In Elysian Fields - Sentinels of New Orleans Series, Book Three, New Orleanians are under attack from a copycat killer mimicking the crimes of a 1918 serial murderer known as the Axeman of New Orleans. Thanks to a tip from the undead pirate Jean Lafitte, your heroine, DJ Jaco, knows the attacks aren't random--an unknown necromancer has resurrected the original Axeman of New Orleans, and his ultimate target is a certain blonde wizard.
What are some possible reasons why the unknown necromancer might want to target DJ?
Hm…without spoilers, let’s just say DJ is amassing quite a few enemies who wouldn’t mind seeing her disappear. The wizards don’t like or trust the amount of elven magic she’s able to do, and don’t always approve of her methods. The elves don’t like it that she’s been claimed by one of their ancient staffs, which they’d thought was lost, nor are they happy that she can do any of their magic at all. The vampires have been politically neutral up until this book, and they could possibly see her, the local Sentinel (bounty hunter/border guard), as a threat. Ancient gods, members of the historical undead, and members of the water species such as merfolk and nymphs, have tangled with her in the past and might have scores to settle.
As an undead, is Jean Lafitte able to help fight this resurrected Axeman? What can DJ herself do against the Axeman and/or the necromancer?
The Axeman, as a member of the historical undead, poses a lot of problems for DJ and her allies. The historical undead—a group of which the early 19th-century pirate Jean Lafitte is a member—are granted immortality by the magic of human memory. The more that people talk about the Axeman, the stronger he grows and the longer he’s able to survive outside the preternatural realm. So sure, DJ could kill him and send him back to the prete world, but he’d just return, madder than ever.
In the grand scheme of things, Jean Lafitte is a much stronger member of the historical undead than the Axeman. But neither can kill the other, so they’re at a stalemate in that regard. Also, Jean Lafitte does not want to fall under the control of the necromancer, so for him to get involved in this battle means taking a huge risk. A necromantic wizard, who can control the dead, is about the only type of opponent Jean Lafitte can’t win against.
DJ seems overwhelmed. Fighting off an undead serial killer as troubles pile up around her isn't easy. Jake Warin's loup-garou nature is spiraling downward, enigmatic neighbor Quince Randolph is acting weirder than ever, the Elders are insisting on lessons in elven magic from the world's most annoying wizard, and former partner Alex Warin just turned up on DJ's to-do list. Not to mention big maneuvers are afoot in the halls of preternatural power.
What possible changes in the halls of preternatural power are being rumored?
Until Hurricane Katrina tore down the metaphysical borders between our world and the world Beyond, the wizards controlled who came and went from the modern world. But once the borders fell and other preternatural groups saw their chance to move in, the power struggle to unseat the wizards began. An interspecies council is being formed, and the major preternatural groups—Elves, Vampires, Fae, Shifters and Weres, Historical Undead, etc.—are jockeying for power, either siding with the wizards or against them. That picture has been hazy through the first two books in the series, but becomes clearer as Elysian Fields progresses.
Facing all that, a move to the Beyond as Jean Lafitte's pirate wench could be DJ's best option. What might her life be life in the Beyond? What are some of the pros and cons she must consider?
Some things happen early in the book that make DJ seriously consider this move as her only option to stay alive, and she does get a taste of what it would be like to live there.
Pros: She’d be safer from the people and things that are after her in the modern world. She’d have Jean Lafitte’s protection, and as an immortal he’d be quite capable of protecting her. And he’s very charming and sexy, which DJ knows all too well.
Cons: She’d not only be leaving behind Alex and her friends, but Jean Lafitte’s Old Barataria exists in a circa 1812 time warp. She’d really miss things like running water and air conditioning. And unlike the immortal pirate and his equally immortal pirate cronies, she could catch yellow fever or be eaten by a gator. Finally, and this is a big negative, wizard’s magic doesn’t work in the Beyond, so except for the elven magic she’s able to use, she’d be unable to defend herself.
Thanks for having me here today, Marsha!
*~*~*
Elysian Fields
Sentinels of New Orleans Series
Book Three
Suzanne Johnson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Tor Books
Date of Publication: August 13, 2013
ISBN: 978-0765333193
ASIN: B00CQY7TOI
Number of pages: 352
Word Count: approx. 102,000
Cover Artist: Cliff Nielsen
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/2NskZi9B0gU
Book
Description:
The mer feud has
been settled, but life in South Louisiana still has more twists and turns than
the muddy Mississippi. New Orleanians are under attack from a copycat killer
mimicking the crimes of a 1918 serial murderer known as the Axeman of New
Orleans.
Thanks to a tip
from the undead pirate Jean Lafitte, DJ Jaco knows the attacks aren't
random--an unknown necromancer has resurrected the original Axeman of New
Orleans, and his ultimate target is a certain blonde wizard.
Namely, DJ.
Fighting off an undead serial killer as troubles pile up around her isn't easy.
Jake Warin's loup-garou nature is spiraling downward, enigmatic neighbor Quince
Randolph is acting weirder than ever, the Elders are insisting on lessons in
elven magic from the world's most annoying wizard, and former partner Alex
Warin just turned
up on DJ's to-do list. Not to mention big maneuvers are afoot in the halls of
preternatural power.
Suddenly, moving to
the Beyond as Jean Lafitte's pirate wench? It could be DJ's best option.
River Road
Book Two
Suzanne Johnson
Suzanne Johnson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 978-0765327802
ASIN: B00842H5VI
Number of pages: 336
Word Count: approx. 92,000
Cover Artist: Cliff Nielsen
Book
Description:
Hurricane Katrina is long gone, but the preternatural
storm rages on in New Orleans. New species from the Beyond moved into Louisiana
after the hurricane destroyed the borders between worlds, and it falls to
wizard sentinel Drusilla Jaco and her partner, Alex Warin, to keep the
preternaturals peaceful and the humans unaware. But a war is brewing between
two clans of Cajun merpeople in Plaquemines Parish, and down in the swamp, DJ
learns, there’s more stirring than angry mermen and the threat of a were-gator.
Wizards are dying, and something—or someone—from the
Beyond is poisoning the waters of the mighty Mississippi, threatening the
humans who live and work along the river. DJ and Alex must figure out what
unearthly source is contaminating the water and who—or what—is killing the
wizards. Is it a malcontented merman, the naughty nymph, or some other critter
altogether? After all, DJ’s undead suitor, the pirate Jean Lafitte, knows his
way around a body or two.
It’s anything but smooth sailing on the bayou as the
Sentinels of New Orleans series continues.
Royal Street
Sentinels of New Orleans
Book One
Suzanne Johnson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 978-0765327796
ASIN: B006OM459U
Number of pages: 337
Word Count: approx. 94,000
Cover Artist: Cliff Nielsen
Book Description:
As the junior wizard
sentinel for New Orleans, Drusilla Jaco's job involves a lot more potion-mixing
and pixie-retrieval than sniffing out supernatural bad guys like rogue vampires
and lethal were-creatures. DJ's boss and mentor, Gerald St. Simon, is the
wizard tasked with protecting the city from anyone or anything that might slip
over from the preternatural beyond.
Then Hurricane Katrina
hammers New Orleans' fragile levees, unleashing more than just dangerous flood
waters. While winds howled and Lake Pontchartrain surged, the borders between
the modern city and the Otherworld crumbled. Now the undead and the restless
are roaming the Big Easy, and a serial killer with ties to voodoo is murdering
soldiers sent to help the city recover.
To make it worse, Gerald St.
Simon has gone missing, the wizards' Elders have assigned a grenade-toting
assassin as DJ's new partner, and undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants to make her
walk his plank. The search for Gerry and the killer turns personal when DJ
learns the hard way that loyalty requires sacrifice, allies come from the
unlikeliest places, and duty mixed with love creates one bitter roux.
About the Author:
On
Aug. 28, 2005, Suzanne Johnson loaded two dogs, a cat, a friend, and her mom
into a car and fled New Orleans in the hours before Hurricane Katrina made
landfall.
Four
years later, she began weaving her experiences and love for her city into the
Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series, beginning with Royal Street (2012), continuing with River Road (2012), and now with Elysian Fields (August 2013).
She
grew up in rural Alabama, halfway between the Bear Bryant Museum and Elvis’
birthplace, and lived in New Orleans for fifteen years—which means she has a
highly refined sense of the absurd and an ingrained love of SEC football and
fried gator on a stick.
She
can be found online at her website
or her daily blog, Preternatura.
As Susannah Sandlin, she writes
the best-selling Penton Vampire Legacy paranormal romance series and the recent
standalone, Storm Force.
Tour Wide Giveaway:
1 iPad 2 open internationally
5 -$20 gift cards to winners' online retailer of choice open internationally
8 comments:
Thanks for the interview with Suzanne. D.J. gets a good look at life in the Beyond in Elysian Fields. This is just a great book. A wonderful continuation of the Sentinels series.
This looks like such a fun read. Thanks for the interview, ladies!
I wouldn't mind seeing more of the Beyond, it was an really interesting part. and jean must takes his revenge^^
i really loved this book!
I've been enjoying the book tour
Thanks for sharing the Q&A and the giveaway. I enjoyed it. evamillien at gmail dot com
Thanks for sharing the Q&A. I'm looking forward to reading Elysian Fields.
bhometchko(at)hotmail(dot)com
Always want to see more of Jean and the Beyond!
I've learned something new about this series with every interview I read. Can't wait to read this.
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