Kenyons Minions discussion

Hell On Earth

When the Chthonians brought the primal gods to a truce at the end of their great war, part of the pact they forged was that the worst of the evil the gods had unleashed against each other and mankind would be forever banished.

But forever is a long time. And nothing can contain those determined to find a way back.

To catch evil, it takes evil . . .

While Thorn is able to contain the demons unleashed on the ground, the ones who prey on the innocent sailors and sea faring travelers are beyond his reach.

For the sake of humanity, he makes a shaky alliance with an old foe, Marcelina. In the form of the ship they sail upon, she assembles a team under the command of Captain Devlyn Nathaniel Bane, one of the most notorious and bloodthirsty pirates to ever sail the high seas.

Damned and murdered by his own, Bane is out for revenge. With his own secret agenda, he agrees to take charge of the motley crew of pirates and brigands, and to protect the seas from the preternatural terrors that seek to devour every unwary soul they can take.

Theirs is a sacred and deadly task, as they are hunted by their prey and human authorities alike. If they fail, the world will fall to the ancient gods of chaos, and anarchy will reign. Most of all, the Southern gate, where the greatest, most powerful darkness is imprisoned, will be opened and there will be no stopping it.

It’s yo ho ho and a bottle of high seas stakes where the souls of all humanity are the ultimate prize and bargaining chip.

Discussion is now open, whenever y'all are ready to talk about the book. =)

As always, please be respectful in your posts.

I do ask that you use spoiler tags as appropriate, for the first week.

Happy reading! =)

*sighs* When I first heard of the story, I honestly decided to not read it. Even if it does have Thorn and a couple of others that I'm a huge fan of. I'm not big on historic pirate stories. At all!! Of course, seeing the excerpts and tidbits that Carl posts on FB throughout the months got me more and more interested. I feel like I must read now! lol

I just stuck my hold on it. Hopefully I can pick it up tomorrow, but probably won't be able to read it until saturday. (Sis is moving...I've got no time for anything right now.)

Sucker that I am, I bought the ebook. XD

So far, I'm on Chapter 8 ... and there's some MAJOR info in this book, pertaining to Thorn as well as Dark-Hunters. And yes, there is a very minor tie to the Sea Wolves. =)

Listening to the audio until I can buy the book tomorrow. But, while reading was researching Thorn's names (listed on Kenyons character page) and found this connection to one of them.... Lesser Key of Solomon is said to have connections to Mesopotamian Mythology. So not exactly a spoiler, just an expansion on one thing but I think a lot of the names listed will look familiar.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_...

Oh wow ... yeah, I see at least six names that look familiar ... ;)

Thanks for the awesome link, Krista! =)

Dammit. I need to read now!!!

Shari-amor wrote: "Dammit. I need to read now!!!"

right?! Trying to listen to audio is just not working with me :( I swear I'm tempted to head to the store at 11 tonight when check hits the bank account and go buy it lol

For those of you who can't wait and would like to read more than excerpts but don't have the book... I have a solution!

Literally what I do is look up the book on google books. Look for the link that has a search box under the book image. Then just type a name like Cameron or William. It'll give you a large number of pages! ;)

:D Ive been doing that to find spellings of some of the names and stuff as I was listening since I suck at spelling (not like they are easy either)

Picked up my copy today. Will return with my thoughts later on. :D

Just finished ... and WOW, what a ride! :D

The information found in this book is stunning. The things we learn about Thorn ... yeah.
(view spoiler)[Holy crap, the full truth about Thorn's parentage ... didn't see THAT one coming!

So apparently Nick has had several siblings throughout the centuries ... and Madoc is the only sibling who survived.

Loved, loved, LOVED the cameo made by a duo known as Blake and Jake--Devereaux and Landry, that is. XD

I'll have to ask SK sometime about Seraph lineages. Because there's possibly a mind-boggling revelation .... (hide spoiler)]

Overall, LOVED it. Keeping up with the names of various side characters is confusing at best, but so far I find it best to just concentrate on the main characters (and Devyl's crew). XD

Charlotte wrote: "Just finished ... and WOW, what a ride! :D

The information found in this book is stunning. The things we learn about Thorn ... yeah.
Holy crap, the full truth about Thorn's parentage ... didn't se..."

I did not understand Thorn's parentage clearly?
(view spoiler)[Is his father Paimon or Lucifer? Because Thorn said that Paimon only carried his father's sperm? What is up with that. (hide spoiler)]

KimmyGorgeousBliss wrote: "I did not understand Thorn's parentage clearly?"

Kimmy, here's what I understand:
(view spoiler)[Yes. Lucifer is the biological father of Thorn. Paimon, who was the demon lover of Thorn's mother, was basically the "turkey baster" to impregnate Thorn's mother with Lucifer's sperm. ;D Jaden brokered the deal for Thorn's conception.

This takes baby-planting to a whole new level .... XD (hide spoiler)]

Charlotte wrote: "KimmyGorgeousBliss wrote: "I did not understand Thorn's parentage clearly?"

Kimmy, here's what I understand:
Yes. Lucifer is the biological father of Thorn. Paimon, who was the demon lover of Thor..."

Oh wow, that's something. And one thing I'm curious about, (view spoiler)[ If Lucifer is a fallen angel, wht does that make Thorn? (hide spoiler)]

I gots it!! Gonna share thoughts as I read later tonight

Only a few chapters in and I already love some of the crew on Bane's ship.

And need clarification, this is the same Bane that makes an appearance in CON, right!?

Shari-amor wrote: "And need clarification, this is the same Bane that makes an appearance in CON, right!?"

No, he's a different one.

Thank you much. I get really confused when characters have similar names. I start thinking they are one amd the same

Charlotte wrote: "KimmyGorgeousBliss wrote: "I did not understand Thorn's parentage clearly?"

Kimmy, here's what I understand:
Yes. Lucifer is the biological father of Thorn.
Paimon, who was the demon lover of Thor..."

Oooooohhhhhh! Now I get it! Ps. What a visual😜😜😜!!!
(view spoiler)[But then if Lucifer is a fallen angel then Thorn is not related to Noir or is the relation to Noir come into play because of Paimon(son of Noir) being the "turkey baster" as you pointed out? (hide spoiler)]

@ Bren -- (view spoiler)[I ... have no clue what to call the son of a fallen angel. Other than a demon. XD (hide spoiler)]

@ Kimmy .... I know, right? (view spoiler)[ I mean, that would be one HELL of a moniker ... "Paimon, the INSEMINATOR!"

Now, what we don't know for sure is Lucifer's entire parentage. He could actually be a son of Noir ... or he could be Noir's "adopted" son.

But you might be onto something there, about Paimon's part in the whole thing, coming into play for Thorn's relation to Noir. I'm thinking we should find out more in about a year, when the next DC comes out. ;) (hide spoiler)]

I am still dying over the image of Thorn, one of the biggest badasses we know, wearing a powdered wig Hahahahahahaha

Charlotte wrote: "KimmyGorgeousBliss wrote: "I did not understand Thorn's parentage clearly?"

Kimmy, here's what I understand:
Yes. Lucifer is the biological father of Thorn. Paimon, who was the demon lover of Thor..."

That is a taaaad bit gross (view spoiler)[ Who in the world walks around with another man's sperm to get his girl pregnant!? Lol And Jaden has got to hate being a demon broker in times like this. He seems to always be a part of some crazy demon scheme. (hide spoiler)]

And also (view spoiler)[ I actually had tears in my eyes as Thorn was holding Kalder and telling Michael and Gabriel that he wasnt garbage! (hide spoiler)]

Oh God, that scene wrecked me (view spoiler)[ when Thorn started to tell him that he was a good man and that people were going to mourn him (hide spoiler)]

*Mild Invision spoiler ahead...*

I'm kind of disappointed that Michael is basically just a racist, incandescent asshole (view spoiler)[given that one of his descendants is Bubba. Although the irony of his descendant being the closest thing the Malachai ever had to a father figure is something I can't wait to see revealed to him. (hide spoiler)]

Yeah it does suck that he's that way but I kinda felt from the tidbits that Thorn has revealed about the spherim (I think that's what they're called, someone help a sista out) and from that short story with Zeke, I'm not all that surprised. Maybe through the years the assholishness starts to wear off!? No way you can be an asshole with (view spoiler)[ Bubba as a relative. (hide spoiler)].

Okay ... so it's close enough to a week that I'm going to lift the need for spoiler tags. Anyone who is reading the thread and hasn't read DW yet ... read at your own risk.

Shari, I believe you're looking for Seraphim. ;)

Yeah ... considering that deal with with Lucifer and Paimon, it makes me wonder what other weird-ass deals has Jaden brokered throughout millennia? No wonder he "effing hates trees". XD

Poor Jaden. I kind of feel sorry for him and the crap he has to deal with on a regular basis.

Hahaha I was in the ballpark with that. I knew it started with an "S" and ended with "im" ^_^

Right! Everytime we hear of some weird demon birth, I feel like poor Jaden is always involved. I wondered if he'd be as accommodating if he wasnt enslaved to Noir and Azura.

Shari-amor wrote: "Hahaha I was in the ballpark with that. I knew it started with an "S" and ended with "im" ^_^

Right! Everytime we hear of some weird demon birth, I feel like poor Jaden is always involved. I wonde..."

Most likely not... he might end up killing the demons that annoy him or make him do the werid jobs.

Question did anyone else cry over Kalder (view spoiler)[ and how Cameron reacted to it, along with Thron saying that he wasn't garbage (hide spoiler)]? I can't be the only one here who? right? or am I the only to cry over him?

I cried at Thorn's reaction, but the entire thing with (view spoiler)[Kalder sacrificing himself for Cameron and her reaction to it struck me as overly dramatic. They barely know each other and all of the sudden I'm supposed to believe they have a special bond? The whole thing struck me as classic case of insta-love and it felt like the author tacked on their romance at the end just to ensure we would come back for the sequel (hide spoiler)]

Marie wrote: "I cried at Thorn's reaction, but the entire thing with [spoilers removed]"

sometimes there are authors who want to focus on just the two characters that they gloss over some interactions with others, even if they end up being romantic interest and get their own book

No no I get that this was Mara and Devyl's love story and ofcourse it should be the focus of the novel. That is totally normal. But given the way (view spoiler)[Cameron and Kadar were introduced as a couple (as in, thrown in like an afterthought towards the end of the book), Iwould have rather the author had waited to do it more organically in their own book. It felt totally out of place to me when I read it. (hide spoiler)]

Marie wrote: "No no I get that this was Mara and Devyl's love story and ofcourse it should be the focus of the novel. That is totally normal. But given the way [spoilers removed]"

it did seem that way... I'm just glad (view spoiler)[Kalder will come back (hide spoiler)]

Me too

I really enjoyed reading this book. I'm so excited for Kalder's story.

Okay finally finished this story today. And my thoughts. Totally agree about Thorn's conception story there. I don't even think Maury could have kept up with that much WTFery on that one lol.

I'm confused if the Bane in this story is not the one from CON then who is he?

And in a way I somewhat enjoyed it for what it was. But I felt like some of SK's usual heart or something wasn't quite into the story. Like I didn't have nearly as many feels as I expected I would. Like didn't really care for Mara and Duel reconciling and being in love. But felt more of their passion when they first met.

Felt more for his sisters being abused by their father and even Elf how she died the first time. But didn't feel much for Duel's parental abuse or some of the other things.

Also has anybody been keeping up with the Manga books and can elaborate more on the Necrodemians? As I'm at a major loss of Micheal and Gabriel coming into things. Maybe they were mentioned more in CON too and I missed it. As I even don't quite understand that about what Marie was saying about Bubba even.

Was interesting on the Thorn front about some of that info though. But I still feel like things were a bit off. Still love the cover though.

Dhfan4life wrote: "Okay finally finished this story today. And my thoughts. Totally agree about Thorn's conception story there. I don't even think Maury could have kept up with that much WTFery on that one lol.

I'm ..."

Devl Bane from the Deadmen Series isn't the same character as Bane from Infamous. Bane according to Xev, was another war general like Laguerre, Grim, and the other generals that made up the initial version of the Usumgallu.

I got that part. But who is this Bane that we read about from Deadmen Walking? And how does he tie into things? Heck for that matter when they were mentioning the "wintering" effect of Mara's people. Had me again thinking about Winter from the CON books as well. Even if one is an illness and the other is most likely an alias for someone else.

I think the similarities are just another example of the author foreshadowing. There's Devyl Bane. But also William Death and some other stuff. It's like when Grim was talking about Dark Hunters with Nick in CON and said "seize the night". Those are little winks for longtime readers of all the DH universe books.

Malachaibubble12 wrote: "Dhfan4life wrote: "Okay finally finished this story today. And my thoughts. Totally agree about Thorn's conception story there. I don't even think Maury could have kept up with that much WTFery on ..."

I also have to add that didn't we learn at one point or another that said generals didn't exactly seem like "voluntary" generals to the Malachai? Hence the few we had met/saw in CON weren't necessarily friendly towards the Malachai?

So I don't know. I was just thinking this Bane was another incarnation of the general Bane. Given the whole Malachai loving violence and Bane's past and so forth. And as we know with some characters being so long lived and coming back. Any who, another mystery for this mate-y, lol.

Deadman Walking is set in relatively recent times. I'd say the 1700s maybe. Since Adarian is over a thousand years old, it's safe to say he's the Malachai they mention in the book. Assuming he did lock up his generals as soon as he took his father's place, like all Malachai before him did, I'd say Bane from CON is another character. As far as we know, Adarian never appointed new generals like Nick did in Instinct. And since Bane is Pestilence, I'd say it's safe to say he's been Pestilence since the old testament came out, given that Adarian is probably at least that old.

Ahhh, that would make sense then. Thanks Marie.

Dhfan4life wrote: "Okay finally finished this story today. And my thoughts. Totally agree about Thorn's conception story there. I don't even think Maury could have kept up with that much WTFery on that one lol.

I'm ..."

Actually, the Necrodemians were first introduced in the DH series (Bad Moon Rising, and the short story "Where Angels Fear to Tread"). Remember Zeke? He's a Seraph/Hell-Hunter who's also a Necrodemian, which is someone who is authorized to kill demons. And Zeke's last name means that he's of the Jacobson line.

From what I can gather, Gabriel is more or less the leader of the Seraphim, serving in the same sort of capacity as Ash with the DH's.

The importance of Michael, is that in Invision, we learned that Bubba's father is a Seraph of the Michaelson line. So it's looking like we are meeting some of Bubba's ancestors in the Deadman's Cross trilogy. ;)

Does that mean there are Seraphs/Hell-Hunters who are not authorized to kill demons? What do they do, then? Are you talking about Thorn's people? Because I thought they were a completely different group.

What do you know about the souls in the medallions? I know they countain the souls of some ancient Kalosum warriors, but I don't remember what they are called or why, exactly, they are such a big deal. Are they like Michael and Gabriel, or are they a completely different species? And I know that Seraphs/Hell-Hunters are possessed by the soul of that warrior during battle, but do these warrior souls have to stick to the same bloodline of Seraphs in order for it to work? Or does it's just happen that way? 'Cause I'm thinking it just that there's usually a convenient relative who can do the job, so it's easier to just pass the medallion down through generations.

I got most of this information from the official site:
http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/charac...

As far as I can tell, the terms Seraphim (plural for Seraph) and Hell-Hunters are interchangeable with Necrodemians. So basically, all Seraphim are Hell-Hunters and Necrodemians. Not only are they allowed to execute demons, they generally deal with the higher classes of demons that the Hellchasers can't handle.

Hellchasers--Thorn's group--are only allowed to banish demons, not kill them. Otherwise, the demon's soul can possess the killer, which is what happened to Fang in his book.

Yes, the Seraphim are born of specific bloodlines.

But do the medallions have to stick the same bloodline?