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Department 19 #3
Battle Lines
It's always darkest before dawn.
Secret government unit Department 19 is recovering from evil vampire Valeri Rusmanov's deadly attack on their base. The Department’s newest member, teenage operator Jamie Carpenter, is tasked with training up a new squad, as his friends and colleagues desperately search for ways to try to stop what is coming.
The timing couldn’t be worse for a coordinated, global attack on a number of maximum security prisons and hospitals—with the already-dangerous inmates now on the loose and turned into vampires. One of the escapees has a deep connection to one of the darkest moments in the history of Department 19 and embarks on a quest that threatens to expose the existence of vampires to the public. And with each day that passes, the regenerated Dracula gets stronger, bringing Zero Hour closer.
In this third installment of the epic Department 19 series, Will Hill delivers higher—and sharper—stakes than ever before.
Secret government unit Department 19 is recovering from evil vampire Valeri Rusmanov's deadly attack on their base. The Department’s newest member, teenage operator Jamie Carpenter, is tasked with training up a new squad, as his friends and colleagues desperately search for ways to try to stop what is coming.
The timing couldn’t be worse for a coordinated, global attack on a number of maximum security prisons and hospitals—with the already-dangerous inmates now on the loose and turned into vampires. One of the escapees has a deep connection to one of the darkest moments in the history of Department 19 and embarks on a quest that threatens to expose the existence of vampires to the public. And with each day that passes, the regenerated Dracula gets stronger, bringing Zero Hour closer.
In this third installment of the epic Department 19 series, Will Hill delivers higher—and sharper—stakes than ever before.
702 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2013
92 people are currently reading
1813 people want to read
About the author
Will Hill
53 books577 followersBefore quitting his job in publishing to write full time, Will Hill worked as a bartender, a bookseller and a door-to-door charity worker. He grew up in the north-east of England, is scared of spiders, and lives in east London with his girlfriend. He is a big fan of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
September 22, 2018
Gut, aber die Bände davor waren besser.
March 28, 2013
Book 3 from the talent behind the bestselling hardback YA debut of 2011. Dracula is on the verge of coming into his full power. Department 19 is on the back foot. Ladies and gentlemen: welcome to war. The stakes? Mankind’s very survival…
As the clock ticks remorselessly towards Zero Hour and the return of Dracula, the devastated remnants of Department 19 try to hold back the rising darkness.
Jamie Carpenter is training new recruits, trying to prepare them for a fight that appears increasingly futile. Kate Randall is pouring her grief into trying to plug the Department’s final leaks, as Matt Browning races against time to find a cure for vampirism. And on the other side of the world, Larissa Kinley has found a place she feels at home, yet where she makes a startling discovery.
Uneasy truces are struck, new dangers emerge on all sides, and relationships are pushed to breaking point. And in the midst of it all, Department 19 faces a new and potentially deadly threat, born out of one of the darkest moments of its own long and bloody history.
Zero Hour is coming. And the Battle Lines have been drawn.
This book like the others was amazing, well thought out and keeps you reading, in fact is difficult to put it down. I am sure this is going to be as successful as the other two in the series. This book is really awesome, with action all the way, lots of blood and gore, and vampires that are just becoming too difficult to kill. The Department is trying to pick itself up from the last battle training new recruits and researching why it has become so difficult to defeat the vampires.
The characters feel real, and that makes the story speed along, the descriptive text is amazing, you can feel those vampire teeth and the blood and gore that erupt from their bite.
This was truly an amazing read. I strongly recommend.
As the clock ticks remorselessly towards Zero Hour and the return of Dracula, the devastated remnants of Department 19 try to hold back the rising darkness.
Jamie Carpenter is training new recruits, trying to prepare them for a fight that appears increasingly futile. Kate Randall is pouring her grief into trying to plug the Department’s final leaks, as Matt Browning races against time to find a cure for vampirism. And on the other side of the world, Larissa Kinley has found a place she feels at home, yet where she makes a startling discovery.
Uneasy truces are struck, new dangers emerge on all sides, and relationships are pushed to breaking point. And in the midst of it all, Department 19 faces a new and potentially deadly threat, born out of one of the darkest moments of its own long and bloody history.
Zero Hour is coming. And the Battle Lines have been drawn.
This book like the others was amazing, well thought out and keeps you reading, in fact is difficult to put it down. I am sure this is going to be as successful as the other two in the series. This book is really awesome, with action all the way, lots of blood and gore, and vampires that are just becoming too difficult to kill. The Department is trying to pick itself up from the last battle training new recruits and researching why it has become so difficult to defeat the vampires.
The characters feel real, and that makes the story speed along, the descriptive text is amazing, you can feel those vampire teeth and the blood and gore that erupt from their bite.
This was truly an amazing read. I strongly recommend.
February 19, 2015
Department 19: Battle Lines. The Third Book
The awakening of the oldest and most powerful vampire, Dracula, gets closer and closer as the remnants of Department 19 recover from the catastrophic attack on their headquarters. An eminent battle will decide the fate of mankind.
Jamie Carpenter and his team are split up in order to train teams of recruits in a desperate attempt to stop the great evil that advances towards them will unrelenting speed. While training their squads they have to face coordinated attacks on the world’s highest security prisons and hospitals.
This book, like the two before, is jam-packed with action, blood and gore. Will Hill, the author, makes the characters feel real by using first person perspective so we are able to see their emotions and thoughts. We are also able to see the characters mature, like Jamie, who came into vampire slaying, a worried and unsure teen turning into a leader of men who respect him. All of the battles are described in intense and incredible detail, which helps readers see the scenes play out.
Department 19: Battle Lines has the whole package action, horror, adventure and a little bit of romance, this book has been put under young adult fiction but I would recommend to this book to anyone who enjoys action, adventure as well as some horror.This book keeps you on your toes and leaves you in anticipation for the next book.
The awakening of the oldest and most powerful vampire, Dracula, gets closer and closer as the remnants of Department 19 recover from the catastrophic attack on their headquarters. An eminent battle will decide the fate of mankind.
Jamie Carpenter and his team are split up in order to train teams of recruits in a desperate attempt to stop the great evil that advances towards them will unrelenting speed. While training their squads they have to face coordinated attacks on the world’s highest security prisons and hospitals.
This book, like the two before, is jam-packed with action, blood and gore. Will Hill, the author, makes the characters feel real by using first person perspective so we are able to see their emotions and thoughts. We are also able to see the characters mature, like Jamie, who came into vampire slaying, a worried and unsure teen turning into a leader of men who respect him. All of the battles are described in intense and incredible detail, which helps readers see the scenes play out.
Department 19: Battle Lines has the whole package action, horror, adventure and a little bit of romance, this book has been put under young adult fiction but I would recommend to this book to anyone who enjoys action, adventure as well as some horror.This book keeps you on your toes and leaves you in anticipation for the next book.
November 2, 2014
The 3rd book in the Department 19 Series – the action continues.
Larissa goes to work in the US and makes new friends. Although there is one person who is a little too friendly and she’s not sure how to handle it – and how much she should tell Jamie.
Jamie is busy with a new team, chasing vampires who have been released from high security prisons all over the world. And there is something different about these vampires.
Kate and Matt’s fathers are digging deeper into what they saw when they lost their children. But how far will they go to find out the truth?
And the kidnapped Henry Seward is still alive. His new host is Dracula who isn’t very friendly…..
I LOVE this series!
Larissa goes to work in the US and makes new friends. Although there is one person who is a little too friendly and she’s not sure how to handle it – and how much she should tell Jamie.
Jamie is busy with a new team, chasing vampires who have been released from high security prisons all over the world. And there is something different about these vampires.
Kate and Matt’s fathers are digging deeper into what they saw when they lost their children. But how far will they go to find out the truth?
And the kidnapped Henry Seward is still alive. His new host is Dracula who isn’t very friendly…..
I LOVE this series!
June 3, 2018
I swear I read this however, I can't remember why I never marked it as read.. but I seem to remember everything that's going on in the fourth book so I must have read it.
Huh
While I can't speak to the feelings I had after reading this novel, I clearly remember liking this one just as much as the rest.
Huh
While I can't speak to the feelings I had after reading this novel, I clearly remember liking this one just as much as the rest.
February 6, 2017
Admittedly, I have some complaints about the authors style: switching points of view with little warning, jumping around chronologically, etc.
However, the story is a fun and exciting read. I am rather hooked in this series despite its faults, and I am quite enjoying it.
However, the story is a fun and exciting read. I am rather hooked in this series despite its faults, and I am quite enjoying it.
March 27, 2013
Battlelines is the third book in a series and so there is a good chance that there may be minor spoilers in this review (honest, I’m not kidding around you know). Oh well, don’t say I didn’t give you fair warning.
Dracula is on the verge of coming into his full power. Department 19 is on the back foot. Ladies and gentlemen: welcome to war. The stakes? Mankind’s very survival…
As the clock ticks remorselessly towards Zero Hour and the return of Dracula, the devastated remnants of Department 19 try to hold back the rising darkness.
Jamie Carpenter is training new recruits, trying to prepare them for a fight that appears increasingly futile. Kate Randall is pouring her grief into trying to plug the Department’s final leaks, as Matt Browning races against time to find a cure for vampirism. And on the other side of the world, Larissa Kinley has found a place she feels at home, yet where she makes a startling discovery.
Uneasy truces are struck, new dangers emerge on all sides, and relationships are pushed to breaking point. And in the midst of it all, Department 19 faces a new and potentially deadly threat, born out of one of the darkest moments of its own long and bloody history.
Zero Hour is coming. And the Battle Lines have been drawn.
Battlelines, the third Department 19 novel, is released into the wild tomorrow and I have to admit I’m more than a little excited. Why so much excitement? Well, I’ve been thinking about it for a while and I’ve come to the following theory. (I like to call it Pablo Cheesecake’s Law of Increasing Returns).
When you start reading a series of novels by a debut author, book one is about that wonderful sense of discovery. You have no idea what you’re going to get. The author’s writing is very much an unknown quantity but you’re willing to take a chance. As long as there is a compelling hook, you’ll happily read the book to completion. Book two is more about recognition. You’ve read and enjoyed book one and are hungry for more. By book three, there is nothing but anticipation. You just can’t wait to find out where the plot is going next. You have your favourite characters, the author has really found their stride and you trust them to deliver something just a little bit special. Put it this way, if you’ve reached book three and your still reading, then the author must be doing everything right.
Jamie Carpenter remains a compelling central character. He has changed quite considerably from the unsure teen that we met in the first Department 19 novel. As the series has continued, Jamie’s character has continued to evolve along with it. He has now reached the point where he is a leader of men and is starting to get some insight into the responsibilities that come with that role. Lives are now at stake, excuse the pun, and in many cases it’s Jamie that is responsible for them. I love the fact that here is a lead who is not infallible. Jamie makes mistakes and sometimes pays for them. The flawed hero is always the most interesting type of hero to read.
Frankenstein is also still suffering from the aftermath of events that occurred at the end of book two, The Rising. He is beset by doubts and seeking redemption for the failures he perceives within himself. Meanwhile Valentin Rusmanov, everyone’s favourite wittily urbane vamp, is attempting to make himself indispensable at Department 19′s headquarters, The Loop. Valentin is swiftly becoming my favourite character in the entire series. Suave, snarky and more than a little aloof he is so much fun to read about.
I’ve said this before, but I’m going to say it again. Although this is packaged as a ‘young adult’ novel, everyone should be reading this. Action, adventure, horror and great characters combine to form a memorable reading experience. There were moments while reading this novel where I was properly stunned, in the best ways imaginable. While I was reading Battlelines, I kept looking for an extra five minutes whenever I could just so I could read a little bit more. Thinking about it, that’s probably the highest compliment I could give any book. I was actively trying to avoid doing anything else just so I could fit in another couple of chapters. I’m beginning to appreciate a vampire’s craving for blood; Hill’s writing is addictive stuff.
Battlelines ends with a slight pause, like the calm before the inevitable storm. I suspect/hope that things are about to kick off in a most spectacular fashion. Everything is set up to ensure that the next book is going to be an absolute corker. Once again I find myself applauding and cursing Will Hill in the same breath. This book is a massive amount of fun, as are the two that precede it, but I need to know what happens next RIGHT NOW!
Department 19: Battlelines is published by Harper Collins and is available on 28th March. If you’ve read the first two books in the series you’ll love it. If you haven’t, buy them, read them and I’ll guarantee that you’ll love it.
Dracula is on the verge of coming into his full power. Department 19 is on the back foot. Ladies and gentlemen: welcome to war. The stakes? Mankind’s very survival…
As the clock ticks remorselessly towards Zero Hour and the return of Dracula, the devastated remnants of Department 19 try to hold back the rising darkness.
Jamie Carpenter is training new recruits, trying to prepare them for a fight that appears increasingly futile. Kate Randall is pouring her grief into trying to plug the Department’s final leaks, as Matt Browning races against time to find a cure for vampirism. And on the other side of the world, Larissa Kinley has found a place she feels at home, yet where she makes a startling discovery.
Uneasy truces are struck, new dangers emerge on all sides, and relationships are pushed to breaking point. And in the midst of it all, Department 19 faces a new and potentially deadly threat, born out of one of the darkest moments of its own long and bloody history.
Zero Hour is coming. And the Battle Lines have been drawn.
Battlelines, the third Department 19 novel, is released into the wild tomorrow and I have to admit I’m more than a little excited. Why so much excitement? Well, I’ve been thinking about it for a while and I’ve come to the following theory. (I like to call it Pablo Cheesecake’s Law of Increasing Returns).
When you start reading a series of novels by a debut author, book one is about that wonderful sense of discovery. You have no idea what you’re going to get. The author’s writing is very much an unknown quantity but you’re willing to take a chance. As long as there is a compelling hook, you’ll happily read the book to completion. Book two is more about recognition. You’ve read and enjoyed book one and are hungry for more. By book three, there is nothing but anticipation. You just can’t wait to find out where the plot is going next. You have your favourite characters, the author has really found their stride and you trust them to deliver something just a little bit special. Put it this way, if you’ve reached book three and your still reading, then the author must be doing everything right.
Jamie Carpenter remains a compelling central character. He has changed quite considerably from the unsure teen that we met in the first Department 19 novel. As the series has continued, Jamie’s character has continued to evolve along with it. He has now reached the point where he is a leader of men and is starting to get some insight into the responsibilities that come with that role. Lives are now at stake, excuse the pun, and in many cases it’s Jamie that is responsible for them. I love the fact that here is a lead who is not infallible. Jamie makes mistakes and sometimes pays for them. The flawed hero is always the most interesting type of hero to read.
Frankenstein is also still suffering from the aftermath of events that occurred at the end of book two, The Rising. He is beset by doubts and seeking redemption for the failures he perceives within himself. Meanwhile Valentin Rusmanov, everyone’s favourite wittily urbane vamp, is attempting to make himself indispensable at Department 19′s headquarters, The Loop. Valentin is swiftly becoming my favourite character in the entire series. Suave, snarky and more than a little aloof he is so much fun to read about.
I’ve said this before, but I’m going to say it again. Although this is packaged as a ‘young adult’ novel, everyone should be reading this. Action, adventure, horror and great characters combine to form a memorable reading experience. There were moments while reading this novel where I was properly stunned, in the best ways imaginable. While I was reading Battlelines, I kept looking for an extra five minutes whenever I could just so I could read a little bit more. Thinking about it, that’s probably the highest compliment I could give any book. I was actively trying to avoid doing anything else just so I could fit in another couple of chapters. I’m beginning to appreciate a vampire’s craving for blood; Hill’s writing is addictive stuff.
Battlelines ends with a slight pause, like the calm before the inevitable storm. I suspect/hope that things are about to kick off in a most spectacular fashion. Everything is set up to ensure that the next book is going to be an absolute corker. Once again I find myself applauding and cursing Will Hill in the same breath. This book is a massive amount of fun, as are the two that precede it, but I need to know what happens next RIGHT NOW!
Department 19: Battlelines is published by Harper Collins and is available on 28th March. If you’ve read the first two books in the series you’ll love it. If you haven’t, buy them, read them and I’ll guarantee that you’ll love it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2016
This is going to be a short review purely because I don't know how to get my ideas into words without giving spoilers
To put it as shortly as possible I loved it. The action was an awesome as the first two instalments and was as equally, if not more, blood thirsty that the previous two instalments. This meant as a reader I was kept on the very edge of my seat from the first page until the last and I struggled to put it down as I needed to know what happened next.
For me this book was about seeing those characters we loved in the first two books grow up that little bit more to become their own person in the fight against the vampires. Yes I still love Jamie completely but I must say I loved Larissa in this book. She kicked ass big time in this book and I loved how she has changed as a character since the first book
Another excellent read from Will Hill and a series I cannot recommend highly enough.
To put it as shortly as possible I loved it. The action was an awesome as the first two instalments and was as equally, if not more, blood thirsty that the previous two instalments. This meant as a reader I was kept on the very edge of my seat from the first page until the last and I struggled to put it down as I needed to know what happened next.
For me this book was about seeing those characters we loved in the first two books grow up that little bit more to become their own person in the fight against the vampires. Yes I still love Jamie completely but I must say I loved Larissa in this book. She kicked ass big time in this book and I loved how she has changed as a character since the first book
Another excellent read from Will Hill and a series I cannot recommend highly enough.
December 13, 2013
I CANT WAIT FOR THIS BOOK!!!
WILL YOUR A PAIN FOR MAKING ME WAIT
This series needs to be more well known seriously,The Hunger Games isn't even on the same calibur as D19. Definitely going to be my favourite of 2013!
(...Wow I fan-boy'd xD )
WILL YOUR A PAIN FOR MAKING ME WAIT
This series needs to be more well known seriously,The Hunger Games isn't even on the same calibur as D19. Definitely going to be my favourite of 2013!
(...Wow I fan-boy'd xD )
December 23, 2013
I was so sure that this would be the last book!
February 1, 2013
The best Department 19 book so far. Review to come nearer publication date.
Read
November 6, 2019Department 19 Battle Lines was extremely difficult for me to get through and that was for several reasons. I’m not saying this so scare anybody off, I just think that this book is targeted towards an older audience, which is one thing you’ll pick up on pretty quick if you decide to read this series. This book is the third book in a four book series called Department 19, so if you read this book, don’t make the stupid mistake I made by reading the third book in the series and not the two books prior. I had no idea this was even a series until I was about half way through the book and I started doing some background research, then I discovered my big mistake. I say that this is meant for an older audience because of how difficult this book was at times to understand. This is one of those books where you might want to do some background research or even reread certain parts if you don’t understand them. I learned that the hard way, I got lost several times throughout the story because at first I decided not to go back and reread when I got confused. Anyways, in this story, the clock is slowly ticking closer to Dracula’s return, also known as the zero hour. Jamie Carpenter, the main character, is training his team of fighters to defeat Dracula. This team is called Department 19, which is a secret government agency. Jamie is a relaxed character, although he knows that the zero hour is coming closer and closer, he still seems to treat his trainees with a load of respect. He never really seems to get angry at them, even when they don’t listen to his commands. Even though they may not always listen to him, he does get the respect back from his trainees. This book is a written summary of about 6 days. These 6 days are stretched into 600 pages in length, which as you can imagine, the book can seem extremely repetitive at times.
Anyways, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a solid reader, because this one is pretty tough to get through if you aren’t. I think anyone who likes a lot of drama and action inside of a story would love this book, and the rest of the Department 19 series. For me personally, I don’t consider myself to be a great reader, so I believe that’s the reason why I struggled a lot with this book. That’s why I mentioned that reading a difficult book like this may take some background research and some extra rereading to get a full understanding of what is happening. Even after I’d try doing both of those, I sometimes would be still confused about something. I think that anyone who enjoys a good series of a bit of drama, war, action, and anticipation would love this series, it just wasn’t for me.
Anyways, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a solid reader, because this one is pretty tough to get through if you aren’t. I think anyone who likes a lot of drama and action inside of a story would love this book, and the rest of the Department 19 series. For me personally, I don’t consider myself to be a great reader, so I believe that’s the reason why I struggled a lot with this book. That’s why I mentioned that reading a difficult book like this may take some background research and some extra rereading to get a full understanding of what is happening. Even after I’d try doing both of those, I sometimes would be still confused about something. I think that anyone who enjoys a good series of a bit of drama, war, action, and anticipation would love this series, it just wasn’t for me.
December 30, 2017
Take it or leave it
Nach dem letzten Einsatz ist Larissa zu der Schwester-Organisation des Department 19 nach Amerika entsannt worden. Dort spricht jeder von einem geheimnisvollen Gefangenen, dessen Existenz von den Verantwortlichen jedoch verleugnet wird. Die Lage der Organisationen wird erschwert. In vielen Ländern werden Gefangene aus Hochsicherheitsgefängnissen oder Einrichtungen für psychisch Kranke befreit und verwandelt. Diese neuen Vampire sind viel stärker als sie es so kurz nach ihrer Verwandlung sein dürften. Das geschwächte Department 19 bildet gerade wieder Ersatzteams aus und ist eigentlich nicht voll einsatzbereit. Es bleibt angesichts der außerordentlichen Bedrohung keine Wahl als sich den Gefahren zu stellen.
Die Stunde Null rückt näher, der wiedererweckte, aber noch geschwächte Graf Dracula gewinnt langsam an Stärke. Und das Department 19 setzt alles daran, ihn aufzuspüren und zu vernichten bevor er weiteres Unheil über die Menschheit bringen kann. Doch nicht jeder unterstützt die Einrichtung. Gefahren lauern überall, bedauerlicherweise auch im Inneren. Jamie und seine Freunde sehen zwar ein, dass ihre Kräfte aufgeteilt werden müssen, damit mehrere von ihren Erfahrungen profitieren können, ihre gemeinsamen Einsätze vermissen sie aber schmerzlich. Es wirkt als wäre es besser, sie könnten gemeinsam operieren.
In diesem dritten Band um das Department 19 finden einige grausame Kämpfe statt, er werden Hinweise gefunden, die hilfreich sein könnten, um gegen Dracula anzugehen. Fast wirkt es so als würden die die Mutigen in England zusammengezogen, um schließlich doch ein gemeinsames großes Gefecht zu führen. Ein wenig wirkt es so als sei ein paar Nebenschauplätzen zu viel Raum gegeben worden, um den Fortgang der Handlung zu verlangsamen. Soweit ersichtlich sind auf Englisch zwei weitere Bände der Reihe erschienen, von denen nicht bekannt ist, ob eine Übersetzung geplant ist. Wer also wissen möchte, ob es Jamie und den anderen Mitgliedern des Department 19, den Kampf um das Überleben der Menschheit zu gewinnen, wird sich an die englischsprachigen Originale halten müssen.
Dieser Band bietet wieder spannende Unterhaltung, obwohl man sich schon fragt, ob eine Straffung auf vielleicht drei oder vier Bände nicht mehr Action und rasantere Abläufe ergeben hätte.
3,5 Sterne
Nach dem letzten Einsatz ist Larissa zu der Schwester-Organisation des Department 19 nach Amerika entsannt worden. Dort spricht jeder von einem geheimnisvollen Gefangenen, dessen Existenz von den Verantwortlichen jedoch verleugnet wird. Die Lage der Organisationen wird erschwert. In vielen Ländern werden Gefangene aus Hochsicherheitsgefängnissen oder Einrichtungen für psychisch Kranke befreit und verwandelt. Diese neuen Vampire sind viel stärker als sie es so kurz nach ihrer Verwandlung sein dürften. Das geschwächte Department 19 bildet gerade wieder Ersatzteams aus und ist eigentlich nicht voll einsatzbereit. Es bleibt angesichts der außerordentlichen Bedrohung keine Wahl als sich den Gefahren zu stellen.
Die Stunde Null rückt näher, der wiedererweckte, aber noch geschwächte Graf Dracula gewinnt langsam an Stärke. Und das Department 19 setzt alles daran, ihn aufzuspüren und zu vernichten bevor er weiteres Unheil über die Menschheit bringen kann. Doch nicht jeder unterstützt die Einrichtung. Gefahren lauern überall, bedauerlicherweise auch im Inneren. Jamie und seine Freunde sehen zwar ein, dass ihre Kräfte aufgeteilt werden müssen, damit mehrere von ihren Erfahrungen profitieren können, ihre gemeinsamen Einsätze vermissen sie aber schmerzlich. Es wirkt als wäre es besser, sie könnten gemeinsam operieren.
In diesem dritten Band um das Department 19 finden einige grausame Kämpfe statt, er werden Hinweise gefunden, die hilfreich sein könnten, um gegen Dracula anzugehen. Fast wirkt es so als würden die die Mutigen in England zusammengezogen, um schließlich doch ein gemeinsames großes Gefecht zu führen. Ein wenig wirkt es so als sei ein paar Nebenschauplätzen zu viel Raum gegeben worden, um den Fortgang der Handlung zu verlangsamen. Soweit ersichtlich sind auf Englisch zwei weitere Bände der Reihe erschienen, von denen nicht bekannt ist, ob eine Übersetzung geplant ist. Wer also wissen möchte, ob es Jamie und den anderen Mitgliedern des Department 19, den Kampf um das Überleben der Menschheit zu gewinnen, wird sich an die englischsprachigen Originale halten müssen.
Dieser Band bietet wieder spannende Unterhaltung, obwohl man sich schon fragt, ob eine Straffung auf vielleicht drei oder vier Bände nicht mehr Action und rasantere Abläufe ergeben hätte.
3,5 Sterne
May 11, 2019
I know I’ve read Department Nineteen and The Rising, but I couldn’t remember much when I picked up Battle Lines so some plot points were genuine surprises, such as the identities of North and South. It was easy to get back into the series, even though there were a lot of different characters doing a lot of different things.
Generally Battle Lines is pacey, but 700 pages is a bit over the top. Some things could easily be cut; Larissa’s stint abroad didn’t appear entirely necessary, nor did Kate and Paul’s numerous ISAT interviews.
It’s full of tense moments and cliffhangers. The ending leaves hints with the next book.
It isn’t as cliched as I was worried it would be considering it’s about vampire hunting, and Frankenstein and Dracula are characters. Hill has made these characters his own.
I appreciate Hill’s inclusion of female characters in Department 19. But at times, the female characters are a bit two-dimensional, such as Kate and Natalia’s relationship. They didn’t know each other but planned to chat about Natalia’s crush.
While inclusivity is good, the phrase “the proud men and women of Department 19” is rather jarring and overused. Maybe it’s personal preference, but “people” might be a better word. Was "men and women" used to add to the wordcount?
Generally Battle Lines is pacey, but 700 pages is a bit over the top. Some things could easily be cut; Larissa’s stint abroad didn’t appear entirely necessary, nor did Kate and Paul’s numerous ISAT interviews.
It’s full of tense moments and cliffhangers. The ending leaves hints with the next book.
It isn’t as cliched as I was worried it would be considering it’s about vampire hunting, and Frankenstein and Dracula are characters. Hill has made these characters his own.
I appreciate Hill’s inclusion of female characters in Department 19. But at times, the female characters are a bit two-dimensional, such as Kate and Natalia’s relationship. They didn’t know each other but planned to chat about Natalia’s crush.
While inclusivity is good, the phrase “the proud men and women of Department 19” is rather jarring and overused. Maybe it’s personal preference, but “people” might be a better word. Was "men and women" used to add to the wordcount?
June 29, 2017
Wow! These series of books seriously need to be more well known in literary circles. Department far outways even The Hunger Games and Maze Runner.
Dracula is rising and getting stronger by the minute, Zero Hour is fast approaching and Department 19 is trying hard to survive but the battle lines are drawn and the stakes are Mankinds survival.
Once again this book hits the ground running right from page one and never lets up. Will Hill pulls you into Department 19 and there you find yourself engrossed in every page and into books your unable to put down.
Jamie Carpenter is training new recruits to go into battle with the vampires, all of which appears to be futile, as the vampires they are facing are now stronger than before. Kate becomes a stronger character in this book, Matt Browning begins to work in the laboratory within the department researching a cure into vampirism, Larissa is on secondment to the US version of Department 19.
Truces are called within this book but I will leave you to find out what they are as it would spoil the story. I'm looking forward to finding out more about Admiral Sewards abduction in the next book.
All in all a fabulous story once again, lots of gore and tension throughout leaving you wanting more! I will be moving swiftly onto book four so watch this space.
A well deserved 5 stars!
Dracula is rising and getting stronger by the minute, Zero Hour is fast approaching and Department 19 is trying hard to survive but the battle lines are drawn and the stakes are Mankinds survival.
Once again this book hits the ground running right from page one and never lets up. Will Hill pulls you into Department 19 and there you find yourself engrossed in every page and into books your unable to put down.
Jamie Carpenter is training new recruits to go into battle with the vampires, all of which appears to be futile, as the vampires they are facing are now stronger than before. Kate becomes a stronger character in this book, Matt Browning begins to work in the laboratory within the department researching a cure into vampirism, Larissa is on secondment to the US version of Department 19.
Truces are called within this book but I will leave you to find out what they are as it would spoil the story. I'm looking forward to finding out more about Admiral Sewards abduction in the next book.
All in all a fabulous story once again, lots of gore and tension throughout leaving you wanting more! I will be moving swiftly onto book four so watch this space.
A well deserved 5 stars!
November 21, 2023
1. This book is about a random government dedicated to killing vampires, killing a vampire. It is an action thriller through and through, and although it has more of a story than superman comics, it is pretty much just constant action.
2. My favorite part of the story is actually the tension building, as it provides a lot more intricate detail and a better view into the actual world surrounding the characters.
3. I don't really have a favorite character for this book, as they all feel unrelatable, not really being able to express emotions as much as I would like, however it does still build a connection to the characters very well, but there is not a single character that stands out from the rest.
4. A fact I learnt from this book is that vampires are apparently Will Hill's favorite subject.
2. My favorite part of the story is actually the tension building, as it provides a lot more intricate detail and a better view into the actual world surrounding the characters.
3. I don't really have a favorite character for this book, as they all feel unrelatable, not really being able to express emotions as much as I would like, however it does still build a connection to the characters very well, but there is not a single character that stands out from the rest.
4. A fact I learnt from this book is that vampires are apparently Will Hill's favorite subject.
March 10, 2022
honestly, thus far, this book was the slowest in the series. i feel like so much happened in this book, but also nothing happened. there were plenty of good moments and build-ups, but i feel like this one was missing a main storyline. i was waiting for a climax in more than one of the plots but was kinda underwhelmed with how they wrapped up. still a great book, but it fell short of my expectations after the first two books. im very excited to see how the series will turn out after this though. this book felt a lot like constant rising action, so im expecting the next book to be the big ball drop.
January 24, 2018
I never realised before how amazing this series is!! This is by far my favourite book of the series (so far). These stories are so intricately created - there are so many different plots that gradually weave together in the end in a way that, in my opinion, is pure genius!! The Department 19 books have action, mystery, intrigue, gore, science, family, friendship and so much more. I love vampires and Will Hill's take on them is just amazing. Overall, I recommend this series to anyone and everyone!
July 7, 2017
For a very long book (700+ pages) these Department 19 thrillers seem to zip by. More vampire killing action. More spies/moles within Department 19 (what is this? An episode of "24"?). Hard to believe this series is considered YA. It is pretty darn violent to me. Events move along, but it is still getting close to Zero Hour. Lucky for me my digital library has the next two books in the Department 19 series.
March 21, 2019
This one took me more time than I thought it should have. The previous books I really flew through, but this one not so much. I think because it felt like that no matter how much I read I didn't feel I was making any progress, which I know is not true. This seemed more like a filler book rather than moving the story forward, you could have condensed this book into a few chapters and then moved on to the bigger goal of the series.
October 6, 2018
So so so so so damn good
January 4, 2020
I enjoyed this but it felt like there was an unnecessary number of story lines running at the same time.
August 24, 2021
I've never been a fan of teenage angst and I'm not going to start becoming one! All the will she and won't he between Jamie and Larissa made me want to scream. And, sure, Larissa is just now coming across someone who doesn't run screaming when she goes all vampy. But does that mean she would be completely blind to how whatsisname's obsession for her is based on all the wrong reasons? All that wouldn't have made me rate this book at 2 stars. It was how this very secret organization and their habit of leaving loose ends untied. If you're kidnapping someone's kid or fail to explain why they had to leave behind their daughter while she was attacked by a vampire, what do you expect them to do? Just go on with their lives? Would any parent worth their salt ever be able to do that? Then how come the two dads teaming up with a vampire--another loose end btw--took the organization by surprise? How? HOW?
October 1, 2023
FRANKINSTINE!!! my boy my love my dude my little pookie bear. Like i know how this is gonna end i know BUT I DONT WANT T TO END LIKE THAT OKAY YOU CAN MAKE ME READ IT I REFUSE
Read
October 10, 2024it was very interesting...
June 17, 2019
I thought that this was the second book but it is the third, welp, I I must read the 2nd book out of order. After reading the second book, I can say that although written well enough for me to have skipped the second book, it makes so much more sense after reading the second book. If there were haves, I would bring it up to 4.5 stars. It loses the half star because I was lead on to thinking that thos was the second book. Another reason is that I came back to this review and did not rate it 5 stars the first time.
September 22, 2014
Rezi: http://chrissies-kleine-welt.de/?p=1646
ACHTUNG! Dies ist der dritte Teil der Department 19-Reihe. Solltest du die ersten beiden Teile noch nicht kennen, könnte dich der nachfolgende Text erheblich spoilern. Weiterlesen demnach auf eigene Gefahr. :)
Schwarzlicht muss sich vom Angriff Valerie Rusmanovs und seiner Schergen erholen. Im Auftrag von Dracula sind in diesem Vorstoß viele Agenten ums Leben gekommen und so herrscht akuter Personalmangel. Das Department kann kaum die Jagd nach Dracula selbst bewältigen, geschweige denn den normalen Aufgaben nachkommen. Zudem wurde es nun bereits zum zweiten Mal unterwandert, so dass eine Sondereinheit gebildet werden muss um den Hintergrund aller Mitarbeiter zu beleuchten und weitere Verräter zu entlarven.
Das Team rund um Jamie Carpenter ist zerrissen. Larissa wurde in die USA versetzt und soll dort in der Area 51 neue Mitarbeiter für Schwarzlicht suchen, Kate hat sich der Sondereinheit im Department angeschlossen, so dass Jamie nun verzweifelt versucht ein neues Einsatzteam auf die Beine zu stellen, was sich anhand des mangelnden Personals und den neu eintreffenden, komplett unerfahrenen Frischlingen schwierig gestaltet.
Genau in diese Situation hinein werden rund um den Globus viele Einrichtungen für psychisch kranke und gewalttätige Menschen von Vampiren überfallen und alle Patienten verwandelt. Diese neuen Vampire sind stärker als sie sein dürften und zudem durch ihre Erkrankungen brandgefährlich.
Wie soll das Department 19 all dem Herr werden? Was ist mit Henry Seward, der von Dracula verschleppt wurde? Und kann die Stunde Null abgewendet werden, oder wird Dracula letztendlich über den Planeten herrschen?
Der Prolog des Buches ist auch schon wie bei seinen zwei Vorgängern wirklich sehr gut, sehr atmosphärisch und macht definitiv Lust auf mehr. Danach schwächelt die Story aber nach meinem Geschmack, ist zu nüchtern und zu militärisch erzählt. Was ist mit Frankenstein, der nach Buch zwei gerade sehr interessant geworden ist. Ebenso Valentin Rusmanov, der eher am Rande in der Geschichte mitwirken darf, für mich aber sehr interessant ist. Statt dessen wird sich auf die Rekrutierung von unerfahrenen Agenten konzentriert, auf Jamie, Kate, Larissa und Matt und ihren jeweiligen Aufgaben. Ich habe mich fast die gesamte erste Hälfte des Buches gefragt, wann nun die eigentliche Geschichte aufgenommen wird und warum man nicht endlich mal in die Puschen kommt und mit dieser weitermacht.
Dies ändert sich Gott sei Dank in der zweiten Hälfte des Buches. Die Storyline um Albert Harker ist sehr interessant und nach und nach kommt man auch in die eigentliche Geschichte wieder hinein. Es wird wieder sehr heftig und blutig, weshalb ich mich nach wie vor frage, warum diese Reihe als Jugendbuchreihe deklariert ist. Trotzdem gab es für mich einfach zu viele Handlungsstränge, die dem Buch und seinem flüssigen Verlauf nicht gut getan haben.
Nichts desto trotz saugt einen die zweite Hälfte des Buches wieder so richtig ein. Man fiebert mit, die Seiten fliegen nur so dahin und man hat auch hier wieder einen spannenden, actiongeladenen Urbanfantasyroman, der einfach nur Spaß macht. Zudem eröffnen sich einige interessante Möglichkeiten für Teil 4, die mich sehr neugierig gemacht haben.
“Department 19: Das Gefecht” ist für mich bedingt durch die erste Hälfte leider bisher der schwächste Teil der Reihe, konnte mich jedoch am Ende doch wieder sehr begeistern und für sich gefangen nehmen. Nach wie vor ist diese Reihe für jeden Leser etwas, der eine spannende, rasante Geschichte rund um Vampire und Monster lesen möchte und das so ganz ohne Kitsch. Ich freue mich auf Teil 4.
ACHTUNG! Dies ist der dritte Teil der Department 19-Reihe. Solltest du die ersten beiden Teile noch nicht kennen, könnte dich der nachfolgende Text erheblich spoilern. Weiterlesen demnach auf eigene Gefahr. :)
Schwarzlicht muss sich vom Angriff Valerie Rusmanovs und seiner Schergen erholen. Im Auftrag von Dracula sind in diesem Vorstoß viele Agenten ums Leben gekommen und so herrscht akuter Personalmangel. Das Department kann kaum die Jagd nach Dracula selbst bewältigen, geschweige denn den normalen Aufgaben nachkommen. Zudem wurde es nun bereits zum zweiten Mal unterwandert, so dass eine Sondereinheit gebildet werden muss um den Hintergrund aller Mitarbeiter zu beleuchten und weitere Verräter zu entlarven.
Das Team rund um Jamie Carpenter ist zerrissen. Larissa wurde in die USA versetzt und soll dort in der Area 51 neue Mitarbeiter für Schwarzlicht suchen, Kate hat sich der Sondereinheit im Department angeschlossen, so dass Jamie nun verzweifelt versucht ein neues Einsatzteam auf die Beine zu stellen, was sich anhand des mangelnden Personals und den neu eintreffenden, komplett unerfahrenen Frischlingen schwierig gestaltet.
Genau in diese Situation hinein werden rund um den Globus viele Einrichtungen für psychisch kranke und gewalttätige Menschen von Vampiren überfallen und alle Patienten verwandelt. Diese neuen Vampire sind stärker als sie sein dürften und zudem durch ihre Erkrankungen brandgefährlich.
Wie soll das Department 19 all dem Herr werden? Was ist mit Henry Seward, der von Dracula verschleppt wurde? Und kann die Stunde Null abgewendet werden, oder wird Dracula letztendlich über den Planeten herrschen?
Der Prolog des Buches ist auch schon wie bei seinen zwei Vorgängern wirklich sehr gut, sehr atmosphärisch und macht definitiv Lust auf mehr. Danach schwächelt die Story aber nach meinem Geschmack, ist zu nüchtern und zu militärisch erzählt. Was ist mit Frankenstein, der nach Buch zwei gerade sehr interessant geworden ist. Ebenso Valentin Rusmanov, der eher am Rande in der Geschichte mitwirken darf, für mich aber sehr interessant ist. Statt dessen wird sich auf die Rekrutierung von unerfahrenen Agenten konzentriert, auf Jamie, Kate, Larissa und Matt und ihren jeweiligen Aufgaben. Ich habe mich fast die gesamte erste Hälfte des Buches gefragt, wann nun die eigentliche Geschichte aufgenommen wird und warum man nicht endlich mal in die Puschen kommt und mit dieser weitermacht.
Dies ändert sich Gott sei Dank in der zweiten Hälfte des Buches. Die Storyline um Albert Harker ist sehr interessant und nach und nach kommt man auch in die eigentliche Geschichte wieder hinein. Es wird wieder sehr heftig und blutig, weshalb ich mich nach wie vor frage, warum diese Reihe als Jugendbuchreihe deklariert ist. Trotzdem gab es für mich einfach zu viele Handlungsstränge, die dem Buch und seinem flüssigen Verlauf nicht gut getan haben.
Nichts desto trotz saugt einen die zweite Hälfte des Buches wieder so richtig ein. Man fiebert mit, die Seiten fliegen nur so dahin und man hat auch hier wieder einen spannenden, actiongeladenen Urbanfantasyroman, der einfach nur Spaß macht. Zudem eröffnen sich einige interessante Möglichkeiten für Teil 4, die mich sehr neugierig gemacht haben.
“Department 19: Das Gefecht” ist für mich bedingt durch die erste Hälfte leider bisher der schwächste Teil der Reihe, konnte mich jedoch am Ende doch wieder sehr begeistern und für sich gefangen nehmen. Nach wie vor ist diese Reihe für jeden Leser etwas, der eine spannende, rasante Geschichte rund um Vampire und Monster lesen möchte und das so ganz ohne Kitsch. Ich freue mich auf Teil 4.
Read
March 9, 2017It was a good book
August 4, 2014
WOW.
WOW.
JUST ... WOW.
(WARNING, IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE SECOND BOOK, DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW!)
WOW.
JUST ... WOW.
(WARNING, IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE SECOND BOOK, DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW!)
August 12, 2014
OMG, book 3 is here! I couldn't wait to get stuck into this book, in fact I finished book 2 and went straight into this one, read 100 pages of it straight away. I seriously love this series, it has the ability to just sweep me away and carry me through the pages, totally losing track of time and awareness. I love it when a book can do that - utterly absorb me, it doesn't happen very often but when it does I know I have struck gold! Especially when the book is 700 pages long but flies by so fast because you are so invested!
I did have to leave this for a few days as I was signed up to a book club meeting and was assigned '1984' by Orwell to read so that interrupted this book. But to be honest the meeting has passed and I still haven't finished Orwell, maybe I was too swept up with wanting to get back to Jamie and his colleagues and friends, because I couldn't concentrate on anything else. And when I did pick this book up again I read 250 pages in one sitting without moving, emerged once more in the world of Department 19. And in a way it felt comforting, like I was returning home and meeting up with friends. I had to know what was happening to them and what might be coming next.
Dracula is coming back, but this time he is going to be bigger and more dangerous than ever, Department 19 has set up a special Task Force 'Zero Hour' to try and stop him from rising, but they may have underestimated just what they were dealing with. Jamie has to deal with a whole new type of vampire, family ties, new recruits and relationship problems. Life just got a whole lot harder.
I actually really like Kate in this book, she seems to develop more of a back bone and stands up for herself a bit more. Whereas Larissa became a bit more mopey and thoughtful, although thankfully still kick ass when needed.
This world has truly come to life for me, I can visualise it all, the training rooms, meeting rooms, corridors, labs, sleeping areas - everything, it's like I am fully there.
It's refreshing to find such an exciting, detailed, fun, scary and amazing world all rolled into one amazing series. I already have book 4 by my side ready to go and am pleased to see that there should be a book 5 too. I just can't get enough. Will Hill - you are a legend and I wish I had read more of your books before I had met you. I have so many things that I would have said to you if I had. But please, keep writing!!!
I did have to leave this for a few days as I was signed up to a book club meeting and was assigned '1984' by Orwell to read so that interrupted this book. But to be honest the meeting has passed and I still haven't finished Orwell, maybe I was too swept up with wanting to get back to Jamie and his colleagues and friends, because I couldn't concentrate on anything else. And when I did pick this book up again I read 250 pages in one sitting without moving, emerged once more in the world of Department 19. And in a way it felt comforting, like I was returning home and meeting up with friends. I had to know what was happening to them and what might be coming next.
Dracula is coming back, but this time he is going to be bigger and more dangerous than ever, Department 19 has set up a special Task Force 'Zero Hour' to try and stop him from rising, but they may have underestimated just what they were dealing with. Jamie has to deal with a whole new type of vampire, family ties, new recruits and relationship problems. Life just got a whole lot harder.
I actually really like Kate in this book, she seems to develop more of a back bone and stands up for herself a bit more. Whereas Larissa became a bit more mopey and thoughtful, although thankfully still kick ass when needed.
This world has truly come to life for me, I can visualise it all, the training rooms, meeting rooms, corridors, labs, sleeping areas - everything, it's like I am fully there.
It's refreshing to find such an exciting, detailed, fun, scary and amazing world all rolled into one amazing series. I already have book 4 by my side ready to go and am pleased to see that there should be a book 5 too. I just can't get enough. Will Hill - you are a legend and I wish I had read more of your books before I had met you. I have so many things that I would have said to you if I had. But please, keep writing!!!
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