Evil is never still. Something wicked is crossing the sea, a creature so old that none even remember its name-- but it has not forgotten the taste of blood. With a succubus ally, a brave priest, and new friends who seem a little less human than most, The Fearless will meet the greatest challenge of their lives. An ancient adversary is stopping by to avenge a wrong from the depths of time in a fight to the death that will bring a goddess to Florida for the best reason of all: Revenge.
Left-handed. Herder of cats and dogs. Lover of pie. I write books. I've had an unhealthy fascination with dragons since the age of-- well, for a while. Native Floridian. Current Tennessean. Location subject to change based on weather, upheaval, or availability of coffee. Forty-nine books and counting, with no end in sight. You've been warned.
Eloquent descriptions and epic fight scenes - I mean, Achilles himself in action is epic, all on his own - all wrapped up in a peculiar paranormal world behind the present we see on the surface. This book reminded me of Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned - an elegant mix of history and modern life. In The Waking Serpent, you have creatures thousands of years old, like the succubus Delphine, right up to the very modern Ring, with his penchant for beer, relaxation and... I particularly admire his taste in whisky. After reading this book, I feel inspired to hunt up a bottle of Highland Park.
I must admit I loved the Swimmers - who adamantly insist that they are NOT mermaids, just in case you were thinking it. But they are just as violent as any siren of myth.
Sadly, this book doesn't qualify as gratuitous word porn, at least not as much as Book #2, Mask of the Swan. I suspect the delightful descriptions were sacrificed to give consequence to the numerous action scenes in this book, though, so I'm not complaining.
I received this copy as a free gift from the author, though I'd happily have bought it, seeing as how much I enjoyed the first two books in the series.
Another brilliant episode in Ring, Wally and Risa's lives...and I look forward eagerly to the next.
Wally, Ring, and Risa have had some down time since killing Elizabeth, but it won’t last for long. An ancient evil has awoken and is working on getting back into his goddess’ good graces as he cuts a killing swath heading west toward America. With their allies, both old and new, The Fearless have their work cut out for them. Heroes, a priest, a Succubus, a Kin, a Goddess, and The Fearless come together to face this ancient evil…which may cost them everything they care about and more.
THE WAKING SERPENT is my favorite of The Fearless novels to date. I enjoyed see my favorite characters grow and the introduction of new allies (and new enemies). There was a lot less attention drawn to the nature of the relationship between Wally, Risa, and Ring, which I felt was an improvement. The emphasis was more on the interplay between them and the other characters. The descriptions of the newly awakened evil’s travels and deeds were ominous and creepy, but gave enormous depth to the character. The Fearless are on the cusp of something beautiful and terrifying, which this encounter serves to highlight. THE WAKING SERPENT is engaging, thoughtful, and well-written.
Something bad is coming. It has awakened and it is hungry. It has revenge in its tiny and withered heart as it cuts a swath of death a mile wide as it moves. Reports flood the intel gatherers and every demon hunter that has any experience… or sense… is running for the hills. Wally, Risa and Ring have unintentionally made a name for themselves after the death of Elizabeth, so they have been elected by default to “take care of business”.
Ends are tied up with Stacia, Davis and Dieter. Elizabeth’s vicious cruelty to humans as well as her “children” was so profound that she really deserves to be brought back to endure the torture she forced upon others… over and over again. I found Dieter’s story absolutely fascinating and kudos given to him as he played his long game. The deviousness of these evil “Undying” rivals what legendary horrors actual men of history have committed upon their people and I and hope with every last corpuscle in my heart that no one should ever live through such abominable experiences again.
Delphine is back and she is finally overcoming her self loathing and decides she wants to relearn what it is to be a human. She wants to feel again. She has made actual friends that really care what happens to her and she found that she likes that feeling.
Warning: While ends are tied up, there are leads introduced and purposely left hanging – in order to drag us all into the next episode.
Finished this up while on a business trip this last week. The further adventures of Ring and associates is a great continuation of their fight against the Undying. Great pacing, very descriptive, action packed, and wonderful characters. There's no reason this book shouldn't be in every store in the country. Fantastic writing and I highly recommend if you like the paranormal/fantasy genre. It's geared toward the older crowd, so I wouldn't put it in the hands of a younger audience, but still, fabulous.
Ring and the girls are at it again. Now that Elizabeth is gone the rest of her family is moving in to take her place. We get to see Demi-Gods in their element and it's amazing! My favorite part of Maggert's writing is how he gives you the story from more than one point of view. I enjoy following the trio while still knowing what the "bad guy" is doing to reach the trio. I'm obsessed with this series. All the ancient mythology Maggert includes in his writing is so interesting and makes me want to know more. Can't wait to start the next book and find out where Maggert takes us next!
I didn't review book one of this series well at all, but I believe writers develop their craft over time. That being said I delved into book two hoping to see some improvements on an amazingly unique twist on a very played out concept. Unfortunately the author failed to deliver. I'll not be rating book three, as I refuse to read it.
Maggert has another winner with Ring and the girls! The well researched historical content, fantasy/paranormal and the entwined lives of the fearless ones continues to entertain and amaze. While it could stand alone, that would be a real disservice to the reader. Get them all! The audioperformer is beyond excellent!