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Department 19 #4
Zero Hour
Department 19 still stands against the darkness. But for how much longer? Book 4 in the epic series from bestselling author, Will HIll.
When Jamie Carpenter's mother is kidnapped by strange creatures, he finds himself dragged into Department 19, the government's most secret agency.
Fortunately for Jamie, Department 19 can provide the tools he needs to find his mother, and to kill the vampires who want him dead. But unfortunately for everyone, something much older is stirring, something even Department 19 can't stand up against…
When Jamie Carpenter's mother is kidnapped by strange creatures, he finds himself dragged into Department 19, the government's most secret agency.
Fortunately for Jamie, Department 19 can provide the tools he needs to find his mother, and to kill the vampires who want him dead. But unfortunately for everyone, something much older is stirring, something even Department 19 can't stand up against…
Paperback
First published May 29, 2014
64 people are currently reading
1700 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 75 reviews
February 5, 2015
I can't wait! Does anyone know when it is going to be released in the US?
March 16, 2015
I received a free ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Zero Hour is book 4 in the Department 19 series.
This book follows a number of characters of the novel and everything is leading up to the point of where Dracula may rise and cause chaos. Department 19 is working as hard as possible to stop that and protect all the humans. However, the humans are also starting to find out about the vampires and the fact that Department 19 are a sort of vampire police...
I cannot believe that I didn't realise this book was the fourth in the series, otherwise I wouldn't have requested it. On the other hand, I'm glad I did as I really enjoyed it, although there were quite a few deaths. I loved the idea of Dracula, Frankenstein and Department 19 policing them. Now I need to get my hands on the previous books soon!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me with a copy.
Zero Hour is book 4 in the Department 19 series.
This book follows a number of characters of the novel and everything is leading up to the point of where Dracula may rise and cause chaos. Department 19 is working as hard as possible to stop that and protect all the humans. However, the humans are also starting to find out about the vampires and the fact that Department 19 are a sort of vampire police...
I cannot believe that I didn't realise this book was the fourth in the series, otherwise I wouldn't have requested it. On the other hand, I'm glad I did as I really enjoyed it, although there were quite a few deaths. I loved the idea of Dracula, Frankenstein and Department 19 policing them. Now I need to get my hands on the previous books soon!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me with a copy.
June 5, 2014
When I read the first Department 19 book, I stated that it was the best action horror that I had ever read. And then Will Hill raised the goddamn bar with his second book, The Rising. Then, like the great Sergey Bubka, he teased us by raising that bar even more for Battle Lines, and as spectators we were left wondering whether Will Hill had it in him to continue doing so. All we could do was watch and wait. And now Zero Hour is upon us, and yes, that bar has gone up again and Hill has sailed over it.
Before I continue, a word of warning. This is the fourth book in the series and as such this review will contain spoilers for previous books, so if you haven't read them then please do not read on. Secondly, I'm not sure how much I will be saying in this review anyway - with every new book that comes along in this series it feels more and more wrong to mention plot points in a review. Seriously - if you want to know what happens then just read the book.
As a quick reminder, the end of Battle Lines left us with 46 days till Zero Hour. Things had not gone well for Jamie and his team (understatement). Jamie's friends had also gone through hell, whether physically or emotionally, both in the UK and, for Larissa, over in the US. And then there is the matter of Julian Carpenter - alive and well, and back on British soil, but as a high security prisoner whose identity is known only to one or two people.
Zero Hour picks up the story with seven days till Zero Hour, and things are beginning to look very desperate indeed for the members of Department 19. The breakthrough they have been hoping and praying for just hasn't materialised. Kate and the Intelligence Division have data that predicts nothing but disaster of apocalyptic proportions for the world's non-vampire population. Larissa is wracked with guilt as she strongly suspects that Julian Carpenter is alive, but she can't find a way of telling Jamie. Jamie himself is still reeling from the events of Battle Lines, and also struggling with the growing realisation that his girlfriend is one of the most powerful vampires in the world, so where does that leave him, a mere mortal human? Matt Browning has been working night and day, desperately trying to find a cure for vampirism, but so far his efforts have all been in vain. And then there is Valentin Rusmanov, now allied with Department 19, but long absent, off on his own search for an answer to their prayers.
So, all things considered, things aren't looking good for the human race.
And then things get worse.
On finishing Zero Hour I sent Will Hill a Twitter message, congratulating him on what I thought to be his best book yet, and I told him it was his Empire Strikes Back. There are two reasons for this: the first is that the first two three quarters of the book are a gradual build up to the climactic final quarter (more about that in a minute). The second was the feeling you get, as you turn the pages, that things just can't get any worse. And yet then they do. And again, you think, oh well, at least things can't get any worse. And then they do, again. And this continues again and again as the plot progresses, and all of the time you know that every crappy little thing that is thrown at the D19 team is only a precursor to everything hitting the fan when Dracula finally reaches full strength. There were times when I felt slightly sick with nerves reading this as I have become so invested in these characters over the past few years. Especially given what happened to Shaun Turner in The Rising: we already know that Will Hill has the balls to kill off key characters.
So how could things possibly get worse for the D19 team? Well, I've thought long and hard about what I should or shouldn't reveal, and I decided that I would expand on one key plot point only. Simply put, word gets out. We sort of guessed this would happen following the events of Battle Lines, but now we are talking worldwide media coverage, social media and YouTube, and all the grief that that brings with it: protests (by both vampires and humans); condemnation of the work of D19 by the press; accusations of ethnic cleansing. Not exactly what the team needs to keep them focused as they prepare to do battle with their greatest foe and the biggest ever threat to mankind. However, as far as things getting worse for the team, this is only one of them, and in some ways fairly minor considering some of the other big reveals that come in this book.
Just now I said I would mention more about the climactic final quarter of the book. However, before we reach that point I want to touch on three moments in the first three quarters that pretty much took my breath away. The first was a major fist-pump moment which happens just as the clock has ticked over to two days until Zero Hour. I'm not saying any more other than it sort of relates to my favourite character in the series and it's nice to see justice done. I reckon Will Hill took great delight in writing this particular scene. The other two key moments happened within twenty pages of each other and I actually uttered a word that I can't and won't repeat here when I read it and I felt as if I had been punched in the gut. And if that wasn't enough, twenty pages later I was left with more than a few tears in my eyes as Hill tore out my heart and crushed it. Will Hill has balls of steel and does not hold back in this book!
And then there is the climactic final portion. Seriously, if you have any energy left when you get to the chapter titled "The Calm Before" I suggest you put the book down, go outside and get a breath of fresh air. Perhaps treat yourself to a bar of chocolate and a can of red Coke (or whatever your beverage of choice happens to be) because hell, you are going to need it! The final part of this book is fast, furious, bloody, violent, and definitely takes no prisoners. It's a no-holds-barred climax that comes with one rule only: kill or be killed, and should come with a theme park style warning about readers with heart conditions, etc.
You also need to make sure that you have plenty of time to finish the book, as once you start reading this chapter you will find it impossible to put the book down until you have reached the final chapter, more than 100 pages later.
With the fifth and final book titled Darkest Night I have a feeling that things are probably going to get even worse before this series comes to an end.
Before I continue, a word of warning. This is the fourth book in the series and as such this review will contain spoilers for previous books, so if you haven't read them then please do not read on. Secondly, I'm not sure how much I will be saying in this review anyway - with every new book that comes along in this series it feels more and more wrong to mention plot points in a review. Seriously - if you want to know what happens then just read the book.
As a quick reminder, the end of Battle Lines left us with 46 days till Zero Hour. Things had not gone well for Jamie and his team (understatement). Jamie's friends had also gone through hell, whether physically or emotionally, both in the UK and, for Larissa, over in the US. And then there is the matter of Julian Carpenter - alive and well, and back on British soil, but as a high security prisoner whose identity is known only to one or two people.
Zero Hour picks up the story with seven days till Zero Hour, and things are beginning to look very desperate indeed for the members of Department 19. The breakthrough they have been hoping and praying for just hasn't materialised. Kate and the Intelligence Division have data that predicts nothing but disaster of apocalyptic proportions for the world's non-vampire population. Larissa is wracked with guilt as she strongly suspects that Julian Carpenter is alive, but she can't find a way of telling Jamie. Jamie himself is still reeling from the events of Battle Lines, and also struggling with the growing realisation that his girlfriend is one of the most powerful vampires in the world, so where does that leave him, a mere mortal human? Matt Browning has been working night and day, desperately trying to find a cure for vampirism, but so far his efforts have all been in vain. And then there is Valentin Rusmanov, now allied with Department 19, but long absent, off on his own search for an answer to their prayers.
So, all things considered, things aren't looking good for the human race.
And then things get worse.
On finishing Zero Hour I sent Will Hill a Twitter message, congratulating him on what I thought to be his best book yet, and I told him it was his Empire Strikes Back. There are two reasons for this: the first is that the first two three quarters of the book are a gradual build up to the climactic final quarter (more about that in a minute). The second was the feeling you get, as you turn the pages, that things just can't get any worse. And yet then they do. And again, you think, oh well, at least things can't get any worse. And then they do, again. And this continues again and again as the plot progresses, and all of the time you know that every crappy little thing that is thrown at the D19 team is only a precursor to everything hitting the fan when Dracula finally reaches full strength. There were times when I felt slightly sick with nerves reading this as I have become so invested in these characters over the past few years. Especially given what happened to Shaun Turner in The Rising: we already know that Will Hill has the balls to kill off key characters.
So how could things possibly get worse for the D19 team? Well, I've thought long and hard about what I should or shouldn't reveal, and I decided that I would expand on one key plot point only. Simply put, word gets out. We sort of guessed this would happen following the events of Battle Lines, but now we are talking worldwide media coverage, social media and YouTube, and all the grief that that brings with it: protests (by both vampires and humans); condemnation of the work of D19 by the press; accusations of ethnic cleansing. Not exactly what the team needs to keep them focused as they prepare to do battle with their greatest foe and the biggest ever threat to mankind. However, as far as things getting worse for the team, this is only one of them, and in some ways fairly minor considering some of the other big reveals that come in this book.
Just now I said I would mention more about the climactic final quarter of the book. However, before we reach that point I want to touch on three moments in the first three quarters that pretty much took my breath away. The first was a major fist-pump moment which happens just as the clock has ticked over to two days until Zero Hour. I'm not saying any more other than it sort of relates to my favourite character in the series and it's nice to see justice done. I reckon Will Hill took great delight in writing this particular scene. The other two key moments happened within twenty pages of each other and I actually uttered a word that I can't and won't repeat here when I read it and I felt as if I had been punched in the gut. And if that wasn't enough, twenty pages later I was left with more than a few tears in my eyes as Hill tore out my heart and crushed it. Will Hill has balls of steel and does not hold back in this book!
And then there is the climactic final portion. Seriously, if you have any energy left when you get to the chapter titled "The Calm Before" I suggest you put the book down, go outside and get a breath of fresh air. Perhaps treat yourself to a bar of chocolate and a can of red Coke (or whatever your beverage of choice happens to be) because hell, you are going to need it! The final part of this book is fast, furious, bloody, violent, and definitely takes no prisoners. It's a no-holds-barred climax that comes with one rule only: kill or be killed, and should come with a theme park style warning about readers with heart conditions, etc.
You also need to make sure that you have plenty of time to finish the book, as once you start reading this chapter you will find it impossible to put the book down until you have reached the final chapter, more than 100 pages later.
With the fifth and final book titled Darkest Night I have a feeling that things are probably going to get even worse before this series comes to an end.
August 11, 2019
I absolutely love this series and this instalment was no different. It was a high-stakes, action packed and thrilling read from start to finish. I really enjoyed it.
May 26, 2014
I've been a huge fan of this series since I read a proof of the original novel a few years ago. Zero Hour picks up after the devastation at the end of Battle Lines and follows each character as they prepare for Dracula's imminent return... Rather than focusing solely on Jamie the series has developed so that each character is of equal importance - they each have skills that Blacklight have come to rely on, and it's really interesting to get an overview of what's happening in different places etc. The danger is ever present and the tension has built up so much that it truly feels like they are on the brink of war - which of course, they are! When the inevitable battle breaks out it is horrific and deadly and darn awesome! With each book Will Hill has made me even more excited, happy and shocked at the incredible story he has created. 10/10!!!
February 22, 2018
This book follows a number of characters of the novel and everything is leading up to the point of where Dracula may rise and cause chaos. Department 19 is working as hard as possible to stop that and protect all the humans. However, the humans are also starting to find out about the vampires and the fact that Department 19 are a sort of vampire police...
December 21, 2023
Consistency is the name of the game baby. This book took all the best parts of the first three books and dialed them up to 11. The plot picks up in a major way and the pages go flying. I love when authors are actually capable of thinking up more cool stuff than me, and Zero Hour definitely delivers
Of course, there are also the same issues as the previous three books, like stupid ahhh teenage drama, prose that’s a little too workmanlike even for me (why the fetch are all these hardened vampire slayers “smiling” all the time??), and a few plot holes (I would have simply dropped a thermonuclear warhead on Dracula). But all in all, great book
Of course, there are also the same issues as the previous three books, like stupid ahhh teenage drama, prose that’s a little too workmanlike even for me (why the fetch are all these hardened vampire slayers “smiling” all the time??), and a few plot holes (I would have simply dropped a thermonuclear warhead on Dracula). But all in all, great book
September 3, 2020
It has been a few years since I read the first 3 Department 19 novels. Back when there was an Entitled book service. But I am glad I finally returned. These books are long, but I seem to zip by. Almost non-stop action. Pretty graphic at times. Young Adult? More like PG-13 plus. The author dances around any serious sex issues, but lays it on with the violence. One more novel to go to wrap this up. Pretty sure I will not wait another couple of years. Probably will finish this series up by Christmas.
February 9, 2019
I felt like this book spent so much time building up that the pay off just wasn’t worth it. I wanted to like it better I really did and just found myself waiting for a bit of excitement that never seem to come. And the characters I wanted to see the most of were really only teased
July 27, 2015
There are few book series that not only keep my attention throughout, but also keep me at the edge of my seat until the end. Case in point, the department 19 series by will hill. These books should seriously be made into a movie. I recently purchased Zero Hour a few days ago and it was amazing. It had been over a year since I have read the last book in the series, but picked it up and continued on as if I finished the previous book only days ago. The characters are even more fleshed out and each of there inner struggles are brought to new heights in this next chapter. Dracula is only days away from reaching his full strength and it is great to see a Dracula as hell bent on world domination and who is sadistic as this Dracula is. This is how I would imagine the former prince of Wallachia to be. I have finished this almost 700 page book in a matter of days it was just that good. I can't wait for there's next chapter Darkest Night which is the conclusion to come out... especially knowing the paperback version comes out on my birthday January 26. If you have not read any of these books, puck up the first one immediately!! It has action, horror, vampires, gore, suspense, etc. Everything you could want in a book..or a movie for that matter. But you don't have to take my word for it. Pick up these books up and see for yourself. These are truly something special.
February 14, 2017
A thunderous thrill-ride. Will Hill effortlessly guides the reader through a web of plots and characters. All that is left to say is, I hope my brother finishes book five quickly.
November 2, 2014
I've waited all year to get my hands on a copy for my Department 19 collection and finally I got a long holiday weekend to dive in and devour it.
I was not disappointed, but then I didn't think I would be! Jamie Carpenter and his friends both human and otherwise are back into the action - full on and in your face! I caught myself saying, 'Oh no, oh no,' as I could see something about to happen. Or a gasp or three as something totally unexpected jumped out of the page at me.
It’s 7 days until Zero Hour and Blacklight know that millions of people will die. What they need is a cure to vampirism or a weapon to defeat the most powerful vampire in the world. Matt’s team (Lazarus) are working round the clock and when they hear of a man called Adam who was cured of vampirism, they are desperate to find him. Meanwhile, Valentin is looking for Dracula and his hostage….
Once again, an action packed, expertly woven plot with gruesome fight scenes and characters you cheer for. Can’t wait for the conclusion to this excellent series!
Read it. Love it. I guarantee it!
I was not disappointed, but then I didn't think I would be! Jamie Carpenter and his friends both human and otherwise are back into the action - full on and in your face! I caught myself saying, 'Oh no, oh no,' as I could see something about to happen. Or a gasp or three as something totally unexpected jumped out of the page at me.
It’s 7 days until Zero Hour and Blacklight know that millions of people will die. What they need is a cure to vampirism or a weapon to defeat the most powerful vampire in the world. Matt’s team (Lazarus) are working round the clock and when they hear of a man called Adam who was cured of vampirism, they are desperate to find him. Meanwhile, Valentin is looking for Dracula and his hostage….
Once again, an action packed, expertly woven plot with gruesome fight scenes and characters you cheer for. Can’t wait for the conclusion to this excellent series!
Read it. Love it. I guarantee it!
February 6, 2017
I am really enjoying this series. It isn't the best written thing I have ever read, but it is fun to read, and the story is exciting.
The book ended basically how I expected it to since there is one more book in the series, but a few things happened that caught me off guard.
Also, I don't get why they are making such a huge deal about people getting turned into vampires. They are still the same person, just a different diet. Everyone seems to freak out like it is the worse thing ever.
The book ended basically how I expected it to since there is one more book in the series, but a few things happened that caught me off guard.
Also, I don't get why they are making such a huge deal about people getting turned into vampires. They are still the same person, just a different diet. Everyone seems to freak out like it is the worse thing ever.
June 3, 2018
As I approach the conclusion of this series I want it less and less to end. I love the characters, the plot, and the writing style of this novels. So much so I'm considering reading his other series, which appears to be a bunch of novellas based on this series.
November 23, 2014
Hands down amazing book, so much action and killing in one book i never thought was possible. Great and off the charts book!
January 14, 2023
Well first book of 2023 and it didn't disappoint.
I am critical of vampire books, I grew up reading Darren Shan so I keep my bar pretty high but when I finally started the Department 19 series, it met my bar without question.
I love the pacing in these books, its just the right amount to keep you gripped but not gasping for what happens next. A few turns that I didn't expect which is always a plus. And I love the fact that we get different angles and thoughts so its not just focused on one character because of how big the surroundings are, we need to see how the characters are interacting.
I just hope that my expectations for the final book are not too high, though I'm confident it won't let me down.
I am critical of vampire books, I grew up reading Darren Shan so I keep my bar pretty high but when I finally started the Department 19 series, it met my bar without question.
I love the pacing in these books, its just the right amount to keep you gripped but not gasping for what happens next. A few turns that I didn't expect which is always a plus. And I love the fact that we get different angles and thoughts so its not just focused on one character because of how big the surroundings are, we need to see how the characters are interacting.
I just hope that my expectations for the final book are not too high, though I'm confident it won't let me down.
March 21, 2022
best book in the series thus far. it was exciting, thrilling, and it was hard to put the book down. there are a handful of different plots going on at the same time, but in contrast to the previous books, they are all immediately connected and come together in the end. this was a great read and it my favorite in the series this far. it sets up the next and final book really well and im excited to finish off the series strong.
March 24, 2021
This is the first book I've read in this series and reading it hasn't made me immediately want to seek the others out. Probably would have been better to start from the beggining of the series - had to piece together various plots from little snippets included in this book. One of the better ya supernatural books I've read in a while.
January 2, 2023
Wow! Just wow! This is an awesome book. If you've enjoyed the first three books in the series, this book will blow you away. Many questions are answered and many raised. Not all of the operaters survive 0 hour. I'm jumping right in to the next book. I have to see how it all ends! I hope there's a good place to pause so I can get some sleep tonight, but I'm not counting on it!
November 7, 2018
How can this series be so simultaneously goofy, nihilistic, and ruthless in its destruction of teenage angst, all while detailing every way that the so called good guys are kinda racist, at the EXACT SAME TIME? I don’t understand it but I’m obsessed and love it so much
January 9, 2020
Explosive - much better than book 3, cracking on with book 5 now!
August 21, 2020
Such a good book, the perfect amount of suspense, horror, vampires, blacklight, and best of all Valentine.
Read
December 25, 2020Loved it although larissa is a bitch
October 1, 2023
HOLYYYY SHITTTYYYY BROO. IT'S HITTING THE FAN AL THE SHIT IS HITTINGGG THE FANNN
March 20, 2025
4/5 on my ya throwbacks
August 25, 2014
Where to begin.
Okay, first, my favourite character: Valentin Rusmanov. So spoilers for anyone who had yet to read the book.
Valentin remained kickass, awesome, brilliant and generally amazing in this book to the point where I am pretty sure I officially have a crush on him. Everything about him is likeable, even the parts of him that are horrible. I love his flaws! He's not made to be perfect and I love him for that. He's bloody, he's strong, he's fast and he is dangerous! His older brother learned that in the last book but just to be sure Valentin really drove the message home this time. Again, I really loved it.
But when Dracula cut him in half, I was sure he was dead and I was BROKEN! So when Larissa noted how he hadn't exploded and how his heart was still in tact, I kid you not, I was jumping around like an idiot, crying with joy, squealing and laughing and thanking the God's above for not killing him off. I physically cannot describe to you just how happy I am that Valentin has made it through yet another book.
I have the prediction that Valentin will die, because I find it hard to see how they can leave a character like him alive, but part of me really hopes Will Hill will surprise me and let Valentin live long and old.
Another thing I would like to read about in the next book actually, is Valentin's wife since I'm sure his is the only one we have yet to name/hear about.
Anyway, I'm losing track for my love for Valentin. The book was good, the story was brilliant. And everything was just amazing! The build up was perfect and the big fight at the end was just pure gold, it was all I wanted in a fight.
Will Hill managed to do the perfect combination of killing off major characters for realism and suspense, and NOT murdering every single one of them for the sake of killing them off. As much as I love Harry Potter, I feel JK went too far in killing off most of the characters that we knew and other books go too less, so I think this one was perfectly well done.
Natalie/Matt: I suppose one thing I could do without is this couple. It was frustrating that every single of the main characters had to be paired up with someone. I mean, Matt was a young genius so this was the perfect excuse to have him not have a romantic love interest due to no one else being his age and being too involved into his work. Or maybe just have the occasional flirting but it never really going anywhere. I feel it is unrealistic for these people to all find someone and at least Kate is alone at the moment after her love interest died so I suppose there is that. I can mostly push this aside though but it still bugs me.
Larissa/Jamie/Tim Situation: The biggest thing I need to snap at is that it is pathetic that the first vampire killed Tim for threatening a girl and then is happy to stand back when the rest of the female population suffer under Dracula's hands. I suppose they just needed a way to get rid of Tim and another way to turn Jamie.
Anyway, I was kind of disappointed that they had to make Tim the typical jerk but then they didn't make him a jerk because he was jealous of Jamie. They made him a jerk because he was upset that Larissa had ruined his job opportunity and friends so it kind of works. However I do think they went overboard with some of the smaller things. Like just because Tim was angry at Larissa, did he have to be such a bad leader, refusing to admit he was wrong? They wouldn't have chosen him as a leader if he wasn't a little competent, at least not for such an important mission as this!
Either way, in the end it was another good book, a good pace, a good story and I do enjoy most of the characters even if I don't love their love lives.
But I will admit the five star is for Valentin's surprised survival.
Okay, first, my favourite character: Valentin Rusmanov. So spoilers for anyone who had yet to read the book.
Valentin remained kickass, awesome, brilliant and generally amazing in this book to the point where I am pretty sure I officially have a crush on him. Everything about him is likeable, even the parts of him that are horrible. I love his flaws! He's not made to be perfect and I love him for that. He's bloody, he's strong, he's fast and he is dangerous! His older brother learned that in the last book but just to be sure Valentin really drove the message home this time. Again, I really loved it.
But when Dracula cut him in half, I was sure he was dead and I was BROKEN! So when Larissa noted how he hadn't exploded and how his heart was still in tact, I kid you not, I was jumping around like an idiot, crying with joy, squealing and laughing and thanking the God's above for not killing him off. I physically cannot describe to you just how happy I am that Valentin has made it through yet another book.
I have the prediction that Valentin will die, because I find it hard to see how they can leave a character like him alive, but part of me really hopes Will Hill will surprise me and let Valentin live long and old.
Another thing I would like to read about in the next book actually, is Valentin's wife since I'm sure his is the only one we have yet to name/hear about.
Anyway, I'm losing track for my love for Valentin. The book was good, the story was brilliant. And everything was just amazing! The build up was perfect and the big fight at the end was just pure gold, it was all I wanted in a fight.
Will Hill managed to do the perfect combination of killing off major characters for realism and suspense, and NOT murdering every single one of them for the sake of killing them off. As much as I love Harry Potter, I feel JK went too far in killing off most of the characters that we knew and other books go too less, so I think this one was perfectly well done.
Natalie/Matt: I suppose one thing I could do without is this couple. It was frustrating that every single of the main characters had to be paired up with someone. I mean, Matt was a young genius so this was the perfect excuse to have him not have a romantic love interest due to no one else being his age and being too involved into his work. Or maybe just have the occasional flirting but it never really going anywhere. I feel it is unrealistic for these people to all find someone and at least Kate is alone at the moment after her love interest died so I suppose there is that. I can mostly push this aside though but it still bugs me.
Larissa/Jamie/Tim Situation: The biggest thing I need to snap at is that it is pathetic that the first vampire killed Tim for threatening a girl and then is happy to stand back when the rest of the female population suffer under Dracula's hands. I suppose they just needed a way to get rid of Tim and another way to turn Jamie.
Anyway, I was kind of disappointed that they had to make Tim the typical jerk but then they didn't make him a jerk because he was jealous of Jamie. They made him a jerk because he was upset that Larissa had ruined his job opportunity and friends so it kind of works. However I do think they went overboard with some of the smaller things. Like just because Tim was angry at Larissa, did he have to be such a bad leader, refusing to admit he was wrong? They wouldn't have chosen him as a leader if he wasn't a little competent, at least not for such an important mission as this!
Either way, in the end it was another good book, a good pace, a good story and I do enjoy most of the characters even if I don't love their love lives.
But I will admit the five star is for Valentin's surprised survival.
Read
March 9, 2017It was a good book
March 2, 2016
My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is My review of the book Department 19 Zero Hour is
August 19, 2014
I have been obsessed with this series for the last couple of weeks and couldn't wait to get my hands on book 4! I will be honest and say I thought it would be the last one in the series - it is not!!! There is one more to come, this book ends with the simple words 'to be concluded' but those simple words hold so much weight and meaning. I can't believe I have to wait to find out how it all ends. Considering this book only came out in June - it's going to be at least a year until the next one, how can I possibly wait that long!? I hope I am wrong and it's much sooner than that - I have to know how it all turns out.
Anyway onto the review -
Zero Hour continues where Battle Lines left off but a couple of months further down the line - the hour of Dracula's return is closer than ever and the Department 19 team are pushed to their limits. Every officer available is out on recon missions - scouting out vampires and bringing them down, some more dangerous than others, but each day the threat rises and life becomes a struggle just to survive.
Our main character is still Jamie but Larissa, Matt, Katt, Turner and Holmwood all play much bigger parts and that's how I like it. The whole organisation seems to have come to life and all of the people feel like team mates - people I know and trust. They step off the page and into my mind and heart, I route for them, fight with them and feel their hope and loss. I could not be further into this world without physically climbing through the pages and now I have finished this book I feel a little lost.
At one point I looked at this book and thought 'how can this not end in 700 pages - surely there can't be that much too it, and another book to come?' but my word you would be surprised - the pages are filled with everything and anything - but it is all vital to the story, every single bit works towards the final hour and builds the world, the characters and the plot. And I soared through those 700 pages, never looking back, desperate to know what happens but dreading the end. I don't know how Will Hill does it, I really don't. These books are just incredible and the writing just flows off the page. These books could be twice as big and still not be enough for me!
I am so happy to have discovered this series and proudly name it as one of my ultimate favourites. I highly recommend it and think everyone should read it.
Slight warning that there is a lot of violence, blood and gore included so younger readers need to take care.
I now sit, waiting for news on book 5 - waiting for the day Dracula faces Larissa and Jamie again, wondering what the outcome will be. For the moment though, I have found 5 short stories from the series on Amazon and downloaded them on my kindle, so I can still dip into the world of Department 19 and find out a bit more about it's past. This may help to maintain my sanity - for now!
Anyway onto the review -
Zero Hour continues where Battle Lines left off but a couple of months further down the line - the hour of Dracula's return is closer than ever and the Department 19 team are pushed to their limits. Every officer available is out on recon missions - scouting out vampires and bringing them down, some more dangerous than others, but each day the threat rises and life becomes a struggle just to survive.
Our main character is still Jamie but Larissa, Matt, Katt, Turner and Holmwood all play much bigger parts and that's how I like it. The whole organisation seems to have come to life and all of the people feel like team mates - people I know and trust. They step off the page and into my mind and heart, I route for them, fight with them and feel their hope and loss. I could not be further into this world without physically climbing through the pages and now I have finished this book I feel a little lost.
At one point I looked at this book and thought 'how can this not end in 700 pages - surely there can't be that much too it, and another book to come?' but my word you would be surprised - the pages are filled with everything and anything - but it is all vital to the story, every single bit works towards the final hour and builds the world, the characters and the plot. And I soared through those 700 pages, never looking back, desperate to know what happens but dreading the end. I don't know how Will Hill does it, I really don't. These books are just incredible and the writing just flows off the page. These books could be twice as big and still not be enough for me!
I am so happy to have discovered this series and proudly name it as one of my ultimate favourites. I highly recommend it and think everyone should read it.
Slight warning that there is a lot of violence, blood and gore included so younger readers need to take care.
I now sit, waiting for news on book 5 - waiting for the day Dracula faces Larissa and Jamie again, wondering what the outcome will be. For the moment though, I have found 5 short stories from the series on Amazon and downloaded them on my kindle, so I can still dip into the world of Department 19 and find out a bit more about it's past. This may help to maintain my sanity - for now!
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