What do you think?
Rate this book
Fangborn #1
Seven Kinds of Hell
When archaeologist Zoe Miller's cousin is abducted by a vicious Russian kidnapper, she must come to grips with a haunting secret. Unknown to even her closest friends, Zoe is not entirely human. She's a werewolf and a daughter of the "Fangborn," a hidden race of werewolves, vampires, and oracles.
Zoe's attempt to rescue her cousin leads her on a quest for artifacts—including Pandora's Box, an object of world-ending power. With the fate of humanity in the balance, Zoe will be forced to renew family ties and pit her own supernatural abilities against a dark and nefarious fo.
At once captivation, deftly worded, and character-rich Seven Kinds of Hell expands vampire legend and werewolf noir in both intensity and charismatic bite.
Zoe's attempt to rescue her cousin leads her on a quest for artifacts—including Pandora's Box, an object of world-ending power. With the fate of humanity in the balance, Zoe will be forced to renew family ties and pit her own supernatural abilities against a dark and nefarious fo.
At once captivation, deftly worded, and character-rich Seven Kinds of Hell expands vampire legend and werewolf noir in both intensity and charismatic bite.
374 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2013
497 people are currently reading
2154 people want to read
About the author
Dana Cameron
49 books111 followers[From the author's own website]
I was born and raised in New England and I live in Massachusetts now, with my husband and benevolent feline overlords. Mine is a quiet, fairly ordinary life. I love that because it's what saves me from an overdeveloped sense of paranoia and a tendency to expect the worst. Combined with an eye for detail and a quirky take on life, these traits give me a vivid internal life, one that's sometimes a little nerve-wracking, but very useful for writing mystery and suspense.
My interest in archaeology stems from childhood, where my interest in books and the opportunities I had to travel made me begin to think about cultural differences. The thing I like best about this work is that it is a real opportunity to try and resurrect individuals from the monolith of history. I've worked on prehistoric and historical sites in the U.S. and in Europe, and like to teach, in the field, in museums, in the classroom, and through writing.
In my first book, Site Unseen, my protagonist Emma Fielding discovers that archaeologists are trained to ask the same questions that detectives ask: who, what, where, when, how, and why. When I started on these books, I realized that archaeology is also good training for writing because research, logic, and persistence are so important to both endeavors.
Naturally, that training worked with the archaeology mysteries--and it also helped with my first short story, "The Lords of Misrule," a historical mystery which appeared in the anthology, Sugarplums and Scandal. But how has it worked when I've tackled subjects as seemingly diverse as werewolves ("The Night Things Changed" in Wolfsbane and Mistletoe and "Swing Shift" in Crimes By Moonlight) and noir ("Femme Sole," in Boston Noir)? Easy: it's all about getting into someone else's shoes and walking around for a while. Preferably, getting into (fictional) trouble while you do it. Asking "what if?" and thinking about how culture and subcultures--in addition to personality--shape behavior.
I was born and raised in New England and I live in Massachusetts now, with my husband and benevolent feline overlords. Mine is a quiet, fairly ordinary life. I love that because it's what saves me from an overdeveloped sense of paranoia and a tendency to expect the worst. Combined with an eye for detail and a quirky take on life, these traits give me a vivid internal life, one that's sometimes a little nerve-wracking, but very useful for writing mystery and suspense.
My interest in archaeology stems from childhood, where my interest in books and the opportunities I had to travel made me begin to think about cultural differences. The thing I like best about this work is that it is a real opportunity to try and resurrect individuals from the monolith of history. I've worked on prehistoric and historical sites in the U.S. and in Europe, and like to teach, in the field, in museums, in the classroom, and through writing.
In my first book, Site Unseen, my protagonist Emma Fielding discovers that archaeologists are trained to ask the same questions that detectives ask: who, what, where, when, how, and why. When I started on these books, I realized that archaeology is also good training for writing because research, logic, and persistence are so important to both endeavors.
Naturally, that training worked with the archaeology mysteries--and it also helped with my first short story, "The Lords of Misrule," a historical mystery which appeared in the anthology, Sugarplums and Scandal. But how has it worked when I've tackled subjects as seemingly diverse as werewolves ("The Night Things Changed" in Wolfsbane and Mistletoe and "Swing Shift" in Crimes By Moonlight) and noir ("Femme Sole," in Boston Noir)? Easy: it's all about getting into someone else's shoes and walking around for a while. Preferably, getting into (fictional) trouble while you do it. Asking "what if?" and thinking about how culture and subcultures--in addition to personality--shape behavior.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
April 15, 2013
A typical thriller dressed as an urban fantasy, Seven Kinds of Hell had several kinds of issues. The heroine was inconsistently characterized. Because of that, at least two crucial events that could have been avoided were not, which I blamed the heroine for. Last but not least, the plot was chaotic.
+ the heroine
The beginning was slow and dense with exposition and flashbacks, some of which could have been saved for later in the story. However, what I minded more was the great discrepancy between the heroine’s actions and her past, specifically how she was raised.
Zoe was supposed to skedaddle out of the city the moment the people who she and her mother had been hiding from since forever discovered her. Instead, Zoe stayed in the city and led them to her loved ones who predictably got hurt along the way, not once but multiple fucking times. I knew one of them was going to be kidnapped because the blurb said it beforehand, but I didn’t realize it was going to happen as an avoidable event. Yup, I blamed Danny’s kidnapping on Zoe.
For the first couple chapters, Zoe forced me to be a backseat driver. “Zoe, why are you still in the city.” “Zoe, don’t lead the supernatural bad guys to your human friends.” “Zoe, why are you ignoring everything your mother has you taught you?” “Zoe, FFS, get your dumb ass self out of the city and run away! Stop with the delay, already!” Thankfully, I didn’t get as mad at Zoe as I could have been because I had to waddle through the exposition and flashbacks, which to reiterate was another issue.
+ the plot
After a couple of chapters, the plot finally hit thriller speed. The heroine hopped from one country to another and discovered artifacts. Sometimes she fled, sometimes she fought. Think Indiana Jones. Zoe still made mistakes but they were the kinds that couldn’t be helped. Zoe was finally acting like a decent heroine, and I stopped having issues with her — for the most part. However, I still couldn’t enjoy the book.
The biggest issue I had with the book was its excessive bedlam. I liked that plot was moving fast, but it didn’t give me any rest. Too many supporting characters were dropping in and out of the story that by the middle of the book I simply stopped caring. Too many sides were switched; one scene they’re enemies, the next they’re allies, then they’re enemies again... maybe? I don’t know. Oh hey look, there’s Zoe’s ex-boyfriend, Will, all the sudden. Wait, what? Is he friend or foe?
On one hand, the plot was unpredictable and action-packed. On the other hand, I got tired and gradually divested from the story. Towards the end I only got the gist of what was happening because too much had happened to fully digest and I couldn’t give a fuck. On the silver lining side, I was grateful that the story was told in 1st person POV from the protagonist’s side, my preferred POV, because it limited the bedlam.
+ the ending
I didn’t care for the ending. A loved one of Zoe died at the climax, and it could have been avoided. It could have been avoided way back in the middle of the book. I could not believe Zoe had the nerve to ditch that person who eventually died after discovering what was happening to him. Did Zoe think Danny was the only loved one that was in danger? People do not have to be physically held hostage to be a hostage. That dude who died was held hostage in another way. I got to say it again; I could not believe Zoe ditched him. Zoe was on a crazy-ass mission to save a loved one only to ditch another loved one in the middle of the story instead of saving him too. In short, Zoe broke character... Again.
Beyond the climax was the issue of the resolution. The resolution was half-assed. The book could have ended on a satisfactory note, but instead chose to extend for a few more scenes to set up for the next book by introducing a new conflict. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
+ the world building
I liked that it revolved around the Pandora’s Box myth because I rarely encounter it in my reading. Other than that, the world building as a whole was bland. I didn’t expect originality, but dang. These vampires and werewolves were some of the blandest I have read about. Hell, Twilight’s world building was more interesting.
Also, why is the US Senator always the bad guy? Anyway, the urban fantasy part of the book was underwhelming. It didn’t do much to push the story towards epicness. Revelations were weak in impact. The conspiracy was one dimensional. I yawned.
In Conclusion
I rate Seven Kinds of Hell 2-stars for it was okay. The book was plot-driven and pretty entertaining. However, it had too many flaws similar to a typical action movie. If you don’t mind reading a book that is like a typical action movie, then try it out.
+ the heroine
The beginning was slow and dense with exposition and flashbacks, some of which could have been saved for later in the story. However, what I minded more was the great discrepancy between the heroine’s actions and her past, specifically how she was raised.
Zoe was supposed to skedaddle out of the city the moment the people who she and her mother had been hiding from since forever discovered her. Instead, Zoe stayed in the city and led them to her loved ones who predictably got hurt along the way, not once but multiple fucking times. I knew one of them was going to be kidnapped because the blurb said it beforehand, but I didn’t realize it was going to happen as an avoidable event. Yup, I blamed Danny’s kidnapping on Zoe.
For the first couple chapters, Zoe forced me to be a backseat driver. “Zoe, why are you still in the city.” “Zoe, don’t lead the supernatural bad guys to your human friends.” “Zoe, why are you ignoring everything your mother has you taught you?” “Zoe, FFS, get your dumb ass self out of the city and run away! Stop with the delay, already!” Thankfully, I didn’t get as mad at Zoe as I could have been because I had to waddle through the exposition and flashbacks, which to reiterate was another issue.
+ the plot
After a couple of chapters, the plot finally hit thriller speed. The heroine hopped from one country to another and discovered artifacts. Sometimes she fled, sometimes she fought. Think Indiana Jones. Zoe still made mistakes but they were the kinds that couldn’t be helped. Zoe was finally acting like a decent heroine, and I stopped having issues with her — for the most part. However, I still couldn’t enjoy the book.
The biggest issue I had with the book was its excessive bedlam. I liked that plot was moving fast, but it didn’t give me any rest. Too many supporting characters were dropping in and out of the story that by the middle of the book I simply stopped caring. Too many sides were switched; one scene they’re enemies, the next they’re allies, then they’re enemies again... maybe? I don’t know. Oh hey look, there’s Zoe’s ex-boyfriend, Will, all the sudden. Wait, what? Is he friend or foe?
On one hand, the plot was unpredictable and action-packed. On the other hand, I got tired and gradually divested from the story. Towards the end I only got the gist of what was happening because too much had happened to fully digest and I couldn’t give a fuck. On the silver lining side, I was grateful that the story was told in 1st person POV from the protagonist’s side, my preferred POV, because it limited the bedlam.
+ the ending
I didn’t care for the ending. A loved one of Zoe died at the climax, and it could have been avoided. It could have been avoided way back in the middle of the book. I could not believe Zoe had the nerve to ditch that person who eventually died after discovering what was happening to him. Did Zoe think Danny was the only loved one that was in danger? People do not have to be physically held hostage to be a hostage. That dude who died was held hostage in another way. I got to say it again; I could not believe Zoe ditched him. Zoe was on a crazy-ass mission to save a loved one only to ditch another loved one in the middle of the story instead of saving him too. In short, Zoe broke character... Again.
Beyond the climax was the issue of the resolution. The resolution was half-assed. The book could have ended on a satisfactory note, but instead chose to extend for a few more scenes to set up for the next book by introducing a new conflict. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
+ the world building
I liked that it revolved around the Pandora’s Box myth because I rarely encounter it in my reading. Other than that, the world building as a whole was bland. I didn’t expect originality, but dang. These vampires and werewolves were some of the blandest I have read about. Hell, Twilight’s world building was more interesting.
Also, why is the US Senator always the bad guy? Anyway, the urban fantasy part of the book was underwhelming. It didn’t do much to push the story towards epicness. Revelations were weak in impact. The conspiracy was one dimensional. I yawned.
In Conclusion
I rate Seven Kinds of Hell 2-stars for it was okay. The book was plot-driven and pretty entertaining. However, it had too many flaws similar to a typical action movie. If you don’t mind reading a book that is like a typical action movie, then try it out.
April 6, 2013
You can read this, and other reviews from Elspeth and me on our blog
A Shared Brain Cell
One of the better urban fantasy novels I've read in quite some time. I found Zoe to be a smart, and engaging main character. I liked her strength, her independence, and resolve. The secondary characters were interesting, and added a lot to the story. I wasn't wasn’t enamored with her love interest Will, but I think that's mostly because he didn't play a large part in the story line.
That leads me to what I really liked about this story, the fact that the love story played a very small role compared to the main plot. It wasn't that it didn't exist, but that the more pressing issues, like her kidnapped cousin, actually took precedence over her love life. I did appreciate that there was no insta love, and that the bond she had with Will took time to build. I really liked that he made her wait until after she was out of his class before they started dating. I like that they started out as friends, and then became lovers. It made the feeling she had for Will all that much stronger in my opinion, and I liked that she broke it off with him to protect him, and not the other way around. It was nice to see a woman in such a protective role instead of being the one that was always being protected. She is tough, but she not to the point where it felt like she was ridiculously overpowered.
I liked the take on vampires and werewolves in this story as well. It's always refreshing for me to read about a different mythology, and understanding than the usual. It was well thought out, and developed in the story, and I look forward to learning more about them.
I liked how archeology figured into the story. It added a nice depth, and interest to the plot. I liked the respect afforded to the sacred sites of the ancients as well. It felt like they weren't treated as a novelty or a joke, but as important to the religion of the people they belonged to.
Overall it was a very engaging story, and I'm very interested in seeing where things go from here especially after that twist of an ending.
A Shared Brain Cell
One of the better urban fantasy novels I've read in quite some time. I found Zoe to be a smart, and engaging main character. I liked her strength, her independence, and resolve. The secondary characters were interesting, and added a lot to the story. I wasn't wasn’t enamored with her love interest Will, but I think that's mostly because he didn't play a large part in the story line.
That leads me to what I really liked about this story, the fact that the love story played a very small role compared to the main plot. It wasn't that it didn't exist, but that the more pressing issues, like her kidnapped cousin, actually took precedence over her love life. I did appreciate that there was no insta love, and that the bond she had with Will took time to build. I really liked that he made her wait until after she was out of his class before they started dating. I like that they started out as friends, and then became lovers. It made the feeling she had for Will all that much stronger in my opinion, and I liked that she broke it off with him to protect him, and not the other way around. It was nice to see a woman in such a protective role instead of being the one that was always being protected. She is tough, but she not to the point where it felt like she was ridiculously overpowered.
I liked the take on vampires and werewolves in this story as well. It's always refreshing for me to read about a different mythology, and understanding than the usual. It was well thought out, and developed in the story, and I look forward to learning more about them.
I liked how archeology figured into the story. It added a nice depth, and interest to the plot. I liked the respect afforded to the sacred sites of the ancients as well. It felt like they weren't treated as a novelty or a joke, but as important to the religion of the people they belonged to.
Overall it was a very engaging story, and I'm very interested in seeing where things go from here especially after that twist of an ending.
March 12, 2013
Genre: Archaeological, Paranormal, Thriller
Rating: 3-3.5?
*First thoughts*
I am having a hard time reviewing this book and putting forth how I feel about the book overall. While the lead protagonist is interesting enough to follow and cheer for, she wasn't like other heroines that I love to read about. She doesn't run off and save the day and slay numerous bad guys, which there are a TON of! She's just a twenty something with lots of questions about her life, and no firm answers from those that surround her.
Zoe Miller, our heroine, is an fledgling archaeologist who has been hiding from her inner beast since she turned 16. Her mother tried, with limited success, to keep her away from her so called family. Once she passes away, they suddenly make every effort to corral her into their circle. It just turns out that her family is Fangborn, which means they were either born to be a werewolf, vampire, or oracle. It also turns out that Zoe is rather unique which we really don't get a good enough explanation as to why. It also means that Zoe continually struggles with her identity and how to control her inner beast as she calls it. In order to save her friend and find out more about herself while saving the Fangborn, Zoe travels from Boston, to London and Paris, to Greece and Turkey while being chased by a plethora of bad guys and some that were supposed to be good.
There are more than a few secondary characters that you MUST pay attention to. There's the former boyfriend & love interest Will MacFarlane who now works for the government trying to save the Fangborn from being outed in public. There's Danny and Seth who have been friends to Zoe since she was in college. As for the Fangborn side of things, let's just set aside Gerry & Claudia Steuben with Ben and Ariana and be done with it. The women are vampires, while the men are werewolves. The villains are pretty straight forward and they don't hide the fact that Zoe is a pawn in their game.
There are a few questions left to be answered. What really happened, in the end, to Gerry, Claudia, Will and Danny? Is Zoe a mixture of vamp/oracle/werewolf? Why does Adam Nichols appear each and every time that Zoe is in danger? Who, really, is Adam Nichols? In order to answer these questions, I guess I shall have to read the next book in the series.
A last note, there are other novellas that coincide with this world. They are short stories ("The Night Things Changed," "Swing Shift," "Love Knot, and "Finals"). If you've read Wolfsbane & Mistletoe, you probably ran across a short featuring the Steubens. I won't say that it matters if you read these books or not since Cameron leaves more answers than questions asked.
Overall, I loved the action and thrill ride that is Seven Kinds of Hell. But, there are parts in the book that are dry but necessary to understand Zoe and her search for Pandora's Box.
*Netgalley 03/04/2013* Expected publication: March 12th 2013 by 47north
Rating: 3-3.5?
*First thoughts*
I am having a hard time reviewing this book and putting forth how I feel about the book overall. While the lead protagonist is interesting enough to follow and cheer for, she wasn't like other heroines that I love to read about. She doesn't run off and save the day and slay numerous bad guys, which there are a TON of! She's just a twenty something with lots of questions about her life, and no firm answers from those that surround her.
Zoe Miller, our heroine, is an fledgling archaeologist who has been hiding from her inner beast since she turned 16. Her mother tried, with limited success, to keep her away from her so called family. Once she passes away, they suddenly make every effort to corral her into their circle. It just turns out that her family is Fangborn, which means they were either born to be a werewolf, vampire, or oracle. It also turns out that Zoe is rather unique which we really don't get a good enough explanation as to why. It also means that Zoe continually struggles with her identity and how to control her inner beast as she calls it. In order to save her friend and find out more about herself while saving the Fangborn, Zoe travels from Boston, to London and Paris, to Greece and Turkey while being chased by a plethora of bad guys and some that were supposed to be good.
There are more than a few secondary characters that you MUST pay attention to. There's the former boyfriend & love interest Will MacFarlane who now works for the government trying to save the Fangborn from being outed in public. There's Danny and Seth who have been friends to Zoe since she was in college. As for the Fangborn side of things, let's just set aside Gerry & Claudia Steuben with Ben and Ariana and be done with it. The women are vampires, while the men are werewolves. The villains are pretty straight forward and they don't hide the fact that Zoe is a pawn in their game.
There are a few questions left to be answered. What really happened, in the end, to Gerry, Claudia, Will and Danny? Is Zoe a mixture of vamp/oracle/werewolf? Why does Adam Nichols appear each and every time that Zoe is in danger? Who, really, is Adam Nichols? In order to answer these questions, I guess I shall have to read the next book in the series.
A last note, there are other novellas that coincide with this world. They are short stories ("The Night Things Changed," "Swing Shift," "Love Knot, and "Finals"). If you've read Wolfsbane & Mistletoe, you probably ran across a short featuring the Steubens. I won't say that it matters if you read these books or not since Cameron leaves more answers than questions asked.
Overall, I loved the action and thrill ride that is Seven Kinds of Hell. But, there are parts in the book that are dry but necessary to understand Zoe and her search for Pandora's Box.
*Netgalley 03/04/2013* Expected publication: March 12th 2013 by 47north
March 29, 2013
3.5 Stars – I had a tough time rating this book. A part of me says that it only deserves 3 stars but I wanted to give it 4 for excellent ideas. In the end, I compromise with a 3.5 stars.
Zoe's been on the run for most of her life. Her Mom didn't explain exactly why they're on the run. She only knows that her father was mixed up in something bad and her Mom took her away when she was a baby to keep her safe. Most people get to live in one town or two while growing up. Zoe has grown up all over the U.S. and under several aliases. She gets ready to take off again but it's totally different situation now. Her Mom fails prey to cancer and leaves her with two commands before she dies. The most important:
Don't let her father's family find her.
The world that Dana Cameron weaves together is striking in its unique mix of legends, paranormal, shape-shifters and mythology. It's like looking at the world with cool shades. Everything is familiar and the same but everything has a layer of meaning that has been left unseen. What if all those pictographs and cave drawings of half man and half animal beings were true? What would the world be like then?
The first book of the Fangborn introduces us to an unlikely group of characters. In the lead is Zoe, a socially awkward young woman who isn't comfortable in her own skin and used to a life of secrecy. She can count the number of real friends on one hand, but she's willing to leave them all behind to keep everyone safe. She's not just running away from an unknown danger that haunts her family. She's running away from everyone to hide from herself.
The Beast.
She can't control the Beast. What if the Beast takes over and she never turns into a human again? What if the Beast attacks the people she loves? She can't take the chance. She won't take that chance.
It doesn't matter. Everything Zoe knows and believes in will be challenged. The very people she least expects to be a part of her insane journey across the world will be at her side. How does she know who is a friend or enemy? How will she know who to trust? What is this prophecy that stays she's the chosen one? With every step forward, there are two taken sideways.
Instead of leaving town and starting a new life in a new city, Zoe finds herself stalked by those who bear a striking family resemblance. Danny, an old childhood friend, becomes bait to lure Zoe into a dangerous game with nefarious characters. With heart pounding and terror trapped in her throat, Zoe dives into the rabbit hole to save her friend.
The bones of the story are great and I can't wait to see what story the second book will tell.
I know I didn't give the book 4 stars. It doesn't matter. You should read this book. The reasons why I would mark a book down to a 3.5 stars may not be your reasons. This book is an excellent start to a new series and I am definitely going to be in line to read the next one.
Read via NetGalley
To read more reviews, check out SSV website: Silk Screen Views
Zoe's been on the run for most of her life. Her Mom didn't explain exactly why they're on the run. She only knows that her father was mixed up in something bad and her Mom took her away when she was a baby to keep her safe. Most people get to live in one town or two while growing up. Zoe has grown up all over the U.S. and under several aliases. She gets ready to take off again but it's totally different situation now. Her Mom fails prey to cancer and leaves her with two commands before she dies. The most important:
Don't let her father's family find her.
The world that Dana Cameron weaves together is striking in its unique mix of legends, paranormal, shape-shifters and mythology. It's like looking at the world with cool shades. Everything is familiar and the same but everything has a layer of meaning that has been left unseen. What if all those pictographs and cave drawings of half man and half animal beings were true? What would the world be like then?
The first book of the Fangborn introduces us to an unlikely group of characters. In the lead is Zoe, a socially awkward young woman who isn't comfortable in her own skin and used to a life of secrecy. She can count the number of real friends on one hand, but she's willing to leave them all behind to keep everyone safe. She's not just running away from an unknown danger that haunts her family. She's running away from everyone to hide from herself.
The Beast.
She can't control the Beast. What if the Beast takes over and she never turns into a human again? What if the Beast attacks the people she loves? She can't take the chance. She won't take that chance.
It doesn't matter. Everything Zoe knows and believes in will be challenged. The very people she least expects to be a part of her insane journey across the world will be at her side. How does she know who is a friend or enemy? How will she know who to trust? What is this prophecy that stays she's the chosen one? With every step forward, there are two taken sideways.
Instead of leaving town and starting a new life in a new city, Zoe finds herself stalked by those who bear a striking family resemblance. Danny, an old childhood friend, becomes bait to lure Zoe into a dangerous game with nefarious characters. With heart pounding and terror trapped in her throat, Zoe dives into the rabbit hole to save her friend.
The bones of the story are great and I can't wait to see what story the second book will tell.
I know I didn't give the book 4 stars. It doesn't matter. You should read this book. The reasons why I would mark a book down to a 3.5 stars may not be your reasons. This book is an excellent start to a new series and I am definitely going to be in line to read the next one.
Read via NetGalley
To read more reviews, check out SSV website: Silk Screen Views
March 31, 2013
This book started off promising and then just degenerated. It was like watching a train wreck, only this was slower and made me angry. Especially the end, oh man, that end. There was no satisfaction to it, it was more senseless than anything else, a confused jumbled mess that irritated me.
And that's pretty much the refrain for the second half of the book. A confused jumbled mess. You get characters jumping at you, you have the main character running off from everyone and everything, and you have events that happen at breakneck speed that don't make much sense. Seven Kinds of Hell just left me feeling cold and unhappy, like I wasted my time reading the book when there were other things I would much rather do.
You have a dozen characters that all seem to blend into one another. Zoe is distinguishable, if only because she's the main character, and it's actually fine for the first half or so, where you kind of nod along and get used to what you're reading. Then Zoe's cousin, Danny, get kidnapped and it's a clusterfuck from there. Things happen, you get no information and then you get info dumps, and there's no sense of proper pacing in what you're reading. I had been starting to be tentatively attached to both Zoe and Sean, but then it's blown away in the wind.
And, massive, massive spoilers for the end of the book:
So all in all, the first half of the book was okay, not the best, but not the worst. Then it just plummets downhill from there, and the ending made me want to tear my hair out. 1-2 stars, rounding down to 1 because I can't believe that ending. There is just something so disappointing about a book ending that poorly.
And that's pretty much the refrain for the second half of the book. A confused jumbled mess. You get characters jumping at you, you have the main character running off from everyone and everything, and you have events that happen at breakneck speed that don't make much sense. Seven Kinds of Hell just left me feeling cold and unhappy, like I wasted my time reading the book when there were other things I would much rather do.
You have a dozen characters that all seem to blend into one another. Zoe is distinguishable, if only because she's the main character, and it's actually fine for the first half or so, where you kind of nod along and get used to what you're reading. Then Zoe's cousin, Danny, get kidnapped and it's a clusterfuck from there. Things happen, you get no information and then you get info dumps, and there's no sense of proper pacing in what you're reading. I had been starting to be tentatively attached to both Zoe and Sean, but then it's blown away in the wind.
And, massive, massive spoilers for the end of the book:
So all in all, the first half of the book was okay, not the best, but not the worst. Then it just plummets downhill from there, and the ending made me want to tear my hair out. 1-2 stars, rounding down to 1 because I can't believe that ending. There is just something so disappointing about a book ending that poorly.
March 11, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
SEVEN KINDS OF HELL is the first full length novel in the Fangborn series, but it's not the first story set in this world. I've read and reviewed two short stories set in the Fangborn universe (there have been four--see the series tab below for links) and was thrilled to get to jump into a more expansive novel featuring an archaeologist no less (possibly my favorite literary profession), along with the Stueben siblings from the short stories. I'm sorry to say I was less thrilled by the somewhat staid story and rather bland characters.
I normally love when short stories lead to full novels. In this case, the Fangborn mythology is so cool that it really should have leant itself to a great book. The Fangborn, or Pandora's Orphans, are the hope that was left when the mythical box was opened and evil escaped into the world. Werewolves, vampires, and snake shifters are the superheroes of this world, able to detect and destroy evil. Vampires, for example, don't feed on human blood, they literally suck evil out of people. There are all kinds of new twists on these creatures that I found fascinating. I was even glad to see the characters from the short stories pop up to help in SEVEN KINDS OF HELL. The problem was with everything else.
SEVEN KINDS OF HELL is, at it's heart, an archaeological thriller. But it's less Indian Jones and more whatever the boring equivalent of that is. Zoe was pretty sleepy for me from the start, and as she traversed the globe to rescue her kidnapped friend, retrieve artifacts, and avoid Fangborn politics, she never became any more exciting for me. In fact none of the characters captured my attention--not even George and Claudia who I enjoyed in short form. The whole book was slow even during fang filled action scenes. It all just felt bland.
I'm really baffled by my reaction to SEVEN KINDS OF HELL. It had everything that would normally equal a great urban fantasy for me: Eye catching art from Chris McGrath, fascinating mythology that I was anxious to see expanded, and even an archaeologist protagonist! The writing itself is fine, but I really had to push through the last 2/3 of the book due to the meh story and dull characters. There are two more full length novels planned in the Fangborn series, but I think I'll be passing.
Sexual Content:
A Brief sex scene
SEVEN KINDS OF HELL is the first full length novel in the Fangborn series, but it's not the first story set in this world. I've read and reviewed two short stories set in the Fangborn universe (there have been four--see the series tab below for links) and was thrilled to get to jump into a more expansive novel featuring an archaeologist no less (possibly my favorite literary profession), along with the Stueben siblings from the short stories. I'm sorry to say I was less thrilled by the somewhat staid story and rather bland characters.
I normally love when short stories lead to full novels. In this case, the Fangborn mythology is so cool that it really should have leant itself to a great book. The Fangborn, or Pandora's Orphans, are the hope that was left when the mythical box was opened and evil escaped into the world. Werewolves, vampires, and snake shifters are the superheroes of this world, able to detect and destroy evil. Vampires, for example, don't feed on human blood, they literally suck evil out of people. There are all kinds of new twists on these creatures that I found fascinating. I was even glad to see the characters from the short stories pop up to help in SEVEN KINDS OF HELL. The problem was with everything else.
SEVEN KINDS OF HELL is, at it's heart, an archaeological thriller. But it's less Indian Jones and more whatever the boring equivalent of that is. Zoe was pretty sleepy for me from the start, and as she traversed the globe to rescue her kidnapped friend, retrieve artifacts, and avoid Fangborn politics, she never became any more exciting for me. In fact none of the characters captured my attention--not even George and Claudia who I enjoyed in short form. The whole book was slow even during fang filled action scenes. It all just felt bland.
I'm really baffled by my reaction to SEVEN KINDS OF HELL. It had everything that would normally equal a great urban fantasy for me: Eye catching art from Chris McGrath, fascinating mythology that I was anxious to see expanded, and even an archaeologist protagonist! The writing itself is fine, but I really had to push through the last 2/3 of the book due to the meh story and dull characters. There are two more full length novels planned in the Fangborn series, but I think I'll be passing.
Sexual Content:
A Brief sex scene
April 14, 2013
Author Dana Cameron breathes new life into the paranormal fiction genre with "Seven Kinds of Hell", the first full-length book in her "Fangborn" series. The protagonist is Zoe Miller, a twenty-something archaeologist with a an intensely guarded secret: she is a werewolf. Not just a werewolf, but descended through her father of the "Fangborn", a clandestine race that also includes vampires and oracles. For most of her life, Zoe and her mother kept to themselves and stayed on the move, finally settling in one place long enough for Zoe to obtain her degree in archaeology. When her mother dies, Zoe prepares herself to face the future, and she leaves behind the life she knew with her mother. At her mother's funeral, Zoe is reunited with her old friend and roommate, Sean, the best friend of Zoe's great love, Will. Zoe, Will, and Sean worked together on archaeological field projects and shared an apartment. Zoe eventually broke up with Will, unable to bear the thought of him knowing about her werewolf nature, which she calls "the Beast". Zoe's mother and Sean had been friends, and her mother had left a package for Zoe with Sean for safekeeping. Another package was hidden in a local cemetery at the grave of a family friend whom Zoe had known as "grandmother". Zoe and Sean retrieve the packages, and Zoe reconnects with her "cousin" Danny, who is really a close friend from childhood. When Danny is kidnapped to force Zoe to use her special skills and inherited paranormal powers to retrieve prized artifacts and the legendary Pandora's Box, Zoe must come to terms with "the Beast" and with her own family. She must also deal with her deepest emotions when Will is once more back in her life, more involved in the world she had tried so hard to avoid than she could ever have imagined. Who can she trust? Can she even trust herself as her mind and body are struggling to assimilate the full impact of her genetic inheritance? The author's own training in archaeology adds compelling layers to the story line, and Zoe's emergence into her true persona is an involving work-in-progress. "Seven Kinds of Hell" is full of action, new variations on paranormal shifter characteristics, and enough historical intrigue to satisfy lovers of supernatural sleuthing.
Review Copy Gratis Amazon Vine
Review Copy Gratis Amazon Vine
May 5, 2020
interesting an action packed going to read book 2
April 9, 2014
This is a gift, it comes with a price
Who is the lamb, and who is the knife? – Florence & The Machine, Rabbit Heart
"This belonged to my sister-in-law," Prometheus explained. "Pandora."
A lump formed in my throat. "As in Pandora's box?"
Prometheus shook his head. "I don't know how this boxbusiness got started. It was never a box. It was a pithos, a storage jar. I suppose Pandora's pithos doesn't have the same ring to it.” ― Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian
You see what we do to each other over the slightest differences in religion or politics? We beat each other up over baseball games. We’ll kill over the wrong-colored bandana. What would we do faced with the Fangborn? – Adam Nichols, Seven Kinds of Hell
One thing you must know about this book before walking into the story is this – you hold in your hand not some simple, See Jane Run, Run Jane Run novel. If you are looking for minimal world building, simplistic answers, and only two or three characters with clear-cut goals, this book isn’t for you. It is so far out of the “let’s just do mindless entertainment” wheelhouse you can’t even see it from the top of the Pharos Lighthouse. Instead, this is a book of complexities. Of unknown alliances, political convolutions, archeological mysteries, and xenophobic hatreds worthy of any Shakespearean play. Families destroy one another, blood is spilled, and there is avarice, sociopathy, vigilantism, viciousness, and political infighting enough to fulfill any Roman Senate chamber. No, if your idea of a good book is simplicity, walk away now.
Ah, but if you are like me – if you long for convolutions, for amazing world-building, a plethora of characters with both known and unknown agendas, a modern storyline with tentacles reaching back to the beginnings of time, a deep understanding of the history, archeology and stories of the cradles of civilization, rejoice, my friend! For Dana Cameron’s words will reach out to you, grab your mind and inject it with adrenaline, force you to pay attention, to learn, and to madly mark up whole paragraphs in order that you might research the lands and stories she portrays. It. Was. AWESOME!!!
Of course, the idea that there are creatures in this world, those who call themselves the Fangborn, calls to my love of all things fantasy. And Ms. Cameron’s concepts of fantastical creatures are not simplistic either. “Vampires” harken back to the snake goddesses of Knossos and Minoa rather than being the more Germanic wall crawlers popular in modern literature. There is no disturbing of the laws of physics as werewolves retain their mass when changed, and, gratefully, their clothes! Rather than burning in the sun, these vampires crave the sunshine, as do their snake cousins, and use their fangs to heal, and their powers of mind control to protect. Very different than what one normally would expect – but then, Ms. Cameron also makes grand use of various animal entities from history, from the Egyptian Anubis to the Greek Medusa.
A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history. - Mahatma Gandhi
History is about to change, worlds are set to collide, and humans are, of course, acting like humans – and not exactly in a good way. No, you will not learn who all the characters are and what their alliances are in this volume of the story. Who exactly are the Fangborn who first approach Zoe? Who, or what, is Download and from where do his powers spring? Is Adam really to be trusted, or merely a mercenary, willing to change sides on a whim? More importantly, exactly who and what was Zoe’s father – and apparently more importantly, her mother? The book ends with the answers in Zoe’s hands, in a thin, coffee stained folder. Is it the truth? Is it a lie? Only time will tell. Well, and the next volume, should help of course!
comes out on April 15, 2014 (only a few days away, Hooray!) and my finger was hot on the preorder button. Shh, don’t tell anyone, but no matter what book is next on my spreadsheet, that one gets moved to the top!
I received this book from Justin Golenbock at 47North and Netgalley in return for a realistic review. All comments are my own and reflect my own interests. I want to thank Justin for this marvelous opportunity and look forward to reading the next book in the series!
Who is the lamb, and who is the knife? – Florence & The Machine, Rabbit Heart
"This belonged to my sister-in-law," Prometheus explained. "Pandora."
A lump formed in my throat. "As in Pandora's box?"
Prometheus shook his head. "I don't know how this boxbusiness got started. It was never a box. It was a pithos, a storage jar. I suppose Pandora's pithos doesn't have the same ring to it.” ― Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian
You see what we do to each other over the slightest differences in religion or politics? We beat each other up over baseball games. We’ll kill over the wrong-colored bandana. What would we do faced with the Fangborn? – Adam Nichols, Seven Kinds of Hell
One thing you must know about this book before walking into the story is this – you hold in your hand not some simple, See Jane Run, Run Jane Run novel. If you are looking for minimal world building, simplistic answers, and only two or three characters with clear-cut goals, this book isn’t for you. It is so far out of the “let’s just do mindless entertainment” wheelhouse you can’t even see it from the top of the Pharos Lighthouse. Instead, this is a book of complexities. Of unknown alliances, political convolutions, archeological mysteries, and xenophobic hatreds worthy of any Shakespearean play. Families destroy one another, blood is spilled, and there is avarice, sociopathy, vigilantism, viciousness, and political infighting enough to fulfill any Roman Senate chamber. No, if your idea of a good book is simplicity, walk away now.
Ah, but if you are like me – if you long for convolutions, for amazing world-building, a plethora of characters with both known and unknown agendas, a modern storyline with tentacles reaching back to the beginnings of time, a deep understanding of the history, archeology and stories of the cradles of civilization, rejoice, my friend! For Dana Cameron’s words will reach out to you, grab your mind and inject it with adrenaline, force you to pay attention, to learn, and to madly mark up whole paragraphs in order that you might research the lands and stories she portrays. It. Was. AWESOME!!!
Of course, the idea that there are creatures in this world, those who call themselves the Fangborn, calls to my love of all things fantasy. And Ms. Cameron’s concepts of fantastical creatures are not simplistic either. “Vampires” harken back to the snake goddesses of Knossos and Minoa rather than being the more Germanic wall crawlers popular in modern literature. There is no disturbing of the laws of physics as werewolves retain their mass when changed, and, gratefully, their clothes! Rather than burning in the sun, these vampires crave the sunshine, as do their snake cousins, and use their fangs to heal, and their powers of mind control to protect. Very different than what one normally would expect – but then, Ms. Cameron also makes grand use of various animal entities from history, from the Egyptian Anubis to the Greek Medusa.
A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history. - Mahatma Gandhi
History is about to change, worlds are set to collide, and humans are, of course, acting like humans – and not exactly in a good way. No, you will not learn who all the characters are and what their alliances are in this volume of the story. Who exactly are the Fangborn who first approach Zoe? Who, or what, is Download and from where do his powers spring? Is Adam really to be trusted, or merely a mercenary, willing to change sides on a whim? More importantly, exactly who and what was Zoe’s father – and apparently more importantly, her mother? The book ends with the answers in Zoe’s hands, in a thin, coffee stained folder. Is it the truth? Is it a lie? Only time will tell. Well, and the next volume, should help of course!
comes out on April 15, 2014 (only a few days away, Hooray!) and my finger was hot on the preorder button. Shh, don’t tell anyone, but no matter what book is next on my spreadsheet, that one gets moved to the top! I received this book from Justin Golenbock at 47North and Netgalley in return for a realistic review. All comments are my own and reflect my own interests. I want to thank Justin for this marvelous opportunity and look forward to reading the next book in the series!
May 31, 2018
☆☆1\2
September 2, 2016
(I got a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
Although this novel contained a few things I liked, I'm afraid it won't leave me with a lasting impression, mostly because of the characters themselves.
I enjoyed the archaeological-related plot: ancient artifacts whose purpose isn't known in the beginning, a "relic" (Pandora's box) that I've seldom seen in urban fantasy and other contemporary books, travelling through Europe in search of clus, trying to find out sites to dig in (literally)... I've always had a soft sport for Indiana Jones-like stories, and for what it's worth, I think the level of details in "Seven Kinds of Hell" was just the right amount for me: believable without turning into lessons. A real archaeologist might disagree, I don't know; it's not my area of expertise.
There's a lot of action going on, too, and while I may not have wanted to read such a story in one of my most introspective periods, right now this kind of reading agrees with me. Someone looking for characters running away, fighting unknown enemies, finding unexpected allies in the middle of a fight, and so on, will likely appreciate this side of the novel.
On the other hand, the characters didn't work for me. Zoe had her shortcomings and her good moments, like any proper character should, should I say, but I was extremely annoyed with her for a couple of decisions she made, that had catastrophic consequences. The guy who gets abducted? She led her enemies to him, instead of immediately leaving town, like her mother told her to do on her deathbed (and like she had done for most of her life). I could understand a "normal" person hesitating, trying to see her friends a last time. Someone used to doing that? Not so much. Then, later, a character dies, who wasn't saved because Zoe missed a big time opportunity—somewhat understandable, considering the circumstances. Less understandable is how she basically ditched said character at some point, even though she knew something fishy was going on; if she hadn't, I'm positive things would've turned out very differently. From the beginning, I had a hunch this poor person was here only to die, and unfortunately, I was right. Zoe's decisions sometimes bordered on the Too Stupid To Live—or to allow other characters to live.
The secondary characters looked interesting, but I never got the feeling I "knew" them enough to really care, especially Ben and Ariana, who seemed to be dropped in there. (Gerry and Claudia "felt" like they had some kind of back story, at least.) As for the bad guys, they were the classic kind. No surprises here. I admit I rolled my eyes at the Russian villain.
The plot, mostly in the beginning, is slowed down by a few flashbacks. While not uninteresting per se, they distracted me, and enforced my "will you get out of town at last, Zoe?" reactions. I also found the ending a little too convenient to my liking, with Zoe getting help from someone she briefly met years ago. That person had reasons to act in such a way, but it still came out of the blue.
I have mixed opinions about the mythology. Fangborn society had a nice "we've been watching over you for ages" aspect, and I would've liked to know more about it, about its vampires that are more like shapeshifting snake-like creatures, about its oracles, too. On the downside, they seemed just a little too perfect and deluded sometimes, which mad them somewhat bland.
In the end, this novel held my attention mainly because of its "race for artifacts" side, but definitely not for its characters.
Although this novel contained a few things I liked, I'm afraid it won't leave me with a lasting impression, mostly because of the characters themselves.
I enjoyed the archaeological-related plot: ancient artifacts whose purpose isn't known in the beginning, a "relic" (Pandora's box) that I've seldom seen in urban fantasy and other contemporary books, travelling through Europe in search of clus, trying to find out sites to dig in (literally)... I've always had a soft sport for Indiana Jones-like stories, and for what it's worth, I think the level of details in "Seven Kinds of Hell" was just the right amount for me: believable without turning into lessons. A real archaeologist might disagree, I don't know; it's not my area of expertise.
There's a lot of action going on, too, and while I may not have wanted to read such a story in one of my most introspective periods, right now this kind of reading agrees with me. Someone looking for characters running away, fighting unknown enemies, finding unexpected allies in the middle of a fight, and so on, will likely appreciate this side of the novel.
On the other hand, the characters didn't work for me. Zoe had her shortcomings and her good moments, like any proper character should, should I say, but I was extremely annoyed with her for a couple of decisions she made, that had catastrophic consequences. The guy who gets abducted? She led her enemies to him, instead of immediately leaving town, like her mother told her to do on her deathbed (and like she had done for most of her life). I could understand a "normal" person hesitating, trying to see her friends a last time. Someone used to doing that? Not so much. Then, later, a character dies, who wasn't saved because Zoe missed a big time opportunity—somewhat understandable, considering the circumstances. Less understandable is how she basically ditched said character at some point, even though she knew something fishy was going on; if she hadn't, I'm positive things would've turned out very differently. From the beginning, I had a hunch this poor person was here only to die, and unfortunately, I was right. Zoe's decisions sometimes bordered on the Too Stupid To Live—or to allow other characters to live.
The secondary characters looked interesting, but I never got the feeling I "knew" them enough to really care, especially Ben and Ariana, who seemed to be dropped in there. (Gerry and Claudia "felt" like they had some kind of back story, at least.) As for the bad guys, they were the classic kind. No surprises here. I admit I rolled my eyes at the Russian villain.
The plot, mostly in the beginning, is slowed down by a few flashbacks. While not uninteresting per se, they distracted me, and enforced my "will you get out of town at last, Zoe?" reactions. I also found the ending a little too convenient to my liking, with Zoe getting help from someone she briefly met years ago. That person had reasons to act in such a way, but it still came out of the blue.
I have mixed opinions about the mythology. Fangborn society had a nice "we've been watching over you for ages" aspect, and I would've liked to know more about it, about its vampires that are more like shapeshifting snake-like creatures, about its oracles, too. On the downside, they seemed just a little too perfect and deluded sometimes, which mad them somewhat bland.
In the end, this novel held my attention mainly because of its "race for artifacts" side, but definitely not for its characters.
May 25, 2014
3 1\2
Seven Kinds of Hell has been a mixed bag for me: an incredible world and a setting (archaeology) that I simply loved, but an heroine and a beginning that were difficult to either root for or care about. Quite luckily for me both got a boost midway that compelled me to the end.
The Good
The plot is pure thriller and action packed, leaving you without a moment to take one single breath. You are on a roller coaster to the end with a pack of characters that hounds the grounds.
The world building is striking and incredibly fresh, a new take is difficult in the overcrowded UF genre. Plus the archaeology take wasn't only interesting, it seemed very well researched (even up to the small details).
The Bad
The plot is pure thriller and action packed. :) You are dragged by it (the way the heroine is), and it isn't always that good. You have tons of things happening, some of which made no sense from a reader's standpoint, and tons of characters thrown at you.
My biggest nit on the story, and what made this story loose some jazz, is the heroine. She's like a ball in a pinball machine, never the best of places to begin with. But the lack of consistency in her made it worse. You don't drive a nail in to a reader's head telling repeatedly how the heroine's life has been, what her upbringing has been, and then throw everything out of the windows. Trust is a big issue in this story.. or it should have been. But unfortunately it's not the case. Her lack of "brain power" at times was difficult to accept, she ends up too many times in the TSTL section of the library. In my book world, desperate you can be (powerless too), but you need to be clever, smart (or show me same rage for that powerless feeling you are compelled to feel.)
Overall, Ms Cameron's writing is strong and she writes compelling storylines, but her characters aren't and their emotion never
rung true. Still, with its good and bad points, the book drives home the need to read the second :D
Seven Kinds of Hell has been a mixed bag for me: an incredible world and a setting (archaeology) that I simply loved, but an heroine and a beginning that were difficult to either root for or care about. Quite luckily for me both got a boost midway that compelled me to the end.
The Good
The plot is pure thriller and action packed, leaving you without a moment to take one single breath. You are on a roller coaster to the end with a pack of characters that hounds the grounds.
The world building is striking and incredibly fresh, a new take is difficult in the overcrowded UF genre. Plus the archaeology take wasn't only interesting, it seemed very well researched (even up to the small details).
The Bad
The plot is pure thriller and action packed. :) You are dragged by it (the way the heroine is), and it isn't always that good. You have tons of things happening, some of which made no sense from a reader's standpoint, and tons of characters thrown at you.
My biggest nit on the story, and what made this story loose some jazz, is the heroine. She's like a ball in a pinball machine, never the best of places to begin with. But the lack of consistency in her made it worse. You don't drive a nail in to a reader's head telling repeatedly how the heroine's life has been, what her upbringing has been, and then throw everything out of the windows. Trust is a big issue in this story.. or it should have been. But unfortunately it's not the case. Her lack of "brain power" at times was difficult to accept, she ends up too many times in the TSTL section of the library. In my book world, desperate you can be (powerless too), but you need to be clever, smart (or show me same rage for that powerless feeling you are compelled to feel.)
Overall, Ms Cameron's writing is strong and she writes compelling storylines, but her characters aren't and their emotion never
rung true. Still, with its good and bad points, the book drives home the need to read the second :D
June 22, 2013
Quick summary: Was it worth the read? Yes. Will I pick up the sequel? I'm not sure.
3.5 stars. I'm really torn about this book. Let me tell you why.
The good: some really fantastic world-building, with a clever take on supernatural folks. The descriptions and place-settings were fantastic, and really made me want to visit the places Ms. Cameron took us to. The character development was also largely well-done in the sense that each person who showed up was distinct.
The bad: the character development, sadly, was also the downfall. I really enjoyed the first part of the book because Zoe came across as an awesome character: smart, self-sufficient, street-smart, and a real fighter, even though she suffered under a lot of misplaced self-hate.
But then toward the end of the book, she went stupid.
She would suddenly completely forget things she'd learned about people and her own situation, evidently just to move the plot ahead. Or even worse, she'd abruptly start blaming herself for things that were in no way her fault, just so she could be conveniently maudlin and run off somewhere, again to move the plot along.
These moments left me badly conflicted. If Zoe returns to the street-smart protag she was at the beginning, I will definitely continue the series. If she stays the way she was at the end, I won't be able to. Here's to hoping Zoe finds her spine and brain again.
3.5 stars. I'm really torn about this book. Let me tell you why.
The good: some really fantastic world-building, with a clever take on supernatural folks. The descriptions and place-settings were fantastic, and really made me want to visit the places Ms. Cameron took us to. The character development was also largely well-done in the sense that each person who showed up was distinct.
The bad: the character development, sadly, was also the downfall. I really enjoyed the first part of the book because Zoe came across as an awesome character: smart, self-sufficient, street-smart, and a real fighter, even though she suffered under a lot of misplaced self-hate.
But then toward the end of the book, she went stupid.
She would suddenly completely forget things she'd learned about people and her own situation, evidently just to move the plot ahead. Or even worse, she'd abruptly start blaming herself for things that were in no way her fault, just so she could be conveniently maudlin and run off somewhere, again to move the plot along.
These moments left me badly conflicted. If Zoe returns to the street-smart protag she was at the beginning, I will definitely continue the series. If she stays the way she was at the end, I won't be able to. Here's to hoping Zoe finds her spine and brain again.
November 20, 2015
I can't finish this book. I only read 35% of it, but it's agonizing. It's sooooo boring. All of the characters are one dimensional. A lot of time is spent with Zoe thinking about past events and explaining her life, but almost everything in her life contradicts what she says about it. This book reminds me of Kat Richardson's Greywalker series, which I hated. They both have a slow moving, bland feel to them.
January 9, 2016
I was on something of an archaeological mystery fiction kick a longish while back. Read a bunch of Aaron Elkins books, Beverly Connor, and others. Roughly 33 books in total. I mention because one of those books was by Dana Cameron. Site Unseen. I liked it and then . . . never read anything else in that series or by Cameron for some unknown reason.
Well, so, bouncing around, I don't even recall why now, but I was on Cameron's book page over on GoodReads. Saw that there was a different series than the one I had briefly started, and gazed upon it. Thought the cover looked a little odd for an archaeological book, so I looked closer. Huh. Fantasy. Archaeological fantasy. That's in the Kindle Unlimited program. Naturally I . . . put it in my maybe pile and moved on to reading other things. Getting burned out in "other things" I came back to this book. Gulped it down rather quickly and happily.
It's an interesting book. Young woman has spent her life moving at a moments notice, or I should say, her mother would get a notion to move, and so they did. Up until mother got ill. Took her six years to graduate college, because she kept moving (the young woman, not the mother). And having to take courses that didn't transfer.
What were they fleeing? The young woman didn't really know, beyond 'the family is evil.' Her father's family, that is. Her mother made them sound like a quite brutal, vicious, cold-hearted version of the mafia. Family.
Well, book opens with mother dying, then dead. Whispers something about visiting grandma, oh and fleeing. Zoe Miller, the name of this young woman, makes arrangements and . . . then keeps not leaving. That kind of annoyed me as I was reading. I mean, she has to leave. Now. But . . let's wait until after the funeral? Hmms. Well, guess it was a bad mistake, as she's shadowed, then ambushed by Family.
Family in the form of weresnakes and werewolves. Who just want to talk, or something. Zoe, naturally upon seeing such monsters, flees. Helped by the fact that she herself can turn into a werewolf. Course, she didn't actually let herself believe that was what she actually was. Insane with monster delusions, she thought. Started when she was 16. She's 25 (or was it 26? I forget now).
One thing leads to another and her 'cousin' is kidnapped by an insane super rich, super evil guy. He wants her to go to London and retrieve an object for him. Or Danny, the kidnapped cousin, will die. So, she goes.
That's one of those themes I actually didn't think about until after the fact. Because of the nature of the book. The theme of being forced to do something. Of being super tough/strong/intelligent, etc., and having something/person/issue forcing the characters hand, into acting. Most of the time, when I've read this theme in the past, it involved someone in the wrong place at the wrong time who look like the prime suspect in a murder case. And therefore have to try to solve it so they themselves do not get charged with the crime. I always kind of loath this theme, but I barely noticed it until after the fact, and therefore, didn't allow myself time to loath.
An interesting neat twist to shifters. Neat addition of archaeology to the mix. One specific problem I had, though. Vampires. Why the bloody hell were the weresnakes called vampires? Some vampire stories involve having vampires being able to have a certain advanced level of persuasion as one of their 'gifts'. That's the only connection between the vampires in this story, and every other vampire. I mean, I'd be less annoyed if the shifters that called themselves vampire, were werebats. But, no, they are weresnakes. Who recharge in the sun. Have no problems with any of the stereotypical vampire problems like sunlight, garlic, christian symbols, etc. Nor do they feed from blood. So, yeah, I had a problem with these weresnakes being called vampires.
So, this fantasy world - three extra beings added to earth that 'normals' don't know about. Oracles, Vampires, and Werewolves. Oracles aren't directly meet, at least not ones that know they are oracles, until the second book. Vampires are weresnakes - as in they look human, but can shift into snake like shapes. They can heal with their bite. And persuade with their words, and more directly with their bite - including mind control. Werewolves are .. . um . . werewolves. With an urge to kill evil.
Good enough book that I immediately started on the second book. I thought being 37% into the second book by the time I got around to writing this review here would make things harder, but, while it did somewhat, it didn't keep me from finding something to write.
So, why 4 stars? Or, if you look at my shelves, 4.5 stars? Instead of 5? Certain things that crept up that I didn't like. Like how she's a woman who always flees when she thinks she needs to do so, but hung around at the beginning of the book instead of fleeing. Even though she felt the need to do so. Didn't like her friends - mostly Sean. And, the largest reason this is a 4.5 book, would be the romantic parts. I could have lived a much happier life without that addition. And if it had to be included, I'd have been happier if it had been toned down. A lot. (someone reading this book for the romance are probably confused with me now, I assume/suppose - I read this to escape from romances, only to find, horror of horrors, straight romance. Between a man and a woman. eww. heh).
I recommend this book. More if you like urban fantasy than if you like paranormal fantasy, though I haven't shelved this book on either shelf. Mostly because this book was focused more on ruins and artifacts than on creepy crawlies oozing around urban areas. Though cities are wandered through in this book.
I read something somewhere, vague recollection it was in a thread on GoodReads about 'the first urban fantasy', that said something like 'those into noir/mysteries turned to urban fantasy; those into romances, turned to paranormal fantasy'. Well, this one is for those who are into archaeological mysteries. All three of us. Well, I know there are more, I just never could figure out what to call this sub-genre, so . . um . . something.
Well, so, bouncing around, I don't even recall why now, but I was on Cameron's book page over on GoodReads. Saw that there was a different series than the one I had briefly started, and gazed upon it. Thought the cover looked a little odd for an archaeological book, so I looked closer. Huh. Fantasy. Archaeological fantasy. That's in the Kindle Unlimited program. Naturally I . . . put it in my maybe pile and moved on to reading other things. Getting burned out in "other things" I came back to this book. Gulped it down rather quickly and happily.
It's an interesting book. Young woman has spent her life moving at a moments notice, or I should say, her mother would get a notion to move, and so they did. Up until mother got ill. Took her six years to graduate college, because she kept moving (the young woman, not the mother). And having to take courses that didn't transfer.
What were they fleeing? The young woman didn't really know, beyond 'the family is evil.' Her father's family, that is. Her mother made them sound like a quite brutal, vicious, cold-hearted version of the mafia. Family.
Well, book opens with mother dying, then dead. Whispers something about visiting grandma, oh and fleeing. Zoe Miller, the name of this young woman, makes arrangements and . . . then keeps not leaving. That kind of annoyed me as I was reading. I mean, she has to leave. Now. But . . let's wait until after the funeral? Hmms. Well, guess it was a bad mistake, as she's shadowed, then ambushed by Family.
Family in the form of weresnakes and werewolves. Who just want to talk, or something. Zoe, naturally upon seeing such monsters, flees. Helped by the fact that she herself can turn into a werewolf. Course, she didn't actually let herself believe that was what she actually was. Insane with monster delusions, she thought. Started when she was 16. She's 25 (or was it 26? I forget now).
One thing leads to another and her 'cousin' is kidnapped by an insane super rich, super evil guy. He wants her to go to London and retrieve an object for him. Or Danny, the kidnapped cousin, will die. So, she goes.
That's one of those themes I actually didn't think about until after the fact. Because of the nature of the book. The theme of being forced to do something. Of being super tough/strong/intelligent, etc., and having something/person/issue forcing the characters hand, into acting. Most of the time, when I've read this theme in the past, it involved someone in the wrong place at the wrong time who look like the prime suspect in a murder case. And therefore have to try to solve it so they themselves do not get charged with the crime. I always kind of loath this theme, but I barely noticed it until after the fact, and therefore, didn't allow myself time to loath.
An interesting neat twist to shifters. Neat addition of archaeology to the mix. One specific problem I had, though. Vampires. Why the bloody hell were the weresnakes called vampires? Some vampire stories involve having vampires being able to have a certain advanced level of persuasion as one of their 'gifts'. That's the only connection between the vampires in this story, and every other vampire. I mean, I'd be less annoyed if the shifters that called themselves vampire, were werebats. But, no, they are weresnakes. Who recharge in the sun. Have no problems with any of the stereotypical vampire problems like sunlight, garlic, christian symbols, etc. Nor do they feed from blood. So, yeah, I had a problem with these weresnakes being called vampires.
So, this fantasy world - three extra beings added to earth that 'normals' don't know about. Oracles, Vampires, and Werewolves. Oracles aren't directly meet, at least not ones that know they are oracles, until the second book. Vampires are weresnakes - as in they look human, but can shift into snake like shapes. They can heal with their bite. And persuade with their words, and more directly with their bite - including mind control. Werewolves are .. . um . . werewolves. With an urge to kill evil.
Good enough book that I immediately started on the second book. I thought being 37% into the second book by the time I got around to writing this review here would make things harder, but, while it did somewhat, it didn't keep me from finding something to write.
So, why 4 stars? Or, if you look at my shelves, 4.5 stars? Instead of 5? Certain things that crept up that I didn't like. Like how she's a woman who always flees when she thinks she needs to do so, but hung around at the beginning of the book instead of fleeing. Even though she felt the need to do so. Didn't like her friends - mostly Sean. And, the largest reason this is a 4.5 book, would be the romantic parts. I could have lived a much happier life without that addition. And if it had to be included, I'd have been happier if it had been toned down. A lot. (someone reading this book for the romance are probably confused with me now, I assume/suppose - I read this to escape from romances, only to find, horror of horrors, straight romance. Between a man and a woman. eww. heh).
I recommend this book. More if you like urban fantasy than if you like paranormal fantasy, though I haven't shelved this book on either shelf. Mostly because this book was focused more on ruins and artifacts than on creepy crawlies oozing around urban areas. Though cities are wandered through in this book.
I read something somewhere, vague recollection it was in a thread on GoodReads about 'the first urban fantasy', that said something like 'those into noir/mysteries turned to urban fantasy; those into romances, turned to paranormal fantasy'. Well, this one is for those who are into archaeological mysteries. All three of us. Well, I know there are more, I just never could figure out what to call this sub-genre, so . . um . . something.
March 22, 2022
2.5 stars
March 25, 2013
Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2013/03/review-...
Seven Kinds Of Hell (Fangborn #1) by Dana Cameron
Urban Fantasy
March 12, 2013
Publisher: 47 North
Reviewed by Tori
Archaeologist Zoe Miller has been running from a haunting secret her whole life. But when her cousin is abducted by a vicious Russian kidnapper, Zoe is left with only one option: to reveal herself. Unknown to even her closest friends, Zoe is not entirely human. She’s a werewolf and a daughter of the Fangborn, a secretive race of werewolves, vampires, and oracles embroiled in an ancient war against evil. To rescue her cousin, Zoe will be forced to renew family ties and pit her own supernatural abilities against the dark and nefarious foe. The hunt brings Zoe to the edge of her limits, and with the fate of humanity and the Fangborn in the balance, life will be decided by an artifact of world-ending power. (Goodreads)
Seven Kinds Of Hell is my genre preference for reading.The excerpt alone demanded I jump right on this Urban Fantasy when it was offered up to me for review. An archaeologist who finds herself a pawn in supernatural politics, involving a questionable family she never knew about? My kind of book. Or so I thought. Frankly, this was the most confusing and staid book I ever read. I found the character development stunted and overwhelmed by the continuous and massive world building and storyline set up. There are multiple storylines swirling around each other which only added to my confusion. This book is all about the set up. This is unfortunate because I wasn’t able to connect with the characters or the main plotlines.
Our heroine, Zoe Miller, is a fledgling archaeologist. Her mother, on her deathbed, gives her one piece of final advice. The same advice she had been giving Zoe all her life. Stay away from your father’s family. Hide, stay low, never reveal yourself, and run if found. When Zoe’s mom passes, that choice is taken from Zoe and her father’s family comes after her. Zoe has no idea what she is but we soon learn she is part Fangborn. She is a born werewolf, but with an extra something that everyone wants to control. The storyline revolves around the fact that Zoe was kept in the dark all her life about her genetics and family so we learn as she does.
Zoe is pulled head first into the Fangborn world when her friend is kidnapped and his release is contingent on her finding certain relics. Relics that could save or end humanity. As Zoe struggles to find the relics to bargain for her friends release, we see help from friends and foes alike. Zoe comes off strong and human. She isn’t a super hero and she learns from her mistakes. All the characters seem strong and had great potential, yet I never felt more than the surface of them was scratched. What I felt and what I think the author wanted me to feel never happened.
I liked the world building concerning the Fangborn and how they came into existence. I have always enjoyed mythology and the story has it in spades. The Fangborn are secretive race of supernaturals; vampires, shifters, etc…. Referred to as Pandora’s Orphans, they came into being after Pandora’s box was opened. They are the hope that came after the evil was released. Cameron inhibits them with unique powers that twist the usual offerings. Vampires don’t drink blood, they drink the evil in people. I also enjoyed Zoe’s “powers” though her seeming disinterest in her other half felt odd.
What kept me from enjoying the book was the lack of development and connection between the world building and the characters. Zoe is hit hard, repeatedly throughout the book by various factions yet the explanations for all this happening is given in the form of a history and educational lesson. A is happening because of B and C which is because of D, E, and F. There is no real emotion behind the explanations. The writing is strong and the storylines are interesting but the interactions between the two main components are dry and uninspiring. It casts a pall on the entire story because the telling of it is so matter of fact. I have been told there were four small short stories previously released about this world and I wonder if reading them first may have served to integrate me into this world better.
The resolution is fast paced and wraps up some of the plotlines though the ending leaves us with a bit of a cliffhanger. While I’m sure many urban fantasy enthusiasts will enjoy this full length new world introduction, I find it’s just not the world for me.
Overall Rating: D
Seven Kinds Of Hell (Fangborn #1) by Dana Cameron
Urban Fantasy
March 12, 2013
Publisher: 47 North
Reviewed by Tori
Archaeologist Zoe Miller has been running from a haunting secret her whole life. But when her cousin is abducted by a vicious Russian kidnapper, Zoe is left with only one option: to reveal herself. Unknown to even her closest friends, Zoe is not entirely human. She’s a werewolf and a daughter of the Fangborn, a secretive race of werewolves, vampires, and oracles embroiled in an ancient war against evil. To rescue her cousin, Zoe will be forced to renew family ties and pit her own supernatural abilities against the dark and nefarious foe. The hunt brings Zoe to the edge of her limits, and with the fate of humanity and the Fangborn in the balance, life will be decided by an artifact of world-ending power. (Goodreads)
Seven Kinds Of Hell is my genre preference for reading.The excerpt alone demanded I jump right on this Urban Fantasy when it was offered up to me for review. An archaeologist who finds herself a pawn in supernatural politics, involving a questionable family she never knew about? My kind of book. Or so I thought. Frankly, this was the most confusing and staid book I ever read. I found the character development stunted and overwhelmed by the continuous and massive world building and storyline set up. There are multiple storylines swirling around each other which only added to my confusion. This book is all about the set up. This is unfortunate because I wasn’t able to connect with the characters or the main plotlines.
Our heroine, Zoe Miller, is a fledgling archaeologist. Her mother, on her deathbed, gives her one piece of final advice. The same advice she had been giving Zoe all her life. Stay away from your father’s family. Hide, stay low, never reveal yourself, and run if found. When Zoe’s mom passes, that choice is taken from Zoe and her father’s family comes after her. Zoe has no idea what she is but we soon learn she is part Fangborn. She is a born werewolf, but with an extra something that everyone wants to control. The storyline revolves around the fact that Zoe was kept in the dark all her life about her genetics and family so we learn as she does.
Zoe is pulled head first into the Fangborn world when her friend is kidnapped and his release is contingent on her finding certain relics. Relics that could save or end humanity. As Zoe struggles to find the relics to bargain for her friends release, we see help from friends and foes alike. Zoe comes off strong and human. She isn’t a super hero and she learns from her mistakes. All the characters seem strong and had great potential, yet I never felt more than the surface of them was scratched. What I felt and what I think the author wanted me to feel never happened.
I liked the world building concerning the Fangborn and how they came into existence. I have always enjoyed mythology and the story has it in spades. The Fangborn are secretive race of supernaturals; vampires, shifters, etc…. Referred to as Pandora’s Orphans, they came into being after Pandora’s box was opened. They are the hope that came after the evil was released. Cameron inhibits them with unique powers that twist the usual offerings. Vampires don’t drink blood, they drink the evil in people. I also enjoyed Zoe’s “powers” though her seeming disinterest in her other half felt odd.
What kept me from enjoying the book was the lack of development and connection between the world building and the characters. Zoe is hit hard, repeatedly throughout the book by various factions yet the explanations for all this happening is given in the form of a history and educational lesson. A is happening because of B and C which is because of D, E, and F. There is no real emotion behind the explanations. The writing is strong and the storylines are interesting but the interactions between the two main components are dry and uninspiring. It casts a pall on the entire story because the telling of it is so matter of fact. I have been told there were four small short stories previously released about this world and I wonder if reading them first may have served to integrate me into this world better.
The resolution is fast paced and wraps up some of the plotlines though the ending leaves us with a bit of a cliffhanger. While I’m sure many urban fantasy enthusiasts will enjoy this full length new world introduction, I find it’s just not the world for me.
Overall Rating: D
June 16, 2016
This book had potential to be a really good series. But there were too many plots and side characters (10-15 at least) jammed into one book. The sequence of events in this book could have been explored through 3 books but instead its all here, and the book suffers for it. And the ending, clearly should have been the beginning of the second book. The events there, actually could have been a whole book on its own too - instead its summed up quickly and ends on a "teaser" for book 2.
It was a slog to get through and left me annoyed at the terrible story telling.
It was a slog to get through and left me annoyed at the terrible story telling.
August 25, 2018
The society of protectors isn't really my thing, and there were several things going on in this story - including about artifacts - that was a bit dull to me. Not a bad start to a series but not really my type of story.
Read
August 22, 2017Not what I thought it might be. It has a distinctive YA feel to it even though the female lead is well into her 20s. I'm going to pass on this. DNF at 15%
July 3, 2023
Seven Kinds of Hell by Dana Cameron sits right on the border between Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance for me.
It's definitely not enough romance to satisfy the actual romance crowd, but it's decidedly more romance than I'd like in my Urban Fantasy. This mix might hit the sweet spot for some people, but it doesn't make it easy to sort into a target audience.
I really enjoyed the start, a 20 something female main character, an archaeologist as well, who doesn't really know her place in the world yet. The book starts with her losing her mum, her only real family, as they spent all her life fleeing from her father's family. I liked how she wasn't a badass fighter right from the get go, but a young woman trying to find a way through all the obstacles life throws at her. She makes a lot of dumb decisions, but they didn't feel like ones made for plot purposes, but realistic, considering she has just lost her only anker in society.
I really loved how there were strong friendships between her and two male best friends, even though they were a bit too stereotypical, with the muscled nice guy and the super intelligent coder. She meets new people who she immediately trusts with important stuff, and who are willing to help her no matter what. It is explained in the story, but it did feel a bit convenient really. About half way through, the romance does start to kick in though, and instead of adding to the book, I found it rather sigh worthy in its predictability. I especially bought this book because it did *not* sound like a romance, and I'm always looking for UF written by women, so I was quite annoyed at the book taking this slant.
The world building was ok, but didn't really blow me away. We race around half of Europe, and as a German myself I found it a bit funny when some "European habits" were mentioned. However it seemed quite well researched in the places I did know! The supernatural take on Pandora's box was interesting, but just too small a part to really catch my interest as much as I'd have liked.
The end is really frustrating instead of satisfying, and definitely a main reason why I'm going for 3 and not 4 stars, despite it being a quick and entertaining read.
It's definitely not enough romance to satisfy the actual romance crowd, but it's decidedly more romance than I'd like in my Urban Fantasy. This mix might hit the sweet spot for some people, but it doesn't make it easy to sort into a target audience.
I really enjoyed the start, a 20 something female main character, an archaeologist as well, who doesn't really know her place in the world yet. The book starts with her losing her mum, her only real family, as they spent all her life fleeing from her father's family. I liked how she wasn't a badass fighter right from the get go, but a young woman trying to find a way through all the obstacles life throws at her. She makes a lot of dumb decisions, but they didn't feel like ones made for plot purposes, but realistic, considering she has just lost her only anker in society.
I really loved how there were strong friendships between her and two male best friends, even though they were a bit too stereotypical, with the muscled nice guy and the super intelligent coder. She meets new people who she immediately trusts with important stuff, and who are willing to help her no matter what. It is explained in the story, but it did feel a bit convenient really. About half way through, the romance does start to kick in though, and instead of adding to the book, I found it rather sigh worthy in its predictability. I especially bought this book because it did *not* sound like a romance, and I'm always looking for UF written by women, so I was quite annoyed at the book taking this slant.
The world building was ok, but didn't really blow me away. We race around half of Europe, and as a German myself I found it a bit funny when some "European habits" were mentioned. However it seemed quite well researched in the places I did know! The supernatural take on Pandora's box was interesting, but just too small a part to really catch my interest as much as I'd have liked.
The end is really frustrating instead of satisfying, and definitely a main reason why I'm going for 3 and not 4 stars, despite it being a quick and entertaining read.
April 21, 2014
Rating: ~3.5.
Zoe Miller's life has never been television sitcom material. Raised by a single parent, Zoe has been moved from place to place by her anxious mother, never able to settle down, never able to make friends, never able to quell the creeping anxiety that something is hunting her. Zoe's mother hasn't given her many details about her paternal family, but she knows that they're bad news-- and that they're out to get her. But Zoe's greatest fear is a betrayal from her own mind. Since the age of 16, when fearful or threatened, she has experienced a creeping temptation to slip into a personality she calls her Beast: an inhuman, vicious, angry, and clearly insane mentality. Despite it all, Zoe has just managed to piece together an almost normal life for herself. She's made friends, found and lost love, and graduated with a degree in archaeology. But when her mother dies, it all starts to unravel. Mysterious men are following her, the Beast's call is becoming even more strident, and one of her best friends is about to be used as the lure in a trap that Zoe can't help but step into. Since Zoe's only hope is through finding a lost mythological artefact, her archaeological background is about to become unexpectedly relevant.
Seven Kinds of Hell isn't a groundbreaking urban fantasy, but it's a pleasant and enjoyable read. The writing never ascends into lyricism, but it's solid and occasionally sophisticated, and very effective at sucking the reader into the narrative. Zoe is a sympathetic, likeable narrator, and I especially enjoyed the ways in which she brought her knowledge of archaeology into her perspective on the world. My favourite parts of the book were definitely these historical aspects. Cameron has a gift for inserting sly little comments and entertaining tidbits about ancient cultures without breaking the narrative flow. One of my favourites was a description of ancient Greek animal sacrifice: apparently, it was decided that only the bones, hides, and smoke of a sacrifice belonged to the gods, which conveniently left the succulent meat for the hungry worshippers.
The mythology of the world is also tied into the archaeological aspects. As might be guessed by the genre and series name, vampires and werewolves factor heavily into the mythos, but their origins and appearances are somewhat different than the standard tales. Some of the supernatural entities that Zoe encounters supposedly "aren't capable of true evil." These "good guys" are basically vigilantes, brutally murdering anyone they deem to be evil, but they solve this little contradiction by specifying a rather peculiar definition of "evil":
n my opinion, this is a rather inane definition: every wicked man has a justification for his actions, good intentions are all too easily corrupted, and the worst evils come from those who convince themselves they are doing good. While Cameron does touch on this issue, I consider the initial premise so farcical that I was irritated rather than mollified by the simplistic debates. Requiring an entire species to be inherently good also necessitates removing its free will, but that never seems to occur to anyone within the narrative.
The basic plot is a race against time to find an ancient artefact before the rival gangs of bad guys get hold of it, plus a bit of the save-the-hostage game. Through her struggles to save her friends, Zoe is also forced to come to terms with herself. I'm reasonably fond of Indiana Jones/ Tomb-Raider type plots, and, true to the subgenre, Cameron manages to insert quite a bit of absurdist humour. One of my favourite quotes:
Every plot can be broken down into a set of tropes, and unfortunately, Seven Kinds of Hell used a few of which I'm less than fond. I'm never big on the "I have your friend"-type situations, because it requires the protagonist to be both incredibly credulous and impressively callous, willing to sacrifice the many for the sake of the one. I can usually tolerate a Hostage-for-McGuffin ploy once in a while, especially if the underlying philosophical conflict is explored, but Cameron actually uses the trope multiple times in one book, mainly as a lazy plot device. Sadly, the story also requires a Chosen One alert, a Friend-or-Idol Decision warning (although Zoe, remaining in character, never bothers with the thinking part), a Dismantled McGuffin notice, and, of course, a truly impressive amount of Contrived Coincidence, to the point where the characters begin wondering if it is all due to Fate. Last, this book definitely isn't intended as a standalone: in fact, much of the plot is left unresolved, a perfect setup for a sequel.
At the same time, I really appreciate how Cameron manages to avoid some of the most irritatingly ubiquitous tropes in urban fantasy. First, Zoe is far from isolated: although she starts out as a loner, she quickly develops a large coterie of friends and acquaintances. Second, the romance aspect is kept relatively low-key, and the love triangle is close to nonexistent--at least in this book. While I didn't find Zoe's main love interest to have much of a personality and thought he came across as a bit of a controlling asshole, he definitely isn't an alpha male--another big plus from my perspective. Despite her other forms of idiocy, Zoe is able to keep her mind on her problems rather than her passions, something I really appreciate. Last, for all the many plotholes and coincidences, the book kept me reading. Overall, if you're looking for a lighthearted urban fantasy jaunt with a different slant on the standard supernatural creatures, Seven Kinds of Hell is worth a look.
~~I received this ebook through NetGalley from the publisher, 47North, in exchange for my honest review.~~
Excerpted from my review at BookLikes
Zoe Miller's life has never been television sitcom material. Raised by a single parent, Zoe has been moved from place to place by her anxious mother, never able to settle down, never able to make friends, never able to quell the creeping anxiety that something is hunting her. Zoe's mother hasn't given her many details about her paternal family, but she knows that they're bad news-- and that they're out to get her. But Zoe's greatest fear is a betrayal from her own mind. Since the age of 16, when fearful or threatened, she has experienced a creeping temptation to slip into a personality she calls her Beast: an inhuman, vicious, angry, and clearly insane mentality. Despite it all, Zoe has just managed to piece together an almost normal life for herself. She's made friends, found and lost love, and graduated with a degree in archaeology. But when her mother dies, it all starts to unravel. Mysterious men are following her, the Beast's call is becoming even more strident, and one of her best friends is about to be used as the lure in a trap that Zoe can't help but step into. Since Zoe's only hope is through finding a lost mythological artefact, her archaeological background is about to become unexpectedly relevant.
Seven Kinds of Hell isn't a groundbreaking urban fantasy, but it's a pleasant and enjoyable read. The writing never ascends into lyricism, but it's solid and occasionally sophisticated, and very effective at sucking the reader into the narrative. Zoe is a sympathetic, likeable narrator, and I especially enjoyed the ways in which she brought her knowledge of archaeology into her perspective on the world. My favourite parts of the book were definitely these historical aspects. Cameron has a gift for inserting sly little comments and entertaining tidbits about ancient cultures without breaking the narrative flow. One of my favourites was a description of ancient Greek animal sacrifice: apparently, it was decided that only the bones, hides, and smoke of a sacrifice belonged to the gods, which conveniently left the succulent meat for the hungry worshippers.
The mythology of the world is also tied into the archaeological aspects. As might be guessed by the genre and series name, vampires and werewolves factor heavily into the mythos, but their origins and appearances are somewhat different than the standard tales. Some of the supernatural entities that Zoe encounters supposedly "aren't capable of true evil." These "good guys" are basically vigilantes, brutally murdering anyone they deem to be evil, but they solve this little contradiction by specifying a rather peculiar definition of "evil":
"We can't confuse political manoeuvring with real evil. [X] can be willful or wrong about many things. We can disagree, we can do stupid things...we don't thrive on the unhappiness of others, we don't murder or torture for pleasure, which is how I define evil."
n my opinion, this is a rather inane definition: every wicked man has a justification for his actions, good intentions are all too easily corrupted, and the worst evils come from those who convince themselves they are doing good. While Cameron does touch on this issue, I consider the initial premise so farcical that I was irritated rather than mollified by the simplistic debates. Requiring an entire species to be inherently good also necessitates removing its free will, but that never seems to occur to anyone within the narrative.
The basic plot is a race against time to find an ancient artefact before the rival gangs of bad guys get hold of it, plus a bit of the save-the-hostage game. Through her struggles to save her friends, Zoe is also forced to come to terms with herself. I'm reasonably fond of Indiana Jones/ Tomb-Raider type plots, and, true to the subgenre, Cameron manages to insert quite a bit of absurdist humour. One of my favourite quotes:
"I fell asleep to a German werewolf in a Speedo joyfully singing 'Midnight Train to Georgia' as he steered us over the choppy waves of the Aegean."While I enjoyed quite a bit of it, the plot quickly devolves into an unintentional Wodehousian farce. Almost all of the action hinges upon a vast concatenation of improbable coincidences, many of which require utterly unnatural actions from a whole set of characters as well as an impressive bit of stupidity on the part of the protagonist. In fact, Zoe is so far past TSTL that I think I'm in need of a new term.
Every plot can be broken down into a set of tropes, and unfortunately, Seven Kinds of Hell used a few of which I'm less than fond. I'm never big on the "I have your friend"-type situations, because it requires the protagonist to be both incredibly credulous and impressively callous, willing to sacrifice the many for the sake of the one. I can usually tolerate a Hostage-for-McGuffin ploy once in a while, especially if the underlying philosophical conflict is explored, but Cameron actually uses the trope multiple times in one book, mainly as a lazy plot device. Sadly, the story also requires a Chosen One alert, a Friend-or-Idol Decision warning (although Zoe, remaining in character, never bothers with the thinking part), a Dismantled McGuffin notice, and, of course, a truly impressive amount of Contrived Coincidence, to the point where the characters begin wondering if it is all due to Fate. Last, this book definitely isn't intended as a standalone: in fact, much of the plot is left unresolved, a perfect setup for a sequel.
At the same time, I really appreciate how Cameron manages to avoid some of the most irritatingly ubiquitous tropes in urban fantasy. First, Zoe is far from isolated: although she starts out as a loner, she quickly develops a large coterie of friends and acquaintances. Second, the romance aspect is kept relatively low-key, and the love triangle is close to nonexistent--at least in this book. While I didn't find Zoe's main love interest to have much of a personality and thought he came across as a bit of a controlling asshole, he definitely isn't an alpha male--another big plus from my perspective. Despite her other forms of idiocy, Zoe is able to keep her mind on her problems rather than her passions, something I really appreciate. Last, for all the many plotholes and coincidences, the book kept me reading. Overall, if you're looking for a lighthearted urban fantasy jaunt with a different slant on the standard supernatural creatures, Seven Kinds of Hell is worth a look.
~~I received this ebook through NetGalley from the publisher, 47North, in exchange for my honest review.~~
Excerpted from my review at BookLikes
April 4, 2018
I was drawn to this because the word "noir" frequently dropped in relation with it. However this was just the usual generic urban fantasy rubbish that I had to drop at 13% in order not to die of sheer boredom.
April 24, 2015
Take everything you know about vampires and werewolves and toss it out the window. Go ahead and toss it, I'll wait.
Dana Cameron's Fangborn, made up of vampires, werewolves, and oracles, are completely different from anything I've read or watched. And they're FASCINATING! I'm particularly intrigued by Dana's vampires - which can turn into giant, colorful snake-creatures. Seriously, how cool is that?
The story follows Zoe, a young woman pursuing an education in archaeology, who spent her life on the run from her father and his family. Her mother believed they were some kind of mafiosi, and they shuffled from place to place over the years to keep them at bay. Now Zoe is an adult, her mother just passed away, and it looks as though her father's family has finally caught up with her. Oh, and either she's insane, or she can turn into a werewolf. (Spoiler Alert: she's not insane...)
You'd think this would be enough of a story - woman on the run trying to stay a step ahead of her werewolf family, but noooo, Dana turns it up a notch by adding an international artifact hunt, mythology, several baddies of human and non-human nature, and various allies and enemies with Zoe trying to figure out which is which.
This story subverted ALL of my expectations and gave me a book so far beyond what I could have hoped for! I gave up trying to figure out what could possibly come next after the first few surprise twists. And to top it off, Dana is a real-life archaeologist, so when she gets into aspects of that field, it's truly fascinating (or at least it was to me, who at one point thought I wanted to become an archaeologist). The information never delved into technobabble, and I felt like I was getting a real glimpse into the profession.
Bonus: I haven't traveled much, and what I *have* done took place over 10 years ago, but the characters traveled to places that I've seen in the flesh, and that was awesome for me. I've seen the ruins at Ephesus, and I've shopped the streets of Kusadasi (where I was proposed to...by a random fella outside a shop), and I've wound my way through the twisty alleys of Mykonos. Luckily my trip didn't involve any murders or vast conspiracies...
Double Bonus: I had the chance to meet Dana last month at my library's annual Book Fest and she is super nice, incredibly funny, and wicked awesome. If you ever have the chance to hear her speak, take it!
Seven Kinds of Hell was such a cool book. There's a lot too it, but it's one helluva ride!
Dana Cameron's Fangborn, made up of vampires, werewolves, and oracles, are completely different from anything I've read or watched. And they're FASCINATING! I'm particularly intrigued by Dana's vampires - which can turn into giant, colorful snake-creatures. Seriously, how cool is that?
The story follows Zoe, a young woman pursuing an education in archaeology, who spent her life on the run from her father and his family. Her mother believed they were some kind of mafiosi, and they shuffled from place to place over the years to keep them at bay. Now Zoe is an adult, her mother just passed away, and it looks as though her father's family has finally caught up with her. Oh, and either she's insane, or she can turn into a werewolf. (Spoiler Alert: she's not insane...)
You'd think this would be enough of a story - woman on the run trying to stay a step ahead of her werewolf family, but noooo, Dana turns it up a notch by adding an international artifact hunt, mythology, several baddies of human and non-human nature, and various allies and enemies with Zoe trying to figure out which is which.
This story subverted ALL of my expectations and gave me a book so far beyond what I could have hoped for! I gave up trying to figure out what could possibly come next after the first few surprise twists. And to top it off, Dana is a real-life archaeologist, so when she gets into aspects of that field, it's truly fascinating (or at least it was to me, who at one point thought I wanted to become an archaeologist). The information never delved into technobabble, and I felt like I was getting a real glimpse into the profession.
Bonus: I haven't traveled much, and what I *have* done took place over 10 years ago, but the characters traveled to places that I've seen in the flesh, and that was awesome for me. I've seen the ruins at Ephesus, and I've shopped the streets of Kusadasi (where I was proposed to...by a random fella outside a shop), and I've wound my way through the twisty alleys of Mykonos. Luckily my trip didn't involve any murders or vast conspiracies...
Double Bonus: I had the chance to meet Dana last month at my library's annual Book Fest and she is super nice, incredibly funny, and wicked awesome. If you ever have the chance to hear her speak, take it!
Seven Kinds of Hell was such a cool book. There's a lot too it, but it's one helluva ride!
April 9, 2014
http://koeur.wordpress.com/2014/04/09...
Publisher: Amazon
Publishing Date: March 2013
ISBN: 9781611097955
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.2/5
Publisher Description: Archaeologist Zoe Miller has been running from a haunting secret her whole life. But when her cousin is abducted by a vicious Russian kidnapper, Zoe is left with only one option: to reveal herself. Unknown to even her closest friends, Zoe is not entirely human. She’s a werewolf and a daughter of the “Fangborn,” a secretive race of werewolves, vampires, and oracles embroiled in an ancient war against evil. To rescue her cousin, Zoe will be forced to renew family ties and pit her own supernatural abilities against the dark and nefarious foe. The hunt brings Zoe to the edge of her limits, and with the fate of humanity and the Fangborn in the balance, life will be decided by an artifact of world-ending power.
Review: The cover art is as confused as the content.
This started off pretty damn good. Interesting character, unkown events, on the run and seeking answers. Then we get story-line confusion, information dumps, internal dialogue with debates, more internal narrative and plot turns that make no sense but are soon made good by deus x machina.
Zoe is the offspring of a werewolf and an oracle and soon discovers that she is the focus by Fangborn and normals in the hunt for Pandora’s box. See, the Fangborn were at the bottom of the box when evil was unleashed upon the world. So, they are humanities hope…blah, blah…..blah?….kidnap friends….coercion to find figurines…blah..love triangle…..emo sex……chase….kidnap….wolf shifting. Fug. This went from a good novel into a confused morass of pedantic drivel where Zoe wanders around like an idjit in disbelief about most everything. She makes all the wrong choices, but everything goes her way in the end. On top of this confusion is information dumping in the form of backstory. Very tedious reading.
The characters were poorly developed because you just didn’t care when they died off. Sean, who is a long-time friend of Zoe and Will, dies in the end from a gunshot. Oh, well. That sux. Didn’t really know you. Knew you were just cannon fodder for the main character. What’s funny is when Sean dies and Zoe kind of feels bad, you’re no closer to liking anything about her.
Skip this novel, or better yet, read the first 15% then skip to the 90% mark.
Publisher: Amazon
Publishing Date: March 2013
ISBN: 9781611097955
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.2/5
Publisher Description: Archaeologist Zoe Miller has been running from a haunting secret her whole life. But when her cousin is abducted by a vicious Russian kidnapper, Zoe is left with only one option: to reveal herself. Unknown to even her closest friends, Zoe is not entirely human. She’s a werewolf and a daughter of the “Fangborn,” a secretive race of werewolves, vampires, and oracles embroiled in an ancient war against evil. To rescue her cousin, Zoe will be forced to renew family ties and pit her own supernatural abilities against the dark and nefarious foe. The hunt brings Zoe to the edge of her limits, and with the fate of humanity and the Fangborn in the balance, life will be decided by an artifact of world-ending power.
Review: The cover art is as confused as the content.
This started off pretty damn good. Interesting character, unkown events, on the run and seeking answers. Then we get story-line confusion, information dumps, internal dialogue with debates, more internal narrative and plot turns that make no sense but are soon made good by deus x machina.
Zoe is the offspring of a werewolf and an oracle and soon discovers that she is the focus by Fangborn and normals in the hunt for Pandora’s box. See, the Fangborn were at the bottom of the box when evil was unleashed upon the world. So, they are humanities hope…blah, blah…..blah?….kidnap friends….coercion to find figurines…blah..love triangle…..emo sex……chase….kidnap….wolf shifting. Fug. This went from a good novel into a confused morass of pedantic drivel where Zoe wanders around like an idjit in disbelief about most everything. She makes all the wrong choices, but everything goes her way in the end. On top of this confusion is information dumping in the form of backstory. Very tedious reading.
The characters were poorly developed because you just didn’t care when they died off. Sean, who is a long-time friend of Zoe and Will, dies in the end from a gunshot. Oh, well. That sux. Didn’t really know you. Knew you were just cannon fodder for the main character. What’s funny is when Sean dies and Zoe kind of feels bad, you’re no closer to liking anything about her.
Skip this novel, or better yet, read the first 15% then skip to the 90% mark.
March 17, 2013
Zoe Miller, the main character of the novel, has a problem. She doesn't know that she's a werewolf. She knows she turns into something different on occasion. She thinks she may be crazy. I really like Zoe. Despite everything she is a very strong character. Does she always make the right choices? No, but she has courage and tries to do the right thing.
I really love the mythology and archeology in Seven Kinds of Hell. You can tell right away the Dana Cameron knows her stuff. For me this is a major plus. It wasn't until after I'd finished the novel and read about the author that I found that she had trained as an archaeologist. This high level of proficiency with part of the subject matter of the novel made it more alive and more real for me. The mythological constructs of the Fangborn world are very well done. I really enjoy how the mythology that already exists is woven into Fangborn mythology and vice versa. I also really like that we learn about Fangborn world along with Zoe.
There is a terrific ensemble of characters as well. Some of them on Zoe's side, some utterly evil, and some misguided (or not). Ms. Cameron does not skimp on secondary characterization which helps give the novel depth. There is the Russian kidnapper (mentioned in the description) who is evil and awful. He's very well done and the catalyst for much of what happens.
In addition to being a coming of werewolf story (in a way) this is also a thriller that takes us from America to Europe and beyond. There is also a touch of romance, which does not overwhelm the novel, and is very nice.
The story often moves at breakneck speed and the pacing is good. Seven Kinds of Hell ends with things to be done. Not a cliffhanger, but you'll definitely be looking forward to the next novel in the series.
Seven Kinds of Hell is all sorts of thrillery mythological terrificness in a lovely Urban Fantasy wrapper. I'm putting Dana Cameron's Fangborn novels on my must buy list.
Originally posted at The Qwillery.
I really love the mythology and archeology in Seven Kinds of Hell. You can tell right away the Dana Cameron knows her stuff. For me this is a major plus. It wasn't until after I'd finished the novel and read about the author that I found that she had trained as an archaeologist. This high level of proficiency with part of the subject matter of the novel made it more alive and more real for me. The mythological constructs of the Fangborn world are very well done. I really enjoy how the mythology that already exists is woven into Fangborn mythology and vice versa. I also really like that we learn about Fangborn world along with Zoe.
There is a terrific ensemble of characters as well. Some of them on Zoe's side, some utterly evil, and some misguided (or not). Ms. Cameron does not skimp on secondary characterization which helps give the novel depth. There is the Russian kidnapper (mentioned in the description) who is evil and awful. He's very well done and the catalyst for much of what happens.
In addition to being a coming of werewolf story (in a way) this is also a thriller that takes us from America to Europe and beyond. There is also a touch of romance, which does not overwhelm the novel, and is very nice.
The story often moves at breakneck speed and the pacing is good. Seven Kinds of Hell ends with things to be done. Not a cliffhanger, but you'll definitely be looking forward to the next novel in the series.
Seven Kinds of Hell is all sorts of thrillery mythological terrificness in a lovely Urban Fantasy wrapper. I'm putting Dana Cameron's Fangborn novels on my must buy list.
Originally posted at The Qwillery.
March 20, 2013
Vampires and werewolves have dominated the urban fantasy genre for the past few years, but here, Cameron offers a new spin on these familiar creatures. This is the first novel in the Fangborn series. It’s fast-paced and very easy to read. It concludes with a clear set up for a sequel. Cameron blends archaeology and mythology to give her urban fantasy a unique feel. Zoe Miller, werewolf and protagonist, is a mostly sympathetic character. And, as narrator, she is the most three-dimensional person in the novel. The supporting cast lacks as much detail and can feel a bit flat. The characters are in their twenties and thirties, but Zoe’s immaturity gives the book more of a YA feel (despite some of the of-age activities). The varied settings from Boston to London to Paris to Berlin to Venice to Greece to Turkey add an exotic quality to the book and each city is realistically rendered. It will be interesting to see where the sequel will take Zoe and her friends.
September 8, 2014
I couldn't really get into this one. I felt like the supernatural element was really forced into the book. Most of the supernatural occurrences seemed like the same scene over and over again. I did enjoy the mystery involved with Zoe's family and how that all came together. Zoe herself was kinda a contradictory character. She describes herself as a loner, but then talks about having friends all over the place and hanging out with other students. She's obsessed with a guy it sounds like because he was hard to get and had a great sex life. I didn't really like her, she was all over the place. The supporting characters weren't very original, coulda lived without them.
The idea of the story was intriguing and I loved that ancient artifacts and archaeology were mixed in. The story itself wasn't bad, just not my style.
The idea of the story was intriguing and I loved that ancient artifacts and archaeology were mixed in. The story itself wasn't bad, just not my style.
August 21, 2014
This was a pretty good book. I really enjoyed the use of the Pandora’s Box Myth in the structure of the world created by Cameron. The book starts with 25-year-old Zoe Miller preparing to flee her life after her mother’s death. Things change though when she gets pulled into the world of the Fangborn.
The mystery and action start almost immediately and continue through to the end of the book as we follow Zoe in her attempts to save her cousin.
I really enjoyed the spin that Cameron used for her Vampire and Werewolf characters. I won’t give it away, but they are depicted in a fresh new way, which I always enjoy.
The book ends on a cliff-hanger, so we’ll have to wait until the next book to see how it all plays out.
www.nyxlive.net
The mystery and action start almost immediately and continue through to the end of the book as we follow Zoe in her attempts to save her cousin.
I really enjoyed the spin that Cameron used for her Vampire and Werewolf characters. I won’t give it away, but they are depicted in a fresh new way, which I always enjoy.
The book ends on a cliff-hanger, so we’ll have to wait until the next book to see how it all plays out.
www.nyxlive.net
October 23, 2013
3.5 Stars
This was good, an interesting take on vampires and werewolves. I think what kept this from a solid 4 stars is that Zoey while likable bugged me a bit, I can't quite pinpoint if it was how she was written or how she sounded with the narration, this is not a complaint about the narration Kate Rudd did a wonderful job. I liked the mythology and archaeology in this one, I found this part of it very interesting. While this did not have a "cliffhanger" ending, it does leave a lot of unanswered questions and no book two available to answer those questions...which is a bit frustrating cause book 2 is not out until March....
This was good, an interesting take on vampires and werewolves. I think what kept this from a solid 4 stars is that Zoey while likable bugged me a bit, I can't quite pinpoint if it was how she was written or how she sounded with the narration, this is not a complaint about the narration Kate Rudd did a wonderful job. I liked the mythology and archaeology in this one, I found this part of it very interesting. While this did not have a "cliffhanger" ending, it does leave a lot of unanswered questions and no book two available to answer those questions...which is a bit frustrating cause book 2 is not out until March....
Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews