The word is out on Susto. It's a new recreational drug that intensifies sex, it's spreading like wildfire - and it's lethal. Team Darkwing's mission is to track the drug back to its origin. Immersing themselves in New York's nightlife, they discover ties between Susto's revenue and the country's most powerful political dynasty.
LUCY FINN is a fulltime fiction writer who also owns an antique store, the Big Red Barn.
Under the pen name, Savannah Russe, she is the author of the bestselling vampire series called The Darkwing Chronicles: Beyond the Pale, Book One (June 2005), Past Redemption, Book Two (April 2006), Beneath the Skin, Book Three ( February, 2007), In the Blood (November, 2007), and Under Darkness (June 2008).
She lives in an old farmhouse near Noxen, Pennsylvania where her mother's family settled in the 18th century. Her ancestor, James Patton, died in the Civil War at the battle of Spotsvania Courthouse.
Lucy, who carries spiders outside in a cup rather than kill them, shares her farm with three dogs, many cats, and upteen wild creatures.
Past Redemption by Savannah Russe, is the second book in the "Darkwing Chronicles" urban fantasy series. The main character is Daphne Urban, a 500 year-old vampire who works with an elite team of other vampires--the Darkwings.
Daphne's team is tasked with finding the source of a new drug on the street, called Susto. Too many people have been dying horrifically after taking the drug, but it's a hot seller. Daphne and her team must immerse themselves in New York's nightlife as they try to learn more about the drug's origins. It's at a club that Daphne meets the intriguing St Julien Fitzmaurice (Fitz), and it's also there that she discovers that Darius, the bad boy vampire hunter whom she turned to save his life, is performing with his band. The band is playing up the vampire angle, which Daphne thinks will only lead to disaster. Already she's had more run-ins with hunters than is typical. It soon becomes apparent that both Darius and Fitz are keeping secrets--the kind that can get any or all of them killed.
I had a love/hate relationship with this book. The characters were wonderfully represented, the plot was intriguing, fast-paced, and flowed smoothly, and the fight scenes were exciting and appropriately violent. However, I just cannot with Daphne. She is a vampire. She is FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD, yet she acts and reacts like a jealous, petty, hormonal teenager. I have nothing against hormonal teens; I was one once, too, but I am well past that stage, which begs the question: why is a centuries old vampire behaving in such a fashion?! It was annoying and distracting, and I was literally rolling my eyes at times while reading this. If I wanted to read about vampires and teenage drama, I'd read Twilight. Enough said. And, don't even get me going on Daphne's mother, Mar-Mar, who is a thousand years old and acts like an aged hippie and still meddles in her five hundred year-old daughter's life. Guh.
There you have it. The story was very good, but the main character is beyond vapid. Also, (SPOILER ALERT) the author killed off an important character right at the end of the book for no discernible reason. It added absolutely nothing to the plot, and it was distressing to read. You suck, Savannah Russe.
This earns no more than an average score. Points have been deducted for an insipid main character and a meaningless character death.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I finished reading this very good book on Saturday night. I got so wrapped up in what was going on and what was going to happen, that we stayed up late just so I could finish it. And it was well-worth the time. I really enjoyed it! So cool. A great continuation into the Darkwing Chronicles, yet still left a lot of stuff up in the air. Makes me wonder what Daphne Urban will get up to next...
This one's about a new drug that hits the New York nightlife, called Susto. These cool vampire spies are called in to find out more about it and this is when the adventure begins... There's a bit of everything -- trendy vampires, vampire slayers, a creepy shaman, love interest, distraction love interest, sex -- yeah. I liked this book a lot. Can't wait to read the next one!
A new drug named Susto is being let out on the streets, now Daphne and her team need to find the source and destroy. But while Daphne is having trouble with her on and off boyfriend Darius, she meets someone new.
There was a good story line to this book, but I feel like it could've used a little bit more. It seemed very fast-paced in certain parts and dragging in others. I believe there are less sex scenes in this book than the first one, but nothing to get too crazy about. But at least, there were many action scenes to keep you on edge and a good few new characters introduced. But other than that, I believe it was a good book. Interesting enough to continue the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I liked it, but I didn't. Daphne's relationship with the former vampire hunter pissed me off so much I felt like throwing the book when he came into a scene. The characters and story line could have been fleshed out a whole lot more. I would like to see where this series goes, but I'm in no rush. Or maybe I will read it to get it off my shelf?
I am really getting in to this series. I really like Daphne, I really gotten in to her. Darius is still pissing me off. And let's not talk about Mar Mar, damn that woman. This story moves at a good pace and it kept interested. I'm really glad I picked up this series.
I loved Beyond the Pale. While I enjoyed catching up with the characters I found Past Redemption to be predictable. It was an easy, fun read but I'm hoping for more twists in the next one.
Such witty and clever writing. Its a pleasure to read, such a mix of old and new, classic and modern, funny and sad. Amazing writing and an incredibly clever story, 5*all the way! X
Daphne Urban is a vampire who has been recruited by the government to work in team darkwing, a secret team of vampires who are untouchable. Her love interest is Darius a musician and intelligence operative who was a former vampire hunter who Daphne changed herself, they have a very tremulous relationship. There is a new drug called susto which has a high death toll and after being exposed to an over dose at a bar they are assigned to the case. Daphne meets fritz by chance at the same bar they first learned about susto and she discovers his involvement is more then just coincidence. The vampires in this story have a more traditional interpretation, daylight, silver and stakes kill them. The can turn into giant bats, crosses burn and there was jokes about no garlic however they had heartbeats ate and drank prepared food.
By saving Darius‘s life, Daphne lost him anyway. But Team Darkwing has a new case to keep them busy involving a deadly new drug targeting the young rich.
Lots of action and emotional angst. Love the little coincidence event at the end.
Footnote: 1) FYI. I was unable to find these books except on Amazon for $10, but I got the PB’s on eBay for about $1-3 each.
Fave scenes: rescuing the dog, Jade meeting Gunther, the crypt and the fight on the rooftop.
The second book is a bit better than the first book but still no cause to spend money of book 3. If I come across it in a cheapies bin, I might buy it.
First off, put this book down and go buy Jennifer Rardin's Jaz Parks series as it seems this series is based on Ms Rardin's series and Ms Rardin's series does it infinity better.
Second: great concept, terrible execution. The heroine's 'personality' reads like a D&D character sheet but she is even less interesting or accurate. Despite supposedly being one of the smartest people in the world, from a family world famous for treachery & cunning, heroine is easily led, and anything but intelligent. She is a clothes happy harlot in heat. And the depiction of her mother, much less the idea that vampires give birth...so improbable as to be completely unbelievable.
Thirdly: I am not a fan of first person narrative but it can be done in an unobtrusive manner. That is not the case here. The constant repetition of 'I' and 'me' was obvious and unwelcome. It also made the book read like a grocery list or to do list.
Again, skip this series and go read about Jaz Parks.
Wie heißt es so schön: Glück im Spiel, Pech in der Liebe. Ich muss eine gute Pokerspielerin sein. Meine erste große Liebe brachte ich versehentlich um, und als nach zweihundert Jahren der nächste tolle Mann in meinem Leben auftauchte, biss ich ihn. Natürlich tat ich es aus Liebe, doch manchmal hinterlässt ein Biss mehr als einen Knutschfleck. Nachdem sich der Mann von dem Schock erholt hatte … na ja, man könnte es als ziemlich hässliche Trennung bezeichnen. Was mir bleibt, ist meine Karriere. Denn ich bin keineswegs nur eine Vampirin, sondern auch eine FBI-Agentin!
Wie beim ersten Band ist dieses Buch voller tiefem Gefühl, Spannung und man kann es nicht aus der Hand legen. Man muss unbedingt erfahren wie es weiter geht mit ihr und Darius oder mit Fritz. Aber auch ob sie denn Fall lösen kann. Sie schafft es eine Welt aufzubauen die einen regelrecht hineinziehen. Die so echt scheint dass man sie buchstäblich vor sich sehen kann.
The series itself is fine -- I like the characters, and the plot is okay, if a bit predictable. But the way the author name-drops brand names is driving me flipping nuts. I don't need to know she's wearing designer clothing or what kind of car she's driving! She's a centuries-old vampire; I assume she's got the best of everything! Sheesh.
This was much better than the first book. Daphne is still way too easily distracted by sex, but at least she's actually doing spy stuff in this one. She does also have some revelations by the end of the book, so she's growing as a character. Everyone else is still pretty basic though; we know very little about most of them.
I enjoyed the first book, Beyond the Pale, but the second book was not as engaging. Characters were somewhat flat and the plot was predictable. I probably won't read the rest of the series.