Subject: Lackey: Sacred Ground

From: [email-masked] (Dani Zweig)
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 21:09:28 GMT

"Sacred Ground" is vintage Lackey -- something which gets boring
after a while.  The confusion of people who thought it was a
Diane Tregarde novel is understandable, as it recycles many of
the themes and quirks.

There are differences, of course:  Jennifer Talldear is living in
Oklahoma, rather than just visiting.  She's a licensed investigator,
rather than an unlicensed one.  Her magic is shamanistic, rather
than Wiccan.  Her family has a tradition of hiding its origins,
rather than (or more precisely, in addition to) its religion.

Despite these differences and others, however, it reads like
a standard Lackey novel.  When a particularly slimy developer
unearths what appears to be a native graveyard, and when
what may be acts of sabotage follow, Talldear is hired to
investigate the possibility of insurance fraud.  It turns out
quickly enough that in addition to whatever mundane wrong-doings
may be afoot, the developer has opened the door to an Ancient
Evil (TM) which it is up to Jennifer, her Old and Wise (TM)
grandfather, and her Attractive but Obnoxious (do I have to say it?)
quondam love interest to combat.

Wisecracks aside, this *is* vintage Lackey, and I remember how 
much I enjoyed this books read-alikes when they first appeared.
People who still feel that way about them will enjoy this one too.

-----
Dani Zweig
[email-masked]

	Who didn't melt down, but whose computer did.