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Trilogy of Shadows #1
Cameo the Assassin
ForeWord Clarion Review
M. Wayne Cunningham
Five Stars (out of Five)
Cameo the Assassin, a historical novel from Dawn McCullough-White, is an engaging, fast-paced romp about highwaymen, assassins, Lockenwood vampires, their victims, and their evaders in an age when "who knew there were so many vampires running around."
Cameo, an alias for Gwen, "the thrall of a vampire," has two masters to serve. One is Wick, the aging, spell-casting head of the Association of Assassins, who assigns missions to the battle-scarred Cameo. The other is Haffef, Cameo's vampire "Master," who years ago rescued her from certain death after her vicious rape and beating and a deadly attack upon her younger sister. The one wants her to kill the prince of the Kingdom of Sieunes; the other wants her to unearth her sister's bones and return them to him. Her life is further conflicted when she agrees to become the bodyguard for Kyrian, a fifteen-year-old acolyte healer who needs to travel to the Temple of the Sun at King's Basin. As she balances her missions and battles the forces of evil set against her on all sides, she overcomes assassins sent to kill her, seeks revenge against highwaymen who have robbed her of her namesake cameo brooch, develops an arms-length relationship with one of the brigands, and confronts Wick in a deadly duel.
Product Description
The Kingdom of Sieunes is rife with taverns, dirty streets, and clay pipe smoking citizens all toiling to feed their families and keep themselves in something little better than rags. With a foiled revolution just ten years prior still burning in the hearts of many, the royals enlist the aid of assassins to keep things in order.
The townsfolk entertain themselves by dreaming of better times to come and regaling in stories of the undead said to walk the graveyards at night... and of Cameo the killer with corpse-like eyes... Scarred and jaded Cameo is one of the most effective assassins in the employ of the Association, moving from one mission to the next as long as the alcohol keeps flowing.
Her acceptance of the murder-for-hire lifestyle is thrown into doubt when she meets a local highwayman with a penchant for fine clothes and women, and then she begins to think about breaking with the company but no one ever breaks with the Association under good terms.
M. Wayne Cunningham
Five Stars (out of Five)
Cameo the Assassin, a historical novel from Dawn McCullough-White, is an engaging, fast-paced romp about highwaymen, assassins, Lockenwood vampires, their victims, and their evaders in an age when "who knew there were so many vampires running around."
Cameo, an alias for Gwen, "the thrall of a vampire," has two masters to serve. One is Wick, the aging, spell-casting head of the Association of Assassins, who assigns missions to the battle-scarred Cameo. The other is Haffef, Cameo's vampire "Master," who years ago rescued her from certain death after her vicious rape and beating and a deadly attack upon her younger sister. The one wants her to kill the prince of the Kingdom of Sieunes; the other wants her to unearth her sister's bones and return them to him. Her life is further conflicted when she agrees to become the bodyguard for Kyrian, a fifteen-year-old acolyte healer who needs to travel to the Temple of the Sun at King's Basin. As she balances her missions and battles the forces of evil set against her on all sides, she overcomes assassins sent to kill her, seeks revenge against highwaymen who have robbed her of her namesake cameo brooch, develops an arms-length relationship with one of the brigands, and confronts Wick in a deadly duel.
Product Description
The Kingdom of Sieunes is rife with taverns, dirty streets, and clay pipe smoking citizens all toiling to feed their families and keep themselves in something little better than rags. With a foiled revolution just ten years prior still burning in the hearts of many, the royals enlist the aid of assassins to keep things in order.
The townsfolk entertain themselves by dreaming of better times to come and regaling in stories of the undead said to walk the graveyards at night... and of Cameo the killer with corpse-like eyes... Scarred and jaded Cameo is one of the most effective assassins in the employ of the Association, moving from one mission to the next as long as the alcohol keeps flowing.
Her acceptance of the murder-for-hire lifestyle is thrown into doubt when she meets a local highwayman with a penchant for fine clothes and women, and then she begins to think about breaking with the company but no one ever breaks with the Association under good terms.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2009
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August 18, 2010
At the end of the day, the art of writing fiction comes down to simply this: telling a good story. Sometimes there are other aspects involved, other points to be made. Yet, if those points of contention aren’t held within the framework of a tale interesting enough for the reader to endeavor, they will be words used for naught. They will remain unread.
More on this later.
First of all, it’s synopsis time. Cameo the Assassin is the story of, well, an assassin named Cameo. She is a woman with eyes white as a corpse, the best killer of a group called simply The Association. She resides in her tower when not off stalking her next victim, drinking copious amounts of liquor and being generally a miserable sod. She is a legend in her time, seemingly much older than she appears, never questions orders, and uses very unusual (and unknown to her employer) methods of both finding her prey and keeping herself safe.
Cameo seems content to live out her life in whatever perverse way she can, until she runs into a pair of highwaymen (coach robbers) while they hold up her carriage. These two men are named Black Opal, a “dandy” who wears too much makeup and enjoys women’s clothes (seemingly in an attempt to compensate for his scarred appearance) and Bellamy, a lawyer-slash-poet-slash-playwright turned criminal. When our heroine meets these two, and falls into line with them, her known life takes a turn for, if not worse, at least very, very different.
It is with these two characters, and one who comes later, that the joys of this little tale are met. Cameo herself is a one-note creation – and she has to be, especially when one considers her backstory – and cannot carry the novel on her own. Which is why having two enjoyable, fleshed-out characters such as Opal and Bel is important. In many ways, they steer the plot more than the main character. Cameo does what she does because she doesn’t have a choice in the matter. Opal and Bel, however, have free will, and they use that will to choose and follow a dangerous killer, for reasons of love. This is beautiful, it is necessary, and it’s also interesting, because many times it’s hard to figure out who exactly loves who. That guessing game in particular is quite fun.
The world that Dawn McCullough creates is one of magic and monsters, along with the type of technology one might see at the beginning of the nineteenth century. There are vampires, witches, corrupt royalty, and killers for hire, all plotting, both together and separately, to bring down our small band of antiheroes. This is something I really liked, as well. There are very few purely “good” characters in the book. All are deeply flawed, and some downright contemptible. They change very slightly, if at all, and yet seem to develop at least a sense of honor and duty, which presents itself in the loyalty they have to each other. I found this to be unusual and pleasing. It isn’t often that I’ve read a book like this.
Now, onto what I started out this review saying.
“Cameo the Assassin” is an adventure novel, and one that works, but that isn’t what I found to love the most about it. No, it’s the underlying message that snatched me by the eyelids and forced me to look deeper. You see, to this reviewer’s eye, Cameo the character isn’t just an alcoholic killer. No, she is much, much more than that. She is a metaphor for the battered woman; a survivor, dead on the inside, strong in a certain way, with a knowledge of all the horrible things that have happened to her, and yet always, around every corner, she is a slave to that pain and the men in her life who inflict it upon her. She was a rape victim, an abuse victim, and a victim of the supernatural, and she allows them to define her. Even her relationship with Opal, who is outside that sort of misogynistic realm, is defined by his feelings for her, and not the other way around. This shows great character weakness, and is sorrowful in its reality, though presented in a fantastical way. This is my favorite part of all, and a reason in and of itself to pick up this book.
Now, one might wonder, with all the praise I’ve heaped upon this book, why I gave it four stars instead of five. I do this because of the only problem I had with the novel, which is the way it was written. It is constructed in third person omniscient, which is to me the worst of all points of view. We jump into and out of every character’s head from one paragraph to the next, which can be 1) confusing, and 2) irritating. Now, I understand that it isn’t technically the wrong way to do things, but I personally can’t stand it, and think it’s actually a bit lazy, so I’m docking a point.
With that being said, I still loved it, which should tell you something about how good the story is. It’s definitely worth the couple bucks it’ll take to try it out, and I think anyone who reads this review should do just that.
First of all, it’s synopsis time. Cameo the Assassin is the story of, well, an assassin named Cameo. She is a woman with eyes white as a corpse, the best killer of a group called simply The Association. She resides in her tower when not off stalking her next victim, drinking copious amounts of liquor and being generally a miserable sod. She is a legend in her time, seemingly much older than she appears, never questions orders, and uses very unusual (and unknown to her employer) methods of both finding her prey and keeping herself safe.
Cameo seems content to live out her life in whatever perverse way she can, until she runs into a pair of highwaymen (coach robbers) while they hold up her carriage. These two men are named Black Opal, a “dandy” who wears too much makeup and enjoys women’s clothes (seemingly in an attempt to compensate for his scarred appearance) and Bellamy, a lawyer-slash-poet-slash-playwright turned criminal. When our heroine meets these two, and falls into line with them, her known life takes a turn for, if not worse, at least very, very different.
It is with these two characters, and one who comes later, that the joys of this little tale are met. Cameo herself is a one-note creation – and she has to be, especially when one considers her backstory – and cannot carry the novel on her own. Which is why having two enjoyable, fleshed-out characters such as Opal and Bel is important. In many ways, they steer the plot more than the main character. Cameo does what she does because she doesn’t have a choice in the matter. Opal and Bel, however, have free will, and they use that will to choose and follow a dangerous killer, for reasons of love. This is beautiful, it is necessary, and it’s also interesting, because many times it’s hard to figure out who exactly loves who. That guessing game in particular is quite fun.
The world that Dawn McCullough creates is one of magic and monsters, along with the type of technology one might see at the beginning of the nineteenth century. There are vampires, witches, corrupt royalty, and killers for hire, all plotting, both together and separately, to bring down our small band of antiheroes. This is something I really liked, as well. There are very few purely “good” characters in the book. All are deeply flawed, and some downright contemptible. They change very slightly, if at all, and yet seem to develop at least a sense of honor and duty, which presents itself in the loyalty they have to each other. I found this to be unusual and pleasing. It isn’t often that I’ve read a book like this.
Now, onto what I started out this review saying.
“Cameo the Assassin” is an adventure novel, and one that works, but that isn’t what I found to love the most about it. No, it’s the underlying message that snatched me by the eyelids and forced me to look deeper. You see, to this reviewer’s eye, Cameo the character isn’t just an alcoholic killer. No, she is much, much more than that. She is a metaphor for the battered woman; a survivor, dead on the inside, strong in a certain way, with a knowledge of all the horrible things that have happened to her, and yet always, around every corner, she is a slave to that pain and the men in her life who inflict it upon her. She was a rape victim, an abuse victim, and a victim of the supernatural, and she allows them to define her. Even her relationship with Opal, who is outside that sort of misogynistic realm, is defined by his feelings for her, and not the other way around. This shows great character weakness, and is sorrowful in its reality, though presented in a fantastical way. This is my favorite part of all, and a reason in and of itself to pick up this book.
Now, one might wonder, with all the praise I’ve heaped upon this book, why I gave it four stars instead of five. I do this because of the only problem I had with the novel, which is the way it was written. It is constructed in third person omniscient, which is to me the worst of all points of view. We jump into and out of every character’s head from one paragraph to the next, which can be 1) confusing, and 2) irritating. Now, I understand that it isn’t technically the wrong way to do things, but I personally can’t stand it, and think it’s actually a bit lazy, so I’m docking a point.
With that being said, I still loved it, which should tell you something about how good the story is. It’s definitely worth the couple bucks it’ll take to try it out, and I think anyone who reads this review should do just that.
May 22, 2011
Cameo the Assassin is set in a past/alternative world that is both dark and bleak. As the story begins, Cameo is clinging to life, after a brutal rape and attack. But a vampire steps in and keeps her from succumbing. She survives, in a manner of speaking. She becomes the vampire's thrall, half-living, half-undead.
Years later, she has become an assassin. In the course of a hit, her path crosses with two highwaymen who rob her carriage. She lets them escape, but tracks one down later to get her things back. It's those same highwaymen who become her next targets for assassination. She would have carried out that mission as well, if her boss hadn't sent Gail with her as a partner. She was a victim of Gail, herself, once. And the urge to kill him finally gets the better of her. Now she is thrown together with Opal and Bel as they try to survive the next wave of assassins.
Opal confused me a little as a character. He is flamboyant and over the top. He wears lots of make-up and Cameo asks more than once if he and Bel are involved. Yet, he is also painted as a rake who charms the pants off of women and develops a thing for Cameo, himself. I'm not entirely sure what to make of him, even now. But I do know, that I found myself rooting for him and Cameo to reach out to each other throughout the course of the book. So maybe all the make-up and purple brocade were just lagniappe. Who knows?
Joining our strange trio is a teenage acolyte named Kyrian. Cameo becomes his protector after his grandfather shows her a kindness. There's mystery surrounding the boy, not the least of which is why Cameo's master can barely stand his presence. And speaking of Cameo's master... he is hardly a benevolent sire. I'd kind of like to kill him myself. Despite the fact that he saved Cameo from death, all those years ago, he doesn't seem much better than the men who nearly killed her in the first place.
Overall, I did like the book. It features vampires and ghouls, but it didn't feel like standard horror or Urban Fantasy fare. Cameo isn't your standard heroine, either. Most supernatural heroines these days are snarky/sexy/tough/witty women who kick ass on the side of right. Cameo is haunted and broken and surprisingly sympathetic. I get the impression that she kills because she doesn't consider herself worthy of doing anything better. The ragtag group that comes together in the book are likely the only friends she has ever had. Which makes me ache for her to have just a little bit of happiness with them.
The ending of the book does wrap things up for the most part, but leaves several loose ends for the next installment, Cameo and the Highwayman. I feel fairly certain I will read it. 4 stars.
*This book was provided by the author for review.
Years later, she has become an assassin. In the course of a hit, her path crosses with two highwaymen who rob her carriage. She lets them escape, but tracks one down later to get her things back. It's those same highwaymen who become her next targets for assassination. She would have carried out that mission as well, if her boss hadn't sent Gail with her as a partner. She was a victim of Gail, herself, once. And the urge to kill him finally gets the better of her. Now she is thrown together with Opal and Bel as they try to survive the next wave of assassins.
Opal confused me a little as a character. He is flamboyant and over the top. He wears lots of make-up and Cameo asks more than once if he and Bel are involved. Yet, he is also painted as a rake who charms the pants off of women and develops a thing for Cameo, himself. I'm not entirely sure what to make of him, even now. But I do know, that I found myself rooting for him and Cameo to reach out to each other throughout the course of the book. So maybe all the make-up and purple brocade were just lagniappe. Who knows?
Joining our strange trio is a teenage acolyte named Kyrian. Cameo becomes his protector after his grandfather shows her a kindness. There's mystery surrounding the boy, not the least of which is why Cameo's master can barely stand his presence. And speaking of Cameo's master... he is hardly a benevolent sire. I'd kind of like to kill him myself. Despite the fact that he saved Cameo from death, all those years ago, he doesn't seem much better than the men who nearly killed her in the first place.
Overall, I did like the book. It features vampires and ghouls, but it didn't feel like standard horror or Urban Fantasy fare. Cameo isn't your standard heroine, either. Most supernatural heroines these days are snarky/sexy/tough/witty women who kick ass on the side of right. Cameo is haunted and broken and surprisingly sympathetic. I get the impression that she kills because she doesn't consider herself worthy of doing anything better. The ragtag group that comes together in the book are likely the only friends she has ever had. Which makes me ache for her to have just a little bit of happiness with them.
The ending of the book does wrap things up for the most part, but leaves several loose ends for the next installment, Cameo and the Highwayman. I feel fairly certain I will read it. 4 stars.
*This book was provided by the author for review.
August 17, 2021
Eh... nah. I'm all for dark, ominous tales featuring assassins, highwaymen and supernatural horrors, but this one just didn't work for me on any level. A chaotic, halfbaked jumble of a plot that rarely made sense and only very occasionally seemed to go anywhere, underdeveloped, inconsistent characters, barely there worldbuilding, and the writing, particularly when it comes to dialogue, also leaves something to be desired. Just... nope.
December 3, 2011
Overall, I was pretty disappointed with this book. It started out very promising -- ominous, dark, I saw lots of potential and the intro grabbed me. The author did very well with the opening. However, once I dug further in, it just became a giant jumble. The characters had some consistency, but the main character Cameo was a light version of bi-polar (sometimes she wanted to make friends, other times she's portrayed as being an absolute unwavering loner, then... change of heart in an instant?). I also did not care for the other main characters she created: Black Opal was annoying in his mannerisms that he repeatedly used, Bellamy made NO sense (when he and Opal are originally introduced they're so close, then at the end Bellamy sort of drifts off away from the group and it doesn't really mesh to me, there's no lead off, it just kind of... happens), Kyrian's role is never really revealed though at the end he kind of drops why he's around but not... really...
And if ANY of those characters said "Umm" ONE more time... Ugh, that showed up so often I wanted to scream. So did the word "dandy" which irked me to no end.
As for plot itself, I still have absolutely no idea what it was. Cameo is an assassin supposedly of the highest regard in her organization. She was sent out on some mission in the beginning of the book and was robbed by what turns out to be Opal and his pal Bellamy. She attaches something called a shade to Opal, even after she's gone after them to retrieve her cameo brooch (hence her nickname) "just in case" she wants to find him later (what? There was no indication that he'd be of any use or interest later, she's a stone cold killer, why...?). After this happens, she heads back to HQ and the Big Boss, a woman named Wick, sends her out on a mission with another assassin from their organization. Two important things here: this assassin she's paired with, Clovis, is someone who from what I gathered raped and tortured her before she entered the organization (so why she hasn't killed him after all these years I've no idea, if she's such a bad ass), and two, the person they're sent to kill is none other than Opal. Imagine that.
But on this particular mission, in a bout of sudden passion, which I thought Cameo was not prone to based on previous character building of a top notch killer... she kills Clovis for what he did after all those years. Finally she offs him and is so unprofessional and unable to contain herself she does it in the middle of when she's supposed to be killing Opal and Bellamy, and all of a sudden she's allied herself with them and they're buddies.
...What?!
After this happens, the plot just disintegrates even more. Her master shows up and tells her to go steal the bones of her dead sister from a grave. I never found out why, there's no reveal for that in the book whatsoever. It appears to be completely arbitrary. Then mid traipsing off to do that, she's thrown on another mission when she meets Kyrian and she has to escort him somewhere in exchange for his grandfather keeping this massive secret about her from Opal -- a secret that he finds out anyway before they get Kyrian to where he needs to go. Pointless.
Oh, and in the middle of THAT... yet ANOTHER wrench gets thrown in that throws everybody off course, when Opal hijacks a carriage, and the ensuing scenes felt like fluff and filler to me. Lorelei's character? Annoying. And how, not to mention WHY, did Opal decide to drag/throw himself down an embankment when he supposedly wasn't even able to stand up on his own? If he crawled there, why did he keep crawling until he fell? Just to get Cameo's attention? Again, pointless.
It appeared that the only "plot" carried through was actually more of a subplot that was never made very important, about Wick (leader of their organization) being a witch. And Cameo apparently deciding to kill her.
Honestly, the book seemed to chase itself in circles. Example: Cameo spends time burying a body, and there is only one other dead body around but it's inside a coach, and a character then looks off into the sunset and there is a description about how the bodies make the landscape look. ...What bodies? Where did they come from?!
I wasn't enthralled, and had to force myself to finish it. My vote: Pass.
And if ANY of those characters said "Umm" ONE more time... Ugh, that showed up so often I wanted to scream. So did the word "dandy" which irked me to no end.
As for plot itself, I still have absolutely no idea what it was. Cameo is an assassin supposedly of the highest regard in her organization. She was sent out on some mission in the beginning of the book and was robbed by what turns out to be Opal and his pal Bellamy. She attaches something called a shade to Opal, even after she's gone after them to retrieve her cameo brooch (hence her nickname) "just in case" she wants to find him later (what? There was no indication that he'd be of any use or interest later, she's a stone cold killer, why...?). After this happens, she heads back to HQ and the Big Boss, a woman named Wick, sends her out on a mission with another assassin from their organization. Two important things here: this assassin she's paired with, Clovis, is someone who from what I gathered raped and tortured her before she entered the organization (so why she hasn't killed him after all these years I've no idea, if she's such a bad ass), and two, the person they're sent to kill is none other than Opal. Imagine that.
But on this particular mission, in a bout of sudden passion, which I thought Cameo was not prone to based on previous character building of a top notch killer... she kills Clovis for what he did after all those years. Finally she offs him and is so unprofessional and unable to contain herself she does it in the middle of when she's supposed to be killing Opal and Bellamy, and all of a sudden she's allied herself with them and they're buddies.
...What?!
After this happens, the plot just disintegrates even more. Her master shows up and tells her to go steal the bones of her dead sister from a grave. I never found out why, there's no reveal for that in the book whatsoever. It appears to be completely arbitrary. Then mid traipsing off to do that, she's thrown on another mission when she meets Kyrian and she has to escort him somewhere in exchange for his grandfather keeping this massive secret about her from Opal -- a secret that he finds out anyway before they get Kyrian to where he needs to go. Pointless.
Oh, and in the middle of THAT... yet ANOTHER wrench gets thrown in that throws everybody off course, when Opal hijacks a carriage, and the ensuing scenes felt like fluff and filler to me. Lorelei's character? Annoying. And how, not to mention WHY, did Opal decide to drag/throw himself down an embankment when he supposedly wasn't even able to stand up on his own? If he crawled there, why did he keep crawling until he fell? Just to get Cameo's attention? Again, pointless.
It appeared that the only "plot" carried through was actually more of a subplot that was never made very important, about Wick (leader of their organization) being a witch. And Cameo apparently deciding to kill her.
Honestly, the book seemed to chase itself in circles. Example: Cameo spends time burying a body, and there is only one other dead body around but it's inside a coach, and a character then looks off into the sunset and there is a description about how the bodies make the landscape look. ...What bodies? Where did they come from?!
I wasn't enthralled, and had to force myself to finish it. My vote: Pass.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2011
This is the first novel written by Dawn McCullough-White. Cameo the Assassin takes us to the world of darkness, highwaymen, and assassins.
Characters:
Meet Cameo. She is an assassin who is very efficient at her work. She is feared, there are scary stories told about her, she is drinking a lot, she is beautiful, but there is something weird about her. She died violently and was brought back to life by Haffef, who gave her back her existence, but not as a human anymore. I liked Cameo, because underneath her dark figure, she is funny, has a spark and at the same time she is conflicted, she dislikes herself of being a zombie.
Meet Black Opal who happens to meet Cameo under special circumstances – robbing the same coach which Cameo is using to get to her next target. Black Opal is a dandy who definitely knows how to use a rapier and how to fight and how to use his charms on ladies. He is a highwayman who earns his living by robbing people. Opal is being drawn into Cameos life accidentally and it seems that as the book develops, he does not want out of Cameos life at all.
Another character whom I really liked was Kyrian, 15 years old acolyte. His grandfather asks Cameo to bring Kyrian safely to a place where Kyrian could continue his studies as a priest. Kyrian is sweet, smart, genuinely good character who has some hidden abilities. What we know from the book is that he is a healer. I am sure that Kyrian has some other abilities, which will be shown to the reader in the next books. One thing is clear, there is a purpose why he met Cameo, because he has powers over the dark creatures like vampires. I guess that these other purposes will be revealed to us in the second book of the series.
Plot and the created surrounding
When I liked the main characters created by the author, I had difficulties of understanding the plot. All the characters were moving somewhere, but I still do not know what it is. During the first book there were lot of characters and most of them had a purpose in this book, but for me it stayed unknown what the purpose is. I can only guess. There were not any surprises in the plot, there was a clear beginning of the story which developed, but there was no ending. I am not sure if I understood correctly, but it seems that the first book was only to present the main characters, because there was not really lot of development of the plot. There was a lot of action, but nothing substantial to me as a reader to understand where this story would take us. In my opinion it did not take me anywhere. It gave me understanding of the characters, but not the real story. Author is good at creating characters, and good at storytelling, but the biggest weakness for me in this book was that I did not see development of the plot. Even considering that it was only the first book in the series, which I do understand, I missed the main story of the first book. It was a flow of things happening, but no clear purpose of the plot.
This book was easy to read when we talk about the use of language and it was difficult to read when talking about the plot development. Author is definitely a good writer, but I wanted to see more in the first book. It simply left me with way to many questions open.
One more thing which I simply MUST say. If you like film noir, then you will love this book. In my opinion it would be very good to create a great black and white movie out of it. I was actually thinking that this book would give many possibilities to movie makers to make an excellent film noir out of it. The book was written in flashes. My mind went to the movie Sin City, where most of the characters and scenes were black and white and then you had some elements which were created in colors. Cameo and Opal and other characters would be perfect to that – Cameo’s eyes in colors, Opal’s lips in colors and all the surroundings in black and white. It would be perfect for this book. These were the pictures I got in my head while reading.
To sum it up, this book gets 2 stars out of 5.
Characters:
Meet Cameo. She is an assassin who is very efficient at her work. She is feared, there are scary stories told about her, she is drinking a lot, she is beautiful, but there is something weird about her. She died violently and was brought back to life by Haffef, who gave her back her existence, but not as a human anymore. I liked Cameo, because underneath her dark figure, she is funny, has a spark and at the same time she is conflicted, she dislikes herself of being a zombie.
Meet Black Opal who happens to meet Cameo under special circumstances – robbing the same coach which Cameo is using to get to her next target. Black Opal is a dandy who definitely knows how to use a rapier and how to fight and how to use his charms on ladies. He is a highwayman who earns his living by robbing people. Opal is being drawn into Cameos life accidentally and it seems that as the book develops, he does not want out of Cameos life at all.
Another character whom I really liked was Kyrian, 15 years old acolyte. His grandfather asks Cameo to bring Kyrian safely to a place where Kyrian could continue his studies as a priest. Kyrian is sweet, smart, genuinely good character who has some hidden abilities. What we know from the book is that he is a healer. I am sure that Kyrian has some other abilities, which will be shown to the reader in the next books. One thing is clear, there is a purpose why he met Cameo, because he has powers over the dark creatures like vampires. I guess that these other purposes will be revealed to us in the second book of the series.
Plot and the created surrounding
When I liked the main characters created by the author, I had difficulties of understanding the plot. All the characters were moving somewhere, but I still do not know what it is. During the first book there were lot of characters and most of them had a purpose in this book, but for me it stayed unknown what the purpose is. I can only guess. There were not any surprises in the plot, there was a clear beginning of the story which developed, but there was no ending. I am not sure if I understood correctly, but it seems that the first book was only to present the main characters, because there was not really lot of development of the plot. There was a lot of action, but nothing substantial to me as a reader to understand where this story would take us. In my opinion it did not take me anywhere. It gave me understanding of the characters, but not the real story. Author is good at creating characters, and good at storytelling, but the biggest weakness for me in this book was that I did not see development of the plot. Even considering that it was only the first book in the series, which I do understand, I missed the main story of the first book. It was a flow of things happening, but no clear purpose of the plot.
This book was easy to read when we talk about the use of language and it was difficult to read when talking about the plot development. Author is definitely a good writer, but I wanted to see more in the first book. It simply left me with way to many questions open.
One more thing which I simply MUST say. If you like film noir, then you will love this book. In my opinion it would be very good to create a great black and white movie out of it. I was actually thinking that this book would give many possibilities to movie makers to make an excellent film noir out of it. The book was written in flashes. My mind went to the movie Sin City, where most of the characters and scenes were black and white and then you had some elements which were created in colors. Cameo and Opal and other characters would be perfect to that – Cameo’s eyes in colors, Opal’s lips in colors and all the surroundings in black and white. It would be perfect for this book. These were the pictures I got in my head while reading.
To sum it up, this book gets 2 stars out of 5.
September 11, 2010
I bought this book back in July and finally had some time to read it. If you’re looking for a classic good vs. evil book, you won’t find it here. What you will find is a story full of action, surprising twists and turns and a cast of interesting and complicated characters.
The story opens up with horrific attack upon Cameo when she was a young girl. While she lay dying, a mysterious stranger, Haffef, comes upon the scene, heals her in his own unique way and her life is forever changed. Fast forward years ahead and Cameo the Assassin has become a legend in her own time. She is a ruthless killer, accepting jobs from the witch, Wick, head of The Association. She moves from job to job with ruthless efficiency while consuming large amounts of alcohol to dull her own inner demons.
Her life takes another dramatic turn when her coach is stopped and she is robbed by a pair of highwaymen, Opal and Bell. Against her better judgment, she develops a relationship with these two instead of killing them for stealing from her. This is where the story ramps up the action because everything Cameo does has consequences not only for her, but for everyone she associates with. My favorite character was Opal, the flamboyant dandy. His decisions and interactions with Cameo keep you turning the pages to the very last page.
Throughout the book, Cameo is forced to make decisions that are not in her best interest, but she can’t help herself because she finds that after all the years spent alone, she now craves the company of others especially Opal. Haffef comes back on the scene in the last third of the book, compelling Cameo to do a job for him. Because of her bond to him, she cannot refuse his request. Needless to say, a lot happens, relationships change, people die and Cameo must bear witness to it all knowing that all the suffering can be laid directly at her feet.
I enjoyed this book, but I do have a complaint about the constant shifting of POV throughout the book. It took me awhile to figure out who was talking during some of the dialogue.
The story opens up with horrific attack upon Cameo when she was a young girl. While she lay dying, a mysterious stranger, Haffef, comes upon the scene, heals her in his own unique way and her life is forever changed. Fast forward years ahead and Cameo the Assassin has become a legend in her own time. She is a ruthless killer, accepting jobs from the witch, Wick, head of The Association. She moves from job to job with ruthless efficiency while consuming large amounts of alcohol to dull her own inner demons.
Her life takes another dramatic turn when her coach is stopped and she is robbed by a pair of highwaymen, Opal and Bell. Against her better judgment, she develops a relationship with these two instead of killing them for stealing from her. This is where the story ramps up the action because everything Cameo does has consequences not only for her, but for everyone she associates with. My favorite character was Opal, the flamboyant dandy. His decisions and interactions with Cameo keep you turning the pages to the very last page.
Throughout the book, Cameo is forced to make decisions that are not in her best interest, but she can’t help herself because she finds that after all the years spent alone, she now craves the company of others especially Opal. Haffef comes back on the scene in the last third of the book, compelling Cameo to do a job for him. Because of her bond to him, she cannot refuse his request. Needless to say, a lot happens, relationships change, people die and Cameo must bear witness to it all knowing that all the suffering can be laid directly at her feet.
I enjoyed this book, but I do have a complaint about the constant shifting of POV throughout the book. It took me awhile to figure out who was talking during some of the dialogue.
June 2, 2013
Cameo opens up with a tragedy that will stay with you for the remainder of the novel. Gwen "Cameo" is dying, her little sister is dead and she has just been brutally raped, stabbed and beaten. She lives, but she is never the same. She refuses to part with the cameo brooch, all that is left from her mother, and hence how she gets her name. Her eyes remain filmed like a corpse and she is very pale. She joins the Association, a group of Assassins that do work for the nobles. Cameo is one of the best at her job.
However, Cameo seems to be without feeling. She talks flatly without any inflection, she cares not for creature comforts. She does her job without flinching and moves on without feeling to the next one, giving death. She is also an alcoholic. She has a silver flask she takes with her everywhere and keeps it filled.
On the way to a job, her carriage is accosted by robbers. She really could care less, except they take her cameo brooch. She gets it back, but her next job is to kill the same robber, only this time a fellow assassin is to accompany her. She can't stand Gail, the other assassin. He captured her at one time and tortured her.
Instead of killing Black Opal and Bel, the robbers, she kills Gail. She knows now she can never go back to the Association so she takes off with Opal and Bel. These two are unique and eccentric characters. Bel believes himself a poet and Opal is a dandy with too much makeup and wearing women's clothing. When a price is issued for all of their heads, the story really takes off.
Filled with action, intrigue, a splash of romance and fascinating characters, Cameo is an exceptional read! I loved the characters and never expected the twists and turns that the story takes. Dawn does a great job of keeping the reader in suspense while giving just enough to keep this reader curious to keep turning the pages. Very clever!!
However, Cameo seems to be without feeling. She talks flatly without any inflection, she cares not for creature comforts. She does her job without flinching and moves on without feeling to the next one, giving death. She is also an alcoholic. She has a silver flask she takes with her everywhere and keeps it filled.
On the way to a job, her carriage is accosted by robbers. She really could care less, except they take her cameo brooch. She gets it back, but her next job is to kill the same robber, only this time a fellow assassin is to accompany her. She can't stand Gail, the other assassin. He captured her at one time and tortured her.
Instead of killing Black Opal and Bel, the robbers, she kills Gail. She knows now she can never go back to the Association so she takes off with Opal and Bel. These two are unique and eccentric characters. Bel believes himself a poet and Opal is a dandy with too much makeup and wearing women's clothing. When a price is issued for all of their heads, the story really takes off.
Filled with action, intrigue, a splash of romance and fascinating characters, Cameo is an exceptional read! I loved the characters and never expected the twists and turns that the story takes. Dawn does a great job of keeping the reader in suspense while giving just enough to keep this reader curious to keep turning the pages. Very clever!!
November 25, 2010
I recently finished reading Cameo and the Assassin by Dawn McCullough-White and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. The characters are well defined and relatable which is an important part of any story. I was pulled into Cameo's world, wanting to learn more about her and what makes her tick. Having found herself working as one of the best assassins for The Association, Cameo lives day to day killing for a living. Just when she thinks her life is repeating the same pattern, Cameo's path crosses with that of two highwaymen, and though she may not know it at that time, her life will be forever changed. Moving at just the right pace, we learn more about Cameo and her past, and why she is forced to do the things she does. Although the book jumps from character to character which can at times be confusing, it is easily forgivable because it is overall well written and intriguing. I can not wait to read more about Cameo in the sequel, Cameo and the Highwayman! Keep up the great work Dawn McCullough-White!!
Want to read
October 2, 2010Jaunt through the graveyard anyone?
September 30, 2011
Read Mechele's review at:
http://readforyourfuture.blogspot.com...
http://readforyourfuture.blogspot.com...
August 20, 2018
Booooooooooooorning.
September 7, 2012
The characters drew me into CAMEO THE ASSASSIN, and though I hated the ending, the novel was an entertaining read, and a nice break from physical perfection and honorable heroes.
Characters: **** 4 Stars
It was nice for once to have characters who aren’t physically perfect, or even very desirable. The author did a great job making me feel connected to these imperfect people and able to relate to their foibles.
Cameo is a coldly compassionate assassin, with dead gray eyes to match. She has a fairy tale monster reputation for living in graveyards and killing children who don’t go to bed, but she doesn’t kill indiscriminately...well, unless she’s paid to do so. When she’s assigned to kill Black Opal, a notorious highwayman, she finds she can’t go through with it, and ends up alienating herself from the Association she works for in order to keep him alive. She’s an interesting mix of self-loathing, empathy, loneliness, warrior, and friend.
Black Opal, the apparent love interest, is a bit of an enigma. A dandy with a passion for fine coats and makeup, he is described both as pock-marked and handsome, and he has only one eye. While he is a womanizer, constantly picking up on ladies and whores alike, he has a soft spot for Cameo and becomes incredibly jealous any time she takes any interest, platonic or not, in another man.
Secondary characters include Bel (Opal’s partner in crime), Kyrian (a young acolyte who’s more than what he appears), and Wick (the leader of the Association and a witch capable of convincing everyone but Cameo that she’s a beautiful young temptress rather than an ugly old woman who smokes too much). Overall, a very well-rounded cast.
Plot: ** 2 Stars
The plot wasn’t terrible, but the ending killed it, no pun intended. There was a reasonably strong story arc with a good balance of action sequences and character development. However, it sometimes felt like the author was trying to build suspense by not telling the reader something that the character knows. For example, Cameo is given a task by her Master, but we’re not told what that task is until she’s practically done achieving it. Even given that, I probably wouldn’t have given the plot two stars, except that there was no ending. The book ends seconds after the climax, literally ending with an ellipsis and the word “End”. There are several plot points left open and no emotional release. I know the story continues in a trilogy, but each book should still be a complete novel.
Setting: ** 2 Stars
The story is set primarily on the road out of Lockenwood, in a quasi-eighteenth century world, but the characters just go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth...you get the idea. The description is limited, even when they visit taverns or inns along the way. I really wanted more sensory detail throughout the novel.
Romance: ** 2 Stars
Cameo and Black Opal are an odd pair. Arguably, neither is the ideal of beauty, and yet they are attracted to each other from the beginning. That being said, Opal is more concerned about his makeup and being desirable to everyone than he is about wooing Cameo (not that she would be easily wooed, but that’s beside the point). Meanwhile, Cameo is stuck in a loop of self-pity and can’t see that Opal likes her, despite his obvious jealousy when she’s around other men. Though they help each other through some rather horrific and violent events, they don’t actually come together in a romantic way until the last couple of pages.
Genre - Dark Adventure Fantasy: **** 4 Stars
CAMEO THE ASSASSIN is a pretty good representation of a Dark Fantasy novel, despite its flaws. There’s blood and violence, undead creatures, and two different graveyards. While I abhorred the ending of this first book, I imagine that the entire trilogy is probably a pretty decent story, and I may even give the second book, CAMEO AND THE HIGHWAYMAN, a chance.
Note: This review was requested by the author. The only compensation received was a free copy of the book.
Characters: **** 4 Stars
It was nice for once to have characters who aren’t physically perfect, or even very desirable. The author did a great job making me feel connected to these imperfect people and able to relate to their foibles.
Cameo is a coldly compassionate assassin, with dead gray eyes to match. She has a fairy tale monster reputation for living in graveyards and killing children who don’t go to bed, but she doesn’t kill indiscriminately...well, unless she’s paid to do so. When she’s assigned to kill Black Opal, a notorious highwayman, she finds she can’t go through with it, and ends up alienating herself from the Association she works for in order to keep him alive. She’s an interesting mix of self-loathing, empathy, loneliness, warrior, and friend.
Black Opal, the apparent love interest, is a bit of an enigma. A dandy with a passion for fine coats and makeup, he is described both as pock-marked and handsome, and he has only one eye. While he is a womanizer, constantly picking up on ladies and whores alike, he has a soft spot for Cameo and becomes incredibly jealous any time she takes any interest, platonic or not, in another man.
Secondary characters include Bel (Opal’s partner in crime), Kyrian (a young acolyte who’s more than what he appears), and Wick (the leader of the Association and a witch capable of convincing everyone but Cameo that she’s a beautiful young temptress rather than an ugly old woman who smokes too much). Overall, a very well-rounded cast.
Plot: ** 2 Stars
The plot wasn’t terrible, but the ending killed it, no pun intended. There was a reasonably strong story arc with a good balance of action sequences and character development. However, it sometimes felt like the author was trying to build suspense by not telling the reader something that the character knows. For example, Cameo is given a task by her Master, but we’re not told what that task is until she’s practically done achieving it. Even given that, I probably wouldn’t have given the plot two stars, except that there was no ending. The book ends seconds after the climax, literally ending with an ellipsis and the word “End”. There are several plot points left open and no emotional release. I know the story continues in a trilogy, but each book should still be a complete novel.
Setting: ** 2 Stars
The story is set primarily on the road out of Lockenwood, in a quasi-eighteenth century world, but the characters just go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth...you get the idea. The description is limited, even when they visit taverns or inns along the way. I really wanted more sensory detail throughout the novel.
Romance: ** 2 Stars
Cameo and Black Opal are an odd pair. Arguably, neither is the ideal of beauty, and yet they are attracted to each other from the beginning. That being said, Opal is more concerned about his makeup and being desirable to everyone than he is about wooing Cameo (not that she would be easily wooed, but that’s beside the point). Meanwhile, Cameo is stuck in a loop of self-pity and can’t see that Opal likes her, despite his obvious jealousy when she’s around other men. Though they help each other through some rather horrific and violent events, they don’t actually come together in a romantic way until the last couple of pages.
Genre - Dark Adventure Fantasy: **** 4 Stars
CAMEO THE ASSASSIN is a pretty good representation of a Dark Fantasy novel, despite its flaws. There’s blood and violence, undead creatures, and two different graveyards. While I abhorred the ending of this first book, I imagine that the entire trilogy is probably a pretty decent story, and I may even give the second book, CAMEO AND THE HIGHWAYMAN, a chance.
Note: This review was requested by the author. The only compensation received was a free copy of the book.
May 16, 2011
Review initially posted on my blog at Deea's Journal
It took me longer than usual to read this book because it's a little out of my comfy zone (different from the books I usually read), but I'm very glad I read it. It's a very original and interesting Dark Fantasy novel which offered me a perfect escape from all the fantasy and paranormal books coming out lately!
Cameo, the Assassin, was a fast paced, full of action read. The mystery and the suspense kept me interested and eager to know what happened next throughout the entire story and the main character is very unusual and interesting to read about.
So Cameo (what a cool name, don't you think?) is a witty, kick-butt heroine who kills people for hire. She's very mysterious and there is also something eerie about her - well, she's not quite human. And though this description may not sound out of the ordinary, believe me, there is nothing ordinary about Cameo. On the contrary, she is a very unique, complex and intriguing character. Because of her slightly unusual appearance and her reputation as an assassin, people are really afraid of her - they even have creepy stories about her:
Kyrian to Cameo: "My parents used to tell me stories about you when I was a little boy. Well, a rhyme really about how you killed children who didn't go to bed on time."
But something went wrong with her last mission and she found herself teaming up with a couple of highwaymen, because they were all considered responsible for killing the king. So they had to make a plan, flee town and stick together - which didn't make Cameo happy at all (at least not at first). She's used to being alone and minding her own business, and suddenly she felt responsible for other people too and she had to deal with far more challenges that she had ever expected. But with every new dangerous adventure, I got the chance to know more about all the gang members and to even understand Cameo better. She proved to be stronger and much more caring and selfless than people might have thought.
Kyrian was looking up at her, shocked at the warmth in her tone."You are Cameo?"
She smiled at him, the same caring smile she had gifted him with a moment earlier.
And despite the fact she wasn't much of a talkative person, everyone listened to her and respected her. I actually liked her attitude: she's mysterious and sarcastic, yet she makes her own decisions and sticks with them, no matter the consequences.
"You got your cameo brooch back I noticed, the one that was robbed from you," Wick clicked the pipe between her broken teeth.
"Yes."
"And yet that highwayman is still alive. Why is that, Cameo?"
"Shocking as it may seem, I don't kill every man, woman, and child I meet. I leave some of them alive for you to bully."
The story is very beautifully written and I found the time period and the setting really fascinating. But there was also something that kind of bothered me (does this surprise anyone? doubtful - I always find something to complain about - just ask Julia here LOL): the beginning of the story was a little slow and confusing. Also, the story was told from the third person POV and the switching from one POV to another really confused me at times, especially when it happened all of a sudden.
All in all, Cameo, the assassin is a dark, gritty yet entertaining read that offers an unusual blend of mystery, suspense, action, horror and just a touch of humor and romance. The strong, unique heroine will accompany readers in a journey set in an unusual, yet fascinating world where they will like to return.
It took me longer than usual to read this book because it's a little out of my comfy zone (different from the books I usually read), but I'm very glad I read it. It's a very original and interesting Dark Fantasy novel which offered me a perfect escape from all the fantasy and paranormal books coming out lately!
Cameo, the Assassin, was a fast paced, full of action read. The mystery and the suspense kept me interested and eager to know what happened next throughout the entire story and the main character is very unusual and interesting to read about.
So Cameo (what a cool name, don't you think?) is a witty, kick-butt heroine who kills people for hire. She's very mysterious and there is also something eerie about her - well, she's not quite human. And though this description may not sound out of the ordinary, believe me, there is nothing ordinary about Cameo. On the contrary, she is a very unique, complex and intriguing character. Because of her slightly unusual appearance and her reputation as an assassin, people are really afraid of her - they even have creepy stories about her:
Kyrian to Cameo: "My parents used to tell me stories about you when I was a little boy. Well, a rhyme really about how you killed children who didn't go to bed on time."
But something went wrong with her last mission and she found herself teaming up with a couple of highwaymen, because they were all considered responsible for killing the king. So they had to make a plan, flee town and stick together - which didn't make Cameo happy at all (at least not at first). She's used to being alone and minding her own business, and suddenly she felt responsible for other people too and she had to deal with far more challenges that she had ever expected. But with every new dangerous adventure, I got the chance to know more about all the gang members and to even understand Cameo better. She proved to be stronger and much more caring and selfless than people might have thought.
Kyrian was looking up at her, shocked at the warmth in her tone."You are Cameo?"
She smiled at him, the same caring smile she had gifted him with a moment earlier.
And despite the fact she wasn't much of a talkative person, everyone listened to her and respected her. I actually liked her attitude: she's mysterious and sarcastic, yet she makes her own decisions and sticks with them, no matter the consequences.
"You got your cameo brooch back I noticed, the one that was robbed from you," Wick clicked the pipe between her broken teeth.
"Yes."
"And yet that highwayman is still alive. Why is that, Cameo?"
"Shocking as it may seem, I don't kill every man, woman, and child I meet. I leave some of them alive for you to bully."
The story is very beautifully written and I found the time period and the setting really fascinating. But there was also something that kind of bothered me (does this surprise anyone? doubtful - I always find something to complain about - just ask Julia here LOL): the beginning of the story was a little slow and confusing. Also, the story was told from the third person POV and the switching from one POV to another really confused me at times, especially when it happened all of a sudden.
All in all, Cameo, the assassin is a dark, gritty yet entertaining read that offers an unusual blend of mystery, suspense, action, horror and just a touch of humor and romance. The strong, unique heroine will accompany readers in a journey set in an unusual, yet fascinating world where they will like to return.
November 28, 2010
Storyline: Cameo the Assassin is a truly fang-tastic novel by Ms. Dawn McCullough-White!
Cameo is an assassin for hire and she’s good at her job. Very good. She is also the stuff of local legends and frightening children’s rhymes. Her story begins after she receives an atypical assassination assignment and a chance encounter leads to unexpected changes in her “typical” assassin routine. Cameo manages to make friends and make new enemies when she becomes the target of an attempted assassination.
The story is distinctive in that the reader is uncertain of Cameo’s origins and what she truly is until about mid-way through the book when her true nature is revealed. The pacing is just right, with enough back story and action to keep the reader interested, wanting to learn more and even cheering on the “bad” guys.
Grammar/Spelling: I only noticed a few missing commas or periods throughout.
Character Development: Ms. McCullough-White does a remarkable job creating a killer that is both plausible and easy to identify with. Cameo manages to leave your heart aching for her to have some normalcy and acceptance in the world. Ms. Mc-W’s ability to present the reader with a unique cast of characters without them becoming too contrived or predictable is truly remarkable.
Cameo is our heroine/killer and she is exactly what I would imagine a person in her line of work would be: excellent at killing people, jaded and lonely. Throughout all of this, she still has moments of true humanity and even romanticism that help prove that she is not without a conscience or heart. With each revelation of her past, the reader is drawn to her like a moth to the flame.
Black Opal is the dashing Highwayman who loves fanciful fashion and lovely lasses. Opal thinks of himself as a debonair and charming gentleman who just happens to rob coaches for a living to support his dandy lifestyle. However, there is more – much more - to him than he lets on.
Writing Style: Ms. Mc-W’s style is something to be envied and is certainly as refreshing as much as it is straightforward. She doesn’t bombard the reader with too many details; yet develops the story with enough speed and grace to keep the reader captivated.
Her choice of character names is very interesting in that many of the names seem to have been switched from the typical masculine use to the feminine and vice versa. I have always been intrigued by the origin of names and words and for someone efficiently switching it up a bit and creating “new” names without stringing together a series of vowels and consonants just to “create” a different name is an excellent change of pace for a fantasy novel.
Continuity: The length of a character’s hair is referred to several times as extremely long – all the way to his ankles – and towards the end of the story, his hair is described as touching the ground.
Overall Rating: 4+
I am extremely pleased with Cameo the Assassin and am looking forward to reading the second book Cameo and the Highwayman. Without giving away too much of the plot, I can say that a book with a central character like Cameo is like nothing else I’ve had the pleasure of reading and I can only hope that Ms. McCullough-White continues this series for many, many volumes!
The story has some violent scenes; though, none are too graphic and there is very little adult language. Although, the dark storyline isn’t for everyone, I can say that many people would enjoy this and I would recommend it to nearly anyone with an interest in the more macabre side of life (or death, as it were).
Cameo is an assassin for hire and she’s good at her job. Very good. She is also the stuff of local legends and frightening children’s rhymes. Her story begins after she receives an atypical assassination assignment and a chance encounter leads to unexpected changes in her “typical” assassin routine. Cameo manages to make friends and make new enemies when she becomes the target of an attempted assassination.
The story is distinctive in that the reader is uncertain of Cameo’s origins and what she truly is until about mid-way through the book when her true nature is revealed. The pacing is just right, with enough back story and action to keep the reader interested, wanting to learn more and even cheering on the “bad” guys.
Grammar/Spelling: I only noticed a few missing commas or periods throughout.
Character Development: Ms. McCullough-White does a remarkable job creating a killer that is both plausible and easy to identify with. Cameo manages to leave your heart aching for her to have some normalcy and acceptance in the world. Ms. Mc-W’s ability to present the reader with a unique cast of characters without them becoming too contrived or predictable is truly remarkable.
Cameo is our heroine/killer and she is exactly what I would imagine a person in her line of work would be: excellent at killing people, jaded and lonely. Throughout all of this, she still has moments of true humanity and even romanticism that help prove that she is not without a conscience or heart. With each revelation of her past, the reader is drawn to her like a moth to the flame.
Black Opal is the dashing Highwayman who loves fanciful fashion and lovely lasses. Opal thinks of himself as a debonair and charming gentleman who just happens to rob coaches for a living to support his dandy lifestyle. However, there is more – much more - to him than he lets on.
Writing Style: Ms. Mc-W’s style is something to be envied and is certainly as refreshing as much as it is straightforward. She doesn’t bombard the reader with too many details; yet develops the story with enough speed and grace to keep the reader captivated.
Her choice of character names is very interesting in that many of the names seem to have been switched from the typical masculine use to the feminine and vice versa. I have always been intrigued by the origin of names and words and for someone efficiently switching it up a bit and creating “new” names without stringing together a series of vowels and consonants just to “create” a different name is an excellent change of pace for a fantasy novel.
Continuity: The length of a character’s hair is referred to several times as extremely long – all the way to his ankles – and towards the end of the story, his hair is described as touching the ground.
Overall Rating: 4+
I am extremely pleased with Cameo the Assassin and am looking forward to reading the second book Cameo and the Highwayman. Without giving away too much of the plot, I can say that a book with a central character like Cameo is like nothing else I’ve had the pleasure of reading and I can only hope that Ms. McCullough-White continues this series for many, many volumes!
The story has some violent scenes; though, none are too graphic and there is very little adult language. Although, the dark storyline isn’t for everyone, I can say that many people would enjoy this and I would recommend it to nearly anyone with an interest in the more macabre side of life (or death, as it were).
June 29, 2011
Strong Bones, Weak Flesh
Cameo is a legend, an assassin mother's tell their children will slay them if they don't behave. But when a botched job leaves her a wanted fugitive alongside a pair of eccentric highwaymen her status as a merciless murderer for money is tested. Falling in with the poetic Bellamy and foppish Black Opal their exploits lead them on a less-than-merry adventure through forrest and tavern. Charged with bringing a young acolyte to his temple in exchange for silence regarding her not-so-human state she'll wind up at the bitter mercy of her master and challenged with keeping her new found friends alive.
At it's core Cameo the Assassin is a solid adventure tale set in a fantasy world where vampires and their ghoulish minions are monsters whispered about in darkened corners. Alas, this fantasy world is lacking in any fresh world building. Rather generic, the reader is dropped right into the world with no knowledge given as to what the world is like and very few details are ever given. A few towns are named and there's mention of a king but nothing is truly established to guide the reader into a deeper understanding of the realm.
The cast of characters fares much better but is still lacking. Cameo, being the title character, is enigmatic which works quite well. Black Opal is an amusing dandy that is likely to be a reader favorite with his constant fussing over his appearance. But aside from them the other characters fall quite flat, feeling like cardboard cutout stand-ins to fill space. Overall they each had potential to be interesting but they've been polished down to less than caricatures.
The plot of the tale was never very clear. It was as if the characters came first and the purpose was to find mini adventures to string them along until they reached some sort of romantic interest but without any romantic fiction elements. Honestly, it reads like a series of dull tavern visits and nights in the woods tending wounds to the point of being almost boring.
Overall though I did enjoy it. Cameo the Assassin is light fantasy, very much lacking in the vivid descriptive details most Epic Fantasy stands on while still having exceptionally well written action sequences. It's quite good for a self-published debut novel and my main reason for the middle-ground star rating is my displeasure with the lacking climax of the story. I'd recommend this one for fantasy lovers who need a filler story or something light to pass a plane ride.
***Review Copy received via Author.
Cameo is a legend, an assassin mother's tell their children will slay them if they don't behave. But when a botched job leaves her a wanted fugitive alongside a pair of eccentric highwaymen her status as a merciless murderer for money is tested. Falling in with the poetic Bellamy and foppish Black Opal their exploits lead them on a less-than-merry adventure through forrest and tavern. Charged with bringing a young acolyte to his temple in exchange for silence regarding her not-so-human state she'll wind up at the bitter mercy of her master and challenged with keeping her new found friends alive.
At it's core Cameo the Assassin is a solid adventure tale set in a fantasy world where vampires and their ghoulish minions are monsters whispered about in darkened corners. Alas, this fantasy world is lacking in any fresh world building. Rather generic, the reader is dropped right into the world with no knowledge given as to what the world is like and very few details are ever given. A few towns are named and there's mention of a king but nothing is truly established to guide the reader into a deeper understanding of the realm.
The cast of characters fares much better but is still lacking. Cameo, being the title character, is enigmatic which works quite well. Black Opal is an amusing dandy that is likely to be a reader favorite with his constant fussing over his appearance. But aside from them the other characters fall quite flat, feeling like cardboard cutout stand-ins to fill space. Overall they each had potential to be interesting but they've been polished down to less than caricatures.
The plot of the tale was never very clear. It was as if the characters came first and the purpose was to find mini adventures to string them along until they reached some sort of romantic interest but without any romantic fiction elements. Honestly, it reads like a series of dull tavern visits and nights in the woods tending wounds to the point of being almost boring.
Overall though I did enjoy it. Cameo the Assassin is light fantasy, very much lacking in the vivid descriptive details most Epic Fantasy stands on while still having exceptionally well written action sequences. It's quite good for a self-published debut novel and my main reason for the middle-ground star rating is my displeasure with the lacking climax of the story. I'd recommend this one for fantasy lovers who need a filler story or something light to pass a plane ride.
***Review Copy received via Author.
July 15, 2011
I have to say that I’m a bit disappointed in this read because it came so highly recommended. Not that is wasn’t a perfectly decent story, but it didn’t come remotely close to meeting my built up expectations. Cameo, is an assassin hired by the association and Wick to kill whomever they feel needs to be taken out. But Cameo’s true Master is a Vampire named Hafeff, of whose bidding she must do, no questions asked. But when Cameo is sent to kill Black Opal and his sidekick Bellamy, she kills her fellow assassin instead and soon becomes a target of the association. She befriends the two thieving highwaymen and decides to leave the area.
To me this book was about a bunch of unlikely friends and misfits ambling around the country with no real purpose or goals. Besides the two small tasks that needed to be done, there was absolutely nothing driving these characters and this story really didn’t have any direction. I wasn’t invested in the characters nor did I care what happened to them. There are a myriad of characters introduced that we never really get to know beyond the surface. Very one-dimensional and lacking depth. Even Cameo. We find that she was made a Zombie by a Vampire after her and her sister were attacked long ago. But we don’t know why, or exactly how long she’s been a zombie. We don’t know much about Hefeff or where he comes from. The details are just non-existent in this book.
The only character that was of some interest to me was the theiving Black Opal. But only because he was a bit sarcastic and an unusual theif who was very meticulous about his appearance. The fact that he would get all dressed up to find himself in a fight or sleeping in a graveyard was chuckle-worthy. But the appeal stops there. He’s not described favorably, nor the other characters, but finds himself interested in Cameo, whose also not the picture of desire. So for me the whole stiff budding romance between the two was cringe-worthy…very ick.
Honestly, I really don’t understand why people are raving about this book. Okay story, but truly nothing earth shattering and really a bit boring. I kept waiting for something to happen and then thinking maybe it was all leading up to a phenomenal ending, only to be let down again. The end was very anti-climatic. So I’m hoping the second book is better. If not, I don’t know if I can hang in there for the third book to come.
To me this book was about a bunch of unlikely friends and misfits ambling around the country with no real purpose or goals. Besides the two small tasks that needed to be done, there was absolutely nothing driving these characters and this story really didn’t have any direction. I wasn’t invested in the characters nor did I care what happened to them. There are a myriad of characters introduced that we never really get to know beyond the surface. Very one-dimensional and lacking depth. Even Cameo. We find that she was made a Zombie by a Vampire after her and her sister were attacked long ago. But we don’t know why, or exactly how long she’s been a zombie. We don’t know much about Hefeff or where he comes from. The details are just non-existent in this book.
The only character that was of some interest to me was the theiving Black Opal. But only because he was a bit sarcastic and an unusual theif who was very meticulous about his appearance. The fact that he would get all dressed up to find himself in a fight or sleeping in a graveyard was chuckle-worthy. But the appeal stops there. He’s not described favorably, nor the other characters, but finds himself interested in Cameo, whose also not the picture of desire. So for me the whole stiff budding romance between the two was cringe-worthy…very ick.
Honestly, I really don’t understand why people are raving about this book. Okay story, but truly nothing earth shattering and really a bit boring. I kept waiting for something to happen and then thinking maybe it was all leading up to a phenomenal ending, only to be let down again. The end was very anti-climatic. So I’m hoping the second book is better. If not, I don’t know if I can hang in there for the third book to come.
August 8, 2011
Cameo the Assassin is, for lack of a better or more descriptive term, fun. It's an adventurous fantasy with lots of traveling, highwaymen, assassins, and political mysteries and drama that plague our characters' every steps. I was reminded of the Poison series, not necessarily because of similarities of plot or characters, but because of the sense of scale of the story. I definitely got the feeling with this story that there is truly a whole world to be explored and that we're only seeing a small part of it, the part that's immediately important.
Cameo has, by all accounts, had a terrible life. Attacked and left for dead at a young age, she's been making her living as an Association assassin, and is frightfully good at her job. That all comes crashing down when she's ordered to kill Black Opal, a highwayman who happened to rob the stagecoach she was on on her last job. When she's saddled with a "partner" who happens to be the worst, most despicable person she could be forced to work with, she eliminates him, which eliminates her protection under the Association in the process.
Forced on the run, Cameo ends up joining forces with Opal and his partner in crime, Bel. Their journey takes them all over the countryside, trying to avoid detection and their own assassinations. To make matters worse, Cameo has a few secrets of her own, stemming from her vicious childhood, that she wants hidden. She feels like it's enough of a miracle that anyone wants to associate with her and help her and that revealing all of her secrets would be extremely unwise.
Going into this story knowing it was a planned trilogy was a big help in sorting out which details were immediately important versus which ones may be important in the next two installments. Cameo is in the unfortunate predicament of having to serve two masters, and while they're both unhappy with her, life is very difficult indeed.
I also enjoyed the hint of romance and attraction between Cameo and Opal. We see just a little, enough to wonder if they're going to make a go of it or just leave it as another thing both of them want but can't have. I'm interested in how things develop between these two in the next few books.
I'm always on the lookout for fun fantasy novels with adventure, romance, good details and world building, and I was very satisfied after reading Cameo the Assassin.
Cameo has, by all accounts, had a terrible life. Attacked and left for dead at a young age, she's been making her living as an Association assassin, and is frightfully good at her job. That all comes crashing down when she's ordered to kill Black Opal, a highwayman who happened to rob the stagecoach she was on on her last job. When she's saddled with a "partner" who happens to be the worst, most despicable person she could be forced to work with, she eliminates him, which eliminates her protection under the Association in the process.
Forced on the run, Cameo ends up joining forces with Opal and his partner in crime, Bel. Their journey takes them all over the countryside, trying to avoid detection and their own assassinations. To make matters worse, Cameo has a few secrets of her own, stemming from her vicious childhood, that she wants hidden. She feels like it's enough of a miracle that anyone wants to associate with her and help her and that revealing all of her secrets would be extremely unwise.
Going into this story knowing it was a planned trilogy was a big help in sorting out which details were immediately important versus which ones may be important in the next two installments. Cameo is in the unfortunate predicament of having to serve two masters, and while they're both unhappy with her, life is very difficult indeed.
I also enjoyed the hint of romance and attraction between Cameo and Opal. We see just a little, enough to wonder if they're going to make a go of it or just leave it as another thing both of them want but can't have. I'm interested in how things develop between these two in the next few books.
I'm always on the lookout for fun fantasy novels with adventure, romance, good details and world building, and I was very satisfied after reading Cameo the Assassin.
May 18, 2011
My Rating: 3.25/5 stars!
Cameo the Assassin is definitely a nice breath of fresh air in the dark fantasy/paranormal realm. Unique and entertaining, the first book looks to be a great opening into a very interesting series. I did have a few minor issues with the writing-style and technical execution. However, the characters are enjoyable, the storyline is fast-paced and engaging, and I’m looking forward to starting book two.
Cameo has a few dimensions to her character although she is very one-note throughout most of the book. I absolutely loved seeing her open up on those rare occasions with Opal and Kyrian. Not only is Cameo an assassin but she has supernatural abilities thanks to a near-death experience when she was younger. Being a vampire’s thrall and an assassin for the Association, Cameo doesn’t have much control over anything in her life. Killing is what she knows and what she does best and her personality mimics the distant and cold life of a killer. That is until she starts to care for the unruly company she has later on in the story. So even though she isn’t the most compelling character it’s really tough to rule her out as a great character.
Black Opal and Bellamy are two notorious highwaymen that Cameo comes across and actually starts to travel with despite her reluctance. The two of them really stand out when next to Cameo. Their personalities are loud and fun despite the fact that they are thieves and sometime killers. I think Opal is definitely my favorite character. He’s so full of himself and he’s incredibly weird but he’s so likeable.
My personal issue with the writing-style was nothing too major. I just found myself a bit confused during the novel. I felt there were occasions where the writing was incomplete or transitioned so abruptly that it didn’t quite fit. It wasn’t enough to deter from the actual story but it was enough to make me have to re-read certain parts. It felt as though there were passages missing and it left me a puzzled.
Overall I’m very impressed with the story Dawn has created. The pace is quick and enjoyable. There is tons of action that succeeds in not being over the top and over-detailed. And the teasing amount of romance is a great addition. I feel that Dawn’s got a lot up her sleeve concerning Cameo and I’m curious to see what she has in store for her readers.
Cameo the Assassin is definitely a nice breath of fresh air in the dark fantasy/paranormal realm. Unique and entertaining, the first book looks to be a great opening into a very interesting series. I did have a few minor issues with the writing-style and technical execution. However, the characters are enjoyable, the storyline is fast-paced and engaging, and I’m looking forward to starting book two.
Cameo has a few dimensions to her character although she is very one-note throughout most of the book. I absolutely loved seeing her open up on those rare occasions with Opal and Kyrian. Not only is Cameo an assassin but she has supernatural abilities thanks to a near-death experience when she was younger. Being a vampire’s thrall and an assassin for the Association, Cameo doesn’t have much control over anything in her life. Killing is what she knows and what she does best and her personality mimics the distant and cold life of a killer. That is until she starts to care for the unruly company she has later on in the story. So even though she isn’t the most compelling character it’s really tough to rule her out as a great character.
Black Opal and Bellamy are two notorious highwaymen that Cameo comes across and actually starts to travel with despite her reluctance. The two of them really stand out when next to Cameo. Their personalities are loud and fun despite the fact that they are thieves and sometime killers. I think Opal is definitely my favorite character. He’s so full of himself and he’s incredibly weird but he’s so likeable.
My personal issue with the writing-style was nothing too major. I just found myself a bit confused during the novel. I felt there were occasions where the writing was incomplete or transitioned so abruptly that it didn’t quite fit. It wasn’t enough to deter from the actual story but it was enough to make me have to re-read certain parts. It felt as though there were passages missing and it left me a puzzled.
Overall I’m very impressed with the story Dawn has created. The pace is quick and enjoyable. There is tons of action that succeeds in not being over the top and over-detailed. And the teasing amount of romance is a great addition. I feel that Dawn’s got a lot up her sleeve concerning Cameo and I’m curious to see what she has in store for her readers.
May 9, 2011
GENRE: Dark Urban Fantasy
THEME: Zombie/Vampire
RECEIVED: From Author
AUTHOR: Dawn McCullough-White
MY BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com
REVIEW:
I was pretty surprised when I read Cameo; it was a different style from the normal PNR and Urban Fantasy that I normally read. The beginning was brilliantly written with immediately putting the reader into this horrible scene where our lead character is dealing with a pretty extreme situation. The first bit was intriguing, introducing a dark mysterious character that makes Cameo into an intense and interesting assassin.
Cameo is a very sad character to me, something horrible happened to her and it seems as if she goes through each day emotionless. She does her job and moves on to the next like its nothing, she is definitely a feared person to people who don’t know her.
The story had its ups and downs the beginning was fascinating and really pulled me in. The middle I felt lost its pace for a while but soon picked up with some excitement. This book is very much a “Dark” Urban fantasy with violence happening a lot through out, but it’s an assassin story, what do you expect?
White wrote some very fun lively supporting characters, my favorite being Opal. His character is a fashionista male who is also great at fighting, a lot of the time along side Cameo. I loved every scene with Opal and Cameo; it wasn’t the same when they were apart. I also enjoyed Opals pal Bel who had lots of humorous conversations with Opal that gave a happier tone to the dark story.
There are two characters that I’m dying to know more about because they are so mysterious and you only get to know a bit about them. Haffef and Edel, I’m hoping to read more on them in the second book.
This was an interesting book and I mean that in a good way. I did have problems with the pace here and there and sometimes got little overwhelmed with all the characters introduced. I felt overall it was a great read and had really well thought out characters that I can’t wait to read more about. I recommend this novel to fans of Dark Fantasy and Urban Fantasy, anyone who likes some dark mysterious awesomeness.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel, a lot of violence and horror type scene occur through out this book. Fans of Dark Fantasy like Jenna Blacks Morgan Kingsley series or Adrian Phoenix The Song Maker series.
THEME: Zombie/Vampire
RECEIVED: From Author
AUTHOR: Dawn McCullough-White
MY BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com
REVIEW:
I was pretty surprised when I read Cameo; it was a different style from the normal PNR and Urban Fantasy that I normally read. The beginning was brilliantly written with immediately putting the reader into this horrible scene where our lead character is dealing with a pretty extreme situation. The first bit was intriguing, introducing a dark mysterious character that makes Cameo into an intense and interesting assassin.
Cameo is a very sad character to me, something horrible happened to her and it seems as if she goes through each day emotionless. She does her job and moves on to the next like its nothing, she is definitely a feared person to people who don’t know her.
The story had its ups and downs the beginning was fascinating and really pulled me in. The middle I felt lost its pace for a while but soon picked up with some excitement. This book is very much a “Dark” Urban fantasy with violence happening a lot through out, but it’s an assassin story, what do you expect?
White wrote some very fun lively supporting characters, my favorite being Opal. His character is a fashionista male who is also great at fighting, a lot of the time along side Cameo. I loved every scene with Opal and Cameo; it wasn’t the same when they were apart. I also enjoyed Opals pal Bel who had lots of humorous conversations with Opal that gave a happier tone to the dark story.
There are two characters that I’m dying to know more about because they are so mysterious and you only get to know a bit about them. Haffef and Edel, I’m hoping to read more on them in the second book.
This was an interesting book and I mean that in a good way. I did have problems with the pace here and there and sometimes got little overwhelmed with all the characters introduced. I felt overall it was a great read and had really well thought out characters that I can’t wait to read more about. I recommend this novel to fans of Dark Fantasy and Urban Fantasy, anyone who likes some dark mysterious awesomeness.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel, a lot of violence and horror type scene occur through out this book. Fans of Dark Fantasy like Jenna Blacks Morgan Kingsley series or Adrian Phoenix The Song Maker series.
May 9, 2011
*There may be spoilers*
This book was so mysterious. In a really good way! I really, really enjoyed it. Cameo is so complex. When I started out the book, I just thought of her in a very one-dimensional way; as a killer. But as the story progresses you keep unraveling more parts of her past and she just becomes so much more real and interesting! I really liked her, I was surprised by how compassionate she was.
Black Opal was such a strange guy. He was peculiar, but I liked that about him. I can’t wait to see what is going to happen between him and Cameo. I’m really happy that he was such a major role in this story because I initially thought that he was only going to be a minor character. I also love how taken he is with Cameo. He goes out on a lot of limbs for her and I think that is just so cute.
I was astonished by how many plot twists and surprises there were. It was awesome! I can’t even tell you how many times I didn’t see something coming. And I love it when that happens. When a book can totally surprise me, and catch me off guard, it makes me so happy! I want to tell you guys some of the things that blindsided me while reading, but not knowing was part of the fun for me, so I won’t take that away from any of you. Just know that there are some really cool twists in this story. Once I got about 25 pages into this book I just did not want to put it down. At all. I had to know what was going to happen next. Would I be surprised again? Would I be able to guess what was going to happen? Not knowing if something was going to be revealed that would send the story in a completely different direction was really fun for me.
I will say that sometimes the story switched between different scenes kinda quickly. I was left with an incomplete picture at times and then just shifted over to something completely new. I know that adds to the mysterious vibe that I really enjoyed about this book, but it also left me confused at moments. And the cliffhanger! Oh that cliffhanger- it definitely did its job, I want to read the second book right now!
This book was so mysterious. In a really good way! I really, really enjoyed it. Cameo is so complex. When I started out the book, I just thought of her in a very one-dimensional way; as a killer. But as the story progresses you keep unraveling more parts of her past and she just becomes so much more real and interesting! I really liked her, I was surprised by how compassionate she was.
Black Opal was such a strange guy. He was peculiar, but I liked that about him. I can’t wait to see what is going to happen between him and Cameo. I’m really happy that he was such a major role in this story because I initially thought that he was only going to be a minor character. I also love how taken he is with Cameo. He goes out on a lot of limbs for her and I think that is just so cute.
I was astonished by how many plot twists and surprises there were. It was awesome! I can’t even tell you how many times I didn’t see something coming. And I love it when that happens. When a book can totally surprise me, and catch me off guard, it makes me so happy! I want to tell you guys some of the things that blindsided me while reading, but not knowing was part of the fun for me, so I won’t take that away from any of you. Just know that there are some really cool twists in this story. Once I got about 25 pages into this book I just did not want to put it down. At all. I had to know what was going to happen next. Would I be surprised again? Would I be able to guess what was going to happen? Not knowing if something was going to be revealed that would send the story in a completely different direction was really fun for me.
I will say that sometimes the story switched between different scenes kinda quickly. I was left with an incomplete picture at times and then just shifted over to something completely new. I know that adds to the mysterious vibe that I really enjoyed about this book, but it also left me confused at moments. And the cliffhanger! Oh that cliffhanger- it definitely did its job, I want to read the second book right now!
July 4, 2011
Cameo the Assassin is quite an intriguing novel. Dawn McCullogh-White combines paranormal elements, such as vampires and witches, with a fantasy world, creating an engrossing and unique read. I have always admired the strong female heroines, and Cameo the Assassin delivers. There is much more to this story than action and assassinations, I felt the emotional pull of the characters and the settings.
The nature of the assassins, the Association, and it's leader is unique and creative. I found myself wondering what exactly Wick (the Association leader) was, and what her ultimate motivation was. I found the characters in Cameo the Assassin to be colorful and endearing. Black Opal, the dandy thief, is entertaining and enigmatic. The subtle attraction between Opal and Cameo is well written and developed. They are two misfits, outcasts who find similarities in each other. As for Cameo, her supernatural side was unexpected, but I love the character and her idiosyncrasies.
The paranormal elements to this story are some of the most unique that I have read in awhile. It is refreshing to come across new ideas and concepts, and the new concepts here were well done. I am not exactly sure how the vampires enthrall their subordinates, and am curious about that. In fact, there seem to be several open ends and things remaining to be explained in this book. These open ends do not really detract from the story, but they do leave me curious.
Cameo the Assassin is book 1 in a series, and it sets a solid foundation for future books. It did take me a little while to really understand the fantasy world, and adjust to the new paranormal concepts. The relationships have been established, and I am very much looking forward to finding out what comes next.
I do recommend this book. It is only 99 cents on amazon for the kindle format (or on smashwords), and that is a fantastic deal!
The nature of the assassins, the Association, and it's leader is unique and creative. I found myself wondering what exactly Wick (the Association leader) was, and what her ultimate motivation was. I found the characters in Cameo the Assassin to be colorful and endearing. Black Opal, the dandy thief, is entertaining and enigmatic. The subtle attraction between Opal and Cameo is well written and developed. They are two misfits, outcasts who find similarities in each other. As for Cameo, her supernatural side was unexpected, but I love the character and her idiosyncrasies.
The paranormal elements to this story are some of the most unique that I have read in awhile. It is refreshing to come across new ideas and concepts, and the new concepts here were well done. I am not exactly sure how the vampires enthrall their subordinates, and am curious about that. In fact, there seem to be several open ends and things remaining to be explained in this book. These open ends do not really detract from the story, but they do leave me curious.
Cameo the Assassin is book 1 in a series, and it sets a solid foundation for future books. It did take me a little while to really understand the fantasy world, and adjust to the new paranormal concepts. The relationships have been established, and I am very much looking forward to finding out what comes next.
I do recommend this book. It is only 99 cents on amazon for the kindle format (or on smashwords), and that is a fantastic deal!
December 20, 2010
Cameo the Assasin
By: Dawn McCullough-White
Summary-
Kingdom of Sieunes is rife with taverns, dirty streets, and clay pipe smoking citizens all toiling to feed their families and keep themselves in something little better than rags. With a foiled revolution just ten years prior still burning in the hearts of many, the royals enlist the aid of assassins to keep things in order. The townsfolk entertain themselves by dreaming of better times to come and regaling in stories of the undead said to walk the graveyards at night... and of Cameo the killer with corpse-like eyes...
Scarred and jaded Cameo is one of the most effective assassins in the employ of the Association, moving from one mission to the next as long as the alcohol keeps flowing. Her acceptance of the murder-for-hire lifestyle is thrown into doubt when she meets a local highwayman with a penchant for fine clothes and women, and then she begins to think about breaking with the company but no one ever breaks with the Association under good terms.(Goodreads)
Review-
Cameo is the first zombie story I have read. It is an interesting spin on the normal zombie. Very detailed characters. Which is nice. I loved the storyline. It was well planned and executed. Its an easy read. All kinds of unexpected twists and turns. I picked it up and before I knew it I was at the end of the book. A colorful fast paced story. I dropped into her world and stayed with her through the entire ride. I hope that there will be a sequel. Id love to read it and add it to my collection
My score-4 Stars
Reviewed by~Mechele
April 13, 2011
Cameo the Assassin took me by surprise. I was expecting a run-of-the-mill vamp novel and it didn't deliver that! What I got was a steampunk-esque (though I'm not sure I'd qualify it completely as Steampunk) story about a ghoul, I mean girl, who's a hired killer-with-a-soul for the Association (dun-dun-duuuuun!). I've never read a Zombie book before, and while the novel is careful to not bandy about that term (certainly, Cameo, our daring lead character doesn't like it), it certainly fits.
Dawn McCullough-White writes Cameo incredibly well. When you are introduced to her, she is aloof and emotionless, taking swigs from her flask while she watches the rather questionable activities that surround her each day. She is paid to do her job and not question, something she does well. She is the very embodiment of someone without a soul. Or so you think. What you find beneath Cameo's surface...well, I won't spoil it for you. But it's spectacular. And not the least bit ordinary.
As you read, you're drawn into the story, bit by bit, like a lazy fishing line slowly being reeled in. She paints a dark, yet lovely picture of a Victorian-era period with fine clothing, large egos and intrigue that makes you want to keep reading. Her supporting characters, Opal, Kyrian and Bellamy, are often delightful and amusing with their verbal repartee. It was a little difficult to keep up with the character jumps, but I attribute that more to the way it was formatted on my Nook than anything else, so it's easily overlooked. I definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys Steampunk, Dark Fantasy or Paranormal Fiction. It was a great read!
Dawn McCullough-White writes Cameo incredibly well. When you are introduced to her, she is aloof and emotionless, taking swigs from her flask while she watches the rather questionable activities that surround her each day. She is paid to do her job and not question, something she does well. She is the very embodiment of someone without a soul. Or so you think. What you find beneath Cameo's surface...well, I won't spoil it for you. But it's spectacular. And not the least bit ordinary.
As you read, you're drawn into the story, bit by bit, like a lazy fishing line slowly being reeled in. She paints a dark, yet lovely picture of a Victorian-era period with fine clothing, large egos and intrigue that makes you want to keep reading. Her supporting characters, Opal, Kyrian and Bellamy, are often delightful and amusing with their verbal repartee. It was a little difficult to keep up with the character jumps, but I attribute that more to the way it was formatted on my Nook than anything else, so it's easily overlooked. I definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys Steampunk, Dark Fantasy or Paranormal Fiction. It was a great read!
January 8, 2015
I was offered to read Cameo the Assassin by Dawn McCullough White by inkspand in exchange for an honest review.
Cameo and Clovis Gail DePell- the assassins and Black Opal and Bellamy- highwaymen are pinned for the murder the prince by the leader of the assassins, Wick. The only problems with that is, Cameo secretly assassinated the prince and Cameo, Black Opal and Bellamy killed Gail in self defense.
Although Opal is somewhat of a drunk dandy, he obviously has feelings for Cameo, even after he realizes she is an assassin and he should probably be wary of her. His main interests seem to be clothing, his mirror, alcohol, adventure and Cameo. Opal has a blind eye but is very adept swordsman. There are many examples of Opal's handiwork with his sword, many times his sword has met its mark before Opal even realizes.
During the midst of fleeting assassins and bounty hunters set on the bounty offered for the four murderers Cameo is charged with getting fifteen year old Kyrian to safety. Kyrian is excited when he first realizes who his escorts are, not realizing the danger his is in. Now not only does he have to worry about his safety, he has to be worried about people thinking he has something to do with the death of the prince and his association with the assassins.
I was a little confused when the book first began. Cameo is found almost dead, but then is alive and an assassin, but the confusion was quickly cleared and made the story more interesting. I was guessing the outcome until the end. I like a book where I'm not sure what the outcome will be, but cannot put it down until I find the answers. This is a five star book.
Cameo and Clovis Gail DePell- the assassins and Black Opal and Bellamy- highwaymen are pinned for the murder the prince by the leader of the assassins, Wick. The only problems with that is, Cameo secretly assassinated the prince and Cameo, Black Opal and Bellamy killed Gail in self defense.
Although Opal is somewhat of a drunk dandy, he obviously has feelings for Cameo, even after he realizes she is an assassin and he should probably be wary of her. His main interests seem to be clothing, his mirror, alcohol, adventure and Cameo. Opal has a blind eye but is very adept swordsman. There are many examples of Opal's handiwork with his sword, many times his sword has met its mark before Opal even realizes.
During the midst of fleeting assassins and bounty hunters set on the bounty offered for the four murderers Cameo is charged with getting fifteen year old Kyrian to safety. Kyrian is excited when he first realizes who his escorts are, not realizing the danger his is in. Now not only does he have to worry about his safety, he has to be worried about people thinking he has something to do with the death of the prince and his association with the assassins.
I was a little confused when the book first began. Cameo is found almost dead, but then is alive and an assassin, but the confusion was quickly cleared and made the story more interesting. I was guessing the outcome until the end. I like a book where I'm not sure what the outcome will be, but cannot put it down until I find the answers. This is a five star book.
May 2, 2011
Cameo the Assassin opens with a heart-rending scene; a woman is lying in a field after a brutal attack that left her little sister dead, she herself clinging to life. As she’s lying there in her own thoughts, a man comes and bites her, and suddenly she finds the strength to flee.
Several years later Cameo, a well-known assassin with a group known as the Associates, is given an assignment: to kill Leon Belfour, Prince of Sieunes, and heir to the throne. On her way to do the dirty deed
Cameo’s coach is robbed by two highwaymen. Through a series of events Cameo and the highwaymen find their fates intertwined, especially after they find themselves wanted for the Prince's murder. The suspense builds as Cameo’s past comes to light and the group finds themselves on the run for their lives, and from a force not as easily escapable as the authorities or assassins.
Confession:
I really fell in love with this book. I have to admit, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I had no idea the paranormal elements the story had, and the twists it would take. I LOVED the characters; I cannot even describe how much I LOVED the characters. The highwaymen and Cameo, they make a group of misfits that left me in fits of laughter at times! Especially Black Opal, with his penchant for fine clothes, wearing make-up, his shameless flirting and witty banter left me smiling. Cameo is tough as nails, kick’n butt and takin’ names, and yet she has a soft side too that comes through.
I am so excited to read the next book in the series, Cameo and the Highwayman!
Several years later Cameo, a well-known assassin with a group known as the Associates, is given an assignment: to kill Leon Belfour, Prince of Sieunes, and heir to the throne. On her way to do the dirty deed
Cameo’s coach is robbed by two highwaymen. Through a series of events Cameo and the highwaymen find their fates intertwined, especially after they find themselves wanted for the Prince's murder. The suspense builds as Cameo’s past comes to light and the group finds themselves on the run for their lives, and from a force not as easily escapable as the authorities or assassins.
Confession:
I really fell in love with this book. I have to admit, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I had no idea the paranormal elements the story had, and the twists it would take. I LOVED the characters; I cannot even describe how much I LOVED the characters. The highwaymen and Cameo, they make a group of misfits that left me in fits of laughter at times! Especially Black Opal, with his penchant for fine clothes, wearing make-up, his shameless flirting and witty banter left me smiling. Cameo is tough as nails, kick’n butt and takin’ names, and yet she has a soft side too that comes through.
I am so excited to read the next book in the series, Cameo and the Highwayman!
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December 2, 2013I had high hopes for this book, but was disappointed and did not finish.
The writing style is odd. Everything is told in extremely clinical fashion with barely any color or life. There is no explanation given for any action or internal monologue whatsoever; the characters are flat paper dolls being put through their paces in a puppet show. Much like Coke that has gone stale, the narrative style is flat and dull, and feels like reading a dusty news article in a banker's journal.
I persevered for a while in the hope that this might have been a sort of literary device and the characters would become more personable later on. I finally gave up at 17%, when the main character--quite out of character for an assassin who had supposedly been successful for many years--arbitrarily failed a job and took revenge on someone she'd always had plenty of access to, for something that had occurred many years back, again with no motivation or explanation given. She then proceeded to name as friend a man whom she had met exactly twice--once to be robbed by him and next to kill him, with no friendly overtures at any time. This for me finally pushed it over the edge of odd narrative style to just lazy ass writing.
P. S. Also, there was a scene wherein a fight took place between two men, one of them with two first names. The narrative then proceeded to alternate precisely between using the first and second name for that character with every other sentence. I don't know what the point of that was, but it was just distracting and made the fight narrative confusing as hell.
The writing style is odd. Everything is told in extremely clinical fashion with barely any color or life. There is no explanation given for any action or internal monologue whatsoever; the characters are flat paper dolls being put through their paces in a puppet show. Much like Coke that has gone stale, the narrative style is flat and dull, and feels like reading a dusty news article in a banker's journal.
I persevered for a while in the hope that this might have been a sort of literary device and the characters would become more personable later on. I finally gave up at 17%, when the main character--quite out of character for an assassin who had supposedly been successful for many years--arbitrarily failed a job and took revenge on someone she'd always had plenty of access to, for something that had occurred many years back, again with no motivation or explanation given. She then proceeded to name as friend a man whom she had met exactly twice--once to be robbed by him and next to kill him, with no friendly overtures at any time. This for me finally pushed it over the edge of odd narrative style to just lazy ass writing.
P. S. Also, there was a scene wherein a fight took place between two men, one of them with two first names. The narrative then proceeded to alternate precisely between using the first and second name for that character with every other sentence. I don't know what the point of that was, but it was just distracting and made the fight narrative confusing as hell.
February 10, 2017
Everything about this book screamed 'don't read me' - the genre, the style, the period, the characters - yet from the first paragraph I was totally under it's spell. It hooked me with the magic that an Enid Blyton did when I was a child and I read and read this strangely alluring fantasy, spellbound and enthralled. The characters are vivid and well formed and the dialogue flowed in the way that I am sure vampires and un-dead and highway men the world over must speak. The author rarely 'told' and almost always 'showed' in a style of writing containing a lot of dialogue, that I love.
I have one 'grammar police' criticism that has made me give it a 4 star rating rather than a 5 star and that is the use, not just once either! of 'off of'. One does not get off of something, one gets off it!
Despite that, I has not even finished the book before I bought the second in the trilogy and I look forward to beginning that tonight!
I have one 'grammar police' criticism that has made me give it a 4 star rating rather than a 5 star and that is the use, not just once either! of 'off of'. One does not get off of something, one gets off it!
Despite that, I has not even finished the book before I bought the second in the trilogy and I look forward to beginning that tonight!
November 28, 2011
This was such a fun romp! Perfect book to break the monotony of reading the same genre.
The setting of the story is some sort of fantasy/alternative history with kings, aristocracy, knights, sun cult, assassins and plenty of superstitions and fairy-tales.
Cameo is an assassin whose mission goes all wrong after a highwayman stops the carriage she is travelling in. A unique sort of circumstances brings Cameo and Black Opal (the highwayman) together on a very dangerous journey, losing and acquiring friends and enemies along the road.
What stood out for me in this story is that Cameo and Black Opal both are not your typical protagonists. Cameo is a legendary scary assassin whose name simple folks use to frighten their children. She is not beautiful at all, but dark, lonely and eery.
Opal has poor vision, is scarred by pockmarks, which he covers by heavily powdering his face and wearing ridiculously foppish clothes. He is also not young and kills easily. But the guy is devilishly charming and thinks that Cameo is beautiful.
I couldn't help laughing visualising this pair. Because they are so imperfect, they are very lively. The same can be said about secondary characters who are just as vivid.
The whole book come to life very easily, and becomes a fast read. There are also plenty of unresolved mysteries in the end which make you want to read book #2.
Very much recommended.
The setting of the story is some sort of fantasy/alternative history with kings, aristocracy, knights, sun cult, assassins and plenty of superstitions and fairy-tales.
Cameo is an assassin whose mission goes all wrong after a highwayman stops the carriage she is travelling in. A unique sort of circumstances brings Cameo and Black Opal (the highwayman) together on a very dangerous journey, losing and acquiring friends and enemies along the road.
What stood out for me in this story is that Cameo and Black Opal both are not your typical protagonists. Cameo is a legendary scary assassin whose name simple folks use to frighten their children. She is not beautiful at all, but dark, lonely and eery.
Opal has poor vision, is scarred by pockmarks, which he covers by heavily powdering his face and wearing ridiculously foppish clothes. He is also not young and kills easily. But the guy is devilishly charming and thinks that Cameo is beautiful.
I couldn't help laughing visualising this pair. Because they are so imperfect, they are very lively. The same can be said about secondary characters who are just as vivid.
The whole book come to life very easily, and becomes a fast read. There are also plenty of unresolved mysteries in the end which make you want to read book #2.
Very much recommended.
January 21, 2013
Book One in The Trilogy of Shadows was interesting. The authors take on vampires was one I'm not used to seeing. Unfortunately, this also meant that it was something I didn't immediately understand. I spent the first half of the book trying to figure out why Cameo wasn't being a vampire since she'd been turned into one. I mean why didn't she defend herself?? Turns out, she wasn't. She's an imorotal "Thrall" of a vampire. This means she received just enough vampiric blood to make her undead but not enough to make her a vamp. Instead she was referred to as more like a Zombie and under the compulsion of her maker.
Super cool huh? This idea of dead but not dead, immortal but not a vamp, human but inhuman... I just wish I understood it better. I mean, why did she eat? Did she poop? She's dead so no digestive system... There was also the issue of "Shadow People" who she seems to be able to give tasks. I think the author has a great imagination but was trying a little too hard to keep some things in her vest pocket. Instead of making me want to read more, it frustrated me because I didn't understand.
Overall, this was an interesting and unique story, set in a world which allowed for some fabulous characterization and plot twists. If you like historical vampire pieces this one is well written and intricately conceived. Personally, it didn't spark my fire, so while I enjoyed Book One, I won't be reading Two or Three.
Super cool huh? This idea of dead but not dead, immortal but not a vamp, human but inhuman... I just wish I understood it better. I mean, why did she eat? Did she poop? She's dead so no digestive system... There was also the issue of "Shadow People" who she seems to be able to give tasks. I think the author has a great imagination but was trying a little too hard to keep some things in her vest pocket. Instead of making me want to read more, it frustrated me because I didn't understand.
Overall, this was an interesting and unique story, set in a world which allowed for some fabulous characterization and plot twists. If you like historical vampire pieces this one is well written and intricately conceived. Personally, it didn't spark my fire, so while I enjoyed Book One, I won't be reading Two or Three.
November 4, 2010
This is one of those books that rewards the reader for paying attention. From start to finish, there is a lot going. There is no point where the story drags. Its pace is smooth. The plot is in constant motion, driven by the characters.
The characters especially Cameo are complex and detailed. Each one has a past and background that plays a part in the story adding depth to it. There are characters that you will love, some that you will hate and a couple that will be a mystery to you. They are all men and women of action. For the most part, they do not sit around waiting for something to happen.
Dawn provides the perfect setting for her characters. It’s not a safe or savory place. It’s a place filled with danger. Here nobles employ assassins to accomplish what politics and bribery could not. Violence can erupt at anytime. Several times during the story, I was surprised. Like the characters, I was unprepared for what the world threw at me.
All of these factors made Cameo the Assassin enjoyable read for me. I recommend this book especially to those looking for a darker story.
The characters especially Cameo are complex and detailed. Each one has a past and background that plays a part in the story adding depth to it. There are characters that you will love, some that you will hate and a couple that will be a mystery to you. They are all men and women of action. For the most part, they do not sit around waiting for something to happen.
Dawn provides the perfect setting for her characters. It’s not a safe or savory place. It’s a place filled with danger. Here nobles employ assassins to accomplish what politics and bribery could not. Violence can erupt at anytime. Several times during the story, I was surprised. Like the characters, I was unprepared for what the world threw at me.
All of these factors made Cameo the Assassin enjoyable read for me. I recommend this book especially to those looking for a darker story.
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