Phantom Game

January 1, 2022
A woman who has been in hiding for years is discovered by the man genetically engineered to be her mate. Camellia Mist grew up in the clutches of evil scientist Peter Whitney, a man who experimented on humans in an attempt to create a race of supersoldiers. The men he experimented on became GhostWalkers, while the girls he kidnapped were engineered to be their perfect mates. Jonas Harper was part of the first group of GhostWalkers, and now he and the remaining members of their team have created a fortress to keep themselves safe from further experimentation. On a hike near their compound, he senses a compelling presence and tracks it through the forest to Camellia's solitary fortress. Years earlier, when Camellia and the other women escaped from Whitney's clutches, she was betrayed by one of her closest friends in the process. Determined never to trust again, Camellia hid away and focused on harnessing the incredible talents she gained in Whitney's experiments: She can communicate with the entire ecosystem of plants in the forest and can channel the healing properties of the rare flower called the Middlemist Red Camellia. Jonas and Camellia can't resist the powerful compulsion to be together even though they realize that Whitney engineered their connection. This is Feehan's 18th book in the GhostWalker series, and nearly half of the book is pure exposition of previous storylines and characters in the form of Camellia and Jonas talking to each other. They talk face to face, talk telepathically, and finally she teaches him to talk to the plants. Their romance is a fait accompli with little tension or spark, and the external forces threatening the GhostWalkers are conveniently put on hold until Camellia and Jonas run out of things to talk about and have to go fight a battle. A tedious 400-plus-page plot summary of the GhostWalker series is barren soil for a romance plot.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 4, 2022

Jonas "Smoke" Harper feels a threat to the GhostWalker compound, and follows the sense of danger up the mountain. There, he discovers a mystery of vanishing trails, moving mists, and a natural network covering the top of the mountain that merges with his psychic senses. Camellia detects a presence in the network surrounding her home and prepares to run or fight; she won't let Dr. Peter Whitney capture her for experimentation again. As Jonas and Camellia slowly connect, they learn that Whitney has paired them as he has so many of the GhostWalkers and their wives, but the secrets hidden in Camellia's genetics will be either the salvation or destruction of both Jonas's friends and his growing relationship with Camellia. VERDICT In her 18th GhostWalker adventure (after Lightning Game) Feehan returns to the original teams at their mountain stronghold. Longtime series fans will enjoy glimpses into the lives of the team members, and Feehan's choice of horticulture as the groundwork for the characters' abilities is fascinating..--Melanie C. Duncan

Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.