I'm currently reading Robin Hobb's
The Mad Ship, which is fantastic but pretty dense and also long at 906 pages. I made a deal with myself that I would take a quick break when I was halfway through and read something lighter.
In rare perfect timing, my copy of Kenyon's
Dark Side of the Moon arrived just as I reached halfway.
So I spent yesterday reading the latest
Dark-Hunter adventure.
There was a lot of hype about this book - Nick was going to be back; we were going to learn more about the Dark-Hunter world; it was the first hardcover. Beyond that, I avoided spoilers and excerpts and waited to read if for myself.
It started off like most of the others. We met the heroine, who then met the hero and the story began. Then the balance began to shift a bit. While there's a great love story in here, the outside events taking over the Dark-Hunters and their allies and enemies are also beginning to take centre stage. Since I wasn't expecting that, it threw me off at first, but Kenyone has created a fascinating world and if this new 50/50 balance continues, I think I'll like it. It'll be better if I'm expecting it though.
So, the book itself.
I like Susan and I like Ravyn. They're not my all time favourites in the series (that honour still goes to Tabby and Val at this point) but they're a lot of fun. It was nice to see Susan as someone who has already hit rock-bottom and started her healing for herself. Getting together with Ravyn completed it, rather than being the cause and end of it, which I liked.
The stubborn stupidity of Ravyn's family was a bit annoying though. Gald they finally came around in the end.
I wish we'd seen more Ash. I guess things wouldn't have gone the way Kenyon needed if he'd been around more, but I'd rather have a fuller role for him or not have him at all than this kind of cameo. Still the scene where Susan goes into the bathroom and sees his back was wonderful and hints at, well... something. I'm not sure what yet.
I had felt at the end of
Seize the Night that Artemis had finally shown a hint of the potential to finally grow up when she realised what Nick's death would mean to Ash. However, here she's just a selfish little bitch again, which I found disappointing. I'd like even Artemis to have a chance to turn out okay.
And Nick. What can I say about Nick? This hurts. His hurt, hurts. But what he's doing is terrifying. I am now so worried about him, about Ash, about, well, everyone and everything. Dammit, I reamain hooked on these books. My budget is so going to suffer.
So in conclusion, this is a good book, but be aware it focuses on a lot more than just Susan and Ravyn. If that's what you're looking for, it may disappoint.
