It's dark, it's gruesome, (though nothing like the previous books) it's hopeful, it's action packed, it's emotional, it's packed with tense moments and countered by beautiful moments. It's a book I awaited with much anticipation, although, I admit to the clenching of my stomach each time I turned the page. With the author's propensity for laying bodies at my feet, and the realisation that I was spared the anguish with each turn, I heaved a sigh of relief that the characters who I've come to love, live another day.
The evolution of the Hunter throughout the series has been spectacularly magnificent. But even in the very first book in this series, the Hunter, an assassin for hire, a man with no apparent conscience, with no apparent feelings, drew out feelings in me, of such intensity, he burrowed into my very soul. The author's account of this immensely complex character can only be described as artistic excellence, of imaginative panache. A skill that can get one to sympathise, empathise and indeed, want to embrace and console a hardened killer who leaves scores of bodies in his wake, is a hard one to produce, yet Andy Peloquin does it almost unwittingly, with such verve, it speaks to his immense talent. There are very few characters I've read, and there have been scores, that have had the ability to capture me quite like the Hunter. He is, and always will be, one of my most favourite, most loved character of all time. His place in my very soul will never be eradicated, he will reside there with the likes of Drizzt and Nick Halloran for as long as I breathe.
Marius and Luna were wonderful additions, I enjoyed both characters immensely, especially Luna, a gifted sweet angel. There is a scene where the Hunter hires a barge which nearly undid me, I was blinking rapidly and swallowing furiously, my emotions rolling around unchecked. There's a definite difference in the tone of this book, it's somehow lighter, at least in the first half, we get to see a warmer, less tormented Hunter, one who even manages to impress me, with his humourous banter. I LOVED this "more well balanced" Hunter, still deadly though, just a bit more.... sensitive. And that's all thanks to another of my favourite characters, Kiara. She's his stabiliser, she's his rock, his voice of reason, the one who constantly reminds him of the good in him. And he's still amassing enemies at every turn, not his doing this time though. The Secret Keepers are the new threat and for some reason, are determined to get Jaia. It was really terrific to get to "know" her, although... she's still shrouded in secrecy, there's much more behind her words, her actions and I'm looking forward to it unfold. And Alessard, well, the Hunter was not the only one with an intense dislike of Alessard, shoo, he rubbed me up the wrong way too, raising my heckles. But his devotion to Jaia is beyond question.
Confronted by his daughter, the Hunter is at a bit of a loss, a unique situation for him, he can't tell her who he is to her, he has no clue how to behave around her, but protect her he will, with every ounce of his strength, which is almost unconquerable, almost.....I love how the Hunter tries so desperately to place the emotions HE feels for his daughter. How he's struggling to come to grips with his overwhelming parental feelings. His uncertainty on what to do with them, and indeed, his uncertainty in how to deal with Jaia. I absolutely ADORE this vulnerability in the Hunter. But I love the lean, mean, killing machine, the protective, sword swishing, Soulhunger wielding deadly and imposing awesomeness. And I got PLENTY of that, plenty of incredibly action packed battles. Yet another nail bitting, tummy churning, head pounding, completely soul wrapping book by this incredibly talented author.