Blood and Silver (Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty Hunter, #2) by James R. Tuck

Aug 01, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, read-in-2012, reviewed-for-fiction-vixen

Originally posted at http://www.fictionvixen.com/guest-rev...

Occasionally I need a break from the romance book world, when that happens I always look for a dark, gritty urban fantasy. James R. Tuck's second book in his Deacon Chalk series certainly fits that bill. Blood and Silver is fast paced, violent, and I was literally glued to the page while reading.

Deacon Chalk is a man on a mission, an occult bounty hunter who is out to kill any monsters he finds while avenging the family he lost and pro...more Originally posted at http://www.fictionvixen.com/guest-rev...

Occasionally I need a break from the romance book world, when that happens I always look for a dark, gritty urban fantasy. James R. Tuck's second book in his Deacon Chalk series certainly fits that bill. Blood and Silver is fast paced, violent, and I was literally glued to the page while reading.

Deacon Chalk is a man on a mission, an occult bounty hunter who is out to kill any monsters he finds while avenging the family he lost and protecting the new family he has made for himself. This book occurs a scant six months after the events in the first book in the series, Blood and Bullets. While rescuing an abused were-dog Deacon finds himself facing off with a new enemy and in the middle of a lycanthrope war between two brothers. The only way he is going to come out of this alive is with the help of his friends: Tiff, Kat, Larson, Father Mulcahy and Charlotte.

I liked this book so much better than the first. Everything about this world has evolved since Mr. Tuck's debut book. The characters are better fleshed out, the world building is stronger and it just reads smoother. From the first chapter there is one action-packed scene after another. I could not tear my eyes away form the page. All kinds of new characters were introduced, from a were-shark to a T-Rex to a were-snake. I had no idea what I would find when I turned to the next page.

I like that Deacon and Tiff's relationship is growing. In Blood and Bullets we learn that Deacon's wife and children were murdered and this has led him to the life he lives now. He is the owner of a strip club named Polecats that helps him fund his war with the supernatural world. He constantly tells the reader throughout this story of his grief over the loss of his family, of how dark his pain has been. I wasn't sure how the introduction of Tiff in the last book would play out. It seems like the relationship between the two of them has been set up perfectly. They are what the other needs. She accepts him for exactly who he is and he has grown to love her for her strengths and softness. She knows and accepts how Deacon feels about his deceased wife, and he has come to the realization that by loving Tiff he is not in any way replacing his family.

Deacon is a hard, brutal man who is also extremely protective of those he considers his family. He immediatly welcomes the injured were-dog Sofia into his circle of protection. He is surrounded by friends who are all willng to die to protect each other. It seems with every book new people are added to this group, with this one we get two: Sofia and Boothe. While I think Deacon kicks ass, the secondary characters in this series hold him up and really make this book so much better.

The only complaint I have, and this bothered me in the first book also, is the constant discription of his weapons. Yes, he has a big gun. Yes, it has silver bullets. I don't need to know what kind of gun it is over and over. Colt 45s, AR-15s, Desert Eagle .357s... see what I mean? In every scene there was a run down of what weapons he had strapped to his body. And on Tiff's body. And Boothe's...

All in all Blood and Silver was the dark, gritty urban fantasy I was looking for. I was searching the author's goodreads page right after I finished to see when the next one is going to be released. I didn't see any mention of when that may be, but let's hope it's not too far away.

Favorite Quote:

"What do you want me to do to help?" George looked at me with brown gorilla eyes.

The T. rex was on his feet and looking our way. I stepped around the car and raised my gun. "You can be King Kong or Donkey Kong, I don't care which, just keep him busy and move him toward the play sets. If you think of a way to kill him, then even better." I began to run toward the dinosaur as he began to run toward me. The ground shook under my feet, rattled by the weight of my enemy.

Oh, this was going to completely suck(less)

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Mar 29, 2013 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Deacon Chalk can’t enjoy a good day – something bad always happens that he can’t ignore. This time it was a man beating a dog. But when he intervened he found that the man was no man – and the dog no simple dog either. He quickly becomes the rescuer of a lycanthrope and facing off against an entire pack of predatory shapeshifters

But more, he has stepped into a civil war – between predatory shapeshifters who wish to dominate, kill and control prey species as they always have – and those who are s...more Deacon Chalk can’t enjoy a good day – something bad always happens that he can’t ignore. This time it was a man beating a dog. But when he intervened he found that the man was no man – and the dog no simple dog either. He quickly becomes the rescuer of a lycanthrope and facing off against an entire pack of predatory shapeshifters

But more, he has stepped into a civil war – between predatory shapeshifters who wish to dominate, kill and control prey species as they always have – and those who are seeking for a more egalitarian co-existence. This, combined with Charlotte’s involvement and the fact the predators are just bad guys Deacon Chalk doesn’t want in his city is reason enough for him to get involved.

But things are not that simple – and whatever the mission of the peaceful weres is, they’re clearly more than they seem and perhaps more than Deacon Chalk can tolerate. Especially since he’s putting his friends, his people at risk for someone else’s war.

This book is one of those that vindicates my habit of not giving up on a series just because the first book (or the first several books) didn’t work for me.

It’s not that this book is radically different from the first book – it isn’t. Much of the style remains the same – so it’s still very much a male power fantasy, it’s still a book of getting the girl, saving he innocent and running around in a big car with a big gun and blowing stuff up and beating stuff up and cutting stuff up while the character equally gets mauled himself in a big, dramatic, gorefest action-movie style romp.

It’s not sophisticated, it’s not subtle and it’s not going to engage too many brain cells – but that doesn’t mean it can’t be immense fun! There’s a weredinosaur for crying out loud! A weredinosaur! Your arguments are invalid!

What has happened is that a lot of the irritants that were in book 1 have been toned down a lot. They’re still there, but in a much much much less annoying fashion. So is it still long winded? Yes, but it’s not nearly as repetitive – we get the long spiel about his guns, once. Not four or five times. And the spiel’s not as long. He waxes lyrically about how amazing his car is – but he doesn’t do it every few pages. We hear what music he’s listening to, but we don’t get treated to the Deacon Chalk guide to all things musical. This helps, this helps so much that I don’t have feel like I have to skim past endless pointless irrelevancies to try and drag the actual story out from the fluff.

We also don’t have Deacon Chalk being fawned over by a vast crowd of adoring fans (especially women) who play groupie to let us know just how amazing Chalk is. We know he’s done some good stuff, we know he’s helped people, but it’s toned down on the flock of fanpoodles. This could be because, with Tiff, we now have an established love interest and the flock of adoring women wouldn’t work as well.

And we don’t have the massive info dumps about the world – only what is appropriate as it is appropriate and without the constant repetition and long winded delivery.

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Mar 22, 2013 Loki rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5/5

I did this bass ackwards... I should have started with the first in the series, but this is the one I could find. I saw a review for this book in “Rebel Ink”, a magazine I regularly pour over, and decided to give it a try. I read this in one sitting, it was just that good. This series could quickly become my new literary addiction.

Deacon is a very well developed main character, with holes in his emotional armor and scars on his past. A big ol’ Alpha male with the killer instincts to match h...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Rosebud rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, paranormal, series-book, shapeshifters, action-adventure

While out on a date with Tiff, Deacon Chalk witnesses a were dog being severely beaten by a fellow shifter. He saves the pregnant dog and discovers that there’s a spike in violence occurring in the were community with the predator shifters attacking the weak prey shifters. The purpose and intent is unknown but a prominent shifter, who is negotiating peace, is traveling to Atlanta and Deacon is expected to serve as his protective body guard while there. In a society where the strong survive and t...more While out on a date with Tiff, Deacon Chalk witnesses a were dog being severely beaten by a fellow shifter. He saves the pregnant dog and discovers that there’s a spike in violence occurring in the were community with the predator shifters attacking the weak prey shifters. The purpose and intent is unknown but a prominent shifter, who is negotiating peace, is traveling to Atlanta and Deacon is expected to serve as his protective body guard while there. In a society where the strong survive and the weak are but prey, this shifter could bring peace and end violence in the were community once and for all.
But there are those who like it the way it is and will do anything and everything to make sure a cessation in the existing status quo doesn’t happen. No matter the cost.

The best way for me to describe the feel of this book/series is to liken it to ‘John Carpenter-Vampire Hunter’ if that character looked like a bouncer, owned a strip club, had multiple tattoos, and drove a ’66 Mercury Comet. Deacon Chalk has all the cool weaponry and gizmos that would make MacGyver jealous with the street smarts to know how to use them in the most efficient manner. Most shifters and vamps avoid Deacon as his reputation in administering swift vigilante justice is legendary. Too bad no one informed the were population.
It’s been over five years since his own family had been killed, and while Deacon continues to have a death wish, he’s starting to form a family of sorts with his support team and rescued victims of the previous book. Together they are able to keep the human population ignorant of the evil surrounding them.
In this book the predatory weres are preying on their fellow shifters. Deacon saves one of them but gets pulled into the war as a bodyguard of one of the beings he’s made it his mission to get rid of. While protecting the peace negotiator he encounters were sharks, deer, snakes, spiders, T-Rex, rabbits, wolves, lions, hippos, and monkeys who aren’t as simple as they make themselves out to be. The humor of seeing the different shapeshifters interact with each other lightened an otherwise purely action packed adventure storyline as these characters paralleled their counterpart’s behavior in nature.
The action and fast paced adventure was non-stop. The shoot ‘em up fight scenes transitioned into the tear jerker life and death struggle scenes without any awkwardness. And just when you think it couldn’t get any more intense – it did. I really didn’t know for sure who the good guys and bad guys were which challenged my ever changing opinion as the story progressed. And if I failed to mention it, which I did, there is a blooming romantic element that is surfacing that I would have personally liked to have been showcased in a more prominent manner. The “are they or aren’t they” drove me crazy which I guess was the intent by the author. The end result of this is: to be continued.
The total package of this book and series will appeal to a broad fan base of those who have an interest in the paranormal/horror/adventure genre. Deacon Chalk is a charismatic hero with a take no prisoner attitude who knows what true evil is and is willing and able to sacrifice himself to keep the human race safe. The one cautionary note I will say is that you really need to read book one before this one as I can’t in all fairness classify this one as a stand alone read.
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Sep 06, 2012 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Blood and Silver is book two in an installment chronicling the adventures of Occult Bounty-Hunter, Deacon Chalk. This book will appeal to those readers enjoying paranormal and urban fantasy. It is bursting with lots of action , scary monsters and general mayhem.

Deacon Chalk, who we learn early on in the story has a dark, difficult and tragic past. He is on a mission to help a dog who is being viciously beaten as he is leaving the carnival with lady friend, Tiff. Of course, things are never quite...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-sheila

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Hardcore bad-a$$ Deacon Chalk takes on a bunch of weres that are causing trouble in his town.

Opening Sentence: Good days don’t last.

The Review:

Things have been kind of quiet lately, ever since Deacon Chalk wiped out most of the vampires in the Southeast region of the USA. But there is always something to do, especially if you are an occult bounty hunter. So when Deacon and Tiff come across a dog being beaten to death, he doesn’t hesitate to...more

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Mar 19, 2013 George-GZM rated it 4 of 5 stars

Blood and Silver by James R. Tuck is the second volume in the series that has as its main character the occult bounty hunter Deacon Chalk. (see the Blood and Bullets' review here) If in the first volume Deacon Chalk kicks the vampire asses, here he will have to deal with another kind of evil creatures: the lycanthropes.
Now I will deviate a bit from the subject, without any reproach to the book or anyone in particular, but I want to clarify a little situation regarding lycanthropy. I see that the...more Blood and Silver by James R. Tuck is the second volume in the series that has as its main character the occult bounty hunter Deacon Chalk. (see the Blood and Bullets' review here) If in the first volume Deacon Chalk kicks the vampire asses, here he will have to deal with another kind of evil creatures: the lycanthropes.
Now I will deviate a bit from the subject, without any reproach to the book or anyone in particular, but I want to clarify a little situation regarding lycanthropy. I see that the term of lycanthropy was spread for all forms of metamorphosis of humans into animals although there are specific terms for this as therianthrops or shape shifters. The word lycanthropy it comes from Greek and means clearly werewolf. More specifically it comes from Greek mythology from the king of Arcadia, Lycaon. He was famous for his vile deeds, and when Zeus asked him for host, Lycaon to convince himself that he stand before the father of gods put Zeus to the test and feast him with dishes prepared from human flesh. Disgusted and angered by his wickedness, Zeus curses and transforms him into a wolf. So everything is very simple and clear, and I don’t understand from where lycanthropy became a generic term for metamorphosis.
Closing this parenthesis who was a little too long, although I think it would be welcome, lets return to the our novel by James R. Tuck. Blood and Silver is on the same rate as the previous novel in terms of pure action. I could say that is quite a bit more alert. A true tour de force in terms of adventure at high levels and where this guy, Deacon Chalk, is pissed-off for good and decided to pay-back to the bastards in the same way. Those who were satisfied by the first volume fights abundance will have nothing to complain about. The pages will be filled with gun smoke and jaws will be crush again by well placed punches.
The author's style is pleasant, entertaining, funny at times, a style that neatly fits on this genre of topic. You'll be happy to find some characters from the first book that you liked and to find a more exciting Deacon Chalk in a death wish mood and on that edge when he’s about to play everything on one card: either he dies with his proteges or he’ll prevail for good against the darkness beasts.
Those who are attracted to this kind of adventures, I warmly recommend the book.(less)

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Jul 06, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 3 of 5 stars

If you are looking for graphic - very graphic - and gritty urban fantasy, you need to get to know Deacon Chalk. Deacon makes the average badass run away and think of a new career path. But, at the same time, Deacon will do anything to protect the family he has chosen.

Deacon's own family was killed by the monsters and in the process of killing them he was killed himself. A transfusion by an Angel of the Lord revived him and made him much more than human. He heals faster, can take much more punis...more If you are looking for graphic - very graphic - and gritty urban fantasy, you need to get to know Deacon Chalk. Deacon makes the average badass run away and think of a new career path. But, at the same time, Deacon will do anything to protect the family he has chosen.

Deacon's own family was killed by the monsters and in the process of killing them he was killed himself. A transfusion by an Angel of the Lord revived him and made him much more than human. He heals faster, can take much more punishment, and has some magical abilities. This story is about Deacon and Tiff finding a pregnant weredog and saving it from being beaten to death by some lion shifters. Turns out she is the advance part for Marcus, another lion shifter, who happens to be a pacifist and is encouraging both were predators and prey to live peacefully,

Unfortunately, Marcus has a brother named Leonidas who, along with his band of prey weres, comes along behind Marcus wreaking havoc. Deacon and the rest of the good guys have to find away to defeat Leonidas and the rest of the bad guys. But it won't be easy, among the bad guys are a were-Great White Shark and a were-Tyrannosaurus Rex.

My major complaint with this one is that it is repititious. Tuck keeps telling us things he has already told us: Kat had a bad time at the hand of a sexually sadistic vampire; Deacon doesn't want to talk about how his family died; Deacon is just waiting to die himself but suicide is a sin; Deacon died and was given blood by an Angel of the Lord which makes him superhuman and a quick healer. It's almost like each chapter was written separately and Tuck expected the reader to pause between them and need a refresher. I also have a minor complaint about Deacon's constant references to Tiff as "little girl." He is sleeping with her! Calling her "little girl" sounds kind of like he is some kind of pedophile.

The story is very descriptive with lots of descriptions of the various guns he wears and uses and has a lot of graphic violence but it is also a good story of a man who will do anything to protect those who need protecting from the monsters. This is the second full-length Deacon Chalk novel. Start with Blood and Bullets and catch the short story Spider's Lullaby to be completely up-to-date and to meet Deacon and his colleagues.(less)

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Jul 19, 2012 Kayla Eklund rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-trade, reviews-completed

Blood and Silver was a good sequel to Blood and Bullets. Based on the first two books, I am loving the Deacon Chalk Occult Bounty Hunter series. There were a couple things that bothered me about this book. First of all, the author was very repetitive. He told the story of how he met Kat, then a few chapters later he would tell it again. He also used the expression "moved like quicksilver" throughout the book several times. I will be happy if I never have to hear the word quicksilver again in my...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review, urban-fantasy, read-in-2012

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/08/27/...

Tuck is back with the 2nd novel in his Deacon Chalk series, and when I went back to re-read my review of the first book, I was happy to say that a lot of the elements that made the book a C read for me before were not as prevalent and bumped up my overall enjoyment of this book. This was a FABULOUS sophomore novel and I am looking forward to more from Tuck and the rag-tag crew of Deacon and his pals.

It’s been a quiet few mont...more Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/08/27/...

Tuck is back with the 2nd novel in his Deacon Chalk series, and when I went back to re-read my review of the first book, I was happy to say that a lot of the elements that made the book a C read for me before were not as prevalent and bumped up my overall enjoyment of this book. This was a FABULOUS sophomore novel and I am looking forward to more from Tuck and the rag-tag crew of Deacon and his pals.

It’s been a quiet few months for Deacon, but one night changes all of that. He steps in to save a dog being beaten, and stumbles into a hornet’s nest of shifter politics and deadly family secrets. With his group of friends at his side, Deacon is convinced to help the local group of prey shifters stand up to the rogue group of predator shifters. But with a few guns and only a few fighters able to stand by his side, Deacon might be outmatched and outgunned, and lif as he knows it is threatened beyond his expectations.

I really enjoyed this book, and the more time I spent with Deacon, the more and more I liked him. So many times I’ve read male protagonists that I just didn’t really like. They were assholes and did jerk-like things, but Deacon is like a real southern gentleman. The death of his family still haunts him, but with Tiff in the picture now, he is starting to feel the ice crack around his heart. He is smiling more, and living life instead of just letting it pass by. I love that Deacon has such a huge and caring heart. Despite the fact that he kills monsters for a living, he also takes everyone and anyone under his wing and will protect them with everything he is. He’s the kind of hero that you can really root for.

I loved the action with the shifters too. Tuck has carved out a very unique way of looking at the shape shifter world, with predators and prey animals, and a hierarchy within that world that is twisted and screwed up beyond belief. I liked that it felt as if it had never been done before, and it was fresh and different and gave this book a feeling of individuality that I didn’t feel in the 1st in the series. I loved the twists and turns of who was a good guy and who was bad. I loved all the different shifters that Tuck introduced into the story, and how hard Deacon had to fight to take most of them down.

The book is brutal, it’s dark and gritty and there is a LOT of bloodshed. But it was also sweet at times, it had an ongoing romance that took a backseat to the action, but was also on the forefront of Deacon’s – and my mind. The romance parts really broke up the action and gave me a chance to recover from the craziness that was the rest of the book. I also really enjoyed the sense of family that we get from Deacon’s crew. They are all people he has saved and taken under his wing, and although they don’t have his Angel blood, they each have their own way of contributing to story, to Deacon and to the fight.

I was also glad to see more develop with Deacon and his power. I didn’t think it was explored enough in the first book, so seeing Deacon struggle with what he can do, taking it to the next level and using his gift for both healing and killing was great to see. Tuck has really started to take Deacon’s unique situation and make it his own, giving the series a new and fresh feel. I can’t wait to see what Deacon discovers he can do next!

All in all I was extremely happy with the 2nd Deacon Chalk book. Whereas I thought the first was a little unoriginal, Tuck has stepped out of the mold and created a unique plot with different shifter society and has taken Deacon’s unusual skills and highlighted them more and more. I love the addition of the romance plot, and the way the high-action and drama plot was broken up by more tender moments. I can’t wait to see what Tuck has in store for us and Deacon next.

I give Blood and Silver a B(less)

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Aug 06, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the second novel in this series and the 4th book (2 novellas) but you could read this one without reading the others as the back story presents itself when needed. You could fully get a feel for Deacon without the other adventures, but you will probably want to read them anyway.

Those fans of UF will love the fast paced action and some of the cold hearted decisions he makes within this story. Deacon is still someone you would want on your side because as soon as he considers you family, h...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Gary rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, urbanfantasy

The Deacon Chalk series started out good and has remained so. In this second book, Chalk and his companion come across a bunch of guys brutally beating a dog in a parking lot. Now, you know Chalk ain't gonna let something like that happen. Not in his city.

Only, he very nearly gets his ass handed to him. The people beating the dog to death? Lycanthropes. All predators. All big, all nasty, and all too happy to go up against Chalk in a battle for the hapless dog.

Who, of course, turns out to be a we...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Kristin Anders rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-books-reviewed, fantasy-romance, imperfect-heroine-romances

4.5 Stars

How's the sex scenes?
Not much sex here, I'm afraid. But the story doesn't need it.

How's the story lines?
Amazing, well-written, dark and disturbing. This is not a romance.

Review

This is not a romance novel. There are some tender moments and a somewhat happy ending, but if you’re expecting the hero to be healed by his virginal heroine because she’s the only one destined to love him...this is not the book for you.

Deacon is destined to be with his wife. She’s dead.

Tuck’s writing is fantast...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Lexi Ander rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, tough-guys, horror, humor, amazon

I'm not going to reiterate my warning about Deacon's world. If you're here then you already know.

I enjoyed this one much more than the first. The cast of characters expanded. We see more of the paranormal community. I liked the fact he didn't limit his weres to just predators. Saying that, I enjoyed even more that his prey-were were not pushovers. My favorite character this book was Boothe, the were-rabbit, and that was before I found out that his half-form was that freaking scary. The funniest...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Yolanda Sfetsos rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Firstly, I need to mention that the Deacon Chalk, Occult Bounty Hunter series is fast becoming one of my favourite UF series.

Deacon fights monsters, and never gets a day off. So the day he gets to hang out at the carnival with Tiffany, he's not surprised to get caught up in some shit. When they spot some guy beating a dog, Deacon rescues her... and gets himself caught up in some serious shifter business.

But he doesn't care. He wants to help the were-dog, especially when they find out she's preg...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Sarah (Workaday Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

While I enjoyed this book almost as much as the previous books in the series, I found myself a little more critical of the writing. With 2 novellas and a full length book under his belt, I have higher expectations from the author when it comes to the execution of the story. One thing that struck me in a less positive way was the amount of repetition in the story. While it is not reasonable to expect all your readers to have read previous volumes in the series, it isn’t necessary to recap everyth...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Kara-karina rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5/5
review request from the author
James R.Tuck always delivers high octane explosive action a bit like Bruce Willis in his Die Hard movies, and it's very entertaining to read about his fights and shoot-outs, however, this is a second book in the series, and I'm still struggling with his writing style.

I've noticed that with the book#1 - repetition, repetition, repetition. James is falling into this trap that Jennifer Estep struggles to free herself from. He keeps reiterating what happened to Dea...more 3.5/5
review request from the author
James R.Tuck always delivers high octane explosive action a bit like Bruce Willis in his Die Hard movies, and it's very entertaining to read about his fights and shoot-outs, however, this is a second book in the series, and I'm still struggling with his writing style.

I've noticed that with the book#1 - repetition, repetition, repetition. James is falling into this trap that Jennifer Estep struggles to free herself from. He keeps reiterating what happened to Deacon before. Yes, we do remember that his family was killed in a brutal manner, yes we do know that angel gave him a blood transfusion, that he loves his car and his big boy guns... but Gods, can we limit it to once maybe twice per book?

There is less repetition in book#2, so I can see the progress, and I would not have minded if his personal tragedy was coming back to him in flashbacks like PTSD. That would have been natural, so we'll see how it goes with later books.

I like Deacon. He is colourful, fleshed-out manly man. He knows he is bigger and meaner than most and he treats his woman very gently and tries to prevent her doing silly stuff like going and getting into a fight with monsters, because what normal human being with a healthy self-preservation instinct would want to kill themselves that way, right? So all his "baby, do what I say" in a fight or flight situations are great and realistic.

There are quite a few crazy scenes which made me sick to my stomach with worry and tension - first fight with lycantropes, Deacon's memory of looking for a missing girl, last showdown... James is masterful with his fight sequences, he is truly good at it, and sick bastards he is fighting with will give Anita Blake a run for her money.

That's why I root for the author to polish his writing style. Less repetion and more character development, especially secondary characters, please. More humor, which was present in book#1 but is absent in book#2.

This series has great potential and almost comic book-like characters, it will be perfect for fans of earlier Anita Blake and J.F.Lewis.(less)

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Reviewed by Laura for www.BookChickCity.com - 3.5 Stars on the blog.

BLOOD AND SILVER is book two in James R. Tuck’s Deacon Chalk series, a man whose family were murdered by a supernatural evil and since then has dedicated his life to stopping them. The writing has definitely much improved in this book in comparison to the first. Ok, there were times when you can tell that Tuck is quite a new writer. For example there were several parts of the back story that were repeated on more than one occasi...more Reviewed by Laura for www.BookChickCity.com - 3.5 Stars on the blog.

BLOOD AND SILVER is book two in James R. Tuck’s Deacon Chalk series, a man whose family were murdered by a supernatural evil and since then has dedicated his life to stopping them. The writing has definitely much improved in this book in comparison to the first. Ok, there were times when you can tell that Tuck is quite a new writer. For example there were several parts of the back story that were repeated on more than one occasion. However, overall it’s definitely tighter.

The story is a bloody, gritty and violent urban fantasy fest. Weapons, bombs, guns and explosions galore. What has really moved on is the world building, it’s worth reading just for the imaginative different were-creatures Tuck keeps coming up with. Just when I thought he’s come up with the best with a were-shark, he chucks in the ultimate terrifying were-baddie in the finale. I’m not telling you, you have to read it

The book opens with a bang, Tuck certainly knows how to grab your attention and I was sucked in within minutes. Submerged into the action. Chalk is a great, dark hero. There are times he really reminds me of a male Anita Blake, even with some of his lines:

I stared back, deep inside the cold place that lets me kill.

Hamilton fans might find that it sounds familiar? He’s a hit first type of guy and very much wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s the kind of guy who will die for his friends and those he believes needs protecting. And most importantly he’s cool.

When he comes across a pregnant shifter in desperate need of help, you know that Chalk will blow up everyone in his way in order to do so. Even if by doing so he ends up pulled right into the middle of a were-animal war. Luckily he has plenty of grenades ready for the job!

He’s got a great group of sidekicks too. Now I’m a huge arachnophobe, but I found myself growing very fond of Charlotte the were-spider. Never thought I’d say that! It was great to see Larson back in a new mature form, we met him in book one where he was terribly injured. He’s moved on and found his place in the group. I’m not sure where he got all of his medical skills from, but in the end it didn’t really matter.

One part of the story I’m not totally convinced on is the love story. Chalk is one hell of a man, and Tiff just seems too young for him. I like the fact he is moving on, but I feel like he needs more of a woman. Now a Charlotte/Chalk love story that could be interesting…! I suspect though that Tiff may be here to stay, and developments at the end of the story might help her become the woman I want for him.

VERDICT:

Fans of gritty urban fantasy should have their eye on Tuck. Deacon Chalk is a dark, violent and caring hero that gives the baddies a reason to be scared. I suspect the writing in this series is only going to improve as it progresses. I look forward to book three.(less)

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May 30, 2012 Star (The Bibliophilic Book Blog) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Deacon Chalk is a man who will do anything to protect the family he has made over the past 5 years. He also doesn’t put up with those who abuse others for their own pleasure. Which is how “Blood and Silver” starts out. Deacon and Tiff come across a group of men beating a dog half to death. When he gets closer, he realizes they are all shifters (were-animals) but that makes no difference – evil is evil. He rescues the were-dog and takes her to the bar to get cleaned up and looked at by Larson. No...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Toni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kensington-arcs

In Blood and Bullets, there was a central theme of vampires. In this book, we are taking a look at Mr. Tuck’s Were society. All I can say is that I have never experienced a universe like this; it’s action packed and very unique.

Deacon is back and he is out for vengeance. After saving a were-dog, he and his crew have taken it upon themselves to protect the innocent woman. Pregnant and nearly beaten to death, they scramble to find out what is going on in their town.

In Were society there are separa...more In Blood and Bullets, there was a central theme of vampires. In this book, we are taking a look at Mr. Tuck’s Were society. All I can say is that I have never experienced a universe like this; it’s action packed and very unique.

Deacon is back and he is out for vengeance. After saving a were-dog, he and his crew have taken it upon themselves to protect the innocent woman. Pregnant and nearly beaten to death, they scramble to find out what is going on in their town.

In Were society there are separate rules and laws. The strong prey on the weak and the weaker just take it. To make matters worse, there are two new factions are in town; one of peace and one of power. Together they wreak havoc on Atlanta, and disturb the somewhat quiet calm that the crew has been enjoying for far too long. Now they have to fight a good fight and protect the weaker Were community. But something doesn't seem right and Deacon is just the man to uncover the truth.

Mr. Tuck has done it again. Wow!! This was a very high octane ride. It is fast, furious and well written. He doesn't hold anything back, so if you have problems with violence you will not enjoy this book. But come on, look at the cover…Deacon ROCKS the violence. The fighting isn't sugarcoated and this universe is deadly and unpredictable. The Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty-Hunter series has found its stride. This hero shoots first and asks questions later. No apologies, none what’s so ever.

I was drawn in. His voice is very descriptive; from the characters clothing, their surroundings, and especially Deacon’s man toys. I couldn't help but get immersed into the story. This is Urban Fantasy at its best. This is raw, with only a slight romantic undercurrent. He has even put a new spin on shifters. I was constantly sitting there wondering; OK…I didn't expect that. I really enjoyed that aspect. Blood and Silver is refreshing, but in a really bloody gritty way.

I do have one note: While reading I did notice reference to prior battles. They were written in a manner that made me wonder if I had missed something. It turns out I did. There are a couple novellas that have been written between the full novels. Did I need them to enjoy the story? No, but I can see how they would have enhanced my reading experience. I can see me going back at a later date to enjoy them, but I have plans to just plow right into the next book, Blood and Magick. I can’t wait!
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Aug 03, 2012 Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: received-for-review, hardcopy

Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

As a tough as nails monster hunter, Deacon Chalk spends every free moment tracking down the things that go bump in the night. With unique abilities and an uncanny ability to avoid death, it would seem nothing can stand in his way, no matter how strong his opponent may be. When he stumbles across a pregnant were-dog being beat to death by a nasty lycanthrope group, he rushes in to save her. However, this time he may have bitten off more than...more Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

As a tough as nails monster hunter, Deacon Chalk spends every free moment tracking down the things that go bump in the night. With unique abilities and an uncanny ability to avoid death, it would seem nothing can stand in his way, no matter how strong his opponent may be. When he stumbles across a pregnant were-dog being beat to death by a nasty lycanthrope group, he rushes in to save her. However, this time he may have bitten off more than he can chew as he has put himself in the middle of a shifters war. With Deacon and his crew right in the path of danger, there will be no easy solution, and this time around the costs may be too high to bear.

While Deacon still has quite the chip on his shoulder, his conceitedness seems to have toned down several notches, making him much more bearable. I think a lot of his softening is due mostly in part to the influence Tiff has on him. Of course that relationship is quite complicated due to his inability to really move beyond the loss of his family and fully open up to another person. However, there is definitely something growing between them, and I really admire her patience and ability to slowly break down his walls. Another major improvement in his character would be the lessening of the constant lectures. Deacon may still be rather repetitive at times, but at least he didn't comes across as so preachy this time around.

The extremely graphic violence in Blood and Silver was a little too much for my tastes. Considering the fact that I read a lot of Urban Fantasy novels in which there is more than plenty violence, it really says something about how excessively violent Blood and Silver was to bother me. Perhaps, it isn't really the amount the violence, but more how descriptive it all was. It just seemed like the book was written with the theory of the more gore and violence, the better. I'm just not a fan of violence for the sake of violence. If it doesn't serve to fully further the story, then I think it should be toned down at the very least.

Despite my attachment to the majority of the side characters and the interesting mythology, in all honesty I highly doubt I will be reading anything more from this series. It is just too far on the pulp fiction spectrum rather than Urban Fantasy despite the heavy paranormal aspects of the story. Granted, Blood and Silver did earn a slightly higher rating from me than the previous installment, but in the end it just didn't work well enough for me to warrant continuing on. That being said, the series does seem to be headed in the right direction due to Deacon's growth. Combine that with the great secondary cast and the paranormal aspects, and excessive violence aside, I think Blood and Silver was a solid installment, and will largely appeal to fans of the first book.
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Jul 16, 2012 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases, publishers-arc, urban-fantasy

*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5

*First draft Review* 07/17/2012

If you like dark fantasy with lots of violence and a male protagonist who takes crap from nobody, you will enjoy this book and this series. Deacon Chalk is an occult bounty hunter who kills everything that gets in his way, or threatens his friends. Deacon isn't exactly fully human after dying and having his blood transfused by the Angel whom he saved. This is all background fodder that you would have learned about from reading the f...more *Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5

*First draft Review* 07/17/2012

If you like dark fantasy with lots of violence and a male protagonist who takes crap from nobody, you will enjoy this book and this series. Deacon Chalk is an occult bounty hunter who kills everything that gets in his way, or threatens his friends. Deacon isn't exactly fully human after dying and having his blood transfused by the Angel whom he saved. This is all background fodder that you would have learned about from reading the first book Blood and Bullets.

A full year has passed since the events of Blood and Bullets and this release. Deacon is forced to face a new enemy and all sorts of were beings like a T-Rex, and a were-shark in order to protect a female were-dog from being used and tossed away. I liked the fact that he basically made this new character, Sophia, part of his family along with Tiff, Kat, Father Mulcahy, and Larson.

My only real complaint with this story is Deacon's family issues. We know that they were killed 5 years ago, and that he thinks about them every single day and how one day he will be with them. He realizes that his job is not one where he will end up growing old and retiring nor can he just commit suicide because his faith precludes taking ones own life.

I think his relationship with Tiff has come full circle to the point where she actually accepts the fact that he is a dangerous man who does a dangerous job yet she knows that she will never truly replace Deacon's deceased wife. She also knows that by being WITH Deacon, her own life span will decrease as well. As long as the two of them are together, Deacon will put himself in harm's way to protect her and to payback anyone who harms her.

There is a bit of repetition in this story. You can't help but wonder why we continually need to have spelled out for us what happened to Kat at the hands of a sadistic vampire, or why Father Mulcahy serves alcohol while also being a priest on Sundays, or how Deacon saved the Angel from being tortured and raped and in return she saved his life.

If you can get past the blood, guts, gore, and repetition, you will definitely find this book and series worthwhile.

Expected publication: August 1st 2012 by Kensington Publishing Corp. (ARC Recvd 04/17/2012)(less)

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Aug 16, 2012 Laura Summers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bcc-received, read-in-2012, horror-urban-fantasy-challenge-2012, horror, bcc-reviewed, urban-fantasy

Reviewed for www.bookchickcity.com

BLOOD AND SILVER is book two in James R. Tuck’s Deacon Chalk series, a man whose family were murdered by a supernatural evil and since then has dedicated his life to stopping them. The writing has definitely much improved in this book in comparison to the first. Ok, there were times when you can tell that Tuck is quite a new writer. For example there were several parts of the back story that were repeated on more than one occasion. However, overall it’s definite...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Darcy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, uf, shifters

I liked this one much better than the first. I wonder if it is because the world and the characters are established. I love how Deacon seems to be the patron saint of lost souls, the type of people who have been in situations that made him into the man he is today. It is this reason why when Deacon notices a man beating a dog, there is no question that he would step in to do something. Of course it is not what it looks like at first glance, not just a dog, but a were-dog.

The whole situation when...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Ӄıȶȶყ Ӄaȶ (Smitten With Bad Boy Heroes) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: deacon-chalk, favourites, dark-fantasy

Smitten's Review on Blog

My Thoughts
________________________________________

Strap yourselves in my lovelies for another wild ride. Deacon’s eye is twitching and that’s never a good thing. For the monsters that is. Things are going to get dead.

In Blood and Silver, the author puts a unique spin on the world of were-animals. Some are good; some are bad. Some want peace; others don’t. They’re at war and made the mistake of bringing it to Deacon’s town.

Since this is a series about hunting monsters,...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Michelle Leah Olson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: literal-addiction-books, reviewed

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha, Michelle L. Olson:

After reading - and thoroughly enjoying- Blood and Bullets, I immediately dove into Blood and Silver, the 2nd full book of the Deacon Chalk, Occult Bounty Hunter series.

Following the hell Deacon and gang went through in Blood and Bullets, I was excited to see where James would take us with book #2. What we ended up with is a high octane shoot 'em up action thriller with feeling.

I KNOW there are those of you out there that hesitate...more Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha, Michelle L. Olson:

After reading - and thoroughly enjoying- Blood and Bullets, I immediately dove into Blood and Silver, the 2nd full book of the Deacon Chalk, Occult Bounty Hunter series.

Following the hell Deacon and gang went through in Blood and Bullets, I was excited to see where James would take us with book #2. What we ended up with is a high octane shoot 'em up action thriller with feeling.

I KNOW there are those of you out there that hesitate to read urban fantasy and paranormal romance by male authors... Deacon is a guys' guy and wonderfully written by James. In addition there are some romantic moments in this book that I re-read just for the sheer beauty and poetry of the prose. I loved the way James set the stage and wove the scenes without really coming out and saying what was going on, there's just something to be said for subtlety and allowing the power of your imagination to do the work guided by the script of fabulous writing.

This book starts with a bang and never lets up. It's non-stop action wonderfully supported by a competent cast of characters that welcome you on their journey and either have you cheering for them, crying for them (yes, you will have your moments!) or hating them.

Deacon evolves in this installment, as do several other members of the supporting cast. He also earns some additional allies and friends (whom I love), while making some powerful enemies along the way (surprise surprise! - It seems that no matter what he does and regardless that his heart is always in the right place, Mr. chalk just can't seem to stay out of trouble).

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Blood and Silver 4 1/2 Skulls. If you are a fan of early Laurell K Hamilton - Anita Blake (before it became all about the sex), then you will love Deacon Chalk! I can't wait for the next book. James, as always, left me wanting more.

Side Note: there were a couple pieces in the story where I felt a bit lost and was confused because I had just finished Blood & Bullets. Come to find out I had missed a novella that takes place between Blood & Bullets and Blood & Silver - Spider's Lullaby. I went back and read it after and it filled in those few little "huh?" moments. With that said, I would suggest reading the series as: That Thing at the Zoo, Blood & Bullets, Spider's Lullaby & then Blood & Silver to get the best experience. The novellas are definitely worth the read!
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Nov 14, 2012 Danae rated it 5 of 5 stars

James had me hooked by the end of the first book and this one wasn't a disappointment. Once again, he took the well used concept of lycanthopy and turned it on its head, twisting it into something that goes far beyond "just another werefolf story". There was nothing predictible in Blood and Silver other than the body count. James puts a new spin on the monster hunting hero and the monsters themselves. I loved every page and can't wait for the next one!

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Aug 24, 2012 Carien rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: uf

I very much enjoyed this book.

Reading a Deacon Chalk book is much like watching a good action movie. There's lots of kick-ass fighting, cool shoot-outs, and explosions.

I must say I even enjoyed this book more than Blood and Bullets. I liked Deacon more as he was more human, more believable than in the first book. He also went through some changes that made him more interesting and real.

The story was very engaging: there was intrigue, lots of action and I really liked the diversity of the were-an...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Robin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-book, library, james-r-tuck, deacon-chalk, 2013

These aren't exactly my usual fair. I tend to like my books with violence that isn't quite so stark. That said he does a great job with the characters and Deacon is evolving a little at a time. His characters aren't one dimensional they are good and bad and in between. They plots are never boring that's for sure and not predictable. I'll read the next one I'm quite sure.

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Oct 13, 2012 Rosalind M rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

James Tuck's writing is settling into a groove with a recognizable voice. Much smoother than the first Deacon Chalk book, though no less gory or brutal. Surprisingly, this deeper than just the angst-fest of a thrill ride it could easily have become. Looking forward to the next book and the ever-expanding cast of supporting players.

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Blood and Silver (Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty-Hunter #2)

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