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Sentinel Wars #6
Dying Wish: A Novel of the Sentinel Wars [DYING WISH] [Mass Market Paperback]
A softcover book called Dying Wish.
386 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2012
42 people are currently reading
1500 people want to read
About the author
Shannon K. Butcher
36 books1,213 followersBestselling author Shannon K. Butcher, who now writes as Anna Argent, has written more than thirty titles since launching her career in 2007. She has three award-winning series, including the paranormal romance series The Sentinel Wars, the action-romance series The Edge, and the romantic suspense Delta Force Trilogy. Her alter ego Anna Argent also writes several series with a fresh and interesting spin on paranormal romance (The Lost Shards, The Taken and The Stone Men series) as well as a contemporary romance series set in a small town in the Ozarks. As a former engineer and current nerd, she frequently uses charts, graphs and tables to aid her in the mechanics of story design, world building and to keep track of all those colorful characters, magical powers and alternate worlds. An avid bead and glass artist, she spends her free time turning small sparkly bits into larger sparkly bits. She’s rarely on social media, so the best place to find out news about upcoming releases under either name is via her newsletter. You can sign up at AnnaArgent.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
February 29, 2012
Guest reviewed at The Bookpushers-http://thebookpushers.com/2012/02/29/...
Favorite Quote: “Well…when a boy Theronai and a girl Theronai love each other very much-”
Jackie Patton has been rescued by the Theronai from her captivity and torture at the hands of the Synestryn, only to learn that she’s a potential match for the Theronai warriors who need a woman to literally save their lives.
Forced to choose, she unexpectedly selects Iain, a cold-hearted warrior who doesn’t want to be saved. Iain is convinced that it’s too late—that his soul is already as dead as his former betrothed, killed by the Synestryn. Still, he is the only man Jackie feels a measure of peace around and the only one she wants. But is Iain indeed beyond saving? (Goodreads)
Dying Wish is #6 in Shannon K. Butcher’s phenomenally dark and gritty series, The Sentinel Wars. Since finishing Blood Hunt, I have been anxiously waiting Jackie’s story. Jackie Patton was rescued by the Theronai after a long and brutal two year captivity with the Synestryn. Once she is safe, she is informed that she is compatible with the Theronai and has to choose a warrior to mate with in order to save his life. Jackie doesn’t want to choose. She wants her old life back. When she is given no choice in the matter, she makes a deal with the leader, Joesph. She will choose, but then she will be allowed to leave the compound and live her own life. He agrees and she chooses Iain. Iain was the one who rescued her and his cold nature leads Jackie to believe that he doesn’t care if she stays or goes.
Iain was betrothed in the past but when she died, he gave up and allowed his soul to wither and die. Only through deception has he managed to keep this secret form the rest of the Theronai. When Jackie chooses to “save” him, he is angered that she would waste her time with him. He knows his time is almost up so he agrees to her demands to let her go. When demons attack and Iain is hurt, Jackie takes his Luceria and uses it to heal him, not knowing that the promises she makes in return will bind her in a literal sense.
As Jackie and Iain fight against their attraction and bonding, the Synestryn are once again massing forces to take back the females the Theronai rescued. Only Jackie knows of the locations she was kept, so she as she is pulled deeper into a world that she wants no part of, she finds herself having to make choices that will force her to leave her old life forever.
Ms. Butcher continues to deliver an emotionally dark, gritty, action packed story that held me captive till the end. A fabulous blending of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, Ms. Butcher gives us a series that intertwines new and old story lines in a way that doesn’t leave you over whelmed by the sheer amount of knowledge she imparts. A smooth flowing story line and continuing progressive arc engages the reader and sets a fast pace for reading. The premise of this one still revolves around two main characters but multiple sub plots keeps the series engaging and fresh.
This book is an absolute whirlwind to read as Ms. Butcher goes further in depth into multiple character story lines and POV’s, which I loved. We are given more insight in to Thor and Grace’s situation, along with Joesph, Cain, Tynan, and more. I want Tynan’s story so bad now. *swoon* Her characters are rich in depth, development, and personality. Ms. Butcher imparts diversity and individualism into her character dialogue. She has added some humor in the last three books which balances nicely against the over all seriousness of this series. I enjoyed the brief bouts of levity. Her characters continue to walk in a gray area between good and evil, constantly surprising me. The Theronai, Slayers, and Sanguinar continue to use nefarious means to achieve their goals almost as much as the Synestryns. We see lines being crossed, misconceptions capitalized on, and actions being questioned. You never know till the end how it will all play out.
Both Jackie and Iain are extremely strong, protective, yet fatalistic protagonists. They both have seen the worst their worlds have to offer and they have, in a sense, given up. Jackie doesn’t want to save anyone and Iain doesn’t want to be saved. Yet for their somewhat bad attitudes, they both will, reluctantly, do what needs to be done. I will admit that both their attitudes became trying at times. Her constant demands to go home and refusal to see that she will always be a targeted by the Synestryn along with his, “I’m no good for anyone…” and trying to set her up with other men frustrated me. Especially when you realize that they know they are being stubborn. It continues through out the story but the other story lines are compelling enough that you are willing to forgive their overly angst driven scenes. One thing that confused me is that all the mated pairs have gone through this and a part of me wondered WHY doesn’t someone tell our confused couple this. But they don’t. It’s like they all forget that they went through the same emotional turmoil. All Jackie gets is people telling her you owe us. That’s easy to say if you weren’t abruptly dragged out of your world and in to a demonic hell, kept of the verge of death for two years.
“I need you to give these men hope. They’re good men. Whoever you pick would give up his life to keep you happy and safe. Hell, even the ones you don’t pick will.”
“It’s not what I want.”
“I thought I’d made it clear that I don’t give a fuck about what you want. We saved your pretty little ass and kept it safe for weeks now. I’d say it’s time to pay up.”
“I didn’t realize my rescue came with strings attached.”
The romance is slow to develop because they each realize the bonding capitalizes on their emotions and neither wants this connection. Even with their bad attitudes, their sexual scenes are quite steamy and has you hoping that they will realize, as you have, they are perfect for each other. Their relationship reaches a pentacle point when Jackie is faced with the fact she may lose Iain and decides to finally face and accept her true fear-losing someone else she loves. This is where I really started loving Jackie. Once she makes up her mind, she is a powerful force of nature no one wants to go up against.
“…if you think I’m going anywhere, you’re wrong. I’m going to be with Iain every second of his death. I’m going to soak it all in, memorizing every detail, every ounce of fear, every scrap of suffering. And then, when he’s dead, I’m going to to take all of that and find a way to shove it so deep in your brain, you’ll never be able to sleep again.”
The ending is a mixture of explosive action, jaw clenching tension, and a mind blowing conclusion. I honestly couldn’t see how it would end in the way I wanted but Ms. Butcher once again manages to achieve the impossible. The Sentinel Wars continues to be one of my favorite series and I look forward to the next in her series, title and release date to be announced.
Over Rating: B
Favorite Quote: “Well…when a boy Theronai and a girl Theronai love each other very much-”
Jackie Patton has been rescued by the Theronai from her captivity and torture at the hands of the Synestryn, only to learn that she’s a potential match for the Theronai warriors who need a woman to literally save their lives.
Forced to choose, she unexpectedly selects Iain, a cold-hearted warrior who doesn’t want to be saved. Iain is convinced that it’s too late—that his soul is already as dead as his former betrothed, killed by the Synestryn. Still, he is the only man Jackie feels a measure of peace around and the only one she wants. But is Iain indeed beyond saving? (Goodreads)
Dying Wish is #6 in Shannon K. Butcher’s phenomenally dark and gritty series, The Sentinel Wars. Since finishing Blood Hunt, I have been anxiously waiting Jackie’s story. Jackie Patton was rescued by the Theronai after a long and brutal two year captivity with the Synestryn. Once she is safe, she is informed that she is compatible with the Theronai and has to choose a warrior to mate with in order to save his life. Jackie doesn’t want to choose. She wants her old life back. When she is given no choice in the matter, she makes a deal with the leader, Joesph. She will choose, but then she will be allowed to leave the compound and live her own life. He agrees and she chooses Iain. Iain was the one who rescued her and his cold nature leads Jackie to believe that he doesn’t care if she stays or goes.
Iain was betrothed in the past but when she died, he gave up and allowed his soul to wither and die. Only through deception has he managed to keep this secret form the rest of the Theronai. When Jackie chooses to “save” him, he is angered that she would waste her time with him. He knows his time is almost up so he agrees to her demands to let her go. When demons attack and Iain is hurt, Jackie takes his Luceria and uses it to heal him, not knowing that the promises she makes in return will bind her in a literal sense.
As Jackie and Iain fight against their attraction and bonding, the Synestryn are once again massing forces to take back the females the Theronai rescued. Only Jackie knows of the locations she was kept, so she as she is pulled deeper into a world that she wants no part of, she finds herself having to make choices that will force her to leave her old life forever.
Ms. Butcher continues to deliver an emotionally dark, gritty, action packed story that held me captive till the end. A fabulous blending of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, Ms. Butcher gives us a series that intertwines new and old story lines in a way that doesn’t leave you over whelmed by the sheer amount of knowledge she imparts. A smooth flowing story line and continuing progressive arc engages the reader and sets a fast pace for reading. The premise of this one still revolves around two main characters but multiple sub plots keeps the series engaging and fresh.
This book is an absolute whirlwind to read as Ms. Butcher goes further in depth into multiple character story lines and POV’s, which I loved. We are given more insight in to Thor and Grace’s situation, along with Joesph, Cain, Tynan, and more. I want Tynan’s story so bad now. *swoon* Her characters are rich in depth, development, and personality. Ms. Butcher imparts diversity and individualism into her character dialogue. She has added some humor in the last three books which balances nicely against the over all seriousness of this series. I enjoyed the brief bouts of levity. Her characters continue to walk in a gray area between good and evil, constantly surprising me. The Theronai, Slayers, and Sanguinar continue to use nefarious means to achieve their goals almost as much as the Synestryns. We see lines being crossed, misconceptions capitalized on, and actions being questioned. You never know till the end how it will all play out.
Both Jackie and Iain are extremely strong, protective, yet fatalistic protagonists. They both have seen the worst their worlds have to offer and they have, in a sense, given up. Jackie doesn’t want to save anyone and Iain doesn’t want to be saved. Yet for their somewhat bad attitudes, they both will, reluctantly, do what needs to be done. I will admit that both their attitudes became trying at times. Her constant demands to go home and refusal to see that she will always be a targeted by the Synestryn along with his, “I’m no good for anyone…” and trying to set her up with other men frustrated me. Especially when you realize that they know they are being stubborn. It continues through out the story but the other story lines are compelling enough that you are willing to forgive their overly angst driven scenes. One thing that confused me is that all the mated pairs have gone through this and a part of me wondered WHY doesn’t someone tell our confused couple this. But they don’t. It’s like they all forget that they went through the same emotional turmoil. All Jackie gets is people telling her you owe us. That’s easy to say if you weren’t abruptly dragged out of your world and in to a demonic hell, kept of the verge of death for two years.
“I need you to give these men hope. They’re good men. Whoever you pick would give up his life to keep you happy and safe. Hell, even the ones you don’t pick will.”
“It’s not what I want.”
“I thought I’d made it clear that I don’t give a fuck about what you want. We saved your pretty little ass and kept it safe for weeks now. I’d say it’s time to pay up.”
“I didn’t realize my rescue came with strings attached.”
The romance is slow to develop because they each realize the bonding capitalizes on their emotions and neither wants this connection. Even with their bad attitudes, their sexual scenes are quite steamy and has you hoping that they will realize, as you have, they are perfect for each other. Their relationship reaches a pentacle point when Jackie is faced with the fact she may lose Iain and decides to finally face and accept her true fear-losing someone else she loves. This is where I really started loving Jackie. Once she makes up her mind, she is a powerful force of nature no one wants to go up against.
“…if you think I’m going anywhere, you’re wrong. I’m going to be with Iain every second of his death. I’m going to soak it all in, memorizing every detail, every ounce of fear, every scrap of suffering. And then, when he’s dead, I’m going to to take all of that and find a way to shove it so deep in your brain, you’ll never be able to sleep again.”
The ending is a mixture of explosive action, jaw clenching tension, and a mind blowing conclusion. I honestly couldn’t see how it would end in the way I wanted but Ms. Butcher once again manages to achieve the impossible. The Sentinel Wars continues to be one of my favorite series and I look forward to the next in her series, title and release date to be announced.
Over Rating: B
March 9, 2012
In Dying Wish, Butcher give her series formula another twist, her leading man immortal Theoroni warrior Iain isn't just close to losing his soul, he's already crossed that line and his leading lady, Jackie, who is free from being used as a blood slave and breeder for the Theroni's demonic enemy is unusual as well in that she is a potential match to every one of the warriors - though she wants nothing of their world and intends to return to her old life and just can't accept that her old life is lost to her forever.
I didn't like Jackie to start out, though it is sort of unfair of me to want her give up her dreams and commit to saving a warrior, but I really wanted her to man up and help the poor guys out. However Iain was enough to keep me going initially. Iain feels sort of Carpathian here with his honor and remembered feelings for his brothers and he's the complete opposite of Jackie in that he lives only to help his fellow warriors who are close to the edge to hold on long enough to find the woman who can save them. I never got to the point where I was super pro Jackie but I definitely liked her better when she started fighting her fears and I was happy that I didn't find the loophole to the HEA for the soulless Iain to be super predictable.
One thing that I have liked about Butcher's series is that she's built a cast of recurring characters over the books and has sort of an ensemble thing going on, with new, old and future pairs all woven into the mix (and I felt really sorry for Cain with the way that things go down for him here and I was not particularly happy with Joseph, this was not his finest hour.) But I have to say that Butcher has a lot of balls in the air on this one. Almost too many, with a significant touch up with Hope and Logan, peeks at Nikki and Madoc and two other old pairs, plus two in progress pairs , and the start of at least two more in addition to Jackie and Iain story. It definitely gave my old brain a work out trying to remember who was who from past books and I think that it would probably frustrate new readers to try come up to speed with so many past characters making cameos.
One thing that I have to mention, Butcher has stuck pretty much to mainstream steamy PNR language in the previous books but hit one of my language nits this time around. While I can tolerate the c-word for the guy part to 'crow' about, I don't care for the p-word for the girl part that 'purrs' when stroked - it won't bother everyone but it bothers me.
Despite my nit and the brain strain, I still enjoyed Dying wish - I really like Butcher's Sentinels series and the pathos of the immortal warriors trying trying to retain their souls and their honor, even as they struggle to try to keep from losing hope of every finding the woman who can save them. And I like how Butcher keeps changing up her formula to keep things fresh - last time with the vampiric Logan in the lead and this time with the soulless Iain finding the woman who will bring Spring to his wintery life-mark. And one really good thing about all of the peeks at future pairs- they have me looking forward to the next book, and being glad that it looks like Butcher has enough ideas in the works to keep the series going for a good long time.
I didn't like Jackie to start out, though it is sort of unfair of me to want her give up her dreams and commit to saving a warrior, but I really wanted her to man up and help the poor guys out. However Iain was enough to keep me going initially. Iain feels sort of Carpathian here with his honor and remembered feelings for his brothers and he's the complete opposite of Jackie in that he lives only to help his fellow warriors who are close to the edge to hold on long enough to find the woman who can save them. I never got to the point where I was super pro Jackie but I definitely liked her better when she started fighting her fears and I was happy that I didn't find the loophole to the HEA for the soulless Iain to be super predictable.
One thing that I have liked about Butcher's series is that she's built a cast of recurring characters over the books and has sort of an ensemble thing going on, with new, old and future pairs all woven into the mix (and I felt really sorry for Cain with the way that things go down for him here and I was not particularly happy with Joseph, this was not his finest hour.) But I have to say that Butcher has a lot of balls in the air on this one. Almost too many, with a significant touch up with Hope and Logan, peeks at Nikki and Madoc and two other old pairs, plus two in progress pairs , and the start of at least two more in addition to Jackie and Iain story. It definitely gave my old brain a work out trying to remember who was who from past books and I think that it would probably frustrate new readers to try come up to speed with so many past characters making cameos.
One thing that I have to mention, Butcher has stuck pretty much to mainstream steamy PNR language in the previous books but hit one of my language nits this time around. While I can tolerate the c-word for the guy part to 'crow' about, I don't care for the p-word for the girl part that 'purrs' when stroked - it won't bother everyone but it bothers me.
Despite my nit and the brain strain, I still enjoyed Dying wish - I really like Butcher's Sentinels series and the pathos of the immortal warriors trying trying to retain their souls and their honor, even as they struggle to try to keep from losing hope of every finding the woman who can save them. And I like how Butcher keeps changing up her formula to keep things fresh - last time with the vampiric Logan in the lead and this time with the soulless Iain finding the woman who will bring Spring to his wintery life-mark. And one really good thing about all of the peeks at future pairs- they have me looking forward to the next book, and being glad that it looks like Butcher has enough ideas in the works to keep the series going for a good long time.
March 6, 2013
Definetely the best book yet in the series! As usual it answered questions from previous books, brought together a wonderful and extremely funny couple (which I was not expecting from their personalities so far) and left even more questions for the next book!
To me that is the mark of a good series - if this book answers questions from the previous book and leaves you wanting/needing to read the next one because of unanswered questions and an interest in the characters then the author has done his/her job as a series writer.
Jackie and Iain are thrown together as the most unlikely couple and through this book we watch them learn to love and believe in themselves again. Funny enough they actually learn to love the other before they learn to love themselves! We also see the continuation of Logan and Hope's search for more like her and fascinating things happen as her memories are unlocked. Finally people we met in previous books are coming more to the forefront and I am hoping that their situations and choices will be explored more in the next book(s).
To me that is the mark of a good series - if this book answers questions from the previous book and leaves you wanting/needing to read the next one because of unanswered questions and an interest in the characters then the author has done his/her job as a series writer.
Jackie and Iain are thrown together as the most unlikely couple and through this book we watch them learn to love and believe in themselves again. Funny enough they actually learn to love the other before they learn to love themselves! We also see the continuation of Logan and Hope's search for more like her and fascinating things happen as her memories are unlocked. Finally people we met in previous books are coming more to the forefront and I am hoping that their situations and choices will be explored more in the next book(s).
April 17, 2017
This one had moments of wonderful, but it also had moments that annoyed me. I liked the couple and think they are a good match. I like how all the side stories are progressing promising possible greatness to come. I am really curious about Sybil and Maura, they were trapped in children's bodies for years but circumstances have made them grow up physically.
On to the next book, I have no clue what couple is next but have my fingers crossed for Joseph, Sybil, or Tynan.
On to the next book, I have no clue what couple is next but have my fingers crossed for Joseph, Sybil, or Tynan.
March 6, 2012
Dying Wish is the sixth book in Shannon Butcher’s Sentinel Wars series. Before I do my review, in case you don’t what the Sentinels are, here is brief description direct from Butcher’s site.
They are the Sentinels. Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes -- the Synestryn. Now, a beautiful but damaged Sentinel may be a warrior’s last hope...
Jackie Patton is the heroine in Dying Wish. Jackie herself has been a captive and tortured by the evil Synestryns, as we have met Jackie previously, when she was rescued by the Theronai warriors. We find Jackie living in the compound run by the Theronai’s, where they all live, as well as many humans, who have survived attacks from the Synestryns.
Jackie wants nothing but to be left alone, she is still badly traumatized, and plans to run away from everyone. She is determined to rebuild her life, and become the strong person she once was. Helen, the first of the Theronai women to be found, is Jackie’s sister. But no one can get through to Jackie that living outside of compound is dangerous, as the Synestryn will always find her. But Jackie can’t take living there, where she feels she has escaped one prison for another. Especially with all the warriors constantly trying to push Jackie to choose them as her mate, since she is a potential match for the desperate Theronai men, who need a woman to literally save their lives.
Iain is one of the Theronai men who are close to death, and is one of their strongest and best warriors, but he is very cold hearted, and only looks to kill the enemy. Iain has lost all his leaves on his lifemark tree, that all Theronai men have. He secretly manages to hold on to life, as he is in constant pain, but only a select few who are in the same boat as Iain, know that he is soulless, which is a automatic death sentence. Iain is the only one of the Theronai who is not interested in Jackie, he feels it too late for him. He wants her to choose any of his ‘brothers’, who have a chance at life.
Jackie unable to escape is forced to choose one of the men, and of course, she chooses Iain. Jackie feels safe and in peace when she is near Iain, and she senses that he doesn’t care, and will let her free, when they leave the compound.
Early on, Jackie despite her torture, comes across as unfeeling and selfish. But once she leaves the compound with Iain, everything begins to change. Iain stays with Jackie in her attempt to return to her former life, but they do not get very far. The Synestryn’s always seem to find them. Jackie must take Iain’s lucera, to help him fight the demons. The lucera allows her to be able to use his powers, and Jackie learns how to make them her own. While they fight for their lives, Iain is badly hurt, and Jackie has to use her newfound powers to save him. But she must return to the compound once again to ensure that Iain is saved.
Both Jackie and Iain have become very attracted to one another, and each fights this off. But after they go on a mission (Jackie unable not to help find a child kidnapped by the demons), their attraction becomes a sizzling romance. The monster that resides in Iain, causes him to lose control, but Jackie finds a way to keep in control of his monster.
This was truly a great story, with a lot of action. It was great to see Iain, beginning to have feelings once again. For Jackie to allow herself to open up and to care for Iain, and to fight to help and save him. There are many added stories, with other characters that add so well into the story….Torr and Grace, will they ever be together; Tory, will she come whole; Cain, one of Iain’s ‘brothers”, whom Iain tries to pass Jackie off to; Serena, the long dead lover of Iain, who turns up alive 200 years later; Samson, the young child saved by Jackie during her captivity, is growing rapidly, with the jury still out if he will be human or synestryn, just to name a few.
It was an exciting ending, with Jackie becoming a very powerful Theronai to help save Iain, who had been discovered as being Soulless. She forces him to escape with her to stop him from being executed, as the soulless are totally beyond control. But they end up on rescue mission for another young girl who had been with Jackie, and was recaptured. Iain, whose dying wish is to die in battle, begins to give up on life. But it Jackie’s powers keep him, as she has made other plans. With an unbelievable twist, where Jackie makes a deal with a monster and shares her soul with Iain to save him.
Some more interesting twists, such as two of the women are now pregnant, something that was a curse and never could have happened. The future of the Sentinels is with hope, though still very much in danger. This was a great read, right from the start. Shannon Butcher does such a wonderful job hooking you into the story, into the lives of the men and women in this fantastic world. I loved Dying Wish, and the entire Sentinel Wars series, and love Shannon Butchers storytelling and how she writes. If you have not started this series, please do not miss it.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
They are the Sentinels. Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes -- the Synestryn. Now, a beautiful but damaged Sentinel may be a warrior’s last hope...
Jackie Patton is the heroine in Dying Wish. Jackie herself has been a captive and tortured by the evil Synestryns, as we have met Jackie previously, when she was rescued by the Theronai warriors. We find Jackie living in the compound run by the Theronai’s, where they all live, as well as many humans, who have survived attacks from the Synestryns.
Jackie wants nothing but to be left alone, she is still badly traumatized, and plans to run away from everyone. She is determined to rebuild her life, and become the strong person she once was. Helen, the first of the Theronai women to be found, is Jackie’s sister. But no one can get through to Jackie that living outside of compound is dangerous, as the Synestryn will always find her. But Jackie can’t take living there, where she feels she has escaped one prison for another. Especially with all the warriors constantly trying to push Jackie to choose them as her mate, since she is a potential match for the desperate Theronai men, who need a woman to literally save their lives.
Iain is one of the Theronai men who are close to death, and is one of their strongest and best warriors, but he is very cold hearted, and only looks to kill the enemy. Iain has lost all his leaves on his lifemark tree, that all Theronai men have. He secretly manages to hold on to life, as he is in constant pain, but only a select few who are in the same boat as Iain, know that he is soulless, which is a automatic death sentence. Iain is the only one of the Theronai who is not interested in Jackie, he feels it too late for him. He wants her to choose any of his ‘brothers’, who have a chance at life.
Jackie unable to escape is forced to choose one of the men, and of course, she chooses Iain. Jackie feels safe and in peace when she is near Iain, and she senses that he doesn’t care, and will let her free, when they leave the compound.
Early on, Jackie despite her torture, comes across as unfeeling and selfish. But once she leaves the compound with Iain, everything begins to change. Iain stays with Jackie in her attempt to return to her former life, but they do not get very far. The Synestryn’s always seem to find them. Jackie must take Iain’s lucera, to help him fight the demons. The lucera allows her to be able to use his powers, and Jackie learns how to make them her own. While they fight for their lives, Iain is badly hurt, and Jackie has to use her newfound powers to save him. But she must return to the compound once again to ensure that Iain is saved.
Both Jackie and Iain have become very attracted to one another, and each fights this off. But after they go on a mission (Jackie unable not to help find a child kidnapped by the demons), their attraction becomes a sizzling romance. The monster that resides in Iain, causes him to lose control, but Jackie finds a way to keep in control of his monster.
This was truly a great story, with a lot of action. It was great to see Iain, beginning to have feelings once again. For Jackie to allow herself to open up and to care for Iain, and to fight to help and save him. There are many added stories, with other characters that add so well into the story….Torr and Grace, will they ever be together; Tory, will she come whole; Cain, one of Iain’s ‘brothers”, whom Iain tries to pass Jackie off to; Serena, the long dead lover of Iain, who turns up alive 200 years later; Samson, the young child saved by Jackie during her captivity, is growing rapidly, with the jury still out if he will be human or synestryn, just to name a few.
It was an exciting ending, with Jackie becoming a very powerful Theronai to help save Iain, who had been discovered as being Soulless. She forces him to escape with her to stop him from being executed, as the soulless are totally beyond control. But they end up on rescue mission for another young girl who had been with Jackie, and was recaptured. Iain, whose dying wish is to die in battle, begins to give up on life. But it Jackie’s powers keep him, as she has made other plans. With an unbelievable twist, where Jackie makes a deal with a monster and shares her soul with Iain to save him.
Some more interesting twists, such as two of the women are now pregnant, something that was a curse and never could have happened. The future of the Sentinels is with hope, though still very much in danger. This was a great read, right from the start. Shannon Butcher does such a wonderful job hooking you into the story, into the lives of the men and women in this fantastic world. I loved Dying Wish, and the entire Sentinel Wars series, and love Shannon Butchers storytelling and how she writes. If you have not started this series, please do not miss it.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
April 7, 2018
Review posted on Got Fiction?
I was cleaning out my shelves last night when I saw this book. I remember really being into this series. If you're looking for PNR that isn't your typical vampires and werewolves, then you should look into this one. A quick rundown is that these warriors who protect the earth from demons live a really long time. Their energy builds up as they age, and without a compatible mate who would link with them and help use this energy in the fight against demons, their souls will perish. They have a life tree tattoo that isn't a tattoo it's more of a birth mark, and as they age, it loses leaves, unless they bond with their mate. Then it grows full and leafy again.
Iain is soulless, but their customs dictate that the second they are soulless, they are taken to the slayers and put down like a rabid dog. This is because once they have no soul, they usually turn against everyone. Iain has been hiding his soulless state, and he lives strictly by his honor and rules. He's found some artifacts that help slow down the leaves falling, but he knows it's too late for him. He is using it to build up a band of brothers without souls who he is teaching to hide their state, but also to follow the same rules and code of conduct he uses. A few centuries back their women were all slain and they were cursed to be infertile, so they need to stop losing warriors and find mates ASAP.
Enter Jackie. She was rescued from a demon's clutches and is still trying to find her place in this new world. She spent two years as a blood slave to the demons, but she's trying to get her life back. However these warriors need her to bond with one of them so she can save them. Jackie wants nothing to do with this life at all. But this life isn't done with her. She'll never be safe from demons. They'll hunt her down again. Her only chance is to bond and use his powers to strengthen herself.
Okay, this is getting long, I know, but you need to get a feel for the world since it's so unique.
I had issues with Jackie at first. Not that she wanted her normal life back and wanted out, but that it took her until almost the end of the book to realize she can't go back. I also didn't get how Iain had no soul, but a caged monster inside that took its place? It was at first like, being soulless is pushing at all of his honor and morals, but it became a separate entity? I honestly don't know.
SPOILERS
The ending really had a big WTF scene, or two to be honest. I still think it was weird. Iain's friends were all set to kill him, even though he hadn't turned on them and he'd been soulless for years and doing fine. But then Jackie saved him by sharing her soul with him. I really wanted his brothers to see that he was a good guy and not instantly evil just because he'd lost his soul. It really didn't sit well with me that they were all, Okay dude, you've been our brother for centuries, but hey, tradition and all. Let's kill you now. Peace out bro. I like that Jackie fought for him. I'm still not sure why she needed to keep his monster? I'm still not sure why someone from his past needed to be brought back? Or at least, not in that way? And I'm still not sure why the ending felt so abrupt.
This series is good, and it's different, and it's compelling, but it's not a happy series. There's a lot of trauma, rape, (by demons), and a lot of pain. Everyone is in pain unless they get their mate. A gate between worlds was closed, so the vampires don't have access to people of their blood which actually sates them. Humans help, but the vampires are in constant states of starvation. The warriors are always in pain from the amount of magic built up. Like bone-crushing pain. The demons are horrible and they do horrible things. I'm a moody reader-I read what I'm in the mood for. And lately I don't want evil to feel like it's winning. Six books in, I feel like evil is still winning. I want more happiness for the main characters. This series isn't giving that to me. Also it's one of those series you can't read out of order. I skipped the last book since I don't have it, and I was confused about some things.
I was cleaning out my shelves last night when I saw this book. I remember really being into this series. If you're looking for PNR that isn't your typical vampires and werewolves, then you should look into this one. A quick rundown is that these warriors who protect the earth from demons live a really long time. Their energy builds up as they age, and without a compatible mate who would link with them and help use this energy in the fight against demons, their souls will perish. They have a life tree tattoo that isn't a tattoo it's more of a birth mark, and as they age, it loses leaves, unless they bond with their mate. Then it grows full and leafy again.
Iain is soulless, but their customs dictate that the second they are soulless, they are taken to the slayers and put down like a rabid dog. This is because once they have no soul, they usually turn against everyone. Iain has been hiding his soulless state, and he lives strictly by his honor and rules. He's found some artifacts that help slow down the leaves falling, but he knows it's too late for him. He is using it to build up a band of brothers without souls who he is teaching to hide their state, but also to follow the same rules and code of conduct he uses. A few centuries back their women were all slain and they were cursed to be infertile, so they need to stop losing warriors and find mates ASAP.
Enter Jackie. She was rescued from a demon's clutches and is still trying to find her place in this new world. She spent two years as a blood slave to the demons, but she's trying to get her life back. However these warriors need her to bond with one of them so she can save them. Jackie wants nothing to do with this life at all. But this life isn't done with her. She'll never be safe from demons. They'll hunt her down again. Her only chance is to bond and use his powers to strengthen herself.
Okay, this is getting long, I know, but you need to get a feel for the world since it's so unique.
I had issues with Jackie at first. Not that she wanted her normal life back and wanted out, but that it took her until almost the end of the book to realize she can't go back. I also didn't get how Iain had no soul, but a caged monster inside that took its place? It was at first like, being soulless is pushing at all of his honor and morals, but it became a separate entity? I honestly don't know.
SPOILERS
The ending really had a big WTF scene, or two to be honest. I still think it was weird. Iain's friends were all set to kill him, even though he hadn't turned on them and he'd been soulless for years and doing fine. But then Jackie saved him by sharing her soul with him. I really wanted his brothers to see that he was a good guy and not instantly evil just because he'd lost his soul. It really didn't sit well with me that they were all, Okay dude, you've been our brother for centuries, but hey, tradition and all. Let's kill you now. Peace out bro. I like that Jackie fought for him. I'm still not sure why she needed to keep his monster? I'm still not sure why someone from his past needed to be brought back? Or at least, not in that way? And I'm still not sure why the ending felt so abrupt.
This series is good, and it's different, and it's compelling, but it's not a happy series. There's a lot of trauma, rape, (by demons), and a lot of pain. Everyone is in pain unless they get their mate. A gate between worlds was closed, so the vampires don't have access to people of their blood which actually sates them. Humans help, but the vampires are in constant states of starvation. The warriors are always in pain from the amount of magic built up. Like bone-crushing pain. The demons are horrible and they do horrible things. I'm a moody reader-I read what I'm in the mood for. And lately I don't want evil to feel like it's winning. Six books in, I feel like evil is still winning. I want more happiness for the main characters. This series isn't giving that to me. Also it's one of those series you can't read out of order. I skipped the last book since I don't have it, and I was confused about some things.
March 13, 2012
I was dying (no pun intended) for this book to come out, and now that I've finally got a chance to read it, I'm conflicted and feeling a little unsatisfied.
On one hand, Dying Wish was packed, and I do mean packed, with action. Tons of things going on left and right, so I never once felt like the plot was dragging; frankly, there's no time for that with all that Butcher fit into this book! I love it when action moves, but honestly, at the midway point, I felt like there was maybe one plot twist too many.
Which feeds into why I felt unsatisfied.
A gripe I had with the earlier books was that there was so much not answered by the time you got to the last page. Unfortunately, with all of the side plots, nothing's changed with Dying Wish. There's just too much going on, and for every question Butcher answers, she throws in three more questions. All of that not knowing, all of the introduction to new story lines without tying off the ones already present in the series, is frustrating to me as a reader. Having all of these questions and no answers sucked out a bit of my reading enjoyment.
Putting all that aside, I enjoyed the answers I did get in Dying Wish, and liked the twist of Iain's soul right from the start. It was hard to connect with Jackie, so even though I could understand her feelings, I spent most of the book wishing she'd get with the program and/or to stop being so stubborn. I recognize that isn't fair given what she's been through, so while she's never going to be my favorite heroine, I get where she's coming from and the choices she makes.
Iain was my favorite part of Dying Wish, and Jackie's saving grace, I think; even being as he was, the decisions he made really spoke towards the kind of man he must have been. It was especially nice to see their relationship grow. It was slow enough to feel realistic, but quick enough not to get boring. And the sex scenes, while not necessarily imaginative, were hot.
There are also glimpses of most of the previous characters, which was nice to see, and hints of future couples. A few of my favorite characters seemed to have off days in this book, like Joseph, but there was good news, too, for the warriors. Still, some of the choices and events in Dying Wish were heartbreaking, and only leads to more unanswered questions.
Overall, it's a nice addition to the series, and I'd recommend it with a warning that not all of the questions will be answered by the time you finish.
On one hand, Dying Wish was packed, and I do mean packed, with action. Tons of things going on left and right, so I never once felt like the plot was dragging; frankly, there's no time for that with all that Butcher fit into this book! I love it when action moves, but honestly, at the midway point, I felt like there was maybe one plot twist too many.
Which feeds into why I felt unsatisfied.
A gripe I had with the earlier books was that there was so much not answered by the time you got to the last page. Unfortunately, with all of the side plots, nothing's changed with Dying Wish. There's just too much going on, and for every question Butcher answers, she throws in three more questions. All of that not knowing, all of the introduction to new story lines without tying off the ones already present in the series, is frustrating to me as a reader. Having all of these questions and no answers sucked out a bit of my reading enjoyment.
Putting all that aside, I enjoyed the answers I did get in Dying Wish, and liked the twist of Iain's soul right from the start. It was hard to connect with Jackie, so even though I could understand her feelings, I spent most of the book wishing she'd get with the program and/or to stop being so stubborn. I recognize that isn't fair given what she's been through, so while she's never going to be my favorite heroine, I get where she's coming from and the choices she makes.
Iain was my favorite part of Dying Wish, and Jackie's saving grace, I think; even being as he was, the decisions he made really spoke towards the kind of man he must have been. It was especially nice to see their relationship grow. It was slow enough to feel realistic, but quick enough not to get boring. And the sex scenes, while not necessarily imaginative, were hot.
There are also glimpses of most of the previous characters, which was nice to see, and hints of future couples. A few of my favorite characters seemed to have off days in this book, like Joseph, but there was good news, too, for the warriors. Still, some of the choices and events in Dying Wish were heartbreaking, and only leads to more unanswered questions.
Overall, it's a nice addition to the series, and I'd recommend it with a warning that not all of the questions will be answered by the time you finish.
January 7, 2017
I think this is my favorite of the Sentinel Wars series so far. I think Butcher has really found her stride with this one.
Dying wish is the 6th book in the Sentinel Wars series by Shannon K. Butcher. For those interested in a world overview, check me out here.
So the Sentinel Wars is all about a race of beings called Theronai trying to defend the world from demons, natch. They suffered a setback a few centuries ago, and were no longer able to propagate their species. As a result they have been slowly dying off.
Each book revolves around one male of one of three races: Theronai, Sanguinar, and Slayer falling in love and finding their mate. And for the male Theronai, it’s a big deal because they will die without a mate.
The Theronai of the day is a man named Ian, who really should have dies centuries ago, but has kept himself alive by sheer force of will, and good thing too. Because when him and his brothers raided a demon nest, they found Jackie; a woman who has been imprisoned, battered, fed upon, and gold knows what else while in captivity, and thankfully is capable of mating with one of the Theronai males.
What draws these two together in the first place isn’t love. Ian is a cold hearted S.O.B, and Jackie is so damaged at first from what she had endured that all she wants is to be left alone, so when she’s forced to choose a male, she chooses the one most likely to leave her alone: Ian.
Well you can guess where it goes from here.
I’m a little bit surprised with this one though, despite the fact that I enjoyed it so much. The love scenes between the two main characters are darker in nature than what Butcher usually writes. It’s still good, but surprising.
The only thing I don’t like about this series is how in the first book it was stressed how there are no more compatible females left in the world to save the Theronai men, and now they’re multiplying like rabbits ever since. Each book introduces anywhere from 2-3 compatible females, and here we’re told that Jackie is linked to dozens, if not hundreds of other women around the world. It seems like you can’t shake a stick without hitting one of these women anymore, and for some reason that bothers me.
But inconsistencies aside, still a good read, and I won’t be stopping the series anytime soon.
Enjoy folks.
Dying wish is the 6th book in the Sentinel Wars series by Shannon K. Butcher. For those interested in a world overview, check me out here.
So the Sentinel Wars is all about a race of beings called Theronai trying to defend the world from demons, natch. They suffered a setback a few centuries ago, and were no longer able to propagate their species. As a result they have been slowly dying off.
Each book revolves around one male of one of three races: Theronai, Sanguinar, and Slayer falling in love and finding their mate. And for the male Theronai, it’s a big deal because they will die without a mate.
The Theronai of the day is a man named Ian, who really should have dies centuries ago, but has kept himself alive by sheer force of will, and good thing too. Because when him and his brothers raided a demon nest, they found Jackie; a woman who has been imprisoned, battered, fed upon, and gold knows what else while in captivity, and thankfully is capable of mating with one of the Theronai males.
What draws these two together in the first place isn’t love. Ian is a cold hearted S.O.B, and Jackie is so damaged at first from what she had endured that all she wants is to be left alone, so when she’s forced to choose a male, she chooses the one most likely to leave her alone: Ian.
Well you can guess where it goes from here.
I’m a little bit surprised with this one though, despite the fact that I enjoyed it so much. The love scenes between the two main characters are darker in nature than what Butcher usually writes. It’s still good, but surprising.
The only thing I don’t like about this series is how in the first book it was stressed how there are no more compatible females left in the world to save the Theronai men, and now they’re multiplying like rabbits ever since. Each book introduces anywhere from 2-3 compatible females, and here we’re told that Jackie is linked to dozens, if not hundreds of other women around the world. It seems like you can’t shake a stick without hitting one of these women anymore, and for some reason that bothers me.
But inconsistencies aside, still a good read, and I won’t be stopping the series anytime soon.
Enjoy folks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2017
3.75 stars
I feel like I'm in the minority with every book in this series so far. Jackie did not annoy me as much as I thought she would like a lot of readers. Her fears and hesitation were totally justified. A lot of reviews label her as selfish and hard headed. Well yeah, I would be too when trapped inside a cave with nasty human-eating monsters for 2 years straight. I felt the Theronai's, Joseph in particular were being too narrow-minded, unrealistic, hard-headed and unreasonable with her. They kept trying to force her into something she wasn't ready for. She wanted her old life back and some normalcy and I don't blame her. You are dealing with a highly traumatized victim, what do you expect? Desperation to get some normalcy back no matter how unrealistic is expected. Even with all her baggage, she still went above and beyond to help save Ian several times and was willing to put herself in the line of fire for him. It impressed me that no matter the mind fuck and paralyzing fear of facing the Synestryns again she was willing to do it to save others. I can't label her as selfish given the lengths she went to for others, Ian in particular. She was open minded, realistic and grounded through the whole thing and way more patient then a hand full of the Theronai characters have been IMO. She called out the guys and ladies on their idiotic bullshit rules while defending Ian. It was very refreshing. The thing that was 'jump the shark' moment for me was having her approach Cain and make that silly pact with him near the end. Gave me whiplash. That disease comment she made was nasty and WTF given everything she went through with Ian. I found it a little out of character of her to do that after everything they went through together. It made her come off cold and callous and I did not like it.
And how does Ian go from having no honor in the beginning of the story (series more like it) to having honor half way into the story?? He keeps stressing till the very end how his honor is the only thing he has left to hang on to which was very inconsistent to how he was presented in the beginning of the book. If a Theronai warrior has honor that means his soul is still in intact, Ian is the only warrior who is completely soulless. Very contradictory mistake and made no sense. The author never bothers to address this sudden change and that annoyed me more.
I feel like I'm in the minority with every book in this series so far. Jackie did not annoy me as much as I thought she would like a lot of readers. Her fears and hesitation were totally justified. A lot of reviews label her as selfish and hard headed. Well yeah, I would be too when trapped inside a cave with nasty human-eating monsters for 2 years straight. I felt the Theronai's, Joseph in particular were being too narrow-minded, unrealistic, hard-headed and unreasonable with her. They kept trying to force her into something she wasn't ready for. She wanted her old life back and some normalcy and I don't blame her. You are dealing with a highly traumatized victim, what do you expect? Desperation to get some normalcy back no matter how unrealistic is expected. Even with all her baggage, she still went above and beyond to help save Ian several times and was willing to put herself in the line of fire for him. It impressed me that no matter the mind fuck and paralyzing fear of facing the Synestryns again she was willing to do it to save others. I can't label her as selfish given the lengths she went to for others, Ian in particular. She was open minded, realistic and grounded through the whole thing and way more patient then a hand full of the Theronai characters have been IMO. She called out the guys and ladies on their idiotic bullshit rules while defending Ian. It was very refreshing. The thing that was 'jump the shark' moment for me was having her approach Cain and make that silly pact with him near the end. Gave me whiplash. That disease comment she made was nasty and WTF given everything she went through with Ian. I found it a little out of character of her to do that after everything they went through together. It made her come off cold and callous and I did not like it.
And how does Ian go from having no honor in the beginning of the story (series more like it) to having honor half way into the story?? He keeps stressing till the very end how his honor is the only thing he has left to hang on to which was very inconsistent to how he was presented in the beginning of the book. If a Theronai warrior has honor that means his soul is still in intact, Ian is the only warrior who is completely soulless. Very contradictory mistake and made no sense. The author never bothers to address this sudden change and that annoyed me more.
March 26, 2013
Iain could feel his lifemark is bare and he's soulless. He feels nothing and has a monster trapped inside of him. Jackie having been rescued feels trapped because of her own fear and helplessness. Everyone tells Jackie that she needs to pick a Theronai male to bound with but Jackie wants nothing to do with any Theronai male except Iain. Iain does expect her to save him like the others do. Torr is so desperate to save Grace from what she's done. Hope tells Logan that she has an idea how to save Grace. She remembers a woman who is a healer from her childhood. Tori wants nothing more than to kill Zillah and she knows she's the only one who can do it. Andra and Paul stop Tori from leaving Dabyr but she fights them. The woman comes to Dabyr takes both Grace and Tori with but leaves a woman who has been trapped for two hundred years. Iain is asked to confront this woman only to discover that she is Serena his long lost love. It's discovered that Iain has no soul which means he must be killed. A young girl has been kidnapped again and must be rescued. Jackie, Iain, ans Cain seek to rescue her from Synestrn. Can Grace and Tori be healed? What will happen to Serena? Can Jackie save Iain? Will Iain allow himself to be saved? Will Iain get his dying wish? Can the Theronai women become pregnant? Your answers await you in Dying Wish.
This installment of The Sentinel Wars is non stop action from first page to the last page. I didn't like Jackie at first but I've come to respect her very much so. Iain is one of my favorite characters in this series because he truly believes that he's beyond help. He knows that Jackie lied about accepting the luceria. So much happens in this book that are revelations and some surprises too. The next book Falling Blind is coming out soon.
This installment of The Sentinel Wars is non stop action from first page to the last page. I didn't like Jackie at first but I've come to respect her very much so. Iain is one of my favorite characters in this series because he truly believes that he's beyond help. He knows that Jackie lied about accepting the luceria. So much happens in this book that are revelations and some surprises too. The next book Falling Blind is coming out soon.
March 19, 2012
I presume you know what the book is about, I'm letting you know what I like or dislike about it.
Wow. Every once in awhile you come across a book with a twist you just simply didn't see coming. And this is one of them! I am really excited by this read and I bet you'll enjoy it too.
About mid-way through this book I worried... because I know Ms. Butcher is a "newer" author... would she choose to write a book without a HEA... Just because she could?... Because she wanted to do something "different"?
I'm a HEA kind of gal - it took me 30 some years to discover this about myself but there you go. Anyway - I HATE, absolutely DETEST growing to care for a character to end up with sad endings. Life does a fine job of that all on its own thank you very much. But, I digress.
I kept reading and the concern only grew - I really had no idea the direction the story would take, and then WHAM! The last 1/4 of the book the water starts to swirl, the words flew by, and.... wow! Just wow! Oh I do enjoy Ms. Butchers writing, and right now? I'm fan #1!!
I look forward to the next Sentinel Warrior Book for sure.
In regards to the story itself - it is well written, well paced, excellent introductions of a few new characters and aspects of the overall plot. Enough repetition from previous books in the series to gently remind the reader of prior events. In that respect it was about as good as it gets.
PS - Jackie is just my sort of female lead. She swears almost as much as I do (ha!) and definitely thinks and responds to circumstances much as I would. Not everyones cup of tea but I sure like her!!!
And Stan?!!!! omg!!! How excellent is that bit of a twist? Seriously - this is one great book!
Wow. Every once in awhile you come across a book with a twist you just simply didn't see coming. And this is one of them! I am really excited by this read and I bet you'll enjoy it too.
About mid-way through this book I worried... because I know Ms. Butcher is a "newer" author... would she choose to write a book without a HEA... Just because she could?... Because she wanted to do something "different"?
I'm a HEA kind of gal - it took me 30 some years to discover this about myself but there you go. Anyway - I HATE, absolutely DETEST growing to care for a character to end up with sad endings. Life does a fine job of that all on its own thank you very much. But, I digress.
I kept reading and the concern only grew - I really had no idea the direction the story would take, and then WHAM! The last 1/4 of the book the water starts to swirl, the words flew by, and.... wow! Just wow! Oh I do enjoy Ms. Butchers writing, and right now? I'm fan #1!!
I look forward to the next Sentinel Warrior Book for sure.
In regards to the story itself - it is well written, well paced, excellent introductions of a few new characters and aspects of the overall plot. Enough repetition from previous books in the series to gently remind the reader of prior events. In that respect it was about as good as it gets.
PS - Jackie is just my sort of female lead. She swears almost as much as I do (ha!) and definitely thinks and responds to circumstances much as I would. Not everyones cup of tea but I sure like her!!!
And Stan?!!!! omg!!! How excellent is that bit of a twist? Seriously - this is one great book!
February 2, 2012
First let me just start by saying that The Sentinel Wars Series kicks serious ass and if you haven't started reading the series- why the hell not *shakes her head while giving you a strange pissed off-look*. Oh- but if you haven't read the series yet, don't start with this one! We're already a good couple of books in and you will genuinely confused, although still delightfully entertained. Okay on to what I loved about this book:
I have got to admit, I didn't immediately like our heroine, Jackie. I just found her a bit whining and I don't know... I think I kind of just wanted her to get over herself and start helping the warriors already! I know, I know, that sounds completely mean. But I think after spending so much time with the Theronai and knowing how dire their situation is, I just couldn't sympathise with Jackie as much as she probably deserved.
However, after the first couple of chapters, I began to really enjoy reading about Jackie. She definitely had some kick-ass moments!
And oh mama! How hot is Ian? I loved how we got to discover his past and find out exactly why he is so dark and brooding and I really loved how the romance between him and Jackie enfolded. They had some steamy moments (I am talking about that bed scene *blushes*), which just made the book great! But the thing I liked the most is the interactions with all the characters and I think Shannon K. Butcher manages to juggle so many characters really well and have us all panting for the next book in the series.
Overall, this isn't my favourite Sentinel Wars book (that position is forever held by Living Nightmare and Blood Hunt) but it was a very good addition to the series. When is the next one coming out?
I have got to admit, I didn't immediately like our heroine, Jackie. I just found her a bit whining and I don't know... I think I kind of just wanted her to get over herself and start helping the warriors already! I know, I know, that sounds completely mean. But I think after spending so much time with the Theronai and knowing how dire their situation is, I just couldn't sympathise with Jackie as much as she probably deserved.
However, after the first couple of chapters, I began to really enjoy reading about Jackie. She definitely had some kick-ass moments!
And oh mama! How hot is Ian? I loved how we got to discover his past and find out exactly why he is so dark and brooding and I really loved how the romance between him and Jackie enfolded. They had some steamy moments (I am talking about that bed scene *blushes*), which just made the book great! But the thing I liked the most is the interactions with all the characters and I think Shannon K. Butcher manages to juggle so many characters really well and have us all panting for the next book in the series.
Overall, this isn't my favourite Sentinel Wars book (that position is forever held by Living Nightmare and Blood Hunt) but it was a very good addition to the series. When is the next one coming out?
August 19, 2012
4.90 Stars!!!
WOW, This is the best book so far in the series. WHY more people are not reading this is a puzzle to me.
This had so much action, excitement, emotion.....it was a block buster and the little cell phone conversation at the end between Ronan & Tynan....OMG! I*~*L*O*V*E*~*T*H*I*S*S*E*R*I*E*S!!!!!
Okay, time to calm down. Iain hold's a secret and lives with a monster inside of him. He knows his days are numbered. He has lived a long life with dignity and heroism. His love of his life was torn hundreds of years ago from him and he is only interested in ending this life peacefully and correctly.
Jackie, who was rescued from years of torture by evil demons, just wants to go back to a normal life....one that is impossible. She is forced to pick a warrior to pair up with and she attaches herself to Iain, her rescuer. He can't be more surprised and now must find a way to remove her before she goes with him as he dies or before that dark monster inside him kills her.
When you think it can't get any better a wild slap-in-the-face kinda surprise happens and the tension grows and the action escalates and wow what an ending....I just can't say enough about this book & series. I can't wait for the next book: Falling Blind: The Sentinel Wars Which comes out December of 2012!
PS...A little plus-this book reveals a little secret about the vampires or Sanguiners...and OMG moment.
WOW, This is the best book so far in the series. WHY more people are not reading this is a puzzle to me.
This had so much action, excitement, emotion.....it was a block buster and the little cell phone conversation at the end between Ronan & Tynan....OMG! I*~*L*O*V*E*~*T*H*I*S*S*E*R*I*E*S!!!!!
Okay, time to calm down. Iain hold's a secret and lives with a monster inside of him. He knows his days are numbered. He has lived a long life with dignity and heroism. His love of his life was torn hundreds of years ago from him and he is only interested in ending this life peacefully and correctly.
Jackie, who was rescued from years of torture by evil demons, just wants to go back to a normal life....one that is impossible. She is forced to pick a warrior to pair up with and she attaches herself to Iain, her rescuer. He can't be more surprised and now must find a way to remove her before she goes with him as he dies or before that dark monster inside him kills her.
When you think it can't get any better a wild slap-in-the-face kinda surprise happens and the tension grows and the action escalates and wow what an ending....I just can't say enough about this book & series. I can't wait for the next book: Falling Blind: The Sentinel Wars Which comes out December of 2012!
PS...A little plus-this book reveals a little secret about the vampires or Sanguiners...and OMG moment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2016
3 1/2 stars for me. Iain is a Theroni living a complete lie and if the truth is ever revealed, his life will be forfeit. His soul is gone and the only leaves on his life tree are the inked kind. So far though his monster is under control, but he knows he doesn't have long. He ended up rescuing Jackie at the end of the last book. She had been prisoner of the Synestryns for two years, being tortured by the demons.
Now she wants to escape again, but from herescuersrs. These men need too much and she feels she has nothing left to give. But in order to leave she must choose somebody. So she chooses Iain, whom she knows has no feelings for her so he won't be hurt when she leaves him. But once she takes his necklace she starts sensing dark places in Iain and once his secrets revealed she is going to fight like mad to keep him from being killed.
I liked the set up, but it took me awhile to feel Iain and Jackie's romance. Then SB has started introducing more characters inalreadyrady crowded field of players. Plus I feel that there is a divergent story line starting up in another world. While this story didn't work quite as well for me as some of the others, it was still a good story and I look forward to the next in the series. Just wish we would have been given a hint as to who it was going to be.
Now she wants to escape again, but from herescuersrs. These men need too much and she feels she has nothing left to give. But in order to leave she must choose somebody. So she chooses Iain, whom she knows has no feelings for her so he won't be hurt when she leaves him. But once she takes his necklace she starts sensing dark places in Iain and once his secrets revealed she is going to fight like mad to keep him from being killed.
I liked the set up, but it took me awhile to feel Iain and Jackie's romance. Then SB has started introducing more characters inalreadyrady crowded field of players. Plus I feel that there is a divergent story line starting up in another world. While this story didn't work quite as well for me as some of the others, it was still a good story and I look forward to the next in the series. Just wish we would have been given a hint as to who it was going to be.
August 17, 2012
5 stars
So good, it gets better and better. Even though it seemed so hopeless that each book only 1 warrior got his HEA out of hundreds, yet each book exposed a renewed hope, a deeper intricate plot, another amazing gift, but at the same time, a new challenge... another word, just when I thought same old, same old... I got another WOW factor!
OK, let's get down to business. Yes, I was a bit annoyed by Jackie's stubbornness, selfishness and headstrong, BUT I got over them quickly bc it was all of these characters that made her different, made her strong enough to fight traditions and customs and whatnot. It was these characters that had her fought for lost causes, hopeless-totured imprissonment and of course, for Iain. So, all in all, I liked Jackie for she stayed true to herself, knew what she wanted and fought every step of the way to get it.
Iain, leader of The Band of the Barren. I knew his story would be intense, or at least tricky...I was not disappointed. For someone who had to constantly pretend to be honorable bc he was soulless, he was so much more duty and honor bound than any other warriors so far.
I loved the fast-paced, such colorful and ever changing characters, the sensual love scenes and the intricate plots and sidestories... making this series so compelling and achingly sweet.
So good, it gets better and better. Even though it seemed so hopeless that each book only 1 warrior got his HEA out of hundreds, yet each book exposed a renewed hope, a deeper intricate plot, another amazing gift, but at the same time, a new challenge... another word, just when I thought same old, same old... I got another WOW factor!
OK, let's get down to business. Yes, I was a bit annoyed by Jackie's stubbornness, selfishness and headstrong, BUT I got over them quickly bc it was all of these characters that made her different, made her strong enough to fight traditions and customs and whatnot. It was these characters that had her fought for lost causes, hopeless-totured imprissonment and of course, for Iain. So, all in all, I liked Jackie for she stayed true to herself, knew what she wanted and fought every step of the way to get it.
Iain, leader of The Band of the Barren. I knew his story would be intense, or at least tricky...I was not disappointed. For someone who had to constantly pretend to be honorable bc he was soulless, he was so much more duty and honor bound than any other warriors so far.
I loved the fast-paced, such colorful and ever changing characters, the sensual love scenes and the intricate plots and sidestories... making this series so compelling and achingly sweet.
March 30, 2012
Oh boy was Jackie annoying. A giant pain in the ass. She whines and whines and whines that she wants to go back to her "real" life as a corporate nobody, rather than live and work with the Theronai as a badass. She is constantly characterized as someone who would never turn her back on someone in need, if she could help them, but she spends the whole book avoiding her responsibility and refusing to use her abilities TO HELP PEOPLE. It's infuriating the way she tries to avoid making commitments and then turns around and makes sweeping promises to people she hardly knows. I hate Jackie. I wanted to punch her in the face for several hundred pages. I don't understand why anyone would love someone who behaves and talks so selfishly, and only helps other people when they are about to be killed. Doesn't she realize that helping people now would keep them from almost (or completely) getting killed tomorrow?! Ugh. She totally fails to fulfill her character's potential. I understand why she is written into the series, but I don't understand how Butcher could have made her so unlovable. Badass abilities are no good if the person wielding them is a limp noodle.
That being said, the series is good and the worldbuilding continues to impress. Just skip this book and read the Wikipedia page instead.
That being said, the series is good and the worldbuilding continues to impress. Just skip this book and read the Wikipedia page instead.
March 17, 2012
Thank you for another great story!! I was concerned at first. Iain has been one of my favorite characters. There is just something about a soulless man in need of saving that appeals to me. One of the things I love about this series is that Butcher has created a world with recurring characters. Jackie was first introduced in Finding the Lost but we didn't hear her voice until the last book. I found her annoying then and she continued to be so at the beginning of this story. I was a bit upset that she was to be tied to my Iain. BUT she got way better as the story progressed and her powers are very cool! Nice twist at the end. I'm a Jackie/Iain fan.
As usual new characters were introduced. I think Cain's story might be next. Great story mixed with romance, sex, action and magic!
As usual new characters were introduced. I think Cain's story might be next. Great story mixed with romance, sex, action and magic!
February 7, 2012
NO SPOILERS
The Sentinel Wars series is my favorite of Ms Butcher's works. Dying Wish delivers on the promises made in her previous offerings in the world of the Theronai, Sanguinar and the evil Synestryn.
If you have not yet entered the spellbinding, sizzlingly sexy realm of this series, this reader highly recommends you take the plunge.
Thank you Shannon K. Butcher for another can't put it down adventure!
(This is an adult series, with sexually explicit scenes and some horrific depictions of what the evil baddies are up to.)
The Sentinel Wars series is my favorite of Ms Butcher's works. Dying Wish delivers on the promises made in her previous offerings in the world of the Theronai, Sanguinar and the evil Synestryn.
If you have not yet entered the spellbinding, sizzlingly sexy realm of this series, this reader highly recommends you take the plunge.
Thank you Shannon K. Butcher for another can't put it down adventure!
(This is an adult series, with sexually explicit scenes and some horrific depictions of what the evil baddies are up to.)
March 14, 2012
Fast paced with lots of action. Once again Butcher has done a great job balancing the main plot, with multiple subplots, and tying them together in the end. Jackie and Iain were great. I loved how they got their HEA. It was so unexpected and different. I couldn’t guess whose story is next. Is it Torr, Cain, Ronan? Who knows. All I know is that I can’t wait :)
September 17, 2018
La historia de Jackie e Ian es la más bizarra de todas: el no tiene alma pero puede vincularse con ella y así convertirla en la Dama Dorada. Pero para salvarlo, ella le comparte a él y su monstruo interior, Stan (?!), la mitad de su alma.
Pobre Caín, esperando construir su propia familia. Por suerte, la próxima novela cuenta su historia.
Pobre Caín, esperando construir su propia familia. Por suerte, la próxima novela cuenta su historia.
August 6, 2017
I need to gather my thoughts! This was just...AWESOMENESS TO THE EXTREME!!!! Review to Come!
UPDATE!!!
Sentinel Wars Book 6
I am going to be honest right from the beginning....I have not done a review for any of the previous Sentinel Wars books...but let me tell you, my thoughts about Dying Wish just needed to be let out! This book was AMAZING!! I fell in love with Ms. Butcher’s Sentinel Wars series from the very first book, Burning Alive, but Dying Wish was phenomenal! There was just so much going on in this book...and it was just simply mind blowing..and captivating!! I fell in love all over again with this series with Dying Wish!
Ever since I was first introduced to Iain and Jackie in Blood Hunt, I have been literally dying to read their story! I was so anxious to read their story and see how it would turn out! I had to wait a very long long long year....for this book to come out and I just loved every part of it and it was well worth the wait! =) The story was enthralling, the characters were captivating, the plot was full of action, mystery, suspense and even some heart break but the ROMANCE.....OH HOLY BANANA TREES....WAS THAT HOT OR WHAT!!!?? Dying Wish had it all!
Jackie Patton was rescued by the Theronai warriors after a long captivity with the Synestryn. Once she is safe, she finds out that she is compatible with all the Theronai and has to choose a warrior to mate with in order to save his life. The problem is...Jackie doesn’t want to choose. She wants her old life back. And what’s worse is that she absolutely hates the warriors’ world and wants nothing to do with it. However, when she is given no choice in the matter, she strikes a deal with the leader, Joesph. She will only choose on the condition that she be allowed to leave the compound and live her own life. Joesph isn’t happy about this “compromise” but agrees. During her time of choosing....everyone is baffled and shocked when Jackie chooses....Iain. He was the one who rescued her and she believes that due to his cold and non-caring behaviour towards her, he wouldn’t care if she stayed or go....but things don’t always go as planned!
Iain is shocked to the bone..when he hears his name come out of Jackie’s mouth during her choosing ceremony. He hadn’t planned on himself getting picked to be saved and was hoping instead to help one of his other brothers. In the past, Iain was in a relationship with a woman before she died and over the years he gave up being himself and before he knew it, his soul was dead. Knowing having no soul amongst the other Theronai is unacceptable and punishable by death...he kept his dead soul a secret. So, when Jackie chooses to “save” him, he is enraged that she would waste her time with him. He knows it’s to late to save him and that his time has almost come to an end, he bargains with her. He agrees to her demands to let her go only if she would save another warrior in return. However, when synestryn attack and Iain gets hurt, Jackie has no choice but to take his Luceria and uses it to heal him, all the while unaware that the promise she makes to Iain will bind her to him...forever! With that Jackie and Iain’s journey of discovering each other, fighting attraction and bonding, solving unsolved mysteries and battling monsters begins!
DOESN’T THAT SOUND CRAZY!!!!??? I had a blast reading this and once again I was blown away with Ms. Butcher’s amazing work!! The story was gritty, action packed, full of hot romance that held me to the very edge of my seat till the end! I was so engaged with the story that I just couldn’t put it down...no matter how hard I tried (I didn’t try very hard...but sooo not the point here =) But the best part was..the sub plots! I absolutely adored getting to know the stories of other characters and I just couldn’t resist making future possible couples of those characters!! It was fun and refreshing...I really hope we get to see these characters get their own books! Especially, Thor and Grace! That couple has my heart and emotions in so many knots....I don’t know what to do! I REALLY REALLY REALLY WANT A STORY FOR THEM! *starts sobbing* :( These multiple POVs and other character story lines are so insightful...I LOVE THEM!
What I loved even more were the characters! Both Jackie and Iain were such a delight! And I have to say, after Madoc and Nika....Jackie and Iain are my favourite couple!! I loved them! They are both strong, easy to connect to, main characters! Jackie is a strong, independent, does what she wants type of woman...and I adored her personality! Due to her past suffering, you get to understand her emotional turmoil and you have no problem connecting with her! I felt so bad for her...I had tears in my eyes! She was held captive in some hell hole and even after that she puts on a brave face and tries to overcome her fear as best she can...and get on with her old life! She wants her old life back...because she wants that normalcy again..she wants to forget her horrors and remember the times she was carefree and normal. I really admired her courage and bravery. And I just loved seeing her feelings for Iain grow through the course of the story. She realizes and experiences love, for the first time after her horrible past, and it was wonderful to see a different side to her character. She wasn’t the woman who whined about going “home” anymore....she truly and deeply cared about Iain and showed her love for him! IT WAS THE SWEETEST THING EVER AND YOU CAN’T HELP BUT LOVE HER MORE!! =)
As for Iain...*swoon*!!! This man is: HOT---check, SEXY---check, GORGEOUS---check, STRONG---check, POWERFUL---check, PURE FULL-BLOODED ALPHA MALE---check, PROTECTIVE OF JACKIE---check!!! He was total eye candy...and I just love love love lovvvvvvveddddd HIM!! At first he is just angry and brooding and doesn’t want anything to with Jackie other than to do his job of protecting her...but you see the feelings he has for her in little gestures he does and eventually it grows into a fully blossomed love! Although the romance is slow to develop in the story, you do get the sense of intense sexual tension between the two! And when they do come together....OH MAN OH MAN....their sexual scenes are steamy to the very core and they leave you breathless and cheering for the two to realize that they belong with each other!! I loved Iain’s brooding personality and even thought “his monster” was funny near the end! To simply put it...I JUST LOVED HIM! LOL ;p
Overall, Ms. Butcher you did an AMAZINGRIFIC job!! The ending was so full of action, a roller coaster of emotions, gut clenching anticipation and a blow-the-top-off conclusion! That ending left me wanting more and more and more!!! I couldn’t have possibly imagined the ending to be this twisty...!!! It was literally UNBELIEVABLE!! I loved the many different mind blowing plots we find out in the end...and I just can’t wait to read about them in depth in future books! And, I can’t wait find out who the next book is about (*fingers crossed* It's Thor and Grace) and can't wait to read the next book...and I really hope I don’t die of anxiously awaiting its release date!!!! So, Ms. Butcher please please please hurry up!! I loved Dying Wish just like all the other Sentinel Wars books....and if you have not read this series yet....”TSK, TSK, TSK, TSK!!!” You are missing out on the adventure of your life..in this amazing world Ms. Butcher has created! =)
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“…if you think I’m going anywhere, you’re wrong. I’m going to be with Iain every second of his death. I’m going to soak it all in, memorizing every detail, every ounce of fear, every scrap of suffering. And then, when he’s dead, I’m going to to take all of that and find a way to shove it so deep in your brain, you’ll never be able to sleep again.”
"I thought I’d made it clear that I don’t give a fuck about what you want. We saved your pretty little ass and kept it safe for weeks now. I’d say it’s time to pay up.”
“Well…when a boy Theronai and a girl Theronai love each other very much-”
UPDATE!!!
Sentinel Wars Book 6
I am going to be honest right from the beginning....I have not done a review for any of the previous Sentinel Wars books...but let me tell you, my thoughts about Dying Wish just needed to be let out! This book was AMAZING!! I fell in love with Ms. Butcher’s Sentinel Wars series from the very first book, Burning Alive, but Dying Wish was phenomenal! There was just so much going on in this book...and it was just simply mind blowing..and captivating!! I fell in love all over again with this series with Dying Wish!
Ever since I was first introduced to Iain and Jackie in Blood Hunt, I have been literally dying to read their story! I was so anxious to read their story and see how it would turn out! I had to wait a very long long long year....for this book to come out and I just loved every part of it and it was well worth the wait! =) The story was enthralling, the characters were captivating, the plot was full of action, mystery, suspense and even some heart break but the ROMANCE.....OH HOLY BANANA TREES....WAS THAT HOT OR WHAT!!!?? Dying Wish had it all!
Jackie Patton was rescued by the Theronai warriors after a long captivity with the Synestryn. Once she is safe, she finds out that she is compatible with all the Theronai and has to choose a warrior to mate with in order to save his life. The problem is...Jackie doesn’t want to choose. She wants her old life back. And what’s worse is that she absolutely hates the warriors’ world and wants nothing to do with it. However, when she is given no choice in the matter, she strikes a deal with the leader, Joesph. She will only choose on the condition that she be allowed to leave the compound and live her own life. Joesph isn’t happy about this “compromise” but agrees. During her time of choosing....everyone is baffled and shocked when Jackie chooses....Iain. He was the one who rescued her and she believes that due to his cold and non-caring behaviour towards her, he wouldn’t care if she stayed or go....but things don’t always go as planned!
Iain is shocked to the bone..when he hears his name come out of Jackie’s mouth during her choosing ceremony. He hadn’t planned on himself getting picked to be saved and was hoping instead to help one of his other brothers. In the past, Iain was in a relationship with a woman before she died and over the years he gave up being himself and before he knew it, his soul was dead. Knowing having no soul amongst the other Theronai is unacceptable and punishable by death...he kept his dead soul a secret. So, when Jackie chooses to “save” him, he is enraged that she would waste her time with him. He knows it’s to late to save him and that his time has almost come to an end, he bargains with her. He agrees to her demands to let her go only if she would save another warrior in return. However, when synestryn attack and Iain gets hurt, Jackie has no choice but to take his Luceria and uses it to heal him, all the while unaware that the promise she makes to Iain will bind her to him...forever! With that Jackie and Iain’s journey of discovering each other, fighting attraction and bonding, solving unsolved mysteries and battling monsters begins!
DOESN’T THAT SOUND CRAZY!!!!??? I had a blast reading this and once again I was blown away with Ms. Butcher’s amazing work!! The story was gritty, action packed, full of hot romance that held me to the very edge of my seat till the end! I was so engaged with the story that I just couldn’t put it down...no matter how hard I tried (I didn’t try very hard...but sooo not the point here =) But the best part was..the sub plots! I absolutely adored getting to know the stories of other characters and I just couldn’t resist making future possible couples of those characters!! It was fun and refreshing...I really hope we get to see these characters get their own books! Especially, Thor and Grace! That couple has my heart and emotions in so many knots....I don’t know what to do! I REALLY REALLY REALLY WANT A STORY FOR THEM! *starts sobbing* :( These multiple POVs and other character story lines are so insightful...I LOVE THEM!
What I loved even more were the characters! Both Jackie and Iain were such a delight! And I have to say, after Madoc and Nika....Jackie and Iain are my favourite couple!! I loved them! They are both strong, easy to connect to, main characters! Jackie is a strong, independent, does what she wants type of woman...and I adored her personality! Due to her past suffering, you get to understand her emotional turmoil and you have no problem connecting with her! I felt so bad for her...I had tears in my eyes! She was held captive in some hell hole and even after that she puts on a brave face and tries to overcome her fear as best she can...and get on with her old life! She wants her old life back...because she wants that normalcy again..she wants to forget her horrors and remember the times she was carefree and normal. I really admired her courage and bravery. And I just loved seeing her feelings for Iain grow through the course of the story. She realizes and experiences love, for the first time after her horrible past, and it was wonderful to see a different side to her character. She wasn’t the woman who whined about going “home” anymore....she truly and deeply cared about Iain and showed her love for him! IT WAS THE SWEETEST THING EVER AND YOU CAN’T HELP BUT LOVE HER MORE!! =)
As for Iain...*swoon*!!! This man is: HOT---check, SEXY---check, GORGEOUS---check, STRONG---check, POWERFUL---check, PURE FULL-BLOODED ALPHA MALE---check, PROTECTIVE OF JACKIE---check!!! He was total eye candy...and I just love love love lovvvvvvveddddd HIM!! At first he is just angry and brooding and doesn’t want anything to with Jackie other than to do his job of protecting her...but you see the feelings he has for her in little gestures he does and eventually it grows into a fully blossomed love! Although the romance is slow to develop in the story, you do get the sense of intense sexual tension between the two! And when they do come together....OH MAN OH MAN....their sexual scenes are steamy to the very core and they leave you breathless and cheering for the two to realize that they belong with each other!! I loved Iain’s brooding personality and even thought “his monster” was funny near the end! To simply put it...I JUST LOVED HIM! LOL ;p
Overall, Ms. Butcher you did an AMAZINGRIFIC job!! The ending was so full of action, a roller coaster of emotions, gut clenching anticipation and a blow-the-top-off conclusion! That ending left me wanting more and more and more!!! I couldn’t have possibly imagined the ending to be this twisty...!!! It was literally UNBELIEVABLE!! I loved the many different mind blowing plots we find out in the end...and I just can’t wait to read about them in depth in future books! And, I can’t wait find out who the next book is about (*fingers crossed* It's Thor and Grace) and can't wait to read the next book...and I really hope I don’t die of anxiously awaiting its release date!!!! So, Ms. Butcher please please please hurry up!! I loved Dying Wish just like all the other Sentinel Wars books....and if you have not read this series yet....”TSK, TSK, TSK, TSK!!!” You are missing out on the adventure of your life..in this amazing world Ms. Butcher has created! =)
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“…if you think I’m going anywhere, you’re wrong. I’m going to be with Iain every second of his death. I’m going to soak it all in, memorizing every detail, every ounce of fear, every scrap of suffering. And then, when he’s dead, I’m going to to take all of that and find a way to shove it so deep in your brain, you’ll never be able to sleep again.”
"I thought I’d made it clear that I don’t give a fuck about what you want. We saved your pretty little ass and kept it safe for weeks now. I’d say it’s time to pay up.”
“Well…when a boy Theronai and a girl Theronai love each other very much-”
January 11, 2013
Sixth in the Sentinel Wars paranormal romance series. The couple focus is on Jackie Patton and Iain.
My Take
Jackie makes me nuts. She's spent two years being terrorized by demons. They've explained till they're blue in the face that the demons will continue to come after her. And she refuses to believe. She seriously believes that she can start a new life without the Theronai.
I can see her point in that it's not her business to help save one of the Theronai. She shouldn't have to give up the rest of her life in gratitude for their rescuing her. It's their job. What irritates me is that she refuses to even consider this life change. Does she really believe that now she's rescued the Synestryn will never think of her again?
We do learn Iain's history and events really speed up. If ever there was a lesson in seizing the day. Ignore what others think you should do, but do what feels right for you, for you know not how long you will have. Dead lovers return, new life aborning, chances for healing.
Logan buys the most incredible gift for Hope.
Most of the earlier books saw the Theronai men behaving pretty crudely. They were Neanderthals in expecting the compatible women to fall all over this "fabulous opportunity" to bond with a Sentinel. And then they couldn't figure out why the women fought it so hard. It's one reason why I've been hard on the ratings.
I like the concept of the series; it's a unique twist on demons and Butcher's version of the vampire. She has really done an excellent job of teasing me along with the underlying theme of the Solarc and the people who are silently rebelling against his rule. I keep wanting to find out what clues she's dropped this time. And, compared to earlier stories, Butcher is dropping clues all over Dying Wish while upping the action here on earth between the Sentinels and their previously secret Band of the Barren, not to mention Lyka's little bombshell.
The Story
Jackie has been trying to leave the Theronai compound almost since she was rescued. She finally gets Joseph to promise that if she picks a man, he will allow her to leave. And she knows just which man. He's perfect because he wants nothing to do with her either.
Meanwhile, Tori is plotting her own plans to lay her own dread down. She intends to capture Zilla. Only everything has changed in what was Zilla's territory.
An attack on Autumn, of the children rescued, causes Iain to push at Jackie to help. To go with him to see if they can track down the different caverns she was transported between.
And Grace is failing.
The Characters
Jackie Patton had been held prisoner by the demons for two years. Now that she's been rescued, all she wants is out. She doesn't care that she is compatible with several of the men; she wants nothing to do with any of them. Nor does she care that Helen (mated to Drake) and Lexi (mated to Zach) are her long lost sisters, she simply wants out, to get back to her old life. Samson is the half-Synestryn, half-human baby Jackie rescued. Dana and Will have taken him in.
Iain Terra is one of the Sentinels and a member of the Band of the Barren whose lifemark is bare and he is hanging on only by sheer willpower. There's no point in his considering Jackie as a mate since his true lifemate Serena died centuries ago. There will never be another for him.
Joseph Rayd is the leader for the Theronai, and he is getting very tired. Torr is desperate to find a way to save Grace, who gave up her chance to live to save him. Cain is the Sentinel who has watched over Sibyl for her entire life and his lifemark is almost bare. Sibyl is Angus and Gilda's daughter, suddenly released from the curse she has lived under for most of her life. Madoc is mated to the now-pregnant Nika (see Living Nightmare ) and her sister Andra is with Paul ( Finding the Lost ). Mabel Hennesy is the friend Helen brought to Dabyr to keep her safe ( Burning Alive ). Nicholas Laith is another Sentinel.
Logan is mated to Hope Serrien ( Blood Hunt ). She is the ultimate, what the Sanguinar should have evolved into. Brenya is a healer and the Athanasian woman who raised Hope. With luck, she can save Grace. And perhaps Tori. Brenya also sent the daughters of Celentia and Lahrien to earth. Logan's brother Tynan is their primary medic. Ronan and Connal are more Sanguinar.
Zillah is the demon lord who held Tori, Nika and Andra's sister prisoner for so long. Poor thing, he's been called to account by his demon peers for his screw-ups. Raygh is one of the Synestryn lords; Murak is his son and has been granted Zillah's lands. IF he can find the breeding humans.
Beth is a Synestryn prisoner. And pregnant. Autumn Mason is just a child who was rescued from Zilla and she's a target for Murak. She and her family moved to Chicago to get farther away from them.
Andreas Phelan is the new leader of the Slayers and he's desperate for an alliance with the Theronai. Enough that he sent his half-sister Lyka Phelan to Joseph as a hostage. She hates being here, she's terrified the Theronia will discover her secret. That she's the result of a union between a Slayer and a Theronai (I'm suspecting she's destined for Joseph!).
The Theronai are a breed apart. Sentinels. Their purpose to hold back the demons from swarming the earth. Dabyr is the fortified compound where almost five hundred humans and Sentinels live. The Band of the Barren are warriors who have lost their souls. They are damned to go mad. The Synestryn is a generic term for all demons. The Sanguinar are the medics of the Theronai and very similar to what we would consider vampires as they need blood to survive. The Solarc is a megalomaniacal jerk who rules Athanasia and condemned the Sanguinar to starvation.
The Cover
The cover is intense with oranges and blacks and a fiery Iain posing fiercely in tight black jeans, facing away from us so we see the bare branches of his lifemark curving over his left shoulder, his right hand clenching his sword with a backward grip, flashing in the light.
The title is all about Iain's Dying Wish.
My Take
Jackie makes me nuts. She's spent two years being terrorized by demons. They've explained till they're blue in the face that the demons will continue to come after her. And she refuses to believe. She seriously believes that she can start a new life without the Theronai.
I can see her point in that it's not her business to help save one of the Theronai. She shouldn't have to give up the rest of her life in gratitude for their rescuing her. It's their job. What irritates me is that she refuses to even consider this life change. Does she really believe that now she's rescued the Synestryn will never think of her again?
We do learn Iain's history and events really speed up. If ever there was a lesson in seizing the day. Ignore what others think you should do, but do what feels right for you, for you know not how long you will have. Dead lovers return, new life aborning, chances for healing.
Logan buys the most incredible gift for Hope.
Most of the earlier books saw the Theronai men behaving pretty crudely. They were Neanderthals in expecting the compatible women to fall all over this "fabulous opportunity" to bond with a Sentinel. And then they couldn't figure out why the women fought it so hard. It's one reason why I've been hard on the ratings.
I like the concept of the series; it's a unique twist on demons and Butcher's version of the vampire. She has really done an excellent job of teasing me along with the underlying theme of the Solarc and the people who are silently rebelling against his rule. I keep wanting to find out what clues she's dropped this time. And, compared to earlier stories, Butcher is dropping clues all over Dying Wish while upping the action here on earth between the Sentinels and their previously secret Band of the Barren, not to mention Lyka's little bombshell.
The Story
Jackie has been trying to leave the Theronai compound almost since she was rescued. She finally gets Joseph to promise that if she picks a man, he will allow her to leave. And she knows just which man. He's perfect because he wants nothing to do with her either.
Meanwhile, Tori is plotting her own plans to lay her own dread down. She intends to capture Zilla. Only everything has changed in what was Zilla's territory.
An attack on Autumn, of the children rescued, causes Iain to push at Jackie to help. To go with him to see if they can track down the different caverns she was transported between.
And Grace is failing.
The Characters
Jackie Patton had been held prisoner by the demons for two years. Now that she's been rescued, all she wants is out. She doesn't care that she is compatible with several of the men; she wants nothing to do with any of them. Nor does she care that Helen (mated to Drake) and Lexi (mated to Zach) are her long lost sisters, she simply wants out, to get back to her old life. Samson is the half-Synestryn, half-human baby Jackie rescued. Dana and Will have taken him in.
Iain Terra is one of the Sentinels and a member of the Band of the Barren whose lifemark is bare and he is hanging on only by sheer willpower. There's no point in his considering Jackie as a mate since his true lifemate Serena died centuries ago. There will never be another for him.
Joseph Rayd is the leader for the Theronai, and he is getting very tired. Torr is desperate to find a way to save Grace, who gave up her chance to live to save him. Cain is the Sentinel who has watched over Sibyl for her entire life and his lifemark is almost bare. Sibyl is Angus and Gilda's daughter, suddenly released from the curse she has lived under for most of her life. Madoc is mated to the now-pregnant Nika (see Living Nightmare ) and her sister Andra is with Paul ( Finding the Lost ). Mabel Hennesy is the friend Helen brought to Dabyr to keep her safe ( Burning Alive ). Nicholas Laith is another Sentinel.
Logan is mated to Hope Serrien ( Blood Hunt ). She is the ultimate, what the Sanguinar should have evolved into. Brenya is a healer and the Athanasian woman who raised Hope. With luck, she can save Grace. And perhaps Tori. Brenya also sent the daughters of Celentia and Lahrien to earth. Logan's brother Tynan is their primary medic. Ronan and Connal are more Sanguinar.
Zillah is the demon lord who held Tori, Nika and Andra's sister prisoner for so long. Poor thing, he's been called to account by his demon peers for his screw-ups. Raygh is one of the Synestryn lords; Murak is his son and has been granted Zillah's lands. IF he can find the breeding humans.
Beth is a Synestryn prisoner. And pregnant. Autumn Mason is just a child who was rescued from Zilla and she's a target for Murak. She and her family moved to Chicago to get farther away from them.
Andreas Phelan is the new leader of the Slayers and he's desperate for an alliance with the Theronai. Enough that he sent his half-sister Lyka Phelan to Joseph as a hostage. She hates being here, she's terrified the Theronia will discover her secret. That she's the result of a union between a Slayer and a Theronai (I'm suspecting she's destined for Joseph!).
The Theronai are a breed apart. Sentinels. Their purpose to hold back the demons from swarming the earth. Dabyr is the fortified compound where almost five hundred humans and Sentinels live. The Band of the Barren are warriors who have lost their souls. They are damned to go mad. The Synestryn is a generic term for all demons. The Sanguinar are the medics of the Theronai and very similar to what we would consider vampires as they need blood to survive. The Solarc is a megalomaniacal jerk who rules Athanasia and condemned the Sanguinar to starvation.
The Cover
The cover is intense with oranges and blacks and a fiery Iain posing fiercely in tight black jeans, facing away from us so we see the bare branches of his lifemark curving over his left shoulder, his right hand clenching his sword with a backward grip, flashing in the light.
The title is all about Iain's Dying Wish.
June 15, 2019
I loved this story, and it's definitely been my favorite of the series so far.
At first, I was exasperated with Jackie and her skittishness, but I grew to like her as she became determined to save Iain and never once hesitated in her resolve, even knowing about Stan. I also liked the explanation of why Jackie was so powerful and could bond to any male Theronai.
I also rather liked Iain. He wasn't a stereotypical hero, though he was somewhat similar to Madoc. I wish I could've seen him interact with his so-called monster more.
I liked the glimpses of Torr and Grace, Lyka, and even Hope and Logan. I have grown to like Hope and Logan as a couple more, and Hope as a character in general after she managed to summon Brenya. The only side story I didn't like was Ronan's. I haven't really liked any of the Sanguinar, though I feel bad for their fates.
I did not like Joseph in this book, but I could understand why he had to do what he did. Being a leader certainly isn't easy.
Unfortunately, though, the previous problem I've had with this series cropped up again. The worldbuilding just gets more and more confusing. I don't understand this whole "soul" thing, or why Serena was saved (also, what is going to happen to her?), or how a "monster" developed in place of Iain's soul. Whenever I read about the monster and the soul, I just got more confused. How could Jackie save Iain's life by giving him her soul? Was he magically healed just from getting a soul? After all, he was physically dying, not dying because he had no soul. It makes no sense; it was as though the health of one's soul was tied to physical health as well.
Overall, though, I liked the story and the pacing and the characters. I believed in the romance- neither character was too clingy like before, and Iain didn't want Jackie to be saved, so there wasn't any of that affecting the development of their feelings for each other. I'm also glad that Iain's love and remembrance for Serena didn't entirely disappear, more that it had faded and he had moved on. It was more believable that way.
So, this was a rather good book in the series, even if some of the previous problems I've had carried over.
At first, I was exasperated with Jackie and her skittishness, but I grew to like her as she became determined to save Iain and never once hesitated in her resolve, even knowing about Stan. I also liked the explanation of why Jackie was so powerful and could bond to any male Theronai.
I also rather liked Iain. He wasn't a stereotypical hero, though he was somewhat similar to Madoc. I wish I could've seen him interact with his so-called monster more.
I liked the glimpses of Torr and Grace, Lyka, and even Hope and Logan. I have grown to like Hope and Logan as a couple more, and Hope as a character in general after she managed to summon Brenya. The only side story I didn't like was Ronan's. I haven't really liked any of the Sanguinar, though I feel bad for their fates.
I did not like Joseph in this book, but I could understand why he had to do what he did. Being a leader certainly isn't easy.
Unfortunately, though, the previous problem I've had with this series cropped up again. The worldbuilding just gets more and more confusing. I don't understand this whole "soul" thing, or why Serena was saved (also, what is going to happen to her?), or how a "monster" developed in place of Iain's soul. Whenever I read about the monster and the soul, I just got more confused. How could Jackie save Iain's life by giving him her soul? Was he magically healed just from getting a soul? After all, he was physically dying, not dying because he had no soul. It makes no sense; it was as though the health of one's soul was tied to physical health as well.
Overall, though, I liked the story and the pacing and the characters. I believed in the romance- neither character was too clingy like before, and Iain didn't want Jackie to be saved, so there wasn't any of that affecting the development of their feelings for each other. I'm also glad that Iain's love and remembrance for Serena didn't entirely disappear, more that it had faded and he had moved on. It was more believable that way.
So, this was a rather good book in the series, even if some of the previous problems I've had carried over.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2013
Synopsis:
Jackie Patton has been rescued by the Theronai from her captivity and torture at the hands of the Synestryn, only to learn that she's a potential match for the Theronai warriors who need a woman to literally save their lives.
Forced to choose, she unexpectedly selects Iain, a cold-hearted warrior who doesn't want to be saved. Iain is convinced that it's too late-that his soul is already as dead as his former betrothed, killed by the Synestryn. Still, he is the only one she wants. But is Iain indeed beyond saving?
My Thoughts:
I loved this one even more than I loved Madoc and Nika's story in Living Nightmare, which has been my favorite so far. I absolutely adore Iain and the way he just lays things out no matter how others feel about what he has to say. Plus, he was the rough type in bed. He and Madoc definitely have that going for them and apparently, my favorite guys seem to be the ones that are damn near past saving. Even though they can get mushy with their women, I still love them.
From the time Iain rescued Jackie in Living Nightmare, we've known they were compatible. Then, we learned that Jackie is basically compatible with every Theronai male in Dabyr and boy does she hate that. She can't stand the thought of being the only hope of so many men knowing she would have to pick one and sentence the rest to die unless they can find a Theronai woman that would be compatible with them. At the end of this book, we learn just how it is that she's compatible with everyone. Of course, she has no idea and the Sanguinar that know about sure aren't going to tell. Like Tynan said, secrets are no problem for him.
Anyway, Jackie wants to get the hell up out of Dabyr and she tricks Joseph into promising her that she can leave if she picks one of the men. Of course, she picks Iain, but she doesn't actually want to bond with him. He doesn't want to bond with her either. Iain knows his soul is dead and he'd rather Jackie pick someone else that she can actually save.
What follows are a lot of arguments, Iain making Jackie take a long, hard look at herself and her current behavior, growing feelings, some extremely hot sex scenes and fierce Jackie is fierce. I know some people are annoyed with her behavior in this book because she goes on about not wanting to have the Theronai constantly touching her and looking at her with hope, but it didn't bother me. I think she handled it as best as she could have, though I understood and even agreed, with Iain and Joseph's points about her picking someone and getting it over with. I like the way things evolved between her and Iain, though and really liked the way things worked out. I was not expecting that at all. Talk about a development. I am still lol @ the monster getting named Stan, though.
And then there were two big revelations: I wonder if Shannon will go there. It'd be interesting to see.
There were some other storylines going on as well. We see some development with Grace and I sure hope something can be done for her. Tori, too. That crazy girl needs some serious healing. Has no one noticed that Torr left Dabyr, though?
We learn something shocking about Lyka, the Slayer that came as a hostage as a means on fostering peace between the Theronai and the Slayers. That was surprising. I thought Joseph may have been getting set up to be with her, but now I wonder. It's still possible, but shouldn't he have felt something, then? Guess we'll see in the next book.
And of course we got to see more of Ronan and it's possible he may have found another woman from Temprocia. A woman like Hope. Will they end up together somehow? How, though when she's got so much Synestryn blood in her? And what about her baby? Will she survive labor?
There's much to look forward to in the next book.
Jackie Patton has been rescued by the Theronai from her captivity and torture at the hands of the Synestryn, only to learn that she's a potential match for the Theronai warriors who need a woman to literally save their lives.
Forced to choose, she unexpectedly selects Iain, a cold-hearted warrior who doesn't want to be saved. Iain is convinced that it's too late-that his soul is already as dead as his former betrothed, killed by the Synestryn. Still, he is the only one she wants. But is Iain indeed beyond saving?
My Thoughts:
I loved this one even more than I loved Madoc and Nika's story in Living Nightmare, which has been my favorite so far. I absolutely adore Iain and the way he just lays things out no matter how others feel about what he has to say. Plus, he was the rough type in bed. He and Madoc definitely have that going for them and apparently, my favorite guys seem to be the ones that are damn near past saving. Even though they can get mushy with their women, I still love them.
From the time Iain rescued Jackie in Living Nightmare, we've known they were compatible. Then, we learned that Jackie is basically compatible with every Theronai male in Dabyr and boy does she hate that. She can't stand the thought of being the only hope of so many men knowing she would have to pick one and sentence the rest to die unless they can find a Theronai woman that would be compatible with them. At the end of this book, we learn just how it is that she's compatible with everyone. Of course, she has no idea and the Sanguinar that know about sure aren't going to tell. Like Tynan said, secrets are no problem for him.
Anyway, Jackie wants to get the hell up out of Dabyr and she tricks Joseph into promising her that she can leave if she picks one of the men. Of course, she picks Iain, but she doesn't actually want to bond with him. He doesn't want to bond with her either. Iain knows his soul is dead and he'd rather Jackie pick someone else that she can actually save.
What follows are a lot of arguments, Iain making Jackie take a long, hard look at herself and her current behavior, growing feelings, some extremely hot sex scenes and fierce Jackie is fierce. I know some people are annoyed with her behavior in this book because she goes on about not wanting to have the Theronai constantly touching her and looking at her with hope, but it didn't bother me. I think she handled it as best as she could have, though I understood and even agreed, with Iain and Joseph's points about her picking someone and getting it over with. I like the way things evolved between her and Iain, though and really liked the way things worked out. I was not expecting that at all. Talk about a development. I am still lol @ the monster getting named Stan, though.
And then there were two big revelations: I wonder if Shannon will go there. It'd be interesting to see.
There were some other storylines going on as well. We see some development with Grace and I sure hope something can be done for her. Tori, too. That crazy girl needs some serious healing. Has no one noticed that Torr left Dabyr, though?
We learn something shocking about Lyka, the Slayer that came as a hostage as a means on fostering peace between the Theronai and the Slayers. That was surprising. I thought Joseph may have been getting set up to be with her, but now I wonder. It's still possible, but shouldn't he have felt something, then? Guess we'll see in the next book.
And of course we got to see more of Ronan and it's possible he may have found another woman from Temprocia. A woman like Hope. Will they end up together somehow? How, though when she's got so much Synestryn blood in her? And what about her baby? Will she survive labor?
There's much to look forward to in the next book.
March 25, 2012
As I prepared to write this it occurred to me that much of my review for Butcher’s previous full length novel in this series hold true: My bottom line is that I liked this book a great deal, just as I have enjoyed all of the previous installments, but it is a series novel that needs the context of the previous stories. Read this novel only if you have already read the earlier books—there are too many subplots to wade through if you don’t already know some of what has already taken place. As with other series novels, only the main plot is given any resolution; all of the subplots are left fairly unresolved and will (hopefully) carry over to the next story. Although I have given this book 3 stars, it’s really more like 3.5 stars.
This story focuses on Jackie Patton, who we discovered in the last novel is Helen Day’s biological sister, and Iain Terra. Jackie has discovered (much to her profound horror) that she has the ability to bond with any Theronai warrior, and this has led to a parade of men wanting her to partner with them. But a couple of years in captivity in the Synestryn breeding program left her deeply scarred, and there’s no way she’s even willing to fake it to keep others happy. Stuck between the rock of not wanting to be touched and the hard place of being a perpetual target for the Synestryn, she chooses the only warrior who doesn’t seem to want her: Iain Terra.
There’s a good reason Iain has no interest in Jackie: He’s the leader of the Band of the Barren, Theronai warriors who have lost their soul. Iain has found a way to conceal these men from the leader of the Theronai in order to prevent the certain death sentence these men face. Iain knows he’s only prolonged the inevitable for himself and his friends, but he can’t allow them to meekly go to their deaths before they’ve done anything that merits this punishment. He wants the comfort and relief of partnering with Jackie, but without his soul such a pairing wouldn’t survive long-term. He’s convinced she’s better off saving another. Too bad she’s fed up with all the groping and puppy dog eyes and wants only the relief of a partner who wants her as little as she wants him.
But this is a romance, so this state of affairs isn’t destined to last very long. The more Jackie and Iain try to stay away from each other, the more events conspire to bring them together. Like every other leading lady before her, Jackie has a useful talent, and is cajoled into using that talent to destroy Synestryn. There are a couple of major twists that need to be dealt with (their traumatic pasts and his lack of a soul) and then they live Happily Ever After.
Although the majority of the story is about Jackie and Iain, Butcher digresses a great deal to introduce or touch upon other plot lines. Butcher’s Sentinel Wars series is now six books in, and extensive world building means that each new novel has an increasing amount of subplots included. Subplots in this book include the leader of the Theronai, Joseph Rayd, fighting his growing attraction to Lyka, who has been living with the Theronai as a hostage in trade with the Slayers. In another important plot development a method to heal Grace, the human Theronai warrior Torr loves, has been discovered, and the implications for both Torr and the Theronai are unclear. And, just in case the reader isn’t overwhelmed by minor plot developments, two unrelated characters in other subplots announce that there are as many as six more Theronai women that need to be found and brought to Dabyr. These are only three of the important subplots in the novel, and I am upset that I didn’t go back and read at least the last few books to remind myself of what had gone before. Random thought: There must be no gay or lesbian Theronai, since they all must be in mated pairs of opposite genders. But now I’m the one digressing! This is definitely not the place to start reading the books, and I highly recommend a review of the series before starting this one if you have read the books! (And it all begs the question of how long it will be before a “Sentinel Companion” is released to help readers keep track of who’s who.)
This isn’t to say that I didn’t like the book, because I did, I just don’t suggest that the last two novels be read without the context of the series. As with the other books, there’s a lot of action, intrigue, and romance, and I am curious about the addition of new villains. Just when the main baddie of the series, Zillah, was starting to become predictable a new, more powerful panel of villains has come along. Buckle up—it’s going be a bumpy ride for the characters who will surely get books next!
I think my biggest complaint about the Sentinels series as a whole lies with the lack of discussion about the Slayers; they’ve been mentioned in several stories, but it seems like they’re an afterthought, unworthy of involvement in the series. They’re clearly an important part of the Sentinel trifecta, so why are they being shut out of the narrative? Along those same lines, the reader is also being deprived of any more details about Athanasia, or princes Eron and Lucien, who have defied their king and secretly traveled to Earth in order to father daughters who could save the Sentinels. Hope’s plot twist in the previous novel, Blood Hunt, doesn’t make this situation any better, and I do wish that Butcher would devote more time in her stories to exploring the Athanasia/Earth ties and the complex political situation that has led to this particularly troubled moment in Sentinel history.
This being said, I find these books highly pleasurable to read, and I have faith that my questions will be answered in due time. I’m already sitting on pins and needles waiting to see who is going to get the next story in the series!
This story focuses on Jackie Patton, who we discovered in the last novel is Helen Day’s biological sister, and Iain Terra. Jackie has discovered (much to her profound horror) that she has the ability to bond with any Theronai warrior, and this has led to a parade of men wanting her to partner with them. But a couple of years in captivity in the Synestryn breeding program left her deeply scarred, and there’s no way she’s even willing to fake it to keep others happy. Stuck between the rock of not wanting to be touched and the hard place of being a perpetual target for the Synestryn, she chooses the only warrior who doesn’t seem to want her: Iain Terra.
There’s a good reason Iain has no interest in Jackie: He’s the leader of the Band of the Barren, Theronai warriors who have lost their soul. Iain has found a way to conceal these men from the leader of the Theronai in order to prevent the certain death sentence these men face. Iain knows he’s only prolonged the inevitable for himself and his friends, but he can’t allow them to meekly go to their deaths before they’ve done anything that merits this punishment. He wants the comfort and relief of partnering with Jackie, but without his soul such a pairing wouldn’t survive long-term. He’s convinced she’s better off saving another. Too bad she’s fed up with all the groping and puppy dog eyes and wants only the relief of a partner who wants her as little as she wants him.
But this is a romance, so this state of affairs isn’t destined to last very long. The more Jackie and Iain try to stay away from each other, the more events conspire to bring them together. Like every other leading lady before her, Jackie has a useful talent, and is cajoled into using that talent to destroy Synestryn. There are a couple of major twists that need to be dealt with (their traumatic pasts and his lack of a soul) and then they live Happily Ever After.
Although the majority of the story is about Jackie and Iain, Butcher digresses a great deal to introduce or touch upon other plot lines. Butcher’s Sentinel Wars series is now six books in, and extensive world building means that each new novel has an increasing amount of subplots included. Subplots in this book include the leader of the Theronai, Joseph Rayd, fighting his growing attraction to Lyka, who has been living with the Theronai as a hostage in trade with the Slayers. In another important plot development a method to heal Grace, the human Theronai warrior Torr loves, has been discovered, and the implications for both Torr and the Theronai are unclear. And, just in case the reader isn’t overwhelmed by minor plot developments, two unrelated characters in other subplots announce that there are as many as six more Theronai women that need to be found and brought to Dabyr. These are only three of the important subplots in the novel, and I am upset that I didn’t go back and read at least the last few books to remind myself of what had gone before. Random thought: There must be no gay or lesbian Theronai, since they all must be in mated pairs of opposite genders. But now I’m the one digressing! This is definitely not the place to start reading the books, and I highly recommend a review of the series before starting this one if you have read the books! (And it all begs the question of how long it will be before a “Sentinel Companion” is released to help readers keep track of who’s who.)
This isn’t to say that I didn’t like the book, because I did, I just don’t suggest that the last two novels be read without the context of the series. As with the other books, there’s a lot of action, intrigue, and romance, and I am curious about the addition of new villains. Just when the main baddie of the series, Zillah, was starting to become predictable a new, more powerful panel of villains has come along. Buckle up—it’s going be a bumpy ride for the characters who will surely get books next!
I think my biggest complaint about the Sentinels series as a whole lies with the lack of discussion about the Slayers; they’ve been mentioned in several stories, but it seems like they’re an afterthought, unworthy of involvement in the series. They’re clearly an important part of the Sentinel trifecta, so why are they being shut out of the narrative? Along those same lines, the reader is also being deprived of any more details about Athanasia, or princes Eron and Lucien, who have defied their king and secretly traveled to Earth in order to father daughters who could save the Sentinels. Hope’s plot twist in the previous novel, Blood Hunt, doesn’t make this situation any better, and I do wish that Butcher would devote more time in her stories to exploring the Athanasia/Earth ties and the complex political situation that has led to this particularly troubled moment in Sentinel history.
This being said, I find these books highly pleasurable to read, and I have faith that my questions will be answered in due time. I’m already sitting on pins and needles waiting to see who is going to get the next story in the series!
June 22, 2020
The fates of the Sentinels are getting worse. The men are losing hope. Rather than choosing and committing her life to one of them, Jackie wants to leave. Torr refuses to let Grace go, but Hope may have a way, a chance to save her. Also Tori is going insane and needs to be locked up for hers and everyone’s safety.
The main focus of the story is about Jackie and Iain, but there’s a lot of demon killing. And I love bringing the magical Stone column into the story.
Footnote: 1) I agree with Miss Mabel about not having enough time to read (almost) every book on the planet.
Fave scenes: Jackie’s choosing decision, magical scrubbing bubbles, meeting Brenya and Jackie & Ian escaping the blocked cave.
The main focus of the story is about Jackie and Iain, but there’s a lot of demon killing. And I love bringing the magical Stone column into the story.
Footnote: 1) I agree with Miss Mabel about not having enough time to read (almost) every book on the planet.
Fave scenes: Jackie’s choosing decision, magical scrubbing bubbles, meeting Brenya and Jackie & Ian escaping the blocked cave.
July 2, 2023
4.25/5
This was a book I looked forward to. I liked the addition of the male's backstory with his ex. And I can fully understand someone wanting to put two years of captivity behind her and get back to what had been her normal life before. I also liked the way the lifemark was handled in the end. The story led me to believe things would end differently so I was pleasantly surprised.
This was a book I looked forward to. I liked the addition of the male's backstory with his ex. And I can fully understand someone wanting to put two years of captivity behind her and get back to what had been her normal life before. I also liked the way the lifemark was handled in the end. The story led me to believe things would end differently so I was pleasantly surprised.
January 15, 2022
Each one of these books is just a slight variation of the last one. I know that something more has to be coming to the story than just fighting the same demons and finding compatible women. I am invested in the characters and love this world. I am excited to see more development of it though.
February 15, 2017
Wow! This one word sums up this book.
May 1, 2020
Another good one is all I will say
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