Widow's Web

Elemental Assassin, Book 7

By: Jennifer Estep

Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang

Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

I used to murder people for money, but lately it’s become more of a survival technique. Once an assassin, always an assassin. So much for being plain old Gin Blanco. With every lowlife in Ashland gunning for me, I don’t need another problem, but a new one has come to town anyway. Salina might seem like a sweet Southern belle, but she’s really a dangerous enemy whose water elemental magic can go head-to-head with my own Ice and Stone power. Salina also has an intimate history with my lover, Owen Grayson, and now that she’s back, she thinks he’s hers for the taking. Salina’s playing a mysterious game that involves a shady local casino owner with a surprising connection to Owen. But they call me the Spider for a reason. I’m going to untangle her deadly scheme, even if it leaves my love affair hanging by a thread.

©2012 Jennifer Estep (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

This formula seems to be working for Estep

Originally posted at Fantasy Literature.

Widow’s Web is book seven in Jennifer Estep’s ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN series. I wasn’t too impressed with book six, By a Thread, but I continue to read the series because I’ve already purchased most of the books at Audible and, even though I recognize the problems with the plot and the writing, the truth is that I like Estep’s setting and characters well enough that I don’t mind reading the books in order to get them reviewed for FanLit. Based on the high marks the series gets at GoodReads and Amazon, I’m guessing that many readers are perfectly happy to overlook the little “issues” I’ve mentioned in previous reviews. Clearly, the formula is working for Estep.

In this seventh installment, Gin and her friends are back in Ashland Tennessee after a disastrous vacation during which Gin saved another damsel in distress, saved another city from its tyrannical crime boss, and satisfactorily dealt with the reappearance of Donovan Caine, her sexy ex. Now it’s Owen’s turn to deal with the reappearance of his sexy ex. That would be Salina, a powerful water Elemental who left Ashland years ago and broke Owen’s heart. Now that Mab Monroe is gone (thanks to Gin), Salina has decided to return and (guess what?) she wants Owen back. It seems that Owen hasn’t quuuuiiiiiiite gotten over Salina. Owen’s sister Eva and his former best friend Philip Kincaid insist that Salina is evil and that Owen was blindly in love with her. Eva wants Gin to kill Salina. As usual, Gin “can’t say no to the hope” (how altruistic!) but knows that it’s dangerous to go against her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend.

Fans who’ve enjoyed the light romantic tension and flimsy love triangles/squares that Estep has constructed so far will probably be happy to see another one here, but I felt like it was a predictable move, especially since Gin had to deal with her lost love in the previous book. One of my main issues with this series so far is that we keep seeing the same elements over and over, just slightly changed and rearranged in each new installment. This time it’s Owen’s ex, who’s another different type of elemental (water) and who plans to take Mab’s place as the new crime lord in Ashland. Also reminiscent of the previous story, it turns out that Owen’s old girlfriend chose later lovers who looked like Owen, just like Donovan Caine chose a woman who was similar to Gin. We go to more high-society parties on fancy riverboats and mansions. Gin has to plan another assassination, etc.

There was much that was predictable or at least not surprising, but one thing that did seem to come out of nowhere was that sweet Eva Grayson has a relationship with Phillip Kincaid, the riverboat casino owner who, up until now, we’ve been told is an “underworld shark.” Along with the explanation for this we get a lot of Owen and Eva’s backstory, including their family’s relationship with Mab Monroe. It’s nice to get to know Owen a little better though, unfortunately, I think he comes off badly in the end.

Gin does something really dumb at the end of Widow’s Web — something that will haunt her in later stories, I’m sure. In fact, a few of the characters do really dumb things, including not telling other characters important information that, if told, could have changed the outcome for the better.

Oh well. As I keep saying, despite the plot problems and rehashings and the repetitive prose (“Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy” “Enemy, enemy, enemy” “I counted seconds in my head: 10, 20, 30, 45”, etc), ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN fans will probably enjoy this installment. It’s pretty good in audio format. Lauren Fortgang does a great job with the narration and I enjoy listening to her performances, even when I don’t especially like the story.

Unsatisfying

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I have been following this series so am glad I listened to it, but was disappointed with this one. It seemed as though the story went backwards instead of progressing and the ending was frustrating. Why did Owen suddenly turn into Donovan Caine?? The tough and sassy Gin became spineless in her personal relationships and has she learned nothing about self-worth from her past! Hope Estep fixes this in the next one.

Would you be willing to try another book from Jennifer Estep? Why or why not?

I will read the next one but if Estep continues on this track I may not go on after that.

What about Lauren Fortgang’s performance did you like?

Fortgang has always seemed the perfect voice for Gin.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Can't really see this as a movie.

Any additional comments?

Please fix this Ms Estep!!!

Still with the relationship woes

After closing a five book arc, then drowning in relationship angst in book 6, this book gets a little better on the assassin-procedural side, with Gin having more deadly interludes with folks looking to knock her off the Queen of the (Assassin's) Hill. The self-contained mystery in this book (of who is killing the players in the underworld and why) also has better pacing/mayhem than previous books. Those all helped this book to flow (pun intended, considering the water elemental vibe).

But, chilling the mood are some of my issues with prior books. First, we still have relationship woes as a major conflict-plot. While Gin's personality supports her angst and lack of relationship confidence, Owen's personality makes his behavior in this book very much against type. i understand that love and loss makes folks irrational. However, Owen's steady sensibility and unwavering support of Gin is uncharacteristically thrown aside; Owen becomes this oblivious pushover who believes in a long lost love over the close friends/family who've been with him for years. It was an aggravating, non-sensical plotline.

The whole story could have been avoided with people talking to each other about misunderstanding. Or killing. Taking folks out from a distance with guns, flying stone, or ice blasts could have prevented the various dangers. How many times will Gin single handedly take on the big-bad with her silverstone knives? There are points where dozens of powerful underworld folks (and other elementals) are in danger and yet none of them band together or use their magic. It's always the Gin Blanco show, and that was fun, but not as fun as an Elementals Assemble moment could have been.

Very predictable

chapter 17 they made her stupid again just to advance the story and also the book was very predictable someday I hope that you write the story where Gin actually uses her powers to full potential instead of complaining that she can't use them or that she's blown all power at 1 time

Weak Premise, Poor reader gets in way of story.

What would have made Widow's Web better?

A reader not prone to use of poor, ineffective southern accent.I tried 7 times to get into this book. Ms Fortgang sounded like Reba McIntyre reading a country story.

Has Widow's Web turned you off from other books in this genre?

Yes

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Lauren Fortgang?

Not sure.

What character would you cut from Widow's Web?

Could not finish. Completely lost interest in the story.

Any additional comments?

None.

Not worth my credit

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I enjoyed the growth of the author and the story line started out interesting. I only heard sloppy, sloppy, sloppy twice. The story seemed to flow much better then the previous books in the series. Then all the sudden it was a personality swap with the characters that we've come to know and I was at a total loss of enjoying the rest of the story. At this point I'm not even interested in a next book at all.I understand angst and drama needed to add to a story but come on... We've been through this stuff before with Donovan. Owen, what the heck happened! And Gin, how can I root for a character that is so spineless with her personal life.... And the constant calling Owen her lover, made me want to puke.

What was most disappointing about Jennifer Estep’s story?

That she seemed to forget her characters personalities or she choose for them to be spineless and mindless shells of what they were or could be.

Any additional comments?

Am I being harsh? Maybe... but after 6 books, you come to know and expect more from a story then a tough as nails assassin, moping around and questioning herself for protecting those she loves by doing the job she believes is right then crying over a man that betrays her completely. Then we are left with her hoping that time heals this man and brings him back.. WTH?!?

It's not going to win any awards but.....

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Too predictable.

Which scene was your favorite?

I always enjoy the food descriptions. I made a peach cobbler while listening this time.

Was Widow's Web worth the listening time?

if you have followed the tales of Gin Blanco her friends, family and associated elementals, dwarves, giants and vamps then theis latest is worth a listen. It's not overly exciting, nor an explosive listen, but it continues the story.

narrater

Whoever is narrating this book needs to change jobs . . It made my ears bleed listening to her , couldn't finish book .