The central focus of
this novel, Elizabeth Mitchell, is both a psychologist and a magical
enforcer. She is sworn to track down
magical malefactors and prevent them from doing further harm. This doesn’t set her apart from other
heroines in the popular urban fantasy genre.
It’s actually her opponents that are unusual. Caroline Crosby hasn’t taken refuge in the
current formulas of urban fantasy. There
are no purely evil villains of demonic origin, nor do they shamble through the
streets as soulless zombies. Instead she
presents us with fully developed human characters who have backgrounds, and
motivations for their actions.
There is also a romance dimension to The Other Covenant involving two couples. I found the portrayal of these relationships
touching and compelling. These romances
made me care more about the characters without overwhelming the story line.
The historical aspect was not so well handled. In alternating chapters, portions of a
manuscript appear detailing the history of a secret organization of magical
adepts called The Covenant. The early
sections of this manuscript aren’t engaging, and slow the pace of the
book. Once the historical narrative
reaches the lifetime of the manuscript’s author detailing his own experiences,
the writing feels more immediate and the novel as a whole begins to have more
impact. It seems to me that a few
flashbacks to key events in the earlier history of the Covenant from the
perspectives of the participants would have been more dramatic.
It’s a shame that the pace drags in the first half of The Other Covenant because there’s so
much to like in the second half. Readers
who have patience will be rewarded by a truly satisfying resolution.
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