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The Bloodhound Files #2
Death Blows
FBI profiler Jace Valchek was pulled into this parallel realm to hunt for Aristotle Stoker, a human serial killer who preys on vampires and werewolves. Now she works for the National Security Agency of the Unnatural States of America―and her boss is a vampire. At a bizarre crime scene, Jace finds a bloodsucker murdered by magic, fried to the bone and dressed in the costume of the comic book hero the Flash―a character who isn't supposed to exist here. Comic books have been outlawed for their powers, including crossover spells like the one that transported Jace to this world. Soon, she's following a trail of dead bodies into the sinister underworld of black-market comics―where a deranged madman gives new meaning to the term "super-villain"… Death Blows is a fast-paced, exciting follow-up to Dying Bites ―DD Barant and The Bloodhound Files just keep getting better, and Jace Valchek's world keeps getting stranger ...
332 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 30, 2010
51 people are currently reading
1251 people want to read
About the author
D.D. Barant
22 books474 followersPseudonyms: Don DeBrandt & Donn Cortez & Dixie Lyle
DD Barant lives in Vancouver, BC, and loves monsters, chocolate, animals, reading, comics and lying naked on the beach, while hating bullies, narrow-minded people, Sea Urchin Sushi and gluten. He has stated that DD Barant is a pseudonym, and that it is not the only pseudonym under which he writes.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ddbarant
http://ddbarant.com
DD Barant lives in Vancouver, BC, and loves monsters, chocolate, animals, reading, comics and lying naked on the beach, while hating bullies, narrow-minded people, Sea Urchin Sushi and gluten. He has stated that DD Barant is a pseudonym, and that it is not the only pseudonym under which he writes.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ddbarant
http://ddbarant.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
July 4, 2010
This is the follow up to the first book in the series,Dying Bites. Jace Valchek FBI profiler has been ripped out of her world and hijacked to an alternate reality where vampires, lycanthropes, golems, and the mystical do in fact exist. What doesn't exist in this reality are guns and mental instability. After the events of the previous book however vampires and lycanthropes have been suffering with mental illness for the first time. Jace has been trying to find the man responsible, Aristotle Stoker so she can fulfill the terms of her contract and return to her own reality.
All of this is put on hold when she is called onto a homicide case. A powerful vampire is killed and his corpes was dressed like Flash Gordon. The only problem is comic books have been outlawed in this reality since the 1950's so Flash Gordon was never introduced in this reality, which means the killer must have some kind of connection to Jace's world. To top it off we find out the victim is the father to be of Jace's friend and co-worker Gretchen. Jace is also informed by her vampire boss Cassius that she must halt her search for Stoker for the time being and focus on this case anyway because the practitioner responsible for bringing her over to this reality is "unavailable" While someone else could do it, she wouldn't be put back at the time that they removed her. She would wake up an old woman decades after she had been taken.
This book was much better than the first one. I enjoyed it immensly. The plot was satisfyingly twisty and the characters were really fleshed out in this book. I thought she actually did an awesome job with the character development. Jace is a great character, even though she is the low man on the totem pole so to speak in this world, she retains a tough chick attitude and she is extremely sarcastic. She kind of reminds me of old school Anita Blake. I especially love her relationship with her golem enforcer, Charlie Aleph. You get to see the growth of their friedship and by the end of the book each make some sacrifices for the other. We get to see some background on the powerful head of the NSA, Cassius as well. We are introduced to a very intriguing character, Neill a vampire member of the Four Colors Club a renegade group of comic book groupies-if all adult male comic nerds were that sexy I'd open up a comic book store. There is also a suprising development at the end. I was really pleased with the growth the author has shown and I'm greatly anticipating her next book in the series, Killing Rocks, out in December.
All of this is put on hold when she is called onto a homicide case. A powerful vampire is killed and his corpes was dressed like Flash Gordon. The only problem is comic books have been outlawed in this reality since the 1950's so Flash Gordon was never introduced in this reality, which means the killer must have some kind of connection to Jace's world. To top it off we find out the victim is the father to be of Jace's friend and co-worker Gretchen. Jace is also informed by her vampire boss Cassius that she must halt her search for Stoker for the time being and focus on this case anyway because the practitioner responsible for bringing her over to this reality is "unavailable" While someone else could do it, she wouldn't be put back at the time that they removed her. She would wake up an old woman decades after she had been taken.
This book was much better than the first one. I enjoyed it immensly. The plot was satisfyingly twisty and the characters were really fleshed out in this book. I thought she actually did an awesome job with the character development. Jace is a great character, even though she is the low man on the totem pole so to speak in this world, she retains a tough chick attitude and she is extremely sarcastic. She kind of reminds me of old school Anita Blake. I especially love her relationship with her golem enforcer, Charlie Aleph. You get to see the growth of their friedship and by the end of the book each make some sacrifices for the other. We get to see some background on the powerful head of the NSA, Cassius as well. We are introduced to a very intriguing character, Neill a vampire member of the Four Colors Club a renegade group of comic book groupies-if all adult male comic nerds were that sexy I'd open up a comic book store. There is also a suprising development at the end. I was really pleased with the growth the author has shown and I'm greatly anticipating her next book in the series, Killing Rocks, out in December.
December 18, 2015
i think i like the first one a bit better, but this book was still pretty good.
it was extremely annoying how D.D. Barant kept explaining the gun spell, otherwise it was a pretty good read i enjoyed the twist and turns
it was extremely annoying how D.D. Barant kept explaining the gun spell, otherwise it was a pretty good read i enjoyed the twist and turns
April 19, 2010
I didn't like this one as much as the first book. I felt like there was too much going on and the plot was confusing.
I'm not versed in comic books, so I had to learn not only about certain comic book characters, but also various iterations of those same characters, the difference between periods in comic book history, and learn about some of the authors who may or may not have crossed over into the world Jace is currently in.
Then there were people who had appeared in the comic book in the world Jace is in which meant keeping their real names and characters straight along with their various powers and items.
On top of that there's the introduction of an Illuminati like secret society.
I'm still not sure I understand the order of events in the crime Jace had to solve. At one point she offers a theory which requires time travel and Cassius tells her that the time sword thing doesn't allow time travel. But I'm almost sure the final explanation involved some kind of time travel. (Time travel usually makes my head hurt, YMMV).
I don't understand why putting the sword through Jace's hand made her hand phase out of time but made Peter disappear and be replaced with a version of him that had made a different choice. Was it intent? Where the sword struck? And why did Tair show up before Peter was actually stabbed but long after that decision was actually made? It's possible Tair showed up at the time the decision was made but I didn't get that sense. I thought it was more recent that than because Dr. Pete had been with the NSA for a number of years. I'm going to miss Dr. Pete.
I'm not sure why Jace can't make more gunpowder or have it made. Surely they have the technology to figure out the ingredients and the percentages in the forensics lab. And they understand combustion. Can't Jace just get through the spell in the tech's head and then put him on the project?
It seems to me that without firearms the humans never really had a chance. As I understand it, not all humans can use magic and physically they can't hope to beat pires, weres, or lems. With firearms if they could get the distance to use them they might have a chance.
I still like the characters and the world I just think this particular plot was too convoluted.
I'm not versed in comic books, so I had to learn not only about certain comic book characters, but also various iterations of those same characters, the difference between periods in comic book history, and learn about some of the authors who may or may not have crossed over into the world Jace is currently in.
Then there were people who had appeared in the comic book in the world Jace is in which meant keeping their real names and characters straight along with their various powers and items.
On top of that there's the introduction of an Illuminati like secret society.
I'm still not sure I understand the order of events in the crime Jace had to solve. At one point she offers a theory which requires time travel and Cassius tells her that the time sword thing doesn't allow time travel. But I'm almost sure the final explanation involved some kind of time travel. (Time travel usually makes my head hurt, YMMV).
I don't understand why putting the sword through Jace's hand made her hand phase out of time but made Peter disappear and be replaced with a version of him that had made a different choice. Was it intent? Where the sword struck? And why did Tair show up before Peter was actually stabbed but long after that decision was actually made? It's possible Tair showed up at the time the decision was made but I didn't get that sense. I thought it was more recent that than because Dr. Pete had been with the NSA for a number of years. I'm going to miss Dr. Pete.
I'm not sure why Jace can't make more gunpowder or have it made. Surely they have the technology to figure out the ingredients and the percentages in the forensics lab. And they understand combustion. Can't Jace just get through the spell in the tech's head and then put him on the project?
It seems to me that without firearms the humans never really had a chance. As I understand it, not all humans can use magic and physically they can't hope to beat pires, weres, or lems. With firearms if they could get the distance to use them they might have a chance.
I still like the characters and the world I just think this particular plot was too convoluted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2012
This book was a chore to get through. In addition to vampires, werewolves and golems we get superheroes. I love superhero movies and the Bigtime Series by Jennifer Estep - very cute superhero series. This book, not so much.
It was an OVERLOAD of information. It was just too much! You get a lecture of time/space continuum and comic (or kamic) books, both in this world and the "real world." Turns out **spoiler alert** one of the main characters actually turns out to BE a superhero. Now what? Is he going to break out the spandex (or in this case sunlight armor) in the rest of the series? Or are we just supposed to forget about it and move on. It's only two books in and already it much to complicated.
On a positive note: I do love the interaction between Charlie and Jace. They would make a cute couple except the fact that he's a golem with no genitalia. UGH!
I'm SO disappointed because this series has the potential to be good. I was kind of hoping for an alternate reality version of Jace to turn out to be the bad guy and she had to hunt herself - that would've been cool. Instead what I got was just a mess. Oh, and not to mention the breeding of "pires" and "thropes" to produce political alliances. (Catherine Shaka aka African Queen - Catherine the Great and Shaka Zulu, John Dark aka John Tamerlane D'arc - a Turkish conqueror and Joan of Arc, and Sheldon Vincent aka Shelley da Vinci - Mary Shelley and Leonardo da Vinci.) As if there weren't enough (underdeveloped) characters she changes monikers frequently. One paragraph he's "Vincent" then he's "DaVinci" and then back to "Vincent" again. I gave up on trying to figure out who was who.
It was an OVERLOAD of information. It was just too much! You get a lecture of time/space continuum and comic (or kamic) books, both in this world and the "real world." Turns out **spoiler alert** one of the main characters actually turns out to BE a superhero. Now what? Is he going to break out the spandex (or in this case sunlight armor) in the rest of the series? Or are we just supposed to forget about it and move on. It's only two books in and already it much to complicated.
On a positive note: I do love the interaction between Charlie and Jace. They would make a cute couple except the fact that he's a golem with no genitalia. UGH!
I'm SO disappointed because this series has the potential to be good. I was kind of hoping for an alternate reality version of Jace to turn out to be the bad guy and she had to hunt herself - that would've been cool. Instead what I got was just a mess. Oh, and not to mention the breeding of "pires" and "thropes" to produce political alliances. (Catherine Shaka aka African Queen - Catherine the Great and Shaka Zulu, John Dark aka John Tamerlane D'arc - a Turkish conqueror and Joan of Arc, and Sheldon Vincent aka Shelley da Vinci - Mary Shelley and Leonardo da Vinci.) As if there weren't enough (underdeveloped) characters she changes monikers frequently. One paragraph he's "Vincent" then he's "DaVinci" and then back to "Vincent" again. I gave up on trying to figure out who was who.
April 23, 2012
3.5 stars, but I thought I'd round up.
Things I enjoyed:
- Jace and Charlie's relationship; by far my favorite part in the books thus far.
- I like the idea of alt universes and how nearly each person in the thrope/pire world has a doppelganger in Jace's world.
- I like the comic aspect, I thought it was interesting.
- Jace's wit had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions.
Things I didn't enjoy:
- There's only one thing I didn't really enjoy, and it was that this book was one big information dump. While I found the idea of the plot intriguing, I felt like I was getting a lecture about alt universes and the space time continuum nearly every chapter.
On top of that there was the explanation about how comic (or kamic) books work in the thrope/pire world. How they're magical and were eventually outlawed. Everything was so convoluted that I finished the book not entirely understanding how we made it to the end.
I still enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it, just be prepared for the paranormal education you're about to receive.
Things I enjoyed:
- Jace and Charlie's relationship; by far my favorite part in the books thus far.
- I like the idea of alt universes and how nearly each person in the thrope/pire world has a doppelganger in Jace's world.
- I like the comic aspect, I thought it was interesting.
- Jace's wit had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions.
Things I didn't enjoy:
- There's only one thing I didn't really enjoy, and it was that this book was one big information dump. While I found the idea of the plot intriguing, I felt like I was getting a lecture about alt universes and the space time continuum nearly every chapter.
On top of that there was the explanation about how comic (or kamic) books work in the thrope/pire world. How they're magical and were eventually outlawed. Everything was so convoluted that I finished the book not entirely understanding how we made it to the end.
I still enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it, just be prepared for the paranormal education you're about to receive.
Want to read
October 16, 2009I know this is going to be a great book, I really enjoyed the first one and when I read the expert in the back of the book for this book I was instantly into it. It made me want to keep reading. I hate that I have to wait until March for the next book but I will be glad to read it.
I really want to see where she goes with her relationships and I really like Charles character so I hope he finds great happiness. I hope this is the begining of a series more than two books because I can see me liking it for a while!
I really want to see where she goes with her relationships and I really like Charles character so I hope he finds great happiness. I hope this is the begining of a series more than two books because I can see me liking it for a while!
September 5, 2017
Never thought I'd read a novel that had to deal with comics as part of an investigation!!! I was so entertained by the originality of this book. While it doesn't quite flow from the first book I still found myself laughing along and trying to solve the mystery as bizarre as the circumstances were.
This is book 2 of the Bloodhound Files. Jace is still hunting for Stoker but when she gets called in on a rather peculiar murder scene thoughts of Stoker go out the window! In front of her lies a vampire who is dressed as a super hero from her own dimension. How odd! It becomes a race against time to discover who the super villain is behind this attack as well as others along the way! What is David hiding from her??? Hmm....
This is book 2 of the Bloodhound Files. Jace is still hunting for Stoker but when she gets called in on a rather peculiar murder scene thoughts of Stoker go out the window! In front of her lies a vampire who is dressed as a super hero from her own dimension. How odd! It becomes a race against time to discover who the super villain is behind this attack as well as others along the way! What is David hiding from her??? Hmm....
December 13, 2017
3.5 stars.
The superhero plot was kinda... odd...
The superhero plot was kinda... odd...
June 21, 2015
Jace is from an alternate reality and she has been brought to a world were vampires, werewolves, and golems make up the majority of the population. Jace is tasked with finding and arresting Stoker, a rogue human determined to end the domination of the supernaturals and get justice for the dwindling human population. Jace is sidetracked from that mission when a superhero created by the government is murdered. When magical artifacts start to go missing the case intensifies. Can Jace follow the clues from the comic world to find the killer?
My biggest complaint with this book is that there is simply too much going on. I am not a fan of comic books and too much of this book focuses on breaking down comics to microscopic levels for clues. Barant, who is obviously a fan of comics, did some name dropping of famous comic artists, weighed DC and Marvel against each other, and went into the story lines and origin stories of many superheros. I suppose on some level this is meant to remind us of the similarity between Jace's originating world and the world she inhabits today, and the fact that they are connected but for me, it plain and simple just dragged on and on.
In Dying Bites, Jace had several men seemingly vying for her attention. I liked that it never really became a paranormal romance type thing but in Death Blows, all of that disappears altogether. There is one awkward date with Cassius at a save the human event. I suppose this was meant to build the will they or won't they vibe but the fact that Cassius has "a thing" for humans is just super creepy - particularly after meeting his ex girlfriend.
In terms of character growth, we learned all about Dr.Pete's background and some of Cassius's past as a superhero. It became clear that Jace had developed a really good working relationship with Charlie, though I would like to see them on a more social level at some point. Jace also really cares deeply for Rachel but despite all of the concern, I have yet to see the work that went into building that relationship. If Death Blows had spent more time working on the relationships and less on the comic books and weird magical world building, it would have been a far more interesting book.
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My biggest complaint with this book is that there is simply too much going on. I am not a fan of comic books and too much of this book focuses on breaking down comics to microscopic levels for clues. Barant, who is obviously a fan of comics, did some name dropping of famous comic artists, weighed DC and Marvel against each other, and went into the story lines and origin stories of many superheros. I suppose on some level this is meant to remind us of the similarity between Jace's originating world and the world she inhabits today, and the fact that they are connected but for me, it plain and simple just dragged on and on.
In Dying Bites, Jace had several men seemingly vying for her attention. I liked that it never really became a paranormal romance type thing but in Death Blows, all of that disappears altogether. There is one awkward date with Cassius at a save the human event. I suppose this was meant to build the will they or won't they vibe but the fact that Cassius has "a thing" for humans is just super creepy - particularly after meeting his ex girlfriend.
In terms of character growth, we learned all about Dr.Pete's background and some of Cassius's past as a superhero. It became clear that Jace had developed a really good working relationship with Charlie, though I would like to see them on a more social level at some point. Jace also really cares deeply for Rachel but despite all of the concern, I have yet to see the work that went into building that relationship. If Death Blows had spent more time working on the relationships and less on the comic books and weird magical world building, it would have been a far more interesting book.
Read More
April 29, 2014
This book hit my happy spot. Bringing comic book superheroes into the well set out lore of an alternate universe and then explaining the concept behind their existence with a twisted plot, snappy dialogue, fantastic fight scenes, loyalty, betrayal and popular culture...well...what can I say really...BRING ON THE NEXT BOOK!!!
November 25, 2019
Jace has been chasing Stoker for months and wants to catch him quickly so that she can be released from her contract and go back to her own world but it is proving to be more complicated than she thought. The shaman who summoned her is no longer available to send her home and Cassius is giving her other complicated cases to work on which diverts her away from Stoker again. Someone is committing brutal murders and displaying the bodies dressed as superheroes from comic books in Jace's world. Here, comic books are banned because they have hidden power so Jace has to delve into black market comics and inter dimensional travel if she is to find out who is doing it and why.
Jace learns that the first discovered victim of this new killer was the lover of her vampire friend and colleague Gretchen and they had just committed to have a baby together. It seems that Saladin was part of a group of superheroes who stopped a cult of evil doers, immortalised in a comic book that is now illegal and Jace is sure that they may have been real life heroes too, meaning the rest of the group may be targets for the killer. Has the deadly cult reemerged or has a member of the Bravo Brigade turned on their former colleagues? Jace and Charlie set out to discover the killer but find that Cassius is again withholding vital information from them, which has Jace considering her position. It turns out that the truth is more than she expected.
There is also a side story happening that Jace gets involved in. A creepy werewolf called Tair has been hanging around watching Dr Pete and he approaches Jace to warn her that her friend is involved in illegal activities and that people in his past are looking for him. Jace wants to help Dr Pete but he vanishes before she can get any answers and again she is finding that Cassius is reluctant to do anything to help her with that investigation. I can understand her frustration. Pulled into another world against your will to become a special consultant on a case that you are being prevented from pursuing to work on a case where your boss won't help you to get the job done?
I'm not a reader of comics and I don't really watch the superhero films so I didn't get most of the comic book references. The author goes into detail about the origin stories of a few characters in the comics, the confused timelines in the comic book world caused by countless illustrators doing their own versions of stories, bringing characters back from the dead or turning them evil...I feel that a reader who loves this world would get more out of this plot than I did. I found it a bit confusing especially the final reveal of the plot that the bad guy was following-I got a bit lost and wasn't fully invested in what was going on at that stage. I also didn't really get some of the inter dimensional stuff which was a bit over my head at times and I'd have preferred a less complex plot. I also wasn't really keen on where the Tair story went at the end.
I loved the introducting of the crime fighting golem gunslinger The Quicksilver Kid as a new character and I certainly hope that we see him again in future books. I found his back story to be really interesting and want to learn more about him. I find the golems to be the most interesting part of this world. Charlie was his usual amusing self though I do wish that Jace was a bit more appreciative of him at times. Charlie does remain my favourite character. It was also interesting to find out a bit more about Cassius and his background as the book progressed. I also liked the way that he stepped up to help Gretchen in her hour of need, showing that he does care about his employees.
I also like some of the worldbuilding that we get which Jace gradually finds out about. In order for vampires to breed they had to gain the help of a god to grant them that power, a spell that required the sacrifice of many humans which was of course barbaric genocide. Now vampires can use magic to create a child together with each parent donating a bit of their eternal life and aging so many years each until the 'child' reaches the age that they want he or she to be, and the spell ends, leaving the parents a few years older and the offspring as a fully functional vampire. I found that whole thing imaginative and fascinating to read about. I also liked that the spell surrounding weapons was explored in more detail as Jace comes to understand why people on her new world don't take her gun seriously.
I did have niggles with this book because of my lack of knowledge about comic books and science so for me it wasn't as good as the first book, but it was still another solid read in the series and I will certainly continue with it when time and mood allows.
3.5/4 stars?
Jace learns that the first discovered victim of this new killer was the lover of her vampire friend and colleague Gretchen and they had just committed to have a baby together. It seems that Saladin was part of a group of superheroes who stopped a cult of evil doers, immortalised in a comic book that is now illegal and Jace is sure that they may have been real life heroes too, meaning the rest of the group may be targets for the killer. Has the deadly cult reemerged or has a member of the Bravo Brigade turned on their former colleagues? Jace and Charlie set out to discover the killer but find that Cassius is again withholding vital information from them, which has Jace considering her position. It turns out that the truth is more than she expected.
There is also a side story happening that Jace gets involved in. A creepy werewolf called Tair has been hanging around watching Dr Pete and he approaches Jace to warn her that her friend is involved in illegal activities and that people in his past are looking for him. Jace wants to help Dr Pete but he vanishes before she can get any answers and again she is finding that Cassius is reluctant to do anything to help her with that investigation. I can understand her frustration. Pulled into another world against your will to become a special consultant on a case that you are being prevented from pursuing to work on a case where your boss won't help you to get the job done?
I'm not a reader of comics and I don't really watch the superhero films so I didn't get most of the comic book references. The author goes into detail about the origin stories of a few characters in the comics, the confused timelines in the comic book world caused by countless illustrators doing their own versions of stories, bringing characters back from the dead or turning them evil...I feel that a reader who loves this world would get more out of this plot than I did. I found it a bit confusing especially the final reveal of the plot that the bad guy was following-I got a bit lost and wasn't fully invested in what was going on at that stage. I also didn't really get some of the inter dimensional stuff which was a bit over my head at times and I'd have preferred a less complex plot. I also wasn't really keen on where the Tair story went at the end.
I loved the introducting of the crime fighting golem gunslinger The Quicksilver Kid as a new character and I certainly hope that we see him again in future books. I found his back story to be really interesting and want to learn more about him. I find the golems to be the most interesting part of this world. Charlie was his usual amusing self though I do wish that Jace was a bit more appreciative of him at times. Charlie does remain my favourite character. It was also interesting to find out a bit more about Cassius and his background as the book progressed. I also liked the way that he stepped up to help Gretchen in her hour of need, showing that he does care about his employees.
I also like some of the worldbuilding that we get which Jace gradually finds out about. In order for vampires to breed they had to gain the help of a god to grant them that power, a spell that required the sacrifice of many humans which was of course barbaric genocide. Now vampires can use magic to create a child together with each parent donating a bit of their eternal life and aging so many years each until the 'child' reaches the age that they want he or she to be, and the spell ends, leaving the parents a few years older and the offspring as a fully functional vampire. I found that whole thing imaginative and fascinating to read about. I also liked that the spell surrounding weapons was explored in more detail as Jace comes to understand why people on her new world don't take her gun seriously.
I did have niggles with this book because of my lack of knowledge about comic books and science so for me it wasn't as good as the first book, but it was still another solid read in the series and I will certainly continue with it when time and mood allows.
3.5/4 stars?
February 4, 2025
I normally have a VERY low bar for books like this, but this series just isn’t cutting it
November 12, 2010
Jace Valchek is a criminal profiler - she does crazy for a living. The fact that she was yanked out of our world by some major mojo and dropped into an alternate earth where the human population is a measly 1% and the other 99% are things that go bump in the night doesn't change that. She's stuck in this alternately fangy world, working for the NSA until she can track down and catch a human terrorist out to take down the large vampire (hemovore) and lycanthrope populations so the humans can stage a resurgence. Of course, catching the guy might be a bit easier if she wasn't being pulled away from the hunt to consult on other cases every time she turned around. Cases like the murder of a pire (vampire), found green, skeletal, sparked with lightning...and dressed up like the comic book hero Flash. And you thought your job was complicated?
The second installment of The Bloodhound Files series is just as extraordinary (in every sense of the word) as the first, Dying Bites, and in a lot of ways, just as complicated. This one throws in a very confusing (for me) plot of metaphysics and comic book mythos that I found perplexing and a bit difficult to wrap my brain around at times, and yet the power of personality of the lead character, Jace Valchek, and a strong supporting cast of ultimately unique secondary and ancillary characters lift this book into a realm of must read for me.
I'll admit, a group of comic superheroes getting slaughtered for nefarious and ultimately confusing purposes as a result of an event that happened fifty-odd years ago isn't exactly a familiar or comfortable plot for me to easily grasp, but I like Jace so much, and am so impressed with the world D.D. Barant has created here, that the plot isn't a driving factor for me. The book is well written and the plot quickly paced and there is enough tension and danger to keep me entertained, so if I didn't totally love the comic book/metaphysics part of it...or...um...totally understand it, I'm okay with that.
I'm fairly certain I'll read anything that has Jace and her partner/protector Charlie (golem enchanted with the spirit of a Tyrannosaurus Rex) matching wits and trading barbs. By far my favorite secondary character of the series, Charlie is a fantastic straight man for Jace's wisecracking and their dialogue is compelling, witty, and funny. Another favorite character is Cassius, head of the NSA and Jace's boss, who is an ancient vampire with the body of an 18 year old California surfer. Other familiar faces are back, as well, like Gretchen, the now pregnant vampire and one of Cassius' top agents, and Dr. Pete, the thrope who saved Jace's life in Dying Bites. More than once.
This is an intensely intelligent series, well written and delicately layered with an intricate world building that is revealed to the reader in delicious bites, instead of being overdrawn or forced. The narrative was a little odd for me in this book. I don't remember it from the first book, but this one is told in first person present tense, and while I'm definitely used to first person narrative - especially in the urban fantasy genre - it's usually first-person past tense so every once in awhile the lack of familiarity with that particular POV nudged me out of the story and I started thinking about the words instead of experiencing them. That would have seriously affected my opinion of the book if I wasn't so enamored with Jace and her new-found but fangy and sometimes hairy friends. There just wasn't anything significant enough to make me do anything but totally love this book and yearn for the next as soon as possible. Now would be good. I really hate waiting.
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Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
The second installment of The Bloodhound Files series is just as extraordinary (in every sense of the word) as the first, Dying Bites, and in a lot of ways, just as complicated. This one throws in a very confusing (for me) plot of metaphysics and comic book mythos that I found perplexing and a bit difficult to wrap my brain around at times, and yet the power of personality of the lead character, Jace Valchek, and a strong supporting cast of ultimately unique secondary and ancillary characters lift this book into a realm of must read for me.
I'll admit, a group of comic superheroes getting slaughtered for nefarious and ultimately confusing purposes as a result of an event that happened fifty-odd years ago isn't exactly a familiar or comfortable plot for me to easily grasp, but I like Jace so much, and am so impressed with the world D.D. Barant has created here, that the plot isn't a driving factor for me. The book is well written and the plot quickly paced and there is enough tension and danger to keep me entertained, so if I didn't totally love the comic book/metaphysics part of it...or...um...totally understand it, I'm okay with that.
I'm fairly certain I'll read anything that has Jace and her partner/protector Charlie (golem enchanted with the spirit of a Tyrannosaurus Rex) matching wits and trading barbs. By far my favorite secondary character of the series, Charlie is a fantastic straight man for Jace's wisecracking and their dialogue is compelling, witty, and funny. Another favorite character is Cassius, head of the NSA and Jace's boss, who is an ancient vampire with the body of an 18 year old California surfer. Other familiar faces are back, as well, like Gretchen, the now pregnant vampire and one of Cassius' top agents, and Dr. Pete, the thrope who saved Jace's life in Dying Bites. More than once.
This is an intensely intelligent series, well written and delicately layered with an intricate world building that is revealed to the reader in delicious bites, instead of being overdrawn or forced. The narrative was a little odd for me in this book. I don't remember it from the first book, but this one is told in first person present tense, and while I'm definitely used to first person narrative - especially in the urban fantasy genre - it's usually first-person past tense so every once in awhile the lack of familiarity with that particular POV nudged me out of the story and I started thinking about the words instead of experiencing them. That would have seriously affected my opinion of the book if I wasn't so enamored with Jace and her new-found but fangy and sometimes hairy friends. There just wasn't anything significant enough to make me do anything but totally love this book and yearn for the next as soon as possible. Now would be good. I really hate waiting.
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Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
April 23, 2012
Plot summary ... Since this is for personal reason -- so I can remember -- I put it under spoiler tag.
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The second book definitely hooks me better than book #1. Mainly because I like Jace here ... she no longer seems ungrateful to me. I enjoy her banter with her golem partner, Charlie. It feels like they've been together for years. For example:
...
"I take one day off", he says, "and you almost get yourself killed."
"Almost being the operative word."
"Killed being the operative world. Almost is the word killed used to beat up in high school"
...
I also love how I keep being 'punched' by twists. From Gretchen being pregnant, to Cassius's relationship with the Bravo Brigade, then the past of Dr. Pete, then the victim (whom I thought at first was behind the whole thing), to how the mystery is solved. It doesn't really 'feel' like urban fantasy, it is more like a very good murder mystery/police procedural story, except it happens in alternate reality, with lycanthropes, and vampires, and golems. I also enjoy the idea of comic world -- while I don't read comic, I think it's an interesting theme to be part of a murder investigation. The additional myth, like how vampires procreate, is also fascinating.
I guess I definitely will read the next book, especially with so many things/clues given here . It's just so good!!
.
The second book definitely hooks me better than book #1. Mainly because I like Jace here ... she no longer seems ungrateful to me. I enjoy her banter with her golem partner, Charlie. It feels like they've been together for years. For example:
...
"I take one day off", he says, "and you almost get yourself killed."
"Almost being the operative word."
"Killed being the operative world. Almost is the word killed used to beat up in high school"
...
I also love how I keep being 'punched' by twists. From Gretchen being pregnant, to Cassius's relationship with the Bravo Brigade, then the past of Dr. Pete, then the victim (whom I thought at first was behind the whole thing), to how the mystery is solved. It doesn't really 'feel' like urban fantasy, it is more like a very good murder mystery/police procedural story, except it happens in alternate reality, with lycanthropes, and vampires, and golems. I also enjoy the idea of comic world -- while I don't read comic, I think it's an interesting theme to be part of a murder investigation. The additional myth, like how vampires procreate, is also fascinating.
I guess I definitely will read the next book, especially with so many things/clues given here . It's just so good!!
December 25, 2010
Jace's focus gets shifted in this book. While she is still determined to find Stoker since he is her ticket home, things get a little hairy when she gets assigned to a bizarre crime scene. The victim is staged like the comic book character, The Flash. There's one big problem however, comic books have been illegal for over 50 years in this reality, so no one but Jace knows who the Flash is. She quickly realizes the killer must have some sort of tie to her own world and it becomes a race to find him before his victim count gets any higher.
I'm really starting to wonder why Jace still wants to go home so bad. She kept mentioning how she really didn't have anyone back home that would miss her all that much, if at all. Here, however she has several close friends and even a potential relationship brewing with the ancient vampire Cassius. Yes he is her boss, but she warned him from the start to not expect her to follow any rules. She would do things her way and he could take it or leave it. I'm pretty interested to see how things continue to brew and whether they decide to make a go of it or not. I think they would be good together, but there is one major roadblock between them, trust. It will take a lot for them to overcome that obstacle, but it is possible.
I found all of the different references to comic books and characters to be a little confusing. Perhaps it is because I really do not know anything about them. It just was a little hard to keep track of who was who, what they were doing, and why they were doing it. By the time it got to the end I had forgotten the names of several characters, so the revealing of the "villain" in the end. I think if there had been a little less new characters/roles involved it would have been a easier to follow. Don't get me wrong, the overall plot and flow was really good, I just had to keep reminding myself of who they were talking about.
This book was really good, and I still love the world the author created for this series. It is very unique and interesting, and only adds to the great characters. I hope Jace decides to throw away her plans of going home and really sets down roots in her new reality. With her skills and her friends, she could really go far, it's just a matter of her accepting it. This one was as good as the first, and I look forward to reading more about Jace and her struggles.
I'm really starting to wonder why Jace still wants to go home so bad. She kept mentioning how she really didn't have anyone back home that would miss her all that much, if at all. Here, however she has several close friends and even a potential relationship brewing with the ancient vampire Cassius. Yes he is her boss, but she warned him from the start to not expect her to follow any rules. She would do things her way and he could take it or leave it. I'm pretty interested to see how things continue to brew and whether they decide to make a go of it or not. I think they would be good together, but there is one major roadblock between them, trust. It will take a lot for them to overcome that obstacle, but it is possible.
I found all of the different references to comic books and characters to be a little confusing. Perhaps it is because I really do not know anything about them. It just was a little hard to keep track of who was who, what they were doing, and why they were doing it. By the time it got to the end I had forgotten the names of several characters, so the revealing of the "villain" in the end. I think if there had been a little less new characters/roles involved it would have been a easier to follow. Don't get me wrong, the overall plot and flow was really good, I just had to keep reminding myself of who they were talking about.
This book was really good, and I still love the world the author created for this series. It is very unique and interesting, and only adds to the great characters. I hope Jace decides to throw away her plans of going home and really sets down roots in her new reality. With her skills and her friends, she could really go far, it's just a matter of her accepting it. This one was as good as the first, and I look forward to reading more about Jace and her struggles.
November 11, 2023
I like the characters even more this time and the growth is great but the over all plot just kept dragging for me. Jace is tracking down a killer who is targeting comic book characters, heroes, who it seems, really existed in this reality.
The premise with all the realities and reboot to characters was interesting but we got way too into the nitty gritty of comics and really, it just doesn't interest me that much. I read comics a little but don't go over them with a fine tooth comb. I have friends that do that and after going to a movie of a comic book character, I tend to tune them out going over all the idiosyncrasies of what was wrong/right, changed, etc..., I never philosophize over comics and I don't think I ever will. So when the story got so, so involved with all the different comics, some I never read or cared for, I just wanted to tune out. Since it is a big part of the story, I had to take it to get the whole of the story and the characters.
So the OK story is made up for by a great cast of characters with some twists and turns. Charlie is probably the best character and I felt was the closest to Jace. He would make a great love interest if he wasn't sexless. The banter he has with Jace is the best part of the book. The background of Dr Pete comes out this time. Jace talks about him like she was interested in him, but I never saw that. He runs a great vet clinic for animals infected with lycanthropy virus. Very interesting and the were-human dog she sits is great. Overall we get more of a feel for the characters and who they are, even Cassius. This made it worth reading for me even with the convoluted comic/alt. realities/doppelganger/time continuum plot. Really twisted plot.
The premise with all the realities and reboot to characters was interesting but we got way too into the nitty gritty of comics and really, it just doesn't interest me that much. I read comics a little but don't go over them with a fine tooth comb. I have friends that do that and after going to a movie of a comic book character, I tend to tune them out going over all the idiosyncrasies of what was wrong/right, changed, etc..., I never philosophize over comics and I don't think I ever will. So when the story got so, so involved with all the different comics, some I never read or cared for, I just wanted to tune out. Since it is a big part of the story, I had to take it to get the whole of the story and the characters.
So the OK story is made up for by a great cast of characters with some twists and turns. Charlie is probably the best character and I felt was the closest to Jace. He would make a great love interest if he wasn't sexless. The banter he has with Jace is the best part of the book. The background of Dr Pete comes out this time. Jace talks about him like she was interested in him, but I never saw that. He runs a great vet clinic for animals infected with lycanthropy virus. Very interesting and the were-human dog she sits is great. Overall we get more of a feel for the characters and who they are, even Cassius. This made it worth reading for me even with the convoluted comic/alt. realities/doppelganger/time continuum plot. Really twisted plot.
June 16, 2010
I did not finish this book. I may come back to it when I'm in a different mood but I just couldn't get into it. Barant is an imaginative author and I appreciate her twist on world building. However, this book just made me feel like I was tangled up in threads while trying to pursue the story line. I had a bit of this feeling with the first story but it was worse with this one. I have a lot of books sitting on my TBR pile so decided not to spend any more time with this one. This kind of reading shouldn't be hard work!
December 10, 2011
This one worked for me in a way book one didn't. Jace isn't as angry, she's not overtly being held hostage, and the relationships she started in book one really start to gel. Her banter with Charlie in particular was fantastic, and the twist with Dr. Pete was both unexpected and titillating.
December 31, 2010
Funny. A bit of an info overload, trying to intentionally make me crazy. Jace still has more chemistry with Charlie, the organ-less golem.
May 10, 2013
Yay! I loved this and I don't know why it took me soooo long to get to book two? But now I'm on a roll ill get to book three soon!
May 19, 2019
Golems, pires and thropes (vampires and werewolves) are just part of the alternate reality FBI profiler Jace Valchek has been hijacked to. Here there is no FBI, guns don't exist and humans are less than ten percent of the world population.
Doctors and scientists are willing to help Jace get back to her world in exchange for helping them capture Aristotle Stoker, who has somehow found a way to mass introduce a new disease to the supernatural population they have no idea how to handle... mental illness. With a golem partner, Jace is doing all she can to fulfill her part of the contract.
But Jace has to stop when she's called to a high profile homicide scene. A powerful vampire's corpse is found dressed as Flash Gordon. But comic books were outlawed in this reality in the 1950's and Flash Gordon was never introduced in this reality. This is a huge clue that the killer has a connection to Jace's world.
A nice puzzle is pieced together in this multi-layered world and it's fun to discover using Jace as our eyes. But by no means is this read a garden variety police procedural mystery. It checks the necessary boxes with a snarky, brilliant, take no prisoners, goal oriented detective with an agenda. Said detective just happens to be a very capable female.
Rating: 3.5stars
Doctors and scientists are willing to help Jace get back to her world in exchange for helping them capture Aristotle Stoker, who has somehow found a way to mass introduce a new disease to the supernatural population they have no idea how to handle... mental illness. With a golem partner, Jace is doing all she can to fulfill her part of the contract.
But Jace has to stop when she's called to a high profile homicide scene. A powerful vampire's corpse is found dressed as Flash Gordon. But comic books were outlawed in this reality in the 1950's and Flash Gordon was never introduced in this reality. This is a huge clue that the killer has a connection to Jace's world.
A nice puzzle is pieced together in this multi-layered world and it's fun to discover using Jace as our eyes. But by no means is this read a garden variety police procedural mystery. It checks the necessary boxes with a snarky, brilliant, take no prisoners, goal oriented detective with an agenda. Said detective just happens to be a very capable female.
Rating: 3.5stars
January 17, 2021
Jace Valchek, a FBI profiler pulled against her will into an alternate dimension to hunt a serial killer, finds her pursuit out on hold when she is sent to a bizarre crime scene in which the victim is dressed as the comic book hero The Flash. The complication is that comic books are banned in this new dimension because of the magic they create, and The Flash only belongs to Jace's home world. With her partner Charlie, a golem, Jace finds that her investigation is just the tip of the iceberg as her vampire boss Cassius is holding back information ... and may be the killer's next target.
I like the world the author has created, where vampires, werewolves and other creatures are the norm and outnumber humans. It was awhile since I read I read the first book in the series, but had no trouble diving back into this parallel world. I like putting the pieces of the puzzle together as Jace does.
Recommended for urban fantasy fans and those who love a good story.
I like the world the author has created, where vampires, werewolves and other creatures are the norm and outnumber humans. It was awhile since I read I read the first book in the series, but had no trouble diving back into this parallel world. I like putting the pieces of the puzzle together as Jace does.
Recommended for urban fantasy fans and those who love a good story.
January 16, 2018
The second book in this series starring Special Agent Jace Valchek still trapped in the alternative dimension she was pulled into last book.
This one book focuses on many things all while uncovering a mystery dealing with thorpes and pires dying in strange yet familiar scenarios. Such as the flash or Batman reference.
So much went on I got headache trying to keep it straight. Detective I am not. However, plenty of drama as the mystery unfolds. A couple dead pires and thropes toss in some comics, a little teenage 'corpsing', a reverse were and action fighting scenes.
Overall the story was okay. Not my fav heroine or author but overall it was a decent read for those that like para mystery, action, with a female lead.
This one book focuses on many things all while uncovering a mystery dealing with thorpes and pires dying in strange yet familiar scenarios. Such as the flash or Batman reference.
So much went on I got headache trying to keep it straight. Detective I am not. However, plenty of drama as the mystery unfolds. A couple dead pires and thropes toss in some comics, a little teenage 'corpsing', a reverse were and action fighting scenes.
Overall the story was okay. Not my fav heroine or author but overall it was a decent read for those that like para mystery, action, with a female lead.
January 9, 2018
Barant loves comic books and came up with a way to share a fairly detailed understanding of the continuity in her second book in the Bloodhound series. Those discussions are actually the best part of the book. As for the rest, Barant’s heroine is trying to find a murderer who is targeting old superheroes in a magical world with lycanthropes and vampires. It was a fun to explore how each new murder would be associated with a superhero from our world, but it wasn’t enough to carry the whole story. I was actually more interested in the subplot about her physician friend than the main plot and that storyline was totally disappointing to me. I’m not sure I’ll try the third book.
October 9, 2019
Unless you are an urban fantasy fan and a major comic geek, this one will confuse you. Too many comic book references. In this magic world that Jace has been brought into, comics have been outlawed for their ability to affect reality. I enjoyed this second book in the series. But it relies too much on the comic book references.
June 23, 2020
I enjoyed this book, perhaps not as much as the 1st book of this series. I am hoping that I will be able to access the audio books of the rest of the 6 books. They are out of my budget, and my library only has numbers 1,2, and 6. WHY? Don't know.
I am anxious to see the relationships continue to develop. The premises are very interesting, especially her Golem partner, Charlie.
I am anxious to see the relationships continue to develop. The premises are very interesting, especially her Golem partner, Charlie.
August 6, 2020
Inventive SciFi that works Love the authors style
I really like the way the author weaves the plot with little tidbits that can only come from his imagination as they do not exist in our world today. You never know what’s gonna happen next it’s pretty great. You should read some for yourself. If it tells you anything I have Kindle unlimited but I’m paying for his books!!
I really like the way the author weaves the plot with little tidbits that can only come from his imagination as they do not exist in our world today. You never know what’s gonna happen next it’s pretty great. You should read some for yourself. If it tells you anything I have Kindle unlimited but I’m paying for his books!!
May 13, 2018
Everyone is growing up
This was a great a story. Secrets piled on top of f secrets and so much emotional baggage. Babies, redemption, partners, and a vampire aging, all show the ties Jace is making in this world. Her 'very human existence is changing this bizarre world.
This was a great a story. Secrets piled on top of f secrets and so much emotional baggage. Babies, redemption, partners, and a vampire aging, all show the ties Jace is making in this world. Her 'very human existence is changing this bizarre world.
February 20, 2017
With the world now established this book was a better read than the first.
Though it is still exposition heavy.
If you liked the prevision one you will probably like this one.
Murder, mayhem and madness await.
Though it is still exposition heavy.
If you liked the prevision one you will probably like this one.
Murder, mayhem and madness await.
July 7, 2017
FBI Agent vs. Six Kamic Book Heroes and One Villian
. . . and this is in a universe where Comic Books invoke the Animist Magic of the writer's and readers' mythic beliefs. It's a pity that some of them are insane, because life is about to get crazy for Jayce and her coworkers.
. . . and this is in a universe where Comic Books invoke the Animist Magic of the writer's and readers' mythic beliefs. It's a pity that some of them are insane, because life is about to get crazy for Jayce and her coworkers.
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