This isn't required to enjoy the demon cycle series but like all of Peter ...
581607
This isn't required to enjoy the demon cycle series but like all of Peter V. Brett's work it is enjoyable and gives you some insight into some characters you haven't seen in a while and introduces others.
4391467
Following the prequel (The Forest Bull), the main characters Ring, Risa, and Wally rise to meet new dangers. Elizabeth, an ancient and wicked creature, schemes to become the master of hell. When the heroic threesome isn't out slaying bizarre creatures to keep humanity safe, they're off to their own little world. Ring's companions are female, and he often has romantic interactions with the two of them, which is mentioned a lot, and it helps round out the characters. They can't just go around slaying things all day and being heroic without some down time, after all. It also helps make the characters, and the book as a whole, into the quirky and unique fantasy romp it is.
If you haven't read The Forest Bull don't try reading this. It is art of the series and you might be a little lost. Ring is defiantly unique and interesting to read about. He enjoys his females and seems like a womanizer.
Fantasy/sci fi/paranormal. 18 +
328063
I really do enjoy the `Five Hundred Kingdoms' series.

This one's basically a stand alone, so you don't need to have read the others.

The characterizations here are a tad less personal than in other volumes, instead of inhabiting the lives of the characters from day one and following along as they marvel at the changes in their lives (like Elena in the first volume of the series), we drop in at key moments and follow along with various characters as they're part of this adventure. Lots of characters, lots of action, with a bit of romance along the way, with just enough treachery and `evil' to keep things lively.

I like the humor and lighter tone here, it makes for a light but enjoyable read.
4804936
I haven't read any others in this series, and I don't think it's necessary to do so in order to read and enjoy this one.
2336815
I'm a big fan of most of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, so this was recommended to me as a series of the same sort.  They run along the same lines of paranormal urban romances, but BDB is quite a bit more violent and the men of those books seem especially tortured before they find their mates.  The Demonica series is a little more focused on demons that look mostly normal that run a hospital for non-humans, a demon-slaying somewhat secret society and the demons' need to mate before they completely turn into raving beasts.

Of the trio of books, this was my favorite.  Apart from the times he and Tayla wrestle with each other in all sorts of places, doctor Eidolon is the most controlled of the brothers and his angsty-ness is mostly caused by trying to figure out who's stealing body parts from an assortment of bizarre monsters that show up at his hospital.

Tayla is a typically feisty heroine who's also got a little extra DNA that she never knew about.  Her backstory explains why she became a slayer and why for a lot of the book, she's conflicted about which side, demon or slayer, she's going to have to choose.

The interplay between the heroes and heroines of this series is lively, crisp and smart, especially in Pleasure Unbound.  There really aren't any "down times" for the characters where the story got boring, it moved along at a nice steady pace, building to an ending that's both surprising and for Eidolon and Tayla, frisky.

I recommend this for fans of the BDB series by J.R. Ward, with the warning that this series is more BDB Light, with more traditional romance (if you can call demons traditional) mixed in with some intrigue and occasionally funny dialogue.

The books, in order:
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Pleasure-Unbound-Demonica-Book-1/dp/044640103X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Pleasure Unbound (Demonica, Book 1)</a>
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Desire-Unchained-A-Demonica-Novel-The-Demonica-Series/dp/044640098X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Desire Unchained: A Demonica Novel (The Demonica Series)</a>
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Passion-Unleashed-The-Demonica-Series/dp/0446401056/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Passion Unleashed (The Demonica Series)</a>
2503622
I always loved the character of Lord Peter and I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was sad there weren't more books in the series. This continues the story and, to me, seems to capture the characters we know most satisfactorily.
Things are different, of course, now he and Harriet are married, also the book makes more reference to events in the news of the time, but it was still a good read and I'll be getting the next one.
4756151
And I always enjoy Lord Peter but I didn't care for most of the others. But others may. They were dark, slightly fantastic- I didn't even finish  any of them.
2829492
Sticking with amazons rating system I have to give this book a 4 star rating because I did like it. It's better than OK, but there are definitely some issues that hinder my enjoyment. I must say that as a whole this series is unique, fun, exciting, and full of twists. For a children's book series there isn't much more you can really ask for. As an adult reader there is more that I want.

There is plenty of action in Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, but some of it was rather boring to me. Traveling through lairs, dungeons, and across mountains doesn't have the appeal that it did in previous books. It's getting tedious instead of exciting, boring instead of thrilling, and mediocre instead of dangerous. Overall, the entire dragon sanctuary was a bit of a let down. Not to mention there is only one twist here, and a disappointing one at that. The villain is not used to his full potential, and it's annoying (think Snape in The Deathly Hallows). All of the previous novels made me want to be a part of the universe presented, this one does not. It really could have benefited from some editing. I know that I personally would have enjoyed this more if there was more intrigue and less running around. Sure there was danger, but it just never felt real. I don't understand why the author throws injuries and deaths in at all. I never felt sad when anyone got hurt, and I wasn't scared when a big dragon was breathing death in our characters' faces. I knew that Kendra and Seth would come out alive with the help of some being or object, and that really detracts from my enjoyment. "Evil" creatures turn out to be friendly, and the most complicated of tasks is solved by little effort. My favorite fantasy novels are believable, with dynamic characters, and this one does not quite cut it. As before, Seth is reckless and does not learn from his mistakes. On the other hand, his recklessness almost always leads to good things. It almost seems pointless for characters to continue pointing out his flaws, let alone trying to change him. It won't work. He is reckless. It's really hard for me to like him because he hasn't grown much from book one. Both characters act the same way that they did years ago, and that should not be. They have to face monsters and death constantly, but they are unfazed. They are always brave and always noble. Those are nice qualities for role models to have, but it doesn't make them very deep characters. I know that characters can be multifaceted in children's books, so the reading level is no excuse here. I want to see my characters grow, and with one novel left I don't think that will happen.

Of course there are good things, and this series is highly rated for a reason. It's a fun adventure with interesting creatures and strong characters. Book one made me want to visit Fablehaven. That feeling has decreased a little at this point, but it is still present. If you liked the previous books, you will like this one. There will be friendly bad guys, new creatures, puzzles that are easily solved, and difficult tasks that prove no match for our heroes. I was expecting a little more than I got from Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, but it is still an enjoyable read and pretty entertaining.
1644744
Not a huge fan of the series, but this one was quite good.
853874
This one, the third in the series, reminded me of Shinn's previous Angel books. I.E.-mostly romance with some adventure thrown in.  The previous two of this series were not like this.  They were more closely related to a fantasy epic with some romance thrown in for good measure.  Dark Moon Defender would definitely appeal to the die-hard Shinn fans.  The story totally revolves around Justin.  While on lone mission for the king (observing the comings and goings of Coralinda's Convent) Justin steps in to help a convent girl when she is accosted on the streets by a drunk. He befriends said girl and they then make efforts to see each other.  Of course, they fall in love, and yet they both know the other is keeping secrets.  The novel centers around their romance and secrets.  Ellynor, the convent girl, is a Lirren, which means she can only wed someone chosen by the men in her family. (Don't worry, I'm not giving anything away--this was already explained in previous novels).  Ellynor doesn't know that Justin is really a King's Guard.

Meanwhile, Senneth, Tayse, and Cammon are also out on a small mission for the king.  Baryne want's Senneth to pull some strings with the Lirren men visiting since she had lived with some of their kin in the past for over a year.  Along the way, their own relationship reaches a new level and Cammon's powers grow.  They stop over to visit Justin and so does Kirra and Donnal.  Eventually all six come together.  Be aware that there is very little to no development with the other characters.  This story is completely and utterly centered around Justin and Ellynor.

I liked it regardless.  I grew to love the two characters so much that I cried at the end--from happyiness.  I was relieved especially after the loss I felt from the last book in the series with Kirra.  So what if everything worked itself out in the end.  This group needed that after such a devestating blow in the last book.  If it didn't end happy, then we, the readers, would be complaining about all the loss. The reason I gaved it four stars instead of five was because Shinn left the whole war and other characters at the wayside.  There was no development with them in the least.  I, for one, wanted to see something between Kirra and Donnel and I wanted to know what was the deal with Coralinda's brother visiting her at the convent.  I suppose we'll find out in the next installment.  I don't know about everyone else but I've realized that many of Shinn's newer novels have peeks and beginnings from her previous ones. (Like Ellynor being mentioned in the first novel of this series--she was the mystic Cammon felt in the convent when they broke Tayse out). So, lately, I've been guessing and searching for ideas that could possibly give me a glimpse of what will come next.  Perhaps Ellynor's brother?  The woman they saved with awesome healing abilities?  The strange Lirren boy whose love left him to marry the king?  The possiblities seem endless!
2726592
There have been a lot of reviews of this book, and so I do not feel the need to explain the book in great detail.  I will say that if you like fantasy book, then you need to read this series.  This sequel continues right were the first book ended, and it is a really great ride.

There is one point I would like to make that will be counter to some of the lower rated reviews this book received.  In this day and age it is generally understood that using traditional formulas and character types should be avoided.  Keyes does not.  He has a state church, and it is quickly obvious that it is the source of much of the evil in the books.  Keyes has characters like the honorable knight, the inept king, and the teen princess who whines too much.  Yet Keyes writes his characters with such skill that this isn't even something to be forgiven, it makes the books more entertaining.

I would honestly like to thank the author for reminding me that there is still a place for the honorable knight in modern fantasy novels.
3444259
I have really enjoyed this series and am now on the fourth and final book and am reading it slowly as I don't want the story to end.

While there are similarities to Lord of the Rings of course, dwarves, humans, elves, warriors, magic, orcs, trolls, etc...  the Dwarves series is even more to my liking (not saying I didn't like LoTR, after all I've read he series along with the Hobbit three times) but the Dwarves series is perhaps more fun and action oriented to read while not having the depth.

This third book suffers a bit from translation (the original language of these books is German) which lead to me having to re-read things a few times to figure out what was meant but that's fine with me as it really didn't bother me.

If you like "Middle Earth" type stories, action oriented fantascy, LoTR, or have ever played game like World of Warcraft, EverQuest, or like myself feel that it is finally time for Dwarves to get their just due after being handled as "comic relief" in too many other story lines, I would strongly recommend The Dwarves series.
4725266
but I do enjoy this series. If you have read the previous volumes then this is a continuation of the story, if not, then I would really recommend reading vol 1&2 first.

This book isn't so much good for your soul as helping turn your soul a little darker, not that it's a bad thing. I really enjoy this series and like the moral ambiguity of the main characters. It is a series that I am not sure I like the "good guys", but I definitely hate the "bad guys".

If you cannot handle graphic violence and sexual situations then this is not for you. This is a GRAPHIC NOVEL in every sense of the word, and for the most part is not gratuitous, but actual helps define the characters and the story.

So five stars for a story that is intriguing and will keep me coming back.
2000602
While this comment is linked to this particular episode in the 'Hot Damned' series, it applies equally to the preceding installments.
First, for anyone stumbling across this in the Kindle store, it is part of a series - it doesn't really stand alone, you need the background from the other books to make sense of it.
Not that there is a lot of sense to made, it's bit of a mix and match of influences and styles, a little bit of Anne Rice here, a dash of Pratchett there, even the odd bit of Dante, all seasoned, in this installment, with a sprinkling of Spenser. Mix that together, package it up as slightly naughty 'chic-lit' and you have the picture.
Sounds awful doesn't it? It should be...
But here's the surprise, it isn't awful; quite the opposite in fact. Heaven knows, I'm not the target demographic for these stories, but I can't get enough of them. They're funny, well paced and well written. Peterman crafts a twisted reality out of gothic table scraps and, somehow, makes it work. Proof, if any was needed, that it doesn't have to be great literature to be great fun.
My only concern is that there is going be problem with where to go next with the main character. I remember an interview with Terry Pratchett where he referred to the 'Granny Weatherwax problem'; a problem of writing himself into a corner by making a lead character so strong that it becomes almost impossible to present them with a credible challenge without resorting to plot devices that diminish them - that only really works once and, without providing spoilers, it's been used up here.
Looking forward to the next one in the series.
2577839
I have had this book to read for quite sometime.  This was a fun and light fantasy adventure read but left me feeling like something was missing.  There are five books total in this series.

I listened to this on audiobook.  It was narrated by Luke Daniels, who also narrates The Iron Druid Chronicles.  He does a great job narrating these light-hearted books.  But honestly it was a bit distracting because I kept thinking about the characters from the Iron Druid Chronicles, the voices he uses for characters in this book are very similar to the voices he uses for characters in that series.

This book follows two main characters.  The first is a thief named Eli Monpress who has an uncanny ability to convince things to do what he wants them to do.  He is determined to have the highest bounty ever recorded put on his head and has decided that kidnapping a King is the best way to hit that goal.  The second character is a Spiritualist (a type of wizard that has spirit servants) named Miranda who is sent to capture Eli.  When the Kings evil younger wizard brother (who is an Enslaver of spirits) steps onto the throne after the Kings kidnapping, Eli and Miranda find themselves in the uncomfortable situation of having to work together.

This was a fun and light fantasy novel.  I really loved the idea of everything (even inanimate objects) having a spirit that certain wizards can communicate with.  This was a creative idea that made for a number of interesting situations throughout the novel.

Eli Monpress is lighthearted and doesnt ever take anything seriously.  He also has a strange ability to make any spirit do what he wants just by asking.  Not a lot is revealed about his past or his true goals.  Eli remains a mystery throughout.

Miranda comes across as a very upstanding and noble character.  She takes herself a bit too seriously and comes off as kind of immature and whiny at times.  I grew to like her character over time, but she was somewhat annoying at the beginning of the book.

There are a number of side characters who read like sketches from a Dungeon and Dragons quest.  You have a couple guys wielding magical swords, a young girl partially possessed by a demon, an evil wizard, and a giant magical dog.  They were all interesting, but also lacked much depth.  All of them have secrets and none of those secrets were revealed in this book.

So even though there was a lot of action, interesting magic, and some interesting characters I found this book to be lacking something.  Everything was just very surfacey.  The story was wrapped up too neatly.  There isn't a lot that really drives the story besides the whole banishing the evil wizard.  It was just very light-hearted and fluffy.  When I was done with the book I was kind of like Eh, well okay what should I read next.

Overall a fun light-hearted fantasy.  This book has an interesting magic system and some intriguing characters but it missing some depth.  I wasn't really all that engaged with the characters or the world.  I do kind of want to know more about Eli Monpress and his secrets, but that would be the only reason I keep reading this series.  Right now I am unsure whether or not I will continue with this series.
2960527
There are six books in Peter F. Hamilton's "Night's Dawn" series:

- "The Reality Dysfunction - Part 1: Emergence,"

- "The Reality Dysfunction - Part 2: Expansion,"

- "The Neutronium Alchemist - Part 1: Consolidation,"

- "The Neutronium Alchemist - Part 2: Conflict,"

- "The Naked God - Part 1: Flight," and

- "The Naked God - Part 2: Faith."

Be warned: you CANNOT read these books individually. They are, essentially, chapters in one whopping great book. If you like the first book, then you'll have to read the other five books in order. There's no tie-up of any sort between any of the books. The publisher just broke the story up because it totals over 3,000 pages. If you pick up a book before you've read all the previous books (in order), put it down. It won't mean anything to you. Since these books are entirely dependent on each other, I'm writing this review on the series as a whole, not on the individual books.

This is one of the greatest science fiction sagas written. It ranks up there with David Brin's "Uplift Saga." It is literally a story of good vs evil and shows some of the potential (and pitfalls) of the human race. Over the years, I've read the whole series five times, and I still love it. I really only have two gripes with the book. First, and this is unavoidable in what Hamilton is doing, the evil in the series is definitely, graphically evil. This is not a book where the villain twists his mustache and laughs "nyah hah hah" as he forecloses on the orphanage or ties the heroine to the railroad tracks. The writing is fairly graphic in a lot of places. After five readings, this gets a bit wearing. My second gripe is one which somewhat limits the audience of the series (even more so than the evilness presented, and it's why I've given the series four stars instead of five): there's too much sex and the writing about it is too graphic. This is a problem with all of Hamilton's books, but it seems more prevalent in this series. Because of this, I wouldn't recommend the book for your children to read. But, as long as you're aware of that, I highly recommend the series and give it 4 stars out of five.
3920181
I came into this one without having read the first volume of the series Children of Fire- as such I couldn't be sure whether or not the piece was going to be somewhat enjoyable or a total disaster.  While the author and publisher surely advise jumping into a fantasy series anywhere other than at the beginning, the end result was firmly somewhere between the two extremes.

The bad news, in this instance anyway, is that there is absolutely no effort to provide any sort of recap of the prior volume here.  The piece literally opens with a prologue, written in present tense oddly enough, detailing some exiled Slayers feelings just prior to an assassination attempt.  From there its into the (much more fluid) past tense adventure prose so common in fantasy literature.

I suppose the greatest strength on display here would have to be Karpyshyns pacing.  For a multi-part fantasy series, his writing is surprisingly concise and not overly flowery.  This is certainly welcome, especially in the early-goings of the tale as, and Im not trying to be overly critical when I say this, not a lot actually happens.

For those of us just coming into the fold, the author does a pretty solid job introducing the fairly robust cast of characters at this point without making it feel like standard introduction fair.  Of course the downside to this is that readers who already know this entourage from the first book may find the minutia a bit more intolerable.

By about the 3/4th point onward, the payoffs do begin to come together pretty nicely and that decent pacing carries right on through to the books conclusion.

As is so common in fantasy prose, the story is told across multiple character viewpoints; some more consistently interesting than others.  Again Im reluctant to criticize developments that I wasn't enamored with here simply because I cant speak intelligently on which threads carried over from the first book.  Its entirely possible some of the character angles I found rather dull are actually important plot developments that readers have been waiting on since the first books release.

All in all, The Scorched Earth is an enjoyable fantasy romp that somehow manages to avoid becoming bogged down upon itself.  The second book in a series is often credited as being the most difficult to deliver cleanly because, by all facts and circumstances, it contains neither a genuine beginning or end.  However, The Scorched Earth doesnt seem to concern itself too heavily with this reality.  Rather, it marches along at the beat of its own drum until, by the end, most of the threads introduced are wrapped up pretty satisfactorily.  Plus the magic is undeniably interesting throughout.

I cant go quite as far as to say I was intrigued enough with the characters or plot to continue on with the series (or in this case backtrack to the beginning) but solid plot structure and efficient prose do have me interested in taking a look at some of the authors entries into the Star Wars universe.