I love this series. If you liked the Twilight series, but you prefer a more raunchy and more violent story, this is it (I'm not sure what that says about me, but it can't be good). This is a young adult novel, but has some themes that parents who want to shelter their children should be aware of - I haven't loaned it out to anyone under 17. The characters are interesting, the battle of good vs. evil is always entertaining, and there is some romance for the romantic in all of us. This is a series that I've been able to read more than once, maybe even more than twice. I don't give 5 stars often, and this isn't literary genius, but it is really fun to read. This author tried to re-create the magic from this series in a "prequel". Don't go there. Unless you want to read the same series about the same characters in a different historical time, don't bother. This one is the one to read.