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Kat Redding #1
To Walk the Night
Even a vampire has to face her inner demons…
Kat Redding is the very thing she hunts: a vampire, thirsting for blood, capable of killing any creature unlucky enough to get in her path. The difference is, Kat kills her own kind in order to protect human Purebloods. She’s good at what she does. Good enough to earn the nickname Lady Death—and the enmity of every bloodthirsty being around. But now a vampire Count is intent on merging his House with a werewolf cult to create a force of terrifying power.
Kat can’t allow that to happen. Even if it means taking on a den of weres and a vampire more ruthless than any she’s encountered before. She has the weapons, the skill, and a few allies. But that may not be enough to eliminate the Count before her own dark nature rises to the surface—and costs her whatever is left of her humanity…
Kat Redding is the very thing she hunts: a vampire, thirsting for blood, capable of killing any creature unlucky enough to get in her path. The difference is, Kat kills her own kind in order to protect human Purebloods. She’s good at what she does. Good enough to earn the nickname Lady Death—and the enmity of every bloodthirsty being around. But now a vampire Count is intent on merging his House with a werewolf cult to create a force of terrifying power.
Kat can’t allow that to happen. Even if it means taking on a den of weres and a vampire more ruthless than any she’s encountered before. She has the weapons, the skill, and a few allies. But that may not be enough to eliminate the Count before her own dark nature rises to the surface—and costs her whatever is left of her humanity…
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
January 2, 2012
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A true urban fantasy with a unique world and a kick ass heroine.
Opening Sentence: Blood dripped from the edge of my blade, falling soundlessly in the deathly quiet room.
The Review:
E.S. Moore has created a new world where monsters exist. His vampires and werewolves are the stuff of nightmares and the night is to be feared. To Walk the Night is the first installment of the Kat Redding series, a new gritty, urban fantasy.
Kat Redding is also known as “Lady Death” and is feared by all supernatural creatures. She kills the monsters that go bump in the night without mercy, to make the world a better place for the Purebloods. She is aggressive, tough and gritty, has major anger issues and she also happens to be a vampire herself. Turned against her will after she and her brother were captured during a failed hunt, she hates everything about herself and vows to take down as many monsters like her before she loses her humanity.
The world that Moore created is unique and compelling in the never-ending sea of vampire and werewolf books out there. His vampires and werewolves are truly monsters, well mostly. Humans or purebloods live in fear and go into hiding at night but otherwise live their lives during the day trying to forget that the monsters of legend truly exist. To Walk the Night is truly an urban fantasy and the only hint at a possible romance is in the last paragraphs.
Kat was born after the Uprising, when vampires and werewolves came out of the dark and took over the world. She and her brother hunted and killed the monsters until they were captured. Kat hates what she has become but she continues the fight. She refuses to let them win. In To Walk the Night, Kat learns that not all werewolves and vampires are monsters, that some actually strive to be better, like her.
Kat is approached by Jonathan and the Luna Cult; he wants her to help them take down a minor vampire house. She is used to working alone with her only help coming from a Pureblood, Ethan, that she rescued when she escaped and killed those who had captured and turned her. Ethan is the only person she trusts and the only person who knows who she truly is. She thinks the cult members are crazy because they worship the very monsters she kills, werewolves. Kat accepts the offer only because she wants the chance to take down a minor vampire house and she knows that she cannot allow them to gain control of the Luna Cult’s pureblooded members and their wolves.
To Walk the Night is slow on the uptake. I had a hard time getting into it, even though there was action and fighting from the start. I liked Kat and the other characters just fine; she is the kick ass heroine that I love. Although, I can’t put my finger on what exactly the problem was, I think it was the way the world was presented at first. The book starts with action from the first sentence, and the world building takes a back seat to that. It takes a while to become invested in the characters and their world and this makes it seem sluggish in the beginning, but once I learned about the world I was hooked.
Once I got past the slow beginning, I really enjoyed To Walk the Night and I look forward to reading the next installment to see what lies in wait for Kat.
Notable Scene:
“What the fuck?” I said, taking a step back. I knew silver didn’t seem to work against the former Cult wolves, but having his family jewels cut almost clean off should have kept the wolf down. I didn’t care how crazy you were; you didn’t get up from a wound like that.
The werewolf lunged at me; claws bared and ready to tear me apart. I just barely managed to slide around the blow. As I slipped around him, I jabbed him in the ribs with the tip of my sword, opening a gaping wound in his side. He growled with pain but stayed on his feet. He turned back to face me, ignoring the blood pouring from his body in appalling gushes.
Close combat was clearly not working. The wolf made another pass at me and I dodged him easily. The wounds might not be causing him as much pain as I would like, but they were still slowing him down. He staggered to the side and snarled in rage before charging again.
He never even came close to me and he howled in frustration. He sounded weak now, his howl more of a groan than anything. He was panting, frothing at the mouth in a red-tinged foam that splattered the floor at his feet. He glared at me and staggered forward a step. His motions were slow and deliberate, as if he had to think hard about putting each foot in front of the next. He lunged at me, only to come face-to-face with my modified Glock.
“Nighty night.”
There was a muffled thump as the bullet buried itself in his brain. He dropped to the floor, and this time, he stayed down.
“Get up from that, asshole,” I growled, turning to the rest of the battle raging around me.
The Kat Redding Series:
1. To Walk the Night
2. Tainted Night, Tainted Blood
FTC Advisory: Kensington Books provided me with a copy of To Walk the Night. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site.
Quick & Dirty: A true urban fantasy with a unique world and a kick ass heroine.
Opening Sentence: Blood dripped from the edge of my blade, falling soundlessly in the deathly quiet room.
The Review:
E.S. Moore has created a new world where monsters exist. His vampires and werewolves are the stuff of nightmares and the night is to be feared. To Walk the Night is the first installment of the Kat Redding series, a new gritty, urban fantasy.
Kat Redding is also known as “Lady Death” and is feared by all supernatural creatures. She kills the monsters that go bump in the night without mercy, to make the world a better place for the Purebloods. She is aggressive, tough and gritty, has major anger issues and she also happens to be a vampire herself. Turned against her will after she and her brother were captured during a failed hunt, she hates everything about herself and vows to take down as many monsters like her before she loses her humanity.
The world that Moore created is unique and compelling in the never-ending sea of vampire and werewolf books out there. His vampires and werewolves are truly monsters, well mostly. Humans or purebloods live in fear and go into hiding at night but otherwise live their lives during the day trying to forget that the monsters of legend truly exist. To Walk the Night is truly an urban fantasy and the only hint at a possible romance is in the last paragraphs.
Kat was born after the Uprising, when vampires and werewolves came out of the dark and took over the world. She and her brother hunted and killed the monsters until they were captured. Kat hates what she has become but she continues the fight. She refuses to let them win. In To Walk the Night, Kat learns that not all werewolves and vampires are monsters, that some actually strive to be better, like her.
Kat is approached by Jonathan and the Luna Cult; he wants her to help them take down a minor vampire house. She is used to working alone with her only help coming from a Pureblood, Ethan, that she rescued when she escaped and killed those who had captured and turned her. Ethan is the only person she trusts and the only person who knows who she truly is. She thinks the cult members are crazy because they worship the very monsters she kills, werewolves. Kat accepts the offer only because she wants the chance to take down a minor vampire house and she knows that she cannot allow them to gain control of the Luna Cult’s pureblooded members and their wolves.
To Walk the Night is slow on the uptake. I had a hard time getting into it, even though there was action and fighting from the start. I liked Kat and the other characters just fine; she is the kick ass heroine that I love. Although, I can’t put my finger on what exactly the problem was, I think it was the way the world was presented at first. The book starts with action from the first sentence, and the world building takes a back seat to that. It takes a while to become invested in the characters and their world and this makes it seem sluggish in the beginning, but once I learned about the world I was hooked.
Once I got past the slow beginning, I really enjoyed To Walk the Night and I look forward to reading the next installment to see what lies in wait for Kat.
Notable Scene:
“What the fuck?” I said, taking a step back. I knew silver didn’t seem to work against the former Cult wolves, but having his family jewels cut almost clean off should have kept the wolf down. I didn’t care how crazy you were; you didn’t get up from a wound like that.
The werewolf lunged at me; claws bared and ready to tear me apart. I just barely managed to slide around the blow. As I slipped around him, I jabbed him in the ribs with the tip of my sword, opening a gaping wound in his side. He growled with pain but stayed on his feet. He turned back to face me, ignoring the blood pouring from his body in appalling gushes.
Close combat was clearly not working. The wolf made another pass at me and I dodged him easily. The wounds might not be causing him as much pain as I would like, but they were still slowing him down. He staggered to the side and snarled in rage before charging again.
He never even came close to me and he howled in frustration. He sounded weak now, his howl more of a groan than anything. He was panting, frothing at the mouth in a red-tinged foam that splattered the floor at his feet. He glared at me and staggered forward a step. His motions were slow and deliberate, as if he had to think hard about putting each foot in front of the next. He lunged at me, only to come face-to-face with my modified Glock.
“Nighty night.”
There was a muffled thump as the bullet buried itself in his brain. He dropped to the floor, and this time, he stayed down.
“Get up from that, asshole,” I growled, turning to the rest of the battle raging around me.
The Kat Redding Series:
1. To Walk the Night
2. Tainted Night, Tainted Blood
FTC Advisory: Kensington Books provided me with a copy of To Walk the Night. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site.
June 18, 2012
"To Walk the Night" is a non-stop action packed read. Unfortunately, it was light on relationship building and devoid of humor.
Kat Redding is a vampire. While taking out a major vampire count and his cove, she and her brother were attacked. She was turned into a vampire and her brother was turned into a montstrous vampire/werewolf hybrid. Although she managed to excaped with Ethan, one of the human hostages, her entire family was wiped out in retribution. Ethan now lives with her serving as her man friday. He makes her weapons and any other toolsshe may need to take out other covens that pose a risk to human society.
After completing a job, Kat or 'Lady Death' as she is known to her enemies, comes home only to discover someone has broken into her home. The intruder has come to deliver a message but got carried away with his curiosity and wanted to know how Lady Death lived. Unfortunately for him, he will not live to tell the tell. The message he was asked to bring was that the local cult wants to meet with her. Kat is sure that this is a trap but decides that she will investigate. What she discovers is that Johnathan, acting head of the cult needs her assistance in retriving his superior and stopping a merger of sorts between a vampire coven and a were pack to form a deadly union that will have the dire consequences of taking out many humans. Although Kat is not fully comfortable with this partnership, she is willing to join in.
No matter how well you prepare, nothing ever goes smoothly and this job is no exception. What Kat will discover is betrayals, deadly opponents and more action than she has seen in some time.
While I found the writing was very good and the action was superb, the story was devoid of emotions or humor. Kat is a brooding, depressed and detached character which in turn left me feeling less invested in her or the story. Don't get me wrong, she is definitely a kick butt, take no prisoners kind of girl but I am not sure that I like her. Additionally, the story took itself too seriously. For me the stories that I love the best are those that have a nice range of emotions: mystery, intrigue, action, humor and lust. Only two of these characteristic were present in this book. I am sure that I will not be going on with the series even though I was moderately entertained. I am really weary right now about reading moderately entertaining books. I will just have to be more selective when selecting new materials.
Kat Redding is a vampire. While taking out a major vampire count and his cove, she and her brother were attacked. She was turned into a vampire and her brother was turned into a montstrous vampire/werewolf hybrid. Although she managed to excaped with Ethan, one of the human hostages, her entire family was wiped out in retribution. Ethan now lives with her serving as her man friday. He makes her weapons and any other toolsshe may need to take out other covens that pose a risk to human society.
After completing a job, Kat or 'Lady Death' as she is known to her enemies, comes home only to discover someone has broken into her home. The intruder has come to deliver a message but got carried away with his curiosity and wanted to know how Lady Death lived. Unfortunately for him, he will not live to tell the tell. The message he was asked to bring was that the local cult wants to meet with her. Kat is sure that this is a trap but decides that she will investigate. What she discovers is that Johnathan, acting head of the cult needs her assistance in retriving his superior and stopping a merger of sorts between a vampire coven and a were pack to form a deadly union that will have the dire consequences of taking out many humans. Although Kat is not fully comfortable with this partnership, she is willing to join in.
No matter how well you prepare, nothing ever goes smoothly and this job is no exception. What Kat will discover is betrayals, deadly opponents and more action than she has seen in some time.
While I found the writing was very good and the action was superb, the story was devoid of emotions or humor. Kat is a brooding, depressed and detached character which in turn left me feeling less invested in her or the story. Don't get me wrong, she is definitely a kick butt, take no prisoners kind of girl but I am not sure that I like her. Additionally, the story took itself too seriously. For me the stories that I love the best are those that have a nice range of emotions: mystery, intrigue, action, humor and lust. Only two of these characteristic were present in this book. I am sure that I will not be going on with the series even though I was moderately entertained. I am really weary right now about reading moderately entertaining books. I will just have to be more selective when selecting new materials.
July 26, 2013
Page 44: The main character is being stalked by somebody after leaving a bar, and I just. don't. care.
I could take the infodumping (I've seen worse). I don't mind werewolves and vampires, at least in theory (I've read some good books featuring them). I could live with the garden-variety urban-fantasy writing (I've seen much worse). Vigilante anti-vampire vampire with her very own techno-Igor? Okay, sure, let's see how it goes.
It's the world-building. I'm kind of a world-building connoisseur, I guess. In these 40-odd pages, we are informed that not all that long ago, the vampires and werewolves rose up and took over the night (and in the werewolves' cases, part of the day). The "Pureblood" authorities don't even bother to try reining them in, so folks cower inside their houses every night, hoping their number doesn't come up.
This, in the United States. (Somewhere. It could be anywhere in the U.S., as long as it's a city and basements are standard issue, because there is nothing in the text that identifies the location.)
As I was saying, in the United States, the best-armed nation in the world outside of actual active war zones, we are asked to believe that supernatural creatures that are completely vulnerable during the day are able to run wild and uncontrolled. Ruling the night and all that.
Nuh-uh. Sorry. Not buying it. The military, police, random citizens, and the CDC would all have a lot to say about it.
Then there's the fact that we are also asked to believe that in this context, there is still gasoline for motorcycles, electricity, and all the accoutrements of modern life. I don't buy that either. The industrialized world has a 24-hour economy; take 8 hours or more out of it, add a terrorized populace, and things would totally fall apart.
The fact that I don't care about the main character may be due partly to my trying to ignore these world-building flaws, but upon reflection I think it's also because the character comes across to me as flat, like a typical action-movie hero. The world-building, now that I think about it, is movie-level too - if everything moves fast enough, the viewer won't notice the flaws till it's over (and maybe not even then).
It's not bad enough to deserve one star, but I'm not going to finish it or seek out the sequels. It's just not for me.
I could take the infodumping (I've seen worse). I don't mind werewolves and vampires, at least in theory (I've read some good books featuring them). I could live with the garden-variety urban-fantasy writing (I've seen much worse). Vigilante anti-vampire vampire with her very own techno-Igor? Okay, sure, let's see how it goes.
It's the world-building. I'm kind of a world-building connoisseur, I guess. In these 40-odd pages, we are informed that not all that long ago, the vampires and werewolves rose up and took over the night (and in the werewolves' cases, part of the day). The "Pureblood" authorities don't even bother to try reining them in, so folks cower inside their houses every night, hoping their number doesn't come up.
This, in the United States. (Somewhere. It could be anywhere in the U.S., as long as it's a city and basements are standard issue, because there is nothing in the text that identifies the location.)
As I was saying, in the United States, the best-armed nation in the world outside of actual active war zones, we are asked to believe that supernatural creatures that are completely vulnerable during the day are able to run wild and uncontrolled. Ruling the night and all that.
Nuh-uh. Sorry. Not buying it. The military, police, random citizens, and the CDC would all have a lot to say about it.
Then there's the fact that we are also asked to believe that in this context, there is still gasoline for motorcycles, electricity, and all the accoutrements of modern life. I don't buy that either. The industrialized world has a 24-hour economy; take 8 hours or more out of it, add a terrorized populace, and things would totally fall apart.
The fact that I don't care about the main character may be due partly to my trying to ignore these world-building flaws, but upon reflection I think it's also because the character comes across to me as flat, like a typical action-movie hero. The world-building, now that I think about it, is movie-level too - if everything moves fast enough, the viewer won't notice the flaws till it's over (and maybe not even then).
It's not bad enough to deserve one star, but I'm not going to finish it or seek out the sequels. It's just not for me.
June 3, 2012
*Rating* 3.0
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Review*
"A droplet of blood slid down the blade of my sword, then hung from the tip. It quivered there elongated, and then dropped with a faint plink."
Eric S. Moore's "To Walk The Night" is the first novel in the Kat Redding series. Kat is nicknamed Lady Death by the vampire houses that fear her ability to kill without any remorse or hesitation.
Kat lives in a world filled with vampires and werewolves who walk the night, while Pure-breeds, (Humans) tread softly in the daytime. There are still some pure-breeds who roam the night looking for action and the thrill of being near a supernatural being to their own detriment.
"Humans as a whole had pretty much rolled over during the Uprising. They gave the vampires the night, hoping they would be left alone during the day. It worked to a point. At least until a vampire or werewolf showed up in the dead of night and killed your daughter."
Kat is aggressive, bad tempered, tough, gritty, and has trying to hold back her aggression for fear that she will permanently lose all aspects of her former humanity.
If you haven't already guessed, Kat is a vampire but not by choice. She was turned against her will after she and her brother Thomas were captured during a failed hunt of vampires and werewolves. Her brother hasn't been seen since and is presumed to have been killed.
Kat has a minion named Ethan who makes all her weapons. Kat and Ethan were held by the same vampire, Valentino, who turned Kat and made her brother insane with both vampire and werewolf viruses. Kat and Ethan also lost their entire families thanks to Valentino and his wolves.
Kat gets a lesson in reality that not all supernatural creatures are bad when Jonathan Allucard from the Luna Cult approaches her about destroying the Tremaine House and retrieving their missing leader. The Luna Cult is considered to be the bottom rung of the pure-breed society with the desire to be around werewolves and worship them. But, the Luna Cult is being culled into being Oath Bound by Tremaine and his vamps and weres so that they can move up in the vampire hierarchy.
The story starts out with a bang and ends with a hint for a potential romance between Kat and another character or two. It’s an interesting world that Moore has created where the night is no longer safe for humanity no matter how hard pure-breeds go to protect themselves.
I would have liked to see more of Kat’s background including her being turned into the one thing she hates the most; a vampire. I would also like to learn more about what happened to her brother Thomas and can only hope that is answered in future releases. The overall story moves kind of slow since there is so much of the world building that needs to be explained.
Overall, To Walk The Night is a decent start to the series. Unlike other first novels, there was a good spread between world building, character building, and action. Learning about Kat and why she hunts her own kind was just the top layer of the cake. Thankfully for TWTN there wasn’t any sort of cliffhanger which leaves more room for Tainted Night, Tainted Blood to pick up the slack with a totally different storyline.
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Review*
"A droplet of blood slid down the blade of my sword, then hung from the tip. It quivered there elongated, and then dropped with a faint plink."
Eric S. Moore's "To Walk The Night" is the first novel in the Kat Redding series. Kat is nicknamed Lady Death by the vampire houses that fear her ability to kill without any remorse or hesitation.
Kat lives in a world filled with vampires and werewolves who walk the night, while Pure-breeds, (Humans) tread softly in the daytime. There are still some pure-breeds who roam the night looking for action and the thrill of being near a supernatural being to their own detriment.
"Humans as a whole had pretty much rolled over during the Uprising. They gave the vampires the night, hoping they would be left alone during the day. It worked to a point. At least until a vampire or werewolf showed up in the dead of night and killed your daughter."
Kat is aggressive, bad tempered, tough, gritty, and has trying to hold back her aggression for fear that she will permanently lose all aspects of her former humanity.
If you haven't already guessed, Kat is a vampire but not by choice. She was turned against her will after she and her brother Thomas were captured during a failed hunt of vampires and werewolves. Her brother hasn't been seen since and is presumed to have been killed.
Kat has a minion named Ethan who makes all her weapons. Kat and Ethan were held by the same vampire, Valentino, who turned Kat and made her brother insane with both vampire and werewolf viruses. Kat and Ethan also lost their entire families thanks to Valentino and his wolves.
Kat gets a lesson in reality that not all supernatural creatures are bad when Jonathan Allucard from the Luna Cult approaches her about destroying the Tremaine House and retrieving their missing leader. The Luna Cult is considered to be the bottom rung of the pure-breed society with the desire to be around werewolves and worship them. But, the Luna Cult is being culled into being Oath Bound by Tremaine and his vamps and weres so that they can move up in the vampire hierarchy.
The story starts out with a bang and ends with a hint for a potential romance between Kat and another character or two. It’s an interesting world that Moore has created where the night is no longer safe for humanity no matter how hard pure-breeds go to protect themselves.
I would have liked to see more of Kat’s background including her being turned into the one thing she hates the most; a vampire. I would also like to learn more about what happened to her brother Thomas and can only hope that is answered in future releases. The overall story moves kind of slow since there is so much of the world building that needs to be explained.
Overall, To Walk The Night is a decent start to the series. Unlike other first novels, there was a good spread between world building, character building, and action. Learning about Kat and why she hunts her own kind was just the top layer of the cake. Thankfully for TWTN there wasn’t any sort of cliffhanger which leaves more room for Tainted Night, Tainted Blood to pick up the slack with a totally different storyline.
February 26, 2023
Kat was turned into a vampire against her will. Now called Lady Death, she takes out evil vampires (and werewolves) who indiscriminately kill humans (Pure Bloods). Ethan is a human who assists her and one of the only people she considers a friend.
I had a hard time really liking this. Kat is a difficult character to connect with. I'm not sure I liked her. This was also a little more violent and action packed than I expected. There is also no romance in this either. All in all, not for me.
I had a hard time really liking this. Kat is a difficult character to connect with. I'm not sure I liked her. This was also a little more violent and action packed than I expected. There is also no romance in this either. All in all, not for me.
December 27, 2023
I did not like this one. Which is a shame, really, because there were some fun ideas in the book and the initial world building was pretty well done. The origins of the main character, as well as the origins of her abilities, are dealt with in a decent way and show that this story had potential.
Bad points:
(i) This book cried out for a good editor. There were numerous grammatical mistakes, some spelling mistakes, as well as numerous instances where the wrong word was used in a sentence.
(ii) The writing had a general 'sophomoric' feel to it. In other words, this was the author's first novel, and it showed. One example of this is the fact that certain segments of the novel, for instance, felt superfluous. An example would be the (long!) 'scene' where the main character suspects that someone may have sneaked into her house, which leads her to search the house. No one is in the house, and this whole part of the novel felt like a useless (and pretty darn boring!) addition to the story.
(iii) The main character has several instances of the TSTL (i.e. 'too stupid to live') syndrome. ;-) In other words, for a girl who is reputedly intelligent, it takes her rather a long time to comprehend various things throughout the novel. One particular example is the final plan for getting into the evil peoples' lair... Where the extent of the brilliant plan is for the main character to sneak in through a window while her new allies come in through the front door. (!) Another example is that, during a battle she finally hands over a knife to a (very new) ally she doesn't know very well, before turning her back on him and getting stabbed with her own knife for her trouble (i.e. by said ally).
(iv) The main character quickly displays the annoying characteristic of 'barreling though' various situations without ever thinking them through. Ever. 'Cause she's not big on THINKING, our girl.
(v) We are supposed to like the main character, but several of her choices are at best questionable, in ethical terms. For instance, she kills a fellow who breaks into her house, as she does not want anyone to know where she lives (i.e. the fellow came to bring her a message). She never even considers the possibility of detaining him, for instance.
(vi) The side characters were not particularly interesting to me. They came across as pretty boring, actually. This may have been a result of the fact that their stories are dealt with only briefly, if at all, so that they never got a chance to feel *real* to the reader.
(vii) The plot did not 'grip' me. As I mentioned above, several parts of the story felt superfluous and could simple have been omitted. As for the rest, I got to the end and was left thinking, "That was it?". This was, I believe, partly a result of the fact that I didn't care about the characters, partly a result of the main character 'barreling through' most situations, and partly a result of the fact that the entire story felt rather unoriginal and anti-climactic (i.e. the theme of the 'good' vampire fighting the bad vampires has been done before and this novel did not approach it in any truly different way).
Anyways, just MHO.
Bad points:
(i) This book cried out for a good editor. There were numerous grammatical mistakes, some spelling mistakes, as well as numerous instances where the wrong word was used in a sentence.
(ii) The writing had a general 'sophomoric' feel to it. In other words, this was the author's first novel, and it showed. One example of this is the fact that certain segments of the novel, for instance, felt superfluous. An example would be the (long!) 'scene' where the main character suspects that someone may have sneaked into her house, which leads her to search the house. No one is in the house, and this whole part of the novel felt like a useless (and pretty darn boring!) addition to the story.
(iii) The main character has several instances of the TSTL (i.e. 'too stupid to live') syndrome. ;-) In other words, for a girl who is reputedly intelligent, it takes her rather a long time to comprehend various things throughout the novel. One particular example is the final plan for getting into the evil peoples' lair... Where the extent of the brilliant plan is for the main character to sneak in through a window while her new allies come in through the front door. (!) Another example is that, during a battle she finally hands over a knife to a (very new) ally she doesn't know very well, before turning her back on him and getting stabbed with her own knife for her trouble (i.e. by said ally).
(iv) The main character quickly displays the annoying characteristic of 'barreling though' various situations without ever thinking them through. Ever. 'Cause she's not big on THINKING, our girl.
(v) We are supposed to like the main character, but several of her choices are at best questionable, in ethical terms. For instance, she kills a fellow who breaks into her house, as she does not want anyone to know where she lives (i.e. the fellow came to bring her a message). She never even considers the possibility of detaining him, for instance.
(vi) The side characters were not particularly interesting to me. They came across as pretty boring, actually. This may have been a result of the fact that their stories are dealt with only briefly, if at all, so that they never got a chance to feel *real* to the reader.
(vii) The plot did not 'grip' me. As I mentioned above, several parts of the story felt superfluous and could simple have been omitted. As for the rest, I got to the end and was left thinking, "That was it?". This was, I believe, partly a result of the fact that I didn't care about the characters, partly a result of the main character 'barreling through' most situations, and partly a result of the fact that the entire story felt rather unoriginal and anti-climactic (i.e. the theme of the 'good' vampire fighting the bad vampires has been done before and this novel did not approach it in any truly different way).
Anyways, just MHO.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2012
My English Review
Mon avis en français
I was immediately intrigued by this book when I first saw it on a blog. I have to say I'm not used to read Urban Fantasy stories featuring a heroine and written by a man. I therefore was very curious to see if it would make any difference with the other books I had the pleasure to read. And it’s true, there are some dissimilar points. I know it's the first book of a new series and it really establishes the whole universe and the characters, but I think this novel is a lot more based on action than on feelings, unlike a lot of books in this genre. It’s not a problem, not at all, it’s even pleasant to have something like this. It allows us to get into a story a little different, which is always nice.
We therefore discover a new heroine, Kat Redding, who had a very difficult life and became stronger because of it. So many things happened in her life, some really bad stuff. We can only admire the person she has become after losing so much all over the years. It was nice to see her evolve with Ethan who is very different from her, and at the same time they have a lot in common. Each completes each other perfectly. The world where all these persons evolve is very fascinating. Indeed, the author has created a society that mixes vampires, werewolves and humans and is different from what we usually read. The world had completely changed and some houses led by vampires are used to keep enslaved werewolves who don't have any choices other than to obey the orders.
We will discover all along the story some new characters like Jonathan who is very interesting and intriguing. Indeed from the start we just want to learn more about him. I hope we are going to in the second volume; same goes for Ethan because we don’t know a lot about him at the end of the story either. So, here, we have a little introduction about all the characters and we can only hope for more now.
The writing style is fluid, dictated by the constant Action, the fights are quite amazing and always very well described. This is a great thing because they are very important to the story.
To conclude, I would like to say that this book is a beautiful surprise. Different from the other books in this genre so I would understand if some would have difficulties to read it, but it's a perfect choice for those who love Action.
Mon avis en français
I was immediately intrigued by this book when I first saw it on a blog. I have to say I'm not used to read Urban Fantasy stories featuring a heroine and written by a man. I therefore was very curious to see if it would make any difference with the other books I had the pleasure to read. And it’s true, there are some dissimilar points. I know it's the first book of a new series and it really establishes the whole universe and the characters, but I think this novel is a lot more based on action than on feelings, unlike a lot of books in this genre. It’s not a problem, not at all, it’s even pleasant to have something like this. It allows us to get into a story a little different, which is always nice.
We therefore discover a new heroine, Kat Redding, who had a very difficult life and became stronger because of it. So many things happened in her life, some really bad stuff. We can only admire the person she has become after losing so much all over the years. It was nice to see her evolve with Ethan who is very different from her, and at the same time they have a lot in common. Each completes each other perfectly. The world where all these persons evolve is very fascinating. Indeed, the author has created a society that mixes vampires, werewolves and humans and is different from what we usually read. The world had completely changed and some houses led by vampires are used to keep enslaved werewolves who don't have any choices other than to obey the orders.
We will discover all along the story some new characters like Jonathan who is very interesting and intriguing. Indeed from the start we just want to learn more about him. I hope we are going to in the second volume; same goes for Ethan because we don’t know a lot about him at the end of the story either. So, here, we have a little introduction about all the characters and we can only hope for more now.
The writing style is fluid, dictated by the constant Action, the fights are quite amazing and always very well described. This is a great thing because they are very important to the story.
To conclude, I would like to say that this book is a beautiful surprise. Different from the other books in this genre so I would understand if some would have difficulties to read it, but it's a perfect choice for those who love Action.
January 19, 2012
This book more than lives up to it’s kick butt cover art in terms of menace; fans of a darker, grittier brand of urban fantasy will love E. S. Moore’s TO WALK THE NIGHT. Kat Redding stalks through the underbelly of a changed but recognizable version of our world, striking fear in the hearts of the predators that prey upon ordinary humans. It was almost impossible not to imagine Kate Beckinsale’s leather-clad form as Kat, but unfortunately, no scruffy and handsome leading man appeared to fight by her side.
That lack of romance was one mark against TO WALK THE NIGHT, but my largest issue overall was the ambiguity of all the characters introduced. Everyone in this book, including Kat herself, has dark secrets and feet of clay. With so many conflicting good/evil signals bouncing around I had a hard time getting invested in any side of the conflict. There were a number of cinematic fight scenes and some interesting mythology details (I particularly liked vampire fangs cutting their gums when they emerge, a la Wolverine’s claws), but pure mythology and action was not enough to keep me focused when I was unsure who I should really be rooting for.
Though things lagged for me in the middle, the book manages to end on a high note that has piqued my interest for book two. TAINTED NIGHT, TAINTED BLOOD will be available this summer, and since many of my favorite series started with a slow burning book one, I’m hoping that book two will delve a little deeper into the characters introduced in TO WALK THE NIGHT.
Sexual Content: Attempted rape, mention of sexual abuse.
That lack of romance was one mark against TO WALK THE NIGHT, but my largest issue overall was the ambiguity of all the characters introduced. Everyone in this book, including Kat herself, has dark secrets and feet of clay. With so many conflicting good/evil signals bouncing around I had a hard time getting invested in any side of the conflict. There were a number of cinematic fight scenes and some interesting mythology details (I particularly liked vampire fangs cutting their gums when they emerge, a la Wolverine’s claws), but pure mythology and action was not enough to keep me focused when I was unsure who I should really be rooting for.
Though things lagged for me in the middle, the book manages to end on a high note that has piqued my interest for book two. TAINTED NIGHT, TAINTED BLOOD will be available this summer, and since many of my favorite series started with a slow burning book one, I’m hoping that book two will delve a little deeper into the characters introduced in TO WALK THE NIGHT.
Sexual Content: Attempted rape, mention of sexual abuse.
June 20, 2012
Kat Redding is a vampire known as Lady Death. She spends her life by killing the Others who have done bad things. Her only friend is Ethan, a human whom she saved years ago, while she escaped from the horrific tragedy that wiped her family and turned her vampired. Nobody knows who she really is or where she lives; she kills those who do. One day, a man from Luna Cult (the worshipped werewolves) asks for her help to save their leader who has been captured by a vampire. Kat decides to help. But things never really run that smoothly, don't they?
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I completely agree with one of the reviewers that says that this book, "was light on relationship building and devoid of humor".
While the story is action-packed and quite well written, I find it lacking of something that can make me feel emotionally caring for the characters. Sure, Kat kicks ass, but the way she carries herself, makes her detached from others. Even from Ethan, as the only human she calls friend. It makes the whole story too hygienic (and far too serious) for my taste. I don't mind the gruesome killing or blood, I am not always looking for romance, BUT I also wish the characters to connect to each other, no matter how messed up or dysfunctional it could be.
I don't think I will read the next book. Luckily, this one feel like a stand-alone already, since Kat is able to carry her mission in the end. So I don't think I miss anything if I stop by this first book.
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I completely agree with one of the reviewers that says that this book, "was light on relationship building and devoid of humor".
While the story is action-packed and quite well written, I find it lacking of something that can make me feel emotionally caring for the characters. Sure, Kat kicks ass, but the way she carries herself, makes her detached from others. Even from Ethan, as the only human she calls friend. It makes the whole story too hygienic (and far too serious) for my taste. I don't mind the gruesome killing or blood, I am not always looking for romance, BUT I also wish the characters to connect to each other, no matter how messed up or dysfunctional it could be.
I don't think I will read the next book. Luckily, this one feel like a stand-alone already, since Kat is able to carry her mission in the end. So I don't think I miss anything if I stop by this first book.
June 24, 2012
3 1/2
Gritty: yes
Dark: yes
Ambiguous (as in no black and white choices): yes
Kick-ass heroine: yep
This UF had all the landmarks of my preferred stories. And I can't deny it delivers.
My somewhat lower mark is linked to some confusion and heroine character development that is not always coherent.
There's some world-building, easily integrated into the story as Kat's background. But some things weren't clear. Vamps and weres have tainted blood (and this is repeated over and over), but what exactly this taint is? It doesn't seem to be (only) the "magic/virus/whatever" that turns you into a monster. As a vamp you can get more tainted. (uh?)
What didn't really add up is how Kat came to be known as Lady Death given the amount of mistakes or wrong choices she makes. She comes out as young, which in vamp terms she surely is. So, clearly she is a killer (kind of Anita first books: kill first, questions later), but this good... mmmm not convinced. At times she is fully paranoid, but then she has no problem in trusting people for apparently not a (good) reason.
(And too many people know of her. How come the vamps haven't come at her in 20 years? Snitch confidentiality is somewhat weak.)
Still, she pays a price for her actions and survives due to luck and other people's help. She fights her own internal monster. So, even if TSTL at times, she is sympathetic and feels real enough.
I'll be waiting to read where she'll go next.
Gritty: yes
Dark: yes
Ambiguous (as in no black and white choices): yes
Kick-ass heroine: yep
This UF had all the landmarks of my preferred stories. And I can't deny it delivers.
My somewhat lower mark is linked to some confusion and heroine character development that is not always coherent.
There's some world-building, easily integrated into the story as Kat's background. But some things weren't clear. Vamps and weres have tainted blood (and this is repeated over and over), but what exactly this taint is? It doesn't seem to be (only) the "magic/virus/whatever" that turns you into a monster. As a vamp you can get more tainted. (uh?)
What didn't really add up is how Kat came to be known as Lady Death given the amount of mistakes or wrong choices she makes. She comes out as young, which in vamp terms she surely is. So, clearly she is a killer (kind of Anita first books: kill first, questions later), but this good... mmmm not convinced. At times she is fully paranoid, but then she has no problem in trusting people for apparently not a (good) reason.
(And too many people know of her. How come the vamps haven't come at her in 20 years? Snitch confidentiality is somewhat weak.)
Still, she pays a price for her actions and survives due to luck and other people's help. She fights her own internal monster. So, even if TSTL at times, she is sympathetic and feels real enough.
I'll be waiting to read where she'll go next.
January 22, 2012
To Walk the Night is the dark, gory first installment in E.S. Moore's Kat Redding series. I did find myself somewhat bored for a little bit, as there is so much world building in the beginning. I call this my first book blues. Most Urban Fantasy series that I love suffer this, but I appreciate all the fascinating world building... Really pays off in the books to come. I'll definitely be reading Kat Redding #2.
The plot really hits off about halfway through, and then the story really flowed. This is a violent, gritty Urban Fantasy novel, so if you're looking for a lot of romance, this isn't the book for you. It is well written, has great flow and is easy to follow. The ride you take with Kat is an entertaining one.
Kat Redding is super badass. I mean, they call her Lady Death. I had a hard time connecting with Kat. I need to be able to relate to my heroine better than I could here, which is the only reason this didn't get four robots. I just couldn't understand some of her decisions. Regardless, there is endless action and a fascinating world that kept me flipping the pages. I highly recommend this book to any Urban Fantasy fan out there. I think E.S. Moore is really going to deliver in the sequel!
The plot really hits off about halfway through, and then the story really flowed. This is a violent, gritty Urban Fantasy novel, so if you're looking for a lot of romance, this isn't the book for you. It is well written, has great flow and is easy to follow. The ride you take with Kat is an entertaining one.
Kat Redding is super badass. I mean, they call her Lady Death. I had a hard time connecting with Kat. I need to be able to relate to my heroine better than I could here, which is the only reason this didn't get four robots. I just couldn't understand some of her decisions. Regardless, there is endless action and a fascinating world that kept me flipping the pages. I highly recommend this book to any Urban Fantasy fan out there. I think E.S. Moore is really going to deliver in the sequel!
December 10, 2013
Super surprised by all the low ratings, it is a real promising UF series. I look forward to reading the rest in the series.
August 29, 2014
A leather clad vampire named Lady Death who slays werewolves and other vampires.
Wasn't there a series of movies about this?
Now I expected there to be a passing resemblance based off the blurb about the book. Yet what I didn't expect were the sheer amount of issues that would leave me wanting to throw this novel across the room. Yes, there were parts to the novel that were enjoyable, but for the most part I couldn't get over the glaring issues with the story.
It all started with a pure silver katana. That's right, pure silver. There was a reason silver was never used for bladed weapons. Moore does mention that the cutting edge deformed when it hit another weapon, but only once. (not to mention, apparently Kat is unaware that the katana was designed so the back side of the blade was made to block, or that with most swords you block with the side so as not to damage the cutting edge) Also take into consideration that silver is illegal (something that is laughably unrealistic) and thus impossible to get, a vampire decked out with all sorts of silver weapons seems unrealistic.
But wait, her weapon smith gets it from This wouldn't be so hard to believe, except it comes about mid-way through the novel and out of nowhere. The human has been keeping this secret from her for a long time, yet suddenly gives it up just because she asks. Given that he is terrified of her response to his answer, how the heck has he avoided her discovering this before that moment, and why is suddenly telling her now? Is it just because she asked?
And the out of nowhere when up until this point, we have only heard of vampires and werewolves who have been explained as a blood condition. Moore, at no point prior to this moment, ever hints that there could be these creatures around. Instead, all we have heard about are the two species this novel is about and nothing more. This creates an amateurish feel to the novel and feels silly when it is revealed. Kat's willingness to brush it off after raging shortly after the discovery also felt unrealistic. If this is a huge deal, and extremely dangerous, then why is she suddenly so willing to shrug her shoulders and never mention it again for the rest of the novel?
This brings us to Kat herself. By all appearances by description, she appears to be a total badass. She's deadly, she rides a motorcycle, and has a massive grudge against vampires and werewolves who kill normal people. She also doesn't trust anyone except the human who repairs her equipment. (Yet for some reason she hands over her knife to someone who was almost a stranger simply because he badgered her during a fight scene...) Kat appears to have problems thinking ahead and planning. Instead she runs around like a male's stereotype of what a strong woman should look like.
Now, just like the rest of her kin, Kat has to feed every so often, but it has to be human blood. This of course creates a problem, except she feeds on evil people. Moore tries to make her sympathetic by giving her a massive moral dilemma after feeding on a man who almost kills a woman. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the criminal, it's hard to share Kat's moral moment or find anything to relate to with her.
Then there's the fact that she doesn't trust any other vampire or werewolf, and thinks they all have to die. The thing is, Moore's vamps and weres are all people who have been turned. They aren't born monsters, they are people who have turned. Somehow though, they lose all relation to what made them human... except Kat. Somehow she is the only vampire in this novel who still remembers what it is like to be human.
Add in that when the vampires and werewolves appeared, suddenly mankind turned a blind eye to them despite the multitude of deaths and let them have the night while pretending they don't exist during the day. Out of everything I have issues with in this novel, this is the biggest one. That Moore believes mankind, specifically the USA, would lay down if its people were being killed on their land is laughable. (It worked so well for terrorists after all) You have two species that are weak against sunlight and silver, two very large weaknesses. (not to mention that apparently beheading works as well) Like hell the military/police/citizens wouldn't hunt each and every one of them down and kill them. Moore paints a very pathetic picture of humanity indeed.
Let's talk about Kat when she needs to feed, something that comes up only once in the novel. She struggles with simple tasks, the smallest thing becoming a problem. She has issues getting dressed, going through the motions while preparing to go outside hunting. Yet somehow, amazingly enough, she can drive a motorcycle in her weakened and preoccupied state. I find it extremely hard to believe that someone who can barely stand can somehow drive a motorcycle, let alone somehow manage to do all she does on her hunt.
Now, there are some good parts. The concept of werewolf worshiping cult was an interesting idea, and one that caught my eye. The cult brought about some elements that were unique in my experience with urban fantasy/paranormal novels. Including ex-members added further, and I liked that concept a lot. The fact that they were a lesser class that was fighting for equality was a good idea, if executed a bit poorly in this novel. Still, it was one of the better elements of this story, and was enjoyable.
The idea of what happens when you mixed too much vampire and werewolf blood was also eye catching. It posed a real threat in the novel, something that could be used as a weapon or a torture device. This helped to highlight the blood aspect of both the werewolf and vampire species, make their disease that much more realistic.
However this gets torn down with things like the Oath. Werewolves swearing an Oath that binds them to their vampire lords so that they can't harm them. (yet somehow Kat knows there are ways around it, and is apparently the ONLY person who has thought about this... well, except the werewolf who hired her that is) If this is a blood based disease, how does a magical oath work? This creates a very disjointed view of Moore's creatures, as if he couldn't decide on how to handle the two bloodlines and decided to throw everything against the wall while writing and see what stuck.
I really could go on, but I won't. If you want to read more about what is wrong with this book, check out the other one and two star reviews. They are well written and point out other problems with this book I haven't touched and expand on those I did. They are well worth reading.
Now, there are those that enjoyed this novel. There are a lot of reviews that are four or five stars, as well as a large chunk of hardcore fans. People have enjoyed this book and you might be one of those individuals. Unfortunately, I was not, and I won't be recommending this book to others. In a sea of urban fantasy and paranormal genre novels, there are so many more novels that are more worth your attention.
Wasn't there a series of movies about this?
Now I expected there to be a passing resemblance based off the blurb about the book. Yet what I didn't expect were the sheer amount of issues that would leave me wanting to throw this novel across the room. Yes, there were parts to the novel that were enjoyable, but for the most part I couldn't get over the glaring issues with the story.
It all started with a pure silver katana. That's right, pure silver. There was a reason silver was never used for bladed weapons. Moore does mention that the cutting edge deformed when it hit another weapon, but only once. (not to mention, apparently Kat is unaware that the katana was designed so the back side of the blade was made to block, or that with most swords you block with the side so as not to damage the cutting edge) Also take into consideration that silver is illegal (something that is laughably unrealistic) and thus impossible to get, a vampire decked out with all sorts of silver weapons seems unrealistic.
But wait, her weapon smith gets it from This wouldn't be so hard to believe, except it comes about mid-way through the novel and out of nowhere. The human has been keeping this secret from her for a long time, yet suddenly gives it up just because she asks. Given that he is terrified of her response to his answer, how the heck has he avoided her discovering this before that moment, and why is suddenly telling her now? Is it just because she asked?
And the out of nowhere when up until this point, we have only heard of vampires and werewolves who have been explained as a blood condition. Moore, at no point prior to this moment, ever hints that there could be these creatures around. Instead, all we have heard about are the two species this novel is about and nothing more. This creates an amateurish feel to the novel and feels silly when it is revealed. Kat's willingness to brush it off after raging shortly after the discovery also felt unrealistic. If this is a huge deal, and extremely dangerous, then why is she suddenly so willing to shrug her shoulders and never mention it again for the rest of the novel?
This brings us to Kat herself. By all appearances by description, she appears to be a total badass. She's deadly, she rides a motorcycle, and has a massive grudge against vampires and werewolves who kill normal people. She also doesn't trust anyone except the human who repairs her equipment. (Yet for some reason she hands over her knife to someone who was almost a stranger simply because he badgered her during a fight scene...) Kat appears to have problems thinking ahead and planning. Instead she runs around like a male's stereotype of what a strong woman should look like.
Now, just like the rest of her kin, Kat has to feed every so often, but it has to be human blood. This of course creates a problem, except she feeds on evil people. Moore tries to make her sympathetic by giving her a massive moral dilemma after feeding on a man who almost kills a woman. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the criminal, it's hard to share Kat's moral moment or find anything to relate to with her.
Then there's the fact that she doesn't trust any other vampire or werewolf, and thinks they all have to die. The thing is, Moore's vamps and weres are all people who have been turned. They aren't born monsters, they are people who have turned. Somehow though, they lose all relation to what made them human... except Kat. Somehow she is the only vampire in this novel who still remembers what it is like to be human.
Add in that when the vampires and werewolves appeared, suddenly mankind turned a blind eye to them despite the multitude of deaths and let them have the night while pretending they don't exist during the day. Out of everything I have issues with in this novel, this is the biggest one. That Moore believes mankind, specifically the USA, would lay down if its people were being killed on their land is laughable. (It worked so well for terrorists after all) You have two species that are weak against sunlight and silver, two very large weaknesses. (not to mention that apparently beheading works as well) Like hell the military/police/citizens wouldn't hunt each and every one of them down and kill them. Moore paints a very pathetic picture of humanity indeed.
Let's talk about Kat when she needs to feed, something that comes up only once in the novel. She struggles with simple tasks, the smallest thing becoming a problem. She has issues getting dressed, going through the motions while preparing to go outside hunting. Yet somehow, amazingly enough, she can drive a motorcycle in her weakened and preoccupied state. I find it extremely hard to believe that someone who can barely stand can somehow drive a motorcycle, let alone somehow manage to do all she does on her hunt.
Now, there are some good parts. The concept of werewolf worshiping cult was an interesting idea, and one that caught my eye. The cult brought about some elements that were unique in my experience with urban fantasy/paranormal novels. Including ex-members added further, and I liked that concept a lot. The fact that they were a lesser class that was fighting for equality was a good idea, if executed a bit poorly in this novel. Still, it was one of the better elements of this story, and was enjoyable.
The idea of what happens when you mixed too much vampire and werewolf blood was also eye catching. It posed a real threat in the novel, something that could be used as a weapon or a torture device. This helped to highlight the blood aspect of both the werewolf and vampire species, make their disease that much more realistic.
However this gets torn down with things like the Oath. Werewolves swearing an Oath that binds them to their vampire lords so that they can't harm them. (yet somehow Kat knows there are ways around it, and is apparently the ONLY person who has thought about this... well, except the werewolf who hired her that is) If this is a blood based disease, how does a magical oath work? This creates a very disjointed view of Moore's creatures, as if he couldn't decide on how to handle the two bloodlines and decided to throw everything against the wall while writing and see what stuck.
I really could go on, but I won't. If you want to read more about what is wrong with this book, check out the other one and two star reviews. They are well written and point out other problems with this book I haven't touched and expand on those I did. They are well worth reading.
Now, there are those that enjoyed this novel. There are a lot of reviews that are four or five stars, as well as a large chunk of hardcore fans. People have enjoyed this book and you might be one of those individuals. Unfortunately, I was not, and I won't be recommending this book to others. In a sea of urban fantasy and paranormal genre novels, there are so many more novels that are more worth your attention.
January 13, 2012
To Walk The Night was one of those books that I was super excited to read. In theory I should have loved this book. It had a tough and independent heroine who wasn't afraid to kick butt, however this turned out to be a did-not finish book for me. I had a super hard time connecting to the heroine, and the storyline didn't start to really happen until about halfway through the book.
I have discovered that one of the things that I love about Urban Fantasy books is also the same thing drives me crazy about it: world building. I don't understand why it sometimes takes the entire first book of the series to set up the world being created for future book. I feel like sometimes, as in this book that the actual story being told takes second place to set up story lines for future books.
What made me stop reading the book wasn't all the lack of action, but the choices Kat kept making. For instance she keeps getting into trouble, but a lot of times she causes it herself. She gets thrown out of a bar for fighting, when it was stated that no fighting is allowed to keep the peace from the different paranormal creatures that go to it. Once out of the bar she is almost attacked by a werewolf, but doesn't kill him because she thinks she can teach help him once she learns he is new. However, earlier in the book she kills someone just because he knew where she lived and was just delivering a message.
The action by Kat that made me stop reading though was when the one pureblood (humans that aren't werewolves or vampires) that Kat trusted her the most told her that he was summoning a demon to help him, she questions him, and tells him to stop. He says that he can't because bad things happen to him. Instead of questioning him further, she goes out to take on the vampire house she was hired to help take down. I just couldn't wrap my head around why this vampire who was so determined not to owe anyone anything or know things about her be ok with it because she was in a time crunch.
There was a lot of set up for the place that Kat hangs out (the bloody stake) and the people who go there. It's explained who is dangerous, who is not, why certain rules are in place, etc. and why Kat is who she is-a vampire who hunts other vampires and doesn't trust very many people. I realize that all of this is important, but the storyline stated in the blurb~doesn't even start until about 110 pages into the book. To an impatient reader like me, I found myself wanting the action to happen...and it doesn't until about 90 pages later. There is a love interest potential for future books, but I wish it had developed a bit sooner in this one. This book alsoeft me with this lingering question: Why is the weapon of choice for UF heroines always a Katana? Are there no other silver swords??
The problems I had with Kat were probably resolved at the end of the book, but by this time I found myself not really caring about what happened to the people involved in the story. This book also made me realize something that I've known for awhile now-I need at least a hint of romance in the book to keep me reading it.
While I did have a lot of issues with this book, one of the things I did like was that it showed the darker side of being a vampire. It wasn't romanticized, and we actually get to see Kat give in a little to her hunger. So often this part gets glossed over, and it was nice to see the heroine battling both sides of her nature-humanity and vampire. I always feel bad when I don't finish a book, but sometimes it just happens whether we want it to or not.
Also found on my blog: A Buckeye Girl Reads
I have discovered that one of the things that I love about Urban Fantasy books is also the same thing drives me crazy about it: world building. I don't understand why it sometimes takes the entire first book of the series to set up the world being created for future book. I feel like sometimes, as in this book that the actual story being told takes second place to set up story lines for future books.
What made me stop reading the book wasn't all the lack of action, but the choices Kat kept making. For instance she keeps getting into trouble, but a lot of times she causes it herself. She gets thrown out of a bar for fighting, when it was stated that no fighting is allowed to keep the peace from the different paranormal creatures that go to it. Once out of the bar she is almost attacked by a werewolf, but doesn't kill him because she thinks she can teach help him once she learns he is new. However, earlier in the book she kills someone just because he knew where she lived and was just delivering a message.
The action by Kat that made me stop reading though was when the one pureblood (humans that aren't werewolves or vampires) that Kat trusted her the most told her that he was summoning a demon to help him, she questions him, and tells him to stop. He says that he can't because bad things happen to him. Instead of questioning him further, she goes out to take on the vampire house she was hired to help take down. I just couldn't wrap my head around why this vampire who was so determined not to owe anyone anything or know things about her be ok with it because she was in a time crunch.
There was a lot of set up for the place that Kat hangs out (the bloody stake) and the people who go there. It's explained who is dangerous, who is not, why certain rules are in place, etc. and why Kat is who she is-a vampire who hunts other vampires and doesn't trust very many people. I realize that all of this is important, but the storyline stated in the blurb~doesn't even start until about 110 pages into the book. To an impatient reader like me, I found myself wanting the action to happen...and it doesn't until about 90 pages later. There is a love interest potential for future books, but I wish it had developed a bit sooner in this one. This book alsoeft me with this lingering question: Why is the weapon of choice for UF heroines always a Katana? Are there no other silver swords??
The problems I had with Kat were probably resolved at the end of the book, but by this time I found myself not really caring about what happened to the people involved in the story. This book also made me realize something that I've known for awhile now-I need at least a hint of romance in the book to keep me reading it.
While I did have a lot of issues with this book, one of the things I did like was that it showed the darker side of being a vampire. It wasn't romanticized, and we actually get to see Kat give in a little to her hunger. So often this part gets glossed over, and it was nice to see the heroine battling both sides of her nature-humanity and vampire. I always feel bad when I don't finish a book, but sometimes it just happens whether we want it to or not.
Also found on my blog: A Buckeye Girl Reads
January 6, 2012
Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..
Most vampires live for the hunt and see humans as nothing more than prey, but not Kat. She loathes what she has become and protects the purebloods from the creatures that would harm them. She fights her very nature tooth and nail, and has become quite good at killing her own kind. She's known as Lady Death and is on every vamp's most wanted list. She's always worked alone, but that must change for she's about to go up against a Count who is determined to amass power by the most appalling means. She will quickly have to decide who to trust before her own nature gets in her way, and turns her into the very type of creature she hunts.
Kat is one tough as nails character, well mostly that is. Her past has turned her hard, but she can never quite escape it, especially since it turned her into the thing she hates the most, a vampire. To be honest, she reminds me a little of Blade in that she fights her nature and hunts those who prey on the weak. One thing I did find to be odd was the trouble she had in some of her fights as she is supposed the be the most feared woman of her kind, even earning herself the nickname "Lady Death." Perhaps it can just be chalked up to the author not wanting Kat to seem invincible, or overly skilled. That being said, the other characters were very easy to become attached to in To Walk the Night, which I did find to be a little ironic due to Kat's completely untrusting nature. Even though she pretty much despises everyone and anyone, including herself, I found myself wanting to side with some of the others.
I am quite intrigued with the world and rules behind the story in To Walk the Night. I've always loved books with an open world rather than a bunch of secrecy, as I think it is fascinating to see how plain old humans react to the supernatural. In this book, humans, or purebloods are really nothing more than slaves, as the "monsters" have taken over, with vampires being the very top of the hierarchy. Another really interesting and unique aspect to the world is how lethal vampire blood is to werewolves, and vice versa. It can get quite tricky as both species must be very careful to only feed from purebloods or risk contamination that will cause them to become no more than a slavering killing machine. Talk about watching what you eat!
To Walk the Night was a decent first installment for this new series. I found it to be very well written and easy to follow, not at all reading like a debut novel. While the middle did seem to drag just a little, To Walk the Night had a fair amount more action than many other series openers, which made it quite impressive in the end. Also, it is important to note that To Walk the Night is strictly urban fantasy without even a hint of romance. Even though I can't say that is my usual preference in a book, the amount of action well outweighed the downside of the lack in romance. So all in all, I was rather impressed with To Walk the Night, which definitely earns it a recommendation from me.
Most vampires live for the hunt and see humans as nothing more than prey, but not Kat. She loathes what she has become and protects the purebloods from the creatures that would harm them. She fights her very nature tooth and nail, and has become quite good at killing her own kind. She's known as Lady Death and is on every vamp's most wanted list. She's always worked alone, but that must change for she's about to go up against a Count who is determined to amass power by the most appalling means. She will quickly have to decide who to trust before her own nature gets in her way, and turns her into the very type of creature she hunts.
Kat is one tough as nails character, well mostly that is. Her past has turned her hard, but she can never quite escape it, especially since it turned her into the thing she hates the most, a vampire. To be honest, she reminds me a little of Blade in that she fights her nature and hunts those who prey on the weak. One thing I did find to be odd was the trouble she had in some of her fights as she is supposed the be the most feared woman of her kind, even earning herself the nickname "Lady Death." Perhaps it can just be chalked up to the author not wanting Kat to seem invincible, or overly skilled. That being said, the other characters were very easy to become attached to in To Walk the Night, which I did find to be a little ironic due to Kat's completely untrusting nature. Even though she pretty much despises everyone and anyone, including herself, I found myself wanting to side with some of the others.
I am quite intrigued with the world and rules behind the story in To Walk the Night. I've always loved books with an open world rather than a bunch of secrecy, as I think it is fascinating to see how plain old humans react to the supernatural. In this book, humans, or purebloods are really nothing more than slaves, as the "monsters" have taken over, with vampires being the very top of the hierarchy. Another really interesting and unique aspect to the world is how lethal vampire blood is to werewolves, and vice versa. It can get quite tricky as both species must be very careful to only feed from purebloods or risk contamination that will cause them to become no more than a slavering killing machine. Talk about watching what you eat!
To Walk the Night was a decent first installment for this new series. I found it to be very well written and easy to follow, not at all reading like a debut novel. While the middle did seem to drag just a little, To Walk the Night had a fair amount more action than many other series openers, which made it quite impressive in the end. Also, it is important to note that To Walk the Night is strictly urban fantasy without even a hint of romance. Even though I can't say that is my usual preference in a book, the amount of action well outweighed the downside of the lack in romance. So all in all, I was rather impressed with To Walk the Night, which definitely earns it a recommendation from me.
April 22, 2014
I was hesitant to start this series because from my experience, a male writing from a woman's POV is a tricky thing to do. I attempted to read another popular series that's in the same fashion as this one and it was a train wreck. I fully expected that heroine to scratch her balls and hock a loog, she was that manly. Kat Redding, while tough, isn't manly in the sense that the author used an interchangeable character, where she is a she on paper but could easily be switched out for a dude. Kat was tough, she was a fighter, and she wasn't overdone to the point where the author is clearly grasping to fit their estimation of what a female would do/say at any point. Another refreshing element was there was no swooning. No "rippling maleness" that the other female leads in this genre chronically point out. I'm not saying I don't enjoy the rippling maleness, mind you. But it was enjoyable to have a story without constantly having to read about "members", length and girth, and "abs for days".
Another thing I liked about this book was that the vampires and werewolves weren't sexy. They were killers; out for blood, not orgasms. Kat is also a vampire, but it's not of her choosing. She hunts and kills both vampires and weres and would rather have stayed a Pureblood (which I'm guessing is just your average human. I didn't quite grasp that aspect). Unfortunate circumstances related to the Uprising is what made Kat what she is today - both a vampire and a killer. She's a hunter, seeking revenge for the devastation of her family. During one of their hunts, her brother was tainted by both vampire and were blood, which makes him a lost cause, and she was tainted by vampire blood, which turned her. She is disgusted most of the time by her vampire status.
The pace of this book was kind of slow in the beginning. I'm always forgiving with first books in a series because it's usually the book that sets everything up - the world, the characters, the storyline. Surprisingly, I didn't skim any parts despite the slow pace. Some of the secondary characters weren't overly described, such as Ethan, but again - first in a series, can't know everything now. I'm hoping he's more involved in the following books because he is quite an interesting guy.
This story also gets some extra points because there is a lot of originality. The Uprising was the catalyst for the story - vamps and weres came out with a vengeance, forcing Purebloods (at least the majority) to leave the night to the creatures. There are still human groupies, they come out at night for chance to "meet" the creatures. I also liked the world Moore built. It's an alternate Ohio, one of the major college campuses is mostly empty because of the Uprising, and some of the important characters make their homes/headquarters/lairs in the abandoned college buildings. I always like "alternate" versions of places I am familiar with, it adds an extra layer of enjoyment for me.
All in all, I took a gamble and bought most of the series at once. I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed Kat Redding and look forward to reading the following books.
Another thing I liked about this book was that the vampires and werewolves weren't sexy. They were killers; out for blood, not orgasms. Kat is also a vampire, but it's not of her choosing. She hunts and kills both vampires and weres and would rather have stayed a Pureblood (which I'm guessing is just your average human. I didn't quite grasp that aspect). Unfortunate circumstances related to the Uprising is what made Kat what she is today - both a vampire and a killer. She's a hunter, seeking revenge for the devastation of her family. During one of their hunts, her brother was tainted by both vampire and were blood, which makes him a lost cause, and she was tainted by vampire blood, which turned her. She is disgusted most of the time by her vampire status.
The pace of this book was kind of slow in the beginning. I'm always forgiving with first books in a series because it's usually the book that sets everything up - the world, the characters, the storyline. Surprisingly, I didn't skim any parts despite the slow pace. Some of the secondary characters weren't overly described, such as Ethan, but again - first in a series, can't know everything now. I'm hoping he's more involved in the following books because he is quite an interesting guy.
This story also gets some extra points because there is a lot of originality. The Uprising was the catalyst for the story - vamps and weres came out with a vengeance, forcing Purebloods (at least the majority) to leave the night to the creatures. There are still human groupies, they come out at night for chance to "meet" the creatures. I also liked the world Moore built. It's an alternate Ohio, one of the major college campuses is mostly empty because of the Uprising, and some of the important characters make their homes/headquarters/lairs in the abandoned college buildings. I always like "alternate" versions of places I am familiar with, it adds an extra layer of enjoyment for me.
All in all, I took a gamble and bought most of the series at once. I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed Kat Redding and look forward to reading the following books.
October 31, 2011
To Walk the Night is the first book in the Kat Redding series by E.S. Moore. A few decades ago there was an Uprising; vampires and werewolves let themselves be known and changed the world. It is not safe to go out after dark. Vampires and werewolves hunt and in the world E.S. Moore has created, they aren't cute and cuddly, they are monsters that prey on those that are weak and pure of blood.
Vampires form Houses by enslaving both Pureblood humans to feed on and werewolves to fight for them and do their bidding; the larger the vampire family the more powerful the House. Kat Redding was captured by one of the vampire Houses when she was younger and her blood was tainted. She was turned vampire against her will, lost everything she ever cared about and now hates what she is with every fiber of her being. She fights the hunger as hard as she can, preys only on the twisted and disturbed, and kills every vampire or werewolf necessary to free the Purebloods. She was not given the name Lady Death without reason; Kat is a bad ass and the monsters fear her. Nobody but her partner/friend, Ethan, knows who she really is and Kat will do everything she can to protect herself and the only friend she has in the world; even if that means killing everyone that gets in her way.
The last thing Kat needs it to be forced into a battle between vampires, rogue werewolves and a werewolf worshiping cult. She doesn't trust anyone and she doesn't want to be part of their battle; she'd rather just kill them all and be done with it. Problem is she doesn't have a choice. The House is targeting the Luna Cult and she is the only person who can help them.
To Walk the Night is dark and gritty. It was a little slow at first but once I got into the book I had a hard time putting it down. E. S. Moore is a great addition to the urban fantasy genre and I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in his Kat Redding series. I look forward to seeing what he has in store for her next.
Vampires form Houses by enslaving both Pureblood humans to feed on and werewolves to fight for them and do their bidding; the larger the vampire family the more powerful the House. Kat Redding was captured by one of the vampire Houses when she was younger and her blood was tainted. She was turned vampire against her will, lost everything she ever cared about and now hates what she is with every fiber of her being. She fights the hunger as hard as she can, preys only on the twisted and disturbed, and kills every vampire or werewolf necessary to free the Purebloods. She was not given the name Lady Death without reason; Kat is a bad ass and the monsters fear her. Nobody but her partner/friend, Ethan, knows who she really is and Kat will do everything she can to protect herself and the only friend she has in the world; even if that means killing everyone that gets in her way.
The last thing Kat needs it to be forced into a battle between vampires, rogue werewolves and a werewolf worshiping cult. She doesn't trust anyone and she doesn't want to be part of their battle; she'd rather just kill them all and be done with it. Problem is she doesn't have a choice. The House is targeting the Luna Cult and she is the only person who can help them.
To Walk the Night is dark and gritty. It was a little slow at first but once I got into the book I had a hard time putting it down. E. S. Moore is a great addition to the urban fantasy genre and I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in his Kat Redding series. I look forward to seeing what he has in store for her next.
June 16, 2012
I gave this book two stars because I liked the beginning and the very last fight of the book. Unfortunately, the middle 4/5ths ruined it for me. I think the author and by extension the character needs to pick up a dictionary and look up the word 'choice'. I do not think it means what she thinks it means. If I have to read the sentence 'But I have no choice', I will have no choice but to roll my eyes and cringe. I think it's used at least 20 times in this book. Every time the character has any strong emotion or concern, she dismisses it because she has no choice. She sticks her head in the sand and continues fulfilling her subconsious deathwish (me being kindhearted and trying to come up with a reason for her behavior) by doing the stupid most dangerous thing because she has no choice. At one point her character actually says to herself that she feels like she's missing something important but never mind she has to focus because she has no choice. Uuummmm, if it was important, shouldn't she take 30 seconds to track it down before she jumps into danger? She finds out her roommate is doing something insanely dangerous but manages to jump from extreme anger to denial (everthing is fine because it's been fine so far) so fast I had mental whiplash as well as a case of WTF.
This book/world has incredible potential. I can't at this moment make plans to read the next book, but I will certainly look at the reviews for the next one. Hopefully, the author will get an editor who will push her writing in a slightly less annoying direction.
This book/world has incredible potential. I can't at this moment make plans to read the next book, but I will certainly look at the reviews for the next one. Hopefully, the author will get an editor who will push her writing in a slightly less annoying direction.
March 24, 2012
Novela tirando a mediocre sobre la eterna lucha entre vampiros y hombres lobo donde la prota es una vampira tipo Blade, a la que apodan Lady Death, que se dedica a cargarse "nidos" de vampiros (usease compis) a diestro y siniestro. "Contratada" de aquellas maneras, (digamos que se hacen un favor mutuo XD) por una secta llamada The Luna Cult (no haré comentarios) tendrá que hacer frente a un "nido" de vampiros controlado por un tal Conde Tremaine (aqui los titulos de nobleza son como las pegatinas XD). Parece fácil pero las cosas se van torciendo hasta límites insospechados. Claro que esos límites son aprovechados por el autor para resolver las situaciones más peliagudas de una manera tonta. Hubo algunas escenas que me quedé pensando en si mi inglés necesitaba una revisión o realmente estaba leyendo soberana tontería.. Pero no, leído una y otra vez, el párrafo seguía dándome el mismo resultado.
Y conste que el libro me ha molado porque hay ostias, sangre y colmillos por todos laos, pero algunas escenas son pa mearse de lo estúpidas que me parecen.
Resumiendo: me lo he pasao pirata con la novela pero se ve que al autor le faltan "tablas" sobre todo cuando pone a la protagonista en situaciones imposibles, ya que no sabe sacarla con el suficiente talento para que a mí, como lectora, no me rechinen los dientes.
Aún así no me arrepiento de haber leído la novela y seguiré las próximas aventuras de Katt o Lady Deat, como se prefiera
Y conste que el libro me ha molado porque hay ostias, sangre y colmillos por todos laos, pero algunas escenas son pa mearse de lo estúpidas que me parecen.
Resumiendo: me lo he pasao pirata con la novela pero se ve que al autor le faltan "tablas" sobre todo cuando pone a la protagonista en situaciones imposibles, ya que no sabe sacarla con el suficiente talento para que a mí, como lectora, no me rechinen los dientes.
Aún así no me arrepiento de haber leído la novela y seguiré las próximas aventuras de Katt o Lady Deat, como se prefiera
February 3, 2012
I gave it 3.5 stars
I enjoyed Kat. I liked her Attitude. I like that even though she was turned she still fights to keep humans safe from the Vampires and Weres. I like her loyalty to her friend and roommate. I also really loved the image of her that was depicted on the cover of the book, It completely matched how I would picture her in my mind.
There were a few slow parts in TO WALK THE NIGHT but the overall flow was nice. There is no romance which I didn't like nor dislike. I would like to see how she would handle something like that in the future but I enjoyed getting to know Kat without that. There was tons of action throughout the book and the world that Moore built was intriguing. I think any Urban Fantasy lover will enjoy TO WALK THE NIGHT.
I enjoyed Kat. I liked her Attitude. I like that even though she was turned she still fights to keep humans safe from the Vampires and Weres. I like her loyalty to her friend and roommate. I also really loved the image of her that was depicted on the cover of the book, It completely matched how I would picture her in my mind.
There were a few slow parts in TO WALK THE NIGHT but the overall flow was nice. There is no romance which I didn't like nor dislike. I would like to see how she would handle something like that in the future but I enjoyed getting to know Kat without that. There was tons of action throughout the book and the world that Moore built was intriguing. I think any Urban Fantasy lover will enjoy TO WALK THE NIGHT.
February 5, 2012
As sexist as I am when it comes to authors (yes, I admit, I'm prejudiced against male authors. Bad Jess.), I was very pleasantly surprised by this one.
Absolutely no romance (booooo lol), but the action was great, and I loved the politics and betrayals and even the interesting dynamic Kat has with Ethan (though I'm annoyed that a certain plot point there was TOTALLY just brushed to the side).
It had a very "Underworld" type vibe, which hey, I loved Underworld so there ya go.
The snippet at the end for the next book definitely has me itching to read it -- I WILL be picking it up when it comes out.
A very solid 4/5 Stars
Absolutely no romance (booooo lol), but the action was great, and I loved the politics and betrayals and even the interesting dynamic Kat has with Ethan (though I'm annoyed that a certain plot point there was TOTALLY just brushed to the side).
It had a very "Underworld" type vibe, which hey, I loved Underworld so there ya go.
The snippet at the end for the next book definitely has me itching to read it -- I WILL be picking it up when it comes out.
A very solid 4/5 Stars
September 19, 2017
Below average.
Writing, characters, story, world building, etc. While not, neither bad nor horrible, it's just below average.
It's like a below average mess of all other Urban Fantasies, but without anything new.
Writing, characters, story, world building, etc. While not, neither bad nor horrible, it's just below average.
It's like a below average mess of all other Urban Fantasies, but without anything new.
Read
November 30, 2021That cover is HOT.
To Walk the Night had the typical urban fantasy feel that many books of the genre had and i liked that. However, it took me a minute to find out exactly how i felt about it. The story was fine and even Kat was a pretty cool character when she wasn't super broody but i finished the book feeling a little meh-ish. It had it's moments and it's a series i believe i would like to continue but the side characters weren't all that interesting, it had it's moments where it got sorta slow, and i can't say there was really anything special in it that caught my attention. I liked the idea of wolves being under vampire houses though, both for protection and to serve them but i wish we were able to dive deeper into that maybe with better side characters introducing us into that world more. The wolves we did get to meet were either a little dull or against Kat. I also had a problem when the topic of the demon providing Ethan resources was brought up by him which i think could have been a side story all on it's own and it just shows up and flies away in the wind all within a minute. Speaking of Ethan, i hope there is more relationship bonding in the sequels because it was there, i just wish it was tighter and i would have liked to have delve more into Kat's past (There is no way the series will end before she finds her brother).
The inner turmoil that Kat was having with herself was interesting enough to read. I like reading about characters who are supernatural being fighting the urges or downsides of their abilities. However, Kat was so hard on herself. She's one of the only people out there protecting humans and taking down insane vamps and weres, i mean police isn't doing anything, government, military, nada, and she just beats herself up but it's a good thing she knows she's a badass though. That is one thing she doesn't struggle with.
The ending did hint at a potential romance in the future which i can't say i liked because i would like to know the character in question a bit more, thought he seemed kind and changed, but i don't dislike it either.
Sidenote: There was an eyeroll moment when in the second to last battle, a character she didn't trust well at all was acting suspicious and told her to hand him her knife and yes, i know she was trying to focus on the the person she was fighting but she hands him the knife. She gets stabbed in the back both literally and metaphorically like come on, you didn't see that coming, i thought you were so paranoid and didn't trust so easily .
It was a fine first book but i wouldn't call it eye catching or anything really that exciting but i liked it enough to want to dive in a little more to see if it gets more exciting.
To Walk the Night had the typical urban fantasy feel that many books of the genre had and i liked that. However, it took me a minute to find out exactly how i felt about it. The story was fine and even Kat was a pretty cool character when she wasn't super broody but i finished the book feeling a little meh-ish. It had it's moments and it's a series i believe i would like to continue but the side characters weren't all that interesting, it had it's moments where it got sorta slow, and i can't say there was really anything special in it that caught my attention. I liked the idea of wolves being under vampire houses though, both for protection and to serve them but i wish we were able to dive deeper into that maybe with better side characters introducing us into that world more. The wolves we did get to meet were either a little dull or against Kat. I also had a problem when the topic of the demon providing Ethan resources was brought up by him which i think could have been a side story all on it's own and it just shows up and flies away in the wind all within a minute. Speaking of Ethan, i hope there is more relationship bonding in the sequels because it was there, i just wish it was tighter and i would have liked to have delve more into Kat's past (There is no way the series will end before she finds her brother).
The inner turmoil that Kat was having with herself was interesting enough to read. I like reading about characters who are supernatural being fighting the urges or downsides of their abilities. However, Kat was so hard on herself. She's one of the only people out there protecting humans and taking down insane vamps and weres, i mean police isn't doing anything, government, military, nada, and she just beats herself up but it's a good thing she knows she's a badass though. That is one thing she doesn't struggle with.
The ending did hint at a potential romance in the future which i can't say i liked because i would like to know the character in question a bit more, thought he seemed kind and changed, but i don't dislike it either.
Sidenote: There was an eyeroll moment when in the second to last battle, a character she didn't trust well at all was acting suspicious and told her to hand him her knife and yes, i know she was trying to focus on the the person she was fighting but she hands him the knife. She gets stabbed in the back both literally and metaphorically like come on, you didn't see that coming, i thought you were so paranoid and didn't trust so easily .
It was a fine first book but i wouldn't call it eye catching or anything really that exciting but i liked it enough to want to dive in a little more to see if it gets more exciting.
January 27, 2018
Solid action and pretty fast pacing but suffers from weak supporting cast.
The big problem with this book is that Kat spends all her time wondering whom she should trust. The author never gives any meaningful answer to this question which means that Kat is pretty much just wandering about in the dark. It's not obvious that any of her choices are better than the alternative (and in one case, she seems to decline out of hand the more interesting option).
Another issue is excessive bluster (i.e., threatening to kill everyone all the time), which I find to be simply undignified. It's not quite the snark-bombing that you see with most female UF authors, but at times almost seems to be trying for such.
My big concern going forward is that it's not obvious the series evolves beyond this point. That is, does the protagonist change in meaningful ways? I've not seen any clear indication on this from the blurbs of the follow-ups, so I might try the next, but if it's just a re-hash of Kat wondering who her allies are and ultimately attacking some group or another, I won't read a third.
The big problem with this book is that Kat spends all her time wondering whom she should trust. The author never gives any meaningful answer to this question which means that Kat is pretty much just wandering about in the dark. It's not obvious that any of her choices are better than the alternative (and in one case, she seems to decline out of hand the more interesting option).
Another issue is excessive bluster (i.e., threatening to kill everyone all the time), which I find to be simply undignified. It's not quite the snark-bombing that you see with most female UF authors, but at times almost seems to be trying for such.
My big concern going forward is that it's not obvious the series evolves beyond this point. That is, does the protagonist change in meaningful ways? I've not seen any clear indication on this from the blurbs of the follow-ups, so I might try the next, but if it's just a re-hash of Kat wondering who her allies are and ultimately attacking some group or another, I won't read a third.
August 8, 2023
The world-building setup was interesting but the book itself was… not great. The plot was full of cliches and the idea that the heroine’s secret identity was secret to anyone boggled belief. Basically, she’s described as tough as nails, very smart, very powerful and secretive, but the way she reads is a stereotypical little-old-me ingenue who has no real (or deep) understanding of the world she works in. Or much else. She literally hides keys to her secret lair in multiple locations outside her house in case she needs them, e.g. She just isn't very bright and that makes her whole characterization seem suspect.
I made it about two-thirds of the way through but I just couldn't really figure out what was going on or why the heroine cared or why this was all new to her if she really was a badass, uber-feared assassin, and I decided not to continue.
I made it about two-thirds of the way through but I just couldn't really figure out what was going on or why the heroine cared or why this was all new to her if she really was a badass, uber-feared assassin, and I decided not to continue.
July 23, 2017
The soliloquy was alot...abit too much like Veronica Mars and Izombie....unless that was the point...
March 23, 2018
I liked the book. To the guy that said it didn't me tion a location. Yes it did, the Luna Cult den was on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus.
October 1, 2018
It was ok.
March 20, 2019
Been looking for a book like this. Straight action from the first page. Main character kicks major butt and lonenthe story linen
April 18, 2019
Mediocre
Unappealing, unsympathetic lead character. No depth. Mediocre storyline. Not interested in reading any more if this is a series. Done
Unappealing, unsympathetic lead character. No depth. Mediocre storyline. Not interested in reading any more if this is a series. Done
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