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Deathwish (Cal Leandros #4)

by Rob Thurman (Goodreads Author)

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 2,903 ratings · 151 reviews

In a nightmarish new york city, life is there for the taking...

Half-human Cal Leandros and his brother Niko are hired by the vampire Seamus to find out who has been following him?until Seamus turns up dead (or un-undead). Worse still is the return of Cal?s nightmarish family, the Auphe. The last time Cal and Niko faced them, they were almost wiped out. Now, the Auphe want...more

Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages

Published March 3rd 2009 by Roc

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Urban Fantasy With Male Lead Characters

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Apr 20, 2009 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, horror, mythology, paranormal, urban, series-reminder, read-in-2009, elves-fae, ebook-library-available, twitter-author

"Part-time bartender, private investigator/bodyguard/jack-of-all-trades to the nonhuman world, and one suspicious son of a bitch, that was me." Caliban Leandros, p3, a perfect introduction/reminder of who the central character is.

I was really excited to get this next adventure with the Leandros brothers. I love the sardonic tone and dark style of the books. Overall, I was pleased, but it wasn't the best in the series for me. The author experimented by switching back and forth between the 2 brot...more

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Mar 25, 2009 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, supernatural, fiction

Not five stars because it's not for everyone -- the angst and vivid archetypes make it seem potentially more juvenile than other novels. But the main characters really resonate for me, the solution to their problem, though inevitable, was daring and somewhat satisfying, and reading the first chapters written from Nik's point of view was much better than I expected. A lot of authors ruin characters by changing to their point of view -- Nik's read like Thurman wrote the chapter from Cal's point of...more

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Mar 01, 2009 Ascexis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: magic, urbanfantasy

Deathwish is Thurman really hitting her stride. The story is smoother and less confused than the previous three: this is probably because it's the first one that wasn't based on something else. Cal has finally grown up some, and Niko gets it, and that in itself drains a lot of the criticism I had of the previous book.

I guessed the Auphe arc fairly early in the book, but that did not in any way lessen it -- the author rather neatly has Niko guess it about at the same time, without explicitly say...more

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Feb 26, 2009 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

This has been one of the more unique urban supernatural series to come along in awhile - breaks out of the heroine role with the men falling after her; or the powerful magical creature (whether it be shapeshifter, werewolf, vamp, wizard, what have you).

Not that I don't think there aren't some good series in this every growing area that fits these molds, but some of it is just becoming mundane...

Ok, so this series takes two brothers. Ok, so they might be hot. And angst-y. Matter of fact, in this...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I'm reviewing books 2-4 of this series at the same time, since I read them all over a 2-day period and they've kind of mashed all together in my head. Plus, they're all awesome.

I'll admit, after the first installment (Nightlife), I wasn't too impressed. You can go back and read my review of it to find out why, but I'd read and loved Ms. Thurman's Trickster series so was willing to give the next book a shot. Instead, I inhaled the next 3.

Talk about ramping up the action! All of my critiques of t...more

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May 23, 2012 Jenny Tapp rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent book. The story falls within the Urban Fantasy Genre. The charaters range from human to a variety of Fae creatures, both good and bad, and while the author has changed some of the classic stereotypes of Fae creatures it only adds greater depth to the story. For those who are interested in deeper meanings within books, you can find some within this tale. There are many paychological issues which come up with the main charateres, and the interactivity between them shows the personal and...more

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May 12, 2012 Kelly Maybedog Hawkins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: what-modern-fantasy, why-favorite-series, why-favorite-authors, why-favorites, what-male-protagonist

This was as good as the first one. I don't know why I find the angst and drama so thrilling but I do. This one actually split perspectives between both brothers in alternating chapters and I really liked it. It was nice to hear Nico's voice and his perspective on the same issues. For the first time we see his reasons for protecting his brother and they make more sense than Cal's. I also like that this one had Nico showing vulnerability and fallibility. He's not always the superhero and since we...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Starfire rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 8-5-10, urban-fantasy

OK, wow, this was probably the strongest instalment in the Cal Leandros series for me. Partly, I think, because of the clear character development we've seen on Cal's part since Book #1, and partly because FINALLY, we get inside Niko's head as well.

Therein, we discover that while our super-honourable-ninja-assassin may *look* like he's got it all together from the outside, inside he's every bit the epitome of broken competence I love so much in all the other characters I meet it in (yes, Starbu...more

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Apr 19, 2009 Schnaucl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: april, fiction, owned, read_2009, series, urban_fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was an excellent addition to the series. I continue to love the relationship between Niko and Cal. It's still them against the world, always, but Cal seems willing to try and make room for Promise and is mature enough to know that where Promise is concerned some decisions really have to be Niko's. It's pretty clear that no matter how close Niko and Promise (or Niko and anyone become) if he's forced into a choice Cal is always going to win. Promise seems smart enough to realize that.

The prem...more This was an excellent addition to the series. I continue to love the relationship between Niko and Cal. It's still them against the world, always, but Cal seems willing to try and make room for Promise and is mature enough to know that where Promise is concerned some decisions really have to be Niko's. It's pretty clear that no matter how close Niko and Promise (or Niko and anyone become) if he's forced into a choice Cal is always going to win. Promise seems smart enough to realize that.

The premise of this story is that Seamus, one of Promise's old lovers, thinks he's being followed so he hires Cal and Niko to find out who is following him. Cherish, Promise's daughter, shows up on the run because she's stolen something from Oshoshi, a being that very much wants it back. On top of all that, the Auphe are back, and they need Cal to continue their race because all the male Auphe are dead. It's an interesting premise but I kept thinking that Cal could have avoided much of the trauma by getting a vasectomy. I guess the problem is that they couldn't go to a traditional doctor, and the one who may have been able to help them is still missing. But surely he can't be the only doctor with supernatural connections. I understand that they want as few people as possible to know about Cal's ancestry but I wouldn't think unusual physiology would necessarily lead someone to know it was because he was half Auphe. Then again, Cal's not always shy about mentioning his heritage.

I like the family dynamics in this story. Just as Cal is Niko's weak point, so is Promise's daughter, Cherish, hers. The difference is that Cal's never really had an opportunity to be selfish. It's always been him and Niko against the world, and so any decision he's made has necessarily involved Niko. Cherish has had more than enough time to make decisions that are only in her own interest. As for Promise, she never told Niko about Cherish and for someone who values honesty so highly that's a pretty deep betrayal, one Niko has to decide if he can live with.

There isn't much of George or Delilah in this, and I'm okay with that. I'm ready to be done with George and Delilah is okay but not not all that interesting. Promise and Nik's relationship is much more interesting.

Warning: Major spoilers

By the end of the book Cal and Niko seem to have defeated the Auphe once and for all. Cal is the only survivor and if he never reproduces the race will die with him. It felt like the series was wrapping up, which makes it completely believable when Niko comes back to the apartment and finds Cal murdered. Niko loses it, and only Cal, not dead at all, can bring him back. Cal brings him back to sanity with his special brand of tenderness and sarcasm. Cal tries to make it clear that he probably will die before Nik, because he's good, but not as good, and it won't be Nik's fault, he'll have done all anyone can do. But as much as they both want the other to live if something should happen to him, they both know that as soon as one brother goes, the other will follow.

I'm glad to know this isn't the end of the series. I'm a little concerned about what will happen now that the big bad is dead. I think there's going to be more wrestling with Cal's inner demons and while I'm sure there will be other things to fight, too, I'm not sure it will work as well. I'm more than willing to find out.

(less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Viccy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

Cal Leandros and his brother, Niko, are Rom. At least, Niko is. Cal is half-Rom; the other half if Auphe, a supernatural killer. And now, the Auphe want Cal to return to the fold. Niko and Cal live in NYC and scrape up a living working cases for the supernatural who live there, vampires, werewolves, pucks, chupacabras, all of them. Niko is in love with a vampire, Promise. Promise's daughter, Cherish shows up, on the run from a South American monster. Oshossi comes to New York, looking for Cheris...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Hazel G. (I ♥ Mr. Grey) *Craves the Angst Reviews* . rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

This series just keeps getting better and better! Deathwish is the fourth book in Rob Thurman's, Cal Leandros series and by far the absolutely best one yet! Whereas I thought Ms. Thruman really found Cal's voice in Madhouse (book 3), she simply took it one step further in this book. In addition to Cal's sardonic POV, we also got a treat with every other chapter being in his enlightened and virtuous brother, Niko's, POV. This book picks up immediately on the cliffhanger in Madhouse. Cal and Niko...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Joey Cruz rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm usually a very tolerant reader, but when a series starts going downhill for me, I don't expect it to ever pick up again. This has held true for even the best writers; once you lose that special something, there's no coming back from it.

No so with Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros series! The last book, Madhouse, left off on an interesting enough cliffhanger that I wanted to know what happened next, but the book itself felt like we were going through the motions. I didn't expect the series to get be...more I'm usually a very tolerant reader, but when a series starts going downhill for me, I don't expect it to ever pick up again. This has held true for even the best writers; once you lose that special something, there's no coming back from it.

No so with Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros series! The last book, Madhouse, left off on an interesting enough cliffhanger that I wanted to know what happened next, but the book itself felt like we were going through the motions. I didn't expect the series to get better, and I certainly wasn't expecting the next book to be the best of the series.

But it is.

Deathwish picks up mere seconds after the end of the previous book and brings with it a sense of urgency and weight throughout that had been missing even from the best of the previous books. The characters are in a constant state of alert, which really amps of the tension of everything they do. The central villains of the piece pop up to mess with their lives at moments so unexpected, it leaves your jaw hanging open, wondering how the hell they'll get out of THIS fix. That they always do doesn't take away from the peril of the story because the stakes are raised with each new assault and the protagonists methods of escape get increasingly desperate. It makes for riveting reading.

What's more, the bit that seemed the largest risk to me ended up expanding the emotional throughline of the story in unexpected ways. Until this book, all the stories were told from the perspective of abrasive, tactless wise-ass Cal Leandros. It made for a fun, consistent voice to follow through these adventures. With Deathwish, however, Thurman interchanges the narrative voice of Cal every other chapter with that of his brother, Niko. Stoic, honorable, deadly, humorless, nigh-unto-stick-in-the-mud Niko. Niko has always been a necessary backbone for Cal's waxing and waning moods and emotions, and their relationship is the very definition of loyal, but Niko was never that interesting to me as a side character... so when I saw his name at the top of chapter 2, I admit, I winced a little.

I was wrong. Niko's chapters give us surprising insights into the ways his mind works, and we learn he and Cal, deep down inside, aren't so different... Niko just can't show it, because he has to be the backbone. With Niko's voice added to the mix, we not only get a broader appreciation of Cal's situation and who each of the brothers is, but we get to experience twists and turns in the story that Cal's voice just wouldn't have let us. Thurman took a risk with his addition and it paid off in spades. Deathwish is easily the best book since Nightlife. Can't wait to read the next one.(less)

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Oct 29, 2010 Ami rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-stars_rating, urban-fantasy-with-male-protagonist

The fourth book in Cal Leandros series breaks my heart in more ways than one. I think it is the most emotional book, the most thoughtful as well, among all books I have read in this series so far.

The 'key' for this is the inclusion of Niko's point of view. For the previous three books, we only get the story from Cal's. But this time, the book has chapters from Cal and Niko. So we get to see how Niko thinks -- we get to see how a moment in their life from different perspectives. In result, the b...more

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Aug 15, 2010 Jenny Delandro rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 15, 2012 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'll keep it short and sweet - this is the best book in the series so far, the first to get a 5-star rating from me.

I loved that each chapter switched from Cal to Niko, that not only gave us insight into Niko, but it also fixed the filler issue found in the previous books. Instead of having a bunch of random stories and pointless filler thrown in, Deathwish focused on the main story. It was just what the series needed.

To sum it up, the story was wonderfully thrilling and unexpected, not once d...more

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Jul 20, 2011 L-D rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, horror, urban-fantasy, demons, sentinels-warriors-swordsman, favorites, series

YES! Finally! Now this is the Cal that I've been waiting 4 books to meet! Cal is finally growing up. While he still has whiny and yes, definitely many more lazy moments, in this book he steps up to take some responsibility instead of letting Niko make all the decisions. By embracing and accepting the Auphe in him instead of rejecting it, he becomes stronger all around. Ms. Thurman switches from Nik's POV to Cal's and back again which does wonders for the development of the storyline but even mor...more

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Oct 31, 2010 Lin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, supernatural

"I hated logic. It was never on my side."

Premise: The 4th Cal Leandros book

Viewpoint: Cal has always been the narrator in the past and that's hands down the best thing about the series. Here he shares duties with big bro Niko. Its nice to get a look inside Nik's head after hearing so much of him through Cal (The real thoughts, not just Cal's guesses). But whereas Cal's voice is very distinct Nik's is a bit bland. Cals narative snark does come through as Nik quotes him/talks about him. As much as...more "I hated logic. It was never on my side."

Premise: The 4th Cal Leandros book

Viewpoint: Cal has always been the narrator in the past and that's hands down the best thing about the series. Here he shares duties with big bro Niko. Its nice to get a look inside Nik's head after hearing so much of him through Cal (The real thoughts, not just Cal's guesses). But whereas Cal's voice is very distinct Nik's is a bit bland. Cals narative snark does come through as Nik quotes him/talks about him. As much as i loved that glimpse i always wanted Cal back. It does though ramp the emotion up with both brothers coming at you from separate angles and turns some parts into a complete sobfest (Eg "You go first"/"Nik? You're not afraid, then? Of me?"). A nice experiment but not something i'd want forevermore.

Story: There are two plot points going on here. (1) The Auphe, they want Cal (again) for sinister reasons. (2) Cherish and her hunter. These two plots both seem to want to take the backseat to the other. But they both explode (ha pun) in spectacular form come the end.

Characters: The same whiny, bitching, dark and sarcastic Cal as ever - and I love him. Four books in and he's still complex and honest, funny but really dark. His Auphe in him still haunts him and is fighting for control.
Nik, given a voice in this shines through more than ever before. He's pushed to the edge, over the edge and we see exactly how much it takes for him to loose control (Of course it would our fav tight lipped pain in the arse).
Promise: This is her book in the same way that 'Madhouse' was Robin's. Promise has a secret. One that threatens to rip her and Nik apart. I do like her but she keeps pushing at Cal and she won't be around much longer if she does.
Robin: Not really Robin's book, but the insatiable Puck still has some brilliant one liners and a new cat.

Overall: Love it. Love the whiny angst (wangst lol). Love the darkness in Cal. Love the brotherly love and resulting sobfest. Love the starwars quotes, fish sticks and cartoons, cover-up tattoos (I'd forgotten about that, oh Alice you were brilliantly evil).(less)

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Mar 19, 2009 Mare S rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: loved-and-reread, fantasy-scifi, favorites

I think this book is right up there with the first book in the series, which I love and adore. While I enjoyed books two and three, those books didn't quite hit the mark on what it was that made the first book so great to me - the relationship between Cal & Niko. While it's evident in all the books how much they care and are a team, this book really is all about their relationship and the how they became (and will stay) the unit that they are, whether it's healthy or unhealthy. I loved the s...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Krista rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dark-fantasy, first-person-pov, male-pov, urban-fantasy, favorites

I cried, I literally cried, and more than once.
Compared to 'Madhouse', it's a completely different book in quality, coherence and climax. Where all these points made me consider 'Madhouse' to be the one I liked least of the series, it makes 'Deathwish' the best.

The story worked and delivered in more than I had been hoping for.
The writing was much better, though I still sometimes have been wondering if some sentences were examples of slang, or just plain awfull and incorrect writing. I'm not a n...more

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Oct 23, 2009 Abby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, favorites, own, mystery-suspense, new-york-city

Dear me, I seem to have read the most recent Cal Leandros book. Now I have to wait for months for the next one. Excuse me while I wail in misery.
...
This one? This one was amazing. They keep getting better.
Oddly enough, this book had a bit of a shaky start. Thurman has always told the story through Cal's eyes. But in this one things switch up a bit, and the narrator alternates between Cal and his brother Niko. At first I was a bit worried it wouldn't work - Niko's first chapter is pretty much him...more

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Jan 02, 2010 Dena Landon rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was okay. Like a lot of urban fantasy I've read recently it tended to jump from fight scene to fight scene, with a loosely connected plot. Which gets old. Cal is half-Auphe, a dangerous paranormal that can jump through gates and appear at the worst possible time. He and his brother (who is, of course, an excellent fighter and practitioner of martial arts) have been in hiding from the Auphe for most of their lives, but in this novel the Auphe's plans for Cal are revealed and the conflic...more

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Jun 28, 2010 Anita rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 08, 2010 Danika rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: escape-reality

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 06, 2009 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormalfiction

The Cal and Niko Leandros series is one of my favorite urban fantasy series, a fact which owes much to its well-developed characters and the originality of its fantasy world. Mythological stereotypes are turned on their heads---there's a merman here who is a barely humanoid shark, a chupacabra who plays Go Fish, and vampires who (usually) rely upon iron supplements. And I adore the interplay between the two brothers Cal and Niko---they clearly love each other, and Deathwish in particular shows h...more The Cal and Niko Leandros series is one of my favorite urban fantasy series, a fact which owes much to its well-developed characters and the originality of its fantasy world. Mythological stereotypes are turned on their heads---there's a merman here who is a barely humanoid shark, a chupacabra who plays Go Fish, and vampires who (usually) rely upon iron supplements. And I adore the interplay between the two brothers Cal and Niko---they clearly love each other, and Deathwish in particular shows how far they will go to protect each other---yet are snarky and smart alecky to each other as brothers often are. And there are supporting characters I love as much as I do the brothers---primarily Robin Goodfellow, yes, that Robin Goodfellow, an unrepentant hedonist and used car salesman. I will always hope that Cal gets together with the psychic, George, but his current love interest, Delilah the werewolf, is also a lot of fun.

Deathwish breaks with the tradition of the earlier books in the series of leaving the narration up to Cal; every other chapter is narrated by Niko. It's interesting to read things from Niko's perspective, not only to see his take on his brother, but also because this book is, in part, about the secret past of his girlfriend Promise. The vampire Seamus hires the Leandros boys to find out who has been following him, and Seamus turns out to be a figure from Promise's past, and not the only one who shows up here, either. . . And then Seamus shows up dead. . . Meanwhile, the Auphe are back, and Cal discovers he is the last (half-)Auphe male, and what they have planned for him gives new meaning to the phrase "a fate worth than death."

I wouldn't say Deathwish is my favorite book in the series, as there were times I got a little confused, maybe because there was so much happening (at times there seemed to be three competing story lines going on) or maybe because of the alternating viewpoints. I've always grudgingly liked the vampire Promise, even though in the past she married, in rapid succession, five very rich very old men, and I'm not crazy about the way Thurman does vampires. Here, Promise really pushes it where I'm concerned, although it's really more like she reveals how she has been pushing it all along. However, learning about the choices Promise has made and the strain they put on her relationship with Niko sheds new light on the message about family that has been running through this series. And although Deathwish feels like it could be an ending of sorts, I see on Thurman's website a vague reference to "Cal Leandros Books 5, 6, and 7" so woo hoo! I can't wait!(less)

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Jun 27, 2012 Callista rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, four-star-novels, vampires-after-all, favourite-characters

These just keep getting better. This one really pulled me in.
At first, I wasn't sure I would like the chapters alternating Cal's and Niko's points of view, because the previous 3 books have been from Cal's POV (aside from the Darkling business in book 1, but that was filtered through Cal) and I'm very fond of Cal. However, I ended up liking the structure a lot. Finally, we got to see what really makes Niko tick, why he does what he does, how truly fierce his love for his brother is, what kind of...more

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Mar 04, 2009 Theresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, 2009

If I could give this book 4-1/2 stars, I would.

I really liked the book, but I did not like the alternating POVs between Cal and Niko. It took me out of the story and that is never a good thing.

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Nov 16, 2009 Summer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, vampires, urban-fantasy, shifters-werewolves, fairies, need-to-buy

So in Deathwish, Cal and Niko are having almost as many personal problems as their usual problems. Cal discovers that he can create gates now without even trying. Promise introduces the brothers to an old vampire friend of hers named Seamus for a job. Seamus seems to believe he's being followed, but even with his vampire-heightened senses he can't seem to pinpoint by who. Niko and Promise's relationship is put on rocky status when Promise also turns out to be a not-so-proud mother of a vampire d...more

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Mar 30, 2010 Suzan Isik rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is #4 in the Cal Leandros series. If you haven't read the first book in this series, I strongly suggest you read those before reading this review as I might inadvertently reveal some spoilers.

I bought all these books at one time, except for Nightlife, the first book. This is typical. It's rare that I don't finish a series once I start. The only exception to that is the Twilight series, but come on, can you blame me? But I'm not supposed to be talking about Twilight right now. I'm talking ab...more This is #4 in the Cal Leandros series. If you haven't read the first book in this series, I strongly suggest you read those before reading this review as I might inadvertently reveal some spoilers.

I bought all these books at one time, except for Nightlife, the first book. This is typical. It's rare that I don't finish a series once I start. The only exception to that is the Twilight series, but come on, can you blame me? But I'm not supposed to be talking about Twilight right now. I'm talking about a completely different (Thank the Higher Ups) series.

This one deals with Caliban Leandros and his brother Niko. What I liked that was different about this book was that it wasn't strictly from Cal's POV, which in the past three books, it has been. Some people don't like switching POVs in first person books, but I've found I really don't mind, as long as it's done clearly. And this one was. The POV switch occurred with chapter switches and the voices of the two characters are different enough that I could distinguish who was speaking without looking at the chapter heading to see who the POV character was.

So, the book picks up from the end of Madhouse, where we left Cal with a nice big group of Auphe, the evil elves that live in hell, called Tumulus in this world. The Auphe, nearly extinct (and thought extinct by Cal and Niko) have come back for vengeance. They want to kill everything and everyone Cal loves while he watches and then they have special plans for him.

While this could be considered the main plot, I really didn't see the book as that. There's the relationship between Cal and Niko, and we learn exactly what Niko would do to protect his half-Auphe brother. In my opinion, that's the real story of the book. The bromance, if you will. It's our first glimpse into Niko's head, how he really feels about his brother. The way the human machine actually depends on Cal. Considering what Rob Thurman puts her characters through, it's a wonder that neither of them have actually cracked and gone completely insane. But that's the relationship they have, isn't it? They depend on each other to stay sane.

It's kind of weird to call Rob Thurman books sweet, but this one really was...you know, when they weren't hacking monster guts with katanas and explosive rounds. All in all, it was a fantastic story. I have Roadkill, the next book, and I'll be reading it soon.

So many books, so little time.

Cross-posted from NVP Books.(less)

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Feb 14, 2010 Topher rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: modernfantasy

I'll admit to some disappointment in learning that "Rob" is short for Robyn; I love the urban fantasy genre, but there are very few male authors writing male characters that appeal to me. Actually, there are very few male authors in the genre in general! On the other hand, the story is just as good as the previous, she writes believable brotherly interaction, etc. I look forward to the next one in the series, if there is one. She has started a 2nd series, and this one ends on a note that _could_...more

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Jul 24, 2011 David rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Fourth book in Rob(yn) Thurman's Cal Leandros series, I found this one to be both slower moving and harder to get into than the previous novels in the series.

This, I believe, is also the first book in which Thurman splits the narration between the two brothers: the problem with that being, as another reviewer rightly pointed out, that both brothers 'sound' exactly the same, meaning that (quite often) it's easy to get confused about who is narrating! Would have worked better if each of the brothe...more

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About Rob Thurman

Rob Thurman is currently writing three series for Penguin Putnam's imprint ROC FANTASY, as well as a brand-new mainstream series for Simon & Schuster's POCKET BOOKS.
Rob has also written for a Charlaine Harris & Toni L.P. Kelner Anthology, WOLFSBANE AND MISTLETOE. This year, Rob contributed a post-apocalyptic, "grim" faerie tale Western to the anthology, COURTS OF THE FEY.

Rob's work is dark...more

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Quotes from Deathwish

“Memories - you can't escape them, but you can't let them rule you either.” — 22 people liked it

“You're so very good at that. The temper, the scowl. You must drink shots of testosterone in your morning coffee.” — 18 people liked it

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Deathwish (Cal Leandros #4)

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