The Scent of Shadows: The First Sign of the Zodiac

by Vicki Pettersson

Book Overview

When she was sixteen, Joanna Archer was brutally assaulted and left to die in the Nevada desert.

By rights, she should be dead.

Now a photographer by day, she prowls a different Las Vegas after sunset--a grim, secret Sin City where Light battles Shadow--seeking answers to whom or what she really is . . . and revenge for the horrors she was forced to endure.

But the nightmare is just beginning--for the demons are hunting Joanna,...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060898917
• ISBN13: 9780060898915
• Release Date: February 2007
• Publisher: Harper Voyager
• Length: 464 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 4.3" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Original and Remarkable

Vicki Pettersson's debut novel is cousin to the Kim Harrison, Carrie Vaughn, and Kelley Armstrong series of books. A more educated and original thinking cousin. Petterson's heroine occupies a world where good does battle with evil, but there aren't any vampires; there are supervillians and superheroes. The storyline is highly original, and the twists and revelations that are revealed throughout the book will have you turning the pages as though you yourself had super speed. Taut pacing and excellent dialogue abound. If you enjoy your heroines tough, and your settings supernatural, you won't like this book. You'll LOVE it. A remarkable read!

Really good read, excellent plot

I usually don't write reviews. I read them alot, but rarely write them. There seems to be some common theme with the lower review scores here. I think maybe it's a genre issue, not the writer or book per se. Having been heavily involved in RPG online gaming, reading tons about real world religions and very much into sci fi; I think the Tupla concept is spot on. It reminds me of the golem - conjured by man to do his bidding, but cannot be controled by the creator once it has life. This concept actually comes Jewish Folklore and is pretty nicely fleshed out in the book as well. ( hehee, fleshed out, lol.) Anyway... The idea of dualality (dark v. light) goes beyond all the star wars mythous I see listed. It's heavily invested into angel/demon lore as well. I think the writer does a good job of exploring how a person can surpress or introduce a darker side of the nature without giving into the whole. Kind of a yin/yang w/o the genderizing of the Far Eastern ideal, instead it's within a person's mind/personality. The comics are a nice touch of humor. (spoilers below ) Face it: it needs a touch of humor- sister dead, lost of identity, missing mom, evil birth father; you need laugh. imo - it works and serves to advance the plot. The comic book store scene had me laughing out loud while reading it! Keep up the good work Vicki Pettersson! I look forward to the next book.

one of the best reads you'll find all year

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques Gripping, stunning, mind blowing! These are just a few words that describe this powerhouse of a book, Scent of Shadows, by debut author Vicki Pettersson. You will not want to put this one down until turning that last page! On the day before her 25th birthday, Joanna Archer's life takes an abruptly changing course... for the second time in her life. The first was when she was 15, brutally attacked, raped, and left for dead in the desert of Las Vegas. But she survived, and this turning point set her on the course leading to her second life changing event. Joanna spent the next nine years learning and mastering martial arts, and prowling the dark and dangerous streets of Vegas swearing she'd never be so helpless again. The second event, involved a blind date with a seeming harmless banker who suddenly turns the tables, snatching her and planning to kill her. She escapes, only to later that same night, at midnight precisely, be attacked a second time and save herself only to see her dear sister Olivia killed before her eyes. Thus begins this new adventure and the latest stage of Joanna's life... Now Joanna learns of her real legacy. She is The Archer, The First Sign of the New Zodiac. One of the Light forces, sworn to protect Las Vegas from the evil Shadow Zodiac, known for their lust for power and chaos. But she is more... Legend foretold of one known as the Kairos, born of equal parts Shadow and Light, who would rise to aid the Light in their triumph over Shadow. This is the new Joanna. Amidst the doubts of her fellow Light Zodiac troop, and her own internal struggles, she must learn to harness her powers and channel her guilt, hatred, and quest for revenge, into her new gifts in time to save the Zodiac troop, and the city, from destruction. Scent of Shadows is not for the faint of heart. There are some very graphic descriptions of death and torture that could make some readers queasy. However, Pettersson keeps it from getting too dark by adding a touch of quirkiness. I personally enjoyed such things as having a line of comic books and trading cards based on the adventures of both the Light and Shadow warriors and having a bubble-headed friend mistake Joanna's glyph (a sort of unique "birthmark" found on all Light warriors) for a stiletto pump. Cat lovers will also enjoy having felines be the wardens (AKA guardians) of the Light signs. Only a fellow cat person would have dreamed that up! This book is all the more impressive for the fact it is so refreshingly different. I love vampires, witches, and shape shifters as much as the next person, but they do get old after a while and thank heavens there is not a single one of those found here! Vicki Pettersson puts her own unique brand on the fantasy market. For centuries we've all known of the Zodiac, and the unique traits of each sign. With Scent of Shadows, we'll all see it in a whole new light. This book will make us all dream of grasping our own sign in a

Fast paced, strong heroine, story pulls you in!

Normally, I am not into these type of books...but I have to say...this book was absolutely THE BEST book I've read in a long time. It has a strong heroine, just enough romance to not make you want to puke and once you pick it up, you will not want to put it down! Would highly recommend to anyone! Made me want more!

A Dark and Edgy New Superhero!

Joanna has grown up living the high life in Las Vegas. But she's had a troubled past and an even scarier future. Whether she likes it or not, Joanna finds herself in the middle of a war of super-powered beings. And if she makes it to her 25th birthday, she'll become one of them. The war is between the superheroes called the Light, comprised of people from the different star signs of the zodiac, and the Shadow, their evil opposites in the spectrum. Half Light and Half Shadow, no one truly trusts Joanna. She doesn't even trust herself. While there are aspects of romance, Joanna faces more heartache than happiness. Pettersson weaves several elements from different genres: urban fantasy, violence, intrigue, superheroes, and myth. Pettersson has created an incredibly fun character in Joanna with many facets and layers to her personality. This dark and edgy superhero story was a long novel at 464 pages. But I read it amazingly fast, as I literally couldn't put it down. I'm itching to get my hands on the next in the series that, thankfully, comes out in just a little over a month!