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Dec 11, 2009

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" rated it:

I loved this book. It was very different and kept my interest in a way that a great urban fantasy should. I really fell in love with Cal and his brother Niko. I love books that show a positive view of siblings since I love my sister and get along so well with her. If you enjoy the relationship between Sam and Dean on Supernatural, you'd probably like this book for that reason. Some of the elements of their relationship bring to mind the Winchester brothers. Niko is a man that I could marry. Hi More...

30 comments like (27 people liked it)

Dec 22, 2007

Miss Dreadful rated it:

It's an interesting world, with lots of possibilities, but I definitely got a 'first novel' vibe. A bit clunky in places (esp. in the middle, when there's a kind of POV shift of sorts), and the narrator was ~~annoying~~ an asshole at times (though he is 19, so that could be on purpose). The brotherly interaction has a touch of Sam n' Dean, so SPN fans might dig it.

There was just a little too much, if you know what I mean. Does the older brother have to have long luxurious locks AND be More...

5 comments like (11 people liked it)

Apr 09, 2009

Anita rated it:

I think I've found my next favorite series. I LOVED the sarcastic humor, the well-imagined fantasy creatures, the relationships among characters, and the plot. (I didn't see the plot twists coming.) If you're a fan of Harry Dresden, you might like this series - it satisfied the same literary craving as the Dresden files from my perspective.

Basic storyline: Cal is half demon/Auphe/Grendel - whatever you want to call it. His mom got paid to give birth to him. (His mom was a drunk and a More...

8 comments like (7 people liked it)

May 13, 2010

Mel rated it:

A good start to a new UF series. This one is about two brothers, Cal and Niko, who have lived a life on the run, trying to escape the ghost… or better: monsters from their past. But the monsters have caught up with them.

My biggest problem was that I didn’t understand why the Big Bad was/were so bad. We were told the Grendels were horrible but we hardly witnessed, why.
The Grendels and Darkling felt a little cardboard. Or like a James Bond antogonist who is bad, but you don't r More...

21 comments like (3 people liked it)

May 29, 2008

Paxnirvana rated it:

I got half way through this, kept putting it down and picking it back up again. But I was forcing myself to read it. So I finally just stopped.

Why? Too much snark. Niko is too perfect, which is a liveable flaw, but damn it, Cal will just NOT SHUT UP with the snarky inner commentary. Some is apparently required in the Urban Fantasy genre, but constant? Really, move on with the story and quit with the quips for a minute, will you?

It annoys me more because what Mr. Thurma More...

2 comments like (9 people liked it)

Oct 14, 2007

Kati rated it:

This book feels like the TV show "Supernatural" in a paper format. And because I love that TV show, I also love this book. Two brothers running away from evil creatures, fighting, protecting each other, having no one to turn to for help. Until they meet a certain puck, a vampire girl and a psychic.

The book does have many cultural references that are rather hard to understand for someone who lives on a different continent though. It's not names and places but phrases that p More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Mar 21, 2011

Marcia rated it:

Three and a half stars. I liked this one, a lot more than I thought I would. I mean, it's UF, but featuring boy protagonists. It's like some crazy upside down world. Really, it was a nice change from the typical leather-clad heroine and her many supernatural suitors, and I'm glad to have found it. The book is well paced, and I generally enjoyed the tone -- lots of quality snark, and Thurman definitely has a gift for a glib simile.

I didn't feel like the separate narrative voices were More...

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 07, 2009

Lady Vale rated it:

Well...this book was different. I'm giving 3 stars to this one, I would give 3 1/2 if I could. I'm giving 3 because eventhough sometimes I felt bored, while I wasn't reading the book I was thinking that I needed to read it to know what would happen, LOL. So I guess I got hooked without even noticing it.

I must say that this book surprised me. I thought it wouldn't be a good book because of the slow beginning, but the ending was amazing.
I love to read first person books, so that More...

42 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jan 17, 2009

CD rated it:

It started out ok. Thurman has an interesting take on the Dark Elves and his world of trolls and boggles and a Puck is quite inventive. I was even ready to chomp into the relationship between the brothers Cal and Niko as that seemed so different than the other urban fantasy books I have read. However, the book is disappointing and I ended up skimming through to the end. There is a try for humor that falls flat. The characters are never really fleshed out and their relationship to each othe More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Oct 19, 2011

Kana rated it:

In a nutshell, I would say this book is not worth reading....or any of the authors work.

Issues:
The author used more metaphors than clear sentences, making the scenes extremely difficult to follow. Which lead to a general lack of interest, and I found my mind wandering, even in the most intense scenes. I didn't even realize I wasn't processing all of it. I had an overall sense of boredom.
There was a redundancy throughout the book that got on my nerves. 'Yes, he's the spa More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 17, 2009

Summer rated it:

In 'Nightlife' the main character is Caliban (Cal) Leandros and his half brother Niko. They share the same human mother, however Caliban has a Grendel for a father. Grendel is what the brothers call the monsters. And Caliban's father's specific breed of monster is elf. These elves are not pretty and serene in the Lord of the Rings kind of way. They're scary, violent, and have been watching Cal all his life. Several years ago the Grendels finally made a move and kidnapped Caliban and killed thei More...

3 comments like (5 people liked it)

Jan 15, 2010

Dorri rated it:

I picked up this series of books, mainly because I loved the cover artist. I'd loved Chris McGrath's cover art on the Dresden comics, so when I saw he had done a series of covers for this author, Rob Thurman, I figured I'd search out the books to see if they might be something I'd be interested in. Found the first one at B&N, read the back, sounded good so I picked it up. Read the first two in a couple of days (work interrupted me) and I'm currently working on the third. I love the snarkines More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Aug 08, 2011

Kindle-aholic rated it:

Just under 4 stars so rounding up.

Yep - I'm late to the party with this one, but that just means I don't have a long wait between books. If you like UF but haven't tried this one yet, I recommend it.

I liked the brother dynamic, Niko and Cal make for an entertaining read. The brotherly dynamic was believable and is probably my favorite part of the book. Robin Goodfellow - GREAT.

Sure, Cal is really cocky, but he's also freaked out of his gourd and his body is 2 More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Aug 24, 2011

Joey rated it:

First in a very fun series of supernatural adventure books. Similar in tone to TV shows like Supernatural, Buffy or Angel, though with a harder edge and more mythological bent, the story is told from the perspective of Cal Leandros, a self-described "half-monster" hybrid who, along with his older brother Niko, has been on the run from his monstrous heritage since they were children.

The first novel tells the story of how the two deal with Cal's non-human relatives - a race of More...

0 comments like

Aug 22, 2011

Hunter rated it:

Good Premise, I was impressed with the idea of the book and its potential and who doesnt love a good ass kicking antihero on the run right? Wrong. The potential of this book falls flat right as you finish the pro and never redeems itself. The writing from a male perspecive is wonderful and refreshing in a world were most fantasy books follow a heroine but the dialouge seems to constantly beat you over the head with the fact its written by a male. You cant go more than a few lines without them cu More...

0 comments like

Aug 13, 2011

Tal rated it:

There are monsters among us. There always have been and there always will be. I’ve known that since I can remember, just like I’ve always known I was one . . .

. . . Well, half of one, anyway.

Welcome to the Big Apple. There’s a troll under the Brooklyn Bridge, a boggle in Central Park, and a beautiful vampire in a penthouse on the Upper East Side – and that’s only the beginning. Of course, most humans are oblivious to the preternatural nightlife around them, but Cal Lean More...

0 comments like

Apr 22, 2011

Krystal rated it:

3 1/2 Stars

Caution: There is a lot of foul language and tons of violence. Some people aren't fond of that. If you're one of those people, you have been warned. :o)

Summary: Caliban "Cal" Leandros is only half human. His father's side of the family, the Grendels/Auphe/Evil Elves/Monsters wants to bring Cal into the fold, so to speak. Naturally, the thought of spending the rest of his life with dear ol' dad does not appeal to young Cal. With Niko, his health-obsessed, More...

0 comments like

Mar 26, 2011

***Dave rated it:

I really didn't like this novel for about the first 3/4 of its length.

Actually, I take that back -- I really didn't like the protagonist. Caliban Leandros is a half-monster, product of a scumbag fortune-telling woman, and one of the beastly elves known as the Auphe. He's half-monster who fights off his own monstrous impulses and lives a really sucky life.

And he tells you that, over, and over, and over. He's snide, he's snarky, he ends every paragraph with some pithy observ More...

0 comments like

Jan 01, 2011

Yolanda rated it:

I finished reading this book last night. During the duration of my reading I kept going through a don't like it... yeah, I like it... no, it's giving me the shits... yeah, it's great... rollercoaster of reactions. And I can't even tell you why.

The entire book was written beautifully. The strong bond between the two brothers is touching and real. The fact they keep running because the Grendels (monsters) were after Cal was also very interesting. So what was it that kept my mind switc More...

0 comments like

Dec 27, 2010

Kaisa rated it:

This book reminded me of The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan. And that's a good thing. I loved that book.
Being a huge fan of the CW show Supernatural, I heard about this book on a spn podcast. The speaker said that Cal (the main character of Nightlife) was very similar to Sam from season 6. I didn't agree at all. There's nothing about Cal that reminded me of Sam Winchester, soul or no soul.
But anyway, the book was good. The two main characters are half brothers, both willing to d More...

0 comments like

Jul 31, 2010

is mee... kissa rated it:

A pretty different world to the ones i'm used to... not the kind of troll that i was thinking of definitely...
so, our narrator is okay... i kind of like the sarcastic smart ass comments but sometimes they got to be just a little to much even for me, and his relationship with his brother does have the whole Sam 'n' Dean thing from Supernatural as other people have posted, so that was fun...

so we've got these new supernatural creatures, two brothers who fight to protect each oth More...

0 comments like

Mar 25, 2010

Pikachu rated it:

wow, what an obnoxious narrator! i was so, SO close to just giving up on this book because cal was so annoying. each chapter is delivered in the form of multiple paragraphs that are very long and unpalatable, laced with bitter sarcasm and multiple ad hominems. i think she was trying to go for one of those witty gumshoes, except that her protagonist is nineteen with a fourteen year-old's mentality (i'm not being mean, here; cal really did lose a couple years). so it doesn't really work; he comes More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Aug 26, 2009

Tina rated it:

A friend of mine had this book as an e-book and let me borrow it to read on my Kindle. I had no expectations whatsoever about this book. I had never heard of either the series or the author before. But my friend, who knows my tastes, thought I might like this.

I hadn't even planned to read it, just simply wanted to have it on my Kindle, just in case I ran out of other stuff to read. But i did start and once, started, found myself really sucked in.

Cal Leandros is half h More...

4 comments like (2 people liked it)

Sep 16, 2011

Contrarius rated it:

Hmmm. I think I'd give this about 3 1/2 stars, but I can't quite decide WHY.

This is an interesting take on the urban fantasy genre. In future volumes, evidently the brothers start up a PI agency (and therefore the books may become more "standard" UF) -- but in this one, they are on the run from baddies who want the younger brother Cal. Cal, you see, is only half human. His other half is "Auphe", this author's version of elves (really, really nasty hairy elves). I More...

0 comments like

Aug 19, 2010

Julia rated it:

Niko is a swords master and martial artist, but mostly he is bodyguard and protector for his little brother Cal. Cal’s full name is Caliban, his father was a demon. The brothers wind up in NYC, where they find a boggle in Central Park, a troll under the Brooklyn Bridge, and a gorgeous vampire in an Upper East Side penthouse. The demons on Cal’s side of the family, they call them Grendels, are coming for him, but Robin Goodfellow (yes, Puck!) joins in the rescue. Cal is a cynical, very funny narr More...

0 comments like

Feb 14, 2010

BookMarc rated it:

If you're not familiar with the author Rob Thurman think of her as a stainless steel knife...sharp, shiny and, if handled incorrectly, most definitely dangerous. Yes, Ms Thurman is the blade and with her writing she will pierce your mind, stab your funny bone and hold you prisoner with her strong characters and original story. Her narrative is unrequited pleasure for the brain and she has the interaction between the main characters dripping with sarcastic repartee and one liners that make you wi More...

0 comments like

Mar 31, 2008

Brownbetty rated it:

The characters have basic personalities, the premise could be interesting, and the pace is kept up, but the older brother's speech patterns were, I think, meant to be 'college educated' but instead read to me as 'failed/pretentious attempt to sound college educated," and made me kind of embarrassed on his behalf.

This book isn't terrible, but it's not great, either. I got two chapters in, and then realized I could be reading icanhascheezeburger.com instead, so I did.

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Jun 14, 2011

Starfire rated it:

Wow. Definitely enjoyed this book, although it was dark enough in places that I feel myself pining for some fluffy unicorns and rainbows for a bit now.

For me, this story was all about two things: the characters and the snark. Cal, the POV character, works for me, despite his occasional angstfests (hey, if I can survive Dante Valentine level angst, I can survive anything!)

Niko, his brother, does too, although that's easier to explain: it's all about the competence-pr0n. More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Sep 19, 2010

Ami rated it:

Cal Leandros knows a thing or two about nightmares and monsters. He is one of them. He is half-human, half demon -- from a demon father and a drunk human mother. When he is fourteen years old, his is kidnapped by bunch of Grendels (this is the term for the demons) and when he is returned two days later, naked and bloody with no memory what-so-ever about what happens, two years of his life has passed away. Yes, two days in real world, two years of hell. The only constant thing on Cal's life, besi More...

0 comments like

Dec 17, 2009

Jude rated it:

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. At first, it didn't seem to be anything too out of the ordinary, but there's an interesting twist around 2/3 of the way through the book that I didn't see coming. What makes it interesting isn't so much what happens but how he handled it from a narrative standpoint. Can't say much more without spoiling anything, but I really enjoyed the book overall and will definitely be checking out more of his stuff.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

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