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The Reckoning (The Taker Trilogy #2)

by Alma Katsu (Goodreads Author)

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 1,195 ratings · 259 reviews

I turned to Luke and reached for him. My blood felt as though it had seized up in my veins.

"Lanny, what is it?" Luke asked.

I clutched his lapel desperately

"It's Adair. He's free."

FOR 200 YEARS SHE'S BEEN HIDING

He gave her immortality.

She tried to destroy him.

Now he is searching for her.

They must not meet.

Or there will be a RECKONING

Paperback, 384 pages

Published April 2nd 2012 by Century

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Apr 19, 2012 Anissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, paranormal-and-supernatural, romance-and-erotica, series, gothic, literary-fiction, almost-favourite

This is the second installment in The Taker trilogy & honestly, it should have been called "The Waiting" because that's all you're doing in anticipation of the reunion of Lanore/Adair after his 200 year entombment by her hand. If that's your huge draw, then just read the last 75-50 pages and satisfy yourself. It'll give you enough of the gist & give the payoff quickly enough. If you're really only in for the reunion, read the last 25 or so pages (it's heartbreaking). This was a lot of bu...more This is the second installment in The Taker trilogy & honestly, it should have been called "The Waiting" because that's all you're doing in anticipation of the reunion of Lanore/Adair after his 200 year entombment by her hand. If that's your huge draw, then just read the last 75-50 pages and satisfy yourself. It'll give you enough of the gist & give the payoff quickly enough. If you're really only in for the reunion, read the last 25 or so pages (it's heartbreaking). This was a lot of buildup & considering that this is a shorter book than The Taker, it's a bit torturous. If you're down with the torture, take in every page & savor it selfishly. I put this down many times to make it last because I know there's going to be a year for the finale to arrive & that pains me.

We pick up right where the Taker left off & Lanore is attending the exhibit of all her treasures at the museum with Luke (the doctor who helped her abscond St. Andrew in the first book) & she feels that old familiar hum in the back of her head. She realizes it's Adair & she's in a right panic. So begins her flight because she knows that Adair will be coming for her. She abandon's Luke & heads for Casablanca. We are introduced to Saava, another immortal & learn about him & the time in the past that he & Lenore spent together. His life is sad & wretched but I found him to be an important character to come to know. Through the flashbacks Lanore comes to realize that she has always loved Adair & the men she found herself most drawn to & deeply loved (& who loved her back) were not like Jonathan, they were like Adair. As much of a brain-twister as that proves to be, she needs to get on because that does not change that she's sure Adair is going to come & exact his revenge.

Back in Boston, Adair is freed from his entombment & as is to be expected, is having a difficult time adjusting to how much the world has changed in 200 years. Jude is his guide here & it's a frustrating, sometimes farcical & other times sad, to watch Adair try to get his new bearings. He is singly set on finding Lanore & at times seems unhinged. I often worried as much as Jude that Adair would do something & find himself caught up by a police investigation. He had no willingness to take to heart that he couldn't just act the way he had before, now that we have cameras, forensics & such. Killing, menacing & stealing are generally not the best way to go, especially when it's Adair doing it, as he does these things on impulse & doesn't even think about the clean up. And it made things no easier as Adair found it too much to take direction from Jude or anyone who had been subservient to him before. Two-hundred years had changed everyone in some ways & Adair's realization took some time to catch up. Adair does find that he is incapable of exacting bloody revenge on Lanore because he is too much in love with her, to the point of distraction & obsession (a thing that led him to being open to being betrayed by her in the first place). Such complication! I was glad & horrified to find out the details of what happened to the peasant boy Adair, that we learn of in the first book & am hoping that wrong can be righted in the final book because it is one of the things that has happened that disturbs me most.

Now, I will admit that I've never been a Jonathan fan & frankly was glad to be rid of his bland-but-beautiful existence by the end of The Taker. So when Adair went about to resurrect him, I was a bit perturbed. Happily, Jonathan doesn't reconstitute to his former perfection & actually turned into a more interesting person. Death gave him more of a personality & I found that I liked him. He still came out with some eye-roll comments, like how his having had sex with Lanore was only done because it was what she wanted & he was just trying to be a nice guy. Whatevs. This is the guy that shagged everything in a skirt that would stand still long enough, but the sex with Lanore was his one noble act? Anyway, excepting that, Jonathan has some interesting insights to impart & a very cryptic mention of "The Queen of the Underworld". I'm hoping that since this mention fills Adair with a good bit of dread, we'll be seeing this being in the last book of the series. I found the idea that even the Queen of the Underworld is so taken with Jonathan's beauty a bit more than I could buy into. Surely deities have seen all manner of perfection & are they themselves so, but even they are struck & moved by Jonathan as to be just as singularly co-opted to possess him as Lanore? M'mkay. If you say so. By this book's end, Jonathan has been dispatched once again & I can only hope that everyone will just let him rest now & not trot out his reanimated head or whatever in the final book.

We get to see Alejandro & Tilde while Lanore is on her search to find out what she can do to keep herself from the wrath of Adair. Alej & Tilde have tragic lives once you delve beneath the surface & we find out how much they suffered when Lanore & Jonathan got rid of Adair & left them to nothing. I could see how it pained Alej still & it was sadder still that Lanore had never given a second thought how her actions & drive to save Jonathan would affect or damn anyone else. She told herself that she'd done them a favor but she wasn't the one left penniless & wondering, was she? As often is the case with Lanore, her reasons are self-serving & excused by her. It is never until she is confronted with those she's wronged with the truth of who she is, that she seems to be able to stop & see it. I could completely understand why Alej & Tilde double-crossed her this time. It's not just about Adair, she wronged them as well.

And then there's Luke. I saw the point of him in the first book as we needed Lanore to tell someone her story. But now in book two, I just don't give a darn about his dead parents, divorce or his obsession with Lanore. I don't buy her being in love with him either. I understand what it's supposed to be but I just don't believe it. Luke is cloyingly earnest, whiny & more pathetic than anything & I can't see Lanore loving him. I can't stand him & don't find anything in him to adore. Frankly, I was hoping Adair would kill Luke so I could be sure I wouldn't have to deal with his wet personality in the final book.

This was well worth the read but not what you don't usually get from second books in a trilogy. You know something big is coming & this is just the bridge. And the way this one ends is enough to want you to will another five pages to properly whisk you off to 1038.

A word about the cover. I have a beautiful cover with a golden filigree & a bottle of what I can only surmise is the immortality elixir that Adair makes, golden flecks in the bottom & all. I love it & it matches well with the hardcover copy of The Taker. I keep seeing these other covers that are very YA-like & I can't stand them. First of all, who are all these chicas with long dark hair?! They can't be the embodiment of Lanore, she's blond with curls. The US cover with the blue-eyed brunette (I'm going by her very dark eyebrows here) & feathers aplenty, can't be Lanore either. I know it's not Tilde, she's another blonde. So unless this is Alej in drag, I need for this nonsense to cease. Do the people making the covers, even read these books? Does the author get any say at all? As a reader, it makes me ranty but I am glad that I'm not going to have to be subjected to purchasing one of those covers & hope that I'm saved at the end of the trilogy. I'd like one more filigreed cover to match my other two.(less)

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Jun 20, 2012 Amanda marked it as to-read · review of another edition

See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: Last year, I requested to review The Taker by Alma Katsu, a novel I didn’t hear much about, but I was intrigued by the book synopsis and let’s face it, I like to read books other people seem to pass by. When I sat down to read The Taker, I was completely blown away and I have read it several times since. Each time I read Alma’s book, I find something new that I didn’t notice before. Details are everything, folks!...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Kamla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, first-reads, summer-2012-reading-list, favorites

I was drawn to The Taker Trilogy when the book cover for The Reckoning caught my eye on the GR Giveaways. The cover was so artistically stunning. Check it out

. The stricking beauty in color contrast and composition paired with the book’s title more than grabbed my attention. I am , however,not one who judges a book by its cover, so I looked up The Reckoning and book 1, The Taker, here on GR. Read the blurbs, summaries and some reviews. I decided that it sounded like something I could definitel...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Theresa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

full reviews of The Taker and The Reckoning will be posted on my blog soon. Know this, though... This is one of the best series I have read in years. It sucked me in, chewed me up, and spit me out against my will. Once I was in Lanny and Adair's world, I wanted to stay there. If you enjoy suspense, twists, romance, horror, or the supernatural, I suggest you RUN to buy this series.

7 likes · like · see review

Aug 21, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-kristie

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Deeply unsettling and gripping sequel to The Taker. Part historical, part modern day thriller that explores deeper character development and emotions.

Opening Sentence: We were nearly at the Victoria and Albert Museum when we saw the crowds spilling out of the entrance and across Cromwell Street, forcing our taxi to stop in the middle of the road.

The Review:

Lanore McIlvrae and Lucas Findley are spending some quality time together in Europe af...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Karina Halle marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Um, what is with the cover...has it suddenly gone all YA on us?

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 11, 2012 drey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, romance-paranormal, urban-fantasy

Wow. The Reckoning takes off with a bang – Lanore is at a museum exhibit when she once again feels Adair’s presence in her head. Trying to outrun his reach will be futile, so she sends Luke back to his family.

Themes of unrequited love flow through The Reckoning, fast and furious – and in its wake come disappointment, disillusionment, anger, remorse, and – hopefully – redemption. I never thought I’d say this, but I like the Adair we end up with in The Reckoning. I may actually even like this Lano...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Poppy Fields rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-author, historical-fiction, own, romance-suspense, second-in-series, hinky, disturbing, gothic

Riveting, disturbing, intriguing, uniquely bizarre. The Reckoning picks up a year after The Taken. All the same characters are back and the plot can't be explained without big spoiler alerts so I won't even try.

I find myself torn while I read Alma Katsu's work because no one in their right mind should root for any of these characters because they are so ridiculously selfish and twisted and yet I do! Adair is the most despicable of men and yet his one hint of vulnerability shows and I am cheerin...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Serena rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There are some books that you read quickly through and there are those books are almost too seductive and you want to slow down and savor every moment with the characters, and The Reckoning by Alma Katsu — the second book in The Taker series — is the latter. Once plunged into this world of immortal, devilish, and sometimes wayward beings, readers will not want to leave and by the end of the book, they will be clamoring for more.

The novel picks up just where Lanny and Luke leave off in the previo...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Cassandra (The Book & Movie Dimension blogger) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, received-for-review, to-review, dark-fiction, fantasy, favorites

--Full, non-spoiler review courtesy at Book & Movie Dimension a Blog--

For many The Taker, the first book in The Taker Trilogy, not only introduced but also swept them up into the world of some alarmingly deprived Immortals. The Reckoning has quite the few shocks and unexpected reveals. We had lastly left off in The Taker with Lanore (Lanny) having imprisoned Adair the person who gifted her with Immortility itself. Lanore had also just met Luke , a doctor, who felt a certain connection to her...more --Full, non-spoiler review courtesy at Book & Movie Dimension a Blog--

For many The Taker, the first book in The Taker Trilogy, not only introduced but also swept them up into the world of some alarmingly deprived Immortals. The Reckoning has quite the few shocks and unexpected reveals. We had lastly left off in The Taker with Lanore (Lanny) having imprisoned Adair the person who gifted her with Immortility itself. Lanore had also just met Luke , a doctor, who felt a certain connection to her and she and Luke seemed rather happy together. Now in The Reckoning, by mere chance Adair is released from his prison. Years have passed and though Lanore felt she made a good choice by entrapping Adair she never feels at ease after her decision. Lanore forever lives in fear of having committed her betrayal. She'll finally get to let go of her fear of Adair ever escaping since he finally does escape! Adair is back with a vengeance. You really get to see how he struggles to accept his new surroundings considering he's in the modern world and not in older times where he feels more in control. Adair comes of as vulnerable in The Reckoning which is a contrast to how he always felt self-assured in The Taker. Adair's fury toward Lanore's betrayal on most ocassions can be seen as conflicted since he loved her and as readers will see is that taking over Jonathan's body in the past which led to Lanore imprisoning him was because he simply wanted to please her. Adair throughout The Reckoning has an intense love/hate relationship toward Lanore.

Alma Katsu delivers once again with her suspenseful story of longing. For those of you who wanted to see more of Jonathan the beautiful man that so captivated Lanore for many centuries and many other women as well than you should be happy to know that he will be making an appearance. He wont be the same as he was! Something rather weird is going on with him. There's some curiosity there. He will though let readers know how he truly felt about his relationship with Lanore.

The writing is equal parts present and flashbacks to the past. There are encounters with Lanore's past and Adair's perspective of things that happened then. Adair where as a fan of the trilogy saw as a completely cruel and inmoral individual there is some eye-opening views of how he became the person he is in this novel. His greed for power ultimately changed him. He reached an idea that people with a bigger knowledge of alchemy had the right to take what they wanted and act on their desires. Although that turned him into a man with no restraint. As of now, Adair is someone that understand and actually root for him to hopefully end up with Lanore if he changes his ways. Some of the other characters acquired vulnerability where there only seem to be depravity before and yet others were worse in who they are as individuals. The books, so far, in The Taker Trilogy have managed to expand on the story and add to the characters on both fronts.

By now, have an inkling, that with Alma's books, well in reference to The Taker Trilogy specifically, you can only get mind-shocking turns in the play of events. If this book was one of the books that you or anyone were holding in high expectations then rest assure. The Reckoning builds on The Taker Trilogy and cements Alma as a master storyteller in Dark Fantasy.
Overall: Amazing read!(less)

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Aug 27, 2012 Angela the Fair ~Lusty Lace~ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

Review also posted at Under The Covers Book Blog

Ms. Katsu provided another well written, suspenseful, deeply emotional and definitely another engaging story. This dark LOVE TRIANGLE will sure stir up emotions and the extraordinary story telling will have you reading non stop.
The book starts with a quote that I believe sets the tone and prepares readers of what’s to come. The question is, who is the Beast and who is Beauty?

"You'll always be dear to me, Beast. I’m truly your friend. But I don't...more
Review also posted at Under The Covers Book Blog

Ms. Katsu provided another well written, suspenseful, deeply emotional and definitely another engaging story. This dark LOVE TRIANGLE will sure stir up emotions and the extraordinary story telling will have you reading non stop.
The book starts with a quote that I believe sets the tone and prepares readers of what’s to come. The question is, who is the Beast and who is Beauty?

"You'll always be dear to me, Beast. I’m truly your friend. But I don't think I shall ever be able to marry you."
"You're my only Joy," said Beast. "I'd die without you. Promise, at least, that you’ll never leave."
-Beauty and the Beast, Madame Leprince de Beaumont

After hundreds of years of her immortal life, Lenore is still in the same situation. She is still helplessly in love with Jonathan, a man that can never and will never love her back. Now, she is mourning his death. The book takes off a little after The Taker had ended, as Luke and Lenore continue their days trying to get some routine or normalcy but with Lenore’s immortal life, nothing will ever be simple. If you’ve read The Taker (which I recommend reading first), you know that Lenore is not only on the run from the law but she is also on the run from her past, Adair in particular. However, her past will soon catch up and well, shock the hell out of her.

Adair’s imminent Reckoning is here and his revelation is not what I expected. He definitely had time to think of Lenore’s betrayal. It was justified but what he went through was unforgivable, IMO. It was wild to see him come out of his prison and wake up to find himself in a new world. Ms. Katsu did well to explain his experiences with adapting and comparing the now and then. She also focused more on his POV, which was great because I was right about his evil existence, his sick obsessions and evil doings in the past and present….sick bastard. But damn, Ms. Katsu threw me a curve ball making me think twice of how I feel for Adair. The character build up was quiet amazing.

Lenore on the other hand, remains the same, strong willed. She continues to tell her story of the past and of the things she did with and without Jonathan and Adair. Unfortunately, they are more heartaches, betrayals and more hardships. I actually admire her for surviving; given the circumstances, she really does it without any support or assistance from anyone. My heart truly breaks for her, she just can't seem to get a grasp of any happiness. Ms. Katsu has to end this series with a good closure for Lenore, for my heart's sake.

We also get to know a bit more of Luke whom I feel bad for. I also hope Ms. Katsu gives him an HEA of his own, it’s well deserved. The other immortals made their presence but didn’t really make a mark on me as much as the leading characters. I do have to warn readers that there are strong contents of sex abuse such as rape and violence in this book.

Ms. Katsu kept me on my toes, surprised me with the unexpected outcomes and she left me needing more. Overall, a spellbinding read.

*Review copy provided by author
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Apr 16, 2012 Beatnik Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://www.cozylittlebookjournal.com/...

In this gorgeously written sequel to The Taker, Alma Katsu tells the story of Lanore, an immortal woman fleeing from the man she most fears: Adair, the powerful Adept who first gave her immortality, and the only one who can take it away. After two hundred years of captivity thanks to Lanore, Adair is free and seeking revenge. As Lanore runs from place to place, seeking the help of other immortals along the way, never knowing who to trust, her journey to es...more http://www.cozylittlebookjournal.com/...

In this gorgeously written sequel to The Taker, Alma Katsu tells the story of Lanore, an immortal woman fleeing from the man she most fears: Adair, the powerful Adept who first gave her immortality, and the only one who can take it away. After two hundred years of captivity thanks to Lanore, Adair is free and seeking revenge. As Lanore runs from place to place, seeking the help of other immortals along the way, never knowing who to trust, her journey to escape her fate is like a journey through the seven layers of hell...if there was a demon at the bottom rushing up to meet you. Adair seeks Lanore relentlessly and the titular "reckoning" seems inevitable.

The Reckoning is the second book in The Taker Trilogy, but it stands very well on its own. I received an advanced copy from the publisher and decided it would be a good idea to read the first book in the series first so I would understand the characters. I borrowed it from the library but The Taker lay unopened on my nightstand while I devoured The Reckoning. I simply couldn't put it down, even long enough to read the prequel. I'm sure I would have had different opinions of the characters if I had read the books in sequence, but it was easy to follow the second book as a stand alone novel.

Alma Katsu proves the notion that any genre, well written, can be accessible to almost any reader. I don't read a lot of fantasy novels, but this one was amazing. The writing was rich, satisfying and convincing. Alma Katsu created characters who go to the bathroom, so to speak. Okay, I'm not sure if the immortal characters actually need to go to the bathroom, but what I mean is that her characters, though supernatural, are still very real. When Adair emerges after two centuries of captivity, he obviously needs to learn everything about the new world and its technology, but it isn't computers or cars which most impress him but box spring mattresses and socks ("like little gloves for my feet"). These kinds of details are enchanting and make me trust that the writer has thought of everything.

Having said that, there are some pretty graphic scenes of sexual violence in the book that are uncomfortable to read and not for the squeamish. It's not a book I would recommend to a teen audience (nor is it intended for them), but the violent scenes--though graphic--are not as gratuitous or pornographic as, say, Angela Alsaleem's Women Scorned or Stieg Larsson's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

I was up very late finishing this book and immediately began reading the first in the series, The Taker. So far it seems I haven't lost anything from reading them out of sequence, though I would highly recommend picking up a copy of The Taker now so that you've read it by the time The Reckoning is available (but go ahead and pre-order The Reckoning!).

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through GoodReads.com in exchange for an honest (though not necessarily favourable) review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
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Jun 24, 2012 Christa (More Than Just Magic) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc, genre-fantasy, genre-paranormal-supernatural, part-of-a-series, sent-for-review

Originally reviewed at Hooked on Books

The more I read this series the more I love Alma Katsu’s writing. She is a mystery/paranormal/historical fiction mastermind. She’s got three genres going on here and doesn’t drop the ball once.

The Reckoning reunited us with Lanny and Luke a few months after The Taker ends. They’ve settled into a life together and Lanny is learning to let go of her past, to really let herself be free. This plan hits a snag however when the building keeping Adair prisoner is d...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Ariel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: taker-trilogy

I was hooked into this series by The Taker and could not wait to dive into this latest installment.

This book picks up where the Taker left off. Adair has been released from his 200 year imprisonment at the hands of Lenore and Jonathan. He is on the hunt down for Lenore but we are never sure until the end if it is for revenge or love. Before he finds Lenore however he must master confusing concepts like the internet and credit cards. Life in the twenty first century hardly resembles the world he...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Scandal rated it 5 of 5 stars

oh my goodness...genius. pure genius. the wave of emotions i've felt over the couple of days it took me to read this has been overwhelming...to be completely honest, i'm speechless.

the dark twists, the emotions, the inherent truths Katsu makes you face all wrapped up in this amazing story...oh, and holy zombies batman - zombies and oddly enough i'm not just ok with that - it totally works and feels completely right - how is that possible?

this one has left a mark on my soul

longer review to come...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Lisarenee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Notes: I read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy)

My Synopsis:

It had been three months since Lanny ended the life of Jonathan, the love of her life, per his request. She and Luke have become close since then, and she'd promised to never leave him. That she'd spend the rest of his life with him. For the first time in Lanny's life she was with someone who took care of her and cherished her. It endeared Luke all the more to her. The relationship had changed her, grounded her and she was content.

She'd alw...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Amanda Croley rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lanore and Johnathon imprisoned Adair 200 years ago in order to escape his tyranny. It's now 2010, only a few short months after Johnathon succeeded in having Lanore end his long life, and Adair is free. Without Johnathon, and only herself to rely on she she makes the decision to leave Luke, because any mortal connected to her wouldn't stand a chance facing Adair. She ends up turning to a few other immortals hoping they will have more knowledge of how to escape Adair, since they all spent more t...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Lucinda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A delicately interwoven, stunning tale that is utterly enchanting and which takes one on an acutely dreamlike journey of the heart

The exquisite blend of supernatural fantasy, detailed historical elements and spinechilling horror makes this original work appeal to a wide-readership. Remarkable and astonishing I was swept away by this deeply and profoundly affecting, emotive tale of eternal love. I was captivated by the cleverly crafted narrative told with a distinctive voice that professes the a...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Pam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, paranormal-favourites, highly-recommend

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Loved it! Could not get enough of it! READ THIS SERIES!!!

“The Reckoning,” an amazing story that’s so beautifully written that it totally surpassed my expectations. It was even better than the first book in the trilogy, “The Taker.” Like “The Taker,” it’s a story that took me on a hypnotic and seductive journey.

The story picks up three months after “The Taker,” taking us on a new and breathtaking journey; and like “The Taker,” this book goes back and forth between past and present time as seen f...more Loved it! Could not get enough of it! READ THIS SERIES!!!

“The Reckoning,” an amazing story that’s so beautifully written that it totally surpassed my expectations. It was even better than the first book in the trilogy, “The Taker.” Like “The Taker,” it’s a story that took me on a hypnotic and seductive journey.

The story picks up three months after “The Taker,” taking us on a new and breathtaking journey; and like “The Taker,” this book goes back and forth between past and present time as seen from Adair’s and Lanore’s POV. We come to learn more about Adair, where he came from, and who he was before becoming Adair, and how. We witness his dark obsession with alchemy (magic) and the lengths he would go to in order to harness its powers not just in the past, but also in the future. After 200 hundred years buried in a tomb, Adair has nothing but revenge on his mind; however, as time goes on Adair slowly starts to realize that the anger that consumed him for so long is quickly dissipating, only to realize that he truly loves Lanore and hope that she’ll love him just the same. Lanore, however, fears that Adair will find her and punish her for it was she who buried him alive. She remembers the Adair we come to know in “The Taker,” unaware of the small changes taking place within him now. It’s interesting to see that even though Adair was buried alive and alone for so long, Lanore being free from Adair felt the exact same loneliness. Like Adair, she also felt unloved as she had to live with the fact that Jonathan never loved her the way she loved him.

Jude, Tilde and Alejandro, a diverse cast of evil characters, minions to Adair, are still around and kicking, living their own lives free of Adair. As we witness the small changes in Adair, we come to realize that being free of Adair for 200 years has done nothing to change the trio as they are the same dark and evil beings they once were. Freedom has done nothing to change them.

I understand the love that Lanore feels for Luke as he did save her, but for Lanore to leave Adair at the end for Luke did not make sense to me as she didn’t love Luke the way he loved her. There’s absolutely no passion between them. It felt more of a convenience for them to be together, both filling the void of being lonely. Also, I don’t understand how she can return to Luke when his entire memory of her has been wiped clean. I cannot fathom how she will convince Luke that they belong together.

The last couple of pages really shocked me. I couldn’t believe what Adair did for Lanore. The freedom she wished for was granted by Adair after he realized that she did not love him as much as he loved her. If my feelings and emotions for Adair were jumbled before, this selfless act cemented my love him as he was no longer the man when we first met him. It broke my heart that Lanore did not stay with him; even bringing a few tears to my eyes as I felt that Adair finally deserved to be loved by someone, and I had hoped that someone would have been Lanore. I was hoping she would come realize that she did indeed love Adair. Perhaps the next novel we’ll bring them together (I hope).

Alma Katsu, a master story-teller delivers a well-written, in-depth, mesmerizing, and gripping gothic tale of good vs. evil, and more importantly, love vs. hate. Do not miss this series. I highly suggest you start at the very beginning with “The Taker.”

I cannot wait for the third installment in the series, “The Descent.” I just hope we don’t have to wait too long, and this time when the book comes out, I’m going to read it right away.

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Sep 29, 2012 Melissa Crytzer Fry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don’t know how she’s done it, but once again, author Alma Katsu has encouraged my sympathy for a villain – which, of course, speaks volumes of her talent as a writer. The characterization of Adair (and even of many of the other characters in this novel – Tilde, Alejandro, and Jude) really relates to the overarching theme of this book: there is some element of good in everyone, no matter how “bad” they are. (Though I’m not sure if this is true of one of the most diabolical characters). Another...more I don’t know how she’s done it, but once again, author Alma Katsu has encouraged my sympathy for a villain – which, of course, speaks volumes of her talent as a writer. The characterization of Adair (and even of many of the other characters in this novel – Tilde, Alejandro, and Jude) really relates to the overarching theme of this book: there is some element of good in everyone, no matter how “bad” they are. (Though I’m not sure if this is true of one of the most diabolical characters). Another theme is the way in which we are all shaped by our pasts …

The second book in The Taker trilogy, this story reveals the aftermath of main character Lanny’s decision to entomb Adair, her tormentor, and what happens when he is inadvertently freed 200 years later. Part love story, part historical fiction, and part supernatural mystery, The Reckoning won’t disappoint. Like its predecessor, the book is not for the faint of heart with its sometimes-violent sexual scenes and black magic.

I’ve actually never read a trilogy before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of story depth or how the two books would connect. But I thought one book was a great bridge to the other; I enjoyed the way Katsu added even more detail to an already-colorful cast of characters that readers met in the first installment. As was the case in the first story, I enjoyed the global aspects of the novel that took us across the globe – to Barcelona, Italy, Boston, Colorado, Maine, etc. We even spend time with the poet Byron.

But I think what resonated the most with me was the expert way in which Katsu portrayed today’s world through Adair’s eyes after his entombment for 200 years. On page 145, Katsu writes, “The hardest adjustment to modern times was not being able to think before he needed to act; new information came at him endlessly, making each decision tantamount to gambling. These intangibles – news, feelings, lies, opinion – were typed up on keyboards by millions of hands and rocketed around at such numbers that he could literally feel their urgency thrum through the air. Energy pushed and pulled violently around him, prickling at his skin, needling him.” Surely this would be mind-boggling for someone born in 1038. It gave me pause to think about just how nice it would be for our world to slow down once in awhile …

Can’t wait for book three. Katsu’s prose is unforgettable.
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Aug 19, 2012 Stacy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received this book free from Goodreads First Reads.

To some extent, the story suffers from middle book syndrome--a whole lot of nothing much happens while things get set up for the finale. Adair has escaped from the prison Lanny built for him and is now trying to adjust to life in the modern day while also trying to hunt down Lanny. On the other side, Lanny is desperately trying to figure out how to stay away from Adair, and developing plans should she fail. However, although there's not a lot...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Krystal rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lanore immediately pulled me into her struggle. One might not even need to read the first book, I was never lost or confused while reading The Reckoning, which is the second book of a trilogy about immortals. Lanny successfully saved her first love, Jonathan, by trapping Adair, her master, behind a wall made of stone, lumber, concrete, and brick. Jonathan abandons Lanore, however, and she must learn to live without him and move on with her life with Luke. After she and Luke donate dozens of item...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Amy Lignor rated it 5 of 5 stars

For fans that fell in love with the thrilling story of Lanore, the immortal that was presented in The Taker, this sequel will have you racing to the bookstore. And it should! With The Reckoning, obsession is taken to a whole new level.

The Taker began in the small town of St. Andrew, Maine, where Dr. Luke Findlay met up with a woman who was brought into the ER by the police, one cold winter’s night. Her name is Lanore, and she’s accused of murdering a man who turned out to be a member of the foun...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Paperback Dolls rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars, contemporary-fiction, paranormal-romance, reviewed-2012, reviewed-by-eowyn, romance, urban-fantasy

Originally posted at PaperbackDolls.com.

The Taker left off with everything calm and peaceful in Lanny’s world yet there is foreshadowing that the peace is about to be shattered. After waiting a year to find out what danger that I had feared would befall Lanny in Alma Katsu’s second novel in the series The Reckoning I must admit I was pleasantly surprised to find that my wild imagination had not produced any of the scenarios Katsu has come up with.

Suddenly Adair is free and his only thought is to...more Originally posted at PaperbackDolls.com.

The Taker left off with everything calm and peaceful in Lanny’s world yet there is foreshadowing that the peace is about to be shattered. After waiting a year to find out what danger that I had feared would befall Lanny in Alma Katsu’s second novel in the series The Reckoning I must admit I was pleasantly surprised to find that my wild imagination had not produced any of the scenarios Katsu has come up with.

Suddenly Adair is free and his only thought is to find Lanore (Lanny) and make her pay for her transgression. The time has come for Lanny to pay the price for what she has done and her reckoning is upon her. We can feel the fear and anxiety she is feeling over the inevitability of this reunion as she races across the world trying to keep ahead of Adair. Katsu’s exquisite writing takes us on twists and turns as Lanny has a few startling revelations about what she had thought love was and begins to confront emotions she did not realize she felt. Much like The Taker we are drawn between past and present as Lanny and Adair both remember events from their lives. This effectively helps us to see the person Lanny has been becoming over the past two hundred years as well as how Adair became the tyrant we have come to know him as.

One thing that I immediately enjoyed is the new perspective we gain on Adair. As you can imagine he has been entombed for 200 years and quite a few advances in technology have taken place. It is almost humorous to watch him learn about computers and debit cards. I found myself laughing out loud more than once at his thoughts on modern life. Adair has had two hundred years to think about his life choices and he too has come out a changed man. Many of the profound moments in the book revolve around Adair’s battle between his nature and the new person he would like to be. The changes in him are intriguing and with the stories from his past a different more complex picture of him begins to emerge.

Love actually becomes a bigger theme in The Reckoning and we begin to see a little more about love lasting an eternity. Some of the characters from the previous book are revisited as well as a few new ones. Nothing is as it appears to be and Katsu continues to shake up your understanding of what has happened. Sometimes we believe what we have been told because we want to believe the story rather than face the truth.

The Reckoning will leave you wondering what new revelations will be unearthed about the main characters in the final installment. Can love last an eternity? Are some things beyond redemption? What makes Adair immortal? The character growth is so complex and so rich in this installment I personally can’t wait to see what lies in store for Lanny and Adair.(less)

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Jun 20, 2012 Cheryl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Lanore and Luke are back. They are attending the much anticipated museum exhibit titled "Lost Treasures of the Nineteenth Century". The exhibit is courtesy of Lanore. She is the mystery donor. While attending the exhibit, Lanore experiences a sharp, tingling pain. She knows instantly that it is Adair. This is not good news for Lanore as she was the one that put Adair away for what she thought was a very long time.

Adair escapes his prison, only to learn that the world his once knew has changed a...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Okay. So I was taken aback by "The Taker." It was so beautifully written and articulated but lacked 1) morals and 2) character likeability. To summarize The Taker; Lanore is born in the early 1800s. She loves Jonathon, a beautiful and shallow boy. They grow up in parallel lives but are friends. Jonathon sleeps around. Lanore finds herself pregnant. She is sent to Boston to have the baby in a convent. She runs away and finds herself in the company of Adair and his crew who happen to be not only i...more Okay. So I was taken aback by "The Taker." It was so beautifully written and articulated but lacked 1) morals and 2) character likeability. To summarize The Taker; Lanore is born in the early 1800s. She loves Jonathon, a beautiful and shallow boy. They grow up in parallel lives but are friends. Jonathon sleeps around. Lanore finds herself pregnant. She is sent to Boston to have the baby in a convent. She runs away and finds herself in the company of Adair and his crew who happen to be not only immortal but into all things unholy and carnal. Sexual acts of the imagination ensue but not in detail. Also, Adair is incredibly sadistic. Punishment is also sexual in nature. Lanore becomes immortal. She returns to her village and gets Jonathon who is, at that moment, caught for sleeping with another man's wife. Jonathon becomes immortal. Lanore feels trapped by Adair and she is. She makes a plan and makes Jonathon carry it out with her, rendering Adair neutralized for the next two centuries. Jonathon is gone. Lanny is with a doctor who helped her escape. Adair awaits.

This is all important to understand for the second book which I went into prepared to love the writing style, never connect to the characters, but I really wanted to know what happens to Adair. The book opens with Lanny and Luke (the doctor) at a museum exhibit opening. Treasures were donated anonymously throughout the world by Lanny cleaning out her things. Suddenly, she feels a keening inside her head and knows immediately the cause. Adair is free.

In the first book, Adair was formidable. His life spans many, many centuries of growing in the art of alchemy. He is terrifying but never single dimensional. He follows his internal compass to the closest of his minions, Jude, and enters the twenty-first century.

The rest of the book is told by differing points of view. Lanny revisits some of her immortal siblings (Adair's creations) and makes some self-discoveries of her true nature. She doesn't like who she is when she sees herself in contrast to the others. They were all chosen for their ruthlessness, lack of conscience, and overall unlikeability. They had histories that were sordid and crimes that horrific. We get a glimpse of the history of many of them. Most are still vague except for her first stop, a man who wants immortality to stop. He is ready to die. He is so tired. And she continues on her journey to the old players from the first book, always trying to stay away from Adair.

Meanwhile, Adair is adjusting to this new world. He still holds a great deal of power within him and, with his old books, it seems he is even more powerful. He bides his time until he and Lanny meet by being controlling, hateful, vengeful, and trying to master patience until he can exact his revenge upon Lanny. We also get a brief history on Adair. He flashes back to other times in his life when becomes immortal, how he gains his current body, and some other noteworthy moments. Also, Adair finds himself despicable like Lanore finds herself the same. Weird as it is, Adair becomes the character I liked the most in this book. He discovers his buried humanity.

Again, the book is very well written. Violence is abundant but not detailed. It is not a young adult book, regardless of the cover. I liked it much better than "The Taker" but found the information from the first book to be crucial to the second. Developments in this book make the third book MUST READ. I will definitely read the third book.(less)

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Jun 09, 2012 Cassandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Reckoning starts off with Lanny and Luke looking at the souvenirs that Lanny decided to donated to the museums. Lanny learns that Adair has broken through his cement tomb that she had locked him in. We learned more about Adair's history and Alma wrote his character in such a way that I have started to kinda of sort of liked him. Which I am not happy about because I hated him in The Taker. I think enjoyed The Reckoning more than The Taker I think - they may be tied I haven’t fully decided yet...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Myckyee rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Reckoning by Alma Katsu is part two in The Taker Trilogy – a series that tells the story of Lanore, a young woman with the unique gift of everlasting life. The first novel, The Taker, describes how she acquired this gift and the people whose lives intersected and intertwined with hers. The Taker was mostly set in the early 1800’s – The Reckoning picks up the story of Lanore two hundred years later as she struggles to evade the attention of the one person to whom she owes her life and who als...more The Reckoning by Alma Katsu is part two in The Taker Trilogy – a series that tells the story of Lanore, a young woman with the unique gift of everlasting life. The first novel, The Taker, describes how she acquired this gift and the people whose lives intersected and intertwined with hers. The Taker was mostly set in the early 1800’s – The Reckoning picks up the story of Lanore two hundred years later as she struggles to evade the attention of the one person to whom she owes her life and who also happens to be the one who she dreads to meet again. Yes, Adair is back and he is one of the scariest characters I’ve ever read!

The others are there too – Alejandro, Tilde, Jude – plus a couple of new ones. I find it impressive how the author manages to bind them all with the same gift, yet make each character distinct from the other by imbuing them with very different personalities.

The story thrums along quickly and the more I read the more suspenseful it became. Lanore is in danger and the excitement caused by her predicament builds chapter by chapter. I also find the story line taking place in present times really interesting. As one character finds himself thrust into the modern day world and adjusts to this reality, the contrast between the past and present is a fascinating one. How can it be possible to fly? How can people use ‘plastic’ to buy things? I love to imagine what it would be like to suddenly wake up in a world far into the future and wonder at all the things that would be different – faster, easier, and hopefully better.

I’m enjoying this series for several reasons. The story is good, exciting and fast-paced. The characters, though they are as different from each other as they could possibly be, are not perfect. Even Lanore faces difficult choices – should she do the right thing by someone else and thereby put herself in danger or take the easy road?

I don’t think it’s necessary to read The Taker to enjoy The Reckoning (though it is fun to read what took place before the events in The Reckoning) but it is worth it to read them both. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys strong characters with mystery and fantasy mixed in with a bit of intrigue.(less)

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May 05, 2012 Reading Teen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am so excited to be writing this review, it's really hard to type, while doing the happy dance. The Taker (Book 1) was by far, my favorite book of 2011. When I received The Reckoning (Book 2), I was very excited. Alma Katsu is an amazing storyteller. What goes on in that brain of hers, let me just say... it's pure awesome. I could always read about Lanny and Adair, their story could go on forever, and it doesn't get old.

When I started this book, I knew Lanny was in deep, deep trouble. I am say...more

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May 04, 2012 Jenny marked it as to-read

This was my first time reading anything by Alma Katsu and I was looking forward to trying a new author.

I found that the world that was built in this book was deep enough to keep my interest and the characters were enjoyable. Learning more about their lives and the history that is behind their actions gave a better understanding of who they are, however I find Alma's writing style hard to follow at times. I felt like in every sentence the person speaking was having their name mentioned so that A...more

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About Alma Katsu

I'm the author of THE TAKER and THE RECKONING (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster), the first two novels in a trilogy about desire, obsession and the dark things we sometimes do for love. The Taker, which has been widely compared to the ealy work of Anne Rice, was selected by ALA/Booklist as one of the top ten debut novels of 2011 and translation rights have been sold in 14 languages. The third bo...more

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The Witch Sisters (The Taker, Book #2.5)

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“Perhaps one day you will understand that, flawed as I am, no man will love you as I do, and you will search your heart and find that you love me, too.” — 3 people liked it

“He'd observed over the centuries that what made people old was when they could no longer keep up with change. It's the beginning of the end, though few recognize it as such at the time.” — 2 people liked it

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The Reckoning (The Taker Trilogy #2)

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