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By Wall Street Journal & New York Times Bestselling Author H.M. Ward
The world as we know it is gone. The ice caps have melted and shifted south, devastating the northern territories. Cities such as New York and London now lie in frozen ruins on the ocean floor.
Humans have become scarce as many died off during an epidemic, and many more perished during the floods at the start of this new ice age.
These events have forced vampires out of the shadows to ensure their food source won't become extinct. Humans have been captured and forced to live like cattle on farms while the oldest of the vampire race--the Regent--have taken control of the remnants of civilization.
Despite the Regent's best efforts, their plans for the captives backfire when human blood becomes anemic. With their blood weakened it can no longer sustain the master race. The Regent are desperate to save their race and will do anything to return to the old ways and so every known human is captured and forced into the Regent's way of life.
But not all of the humans surrendered. Some evaded the hunters, hiding in safe houses across the frozen tundra. As decades passed, the free humans disappeared, died, or were captured, until there is only one left.
Kahli is the last wild human. BANE is her story.
Genre: Teen/ YA Dystopian Paranormal
Type: Novel, 306 pages
Series: 1 of 3
The world as we know it is gone. The ice caps have melted and shifted south, devastating the northern territories. Cities such as New York and London now lie in frozen ruins on the ocean floor.
Humans have become scarce as many died off during an epidemic, and many more perished during the floods at the start of this new ice age.
These events have forced vampires out of the shadows to ensure their food source won't become extinct. Humans have been captured and forced to live like cattle on farms while the oldest of the vampire race--the Regent--have taken control of the remnants of civilization.
Despite the Regent's best efforts, their plans for the captives backfire when human blood becomes anemic. With their blood weakened it can no longer sustain the master race. The Regent are desperate to save their race and will do anything to return to the old ways and so every known human is captured and forced into the Regent's way of life.
But not all of the humans surrendered. Some evaded the hunters, hiding in safe houses across the frozen tundra. As decades passed, the free humans disappeared, died, or were captured, until there is only one left.
Kahli is the last wild human. BANE is her story.
Genre: Teen/ YA Dystopian Paranormal
Type: Novel, 306 pages
Series: 1 of 3
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2012
66 people are currently reading
3617 people want to read
About the author
H.M. Ward
140 books6,543 followersH.M. Ward continues to reign as a NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author who surpassed more than 23 million books sold, placing her among the literary titans. Ward has been featured in articles in the NEW YORK TIMES, FORBES, and USA TODAY to name a few.
You can interact with this bestselling author at: www.facebook.com/AuthorHMWard.
You can interact with this bestselling author at: www.facebook.com/AuthorHMWard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
December 30, 2016
1. Ignore the cover... I honestly can not say what that is all about, at no point is there a topless man wearing sun glasses.. this book is set in a post apocalyptic ice covered world, where the human race is all but died out and vampires rule.
2. I'd pretty much say to also ignore the title.. that is not the name of the random cover guy .. it is in fact the name of the half human half vampire people.
3. Although the cover may indicate otherwise this is in fact a YA dystopia told primarily through the view point of a red headed 17 year old girl... unfortunately its probably the fourth book in a row that's I've read that has a teenage red-headed (and therefore different) heroine and a pale black haired prince like love-interest ...
Onto the review.
This book was okay..Kahli the protagonist was pretty cool, very kick ass. I didn't like that she was refereed to as feral .. it was a bit game of thronsey in that sense like the wild ones in the snow... except she was alone up until capture.
Will, the love interest was ..well I don't know - my feelings were as mixed for him as Kahlis.
other characters were more interesting but there were quite a few of them and so no one character really felt developed- more like plot devises than people some times *cough cough Cole*.
Moving onto the plot.. it was a bit all over the place with a few (what felt like) half ideas thrown about but overall it was fast paced and easy to read, pretty engaging and I will probably read the next book.
The main thing I found was that this book needs a good edit, I lost count of the number of errors / typos I found - it was annoying. Also the view point changes too frequently sometimes within the same paragraph with no rhyme or reason which was disorientating. I also think this would smooth out the wavering plot points.. but those may sort themselves out later in the books..
2. I'd pretty much say to also ignore the title.. that is not the name of the random cover guy .. it is in fact the name of the half human half vampire people.
3. Although the cover may indicate otherwise this is in fact a YA dystopia told primarily through the view point of a red headed 17 year old girl... unfortunately its probably the fourth book in a row that's I've read that has a teenage red-headed (and therefore different) heroine and a pale black haired prince like love-interest ...
Onto the review.
This book was okay..Kahli the protagonist was pretty cool, very kick ass. I didn't like that she was refereed to as feral .. it was a bit game of thronsey in that sense like the wild ones in the snow... except she was alone up until capture.
Will, the love interest was ..well I don't know - my feelings were as mixed for him as Kahlis.
other characters were more interesting but there were quite a few of them and so no one character really felt developed- more like plot devises than people some times *cough cough Cole*.
Moving onto the plot.. it was a bit all over the place with a few (what felt like) half ideas thrown about but overall it was fast paced and easy to read, pretty engaging and I will probably read the next book.
The main thing I found was that this book needs a good edit, I lost count of the number of errors / typos I found - it was annoying. Also the view point changes too frequently sometimes within the same paragraph with no rhyme or reason which was disorientating. I also think this would smooth out the wavering plot points.. but those may sort themselves out later in the books..
July 27, 2013
I GOT TO GET AN ARC{Advanced Reserved Copy} AND IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D
Bane is the most awesome vampire book I've read. The main character is Kahli, a six-teen-year old girl who is wicked awesome and is super cool!!!!!!!
This book's main conflict is; How will Kahli escape?(Hehe, doesn't make sense to you guys huh? Well....READ THE BOOK!)
The story line is amazing, I love the character(*cough, cough* KAHLI!). I like the action in the book and, again, I ♥ Kahli. ;) There's a character named Will, where at first I would like to punch him....Well, read the book.
The ending was a cliffhanger, a good one. That's why I WANT THE SECOND BOOK TO BE FREAKING OUT NOW!!!!!!!! Hehe, uhhh, sorry about that outburst.
Anyways, it takes place in the world, but the whole things is covered in snow. Some cities are buried under ice, impossible to get to.
This book is on my 'Awesomest Books Ever Read' shelf because it truly is an awesome book. I love the characters(Except for some), the plot, the conflicts, all of it basically. Hehe :D
I recommend to 11-teens, 6/7/8th grade, high school, people who like action books, adventure lovers, and possibly some romance lovers. :)
ME WANT BOOK 2!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm okay for now, but not long....
Bane is the most awesome vampire book I've read. The main character is Kahli, a six-teen-year old girl who is wicked awesome and is super cool!!!!!!!
This book's main conflict is; How will Kahli escape?(Hehe, doesn't make sense to you guys huh? Well....READ THE BOOK!)
The story line is amazing, I love the character(*cough, cough* KAHLI!). I like the action in the book and, again, I ♥ Kahli. ;) There's a character named Will, where at first I would like to punch him....Well, read the book.
The ending was a cliffhanger, a good one. That's why I WANT THE SECOND BOOK TO BE FREAKING OUT NOW!!!!!!!! Hehe, uhhh, sorry about that outburst.
Anyways, it takes place in the world, but the whole things is covered in snow. Some cities are buried under ice, impossible to get to.
This book is on my 'Awesomest Books Ever Read' shelf because it truly is an awesome book. I love the characters(Except for some), the plot, the conflicts, all of it basically. Hehe :D
I recommend to 11-teens, 6/7/8th grade, high school, people who like action books, adventure lovers, and possibly some romance lovers. :)
ME WANT BOOK 2!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm okay for now, but not long....
July 27, 2016
A firm Did-Not-Finish for me.
Again, did I read the same book as everyone else???
Characters were not developed the story was pointless,I was rolling my eyes from the first page.
A massive ice burg broke off of the Artic Shelf, its width spanning nearly half the ocean. The massive pile of ice fell into the sea and caused the ocean to rise. As the mini-continent floated further south, it sank towns along the shore, bringing another ice age with it.
As decades passed, the free humans disappeared, died, or were captured by trackers. Kahli has to fend for herself in the wild (remains of the New York) against Trackers (who were bred to fix the vampire food source problem), and yet the queen was surprised that there is any one left alive.
Kahli the last wild human
is found by a tracker Will (the hero) and he gives her to Reggie (queen's brother) who somehow ends up in the palace (i honestly didn't know where he wanted to go in the first place),and Kahli becomes the Queens new plaything.
For me, this story was missing something. Maybe it was just some sense.
Kahli and Will:
Again, did I read the same book as everyone else???
Characters were not developed the story was pointless,I was rolling my eyes from the first page.
A massive ice burg broke off of the Artic Shelf, its width spanning nearly half the ocean. The massive pile of ice fell into the sea and caused the ocean to rise. As the mini-continent floated further south, it sank towns along the shore, bringing another ice age with it.
As decades passed, the free humans disappeared, died, or were captured by trackers. Kahli has to fend for herself in the wild (remains of the New York) against Trackers (who were bred to fix the vampire food source problem), and yet the queen was surprised that there is any one left alive.
Kahli the last wild human
is found by a tracker Will (the hero) and he gives her to Reggie (queen's brother) who somehow ends up in the palace (i honestly didn't know where he wanted to go in the first place),and Kahli becomes the Queens new plaything.
For me, this story was missing something. Maybe it was just some sense.
Kahli and Will:
January 17, 2016
Will & Kahli
Loved this story!!!
Finally $4.99 well spent on a a story that lived up to the hype. I was engaged from the very first chapter.
Kahli is the only original human left on earth and for that reason she is a true delicacy worth more than anything on earth. Her untainted blood has the power to restore the vampire race to its former glory, but exactly how to go about it is the question.
Kahli is young and bad-to-the-bone. She survived on her own since she was seven without ever coming in contact with another human, but wait!!! There is something else out there that is neither vampire nor human, and he's fine and sexy. He goes by the name of Will.
Tell me, if you found a beautiful diamond and it was the last coveted diamond left on earth, would you sell it right away or would you hold on to it, hide it, and view every possible way that precious diamond could benefit you? This should have been the question Will asked his self.
I do not want to pay $7+ for the next book. For $7 I want that book in paperback so that I can throw it in a box when I'm done. I want to smell and feel the paper if I have to pay over $5, but this book was so good, that I think I'm willing to give up my skittles and slurpee money for it.
Loved this story!!!
Finally $4.99 well spent on a a story that lived up to the hype. I was engaged from the very first chapter.
Kahli is the only original human left on earth and for that reason she is a true delicacy worth more than anything on earth. Her untainted blood has the power to restore the vampire race to its former glory, but exactly how to go about it is the question.
Kahli is young and bad-to-the-bone. She survived on her own since she was seven without ever coming in contact with another human, but wait!!! There is something else out there that is neither vampire nor human, and he's fine and sexy. He goes by the name of Will.
Tell me, if you found a beautiful diamond and it was the last coveted diamond left on earth, would you sell it right away or would you hold on to it, hide it, and view every possible way that precious diamond could benefit you? This should have been the question Will asked his self.
I do not want to pay $7+ for the next book. For $7 I want that book in paperback so that I can throw it in a box when I'm done. I want to smell and feel the paper if I have to pay over $5, but this book was so good, that I think I'm willing to give up my skittles and slurpee money for it.
September 23, 2012
Can I just say I loved this book!!! To me it was wayyyyyyyy better than Demon Kissed! Kahli is badass,Will is super hot and I can't wait for book 2!!!!!
June 23, 2012
Bane kind of took me by surprise. It was completely different from any kind of vampire story I have ever read. The whole concept of the apocalypse is awesome then you throw in vampires and it makes it an even more amazing story. Kahli is probably one of my favorite female characters. She's strong and independent and can definitely survive on her own. She has a will to survive like no one I have ever read about. The concept of the Bane was really unique too. I would love to learn more about them!
Will is a very interesting character. He has a lot of secrets that young man. I am really curious to see what is going to happen with him. I have a few theories but, this book was unpredictable so I could be completely wrong! I also really enjoyed Cassie. She was a high spirited person and it was nice in such a dark place for humans.
This was probably one of my favorite books of this year so far. It was unique and I really liked that. It kept me on the edge of my seat and also left enough secrets to make the next book a MUST READ! So many questions left unanswered. Waiting to see what will happen next will be hard for me! So pick this one up people it looks like a very promising start to a new series!
Will is a very interesting character. He has a lot of secrets that young man. I am really curious to see what is going to happen with him. I have a few theories but, this book was unpredictable so I could be completely wrong! I also really enjoyed Cassie. She was a high spirited person and it was nice in such a dark place for humans.
This was probably one of my favorite books of this year so far. It was unique and I really liked that. It kept me on the edge of my seat and also left enough secrets to make the next book a MUST READ! So many questions left unanswered. Waiting to see what will happen next will be hard for me! So pick this one up people it looks like a very promising start to a new series!
September 8, 2012
Serious loved this book! It was different from her other books. Yet even though it was different, i was still transported into that world when reading. From the setting to the plot to the ending. Kahli being the last wild human and having to endure so many hardship and attacks. Being so exotic gave her something of an edge when she was captured and sold. Even after everything she went through she will not give up her wild personality. Even though Will was the one that sold her, there was something there.
The only thing that was strange to me was the POV since it was mixed but other than that a great read. ^_^
After I finished reading I was in love with Kahli and Will and wanted to know what happened next. I would totally recommend that you read this book! Can wait for book 2. ^_^
The only thing that was strange to me was the POV since it was mixed but other than that a great read. ^_^
After I finished reading I was in love with Kahli and Will and wanted to know what happened next. I would totally recommend that you read this book! Can wait for book 2. ^_^
September 6, 2012
Once again H.M. Ward does not disappoint! I generally try to stay away from vampire books (granted the only ones I've read are the Twilight Saga) but this one was unique. It's a post-apocalyptic world due to extreme weather events which killed off billions forcing vampires to surface from their lives of secrecy. The few remaining humans are forced onto blood farms where they are drained and experimented with. There is one remaining wild human, Kahli. She is unique because her blood is rich and powerful unlike all the other anemic humans and the most powerful vampires want her.
We don't actually see the "farms" as Kahli is captured and taken to the royal palace where she is kept with other young women in a gilded cage. They have many rooms and baths (with bars and guards) and spend the day much as they like unless they are summoned for a feeding. It's not your typical cliche vampire feeding but rather a handler uses instruments to remove blood as delicately as possible (to prevent bleed out-anemic). It doesn't seem so horrible and the way Will does it (I'll talk about him in a minute) is kind of sexy.
There are, of course, other things that happen during the course of the book. Kahli takes on a starving pack of wolves with just a knife. There's a twisted game of Scavenger Hunt/Capture the Flag. The Vampire King decides it's a good idea to claim her even though Kahli belongs to the crazy ass Queen (true holder of power). She meets the enigmatic and handsome Will who is the very thing she hates but seems to be one of the few allies, and I use that term loosely, that she has. Will definitely has his secrets and now having finished the first book I'm still trying to figure out exactly what those secrets are. I was drawn into this story from the start and had to force myself to put it down at 1am last night so I could at least get a little sleep! I love Will! He's sexy and secretive and I can't figure out what his motives are. At first he seems like a bad guy and then he's sweet and gentle but then turns around with his cold-shoulder. I was like, "What the hell?!" There's definitely a magnetic attraction between Will and Kahli and dare I hope more? I just hope that Kahli and Will's fate isn't bittersweet like Ivy and Collin from the Demon Kissed Series.
In true H.M. Ward fashion she left me teetering on the edge of my seat after Kahli almost dies escaping the palace during which Will (who's chasing her) gets badly injured and despite being on the verge of collapse forces Will to take her blood. He in turn saves her but now they are both on the run and the only way to truly gain their freedom is to kill the Royal Family. Once I finished the last chapter I eagerly flipped to the next page expecting it to go on, completely forgetting that Holly likes her cliff hangars. :) So, now I'll sit here patiently (or as patiently as possible) twiddling my thumbs and counting down the days to the end of the month when Book 2 is supposed to come out. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Kahli and Will and I hope to see more of Cassie and Cole. Want to know who they are? Read the book! You won't be disappointed! :)
We don't actually see the "farms" as Kahli is captured and taken to the royal palace where she is kept with other young women in a gilded cage. They have many rooms and baths (with bars and guards) and spend the day much as they like unless they are summoned for a feeding. It's not your typical cliche vampire feeding but rather a handler uses instruments to remove blood as delicately as possible (to prevent bleed out-anemic). It doesn't seem so horrible and the way Will does it (I'll talk about him in a minute) is kind of sexy.
There are, of course, other things that happen during the course of the book. Kahli takes on a starving pack of wolves with just a knife. There's a twisted game of Scavenger Hunt/Capture the Flag. The Vampire King decides it's a good idea to claim her even though Kahli belongs to the crazy ass Queen (true holder of power). She meets the enigmatic and handsome Will who is the very thing she hates but seems to be one of the few allies, and I use that term loosely, that she has. Will definitely has his secrets and now having finished the first book I'm still trying to figure out exactly what those secrets are. I was drawn into this story from the start and had to force myself to put it down at 1am last night so I could at least get a little sleep! I love Will! He's sexy and secretive and I can't figure out what his motives are. At first he seems like a bad guy and then he's sweet and gentle but then turns around with his cold-shoulder. I was like, "What the hell?!" There's definitely a magnetic attraction between Will and Kahli and dare I hope more? I just hope that Kahli and Will's fate isn't bittersweet like Ivy and Collin from the Demon Kissed Series.
In true H.M. Ward fashion she left me teetering on the edge of my seat after Kahli almost dies escaping the palace during which Will (who's chasing her) gets badly injured and despite being on the verge of collapse forces Will to take her blood. He in turn saves her but now they are both on the run and the only way to truly gain their freedom is to kill the Royal Family. Once I finished the last chapter I eagerly flipped to the next page expecting it to go on, completely forgetting that Holly likes her cliff hangars. :) So, now I'll sit here patiently (or as patiently as possible) twiddling my thumbs and counting down the days to the end of the month when Book 2 is supposed to come out. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Kahli and Will and I hope to see more of Cassie and Cole. Want to know who they are? Read the book! You won't be disappointed! :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2012
3.5 stars
I was very excited about this book, but it turned out alot different than how I thought it would be. Kahli is the only wild human left and hasn't spoken to another human in almost 10 years. You wouldn't think it. The author did not take this fact into account when creating the character. She's pretty well adjusted and becomes aquainted with the royal vampire life quite fast. She even references pixie sticks. How would she know what they are? How would she even know much about sex? It's little things like this that pull the book down.
There was just something missing with the development of the story and characters. Kahli and Will grew close very easily in my opinion. Why are all YA protagonists so easily won over by a cute boy? The worldbuilding could have been way darker and amazing but the author made it very teen-ish.
The writing was strange in that the author flowed from POV to POV in the same paragraph. Sometimes it was hard to know who was describing the scene when there was more that two people present.
Despite these negatives I did find myself wanting to read more and find out what would happen next. I was strangely captivated by Will and Kahli. I got caught up in the "romance". The book did end too soon, however I'm looking forward to the next one.
I was very excited about this book, but it turned out alot different than how I thought it would be. Kahli is the only wild human left and hasn't spoken to another human in almost 10 years. You wouldn't think it. The author did not take this fact into account when creating the character. She's pretty well adjusted and becomes aquainted with the royal vampire life quite fast. She even references pixie sticks. How would she know what they are? How would she even know much about sex? It's little things like this that pull the book down.
There was just something missing with the development of the story and characters. Kahli and Will grew close very easily in my opinion. Why are all YA protagonists so easily won over by a cute boy? The worldbuilding could have been way darker and amazing but the author made it very teen-ish.
The writing was strange in that the author flowed from POV to POV in the same paragraph. Sometimes it was hard to know who was describing the scene when there was more that two people present.
Despite these negatives I did find myself wanting to read more and find out what would happen next. I was strangely captivated by Will and Kahli. I got caught up in the "romance". The book did end too soon, however I'm looking forward to the next one.
August 24, 2015
The premise of this book sounded really good and it got quite good reviews here on Goodreads. Now I wonder if I read the same book as everyone else. It's a hit or miss when it comes to vampire books, and this was a miss.
Let me start with something positive: I really liked the first couple of pages, where we are introduced to the world, and the whole concept of a frozen world and vampires in control. And that's the end of the positive.
The writing sucks. It seems like the author couldn't decide on one point of view. When we follow Kahli alone, all is fine, but when there are multiple people present it all crashes. In one paragraph the pov chances several times. First Kahli, then a vampire and then another vampire. It's so confusing, and sometimes I had to read the same passage over and over again to comprehend the meaning.
Then there is Kahli. Sucky character. End of story. She's supposed to be the last wild human, but she doesn't act anything like that. When she is captured she knows how to be social with other, vampires and the likes. There's no awkwardness at all. How is that possible for the last wild human? Who has been on her own without any company for the last 10 years? And never been around vampires socially? It doesn't make any sense at all. Then we have Will. He's so pointless and yeah. I actually have nothing to say about him. The love interest between him and Kahli was so awkward and forced it almost hurt. Then there is the vampires. One has to look long and hard to find so childish vampires. They could pout, stomp and scream for all that matters, if they didn't get what they wanted. The author tried to make them seem dangerous, mysterious and sexy, but failed completely.
Then there's the idea of normal vampires and the bane, which made no sense to me at all. There were so many things that didn't make any sense at all.
Let me start with something positive: I really liked the first couple of pages, where we are introduced to the world, and the whole concept of a frozen world and vampires in control. And that's the end of the positive.
The writing sucks. It seems like the author couldn't decide on one point of view. When we follow Kahli alone, all is fine, but when there are multiple people present it all crashes. In one paragraph the pov chances several times. First Kahli, then a vampire and then another vampire. It's so confusing, and sometimes I had to read the same passage over and over again to comprehend the meaning.
Then there is Kahli. Sucky character. End of story. She's supposed to be the last wild human, but she doesn't act anything like that. When she is captured she knows how to be social with other, vampires and the likes. There's no awkwardness at all. How is that possible for the last wild human? Who has been on her own without any company for the last 10 years? And never been around vampires socially? It doesn't make any sense at all. Then we have Will. He's so pointless and yeah. I actually have nothing to say about him. The love interest between him and Kahli was so awkward and forced it almost hurt. Then there is the vampires. One has to look long and hard to find so childish vampires. They could pout, stomp and scream for all that matters, if they didn't get what they wanted. The author tried to make them seem dangerous, mysterious and sexy, but failed completely.
Then there's the idea of normal vampires and the bane, which made no sense to me at all. There were so many things that didn't make any sense at all.
September 21, 2012
This book. This author. They are awesome. I had put off reading this book in the beginning as I tend to get distracted easily. Anyway, once I started reading it, I was drawn into this new vampire world HMWard had created. Seriously, I love this woman.
There is a vampire monarchy in this new world. You will be sucked into this world for sure. The prologue will give you your first short of stress– anticipation and you will feel like Kahli is feeling. – you don't want to be found.
Our protagonist Kahli is a fierce, strong lady who has been tending for herself living in the wilds killing vampire trackers who come for her. She can seriously kick some butt. :D I love Kahli's hair. Ehhehe. Will's introduction was awesome. It was just another day for Kahli when she got ambushed by werewolves and got help in the form of Will. She still can't rest in peace as Will sells her off. Then in a quick turn of events she finds herself at the unfriendly hands of the Queen and then ultimately the King. She doesn't rest and keeps finding ways to escape from the palace. She manages to do that but by angering the King. Ha!
Why such intense interest in Kahli— the vamps are getting weak, there are no more humans left in the world and only a few in the palace. And Kahli has something special about her blood and her choices. :-/
The scenes between Will and Kahli were good. The book ended quickly, though.. :-/ I have to say I am looking forward to Catalyst.
I am a fan of HMWard's writing. This book was no different. I like the switch she makes from one character to the other so smoothly. But I still think Demon Kissed series has the top spot in my HMWard library shelf. :-p
There is a vampire monarchy in this new world. You will be sucked into this world for sure. The prologue will give you your first short of stress– anticipation and you will feel like Kahli is feeling. – you don't want to be found.
Our protagonist Kahli is a fierce, strong lady who has been tending for herself living in the wilds killing vampire trackers who come for her. She can seriously kick some butt. :D I love Kahli's hair. Ehhehe. Will's introduction was awesome. It was just another day for Kahli when she got ambushed by werewolves and got help in the form of Will. She still can't rest in peace as Will sells her off. Then in a quick turn of events she finds herself at the unfriendly hands of the Queen and then ultimately the King. She doesn't rest and keeps finding ways to escape from the palace. She manages to do that but by angering the King. Ha!
Why such intense interest in Kahli— the vamps are getting weak, there are no more humans left in the world and only a few in the palace. And Kahli has something special about her blood and her choices. :-/
The scenes between Will and Kahli were good. The book ended quickly, though.. :-/ I have to say I am looking forward to Catalyst.
I am a fan of HMWard's writing. This book was no different. I like the switch she makes from one character to the other so smoothly. But I still think Demon Kissed series has the top spot in my HMWard library shelf. :-p
July 2, 2012
Loved it! Such a fresh look on the vampire theme with strong characters in Will and Kahli. Really liked the romance too. Wish the second book was out so I could start it tonight!
August 17, 2012
Holy smokes! I just read this from beginning to end in less than 4 hours straight! It was way better than I was expecting! I can't wait for the second one!!!
August 31, 2012
This book is AMAZING!It had me hooked from the beginning .The story line is so original and I love the two main characters.I want more! : )
January 9, 2017
On the one hand, I liked Bane's plot and enjoyed the read. On the other, the execution is a mess.
Bane would appear to be one of H.M. Ward's earlier publications, so I can only hope she has already taken this advice from someone else but if not, it still stands. Grammar and syntax count! English is a language with a lot of variations on tenses to deliver nuances in meaning; make use of them! I know I've been lucky to have had rather a thorough education, but if you choose to become a writer then it's worth investing some time in strengthening your building blocks. The broadest vocabulary and most imaginative or seductive plot will do you no good whatsoever if you can't get your words in the right order or properly conjugate a verb.
I'm saying this not just to you Ms Ward, but to authors in general: learn to use the past perfect. It is, from my perspective, the most under-used tense out there and yet it alters a timeline. Take this example:
'Clearing her throat, Kahli pulled her hand away and asked, “Why hasn’t she done a feeding, yet?” Cole mentioned it, saying that he was suspicious that they hadn’t feed from her. She began to wonder why.'
This should be: 'Clearing her throat, Kahli pulled her hand away and asked, “Why hasn’t she done a feeding, yet?” Cole had mentioned it, saying that he was suspicious that they hadn’t fed from her. She had begun to wonder why.' The actual quote seems to imply that Cole's mention and the beginning of Kahli's wondering happened as part of the events of that scene rather than prior to the scene as is in fact the case. In some cases this is more important than others, but it is always clunky when misdone. In thirty chapters there is not even one example of proper use of the past perfect. In those thirty chapters I have highlighted thirty-five grammatical errors, though there are likely more I didn't bother to note.
There are syntactical errors, for example 'He doesn’t recognize who are his friends and who are his enemies anymore.' and poorly chosen words, for example 'incompressible' where it should be 'incomprehensible' and 'chase' instead of 'chaise'. An editor ought to spot these a mile away. Bane is also plagued by inconsistencies. The most frequently mentioned one is just how curvy Kahli is. I'm sorry, but this is a young woman of only eighteen who has been living hand to mouth her entire life and fending for herself since age six. Where is she getting the extra calories to build those generous curves?
The other is Kahli's general passivity in the palace. She goes from this 'I'll die before they drink from me' fireball who does anything she can to escape to a woman who just sits around waiting for something to happen, much like she were a contestant in The Selection, not there to be farmed for her blood. The book opens with her taking on an entire wolf pack. She fakes sedation to seem unthreatening, stabs vampires, counts her steps and formulates escape plans... and then settles into luxury with only a few complaints and no thought as to an endgame. Overnight.
This irritated me big time, but what irritated me even more was the constantly shifting perspective. On any given page you might see Kahli's experience and Will's muddled together, depending on who was talking. It was all rather omniscient, which I hate in books. We don't need to be spoon-fed the hero and heroine's every reaction to each other. The short excerpt below is to illustrate what I mean. Bold text is for Will's perspective. Underlined text is for Kahli.
“Then let me do it. We can try application instead of drinking. Surely you can stand that, right?” The way he looked at her made Kahli want to cry. He thought that she didn’t like him. He thought that she detested him because he was a vampire. Part of her did, but part of her realized he was also human. At some point he stopped being the enemy, and became Will—the guy with bright blue eyes and a wicked smile that he rarely used—the guy who seemed to care about her.
She nodded slowly, too ashamed to look at him...“We’re going to my room. It’s forbidden to heal you this way. I’m supposed to take you to the medic, and make sure you drink. So I had to take you somewhere they wouldn’t look. Only servants are in this part of the castle. If the Queen finds out you’re here...”
“She won’t,” Kahli said quickly. The Queen was insane, and she surely wouldn’t volunteer that Will offered to heal her unconventionally so that she didn’t have to go to the medic. “You can trust me, Will.”
The words gripped his heart and twisted. She trusted him. That made everything so much harder. He nodded without looking back at her, listening to her small feet climb the stone stairs behind him. Before he opened the door to the upper-landing, he stopped and turned back to her. Kahli glanced up just before walking into him. His eyes searched her face. He wondered how much she knew, if she remembered when he compelled her...
Will’s words seemed out of place. One moment she said she trusted him and the next he was spewing dark warnings. “I have no intention of seeing the King. After tonight, I’ll do my best to run the other way when I see him coming. I think I lost my BFF status,” she smirked, but Will didn’t respond. “I know he hates me, and what I did tonight probably made it worse…”...
“He offered you freedom…” Will’s voice caught, as he looked up at her from beneath dark lashes. “I thought you’d take it and be gone again.”
For some reason Kahli’s heart was pounding. They were standing in the stairwell, whispering. A first she didn’t feel any different, but the way Will looked at her, the way his eyes melted into liquid sapphires—it made her pulse race. She felt dazed, and couldn’t think straight. Her eyes were fixated on Will’s perfect lips. As he breathed, they parted. She wondered what it would feel like to brush her lips to his, to taste his kiss.
The entire book has this back and forth, over and over again, with no clear boundaries. It's a mess. And yet, I enjoyed reading Bane so I'm giving it three stars and will probably try the next book, in the hopes that Ward has refined the technical aspects of her writing which let her down.
Bane would appear to be one of H.M. Ward's earlier publications, so I can only hope she has already taken this advice from someone else but if not, it still stands. Grammar and syntax count! English is a language with a lot of variations on tenses to deliver nuances in meaning; make use of them! I know I've been lucky to have had rather a thorough education, but if you choose to become a writer then it's worth investing some time in strengthening your building blocks. The broadest vocabulary and most imaginative or seductive plot will do you no good whatsoever if you can't get your words in the right order or properly conjugate a verb.
I'm saying this not just to you Ms Ward, but to authors in general: learn to use the past perfect. It is, from my perspective, the most under-used tense out there and yet it alters a timeline. Take this example:
'Clearing her throat, Kahli pulled her hand away and asked, “Why hasn’t she done a feeding, yet?” Cole mentioned it, saying that he was suspicious that they hadn’t feed from her. She began to wonder why.'
This should be: 'Clearing her throat, Kahli pulled her hand away and asked, “Why hasn’t she done a feeding, yet?” Cole had mentioned it, saying that he was suspicious that they hadn’t fed from her. She had begun to wonder why.' The actual quote seems to imply that Cole's mention and the beginning of Kahli's wondering happened as part of the events of that scene rather than prior to the scene as is in fact the case. In some cases this is more important than others, but it is always clunky when misdone. In thirty chapters there is not even one example of proper use of the past perfect. In those thirty chapters I have highlighted thirty-five grammatical errors, though there are likely more I didn't bother to note.
There are syntactical errors, for example 'He doesn’t recognize who are his friends and who are his enemies anymore.' and poorly chosen words, for example 'incompressible' where it should be 'incomprehensible' and 'chase' instead of 'chaise'. An editor ought to spot these a mile away. Bane is also plagued by inconsistencies. The most frequently mentioned one is just how curvy Kahli is. I'm sorry, but this is a young woman of only eighteen who has been living hand to mouth her entire life and fending for herself since age six. Where is she getting the extra calories to build those generous curves?
The other is Kahli's general passivity in the palace. She goes from this 'I'll die before they drink from me' fireball who does anything she can to escape to a woman who just sits around waiting for something to happen, much like she were a contestant in The Selection, not there to be farmed for her blood. The book opens with her taking on an entire wolf pack. She fakes sedation to seem unthreatening, stabs vampires, counts her steps and formulates escape plans... and then settles into luxury with only a few complaints and no thought as to an endgame. Overnight.
This irritated me big time, but what irritated me even more was the constantly shifting perspective. On any given page you might see Kahli's experience and Will's muddled together, depending on who was talking. It was all rather omniscient, which I hate in books. We don't need to be spoon-fed the hero and heroine's every reaction to each other. The short excerpt below is to illustrate what I mean. Bold text is for Will's perspective. Underlined text is for Kahli.
“Then let me do it. We can try application instead of drinking. Surely you can stand that, right?” The way he looked at her made Kahli want to cry. He thought that she didn’t like him. He thought that she detested him because he was a vampire. Part of her did, but part of her realized he was also human. At some point he stopped being the enemy, and became Will—the guy with bright blue eyes and a wicked smile that he rarely used—the guy who seemed to care about her.
She nodded slowly, too ashamed to look at him...“We’re going to my room. It’s forbidden to heal you this way. I’m supposed to take you to the medic, and make sure you drink. So I had to take you somewhere they wouldn’t look. Only servants are in this part of the castle. If the Queen finds out you’re here...”
“She won’t,” Kahli said quickly. The Queen was insane, and she surely wouldn’t volunteer that Will offered to heal her unconventionally so that she didn’t have to go to the medic. “You can trust me, Will.”
The words gripped his heart and twisted. She trusted him. That made everything so much harder. He nodded without looking back at her, listening to her small feet climb the stone stairs behind him. Before he opened the door to the upper-landing, he stopped and turned back to her. Kahli glanced up just before walking into him. His eyes searched her face. He wondered how much she knew, if she remembered when he compelled her...
Will’s words seemed out of place. One moment she said she trusted him and the next he was spewing dark warnings. “I have no intention of seeing the King. After tonight, I’ll do my best to run the other way when I see him coming. I think I lost my BFF status,” she smirked, but Will didn’t respond. “I know he hates me, and what I did tonight probably made it worse…”...
“He offered you freedom…” Will’s voice caught, as he looked up at her from beneath dark lashes. “I thought you’d take it and be gone again.”
For some reason Kahli’s heart was pounding. They were standing in the stairwell, whispering. A first she didn’t feel any different, but the way Will looked at her, the way his eyes melted into liquid sapphires—it made her pulse race. She felt dazed, and couldn’t think straight. Her eyes were fixated on Will’s perfect lips. As he breathed, they parted. She wondered what it would feel like to brush her lips to his, to taste his kiss.
The entire book has this back and forth, over and over again, with no clear boundaries. It's a mess. And yet, I enjoyed reading Bane so I'm giving it three stars and will probably try the next book, in the hopes that Ward has refined the technical aspects of her writing which let her down.
April 3, 2018
I’m a huge fan of post-apocalyptic books as well as enemy turned lover and this book has both! It’s fairly fast paced so you don’t get bored with excessive background and internal monologue. Very good book!
June 22, 2012
What a great new series, we have the opening chapter where Kahli's mother is being pursued by Trackers and manages to hide Kahli in a thicket and a vampire boy finds her but does not give away her location. Her mother is dragged off and not seen again so Kahli has to fend for herself in the wild against Trackers and wolves. The world as we know it has changed, humans have died out and vampires are following close behind. Camps have been set up to breed humans and the royal family have some in the palace to sustain them but the blood has been weakened over time. The world is covered in snow and ice and temperatures are freezing at best. Kahli while defending herself against a pack of wolves is injured badly and captured by Will who is part human and part vampire (A Bane) who were bred to fix the vampire food source problem but it had backfired. Will gives her to Reggie who somehow ends up in the palace and Kahli becomes the Queens new plaything. Only the King likes her spunk, her beauty and is keen to taste her pure blood as she has not been touched by another. Having survived a survival test of the fittest, saved her friend and an enemy, Kahli is too outspoken to hide away and constantly keeps putting her foot in her mouth. Will can't help her now and the King wants her for himself and the consequences be damned. Will she make it out of the palace alive and what will happen to Will if she leaves. She is drawn to him yet does not trust his reasons for being around her. Lots of twists and turns, so many unanswered questions, where is Kahli's mother, what happened to her beloved that she was promised to as a child and why do the runes keep coming alive? Why did Will save her the first time yet give her away and then rescue her and how does he know her true name. Looking forward to those answers in Book No. 2, hope it comes soon.
August 26, 2012
I really loved this book! I was expecting it to be another typical vampire story, but it was a lot more than that. It was a combination of paranormal, dystopian, romance, and fantasy. It had a kick-butt heroine, a loveable love interest, bad guys, angst, mystery, etc. It had quality writing that hooked me in and kept me interested. It did seem a little short, but maybe that's because I was enjoying it so much. I hope book 2 comes out soon! I really want to know what the runes mean.
Want to read
February 3, 2012Everyone has said they love the book review on this book..and know a giveaway I thought this book would have almost about a hundred enters. I know this book will be over awesome just read the book review on it..:D
June 29, 2012
Aaaaah! This was amazing!! Definitely a page turner and I cannot wait for the next book! You've done it again Miss Ward!
November 13, 2022
Read : November 13, 2022
Rating : 2 Stars
What always makes me laugh when reading ya is the special chosen one that has to be a redhead, and the enormous amount of books that have this be their fmc.
Red hair is the rarest hair colour and I'd be statistically improbable that out of all humans a redhead would be the one to persevere.
Ofcourse our fmc here is so special, so rare that she's the only "pure" one left, and I mean this in more ways than one which throws the inevitable virginity loosing thing in there that never sits well with me.
Thankfully in this one there's only the implied threat of rape and breeding her instead of the actual act, so jippie?
Anyway, the idea behind it wasn't terrible but I've read 3 books like this before (a "vampire apocalypse") and this one wasn't the best so I won't be reading the next book.
Rating : 2 Stars
What always makes me laugh when reading ya is the special chosen one that has to be a redhead, and the enormous amount of books that have this be their fmc.
Red hair is the rarest hair colour and I'd be statistically improbable that out of all humans a redhead would be the one to persevere.
Ofcourse our fmc here is so special, so rare that she's the only "pure" one left, and I mean this in more ways than one which throws the inevitable virginity loosing thing in there that never sits well with me.
Thankfully in this one there's only the implied threat of rape and breeding her instead of the actual act, so jippie?
Anyway, the idea behind it wasn't terrible but I've read 3 books like this before (a "vampire apocalypse") and this one wasn't the best so I won't be reading the next book.
February 2, 2014
I have had this book on my TBR list for so long and finally decided to read it and I loved it, wow so good and so different. I am a huge Holly fan for her steamy romance books but now I am in love with these books of hers also. I love Kahli, she is strong, feisty, independent, loyal, loving, and alone. I was saddened right from the start with what she had to deal with and witness. I knew that the boy with the blue eyes that she met when she was barely seven was going to play a part in her future somehow and man was I right. Then the story jumps ahead 10 years and the action continues with Kahli having to fight for her survival, trying to get out of her current hiding spot but wolves have surrounded her and then someone is next to her, helping her, just in time. Then transactions occur, we meet the Queen, her brother, and the boy man that helped her is Will and he is standing next to the Vampire queen and Kahli is the queen's prisoner and who knows what else. This book has many parts to it but the main thing is that the earth is covered in ice and snow now, almost all humans are dead or are so fragile that they could die with one little injury. There is a limited blood supply for the vampires and Kahli is different then any other human and we don't know what that means yet. Things escalate, she starts to care about another human in the palace, she has these feelings for Will that she does not understand, and now the king wants her, claims her, and she has not choice but to act and what happens after that is crazy and worrisome. This is where it ends and I can't wait to read the next book.
November 22, 2014
DISCLAIMER TO MY FELLOW GOODREADER
This review is my personal opinion and may contain: spoilers, quotes, rants, cussing (sometimes I cannot help myself) and a possible full on recap. I in no way want to ruin anyone’s book reading experience so please read my words with caution.
17 year old Kahli has been on her own ever since her mother was killed by Trackers (vampires capturing humans to send to farms for their blood) nearly 10 years ago. She became independent, strong and has survived on her own. Everything changes when a pack of wolves finally catches up to her and nearly kills her. She is saved by a familiar looking boy (he spared her life when she was 7). Kahli learns that her savior is a Bane vampire. His kind was created after the great freeze. Their blood was also harvested to try and feed the Regent, but nothing worked like human blood. Nearly all of their qualities are human-like. Will sells her to the vampire Queen's brother. She is the last "wild human" known in the world. Unfortunately now Kahli is the Queen's treasure and stuck in her palace.
Will knows of Kahli's secret running along her side. She was able to get a glance at his secret against his chest. My mind is swarming with ideas..
Cliffhanger – yes (book 1 series)
POV - Kahli
This review is my personal opinion and may contain: spoilers, quotes, rants, cussing (sometimes I cannot help myself) and a possible full on recap. I in no way want to ruin anyone’s book reading experience so please read my words with caution.
17 year old Kahli has been on her own ever since her mother was killed by Trackers (vampires capturing humans to send to farms for their blood) nearly 10 years ago. She became independent, strong and has survived on her own. Everything changes when a pack of wolves finally catches up to her and nearly kills her. She is saved by a familiar looking boy (he spared her life when she was 7). Kahli learns that her savior is a Bane vampire. His kind was created after the great freeze. Their blood was also harvested to try and feed the Regent, but nothing worked like human blood. Nearly all of their qualities are human-like. Will sells her to the vampire Queen's brother. She is the last "wild human" known in the world. Unfortunately now Kahli is the Queen's treasure and stuck in her palace.
Will knows of Kahli's secret running along her side. She was able to get a glance at his secret against his chest. My mind is swarming with ideas..
Cliffhanger – yes (book 1 series)
POV - Kahli
January 2, 2015
Bane
Book 1 -
A Ya Post Apocalyptic , paranormal romance
This book is set in a harsh unforgiving future. A massive iceberg separated from the arctic shelf and flooded the word. A new ice age has begun. Humans are food and Vampires rule the world.... what little is left of it.
Humans are contained in farms for food , but much crossbreeding has weakened the blood supply. Humans are weak and are dying out.
The Vampire race has 2 distinctions: Regents- the ancient , pale faced traditional vampire or Bane- a new hybrid human vampire species that require less blood.
Kahli is the last wild human. She was born in the wild and has grown up in it till now. Will a tracker saves her , but then sells her to a regent . This Regent tries to smuggle her out of the Queen's territory but is caught . Kahl is now the new toy of the Queen and King. Kali will is strong , she forms relationships with other blood slaves within the place as well as a romantic relationship with Will. The conclusion of this book starts with her escape from the palace, which begins the next book in the series.
Book 1 -
A Ya Post Apocalyptic , paranormal romance
This book is set in a harsh unforgiving future. A massive iceberg separated from the arctic shelf and flooded the word. A new ice age has begun. Humans are food and Vampires rule the world.... what little is left of it.
Humans are contained in farms for food , but much crossbreeding has weakened the blood supply. Humans are weak and are dying out.
The Vampire race has 2 distinctions: Regents- the ancient , pale faced traditional vampire or Bane- a new hybrid human vampire species that require less blood.
Kahli is the last wild human. She was born in the wild and has grown up in it till now. Will a tracker saves her , but then sells her to a regent . This Regent tries to smuggle her out of the Queen's territory but is caught . Kahl is now the new toy of the Queen and King. Kali will is strong , she forms relationships with other blood slaves within the place as well as a romantic relationship with Will. The conclusion of this book starts with her escape from the palace, which begins the next book in the series.
March 17, 2013
If you can look past the many spelling and grammar errors and have no problem suspending disbelief or logic, I can see this appealing to a younger mind-set. The relationship was very Twilight-esque, though Kahli, the main character, had more backbone than Bella ever did.
Unfortunately, due to many errors, I can't recommend this book. There were an incredible number of homonyms (e.g., "chase" instead of "chaise," "plated" instead of "plaited," "snip-its" instead of "snippets," etc) littered throughout the text. There were a few simple logical fallacies as well (e.g., the heroine knowing what certain flowers--like jasmine--would smell like even though she grew up in a landscape permanently iced over, living off of canned or packaged foods even though this is supposedly set hundreds of years after the cataclysm that changed the climate and landscape, vampires willingly culling their shrinking source of food, etc).
In short, the concept was interesting, but the execution was lacking.
Unfortunately, due to many errors, I can't recommend this book. There were an incredible number of homonyms (e.g., "chase" instead of "chaise," "plated" instead of "plaited," "snip-its" instead of "snippets," etc) littered throughout the text. There were a few simple logical fallacies as well (e.g., the heroine knowing what certain flowers--like jasmine--would smell like even though she grew up in a landscape permanently iced over, living off of canned or packaged foods even though this is supposedly set hundreds of years after the cataclysm that changed the climate and landscape, vampires willingly culling their shrinking source of food, etc).
In short, the concept was interesting, but the execution was lacking.
January 3, 2017
When I first read the summary for "Bane" in my mind I knew that I had found my next good read; but, honestly the oh appeal this book had was in my expectations only!
The storyline is one of a 17 Year old girl who has been living on her own surviving against all odds in a dystopian world where the ice age exists and vampires have captured most humans farming them as a food supply that is quickly diminishing their nutritional needs. When red headed Kahli is found and captured she is the purest human blood in forever. So, why isn't the Queen sinking her teeth into Kahli's neck immediately and why aren't they trying to breed her for more stock?
I had so many problems with this read that I barely finished it. Besides that, it was rather uninspired and rather boring. It's pretty sad because it had such potential. Clearly, I'm not interested in moving forward with the series.
The storyline is one of a 17 Year old girl who has been living on her own surviving against all odds in a dystopian world where the ice age exists and vampires have captured most humans farming them as a food supply that is quickly diminishing their nutritional needs. When red headed Kahli is found and captured she is the purest human blood in forever. So, why isn't the Queen sinking her teeth into Kahli's neck immediately and why aren't they trying to breed her for more stock?
I had so many problems with this read that I barely finished it. Besides that, it was rather uninspired and rather boring. It's pretty sad because it had such potential. Clearly, I'm not interested in moving forward with the series.
February 19, 2013
What can I say about this book? Do I hate it? No. Do I love it? It's up for debate. The story line was good and twisted. Who would have thought to mix the end of the world apocalypse with Vampires, Humans, and half breeds known as the Bane (human/vampire). Not including mix in a little romance that is slowly unfolding, throw in a group of kids trying to survive, and vampire's putting humans in camps to use them for blood, and you get a good Young Adult vampire novel that is sure to thrill some and have others scratching their heads. However, I do like Kahli and Will and where their story is heading. It was slow going at first with them two but at the end it will leave you wanting to read the second book just to see what happens to them.
February 25, 2013
I really need to be careful that I don't accidentally download "Young Adult" books.
I started reading Bane and became intrigued with the story line. The plot is decent but I think the overall character development of the lead female needed some adjustments. For being the "last human in the wild", she somehow knows enough about pop culture (pixie stix etc) and there are some other oddities (safe houses being built and having electricity/generators?)
The male lead intrigued me and I think the twist of what a Bane is in comparison to the traditional vampire is decent.
Overall, I wasn't thrilled but when I step back and realize that it is supposed to be a YA book, it wasn't bad. Won't be picking up the next in the series though...
I started reading Bane and became intrigued with the story line. The plot is decent but I think the overall character development of the lead female needed some adjustments. For being the "last human in the wild", she somehow knows enough about pop culture (pixie stix etc) and there are some other oddities (safe houses being built and having electricity/generators?)
The male lead intrigued me and I think the twist of what a Bane is in comparison to the traditional vampire is decent.
Overall, I wasn't thrilled but when I step back and realize that it is supposed to be a YA book, it wasn't bad. Won't be picking up the next in the series though...
October 12, 2015
Sometimes the POV changed in weird ways and I was wondering "who the hell is thinking this now???" The writing is pretty mediocre and there were a few typos.
Plus I only just realized now, after finishing this book, that the author has apparently abandonded this series :( just my luck
But I loved the idea behind this and the story was pretty entertaining and surprisingly not 100% predictable. I loved both main characters, which is pretty rare. Kahli is a kick-ass heroine and Will could drink from me an time. The offer is standing, hit me up Will(and that's coming from me who's usually more of a wolf than vampire type)
Plus I only just realized now, after finishing this book, that the author has apparently abandonded this series :( just my luck
But I loved the idea behind this and the story was pretty entertaining and surprisingly not 100% predictable. I loved both main characters, which is pretty rare. Kahli is a kick-ass heroine and Will could drink from me an time. The offer is standing, hit me up Will
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