nous suivrons aussi les dérives amoureuses des jeunes femmes et j’avoue que c’était très touchant de voir Clara et Bishop se tourner autour de façon maladroite tout au long de l’histoire.

J’avais eu un peu de mal à rentrer dans l’histoire des deux premiers tomes et c’est vrai que j’ai eu le même sentiment avec ce dernier roman. Je ne saurai pas vraiment pointer la raison mais c’est vrai que j’ai toujours quelques soucis avec le récit. Dans tous les cas, c’était une trilogie vraiment intéressante et l’auteur a créé un univers vraiment fascinant dans cette série !

 

Perilous Prophecy by Leanna Renee Hieber

Strangely Beautiful, Book 3

Synopsis: The Goddess:
In the beginning, there were lovers: a winged deity of power and light, and a queen of grace and beauty. Phoenix was murdered, his beloved stolen away to the Whisper-world. But their passion inspired the Muses. Through great sacrifice, it could live again.

The Guard:
There are always six, mortal hosts for the divine. Battling spirits through the ages, they defy Darkness, Lord of the Dead. In 1867, a shadow rises. The tide turns against them, and all hope falls on a child of prophecy, an eerie, snow-white girl yet to be born. But her path must be cleared. A Great War is coming, and song, wind and stars whisper that the eighteen-year-old Beatrice Smith must give everything to prepare.

Review: I admit that this novel seemed very intriguing but as I had not read the previous volumes, I did wonder if this would pose any problems. Not necessarily knowing what we follow at the start, it is difficult to say … Yet it is true that I had the impression that I was missing something so I advise you to start with the first volume in order to understand a little more the universe.

The story is divided into two big parts. We first follow Persephone to the underworld. She tries so much to survive but it is complicated, especially when we know that she is constantly monitored. I think this is the part that I really preferred! Persephone is a very interesting character and full of complexity. We realize that all that she must have underwent for hundreds of years and yet she keeps hope that things will change. We also follow the guards, those people who are there to help humanity. It was also interesting to learn to know them all, especially since they are all different but I had a little trouble hanging on to their problems and their quest …

It was an original and intriguing story but I think something was missing. Perhaps the background of the first two volumes …

3 

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Perilous Prophecy de Leanna Renee Hieber (VO)

Strangely Beautiful, Tome 3

Résumé (traduction personnelle) : La déesse:

Au début, ils étaient amants: une divinité ailée de pouvoir et de lumière, et une reine de grâce et de beauté. Phoenix a été assassiné, son bien-aimé volé au monde de Whisper. Mais leur passion a inspiré les Muses. Par de grands sacrifices, il pourrait vivre à nouveau.

Le gardien:

Il y a toujours six hôtes mortels pour le divin. Battant les esprits à travers les âges, ils défient les Ténèbres, Seigneur des morts. En 1867, une ombre monte. La marée se retourne contre eux, et tout l’espoir retombe sur l’enfant d’une prophétie, une fille étrange et blanche qui n’est pas née. Mais son chemin doit être dégagé. Une grande guerre arrive, et la chanson, le vent et les étoiles murmurent que Beatrice Smith, dix-huit ans, doit tout préparer.

Avis : J’avoue que ce roman semblait très intrigant mais n’ayant pas lu les tomes précédents, je ne me demandais si cela ne poserait pas quelques problèmes. Ne sachant pas forcément ce que l’on suit au départ, c’est difficile à dire… Pourtant c’est vrai que j’ai eu l’impression que quelque chose me manquait donc je vous conseille peut-être de commencer par le premier tome afin de comprendre un peu plus l’univers.

L’histoire est divisée en entre deux grosses parties. Nous suivons tout d’abord Perséphone aux enfers et qui essaie tant et si bien de survivre mais c’est chose compliquée, notamment quand on sait qu’elle est constamment surveillée. Je pense que c’est la partie que j’ai vraiment préférée ! Perséphone est un personnage très intéressant et plein de complexité. On se rend compte de tout ce qu’elle doit subir depuis des centaines d’années et pourtant elle garde espoir que les choses changent. Nous suivons aussi les gardiens, ces personnes qui sont là pour aider l’humanité. C’était intéressant aussi d’apprendre à les connaitre tous, notamment étant donné qu’ils sont tous différents mais j’ai eu un peu de mal à accrocher à leurs problèmes et leur quête…

C’était une histoire originale et intrigante mais je pense qu’il me manquait quelque chose. Peut-être le background des deux premiers tomes…

3 

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Eterna and Omega by Leanna Renee Hieber

Eterna Files, Book 2

Synopsis: Battle is joined as British and American paranormal investigators clash in an exciting gaslamp fantasy.
Leanna Renee Hieber’s gaslamp fantasy series continues and the action ramps up in Eterna and Omega.

In New York City, fearing the dangers of the Eterna Compound–supposedly the key to immortality–Clara Templeton buries information vital to its creation. The ghost of her clandestine lover is desperate to tell her she is wrong, but though she is a clairvoyant, she cannot hear him.

In London, Harold Spire plans to send his team of assassins, magicians, mediums, and other rogue talents to New York City, in an attempt to obtain Eterna for Her Royal Majesty, Queen Victoria. He stays behind to help Scotland Yard track down a network of body snatchers and occultists, but he’ll miss his second-in-command, Rose Everhart, whose gentle exterior masks a steel spine.

Rose’s skepticism about the supernatural has been shattered since she joined Spire’s Omega Branch. Meeting Clara is like looking into a strange mirror: both women are orphans, each is concealing a paranormal ability, and each has a powerful and attractive guardian who has secrets of his own.

The hidden occult power that menaces both England and America continues to grow. Far from being dangerous, Eterna may hold the key to humanity’s salvation.

Review: I had a little trouble with the first volume even if I enjoyed the ideas of the author. I was therefore curious to find out what this second volume would introduce us.

We find of course, all the characters that we had previously discovered, set in New York and England and prepared to be in a new adventure that will bring them together afterwards. As in the previous volume, I loved to follow Clara and to discover the rest of her history with Louis. It is true that it is interesting to see how much Louis wants to help his former lover, trying to break the barriers between the living and the dead world. This novel presents us a nice mix of ghosts, conspiracies, demons and other creatures. It was interesting to see how the characters were going to handle all these new changes.

By cons it is true that I found myself once again with the same feeling somewhat mitigated while struggling to get into the story and I had a little trouble placing the different characters as we have many. It’s true that this is something that bothers me often as the number of characters loses me easily.

Yes, the universe is very interesting and it is true that the mixture with the Victorian era is worth it but even if the story and style are very interesting, I think I still have a little trouble with this series…

3 

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Eterna and Omega de Leanna Renee Hieber (VO)

Eterna Files, Tome 2

Résumé (traduction personnelle) : A New York, craignant les dangers du composé Eterna – censé être la clé de l’immortalité – Clara Templeton fait disparaître les informations vitales à sa création. Le fantôme de son amant clandestin est désespéré de lui dire qu’elle a tort, mais même si elle est clairvoyante, elle ne peut pas l’entendre.

A Londres, Harold Spire envisage d’envoyer son équipe d’assassins, magiciens, médiums et autres talents à New York City, dans une tentative d’obtenir l’Eterna pour Sa Majesté royale, la reine Victoria. Il reste derrière pour aider Scotland Yard à traquer un réseau de voleurs de corps et d’occultistes, mais son deuxième commandant va lui manquer, Rose Everhart, dont la douceur extérieure cache une colonne vertébrale en acier.

Le scepticisme de Rose sur le surnaturel a été brisé depuis qu’elle a rejoint la Direction générale Omega de Spire. Rencontrer Clara est comme regarder dans un miroir étrange: les deux femmes sont orphelines, chacune dissimulant une capacité paranormale, et chacune ayant un gardien puissant et attractif avec des secrets.

Le pouvoir occulte qui menace à la fois l’Angleterre et l’Amérique continue de croître. Loin d’être dangereux, Eterna peut détenir la clé du salut de l’humanité.

Avis : J’avais eu un peu de mal avec le premier tome même si j’avais beaucoup apprécié les idées de l’auteure. Aussi, j’étais curieuse de découvrir ce que ce deuxième volume allait nous présenter.

Nous retrouvons bien sûr, tous les personnages que nous avions découverts précédemment et ils se lancent chacun à New-York et en Angleterre dans une nouvelle aventure qui les réunira par la suite. Comme pour le tome précédent, j’ai adoré suivre Clara et découvrir la suite de son histoire avec celle de Louis. C’est vrai que c’est intéressant de voir l’envie de Louis d’aider son ancienne amante, d’essayer de briser les barrières entre le monde des vivants et celui des morts. Ce roman permet ainsi de faire un joli mélange de fantômes, de conspirations, de démons et autres créatures. C’était intéressant de voir comment les personnages allaient gérer tous ces nouveaux changements.

Par contre c’est vrai que je me retrouve une fois encore avec le même sentiment un peu mitigé en ayant eu du mal à rentrer dans l’histoire et avec tous ces personnages différents que j’avais un peu de mal à placer. C’est vrai que c’est un point qui me gêne souvent, le nombre de protagonistes qui me perd facilement.

Oui, l’univers est fort intéressant et c’est vrai que le mélange avec l’époque victorienne vaut vraiment le coup mais même si l’histoire et le style sont très intéressants, je pense que j’ai toujours un peu de mal…

3 

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The Eterna Files by Leanna Renee Hieber

Synopsis: London, 1882: Queen Victoria appoints Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police to Special Branch Division Omega. Omega is to secretly investigate paranormal and supernatural events and persons. Spire, a skeptic driven to protect the helpless and see justice done, is the perfect man to lead the department, which employs scholars and scientists, assassins and con men, and a traveling circus. Spire’s chief researcher is Rose Everhart, who believes fervently that there is more to the world than can be seen by mortal eyes.
Their first mission: find the Eterna Compound, which grants immortality. Catastrophe destroyed the hidden laboratory in New York City where Eterna was developed, but the Queen is convinced someone escaped—and has a sample of Eterna.

Also searching for Eterna is an American, Clara Templeton, who helped start the project after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln nearly destroyed her nation. Haunted by the ghost of her beloved, she is determined that the Eterna Compound—and the immortality it will convey—will be controlled by the United States, not Great Britain.

Review: The cover and the summary immediately attracted me as soon as I saw them and I really could not wait to get into the story. I must say that I love the novels from the Victorian era and mixing it with paranormal elements could only please me. Yet I confess that in the end I’m a little disappointed by this volume, but I’ll come back a bit to that afterwards.

After the death of Abraham Lincoln, Clara and her guardian, Senator Bishop, a man she likes a lot, have put together a team together to try to find the secret of immortality, a compound called Eterna. For years, researchers have tried to find the solution and the arrival of Louis changed that. This scientist has also a hidden story with our beloved Clara. But one morning, our heroine learns that the whole team is dead except one person. The young woman is therefore launching in a race against time to find Eterna, all with her friends. But Clara is not like any other women because she happens to have visions and sees things that no one else is able to do. Alternatively, we also follow Harold, a man who does not believe in the supernatural world and who is engaged by the Queen of England to lead a team of very special people. Their goal is to find Eterna for England and to prevent Clara and Americans to recover it before them.

Many characters are highlighted in this story, some more interesting than others elsewhere. I admit I was a little lost about some of the protagonists, not really understanding who they were. But the volume especially focuses on Clara and Harold, two completely different characters. Clara is a young touching woman. We know that she has lost her beloved, but because of their secret relationship, no one knows that, and she keeps her feelings for herself. She is determined to understand what had happened to her lover and to recover Eterna if it does exist. I admit that I was passionate about her character, to understand and discover how she was going to resolve everything. Conversely, I have not been very interested in Harold and his chapters. This is a man who does not believe in the supernatural world, but he is determined to carry out his mission. It’s quite a shame, but I found his chapters rather flat and I rather looked forward each time to return to Clara.

To conclude, I spent a good time in general with the novel even though the history of the England side interested me less. However, I am curious to see what will happen afterwards to our dear Clara who must cross one of many trials.

3 

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