March in Country

Vampire Earth #9

by E.E. Knight

The race is on to claim the area between the Ohio River and Tennessee. What's left of the resistance is hiding out in the tangle of central Kentucky hills-leaving the powerful, well-organized Kurian vampires the opportunity to fill the void.Major David Valentine knows a small group of fierce, freedom-loving allies who would be glad to settle the rich lands. But they're more than three hundred miles away, with hostile aliens and vicious human slavers standing between. But even if by some miracle they make it, the Kurian Order isn't about to easily yield the blood-soaked Kentucky soil...

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Post Apocalyptic, Vampires, Fiction, Action

358 pages, Paperback

First published January 4, 2011

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a fascination about this wrecked world that Knight has created that keeps me coming back for more, although it isn't exciting me the way it used to. The world is under a shadow, not just from the invading forces, but from our selves, much like the current politics in the US where personal & party ambitions trump common sense constantly. There is a lot of that in this world, but it is not completely without hope.

The characters are wonderful & the writing style unique. Every chapter is started with a page or two of italicized script that fills in some background, then we get to see the actual events from Valentine's perspective which is a limited, gritty view indeed. Along with that, Knight has the habit of tossing a paragraph occasionally that is kind of off-the-wall, really out of the flow from the rest of the text. It always adds an extra bit of depth & realism to the world.

There were a few too many magical fixes & loose threads in this story for me to give it more stars. They're somewhat camouflaged among all the tough breaks, but they hurt the story. Also, there is a section in the beginning that isn't from Valentine's POV & that jarred with the rest, not to mention was over the top. I re-read parts of it a couple of times & it was just off on timing & logic, although kind of fun.

While I don't think I'm going to be in a hurry to get the next book, I probably will get it. At some point, I really need to re-read the series from the first book, though. I began this series a decade ago, so details are blurring.

I'm surprised to see that not one of my friends here on GR has read this series.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good addition to Vampire Earth. I liked it a bit better than the last. Valentine seems more in character in a situation the Bear thing in a fight which I mentioned bugged me 2 books back. He's also getting more flexible in his expectations & solutions - hard as that may be to believe. He's definitely keeping his eye on the big picture while taking care of the details.

The world has also grown & expands in an important way that's been hinted at. Knight is doing a good job of keeping this complex world rolling along with plenty of excitement, yet keeping it believable. A vow is made that promises to make the next book (or perhaps the one after that) quite interesting. That big picture thing again. I'll be really interested to see what he does.

The next book is Appalachian Overthrow & it is out now in hardcover & audio, but my library doesn't have the latter yet. I see a Kindle edition, but no paperback. That's a shame. I had the rest in paperback (gave them to my son) & would buy this in that format. I hope it will come out soon.

[Jamie Reyes]

I love Valentine, he is one of my favorite charachters of all time! These books can be difficult for most being slightly scyfy but if your into post apocolyptic then they should suit you just fine!

[Darby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series not quite as good as they started out.

[TinaMarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had me scratching my head, I've read the eight previous books and I loved every single one of them and there are moments in this book that I loved but it also seemed repetitive.
Valentine is still this amazing leader and is finally working with a superior that supports him, unfortunately they both have to deal with Martinez. I have yet to understand why he hasn't been removed from power. There is the long march to bring the Golden Ones to Fort Seng, which of course does not go as planned and ends up with David having more refugees than he originally planned as well as Martinez fucking with him.

We get returning characters and the addition of the Ratbits but where some details were onerous other events skipped so much of the detail I had to go back and re-read believing I had missed a few pages. There are also some surprises ahead which will certainly make future books interesting.

All in all, I liked returning to this world but not as much as the previous books. This booked felt more like a prep for events to come as Valentine pulls in humans and non-humans to join the fight against the Kurians.

More of my reviews can be found at https://wyldheartreads.wordpress.com/

[Marissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to DNF this one about 100 pages in because the interest just isn't there anymore. This series started out strong but it's been dragging along the last few books and it's just not... fun anymore. Add in the fact that Knight seems to be stuck regurgitating unhelpful information (i.e. Patel's bad knees and aspirin use is mentioned twice in 50 pages, when it serves no real purpose to develop story or character), and sometimes I feel more annoyed than excited to read. I miss the adventure of the first 5 books, and don't think I'll be reading and more Vampire Earth books.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really prefer the abridged versions of these books. An Kha is made out to be a lot more intelligent in the abridged books and Valentine in this book is just a foolish, luckless horn dog who doesn't care about anything but hurting others and getting his ashes hauled.

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

Starts well enough, but slowly devolves into a lengthy harangue on the vicissitudes of disparate social interaction. Boring. Tends to jump around with only tenuous connective tissue between bites. The big resolution is well probably best left to the midden.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read, this series just gets better with each book. I can’t wait to start the next one.

[Jen Avant Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book in series

[BLSSDQT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in this series. This is my second read of the the series, so that says something about the writing and content.

The author is quite knowledgeable in the military arena and therefore the details are always intriguing. The build up and development of characters is also a great attribute of these books.

[Amanda Reynolds-Gregg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this book was ok. Not the best in the series by far, but still better than some of the really weak additions. There was certainly more payoff and action in this than in the last installment and I liked the strong sense of nostalgia running through the book, as there are a lot of references to past events, making it feel as though it should have been the final book in the series. Lots of great action sequences and I liked the inclusion of more gay characters as the series has always been extremely hetero-normative up til now. It was also nice to see the return of the ratbits.

There are some problems though. (Spoilers ahead)

The opening chapter was jarring and felt out of place as it's from the POV from a one shot character never seen again. As this has never happened in a previous book, it felt weird for it to happen now. Some resolutions come far too easily and quickly for my tastes (a familiar problem in the Vampire Earth series, but most glaringly seen here and Tale of the Thundercat). The climax in particular felt rushed.

I'm also saddened at the very quick introduction of two major concepts - the Ravens as a fourth Hunter caste and Makak - that are given very little time in the book, not to mention the lack of resolution of Blake and the beef with General Martinez. It felt like we should have reached some kind of conclusion with Martinez especially as this has been building over several books, and yet there is no pay off. Maybe it is touched upon in the next two books? As for Blake, I could see them dealing with his maturity and therefore strong bloodlust as well as the revelation of Makak as one entire book (something set up like Valentine's Exile). Instead, that story line is left shallow and hastily explained. Very disappointing.

Overall, this is a good action-packed adventure scifi book, but a much shallower one than we've seen in the series previously.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of my favorite Valentine books so far. There was a lot in this book and it all fit together really well. There is lots of action, almost every chapter has something exciting going on. The two most exciting things for me were the Ratbits, they show up again and are a very useful part of Southern Command. I was really happy to learn more about them and see them in action. The other thing was that Ahn-Kha comes back into the story. I really like Ahn-Kha and his absence was felt in the past few books without him. He and Valentine work together so well, that it doesn't realy work having them apart.
We also learn some shocking information about Narcisse that I didn't even see coming at all. Very interesting to see where that leads as well. It also seems like Ahn-Kha and Valentine will be going up against General Matrinez again. So much happened in this book and I can't wait to find out how all these things end.
5 out of 5 stars.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible/unabridged/Fantasy: At the beginning of the audio, E.E. Knight does the introduction and states that the books are done in arcs of three. This is book nine, so I am hoping that this is the end of the depressing period (it's like Buffy's season 6). David Valentine story is better than the last two and a little more upbeat. It mostly focused on Quislings (traitors to the human race) and less on Kurians (alien vampire that humans are at war with). Soldiers Ahn-Kah & Duvalier are back along with Blake. You find out how a disabled Narcisse has been able to take care of Blake, the baby Reaper for this whole time without killing her. I used to think about it, but since Valentine never brought it up, it just slipped my mind. I was hoping for Valentine to destroy a Kurian tower or two and some more Reapers, but this book was very choppy.
As for the narrator, he was very good and did the voices and accents well. If you've read the series, I recommend it.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 3 out of 5]

** "March in Country" (VE8) by E.E.Knight describes early spring (2022 AD alien invasion + 56 Year Kurian) exploits of now 30-year old enhanced warrior-saboteur (Wolf-Cat) David Valentine and friends. They need to: kill a truckfull of Reaper-vampires, rescue an enemy tower construction crew, and change thousands of gentle gold giant hairy aliens and their gray colored less intelligent more aggressive relatives from slaves to Kentucky settlers. Although complicated by the accumulated cast, action propels forward on land and water. That Val converts another opponent is predictable [that he turns down another Hunter power, the Raven ability to trick and disguise, disappointing. Finally the series tone is again positive, their missions successful]. I don't know if I would have liked skipping some books better, if digging up the dirt is necessary to understand the essential bones underneath.

[Kevin Roach · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series has gotten steadily more formulaic and repetitive. The first book or two were interesting enough, not great but E.E. Knight held back enough detail about his world that I wanted to learn more but every book of follows the same arc. Valentine is leading a rag-tag band up against a fearsome and unstoppable new enemy. Valentine is usually betrayed or abandoned by those that he is protecting in the Free Territories but overcomes impossible odds, usually all by himself, in a series of almost slap stick coincidences and he has a short term fling with a captured damsel. There hasn't been a major new character or growth in any of the major characters since Thunderbolt.

I definitely do not recommend starting this series. The world isn't moving forward, nothing is resolved and the characters aren't grownng. What is the point?

[Fantasy Literature · Rating 4 out of 5]

March in Country had a lot to live up to after Winter Duty, the previous book in the prolific Vampire Earth series by E.E. Knight. Winter Duty was a tour de force example of grit, determination, pain and combat that really re-energized the series.

David Valentine has always been an amazing contradiction of hardened killer in combat and soft-hearted do-gooder after. Some of the lengths he has gone to in order to save friends, free prisoners and give people a second chance have gone beyond compassion and into the realms of lunacy. For a professional soldier, it’s been career suicide and led to a life full of pain. That continues to be a central theme of this series as David continues to place the needs of “victims” and the desire to reform traitors before his own mission.
Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

[Kev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 9 in the series. And nothing horrible happens to our characters for a change! It was a nice turn of pace in the post-apocalyptic Vampire Earth series. For several books it seems, Valentine and his comrades have been separated and/or faced with overwhelming odds against them with disasters plaguing their plans and efforts.

Sure, there's some hardships in this book, but nothing compared to some of the recent situations. David Valentine and most of his close companions are back together and do a fine job establishing the Kentucky Freehold.

Read it!

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I continue to follow the series to see how the post alien invasion progresses but am starting to lose interest as the last couple of books have been flat. Granted the characters are aging but they seem to see less and less action. No one shows much desire to search for ways to remove the Kurians from power. One of the story limes I most enjoyed involved the various types of Hunters. But while present in this book they aren't the major players, or maybe it's that their abilities aren't, in the story.

[Jonathan Pettit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book and I am still committed to the series. I don't think it was as good as the last couple. The story didn't seem as fluid and contiguous as before. Still a great adder to the series. Valentine is starting to get a bit worn, now in his 30s. He's not the youngster any more, but still always making a name for himself. GEN Martinez is still in the background messing things up for Southern Command.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably closer to 3.5 stars if I had the option, but I'm rounding down this time. Its starting to feel like another series where the author either lost the path to wrap it up or is enjoying getting paid and doesn't want to move it towards any kind of completion.

[Bryony Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. It has great characters, wonderful plot line and it is so exciting. I love series books because I get attached to the characters and I love to revisit them and watch them grow and change.

[Chip · Rating 1 out of 5]

This series has been steadily heading downhill. The stakes don't seem to be very high and the endings are anti-climactic. I keep giving the author another chance to return to the level of the previous books in the series, but I've been disappointed in the last few books.

[Wesley Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This works is interesting enough that I keep coming back to it, though there are parts I just end up skipping over due to their unnecessarily gratuitous nature. It's not awesome, but it is interesting.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Better than the last with appreciable movement in the long arc and character development on several fronts.

I am getting pretty tired of the General who is obviously a turn coat not getting called to the carpet by someone, though.

[Na'Roon · Rating 3 out of 5]

not sure if my audio book was defective or that the store seemed to skip around and/or it just left stuff out. ether way it was to much for my liking

[Kuroi · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best vampire earth books yet. Many of the threads that have been woven into the overarching story for so many books have come together to create a very good read.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A return to the grand adventure of the series...growing in new, interesting directions again.

[Garth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome series.

Love E.E. Knight

[Aaroncar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this series but it was all over the place. Some of the books were awesome, others were just okay.