Discovering Ren is an urban fantasy retelling of an ancient myth, exploring the nexus of the supernatural and the divine.
Thirty-five-year-old museum research archaeologist Isadora Ambrosine has a rich, adoring husband, great house, and steady job – until her boss George Winter convinces her to write a book and curate an exhibit on Egyptian magic in order to boost the museum’s flagging attendance.
Smart yet sheltered, Isadora’s confidence unravels when she begins hearing the voice of God, and worries that even Max, her husband of fourteen years, will not believe her. When she receives a bundle of ancient amulets in a Cairo marketplace, she is reluctantly drawn into a shadow world where faith and magic converge.
Isadora’s anxiety proves prescient. On their return from Egypt, Max is stabbed, and she chooses to save him by becoming the next Isis, the Lady of Ten Thousand Names. With her kickboxing skills and a pair of conjured bronze short swords, Isadora dispatches her would-be killers in the first of several deadly encounters.
As Max lingers in a coma and Isadora struggles to balance her old life with a new magical calling, she inevitably acquires enemies, including Max's brother Seth, who has secretly loved her for years; Mei-Lin, a Chinese fox-fairy masquerading as her museum intern; and a hungry vampire who needs magical blood to survive. Her only allies appear to be the Brothers of St. Canisius, an order of “werewolves” who can possess dogs. Roger Matthews, a Civil War deserter turned attorney and his boss Edward Lamb explain, in a kind of supernatural theory of everything, that worldwide myths have echoed the story of salvation, and magical people exist to protect humanity from evil that was loosed through the fall from grace.
Isadora revives Max on the same night that Seth unsuccessfully propositions her and uncovers her secret. Max regains consciousness but must harness his own magic to overcome paralysis and impotence, while jealousy leads Seth to pursue the dark powers and become Set, the lord of chaos.
Blaming herself for Max’s suffering and for turning Seth into a villain, Isadora finally crumbles. In a poignant conversation with God, she realizes that part of faith is accepting the imperfection of her own actions. Max begins to recover, but their joy at learning Isadora is pregnant is marred when Seth and his mother successfully sue for control of Max’s assets, and turns to grief when Seth conjures a thunderstorm that crashes Isadora’s parents’ plane. With colossal self-control, Isadora forsakes her anger and revenge and plans instead to go into hiding with Roger and her family. Max agrees to fake his death so that Seth will leave him alone, while Isadora completes the exhibit and arranges to disappear.
On the night of her gala opening, Seth, seventy-two demons, and the vampire invade the museum, forcing a life-or-death showdown amid a host of innocents. Believing she is doomed, Isadora decides to go down fighting. The Spirit reminds her that sacrificial love is all-powerful, and she defeats Seth’s minions one by one until he is forced to face her alone. He fails because he has never understood magic’s divinity. Isadora is close to escaping when she is ambushed by an unknown, human enemy. To her amazement, Annette, Seth’s wife, saves her, and the sisters-in-law flee to the church where Roger and Edward are waiting. There Isadora gives birth to her son, and learns her true name (ren) and the Source of her power, before escaping with her family to Maine.
Smart yet sheltered, Isadora’s confidence unravels when she begins hearing the voice of God, and worries that even Max, her husband of fourteen years, will not believe her. When she receives a bundle of ancient amulets in a Cairo marketplace, she is reluctantly drawn into a shadow world where faith and magic converge.
Isadora’s anxiety proves prescient. On their return from Egypt, Max is stabbed, and she chooses to save him by becoming the next Isis, the Lady of Ten Thousand Names. With her kickboxing skills and a pair of conjured bronze short swords, Isadora dispatches her would-be killers in the first of several deadly encounters.
As Max lingers in a coma and Isadora struggles to balance her old life with a new magical calling, she inevitably acquires enemies, including Max's brother Seth, who has secretly loved her for years; Mei-Lin, a Chinese fox-fairy masquerading as her museum intern; and a hungry vampire who needs magical blood to survive. Her only allies appear to be the Brothers of St. Canisius, an order of “werewolves” who can possess dogs. Roger Matthews, a Civil War deserter turned attorney and his boss Edward Lamb explain, in a kind of supernatural theory of everything, that worldwide myths have echoed the story of salvation, and magical people exist to protect humanity from evil that was loosed through the fall from grace.
Isadora revives Max on the same night that Seth unsuccessfully propositions her and uncovers her secret. Max regains consciousness but must harness his own magic to overcome paralysis and impotence, while jealousy leads Seth to pursue the dark powers and become Set, the lord of chaos.
Blaming herself for Max’s suffering and for turning Seth into a villain, Isadora finally crumbles. In a poignant conversation with God, she realizes that part of faith is accepting the imperfection of her own actions. Max begins to recover, but their joy at learning Isadora is pregnant is marred when Seth and his mother successfully sue for control of Max’s assets, and turns to grief when Seth conjures a thunderstorm that crashes Isadora’s parents’ plane. With colossal self-control, Isadora forsakes her anger and revenge and plans instead to go into hiding with Roger and her family. Max agrees to fake his death so that Seth will leave him alone, while Isadora completes the exhibit and arranges to disappear.
On the night of her gala opening, Seth, seventy-two demons, and the vampire invade the museum, forcing a life-or-death showdown amid a host of innocents. Believing she is doomed, Isadora decides to go down fighting. The Spirit reminds her that sacrificial love is all-powerful, and she defeats Seth’s minions one by one until he is forced to face her alone. He fails because he has never understood magic’s divinity. Isadora is close to escaping when she is ambushed by an unknown, human enemy. To her amazement, Annette, Seth’s wife, saves her, and the sisters-in-law flee to the church where Roger and Edward are waiting. There Isadora gives birth to her son, and learns her true name (ren) and the Source of her power, before escaping with her family to Maine.