Fans will enjoy slaking their thirst for more vampire adventures here
After his failed freelance slaying mission in Bathory (First Kill, 2011), Joss is under the watchful eye of the Slayer Society as he leads the hunt for a serial killer in Manhattan.
Hitting the vampire underworld of New York, Joss sets out on what he thinks is the right trail when he initially targets Em, the oldest vampire in existence. After some misdirection, Joss finally tracks down and stakes the vampire responsible for the serial killings—but the murders don't stop. Searching for the other killers, the slayer team starts rebelling against the strict authority structure of the Slayer Society and takes a new approach to hunting their prey. Still very much working within "companion" mode, Brewer skillfully inserts references to the Vladimir Tod series without making the story inaccessible to new readers from a plot standpoint. Tiresome characters compete with the action a bit too much throughout the narrative, with Joss’ Uncle Abraham and his monologues about trust and betrayal particularly difficult to take. However, Joss is well-done when he’s not dreaming, and fellow slayers Morgan and Ash are both welcome presences. Solid staking action keeps the pages turning, at least when Joss isn’t dwelling in guilt over his sister’s death.
Fans will enjoy slaking their thirst for more vampire adventures here . (Horror. 12-16)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3760-0
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 7, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2012
The Phantom of the Opera served as inspiration, but this wouldn’t last on Broadway.
Stephanie and her family move into an old mansion rumored to have been put under a curse after a turn-of-the-20th-century rich boy meddled with an Egyptian mummy.
After her young sister complains about strange events, high school student Stephanie befriends Lucas, a geeky, good-looking boy, and meets the other members of SPOoKy, the Scientific Paranormal Organization of Kentucky: Charlotte, Wes, and Patrick. Stephanie learns the history of her new home from Lucas, who attracts her romantic attention, but the usually levelheaded girl is soon drawn to Erik, the handsome phantom who first comes to her in dreams. The story is told in chapters narrated by Stephanie, Lucas, and Zedok, whose identity is initially a source of confusion to Stephanie. Zedok appears wearing different masks, “personified slivers” of his soul, representing states of mind such as Wrath, Madness, and Valor. Meanwhile, until gifted singer Stephanie came along and he could write songs for her, Erik’s dreams were thwarted; he wanted to be a composer but his family expected him to become a doctor. In the gothic horror tradition, Erik’s full background and connection with Zedok are slowly revealed. Romantic dream sequences are lush and swoon-y, but the long, drawn-out battle to end the curse, aided by a celebrity clairvoyant, is tedious, and the constant introduction of Erik’s different personae is confusing. Most characters default to White; Patrick is Black.
The Phantom of the Opera served as inspiration, but this wouldn’t last on Broadway. (Horror. 13-16)Pub Date: Aug. 17, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11604-3
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
Only the most determined fantasy aficionados will see this through to the end.
A young witch searches for her true identity while battling sinister magical forces.
Liora Duval is a young mage whose distinctive glowing skin makes her a target for evil forces. She lives with her father and sisters on the outskirts of Sylvan, an old village in the magical land of Antalla; her mother was killed by a falling star. Liora knows that her magic is a liability and tries to hide it most of the time. However, she is ignorant of her true powers. After the powerful warlock Lord Darius invites Liora’s little sister, Mina, to his palace, where he uses her and other mages for his own nefarious ends, Liora becomes an apprentice to the witch Margana. She helps her weave magical tapestries that come to life when the final knot is tied. Events take a dark turn when Liora and Evran, Margana’s son and Liora’s childhood love, become trapped in a dark tapestry landscape full of scary creatures. The two must struggle to escape. The tone of the narrative is overwhelmingly threatening, at times hinting at violence. Overall, a lack of plot development and the sometimes-meandering pace of the narrative may cause readers to lose interest along the way. All characters present White.
Only the most determined fantasy aficionados will see this through to the end. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-335-40565-4
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021
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