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The Bloodhound Files #3
Killing Rocks
FBI profiler Jace Valchek’s ticket home from the twisted parallel universe where she’s been called to duty hinges on the capture of serial killer Aristotle Stoker—and an alliance with a sorcerer known as Asher. The problem: Asher has joined forces with some of the most dangerous creatures Jace has ever encountered. The solution: There is none, without Asher’s help…
Jace’s goal seems simple enough—to get her man, like always. But just hours after she arrives in Vegas, she’s abducted…and she isn’t even sure who the real enemy is. Now Jace has to wonder if she’s the predator or the prey in a very dangerous game that could change not only her fate, but the world’s…Meanwhile, a serial killer is still on the loose. And time has already run out…
Jace’s goal seems simple enough—to get her man, like always. But just hours after she arrives in Vegas, she’s abducted…and she isn’t even sure who the real enemy is. Now Jace has to wonder if she’s the predator or the prey in a very dangerous game that could change not only her fate, but the world’s…Meanwhile, a serial killer is still on the loose. And time has already run out…
308 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 17, 2010
48 people are currently reading
1160 people want to read
About the author
D.D. Barant
22 books474 followersPseudonyms: Don DeBrandt & Donn Cortez & Dixie Lyle
DD Barant lives in Vancouver, BC, and loves monsters, chocolate, animals, reading, comics and lying naked on the beach, while hating bullies, narrow-minded people, Sea Urchin Sushi and gluten. He has stated that DD Barant is a pseudonym, and that it is not the only pseudonym under which he writes.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ddbarant
http://ddbarant.com
DD Barant lives in Vancouver, BC, and loves monsters, chocolate, animals, reading, comics and lying naked on the beach, while hating bullies, narrow-minded people, Sea Urchin Sushi and gluten. He has stated that DD Barant is a pseudonym, and that it is not the only pseudonym under which he writes.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ddbarant
http://ddbarant.com
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June 21, 2015
With a lead on Asher and Stoker, Jace is headed to Vegas to hopefully catch the one mage who can take her home and fill out her employment contract by taking Stoker out. Naturally, any plan that Jace is involved in cannot run smoothly. Before she knows it, Jace is seperated from her team, Charlie has been enchanted and her only two allies are Tair - her former doctor/friend turned evil and a spy from another world she doesn't know. All of Jace's choices are bad but she knows that she must move forward if she has any hope of saving her friends and while she's at it, the world.
Of all of the books in The Bloodhound Files that I have read to date, Killing Rocks seems easily the most confused. First, we have the switch to several different planes of existence and the creatures which inhabit them. It made it hard to understand what was what and where exactly the story was taking place at any given moment. There were too many unfamiliar myths wrapped into the story and some quite frankly never become relevant. At times, Killing Rocks is overly descriptive making it a struggle not to skim - a struggle I lost in passages of the novel.
In Killing Rocks, we saw a lot of Jace's former life as part of a dream spell which haunted her. In these scenes we saw her work interactions with serial killers, trying to assure that they paid for their misdeeds and the toll it took on her. This is one of the few times we have seen Jace vulnerable and it really worked. The kick ass protagonist able to whip her gun out and order people around is a bit of a cardboard trope and Jace's backstory and personality needed to progress beyond the constant and mostly juvenile sarcasm.
In Killing Rocks, Barant started to deal with what makes one a slave, with uprising of the golems. Charlie believes strongly that golems should be in charge of their own reproduction and no longer wants to be viewed as a commodity. He tells Jace that lems are people even they don't care about food or sex. It takes a little while for Jace to start to see Charlie's point of view and when she does, she realises that parents don't charge their children for being born, yet that is not the case with Lems. She further realises that the right to procreate should be a basic right, yet it's withheld from Lems. This line of thought by Jace is unfortunately very brief. I think that Barant could have delved deeper into this. I did however like who the world learned how central lems are for running it efficiently.
Once gain The Bloodhound Files continues it horrible ableism.
“I am different. I’m a criminal profiler for the FBI, specializing in hunting down homicidal psychos—a job that doesn’t seem to exist here. Pires and thropes and lems don’t go crazy—well, they never used to, anyway—so they need me to hunt down Stoker, who’s definitely out of his gourd—”
The woman in the flowery dress shakes her head. “I don’t know what that means.”
“Mentally unstable. Deranged. Squirrelly. Nuts. Wacko. Out to lunch—”
Nasally Mustache frowns. “You’re no different from anyone else, Jace. You have to accept that before we can help you.”
“—insane in the brain. Off his meds. Unable to locate his marbles. Needs to be fitted for a long-sleeved love-me jacket so he can hug himself all day long. Bats in the control center, long-term resident of a rubber room, lights are on but so is the VACANCY sign—” (pg 4-5)
Could Barant have included any more slurs for mentally ill people? If that were not enough, Barant has Stoker apologise and admit to being unbalanced. The thing is, I cannot get behind the idea that Stoker is a terroist when there are only one million humans left and just in world war II alone, pires slaughtered 6 million of them so they could reproduce. Rebellion isn't supposed to look pretty and it seems as though humanity has undergone a genocide.
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Of all of the books in The Bloodhound Files that I have read to date, Killing Rocks seems easily the most confused. First, we have the switch to several different planes of existence and the creatures which inhabit them. It made it hard to understand what was what and where exactly the story was taking place at any given moment. There were too many unfamiliar myths wrapped into the story and some quite frankly never become relevant. At times, Killing Rocks is overly descriptive making it a struggle not to skim - a struggle I lost in passages of the novel.
In Killing Rocks, we saw a lot of Jace's former life as part of a dream spell which haunted her. In these scenes we saw her work interactions with serial killers, trying to assure that they paid for their misdeeds and the toll it took on her. This is one of the few times we have seen Jace vulnerable and it really worked. The kick ass protagonist able to whip her gun out and order people around is a bit of a cardboard trope and Jace's backstory and personality needed to progress beyond the constant and mostly juvenile sarcasm.
In Killing Rocks, Barant started to deal with what makes one a slave, with uprising of the golems. Charlie believes strongly that golems should be in charge of their own reproduction and no longer wants to be viewed as a commodity. He tells Jace that lems are people even they don't care about food or sex. It takes a little while for Jace to start to see Charlie's point of view and when she does, she realises that parents don't charge their children for being born, yet that is not the case with Lems. She further realises that the right to procreate should be a basic right, yet it's withheld from Lems. This line of thought by Jace is unfortunately very brief. I think that Barant could have delved deeper into this. I did however like who the world learned how central lems are for running it efficiently.
Once gain The Bloodhound Files continues it horrible ableism.
“I am different. I’m a criminal profiler for the FBI, specializing in hunting down homicidal psychos—a job that doesn’t seem to exist here. Pires and thropes and lems don’t go crazy—well, they never used to, anyway—so they need me to hunt down Stoker, who’s definitely out of his gourd—”
The woman in the flowery dress shakes her head. “I don’t know what that means.”
“Mentally unstable. Deranged. Squirrelly. Nuts. Wacko. Out to lunch—”
Nasally Mustache frowns. “You’re no different from anyone else, Jace. You have to accept that before we can help you.”
“—insane in the brain. Off his meds. Unable to locate his marbles. Needs to be fitted for a long-sleeved love-me jacket so he can hug himself all day long. Bats in the control center, long-term resident of a rubber room, lights are on but so is the VACANCY sign—” (pg 4-5)
Could Barant have included any more slurs for mentally ill people? If that were not enough, Barant has Stoker apologise and admit to being unbalanced. The thing is, I cannot get behind the idea that Stoker is a terroist when there are only one million humans left and just in world war II alone, pires slaughtered 6 million of them so they could reproduce. Rebellion isn't supposed to look pretty and it seems as though humanity has undergone a genocide.
Read More
April 19, 2011
Dear MR Barant,
I understand you are a tv writer. And your novels definitely read like scripts. Good scripts. Fun scripts. I hope you sell the tv rights and they become a series. Soon. With a big budget.
Before I realized that you wrote for tv, I thought, as of the second novel, that each novel would be an exploration of a different literary genre, first comic books, then myths and legends, and I wondered what would come next- poetry, perhaps, or texts? Then i realized each book should be seen as a different season, taking place in a different world. Which makes me wonder what next? Perhaps a world of 18th century inter-planetary pirates? Well, a girl can dream...
Anyhow, I really, really enjoy your novels, even when you take Dr Pete away, or Charlie. But i do have one request. Could you please add a little romance? Some hot, steamy sex? Even if it happens off-screen. Granted, it might take a little bit of Jace's edge off, but a girl needs to smile now and then. Also, you know, sex does sell- even on the the big networks. If I'm going to stay up late to watch your series, I'm going to need the hope of glimpsing Cassius's buttocks, you know?
Lastly, and I know I'm a PITA now- your book covers. Hmmm, they don't reflect your novels, do they ? I mean, your novels are so much more/other than the Urban Fantasy your covers indicate. I think you need to have a talk with your publishers.
That's it.
Most respectfully,
Erica
I understand you are a tv writer. And your novels definitely read like scripts. Good scripts. Fun scripts. I hope you sell the tv rights and they become a series. Soon. With a big budget.
Before I realized that you wrote for tv, I thought, as of the second novel, that each novel would be an exploration of a different literary genre, first comic books, then myths and legends, and I wondered what would come next- poetry, perhaps, or texts? Then i realized each book should be seen as a different season, taking place in a different world. Which makes me wonder what next? Perhaps a world of 18th century inter-planetary pirates? Well, a girl can dream...
Anyhow, I really, really enjoy your novels, even when you take Dr Pete away, or Charlie. But i do have one request. Could you please add a little romance? Some hot, steamy sex? Even if it happens off-screen. Granted, it might take a little bit of Jace's edge off, but a girl needs to smile now and then. Also, you know, sex does sell- even on the the big networks. If I'm going to stay up late to watch your series, I'm going to need the hope of glimpsing Cassius's buttocks, you know?
Lastly, and I know I'm a PITA now- your book covers. Hmmm, they don't reflect your novels, do they ? I mean, your novels are so much more/other than the Urban Fantasy your covers indicate. I think you need to have a talk with your publishers.
That's it.
Most respectfully,
Erica
January 22, 2018
Book 3 in the series. You don't have th readthe the previous 2 to enjoy the story but I do recommend it to fully grasp everything going on.
Okay so we or rather the characters deal with different realities, was the, dimensions whatever you call it. There is magic, Weres, vampires, undead and golems.
Jace is officially from our world but pulled out of her world and thrust into a world where humans are less than 1 percent of the population. Tropes and pires the rest. Then you have golems who are basically living statues with no real status other than laborers.
So lems want a change and with Asher help the take over begins. Now with 2 worlds colliding, have is running out of allies, plans, and clothes. For if she can't figure out a way to stop the take over, stay alive, and come out still human; she might not be only stuck but it could be the end of two worlds.
Okay so we or rather the characters deal with different realities, was the, dimensions whatever you call it. There is magic, Weres, vampires, undead and golems.
Jace is officially from our world but pulled out of her world and thrust into a world where humans are less than 1 percent of the population. Tropes and pires the rest. Then you have golems who are basically living statues with no real status other than laborers.
So lems want a change and with Asher help the take over begins. Now with 2 worlds colliding, have is running out of allies, plans, and clothes. For if she can't figure out a way to stop the take over, stay alive, and come out still human; she might not be only stuck but it could be the end of two worlds.
January 18, 2011
Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/01/rev...
Favorite Quote: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Except for tattoos and STDs.”
Jace is back and ready for anything in the 3rd installment of the Bloodhound Files series. Cassius informs Jace at the end of Dying Bites that the sorcerer who was responsible for bringing her to this alternate world has been sighted and if she can find him and capture Stoker-she can go home. Magic words to Jace’s ears. But she should know by now that nothing is easy in the crime fighting world and the criminals never do what she wants them to.
When Cassius hands Jace intel showing Aristotle Stoker and the sorcerer Asher are in Vegas, Jace and Charlie catch the first flight out and rendezvous with a select team that will be used to infiltrate and bring them down. But before Jace can set anything in motion, she receives a mysterious phone call telling her that they know the reason she was brought to this alternative world and asks to meet her. Jace, against her own judgment, goes to the meeting and finds herself abducted. When Jace is incommunicado, Charlie joins a golem resistance movement and Asher and Stoker get away. When Jace and her new “partner” Azura begin to investigate what Asher is up to, Jace finds herself separated from her friends and depending on her enemies for survival as a war is coming that may end her chances of going home forever.
Jace Valchek continues to be one of my top 10 urban fantasy heroines. Her snarky attitude mixed with her smart and innovative style makes for non stop thrills and laughter as she tries to navigate her life in an world that views her as a dinner entree. The continuously evolving storyline and clever blending of situations makes for a fast paced, smoothly entertaining story that had me racing to see what happens next. Fantastic world building where humans are the minority provides an addictive mix of fantasy and mythology with enough of supernatural unpredictably to keep it fresh till the end.
The secondary characters are tight and well developed with personalities all their own. Each of them are strong enough to have their own books. Charlie, Jace’s golem partner, is a solid presence with his pin striped suits and very dry humor. When a situation places he and Jace on opposite sides, I was relieved to see neither of them lose an ounce of integrity to the plot. A new character is introduced, Azura, who I really hope is seen again in future books. A mage from another world, she to is looking to capture Asher. She and Jace complement each other perfectly in this story and they were hilarious to watch together. We don’t see much of the original cast- Cassius or Gretchen-but hopefully the next installment will bring them back into the storyline.
There are multiple convoluted storylines that run simultaneously and we are given some interesting history regarding alternate worlds. Ms. Barant does a wonderful job of explaining complicated matters in an easy and plausible manner. No romance this time around either, but some interesting developments that have me really interested in seeing what Ms. Barant goes with it.
The ending was brilliant and had me cackling with glee. The separate story lines merge together in to a climactic finish that is the best ending to date. The “epilogue” was bland and felt like it had been tacked on as an after thought. My glee deflated a little after I read it.
Even though this could be read as a stand alone, I recommend starting from the beginning of the series. Ms Barant does give enough previous story background to give you a general idea of what is going on, but you lose a lot of underlying nuances that makes this series such a wonderfully rich and eclectic series by not reading the first two.
All in all a fantastic addition to this series that takes a bit of fantasy, mixes it with sci-fi, and bakes into a wickedly action packed snarky treat for all.
Rating: B+
Favorite Quote: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Except for tattoos and STDs.”
Jace is back and ready for anything in the 3rd installment of the Bloodhound Files series. Cassius informs Jace at the end of Dying Bites that the sorcerer who was responsible for bringing her to this alternate world has been sighted and if she can find him and capture Stoker-she can go home. Magic words to Jace’s ears. But she should know by now that nothing is easy in the crime fighting world and the criminals never do what she wants them to.
When Cassius hands Jace intel showing Aristotle Stoker and the sorcerer Asher are in Vegas, Jace and Charlie catch the first flight out and rendezvous with a select team that will be used to infiltrate and bring them down. But before Jace can set anything in motion, she receives a mysterious phone call telling her that they know the reason she was brought to this alternative world and asks to meet her. Jace, against her own judgment, goes to the meeting and finds herself abducted. When Jace is incommunicado, Charlie joins a golem resistance movement and Asher and Stoker get away. When Jace and her new “partner” Azura begin to investigate what Asher is up to, Jace finds herself separated from her friends and depending on her enemies for survival as a war is coming that may end her chances of going home forever.
Jace Valchek continues to be one of my top 10 urban fantasy heroines. Her snarky attitude mixed with her smart and innovative style makes for non stop thrills and laughter as she tries to navigate her life in an world that views her as a dinner entree. The continuously evolving storyline and clever blending of situations makes for a fast paced, smoothly entertaining story that had me racing to see what happens next. Fantastic world building where humans are the minority provides an addictive mix of fantasy and mythology with enough of supernatural unpredictably to keep it fresh till the end.
The secondary characters are tight and well developed with personalities all their own. Each of them are strong enough to have their own books. Charlie, Jace’s golem partner, is a solid presence with his pin striped suits and very dry humor. When a situation places he and Jace on opposite sides, I was relieved to see neither of them lose an ounce of integrity to the plot. A new character is introduced, Azura, who I really hope is seen again in future books. A mage from another world, she to is looking to capture Asher. She and Jace complement each other perfectly in this story and they were hilarious to watch together. We don’t see much of the original cast- Cassius or Gretchen-but hopefully the next installment will bring them back into the storyline.
There are multiple convoluted storylines that run simultaneously and we are given some interesting history regarding alternate worlds. Ms. Barant does a wonderful job of explaining complicated matters in an easy and plausible manner. No romance this time around either, but some interesting developments that have me really interested in seeing what Ms. Barant goes with it.
The ending was brilliant and had me cackling with glee. The separate story lines merge together in to a climactic finish that is the best ending to date. The “epilogue” was bland and felt like it had been tacked on as an after thought. My glee deflated a little after I read it.
Even though this could be read as a stand alone, I recommend starting from the beginning of the series. Ms Barant does give enough previous story background to give you a general idea of what is going on, but you lose a lot of underlying nuances that makes this series such a wonderfully rich and eclectic series by not reading the first two.
All in all a fantastic addition to this series that takes a bit of fantasy, mixes it with sci-fi, and bakes into a wickedly action packed snarky treat for all.
Rating: B+
January 26, 2011
This is the third book of the Bloodhound Files. The protagonist, FBI profiler Jace, is still stuck in another universe, where as a human she's part of a minority in a world populated by golems, vampires and weres.
This book returns, from the slight diversion of the last book, to Jace's hunt for the human terrorist Aristotle Stoker. That said, another nemesis is revealed who may become the main villian of this series. Asher is the sorcerer who originally brought Jace over into this universe, and this book (at the very end) finally gives up an answer to what Jace and readers have been wondering. Why her? To not be too spoilery, I'll just say that I loved how it led back to Jace's own profiler roots, which was (she has been told) the reason she was originally kidnapped. Asher/Ahaseurus is the creator of the Golem spell, amongst other things and is revealed to come from yet another universe, Nightshadow.
Las Vagas is taken over by Golems who suddenly want to impose a new world order where humans are at the top. Jace is separated from her team (including her golem partner Charlie who's gone rogue) while hunting Stoker and Asher as the universe she's in and Nightshadow merge. Asher is revealed to be behind these events and Jace is joined by an intelligence operative from Nightshadow called Azura in trying to foil Asher's dastardly plot, whatever that may be.
The first two books seemed a little disorientated as to the direction the series was headed in. However, Killing Rocks ties things together and reveals a direction for the series. I was a little disappointed and confused by the second book, but crucial plot points from it help propel the third. Taking place in Las Vegas means Gretchen and Eisfanger are in the background, but Cassius, Charlie and Tair are back along with Silverado and the artifacts lost in Death Blows.
One of this series' strengths is its worldbuilding. However, there is a slight sense of information overload with all the different magic systems, mythology and characters introduced. In fact, some characters are introduced and die before I can straighten out who they are. Dying Bites was sort of thematically tied around deity based magic, Death Blows dealt with comic books. Killing Rocks focuses on magic based on mythology and there is a lot of it, including mythology from Nightshadow.
I started reading this series when the first book had just come out so it's been awhile between each book. This is a series that probably rewards rereading, I'd forgotten a lot of the plot and information given in the previous books. It also makes me think about how, after three books, little about Jace we've actually been told, there's not a lot of background exposition about characters. In the previous books I found it frustrating as I couldn't really understand or empathise with Jace. Now I find it one of the series' strengths.
I looking forwards to the next book, more of Jace and Charlie, hopefully more of Azura and her world, and Tair/Dr Pete. Stoker has, for me, finally become a character rather than a plot device so I'm eager to find out where his "alliance" with Asher will lead.
This book returns, from the slight diversion of the last book, to Jace's hunt for the human terrorist Aristotle Stoker. That said, another nemesis is revealed who may become the main villian of this series. Asher is the sorcerer who originally brought Jace over into this universe, and this book (at the very end) finally gives up an answer to what Jace and readers have been wondering. Why her? To not be too spoilery, I'll just say that I loved how it led back to Jace's own profiler roots, which was (she has been told) the reason she was originally kidnapped. Asher/Ahaseurus is the creator of the Golem spell, amongst other things and is revealed to come from yet another universe, Nightshadow.
Las Vagas is taken over by Golems who suddenly want to impose a new world order where humans are at the top. Jace is separated from her team (including her golem partner Charlie who's gone rogue) while hunting Stoker and Asher as the universe she's in and Nightshadow merge. Asher is revealed to be behind these events and Jace is joined by an intelligence operative from Nightshadow called Azura in trying to foil Asher's dastardly plot, whatever that may be.
The first two books seemed a little disorientated as to the direction the series was headed in. However, Killing Rocks ties things together and reveals a direction for the series. I was a little disappointed and confused by the second book, but crucial plot points from it help propel the third. Taking place in Las Vegas means Gretchen and Eisfanger are in the background, but Cassius, Charlie and Tair are back along with Silverado and the artifacts lost in Death Blows.
One of this series' strengths is its worldbuilding. However, there is a slight sense of information overload with all the different magic systems, mythology and characters introduced. In fact, some characters are introduced and die before I can straighten out who they are. Dying Bites was sort of thematically tied around deity based magic, Death Blows dealt with comic books. Killing Rocks focuses on magic based on mythology and there is a lot of it, including mythology from Nightshadow.
I started reading this series when the first book had just come out so it's been awhile between each book. This is a series that probably rewards rereading, I'd forgotten a lot of the plot and information given in the previous books. It also makes me think about how, after three books, little about Jace we've actually been told, there's not a lot of background exposition about characters. In the previous books I found it frustrating as I couldn't really understand or empathise with Jace. Now I find it one of the series' strengths.
I looking forwards to the next book, more of Jace and Charlie, hopefully more of Azura and her world, and Tair/Dr Pete. Stoker has, for me, finally become a character rather than a plot device so I'm eager to find out where his "alliance" with Asher will lead.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2011
3rd in a series
I think the names of the books in this series is one of the best things about it. There is a hint into the plot within two words that also imply something positive about death. Its really fun. I'm kind of sad that the fourth book won't follow this trend, because honestly, its one of the reasons I read this series. I just love seeing how cleverly each book has been named. Oh, well.
Ok, I really enjoyed parts of this book and I really hated parts of this book. This seems to be my trend for this series and is why I gave it a middle of the road rating. And honestly, its very hard to finger exactly which things I loved and which things I hated. They are oddly intertwined.
I was actually glad to have a bit of a break from Cassius. I just do not find him that appealing. Just how a centuries old, 18 year old looking, mass murdering, surfer boy vampire, who now even gets zits, whose only potential to love Jace comes from the fact she is fiercely alive as part of her strong personality so through her, he can feel the addicted rush of love and death tied together be a true love interest for a 25-30 year old woman who strong personality is her greatest weapon. (What a mouthful.) The next title in the series "Better off Undead" concerns me greatly. I hope it doesn't mean Jace is headed in that direction.
I hated Charlie being under a compulsion spell, but by the same token this became the reason I most wanted Jace to succeed. Asher's successful "revolution" basically killed Charlie's quirky personality and it was so sad to witness.
Azura. I loved and hated her. Jace was a little too quick to trust someone who tied her up, stole her appearance, and caused chaos among her team. This uncharacteristic blind trust made it difficult for me to buy into Azura's character like a note that rings false. But mostly I liked their interactions.
Like most of the books in this series the biggest problem I have is too much mythos explained in very long, odd round about ways. I end up skimming those parts and hoping I'll catch the gist of it, which I do because it really doesn't take the pages to explain that DD Barant spends on it. In fact, the long explanations and time spent on myth reenactments only serve to frustrate and confuse because it detracts from the actual story.
I'm actually digging Tair as a character. I'm finding him a much more engaging potential love interest than Cassius. As Dr. Pete he was too boring, but as Tair, he becomes a complex dangerous combination. In one scene, I think he felt a little confused about why he cared so much about what happened to her. I dug that. I wouldn't want to see Tair completely reformed because he's more fun this way, but I would like to see how "Dr. Pete's" pack and Tair interact. Will any of Dr. Pete's love for them also come through in Tair? Oh, and how confusing would Tair be on poor Gally?
I think the names of the books in this series is one of the best things about it. There is a hint into the plot within two words that also imply something positive about death. Its really fun. I'm kind of sad that the fourth book won't follow this trend, because honestly, its one of the reasons I read this series. I just love seeing how cleverly each book has been named. Oh, well.
Ok, I really enjoyed parts of this book and I really hated parts of this book. This seems to be my trend for this series and is why I gave it a middle of the road rating. And honestly, its very hard to finger exactly which things I loved and which things I hated. They are oddly intertwined.
I was actually glad to have a bit of a break from Cassius. I just do not find him that appealing. Just how a centuries old, 18 year old looking, mass murdering, surfer boy vampire, who now even gets zits, whose only potential to love Jace comes from the fact she is fiercely alive as part of her strong personality so through her, he can feel the addicted rush of love and death tied together be a true love interest for a 25-30 year old woman who strong personality is her greatest weapon. (What a mouthful.) The next title in the series "Better off Undead" concerns me greatly. I hope it doesn't mean Jace is headed in that direction.
I hated Charlie being under a compulsion spell, but by the same token this became the reason I most wanted Jace to succeed. Asher's successful "revolution" basically killed Charlie's quirky personality and it was so sad to witness.
Azura. I loved and hated her. Jace was a little too quick to trust someone who tied her up, stole her appearance, and caused chaos among her team. This uncharacteristic blind trust made it difficult for me to buy into Azura's character like a note that rings false. But mostly I liked their interactions.
Like most of the books in this series the biggest problem I have is too much mythos explained in very long, odd round about ways. I end up skimming those parts and hoping I'll catch the gist of it, which I do because it really doesn't take the pages to explain that DD Barant spends on it. In fact, the long explanations and time spent on myth reenactments only serve to frustrate and confuse because it detracts from the actual story.
I'm actually digging Tair as a character. I'm finding him a much more engaging potential love interest than Cassius. As Dr. Pete he was too boring, but as Tair, he becomes a complex dangerous combination. In one scene, I think he felt a little confused about why he cared so much about what happened to her. I dug that. I wouldn't want to see Tair completely reformed because he's more fun this way, but I would like to see how "Dr. Pete's" pack and Tair interact. Will any of Dr. Pete's love for them also come through in Tair? Oh, and how confusing would Tair be on poor Gally?
October 5, 2011
4.5 Stars
So far this is my favourite instalment of the series. The book is fast paced, action packed and Jace is still the same snarky and sarcastic heroine I came to love. She's still after Stoker and Ahaseurus who seem to have formed an alliance with Silver Blue, an arms dealer and The Mantle, a golem rights group. Jace is heading out to Vegas to capture them, when all hell breaks loose yet again. Throughout the book she has to make some hard decisions, not only about her partner, but also how far she's willing to go to go back home.
We don't get to see much of her usual team, but are introduced to a new character, Azura, whose interactions with Jace are quite hilarious at times. I'm looking forward to meet her again in future instalments. Tair is also back and I have to say I came to prefer him over his first incarnation as Dr Pete. He is dark and dangerous and you never know what side he's actually on, not sure if even he knows. He might even turn out to be a potential love interest, I'd certainly prefer him over Cassius.
So far this is my favourite instalment of the series. The book is fast paced, action packed and Jace is still the same snarky and sarcastic heroine I came to love. She's still after Stoker and Ahaseurus who seem to have formed an alliance with Silver Blue, an arms dealer and The Mantle, a golem rights group. Jace is heading out to Vegas to capture them, when all hell breaks loose yet again. Throughout the book she has to make some hard decisions, not only about her partner, but also how far she's willing to go to go back home.
We don't get to see much of her usual team, but are introduced to a new character, Azura, whose interactions with Jace are quite hilarious at times. I'm looking forward to meet her again in future instalments. Tair is also back and I have to say I came to prefer him over his first incarnation as Dr Pete. He is dark and dangerous and you never know what side he's actually on, not sure if even he knows. He might even turn out to be a potential love interest, I'd certainly prefer him over Cassius.
May 9, 2014
Another great D D Barant Book. I found this one a little darker than the others. A lot of the battle being waged was one within the main character, Jace's mind, and as a criminal psychologist he certainly has some dark moments tucked away in the recesses.
More than anything I enjoy Jace's never give up attitude. Just when you think everything is lost, she pulls reserves up from somewhere inside herself, strengthens her resolve to do what is right, never waits for someone to come and save her and gets on with doing what she has to do. This, laced with heavy doses of sarcasm and a serious coffee addiction makes me really fond of her as a character.
Once again, another short review with very little in the way of plot reveals, in depth discussion or analysis...mainly because I am rushing into the next book with great glee and enthusiasm, and partly because these books are simply FUN. I don't want to analyse them in terms of any filters , I just enjoy...well ENJOYING them for what they are.
More than anything I enjoy Jace's never give up attitude. Just when you think everything is lost, she pulls reserves up from somewhere inside herself, strengthens her resolve to do what is right, never waits for someone to come and save her and gets on with doing what she has to do. This, laced with heavy doses of sarcasm and a serious coffee addiction makes me really fond of her as a character.
Once again, another short review with very little in the way of plot reveals, in depth discussion or analysis...mainly because I am rushing into the next book with great glee and enthusiasm, and partly because these books are simply FUN. I don't want to analyse them in terms of any filters , I just enjoy...well ENJOYING them for what they are.
January 13, 2011
reviewed by http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blo...
If you enjoy a book full of Action, Were's, Vampires, Golem's and other supernatural beings you will love the Bloodhound Files. Jace was stolen from her world to an alternate world where Humans only make up 1% of the population. D.D. Barants world building is awesome, I can picture everything she explains with no problems at all. I seriously have no idea what else Jace could go through but I cant wait for D.D. Barant to tell me. In KILLING ROCKS Jace is separated from those she is close to and has to solve the problem with the help of someone (actually a few people) that started the book as an enemy(ies). She finds out more about why she was chosen to be brought to where she is and a little more about the person that brought her there. KILLING ROCKS is full of action and is a very fast paced read. If you are looking for romance this isn't the book for you but you wont be disappointing in the storyline or the characters.
If you enjoy a book full of Action, Were's, Vampires, Golem's and other supernatural beings you will love the Bloodhound Files. Jace was stolen from her world to an alternate world where Humans only make up 1% of the population. D.D. Barants world building is awesome, I can picture everything she explains with no problems at all. I seriously have no idea what else Jace could go through but I cant wait for D.D. Barant to tell me. In KILLING ROCKS Jace is separated from those she is close to and has to solve the problem with the help of someone (actually a few people) that started the book as an enemy(ies). She finds out more about why she was chosen to be brought to where she is and a little more about the person that brought her there. KILLING ROCKS is full of action and is a very fast paced read. If you are looking for romance this isn't the book for you but you wont be disappointing in the storyline or the characters.
February 28, 2011
KILLING ROCKS by DD Barant is an interesting urban fantasy. It is the third in the "The Bloodhound Files",Book One "Dying Bites and Book Two,"Death Blows".Although,
not necessary to read the first two,would help with the characters.This is my first read by this author. It has vampires,werewolves,golem's,supernatural beings,conflict,sorcerers,and alternate universe. This is a tense story with complex characters and storylines.If you enjoy a tense,fast paced, action packed urban fantasy with alternate universes you will enjoy this one. This book was received from the publisher and details can be found at St. Martin's Paperbacks,published by St. Martin's Press and My Book Addiction and More.
not necessary to read the first two,would help with the characters.This is my first read by this author. It has vampires,werewolves,golem's,supernatural beings,conflict,sorcerers,and alternate universe. This is a tense story with complex characters and storylines.If you enjoy a tense,fast paced, action packed urban fantasy with alternate universes you will enjoy this one. This book was received from the publisher and details can be found at St. Martin's Paperbacks,published by St. Martin's Press and My Book Addiction and More.
July 17, 2013
Once again, I liked this. A bit info-dumpy, but entertaining. Some facts/events left me, again, wondering why/how, but it didn't bother me much.
I seem to have mixed feelings about these books and I guess I know why. Jace reminds me of what Shitblake could've been (coffee-drinking, gun-using, sarcasm-loving badass without the shitty qualities [misogyny, slut-shaming, double standards, bitchiness, neediness and rapeyness to mention couple] Blake has), so I guess that ups my reviews to some extent. I can't help but compare these two (Blake/Jace) and that itself makes D.D. Barant stand out in a good way. And I find the writing funny. And 10 points for Charlie.
I seem to have mixed feelings about these books and I guess I know why. Jace reminds me of what Shitblake could've been (coffee-drinking, gun-using, sarcasm-loving badass without the shitty qualities [misogyny, slut-shaming, double standards, bitchiness, neediness and rapeyness to mention couple] Blake has), so I guess that ups my reviews to some extent. I can't help but compare these two (Blake/Jace) and that itself makes D.D. Barant stand out in a good way. And I find the writing funny. And 10 points for Charlie.
June 22, 2011
This series is Urban Fantasy at its really best! I love the unique and fresh ideas and the great characters (I'm also a huge fan of the 'lems). I really hope that it won't be too easy for Jace to get back to her world... I just have too much fun with these books. =)
(If you're looking for a paranormal romance - this is NOT your book. This is really Urban Fantasy... so guys... you can read them, too ;)
DD Barant interview:
http://books-cats-coffee.blogspot.com...
(There will be more books in the series - yeah!! =)
(If you're looking for a paranormal romance - this is NOT your book. This is really Urban Fantasy... so guys... you can read them, too ;)
DD Barant interview:
http://books-cats-coffee.blogspot.com...
(There will be more books in the series - yeah!! =)
June 30, 2011
This series gets better with each novel. I read the second and third in two days and now have to wait FOREVER (Oct.) for the next!
What's not to like here? Multi-dimensional travel and kidnapping, comic books as a form of magic, Golems, Vamps and Weres of all kinds, not to mention serial killers and a touch of Cthulhu.
Wonderful!
What's not to like here? Multi-dimensional travel and kidnapping, comic books as a form of magic, Golems, Vamps and Weres of all kinds, not to mention serial killers and a touch of Cthulhu.
Wonderful!
January 19, 2011
I really liked this story. As much as I enjoy the supporting cast from the previous books it was nice to Jace more independent and I really liked the new Astonisher character. It was nice to see Tair again. I'm beginning to think he has something of a crush.
May 24, 2011
I enjoyed it although I am clearly annoyed by the ending. This is starting to go the way of another series, which I won't name, that is ticking me off with all the backstabbing, information withholding and senseless deaths. I mean really, give the girl a break. Or least let her get laid.
January 11, 2011
Tons of complexity, perhaps too much at times. Still a fascinating ride though. The characters really drive this series for me, I enjoy the heck out of the lot of them ( even the bad guys)
February 11, 2011
An ancient and powerful shaman sorcerer named Ahaseurus yanked FBI criminal profiler Jace Valchek out of her dimension at the behest of the NSA in his own. They needed her to track and catch a human psychopath and terrorist named Aristotle Stoker. Her efforts, while...enthusiastic...haven't been all that productive, so she's still stranded in a world in which human beings make up a measly 1% of the population and are horribly outnumbered by vampires (pires), lycanthropes (thropes), and golems (lems). To make matters worse, even if she catches Stoker, she's still got to get Ahaseurus to send her back or risk ending up back in her universe, but years, even decades beyond when she left. And Ahaseurus, known as Asher by the NSA, has gone rogue and disappeared.
He doesn't stay that way, though, and NSA intelligence has uncovered a potential deal being brokered between Ahaseurus, Stoker, a radical golem rights group called the Mantle, and a nasty weapons dealer called Silver Blue. The NSA is putting together a task force to take them down, and Jace Valchek is spearheading the force in Las Vegas.
As Jace knows all too well, though, plans were made to blow up, crash down, and incinerate everything around them. Before she knows what's happening, Vegas has turned into a lem stronghold and golems are killing pires and thropes and rounding up humans in their bid to gain autonomy. War has come and Jace is stuck at ground zero with a megalomaniac sorcerer stirring the pot and working his own agenda. Her golem partner Charlie is no longer guarding her back, he's joined the Mantle army, and Jace's only support is the Tinker Bell look-alike Azura, an Astonisher (which is sort of like a cross between David Copperfield and James Bond...mostly) from yet another alternate dimension. Despite a less than auspicious introduction to her, Jace is left with little choice but to partner up with the talented Azura to take down her target, the evil, world-conquering sorcerer Ahaseurus.
What happens in Vegas is supposed to stay in Vegas, but when you add Jace to the mix, "supposed to" tends toward bloody, fiery balls of action, horror, and terror.
I love Jace Valchek. She's one of my favorite heroines. Not only is she smart, able to kick some serious ass, and doubly likely to get herself mired in trouble, she's stubborn, mouthy, sarcastic, and her sense of humor is sharply self-effacing and biting. She makes me laugh. She makes me care about her. And her partner Charlie is the perfect counterpoint. I've been a huge fan of this series since the beginning for the very reason that they're both so captivating.
They're certainly not the only positives, though. Barant has created a wildly original world, imaginative and wicked, and Jace is ever teetering on an interesting precipice of moral ambiguity. She's human, which makes her the definition of a minority, and she's working for...er...people who were responsible for her race's near extinction, but her code of honor and sense of responsibility drive her to do her duty against another human whose methods are reprehensible but whose motives are grimly understandable. And each time her ticket home is at the tip of her fingers, her sense of loyalty demands she push it further away. It's a loyalty to those who have become friends - in this dimension in which she was brought against her will. Such a meaty and complex conundrum.
I wasn't totally thrilled with the plot of Killing Rocks, though. Not only was there far less Charlie for my tastes, but the plot of the book seemed a bit muddy and convoluted. It did clarify for me the depth of evil in Ahaseurus, but I still have a lot of questions about Stoker - who's a bad guy, certainly, but his levels of madness seem to fluctuate and I'm not entirely sure how he fits into the big picture yet. I thought I knew, but there were some confusing teasers...or potential red herrings...in this book. The former Dr. Pete, now Tair, is another meta-villain who intrigues me. I'm interested in his continued development.
Barant had a smart, original method of exposition delivery in this book. I appreciated the concise catch-up as well as the manner in which it was relayed. While I wouldn't recommend a reader new to the series start with this third book, in theory they could, and feel reasonably comfortable with the events of the previous books while doing so - at least the broad strokes, anyway. Frankly, though, I'm so fond of the characters and the details add such flavor to the books, I'd strongly suggest new readers start at the beginning.
The myth scenes were also fascinating; storytelling within a story in which myths from Azura's world were told or acted out and observed in Jace's (well...her new one). It was a unique method of creation and explanation, but I'm not sure it added to the development of the plot, and it slowed down the action a bit. Not to mention I'm still getting used to Jace's new dimension, so adding the history of yet another seemed a little excessive. Points to Barant for the creativity and world building, but I wish the reason for those scenes had been more clear and that they had been better incorporated into the development of the main conflict. I'm still not sure of their purpose in the big picture, and can't imagine how they served Ahaseurus' nefarious plans.
In part because of that, and in part because of the time spent in Azura's world, it felt like Jace was very disconnected from the golem insurrection, and by default, Ahaseurus' actions, until the end. And even as certain key issues of conflict reached resolution, I was left feeling like the characters didn't progress much in this book, and while they may be better aware of the scope of the evil Ahaseurus is capable of, they're certainly no closer to catching either him or Stoker.
The strength of Jace & Co. as characters and the creativity of the world in which she finds herself goes a long way in entertaining me in this series. I have nothing but love for her and her friends. And honestly, though I had some issues with the plot of this book, I felt it was easier to understand and more palatable than the conflict in the previous one. The Bloodhound Files is right up there towards the top of my favorite ongoing series. Better Off Undead is up next - hopefully later this year, and I've read that Barant has contracted for three more, so my inner reading slut is doing her happiest of happy dances. Trust me when I tell you, that's not something you want to see...no matter how giddy it makes me.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
He doesn't stay that way, though, and NSA intelligence has uncovered a potential deal being brokered between Ahaseurus, Stoker, a radical golem rights group called the Mantle, and a nasty weapons dealer called Silver Blue. The NSA is putting together a task force to take them down, and Jace Valchek is spearheading the force in Las Vegas.
As Jace knows all too well, though, plans were made to blow up, crash down, and incinerate everything around them. Before she knows what's happening, Vegas has turned into a lem stronghold and golems are killing pires and thropes and rounding up humans in their bid to gain autonomy. War has come and Jace is stuck at ground zero with a megalomaniac sorcerer stirring the pot and working his own agenda. Her golem partner Charlie is no longer guarding her back, he's joined the Mantle army, and Jace's only support is the Tinker Bell look-alike Azura, an Astonisher (which is sort of like a cross between David Copperfield and James Bond...mostly) from yet another alternate dimension. Despite a less than auspicious introduction to her, Jace is left with little choice but to partner up with the talented Azura to take down her target, the evil, world-conquering sorcerer Ahaseurus.
What happens in Vegas is supposed to stay in Vegas, but when you add Jace to the mix, "supposed to" tends toward bloody, fiery balls of action, horror, and terror.
I love Jace Valchek. She's one of my favorite heroines. Not only is she smart, able to kick some serious ass, and doubly likely to get herself mired in trouble, she's stubborn, mouthy, sarcastic, and her sense of humor is sharply self-effacing and biting. She makes me laugh. She makes me care about her. And her partner Charlie is the perfect counterpoint. I've been a huge fan of this series since the beginning for the very reason that they're both so captivating.
They're certainly not the only positives, though. Barant has created a wildly original world, imaginative and wicked, and Jace is ever teetering on an interesting precipice of moral ambiguity. She's human, which makes her the definition of a minority, and she's working for...er...people who were responsible for her race's near extinction, but her code of honor and sense of responsibility drive her to do her duty against another human whose methods are reprehensible but whose motives are grimly understandable. And each time her ticket home is at the tip of her fingers, her sense of loyalty demands she push it further away. It's a loyalty to those who have become friends - in this dimension in which she was brought against her will. Such a meaty and complex conundrum.
I wasn't totally thrilled with the plot of Killing Rocks, though. Not only was there far less Charlie for my tastes, but the plot of the book seemed a bit muddy and convoluted. It did clarify for me the depth of evil in Ahaseurus, but I still have a lot of questions about Stoker - who's a bad guy, certainly, but his levels of madness seem to fluctuate and I'm not entirely sure how he fits into the big picture yet. I thought I knew, but there were some confusing teasers...or potential red herrings...in this book. The former Dr. Pete, now Tair, is another meta-villain who intrigues me. I'm interested in his continued development.
Barant had a smart, original method of exposition delivery in this book. I appreciated the concise catch-up as well as the manner in which it was relayed. While I wouldn't recommend a reader new to the series start with this third book, in theory they could, and feel reasonably comfortable with the events of the previous books while doing so - at least the broad strokes, anyway. Frankly, though, I'm so fond of the characters and the details add such flavor to the books, I'd strongly suggest new readers start at the beginning.
The myth scenes were also fascinating; storytelling within a story in which myths from Azura's world were told or acted out and observed in Jace's (well...her new one). It was a unique method of creation and explanation, but I'm not sure it added to the development of the plot, and it slowed down the action a bit. Not to mention I'm still getting used to Jace's new dimension, so adding the history of yet another seemed a little excessive. Points to Barant for the creativity and world building, but I wish the reason for those scenes had been more clear and that they had been better incorporated into the development of the main conflict. I'm still not sure of their purpose in the big picture, and can't imagine how they served Ahaseurus' nefarious plans.
In part because of that, and in part because of the time spent in Azura's world, it felt like Jace was very disconnected from the golem insurrection, and by default, Ahaseurus' actions, until the end. And even as certain key issues of conflict reached resolution, I was left feeling like the characters didn't progress much in this book, and while they may be better aware of the scope of the evil Ahaseurus is capable of, they're certainly no closer to catching either him or Stoker.
The strength of Jace & Co. as characters and the creativity of the world in which she finds herself goes a long way in entertaining me in this series. I have nothing but love for her and her friends. And honestly, though I had some issues with the plot of this book, I felt it was easier to understand and more palatable than the conflict in the previous one. The Bloodhound Files is right up there towards the top of my favorite ongoing series. Better Off Undead is up next - hopefully later this year, and I've read that Barant has contracted for three more, so my inner reading slut is doing her happiest of happy dances. Trust me when I tell you, that's not something you want to see...no matter how giddy it makes me.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
December 18, 2019
Jace just wants to capture Stoker and get a ticket back home but again Cassius seems to have another pressing case to distract her with but this one involves the only shaman who can send her back to the correct time and place he took her from. The team attempt to capture a group of most wanted at a secret meeting but it goes wrong and Jace finds herself trapped inside Vegas during a Golem revolt against the supernatural creatures who employ them. With only a few allies in the city Jace has to find out what is happening and stop it.
I really enjoyed the plot of this book. The plot unfolded quickly as Jace leads a time to watch a group of dangerous criminals at a meeting. There is a dangerousa arms dealer, a Golem from a Golem Rights group that want to gain their own power and not work for anyone else and the shaman that Jace badly needs to get back under government control if she ever wants to go back home. Cassius wants her team to capture this group but the interference of an Astonisher with revenge on her mind has her team thinking that she betrayed them to their targets, just as the criminals make it clear they know the team are there and attack. The next thing Jace knows, Golems are rebelling all over the city, vampires and werewolves are being killed and humans are being imprisoned 'for their own safety'.
The whole sneaking around Vegas to avoid the uprising bit is fun and I was delighted to see that The Quicksilver Kid was back in town and making a pest of himself as he tries to fight the spell that has everyone including Charlie under its spell. After I got used to her being in the story I grew to like the Astonisher who messed things up for Jace to get her own revenge on the shaman. Azura and Jace have to work with Cassius in the city to start getting a handle on things. It was disappointing to lose Charlie as a character so early in the book as his snarky relationship with Jace is a highlight of the books but with him under the spell we barely see him in the first half of the book which is a shame.
My niggle with this book was when it went into all the different worlds and then the book started to drag. The first intervention is when a Vegas hotel vanishes and a different building appears in its place. When Jace and Azura go inside they are forced to witness a full creation legend for something and it went on for pages. I found that dull. Then the pair go back to one of these changed hotels and go into another realm and witness a whole supernatural war in front of them. I just didn't find any of this interesting at all. We moved away from Jace working with Cassius and into all these myth re-enactments that just really didn't interest me in the slightest and I started skimming through them. It was like a very uninteresting mass info dump that really wasn't needed. I much prefered dealing with the Golem uprising as it was way more interesting.
The other thing for me is that I just don't like the character of Tair at all as I much preferred Dr Pete and his extended family and animal shelter. Having him front and centre in the middle of all the myth creation stuff didn't exactly thrill me. I just wish he'd turn back to Dr Pete. I won't be amused if he and Jace become a couple. More Charlie and Cassius and Gretchen and much less Tair thank you.
I was reading this series for the Can You Read A Series In A Month and I admit that I came to a grinding halt with this book. I was starting to run out of time on the challenge anyway but some aspects of this book did sort of slow me right down and these myth parts made me reluctant to read on with the book. I really need the series to pick up again with book 4, back to the standard of the first book or I could struggle to get through the rest of the series.
I really enjoyed the plot of this book. The plot unfolded quickly as Jace leads a time to watch a group of dangerous criminals at a meeting. There is a dangerousa arms dealer, a Golem from a Golem Rights group that want to gain their own power and not work for anyone else and the shaman that Jace badly needs to get back under government control if she ever wants to go back home. Cassius wants her team to capture this group but the interference of an Astonisher with revenge on her mind has her team thinking that she betrayed them to their targets, just as the criminals make it clear they know the team are there and attack. The next thing Jace knows, Golems are rebelling all over the city, vampires and werewolves are being killed and humans are being imprisoned 'for their own safety'.
The whole sneaking around Vegas to avoid the uprising bit is fun and I was delighted to see that The Quicksilver Kid was back in town and making a pest of himself as he tries to fight the spell that has everyone including Charlie under its spell. After I got used to her being in the story I grew to like the Astonisher who messed things up for Jace to get her own revenge on the shaman. Azura and Jace have to work with Cassius in the city to start getting a handle on things. It was disappointing to lose Charlie as a character so early in the book as his snarky relationship with Jace is a highlight of the books but with him under the spell we barely see him in the first half of the book which is a shame.
My niggle with this book was when it went into all the different worlds and then the book started to drag. The first intervention is when a Vegas hotel vanishes and a different building appears in its place. When Jace and Azura go inside they are forced to witness a full creation legend for something and it went on for pages. I found that dull. Then the pair go back to one of these changed hotels and go into another realm and witness a whole supernatural war in front of them. I just didn't find any of this interesting at all. We moved away from Jace working with Cassius and into all these myth re-enactments that just really didn't interest me in the slightest and I started skimming through them. It was like a very uninteresting mass info dump that really wasn't needed. I much prefered dealing with the Golem uprising as it was way more interesting.
The other thing for me is that I just don't like the character of Tair at all as I much preferred Dr Pete and his extended family and animal shelter. Having him front and centre in the middle of all the myth creation stuff didn't exactly thrill me. I just wish he'd turn back to Dr Pete. I won't be amused if he and Jace become a couple. More Charlie and Cassius and Gretchen and much less Tair thank you.
I was reading this series for the Can You Read A Series In A Month and I admit that I came to a grinding halt with this book. I was starting to run out of time on the challenge anyway but some aspects of this book did sort of slow me right down and these myth parts made me reluctant to read on with the book. I really need the series to pick up again with book 4, back to the standard of the first book or I could struggle to get through the rest of the series.
September 6, 2017
Hmm... Well That was unexpected. If you aren't careful you can get confused while reading these books. There is a lot of missing links that end up being dumped on you when it's convenient for the flow of the book. Mainly to prevent gaps. There is a fair amount of "WTF is going on?" in this book too. I find it easiest to just not try to make sense of what's happening on the page because eventually something will be explained to make it comprehensive. Just enjoy the crazy, confusing, sarcastic ride!
Jace is off to Vegas! Ok not for the fun you would normally have but Asher the sorcerer has decided to be all sorts of crazy and is now in an alliance with Stoker. Great! Before the master plan Jace has concocted to get rid of this little problem she ends up getting kidnapped. In a turn of Vegas inspired humor the person who kidnaps her is Azura: a stripper/illusionist from yet another different dimension! Tadah!!!! But wait there's more! While Jace is MIA Charlie joins a resistance movement. (WTF???) Asher and Stoker get away. Some of her team members are killed. Oh and a building randomly gets replaced in their dimension by one from Azura's dimension. This is only the first part of the book mind you. So if you've kept up so far I'll just throw in random tidbits in no particular order: You have inter dimension travel, myths come to life, ATTACK OF THE LEMS!!!, Tair, lots of magic, lots of confusion, time warps/travel (Not what you are thinking), Zombies, a curse, and a whole new set of rules that are breakable to the extreme and just don't make sense. Good Luck keeping up!!!
Jace is off to Vegas! Ok not for the fun you would normally have but Asher the sorcerer has decided to be all sorts of crazy and is now in an alliance with Stoker. Great! Before the master plan Jace has concocted to get rid of this little problem she ends up getting kidnapped. In a turn of Vegas inspired humor the person who kidnaps her is Azura: a stripper/illusionist from yet another different dimension! Tadah!!!! But wait there's more! While Jace is MIA Charlie joins a resistance movement. (WTF???) Asher and Stoker get away. Some of her team members are killed. Oh and a building randomly gets replaced in their dimension by one from Azura's dimension. This is only the first part of the book mind you. So if you've kept up so far I'll just throw in random tidbits in no particular order: You have inter dimension travel, myths come to life, ATTACK OF THE LEMS!!!, Tair, lots of magic, lots of confusion, time warps/travel (Not what you are thinking), Zombies, a curse, and a whole new set of rules that are breakable to the extreme and just don't make sense. Good Luck keeping up!!!
September 13, 2017
3 stars
Okay! I'm really into this series of books! I like the felling and its diferent. But this one, was so confusing and kind of to much, some times. I almost didnt finish it. But i like to show some respect and perserveranse. Lol
But really, all the myths was giving i ach in the eyes. And not a good one. But when resume to the story ( no more myths) , the pace was diferent and the way i like it. With a lot of madness and sarcarm. That is just fuc***** delicius! Sooo good! So i'm actually happy i finish this book. No regrets, but i have to be honest. And cant give it more stars. Its a shame really. But hope the next one, is a crazy heartly deliciuness of hummmm! Lol
Got to love this amazing author! A fantastic writer! = )
Till the next book!
And good reads! Bye bye
Okay! I'm really into this series of books! I like the felling and its diferent. But this one, was so confusing and kind of to much, some times. I almost didnt finish it. But i like to show some respect and perserveranse. Lol
But really, all the myths was giving i ach in the eyes. And not a good one. But when resume to the story ( no more myths) , the pace was diferent and the way i like it. With a lot of madness and sarcarm. That is just fuc***** delicius! Sooo good! So i'm actually happy i finish this book. No regrets, but i have to be honest. And cant give it more stars. Its a shame really. But hope the next one, is a crazy heartly deliciuness of hummmm! Lol
Got to love this amazing author! A fantastic writer! = )
Till the next book!
And good reads! Bye bye
May 18, 2021
Good book.
1st appearance of Azura, who's a bit of an idiot (I think). She should have worked with Jace in the beginning instead of stealing her ID & team to kill Asher. Of course she is going to fail if Asher knows Azura has been trying to him for years. Asher also knows Jace would want him alive as he is the only 1 who can send her back home at the right time. So using Jace's ID to kill him was kind of obvious that 'Jace' is not who she appears to be. I don't know why Azura would have thought Asher would believe her trick when he is obviously more smarter than she is. If she only worked with Jace in the beginning then everything they went through could have been avoided. What an idiot! I don't like idiots.
1st appearance of Azura, who's a bit of an idiot (I think). She should have worked with Jace in the beginning instead of stealing her ID & team to kill Asher. Of course she is going to fail if Asher knows Azura has been trying to him for years. Asher also knows Jace would want him alive as he is the only 1 who can send her back home at the right time. So using Jace's ID to kill him was kind of obvious that 'Jace' is not who she appears to be. I don't know why Azura would have thought Asher would believe her trick when he is obviously more smarter than she is. If she only worked with Jace in the beginning then everything they went through could have been avoided. What an idiot! I don't like idiots.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2017
I like this one, it is another nice addition to the series. It started out pretty good. The characters are still intriguing. The story still interesting, and it still has some good humor, sarcasm, and wit happening. No real odd details that were overemphasized making you instantly know they would become important later in the series or book. Parallel worlds make a fascinating story, and again the author played within the rules. With all the alternate realities, it is hard to keep up with what is possible or not possible. And the magic aspect of this series leaves so many possibilities for the future books
Well worth the read and I look forward to continuing this series.
Well worth the read and I look forward to continuing this series.
December 26, 2017
I really liked this book. It wasn't the story so much, although the story was pretty good. The main reason that I liked the book is it looks like a book that's going to have a lot of smut but it didn't. None at all in fact and I like that the book stood on it's own and the main female character did not have to get lustily involved to be able to do what she does.
August 22, 2024
The first two books weren’t amazing but were interesting enough to continue. This book meandered a lot and I found myself zoning out and having no idea what was going on. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll continue the series after this installment. One of the shining gems of the series is the partnership between Jace and Charlie. This book just didn’t really have the charm of the previous two.
July 8, 2017
Vampires and Werewolves Going Insane Wasn't Bad Enough.
Now we know, Golems can turn feral and are capable of being controlled be Animists who know the right spells. So Jace is forced to kill a fair number of "rocks".
Now we know, Golems can turn feral and are capable of being controlled be Animists who know the right spells. So Jace is forced to kill a fair number of "rocks".
June 1, 2019
I had a hard time beginning this book because I had read the book after this one first. So as characters were introduced, I remembered them but not quite & I spent time trying to remember their parts in the story. I didn't read 1 or 2 at all.
December 19, 2018
Very nice. Just the right amount of snark in our heroine. Really enjoyed this one.
September 15, 2019
extra 1/2 star
March 15, 2021
This series struggles to keep my interest. I’m listening to the audiobook which usually helps... and still find myself losing interest.
April 20, 2021
Very much enjoyed this series
It was a different take on the supernatural world
Look forward to reading more
It was a different take on the supernatural world
Look forward to reading more
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