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Infected #6
Lesser Evils
Sequel to Shift
Book Six
In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds.
Until recently, Roan was ahead of the curve when it came to reining in the lion that lives inside him. Now his control is slipping at the worst possible times. A new drug has hit the streets—one that triggers unscheduled changes in infected users. Street hustler Holden Krause gets attacked by one of his clients, then is surprised to find himself involved in an unwanted, unexpected relationship. And a serial killer begins targeting infecteds in their cat form—something that’s 100 percent legal.
To stop the murders, Roan has to work outside the law. But his newfound thirst for violence makes him worry he might be more like the killer than he thought, and his reluctance to talk about it with his husband, Dylan, puts an extra strain on their relationship. So Roan isn’t just fighting the killer and struggling with his mutating virus… he’s trying to save himself.
Book Six
In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds.
Until recently, Roan was ahead of the curve when it came to reining in the lion that lives inside him. Now his control is slipping at the worst possible times. A new drug has hit the streets—one that triggers unscheduled changes in infected users. Street hustler Holden Krause gets attacked by one of his clients, then is surprised to find himself involved in an unwanted, unexpected relationship. And a serial killer begins targeting infecteds in their cat form—something that’s 100 percent legal.
To stop the murders, Roan has to work outside the law. But his newfound thirst for violence makes him worry he might be more like the killer than he thought, and his reluctance to talk about it with his husband, Dylan, puts an extra strain on their relationship. So Roan isn’t just fighting the killer and struggling with his mutating virus… he’s trying to save himself.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2012
15 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Speed
77 books511 followersSuper nerd. Former EIC at Cx Pulp. I've won Rainbow Awards, and still can't believe it. A small medicinal horse. The Meryl Streep of stunt corpses. Enby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
March 3, 2015
4.5
This series is fabulous and worrisome and romantic and frustrating and would verge on hot at times if it weren't for the fade to black sex scenes (boo!), but most of all it's hilarious. Roan's on the verge of a breakdown, his violent tendencies are escalating and he's popping pills like, y'know, a person who pops a shit ton of pills and yet I giggled my way through the entire book.
Of course, if you can't be shallow when you're searching the home of a possible serial killer, when can you be?
Thanks for the BR Sofia, Otila and R!
This series is fabulous and worrisome and romantic and frustrating and would verge on hot at times if it weren't for the fade to black sex scenes (boo!), but most of all it's hilarious. Roan's on the verge of a breakdown, his violent tendencies are escalating and he's popping pills like, y'know, a person who pops a shit ton of pills and yet I giggled my way through the entire book.
Holden: "Holy shit, I hope he's the killer."Both Roan and his vigilante hooker friend Holden remind me a bit of Rob in High Fidelity.
Roan: "Why?"
Holden: "'Cause he's got awful taste. Kenny Loggins? Fast and the Furious? God, he deserves a death sentence for these alone."
Roan: "If you find Toby Keith or Larry the Cable Guy, we'll set a booby trap."
[....]
Holden: "I found Toby Keith. Can I take a dump on his bed?"
Roan: "No."
Holden: "Damn it, man, I've found three Steven Seagal movies. We can't leave this unpunished."
Of course, if you can't be shallow when you're searching the home of a possible serial killer, when can you be?
Thanks for the BR Sofia, Otila and R!
November 20, 2014
Quick Information: This book actually consists of two separate stories. Based on the free version, chapter 1 - 24 is titled "The Land of the Blind" while chapter 25 - 42 is titled "Lesser Evils". Just in case if you think the flow between chapter 24 and 25 is a bit weird :)
The Last of the Blind: chapter 1 - 24
A new drug hits the street, making infecteds change ahead of cycle and driving them insane while in cat form. It results in they act in killing frenzy. The police department asks Roan to help controlling the crazy infecteds. The Church of Divine Transformation, under new 'administration' (after Eli died) asks Roan to become their leader. Holden, Roan's sidekick, is brutally beaten after a confrontation with a client while on the job. And ... on top of everything else, Roan is concerned that he becomes less and less Human, as the cat in him seems wanting to take over.
There's not much of Holden here -- since he is beaten and must spent couple of days at the hospital. But he continues to be a stronger presence, a great sidekick to Roan's Batman. Then there's the Falcons hockey team. They're adorable.
Lesser Evils: chapter 25 - 42
Roan is handling two cases: (1) a young man is asking Roan to look for his missing father and (2) he is also looking for a human that has been killing infecteds and keeps the cat-body parts as trophies. However, for me personally, these cases are not in the front seat. The most important plot here is Roan's health. Dr. Rosenberg finds another development with Roan's strain virus (. It ends sort of in a cliffhanger because of that. Then there's Holden. And Scott. Yep, the hockey Captain. So intriguing.
Overall opinion
I love the most with this book is the development of Roan's health issue. Roan is special -- he is not like any other infecteds. His cat is almost as powerful as his human side. I love reading about how Roan deals with it. I enjoy reading Roan and Dylan too. I absolutely love Paris, but I also love Dylan -- it's lovely to read how Roan and Dylan acknowledge each other as husbands.
I also enjoy Holden VERY much. From the first time he appears, Holden stands on his own two feet and charms me in every way. From the his friendship with Roan, and . And oh, the HOCKEY TEAM!! Every time the hockey team appears, it's a HOOT and joyful scenes ("Lesser Evils" has a scene where Roan and Dylan go with the hockey team to an S&M club, following a clue. SO ENTERTAINING!).
I love this world. Andrea Speed can keep writing about it and I will keep reading it. The only thing that will make me stop if it's somehow Roan cheated on Dylan or vice versa, or make them involved in threesome or open relationship. So don't you DARE do that, Andrea!
The Last of the Blind: chapter 1 - 24
A new drug hits the street, making infecteds change ahead of cycle and driving them insane while in cat form. It results in they act in killing frenzy. The police department asks Roan to help controlling the crazy infecteds. The Church of Divine Transformation, under new 'administration' (after Eli died) asks Roan to become their leader. Holden, Roan's sidekick, is brutally beaten after a confrontation with a client while on the job. And ... on top of everything else, Roan is concerned that he becomes less and less Human, as the cat in him seems wanting to take over.
There's not much of Holden here -- since he is beaten and must spent couple of days at the hospital. But he continues to be a stronger presence, a great sidekick to Roan's Batman. Then there's the Falcons hockey team. They're adorable.
Lesser Evils: chapter 25 - 42
Roan is handling two cases: (1) a young man is asking Roan to look for his missing father and (2) he is also looking for a human that has been killing infecteds and keeps the cat-body parts as trophies. However, for me personally, these cases are not in the front seat. The most important plot here is Roan's health. Dr. Rosenberg finds another development with Roan's strain virus (. It ends sort of in a cliffhanger because of that. Then there's Holden. And Scott. Yep, the hockey Captain. So intriguing.
Overall opinion
I love the most with this book is the development of Roan's health issue. Roan is special -- he is not like any other infecteds. His cat is almost as powerful as his human side. I love reading about how Roan deals with it. I enjoy reading Roan and Dylan too. I absolutely love Paris, but I also love Dylan -- it's lovely to read how Roan and Dylan acknowledge each other as husbands.
I also enjoy Holden VERY much. From the first time he appears, Holden stands on his own two feet and charms me in every way. From the his friendship with Roan, and . And oh, the HOCKEY TEAM!! Every time the hockey team appears, it's a HOOT and joyful scenes ("Lesser Evils" has a scene where Roan and Dylan go with the hockey team to an S&M club, following a clue. SO ENTERTAINING!).
I love this world. Andrea Speed can keep writing about it and I will keep reading it. The only thing that will make me stop if it's somehow Roan cheated on Dylan or vice versa, or make them involved in threesome or open relationship. So don't you DARE do that, Andrea!
October 7, 2012
Dammit, Andrea Speed! People have been complaining that I left some things unfinished at the end of my latest book - wait until they see what you did to the end of this one.
Previous books in this series haven't been HEA or necessarily HFN, but they always found some kind of logical ending, a breathing space, however precarious, from which to move on to the next book. This book ends in a full-fledged cliff-hanger and I will be biting my nails and tapping my feet until the next one comes out, to be instantly grabbed and devoured.
Roan is still a wonderful, smart-assed, lion-infested, depressed, self-deprecating, honorable character. And the virus is still screwing him over in ways large and small, visible and unseen. In fact, it just gets worse in this book. I enjoyed seeing him with Dylan more in this installment - they are sweet together, Dylan is a more fleshed-out character, and Roan is finally willing to sometimes lean on him and accept comfort from him. Things are far from perfect between them, though, as Roan tries to keep his darker side from touching Dylan, and Dylan fights to have Roan let him fully in. In Roan's dreams, Paris still sometimes appears, and Roan's sense of loss still catches him unaware at times. But in this book for the first time Dylan felt like far more than just a calm, nurturing, stand-in to keep Roan going. I can see them reaching a more deep and equal relationship one day, if Roan lives long enough.
Roan's tendency to vigilantism is notable in here, sometimes to the point of discomfort. Holden doesn't help, aiding and abetting him with a very pragmatic approach to crime and punishment. This story gives us a lot more of Holden, and the hockey guys. Both are welcome additions to the story, adding complexity, humor and interest.
This continues to be one of my favorite shifter series, a truly unique world which is getting more difficult for the MC with every installment. And I love Roan as much as ever, although I really, really want him to catch a break one of these days. I'll put this aside to reread when the next comes out.
Previous books in this series haven't been HEA or necessarily HFN, but they always found some kind of logical ending, a breathing space, however precarious, from which to move on to the next book. This book ends in a full-fledged cliff-hanger and I will be biting my nails and tapping my feet until the next one comes out, to be instantly grabbed and devoured.
Roan is still a wonderful, smart-assed, lion-infested, depressed, self-deprecating, honorable character. And the virus is still screwing him over in ways large and small, visible and unseen. In fact, it just gets worse in this book. I enjoyed seeing him with Dylan more in this installment - they are sweet together, Dylan is a more fleshed-out character, and Roan is finally willing to sometimes lean on him and accept comfort from him. Things are far from perfect between them, though, as Roan tries to keep his darker side from touching Dylan, and Dylan fights to have Roan let him fully in. In Roan's dreams, Paris still sometimes appears, and Roan's sense of loss still catches him unaware at times. But in this book for the first time Dylan felt like far more than just a calm, nurturing, stand-in to keep Roan going. I can see them reaching a more deep and equal relationship one day, if Roan lives long enough.
Roan's tendency to vigilantism is notable in here, sometimes to the point of discomfort. Holden doesn't help, aiding and abetting him with a very pragmatic approach to crime and punishment. This story gives us a lot more of Holden, and the hockey guys. Both are welcome additions to the story, adding complexity, humor and interest.
This continues to be one of my favorite shifter series, a truly unique world which is getting more difficult for the MC with every installment. And I love Roan as much as ever, although I really, really want him to catch a break one of these days. I'll put this aside to reread when the next comes out.
December 31, 2023
As much as I expected certain things to happen...I was thrown a bit off guard with book six in this top-notch PNR series.
This segment was...scarier.
This curve in the arc was more...violent.
This part of Roan's story was...vicious.
Seems strange to say, considering everything we've been through with Roan but it's kicked up a few notches. This was tough!
I adore every single thing about Dylan.
*blinks*
I never thought I would say that.
I long for a sliver of peace and happiness for Ro.
I'm still not a huge fan of Holden. Nope, he doesn't do it for me.
Holden seems to hold it against Roan that he is a 'serial monogamist.
While Roan is beating himself up for the violence he is forced to provide for the greater good, Holden lets it roll of his shoulders like a hot shower. He's a high class hooker with connections and so many faces he's not sure which one is real anymore. I don't think he can properly love anyone besides himself.
Ro seems to need him. He grasps onto him during the darker moments in his life...so, I'll tolerate him, but that's about as far as I go.
Ro knocks on death's doorstep too many times....soon or later, he's gonna answer. Which breaks my heart for Dylan. Roan is only holding on for Dylan and I hope that's enough.
The chosen family is awesome....
I love the hockey boys. Especially Tank, he's my favorite Falcon.
I have a feeling things are going to continue at break-necking speed.
I'm holding on tight for the next one!
*which I promise to do better with our buddy read!
*4 rip-roaring-n-raging stars*
This segment was...scarier.
This curve in the arc was more...violent.
This part of Roan's story was...vicious.
Seems strange to say, considering everything we've been through with Roan but it's kicked up a few notches. This was tough!
I adore every single thing about Dylan.
*blinks*
I never thought I would say that.
I long for a sliver of peace and happiness for Ro.
I'm still not a huge fan of Holden. Nope, he doesn't do it for me.
Holden seems to hold it against Roan that he is a 'serial monogamist.
While Roan is beating himself up for the violence he is forced to provide for the greater good, Holden lets it roll of his shoulders like a hot shower. He's a high class hooker with connections and so many faces he's not sure which one is real anymore. I don't think he can properly love anyone besides himself.
Ro seems to need him. He grasps onto him during the darker moments in his life...so, I'll tolerate him, but that's about as far as I go.
Ro knocks on death's doorstep too many times....soon or later, he's gonna answer. Which breaks my heart for Dylan. Roan is only holding on for Dylan and I hope that's enough.
The chosen family is awesome....
I love the hockey boys. Especially Tank, he's my favorite Falcon.
I have a feeling things are going to continue at break-necking speed.
I'm holding on tight for the next one!
*which I promise to do better with our buddy read!
*4 rip-roaring-n-raging stars*
March 5, 2015
4.5
My favorite in the series so far. I love the family Roan has built for himself without even realizing it.
Can't wait to see what happens next.
BR Link
My favorite in the series so far. I love the family Roan has built for himself without even realizing it.
Can't wait to see what happens next.
BR Link
March 7, 2015
Another good one.
Speed continues to evolve both characterwise and storywise. I like where the story is going; and no I don't know where it will lead, but I like that. Most of all I like the sense of family, love, that is building up as we go along. An untraditional family yes, but no less strong.
BR with my lion pride Rosa, RA, Otila, Sheri, Desinka
Our BR link
June 14, 2017
So apparently this is where everything has escalated to defcon 5.
Roan continues to change physically at an exponential rate as the virus seems to be taking over his body - it's integrating, adapting, forming new parts and strengthening old. He truly believes he's morphing into a lion and his self loathing is at an all time high.
The hate continues - from the religious right, to bigoted cops, to a mysterious supplier who's cranking out a drug that promises infecteds a reprieve from pain - only to cause them to shift and wreck havoc.
Add to that, the religious sect of infecteds continues to want Roan to lead them and thus the burden of saving himself vs saving his "people" weighs heavily. There's also a real fear that he will not be able to stop from hurting Dylan, both physically and emotionally. He's torn between setting him free and hanging on for dear life. Throw in some assassination attempts to make it even more interesting.
Unsurprisingly, Roan just wants to let go and never resurface. He's tired of being different. Tired of being a freak. Tired of his own damned self. What never seems to fail, thankfully, is Dylan and the various friends that he and Roan have collected. Their support, their understanding, their unwavering belief in Roan has always been the anchor for him whether he wants it or not, whether he thinks he deserves it or not.
So it remains to be seen if the new physical changes will be Roan's ultimate demise. Can host and virus live symbiotically?? What does that mean for Roan and ultimately all infecteds? Will this latest setback be the impetus for his own personal change and possible new outlook on life? Things are left hanging in the balance and one can only really hope he comes around literally and figuratively.
He'd never been completely human, didn't know what it was like to be a normal person... He was as he had always been… the give and take between body and virus.
Thanks to Sofia, Sheri, Rosa, Otila for another great BR!
Roan continues to change physically at an exponential rate as the virus seems to be taking over his body - it's integrating, adapting, forming new parts and strengthening old. He truly believes he's morphing into a lion and his self loathing is at an all time high.
The hate continues - from the religious right, to bigoted cops, to a mysterious supplier who's cranking out a drug that promises infecteds a reprieve from pain - only to cause them to shift and wreck havoc.
Add to that, the religious sect of infecteds continues to want Roan to lead them and thus the burden of saving himself vs saving his "people" weighs heavily. There's also a real fear that he will not be able to stop from hurting Dylan, both physically and emotionally. He's torn between setting him free and hanging on for dear life. Throw in some assassination attempts to make it even more interesting.
Unsurprisingly, Roan just wants to let go and never resurface. He's tired of being different. Tired of being a freak. Tired of his own damned self. What never seems to fail, thankfully, is Dylan and the various friends that he and Roan have collected. Their support, their understanding, their unwavering belief in Roan has always been the anchor for him whether he wants it or not, whether he thinks he deserves it or not.
So it remains to be seen if the new physical changes will be Roan's ultimate demise. Can host and virus live symbiotically?? What does that mean for Roan and ultimately all infecteds? Will this latest setback be the impetus for his own personal change and possible new outlook on life? Things are left hanging in the balance and one can only really hope he comes around literally and figuratively.
He'd never been completely human, didn't know what it was like to be a normal person... He was as he had always been… the give and take between body and virus.
Thanks to Sofia, Sheri, Rosa, Otila for another great BR!
March 2, 2016
This series is the most spectacular kick-ass series I've ever read!
It's full of explosions, growls and roars and bursts of light and color, not to mention proverbial shit hitting the fans in copious amounts and raining down on the heads of the excited spectators/readers. Pure awesomeness ...
Big fan, BIG FAN!!!!
...if only it wasn't for the author's love for running a successful joke or two into the ground by the end of an installment. This time victims are "a newbie, so young...." and "no pun intended/pun intended". But it's the only fault with the books I can find so far, so I'm not going to dwell on it.
Oh, yeah, and the cover is gorgeous! The only one I've ever seen that is not bat-shit crazy/scary or hysterical-looking that shows human-to-animal transformation. Did I say "gorgeous"? Yep. That :D
It's full of explosions, growls and roars and bursts of light and color, not to mention proverbial shit hitting the fans in copious amounts and raining down on the heads of the excited spectators/readers. Pure awesomeness ...
Big fan, BIG FAN!!!!
...if only it wasn't for the author's love for running a successful joke or two into the ground by the end of an installment. This time victims are "a newbie, so young...." and "no pun intended/pun intended". But it's the only fault with the books I can find so far, so I'm not going to dwell on it.
Oh, yeah, and the cover is gorgeous! The only one I've ever seen that is not bat-shit crazy/scary or hysterical-looking that shows human-to-animal transformation. Did I say "gorgeous"? Yep. That :D
June 13, 2016
"Being human was overrated; humans were selfish, venal, and generally horrible to one another."
"So you're not perfectly human - so fucking what? Humans are hardly a gift, are they? People suck and you know it. You're better than them. Start acting like it."
I think this one has been the hardest in this series to read and I'm not altogether sure why. It had a runaway train feel to it I guess, that feeling that something terrible was happening and there was nothing that could be done to stop it. A shroud of despair hanging over everything as Roan thinks he is losing his 'humanity' in a world where to be honest, being human doesn't seem to be all that wonderful.
This series kills me, I find myself totally bummed out thinking about it but somehow in a book that is basically urban fantasy, Andrea Speed has managed to build something that is probably the most realistic portrayal of how utterly awful we all, as a species, truly are. There is hope, lots of hope and there is humor but there is also no doubt that it is the humans, the ones with capacity to understand the destruction they can inflict on the world as a whole, that are the true monsters.
"Holden was a predator who disguised himself as prey, acting like a victim until it suited him not to be. He wasn't a psychopath, but he was two steps and one mental shift away from it."
Holden is probably the most dangerous out of anyone in this series but he is also my favourite, well after Roan obviously, he lacks empathy and he has all the makings for a serial killer but if anyone is like Batman in this I think it's Holden. He is a vigilante whose main pull seems to be people who are too weak to defend themselves. People who are invisible and people who become lost because society does not deem them important enough to save or to find.
"So you're not perfectly human - so fucking what? Humans are hardly a gift, are they? People suck and you know it. You're better than them. Start acting like it."
I think this one has been the hardest in this series to read and I'm not altogether sure why. It had a runaway train feel to it I guess, that feeling that something terrible was happening and there was nothing that could be done to stop it. A shroud of despair hanging over everything as Roan thinks he is losing his 'humanity' in a world where to be honest, being human doesn't seem to be all that wonderful.
This series kills me, I find myself totally bummed out thinking about it but somehow in a book that is basically urban fantasy, Andrea Speed has managed to build something that is probably the most realistic portrayal of how utterly awful we all, as a species, truly are. There is hope, lots of hope and there is humor but there is also no doubt that it is the humans, the ones with capacity to understand the destruction they can inflict on the world as a whole, that are the true monsters.
"Holden was a predator who disguised himself as prey, acting like a victim until it suited him not to be. He wasn't a psychopath, but he was two steps and one mental shift away from it."
Holden is probably the most dangerous out of anyone in this series but he is also my favourite, well after Roan obviously, he lacks empathy and he has all the makings for a serial killer but if anyone is like Batman in this I think it's Holden. He is a vigilante whose main pull seems to be people who are too weak to defend themselves. People who are invisible and people who become lost because society does not deem them important enough to save or to find.
October 30, 2012
I apologize, because this will likely be another schizophrenic scroll of a review. LOL I hid the review for spoilers, but I will repeat the warning here: SPOILERS AHEAD! Some hidden, some not (though some I just hid for length).
Some of the things I've said in my last few Infected reviews still hold true for Lesser Evils - Roan is still angsting about Paris, about not really being a human, about how he doesn't deserve Dylan, about how much people suck, about how much he has a death wish, etc etc etc. And because of all this repetitive angst, I want to throttle the shit out of Roan more than once (for instance, if he said he was contemplating blowing out the back of his skull one more time, I was going to reach into my Kindle and bitchsmack him into the next century). And did anyone else feel like that scene when he goes into Club Damage was like a copy-and-paste of the scene when he goes into the insurance co. building in the last book?
However, what made the repetition more tolerable in this book is the fact that the ante was upped. BIG TIME. And I also found that the tighter plot/editing, the many character POV shifts, and the general sense of growing tension in the world of the story kept me highly engaged the whole time.
Just to mix shit up, I'm reviewing by character this time! (Review Ninja, eh Sans?! ;-))
Roan
"Maybe the end result of the virus is - or is supposed to be - total transformation." -Dr. Rosenberg
Okay, I am not going to lie - if a doctor told me this? I'd be flipping my shit. So given how many physiological changes Roan has gone through - getting extra tendons/ligaments, random viral tumors... I can forgive him the angst this time. Especially when he starts craving Dylan's blood, and it freaks him out. It would freak me out, too!
Early in the book, he once again dismissed the idea of going to therapy, but then later in the book he asks Rosenberg for a reference and actually made an appointment?! I was so damned proud of him! He really does seem to want to try to work through this shit for Dylan's sake, if nothing else. (Even though he doesn't make it to said appointment on account of , but hey - got to give him an 'A' for effort. XD)
Speaking of craving Dylan's blood: "Any sex involving blood play was kinky beyond belief."
Ok, I have a vampire fetish for a reason. That scene with Dylan I know, I'm a freak. #TrueConfessions
"Roan made things worse just by being himself. He was gay, confrontational, a vocal proponent of infected rights, and had come out as an atheist in that damn magazine article written about him. He was everything these people hated wrapped up in one shiny package. They couldn’t have hated him more if he came out for the subjugation of straight white men and the use of their children as living piñatas." -Murphy
And this is the pinnacle of the drama escalation - his video message to the world, and the reactions to it. But I mean, shit, when you have a cult putting a bounty on your head on a website?! That's some scary shit. I strongly suspect that the tainted burn and the FCC will be featured heavily in the next book. That plot is long from being wrapped up, and we've been building to this point all along, really.
Roan: "But since he's the only thing keeping me human, I think the lion would be glad to have him gone."
AND
Dee: "Just 'cause the lion's winning the battle now doesn't mean it will win the war."
By the end of this book, we know the lion IS winning the battle. But there wouldn't be a series to continue if it won the war - I am confident that Human Roan will win.
Dylan
What I DO worry about is Dylan - can he handle this? There were some bits of foreshadowing that definitely indicate he will be struggling even more than he has already with the consequences of being Roan's partner.
"Thinking about it, Dylan realized he’d love to paint a heart on his face, a broken heart, his nose the dividing point, his eyes within the halves of the heart. Because Roan was grief, and all those tattoos he had were symbolic of that. There were always three people in this relationship: him, Roan, and the ghost of Paris, and that hadn’t changed. Sometimes he thought Roan thought it had, that he had gotten beyond it, but all those tattoos, even if they weren’t directly symbolic of Paris, were all about him. He was branding memories into his skin, wearing the body armor of his mourning, and he probably thought he wasn’t. He felt like incorporating that into the artistic theme."
AND
"Dylan did many random things, including singing along with the radio and telling him, totally out of the blue, that sometimes he wasn’t sure he could live with him, but he also knew he couldn’t live without him either. Which made Roan realize that they probably were just like any other married couple, which was actually kind of disappointing. Did this mean they’d soon be cheating on each other and secretly loathing one another?"
Will he leave him? Will he cheat on him? I have absolutely no idea at this point. Maybe he won't do either. But being in a room when your comatose husband wakes up, and you realize that he's not in there anymore? And it's because he doesn't *want* to be? That would seriously push ANYONE to their breaking point.
And now, for the daily PSA from your friendly neighborhood Zen Buddhist, brought to you by the number 2, the letter D, and the color rainbow: "Life is fucked up, honey. We're simply reacting to it."
Paris
Yes, this dead bastard is STILL making me cry like a loon:
That last line is PARTICULARLY true, I think.
"Then again, most of his more flamboyant cat abilities had been coming out over the last few years. Since Paris died? If you did the math, pretty much. Did that mean something? Roan had once said Paris had kept him Human, and now she was wondering if that was actually true." - Murphy
^^^THAT.
And finally...
Oh Jesus, that just did me in. AGAIN. I was sobbing like I did at the end of Bloodlines. I think it's safe to say that Paris, even if he's not there in the flesh, IS here to stay. I am both glad about and angsting over that reality.
I wonder if the opening scene in the next book will be Roan once again hanging out with Hallucination!Paris while comatose...?
The Falcons (minus Scott)
"Hon, I know most of my friends are pretentious jerks, but most of your friends are fucking weirdos."
"I know. You do realize I also consider you one of my friends."
"Yes. It's a cross I have to bear." (LOL, Dylan!)
I have to admit, I am REALLY glad Speed gave an explanation for the gay-friendly hockey team with the story about Tank's lesbian sister. It made no sense to me in Shift, it really didn't. I mean, I'm sure some jocks are cool with gays, but a whole team adopting a 'gay mascot' seemed completely out of the realm of possibility to me.
They're goofy, but they're generally good guys. I like Tank and Grey okay, but I could do with less of the rest of them. I still think they add an unnecessary layer of silly to the story.
Scott
Well spoken, Scott.
At first, I thought Scott witnessing Roan fighting a bunch of cats just turned his man-crush into something else. His reaction made me think of Paris's line about how men who fell for Roan went straight past lust into love.
But there are certain developments (which I will discuss further on) which make me wonder about that.
This did depress me:
It wasn’t until the show went to commercial that Scott asked [Holden], “You slept with him?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“He’s a serial monogamist, and he’s always with some guy. He just won’t cheat.”
“Why the hell not? He is a man, right?”
Thank you, Scott, for reminding me why I find most men untrustworthy asshats. -_-
Holden
"If there was a zombie apocalypse, you definitely wanted Holden on your mall-occupying crew. If there was a way to survive, he would find it."
LOL - one of my favorite lines in the book. I have already mentioned many times how much I adore Holden. After Paris, he is my favorite character in the series. If I knew him in RL, I would be hopelessly in love with him, and desperately wishing he were at least bi.
"So here was where Holden's shame laid - in human weakness. Anything that made him seem less like the self-sufficient hardass he liked to present himself as (and oh, didn't that sound familiar)."
^^^ME TOO. Looks like Pride is all 3 of our Deadly Sins, my boys. That little sweet moment of tenderness when Roan pulled Holden's blanket on and stroked his hair... I am sure that it's maybe more a kind of fatherly affection than anything, but that little "flare of warmth" made me go AWWWWWWWWWW.
I do still kinda wish they would fuck, JUST ONCE.
And P.S. did Holden FOR REAL kiss Roan to wake him up?! That made me happy. LOL (Well, mostly. Poor Dylan!)
Holden & Scott
"Scott approached him, looking a bit more lucid than he would have expected. 'I’m not sure what you are, but you aren’t a whore. Sure, you sell yourself for money, but whore’s a state of mind, and you’re not there. You know it too, why else do you not know what you are?'"
This had to be my favorite subplot in this whole book. And let me show you why:
AND
*waves hands in air and jumps up and down* OH OH PICK ME!! PICK MEEEEEEE!
AND
I really don't care that Holden is 1) fiction, 2) gay, and 3) a hooker. I. WANT. HIM. I am soooooo jealous of Scott, but am also glad to be living vicariously through him. LOL
I think it would be great for Holden to find love and stop hooking, but honestly? Him having a regular fuck on the side is almost as good.
So, in conclusion... the ending of Lesser Evils, while a cliffhanger, is not an unbearable one, nor is it wholly unexpected. However, I do feel hella sorry for poor Dylan.
There is a lot of great drama that unfolded in this book that I can't WAIT to see more of - the FCC/tainted burn plot (and bounties on the Church power players), Holden & Scott, Roan fighting his inner lion to reclaim his humanity (possibly with the help of Hallucination!Paris...?), and the question of WWDD (What Would Dylan Do? XD). That's some heavy shit, but that's what makes this series great.
When I was reading this book and picturing the action sequences, it occurred to me that Infected would make a damn fun TV series (speaking of him being the "gay, mutant House" - LOL, Kevin!). Sometimes I feel like Hollywood would ruin some of my favorite stories (*cough*BDB*cough*), but this one? I think it would be awesome, IF they managed to keep the characters in their current sexual orientations. So Ms. Speed, if you want a producer, I'm all over that shit! ;-)
I had a hell of a difficult time writing this review - so much of this book spoke for itself, you know? That's why there are so many quotes. LOL
But overall, I LOVED it, and I can't wait for the next one, Undertow!
Some of the things I've said in my last few Infected reviews still hold true for Lesser Evils - Roan is still angsting about Paris, about not really being a human, about how he doesn't deserve Dylan, about how much people suck, about how much he has a death wish, etc etc etc. And because of all this repetitive angst, I want to throttle the shit out of Roan more than once (for instance, if he said he was contemplating blowing out the back of his skull one more time, I was going to reach into my Kindle and bitchsmack him into the next century). And did anyone else feel like that scene when he goes into Club Damage was like a copy-and-paste of the scene when he goes into the insurance co. building in the last book?
However, what made the repetition more tolerable in this book is the fact that the ante was upped. BIG TIME. And I also found that the tighter plot/editing, the many character POV shifts, and the general sense of growing tension in the world of the story kept me highly engaged the whole time.
Just to mix shit up, I'm reviewing by character this time! (Review Ninja, eh Sans?! ;-))
Roan
"Maybe the end result of the virus is - or is supposed to be - total transformation." -Dr. Rosenberg
Okay, I am not going to lie - if a doctor told me this? I'd be flipping my shit. So given how many physiological changes Roan has gone through - getting extra tendons/ligaments, random viral tumors... I can forgive him the angst this time. Especially when he starts craving Dylan's blood, and it freaks him out. It would freak me out, too!
Early in the book, he once again dismissed the idea of going to therapy, but then later in the book he asks Rosenberg for a reference and actually made an appointment?! I was so damned proud of him! He really does seem to want to try to work through this shit for Dylan's sake, if nothing else. (Even though he doesn't make it to said appointment on account of , but hey - got to give him an 'A' for effort. XD)
Speaking of craving Dylan's blood: "Any sex involving blood play was kinky beyond belief."
Ok, I have a vampire fetish for a reason. That scene with Dylan I know, I'm a freak. #TrueConfessions
"Roan made things worse just by being himself. He was gay, confrontational, a vocal proponent of infected rights, and had come out as an atheist in that damn magazine article written about him. He was everything these people hated wrapped up in one shiny package. They couldn’t have hated him more if he came out for the subjugation of straight white men and the use of their children as living piñatas." -Murphy
And this is the pinnacle of the drama escalation - his video message to the world, and the reactions to it. But I mean, shit, when you have a cult putting a bounty on your head on a website?! That's some scary shit. I strongly suspect that the tainted burn and the FCC will be featured heavily in the next book. That plot is long from being wrapped up, and we've been building to this point all along, really.
Roan: "But since he's the only thing keeping me human, I think the lion would be glad to have him gone."
AND
Dee: "Just 'cause the lion's winning the battle now doesn't mean it will win the war."
By the end of this book, we know the lion IS winning the battle. But there wouldn't be a series to continue if it won the war - I am confident that Human Roan will win.
Dylan
What I DO worry about is Dylan - can he handle this? There were some bits of foreshadowing that definitely indicate he will be struggling even more than he has already with the consequences of being Roan's partner.
"Thinking about it, Dylan realized he’d love to paint a heart on his face, a broken heart, his nose the dividing point, his eyes within the halves of the heart. Because Roan was grief, and all those tattoos he had were symbolic of that. There were always three people in this relationship: him, Roan, and the ghost of Paris, and that hadn’t changed. Sometimes he thought Roan thought it had, that he had gotten beyond it, but all those tattoos, even if they weren’t directly symbolic of Paris, were all about him. He was branding memories into his skin, wearing the body armor of his mourning, and he probably thought he wasn’t. He felt like incorporating that into the artistic theme."
AND
"Dylan did many random things, including singing along with the radio and telling him, totally out of the blue, that sometimes he wasn’t sure he could live with him, but he also knew he couldn’t live without him either. Which made Roan realize that they probably were just like any other married couple, which was actually kind of disappointing. Did this mean they’d soon be cheating on each other and secretly loathing one another?"
Will he leave him? Will he cheat on him? I have absolutely no idea at this point. Maybe he won't do either. But being in a room when your comatose husband wakes up, and you realize that he's not in there anymore? And it's because he doesn't *want* to be? That would seriously push ANYONE to their breaking point.
And now, for the daily PSA from your friendly neighborhood Zen Buddhist, brought to you by the number 2, the letter D, and the color rainbow: "Life is fucked up, honey. We're simply reacting to it."
Paris
Yes, this dead bastard is STILL making me cry like a loon:
That last line is PARTICULARLY true, I think.
"Then again, most of his more flamboyant cat abilities had been coming out over the last few years. Since Paris died? If you did the math, pretty much. Did that mean something? Roan had once said Paris had kept him Human, and now she was wondering if that was actually true." - Murphy
^^^THAT.
And finally...
Oh Jesus, that just did me in. AGAIN. I was sobbing like I did at the end of Bloodlines. I think it's safe to say that Paris, even if he's not there in the flesh, IS here to stay. I am both glad about and angsting over that reality.
I wonder if the opening scene in the next book will be Roan once again hanging out with Hallucination!Paris while comatose...?
The Falcons (minus Scott)
"Hon, I know most of my friends are pretentious jerks, but most of your friends are fucking weirdos."
"I know. You do realize I also consider you one of my friends."
"Yes. It's a cross I have to bear." (LOL, Dylan!)
I have to admit, I am REALLY glad Speed gave an explanation for the gay-friendly hockey team with the story about Tank's lesbian sister. It made no sense to me in Shift, it really didn't. I mean, I'm sure some jocks are cool with gays, but a whole team adopting a 'gay mascot' seemed completely out of the realm of possibility to me.
They're goofy, but they're generally good guys. I like Tank and Grey okay, but I could do with less of the rest of them. I still think they add an unnecessary layer of silly to the story.
Scott
Well spoken, Scott.
At first, I thought Scott witnessing Roan fighting a bunch of cats just turned his man-crush into something else. His reaction made me think of Paris's line about how men who fell for Roan went straight past lust into love.
But there are certain developments (which I will discuss further on) which make me wonder about that.
This did depress me:
It wasn’t until the show went to commercial that Scott asked [Holden], “You slept with him?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“He’s a serial monogamist, and he’s always with some guy. He just won’t cheat.”
“Why the hell not? He is a man, right?”
Thank you, Scott, for reminding me why I find most men untrustworthy asshats. -_-
Holden
"If there was a zombie apocalypse, you definitely wanted Holden on your mall-occupying crew. If there was a way to survive, he would find it."
LOL - one of my favorite lines in the book. I have already mentioned many times how much I adore Holden. After Paris, he is my favorite character in the series. If I knew him in RL, I would be hopelessly in love with him, and desperately wishing he were at least bi.
"So here was where Holden's shame laid - in human weakness. Anything that made him seem less like the self-sufficient hardass he liked to present himself as (and oh, didn't that sound familiar)."
^^^ME TOO. Looks like Pride is all 3 of our Deadly Sins, my boys. That little sweet moment of tenderness when Roan pulled Holden's blanket on and stroked his hair... I am sure that it's maybe more a kind of fatherly affection than anything, but that little "flare of warmth" made me go AWWWWWWWWWW.
I do still kinda wish they would fuck, JUST ONCE.
And P.S. did Holden FOR REAL kiss Roan to wake him up?! That made me happy. LOL (Well, mostly. Poor Dylan!)
Holden & Scott
"Scott approached him, looking a bit more lucid than he would have expected. 'I’m not sure what you are, but you aren’t a whore. Sure, you sell yourself for money, but whore’s a state of mind, and you’re not there. You know it too, why else do you not know what you are?'"
This had to be my favorite subplot in this whole book. And let me show you why:
AND
*waves hands in air and jumps up and down* OH OH PICK ME!! PICK MEEEEEEE!
AND
I really don't care that Holden is 1) fiction, 2) gay, and 3) a hooker. I. WANT. HIM. I am soooooo jealous of Scott, but am also glad to be living vicariously through him. LOL
I think it would be great for Holden to find love and stop hooking, but honestly? Him having a regular fuck on the side is almost as good.
So, in conclusion... the ending of Lesser Evils, while a cliffhanger, is not an unbearable one, nor is it wholly unexpected. However, I do feel hella sorry for poor Dylan.
There is a lot of great drama that unfolded in this book that I can't WAIT to see more of - the FCC/tainted burn plot (and bounties on the Church power players), Holden & Scott, Roan fighting his inner lion to reclaim his humanity (possibly with the help of Hallucination!Paris...?), and the question of WWDD (What Would Dylan Do? XD). That's some heavy shit, but that's what makes this series great.
When I was reading this book and picturing the action sequences, it occurred to me that Infected would make a damn fun TV series (speaking of him being the "gay, mutant House" - LOL, Kevin!). Sometimes I feel like Hollywood would ruin some of my favorite stories (*cough*BDB*cough*), but this one? I think it would be awesome, IF they managed to keep the characters in their current sexual orientations. So Ms. Speed, if you want a producer, I'm all over that shit! ;-)
I had a hell of a difficult time writing this review - so much of this book spoke for itself, you know? That's why there are so many quotes. LOL
But overall, I LOVED it, and I can't wait for the next one, Undertow!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2019
4.5 Stars
I have absolutely no idea why this was sitting on my Currently Reading shelf for so long; I know I read it last year for Spell. But, since I knew I needed to rate it (when I realized it was till there a few months ago) I decided to wait and re-read it. I think I loved it even more the second time around. I have no idea where this series is going (with regards to Roan, I know Holden picks up the mantle in the sequels) so I am probably not going to wait long to read #7.
I have absolutely no idea why this was sitting on my Currently Reading shelf for so long; I know I read it last year for Spell. But, since I knew I needed to rate it (when I realized it was till there a few months ago) I decided to wait and re-read it. I think I loved it even more the second time around. I have no idea where this series is going (with regards to Roan, I know Holden picks up the mantle in the sequels) so I am probably not going to wait long to read #7.
August 6, 2016
Lesser Evils, book 6 in the Infected series, is just as fun and addictive as my very first taste way back in book one. Andrea Speed’s world, characters, and descriptions completely suck me in. So much so that I miss her words and atmosphere when I’m not in them. I miss the constant movement, chaos, humor, and love as soon as I click the book closed.
Sorry, but I’m not going to break down the plot here. If you know Roan at all, you know his days and nights are packed with people, life, and death. Every phone call means trouble. Honestly I don’t know why the man picks up the phone. :D
But what did strike me in this book was the idea of identity. The struggle to be, to reveal, share and keep who we are in this world is a huge part of this story. Roan is constantly battling with himself—his human side vs. the lion and virus. Trying so hard to hold on to his humanity. We all have different parts and sides of ourselves and personalities. But what happens when we lose a big part of who we are and begin to change into someone or something else in life? Things chip away at us. Pain and anger eat away at us. Can we get lost in our anger? Can we lose ourselves completely in this world? What if we want to?
Roan is not the only one struggling with two sides of his life and identity though. Holden is a survivor. A survivor, street kid and hooker known as Fox. The man can con and charm his way out of any situation with force and flair. The man knows how to steal a scene! And just so you know he stole a big part of my heart. Holden has always tried to keep his two lives separate—Fox and Holden. The constant lies and being someone else all the time have obviously caught up to him though. He feels lonely and vulnerable to me, which would probably piss him off if he heard me say that by the way. Haha…He never shows or shares too much of himself. His feelings and heart are hidden behind layers of lies and performances. Can he change and get out of the hooker life? Can he leave behind a big part of who he is? Who is Holden without “Fox”?
The friendship and connection between Holden and Roan is my favorite part of this book. They feed off of each other. Help each other. I can’t wait to see how their battles turn out. Holden’s fight has definitely taken an interesting and sexy turn! Ooolala….
I know that wasn’t much of a review. I always seem to have so many questions storming around my head after visiting Roan and the gang. Just know I loved it.
On to book 7…..
September 15, 2014
Wow! I wouldn't have thought it possible to improve on the last book Shift and I don't know if I enjoyed Lesser Evils more because the story was even better or just because I'm now massively hooked on these guys. It continues to be an absolutely amazing series and I so want everything to turn out right for Roan and Dylan, though I really don't really see how that is possible, given the situation. I loved how Holden stepped into Roan's shoes while he's out of action, he really is the perfect Assistant. As usual the last 20% or so was action packed and I'm biting my nails waiting to see how Roan gets over his latest setback.
June 13, 2016
My favorite so far.
September 14, 2016
4.5 stars
I wanted to Sam & Dean this book by the end of it. I wanted someone to care enough to tell Roan to stop. Jeez, no one asked him to stop and evaluate. Sure he's going to look at you crazy but so what! I wanted to grab Roan, and drive up to Vancouver to get away from all the madness. But I can't because I'm guessing he's meant to go through this situation for the end of the series.
I'm going to need serious counseling after this series. I finished the book feeling melancholy. I'm so debating if reading the last two books are worth it at this point. I am at a lost of words after reading this. I mean Roan has been dealing with the virus for so long, and for it turn it's back on him at this point was heartbreaking. Let's be real Roan's being self-destructing self book 2. This is book 6, and shit got real. I feel bad for Dylan at this point, he is giving all his love to this man and doesn't know what will set Roan off. I don't know if I could live with someone who could take the decision to off themselves with no regards to you. I'm not even angry at Roan. I'm just sad for him. It was hard for me to read this especially with all the things he had going on. He's basically killing his own, and no one cares, and the virus is making him the biggest target ever. I will say this though, I didn't like Holden for Roan in this book. It pissed me off. I was angry on Dylan's behalf and my own. I wanted Roan to relax and think. He doesn't seem to get the impact his death would have on people. Holden is another story. We see bits and pieces of the real him, but he is sociopath and I wanted to kick his butt and make him stay clear away from Roan.
This story showed once again how Humanity pisses me off. Roan is dealing with himself, and having to kill his own. On top of that someone else decides to hunt his own and the police does nothing about it. I kept waiting for someone higher to say that it was wrong. What the hell is wrong with people? Infecteds didn't ask to be here. They are here and human, and getting hunted down like the Serengeti. This book was long, and the one thing that I can say is I don't know if I trust Holden anymore. Yeah, he's been great and at times he's amazing, but I'm too damn stubborn to forgive him for his actions in this book. Every bit of the story was emotional for me. It was darker and more vicious from anything we've seen so far. I'm actually scared because this ended in a cliffhanger and if I think this was bad then 7 is probably going to cause me to go for fluff for a week.
I wanted to Sam & Dean this book by the end of it. I wanted someone to care enough to tell Roan to stop. Jeez, no one asked him to stop and evaluate. Sure he's going to look at you crazy but so what! I wanted to grab Roan, and drive up to Vancouver to get away from all the madness. But I can't because I'm guessing he's meant to go through this situation for the end of the series.
I'm going to need serious counseling after this series. I finished the book feeling melancholy. I'm so debating if reading the last two books are worth it at this point. I am at a lost of words after reading this. I mean Roan has been dealing with the virus for so long, and for it turn it's back on him at this point was heartbreaking. Let's be real Roan's being self-destructing self book 2. This is book 6, and shit got real. I feel bad for Dylan at this point, he is giving all his love to this man and doesn't know what will set Roan off. I don't know if I could live with someone who could take the decision to off themselves with no regards to you. I'm not even angry at Roan. I'm just sad for him. It was hard for me to read this especially with all the things he had going on. He's basically killing his own, and no one cares, and the virus is making him the biggest target ever. I will say this though, I didn't like Holden for Roan in this book. It pissed me off. I was angry on Dylan's behalf and my own. I wanted Roan to relax and think. He doesn't seem to get the impact his death would have on people. Holden is another story. We see bits and pieces of the real him, but he is sociopath and I wanted to kick his butt and make him stay clear away from Roan.
He's been different all his life. He wants to be less different, not more, but every time he turns around he's getting more different. I think he feels he's getting farther and farther away from human, and yes, while that sounds like a marvelous idea, it isn't to Roan.
This story showed once again how Humanity pisses me off. Roan is dealing with himself, and having to kill his own. On top of that someone else decides to hunt his own and the police does nothing about it. I kept waiting for someone higher to say that it was wrong. What the hell is wrong with people? Infecteds didn't ask to be here. They are here and human, and getting hunted down like the Serengeti. This book was long, and the one thing that I can say is I don't know if I trust Holden anymore. Yeah, he's been great and at times he's amazing, but I'm too damn stubborn to forgive him for his actions in this book. Every bit of the story was emotional for me. It was darker and more vicious from anything we've seen so far. I'm actually scared because this ended in a cliffhanger and if I think this was bad then 7 is probably going to cause me to go for fluff for a week.
October 29, 2020
2020 reread
Again my thoughts on this book remain the same. I'm still loving it as much as I did the first time. If anything I'm appreciating everything I'm reading even more!
Original review
Love it, love it, love it... what the hell more can I say? I feel that I'm starting to sound like a broken record with this series as all I can keep on repeating is that I honestly love this series.
The characters are larger than life. Roan is the ultimate kind of guy: super hot, super sexy, romantic, loving, yet brutal, hard-assed, hard-core and mean as well. He is all this and more wrapped into a gorgeious, conflicted and tormented package. Dylan, is a complete opposite, well not in the super hot and sexy, but in personality. He is a Buddhist and trying to practice the principles of peace-loving, forgiving and Zen kind of lifestyle. Together they make an unlikely couple, but a fantastic couple non the less.
Holden, who until now really only was a shadow character in the background gets a greater role in this book. He is another interesting character and I'm glad that we are getting to know him better as well. There are more characters added to the mix again, and some of the older ones have faded into the background a bit.
Overall it truly is a book in a series that I would recommend to everybody I know. It's a completely different take on the "shifter" genre and the books just keep getting better and better. But be warned! Before you finish this one, make sure you have the next one ready to go (as I have lol) 'cause it ends in one hell of a cliff hanger!
Again my thoughts on this book remain the same. I'm still loving it as much as I did the first time. If anything I'm appreciating everything I'm reading even more!
Original review
Love it, love it, love it... what the hell more can I say? I feel that I'm starting to sound like a broken record with this series as all I can keep on repeating is that I honestly love this series.
The characters are larger than life. Roan is the ultimate kind of guy: super hot, super sexy, romantic, loving, yet brutal, hard-assed, hard-core and mean as well. He is all this and more wrapped into a gorgeious, conflicted and tormented package. Dylan, is a complete opposite, well not in the super hot and sexy, but in personality. He is a Buddhist and trying to practice the principles of peace-loving, forgiving and Zen kind of lifestyle. Together they make an unlikely couple, but a fantastic couple non the less.
Holden, who until now really only was a shadow character in the background gets a greater role in this book. He is another interesting character and I'm glad that we are getting to know him better as well. There are more characters added to the mix again, and some of the older ones have faded into the background a bit.
Overall it truly is a book in a series that I would recommend to everybody I know. It's a completely different take on the "shifter" genre and the books just keep getting better and better. But be warned! Before you finish this one, make sure you have the next one ready to go (as I have lol) 'cause it ends in one hell of a cliff hanger!
February 26, 2016
Another excellent book of this series, i didn't expect to be so immersed in this world or even like the shifter aspect of it, but here I am, completely enjoying this ride and getting closer to the end.
Roan suffers a lot troughout this book, there's just no break for him. He's solving mysteries, being vigilante, struggling with the virus at the same time; and Dylan (oh Dylan...) is affected by all of this too, getting worried about Roan's health and trying hard to make this macho depressed smartass understand that, as his partner, he wants to be involved in all of Roan's life no matter how dark the other side is.
Holden is Roan's worst enabler, making him do vigilante stuff, and Roan finds himself enjoying it way too much until it's about to kill him.
The only reason i don't give the book a 5-star is because sometimes i feel some parts could have had more impact if there were showed and not told. I think the author from time to time fails to show and goes more with the telling. Also, there's not much into the mysteries and are quite easily resolved while didn't get much attention in the plot since Roan was just struggling too much with himself.
Roan suffers a lot troughout this book, there's just no break for him. He's solving mysteries, being vigilante, struggling with the virus at the same time; and Dylan (oh Dylan...) is affected by all of this too, getting worried about Roan's health and trying hard to make this macho depressed smartass understand that, as his partner, he wants to be involved in all of Roan's life no matter how dark the other side is.
Holden is Roan's worst enabler, making him do vigilante stuff, and Roan finds himself enjoying it way too much until it's about to kill him.
The only reason i don't give the book a 5-star is because sometimes i feel some parts could have had more impact if there were showed and not told. I think the author from time to time fails to show and goes more with the telling. Also, there's not much into the mysteries and are quite easily resolved while didn't get much attention in the plot since Roan was just struggling too much with himself.
November 25, 2012
This series just keeps getting better, and better. I really enjoyed seeing the plot from all the different angles, and having the opportunity to have not only Roan and Dylan's take on the people and events, but Dee, Holden, and even Dropkick's thoughts gave me a much richer understanding of everything, and everyone. I'm still not convinced that Roan, and Dylan are going to be together much longer (nothing against Dylan I just don't think he can handle Roan's darker side), but I look forward to seeing how things develop.
That ending, I'm going to be biting my nails until the next one.
That ending, I'm going to be biting my nails until the next one.
February 17, 2015
My heart is still pounding. Andrea Speed, you are effing brilliant. Oh, I wanted to occasionally punch you, but by the end of this sixth addition to the Infected series, all I wanted to do was hug you, thank you, and maybe cry. Outstanding world building, great character depth for both the MCs and secondary characters, beautiful pose and command of language, well constructed story, and brilliant original take on shapeshifters. I only miss the lack of sex scenes once and a while. Highly recommended. And no, you can't read these out of order. The reader must start from the beginning.
July 15, 2015
This installment failed to engage me as much as the previous ones did. This might be due to the fact that I took a huge break in the middle of ten book. One thing I really loved was the budding Scott/Holden romance.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Rating: 3.5 stars
November 22, 2012
I like this series very much, it's easily in my top 5, so I enjoyed this installment a lot, as usual. I had a few niggling issues.
It's disconnected. The two episodes of the book are not clearly marked, so I wasn't ready for the transition between one case and the other. The second one began when the previous one wasn't really closed.
I didn't have the impression that Roan's degeneration was well planned, it slowed and accelarated in an erratic way. I should probably re-read it paying more attention to the sequence of changes/health deterioration. I know that Roan's condition is unique, so no one has a clue about it, not even he, but as a reader I should be able to anticipate a pattern. For example: when Roan seemed to have developed a sort of organic shield. That part was almost dropped when the other problem arose. Or possibly it was use as a mean to force Roan to do a body scan. Anyway, I couldn't get a handle on the whole thing, and instead of being angsty, I felt confused.
I am not bothered by the cliffhangerish ending, but I can't help dreading the next installment.
Dylan was more hands on than usual and I started to see a more solid personality, he's emerging in the long run. Holden has his streak of cruelty and badassness, but he's too developing into a more rounded character. The Scott development was VERY interesting.
What I hope for: I hope Roan is able to claw his way out of the lion for once and I hope the result is not destructive. I AM NOT READY to lose Roan, no way, it's like losing your pension fund when you're close to retirement. NO WAY. I want Roan to become - even if reluctantly - the leader of the Infected, especially as an outlaw, but I hope he won't lose his friends in the process. I think this is the ultimate challenge, not the control of his lion or of his virus, but more "political" awareness and fighting adversities for the rights of his people in Roan's way, of course, with his abrasive, smartass, uncompromising personality.
It's disconnected. The two episodes of the book are not clearly marked, so I wasn't ready for the transition between one case and the other. The second one began when the previous one wasn't really closed.
I didn't have the impression that Roan's degeneration was well planned, it slowed and accelarated in an erratic way. I should probably re-read it paying more attention to the sequence of changes/health deterioration. I know that Roan's condition is unique, so no one has a clue about it, not even he, but as a reader I should be able to anticipate a pattern. For example: when Roan seemed to have developed a sort of organic shield. That part was almost dropped when the other problem arose. Or possibly it was use as a mean to force Roan to do a body scan. Anyway, I couldn't get a handle on the whole thing, and instead of being angsty, I felt confused.
I am not bothered by the cliffhangerish ending, but I can't help dreading the next installment.
Dylan was more hands on than usual and I started to see a more solid personality, he's emerging in the long run. Holden has his streak of cruelty and badassness, but he's too developing into a more rounded character. The Scott development was VERY interesting.
What I hope for: I hope Roan is able to claw his way out of the lion for once and I hope the result is not destructive. I AM NOT READY to lose Roan, no way, it's like losing your pension fund when you're close to retirement. NO WAY. I want Roan to become - even if reluctantly - the leader of the Infected, especially as an outlaw, but I hope he won't lose his friends in the process. I think this is the ultimate challenge, not the control of his lion or of his virus, but more "political" awareness and fighting adversities for the rights of his people in Roan's way, of course, with his abrasive, smartass, uncompromising personality.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2017
This is one of my favorites in the series. I finally started having positive feelings towards Dylan. I didn't hate him before, he was just blah in the past. This time, I kinda liked him.
The only negative thing I thought about this book, was the burn story line being dropped. I'm used to threads being dropped in this series, but this one struck me as odd. It's not something that would have fixed itself, or faded into the background…yet it seemed to.
Roan continues to change, but now the virus is changing him faster than he can keep up.
I loved getting some Holden time.
I hated that the story ended when it did…but it makes sense. Just means I need the next book ASAP.
I really hate, that there are only 2 books left. It seems like I fall more and more in love with Roan every book. I can't stand the thought of there not being another book to read soon.
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re-read 6/18/17
How did this happen? I missed Roan so much, I decided to re-read the series, and I'm quickly running out of books. Ahhhh!
Once again the burn story line being dropped bugged me. It was a great story line...but it wasn't resolved. How did it never show up in the series again?
I can't say which book in the series is my favorite...it's usually which ever book I finished most recently.
The only negative thing I thought about this book, was the burn story line being dropped. I'm used to threads being dropped in this series, but this one struck me as odd. It's not something that would have fixed itself, or faded into the background…yet it seemed to.
Roan continues to change, but now the virus is changing him faster than he can keep up.
I loved getting some Holden time.
I hated that the story ended when it did…but it makes sense. Just means I need the next book ASAP.
I really hate, that there are only 2 books left. It seems like I fall more and more in love with Roan every book. I can't stand the thought of there not being another book to read soon.
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re-read 6/18/17
How did this happen? I missed Roan so much, I decided to re-read the series, and I'm quickly running out of books. Ahhhh!
Once again the burn story line being dropped bugged me. It was a great story line...but it wasn't resolved. How did it never show up in the series again?
I can't say which book in the series is my favorite...it's usually which ever book I finished most recently.
November 21, 2012
4,5 stars
This book gripped me by the neck and held me firmly on the edge of my seat. LOVED it!!
Worse is escalating into hellish, the virus has a life of its own and Roan is more dual than ever.
I first had the feeling of running in circle, which was probably partly due to many repetitions (editing?)and to the fact that Roan still comes up against the same walls.
Then, I realized that it was not a circle but a spirale moving faster and faster and leading him, them, us toward the outcome.
What will the outcome be, I have no idea. Or too many ideas. My head is spinning with speculations but knowing Andra Speed, I'm scared!
This book gripped me by the neck and held me firmly on the edge of my seat. LOVED it!!
Worse is escalating into hellish, the virus has a life of its own and Roan is more dual than ever.
I first had the feeling of running in circle, which was probably partly due to many repetitions (editing?)and to the fact that Roan still comes up against the same walls.
Then, I realized that it was not a circle but a spirale moving faster and faster and leading him, them, us toward the outcome.
What will the outcome be, I have no idea. Or too many ideas. My head is spinning with speculations but knowing Andra Speed, I'm scared!
June 4, 2016
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OvzmT...
4.5 stars. Just finished this 6th book of the series, leaves us on a cliff-hanger. Roan's virus continues to evolve, his lion striving for control. I loved the developing relationship between Holden and Scott, but no sex allowed in these books - arghhh!
I highlighted 17 notes from this mobi, which to choose?
'Dylan glanced at him over his shoulder, eyebrows raised. "I married the gay Die Hard. What did I expect? I have no one to blame but myself."
"Did you just compare me to Bruce Willis? I'm insulted."'
4.5 stars. Just finished this 6th book of the series, leaves us on a cliff-hanger. Roan's virus continues to evolve, his lion striving for control. I loved the developing relationship between Holden and Scott, but no sex allowed in these books - arghhh!
I highlighted 17 notes from this mobi, which to choose?
'Dylan glanced at him over his shoulder, eyebrows raised. "I married the gay Die Hard. What did I expect? I have no one to blame but myself."
"Did you just compare me to Bruce Willis? I'm insulted."'
November 6, 2012
4.5 stars
Aargh! Dammit Andrea Speed! I love your writing but why, oh why, did you have to end this book in a cliffhanger??? Yes, a cliffhanger, and it's a doozy. All I can say is the next book better be released soon, or I'll set Roan on you...
Aargh! Dammit Andrea Speed! I love your writing but why, oh why, did you have to end this book in a cliffhanger??? Yes, a cliffhanger, and it's a doozy. All I can say is the next book better be released soon, or I'll set Roan on you...
September 19, 2017
3.5 stars
I just can't seem to stay in love with this series, but I am at least saying in like with it. Once again, there are lots of things I really like here, mostly with the characterizations and the relationship building. Holden and Scott were especially a nice surprise. But, and this is a big but, Ms. Speed just can't seem to decided where to take this story. The overall arc is well done - Roan's continued evolution/downslide as a virus child and how the virus is changing/being changed by him and vice versa. Other than that though, there are a lot of things that are introduced and then just sort of get shoved aside, forgotten or rushed at the end so at least something's kind of resolved.
Still, I'm glad I'm reading these after they've all been released, because that cliffhanger is just cruel. CRUEL I SAY!
I just can't seem to stay in love with this series, but I am at least saying in like with it. Once again, there are lots of things I really like here, mostly with the characterizations and the relationship building. Holden and Scott were especially a nice surprise. But, and this is a big but, Ms. Speed just can't seem to decided where to take this story. The overall arc is well done - Roan's continued evolution/downslide as a virus child and how the virus is changing/being changed by him and vice versa. Other than that though, there are a lot of things that are introduced and then just sort of get shoved aside, forgotten or rushed at the end so at least something's kind of resolved.
Still, I'm glad I'm reading these after they've all been released, because that cliffhanger is just cruel. CRUEL I SAY!
November 7, 2021
I would have given it 5 stars, but I loathe cliffhangers.
Roan’s “viral journey” continues to be the most intriguing aspect of the books. I’m glad the Hockey Team still plays a role, though I miss Fiona and Randi, who seem to be sidelined for macho shenanigans. I both admire and detest Dylan. He really *should* leave, but I admire his fortitude with Roan. It feels like all this is leading to some big revelation for Roan, but I’m afraid he’s too dense and self-destructive to put the pieces together. Holden continues to impress me. His budding relationship with Scott is a bit odd, but I’ve known too many people who “don’t do relationships,” and the author has captured that apathy perfectly. On to Book 7.
Roan’s “viral journey” continues to be the most intriguing aspect of the books. I’m glad the Hockey Team still plays a role, though I miss Fiona and Randi, who seem to be sidelined for macho shenanigans. I both admire and detest Dylan. He really *should* leave, but I admire his fortitude with Roan. It feels like all this is leading to some big revelation for Roan, but I’m afraid he’s too dense and self-destructive to put the pieces together. Holden continues to impress me. His budding relationship with Scott is a bit odd, but I’ve known too many people who “don’t do relationships,” and the author has captured that apathy perfectly. On to Book 7.
January 19, 2014
This is one of those times when I wish GR allowed you to review a series as a whole rather than book by book. While not always perfect, this has been an incredible ride, being able to read Roan's story in a few weeks time up to now (yes, I was behind, what else is new?)
Before I go any farther, though, I need to say something about this story, Lesser Evils:
AAAARRRRGGHH!
Okay. I feel better now. While I understand by now the episodic nature of this series, this one felt less focused, less tightly plotted than the previous outings (which were often complex but I never got the feeling of being scrambled.) And to leave us where it did? I may just join Roan and lion out a bit. Though with my luck, I'd end up a serval or a Norwegian Forest cat or something really not threatening.
That said - it doesn't mean I won't keep reading. I will. Roan and Dylan and all of their cronies have my attention. I adore them. Andrea manages to create such a diverse cast of odd-ball characters, all unique, all very much themselves, most of them damaged in one way or another, from Holden the hooker-vigilante, to Tank the I'm-crazy-deal-with-it goalie, right down to minor characters like Seb. For the most part, the dialogue is cracking good, the little hints at things below the surface well done, the locales portrayed with a painter's eye.
(Speaking of locales...I was momentarily excited when Delaware got a mention but then rather disappointed, as I have been with other mentions, that it was basically a throwaway locale. Somewhere Not West Coast. Milford was an odd choice. Especially to place an insurance company. *shrug*)
If I didn't love the characters so much, I wouldn't care where the story left off. But I do. And I care. Dang it.
Before I go any farther, though, I need to say something about this story, Lesser Evils:
AAAARRRRGGHH!
Okay. I feel better now. While I understand by now the episodic nature of this series, this one felt less focused, less tightly plotted than the previous outings (which were often complex but I never got the feeling of being scrambled.) And to leave us where it did? I may just join Roan and lion out a bit. Though with my luck, I'd end up a serval or a Norwegian Forest cat or something really not threatening.
That said - it doesn't mean I won't keep reading. I will. Roan and Dylan and all of their cronies have my attention. I adore them. Andrea manages to create such a diverse cast of odd-ball characters, all unique, all very much themselves, most of them damaged in one way or another, from Holden the hooker-vigilante, to Tank the I'm-crazy-deal-with-it goalie, right down to minor characters like Seb. For the most part, the dialogue is cracking good, the little hints at things below the surface well done, the locales portrayed with a painter's eye.
(Speaking of locales...I was momentarily excited when Delaware got a mention but then rather disappointed, as I have been with other mentions, that it was basically a throwaway locale. Somewhere Not West Coast. Milford was an odd choice. Especially to place an insurance company. *shrug*)
If I didn't love the characters so much, I wouldn't care where the story left off. But I do. And I care. Dang it.
October 11, 2012
I think the tagline for this book, and possibly for the entire series, should be something like "being superhuman isn't really all that super". More bad times for Roan! I love the way Speed handles the downsides and implications and consequences of being so thoroughly "other". Very effective.
During the first half of the book, I thought this was going to be my second favorite of the entire series -- only lagging behind Bloodlines in my affections. Unfortunately the second half pretty much lost its focus, wandering somewhat aimlessly to its very inconclusive "conclusion". For the first half, Speed did a very good job of showing us Roan's misery and dissolution -- but I think she just didn't quite know what to do with her plot lines once she got Roan into really serious trouble. Her efforts to bring Holden closer to the spotlight were interesting but felt forced and pasted on, her "solution" of the second-half mystery wasn't much of a solution at all, she pretty much dropped the central conflicts from the first half of the book, and Roan himself was left almost literally in limbo at the end.
Over all -- a great first half, and a serious faiure of the second half. But of course I'll still have to read the next installment to see if she can pull everything back together!
During the first half of the book, I thought this was going to be my second favorite of the entire series -- only lagging behind Bloodlines in my affections. Unfortunately the second half pretty much lost its focus, wandering somewhat aimlessly to its very inconclusive "conclusion". For the first half, Speed did a very good job of showing us Roan's misery and dissolution -- but I think she just didn't quite know what to do with her plot lines once she got Roan into really serious trouble. Her efforts to bring Holden closer to the spotlight were interesting but felt forced and pasted on, her "solution" of the second-half mystery wasn't much of a solution at all, she pretty much dropped the central conflicts from the first half of the book, and Roan himself was left almost literally in limbo at the end.
Over all -- a great first half, and a serious faiure of the second half. But of course I'll still have to read the next installment to see if she can pull everything back together!
December 23, 2012
This is an amazing series. Andrea knows how to keep a reader so involved in the story that you shrug off little niggles that might pull a person out of a lesser story.
Not that it hurt the rating, but did anyone else see a drop on the editing quality for this one? I always hate saying anything about it but it really struck me on this one more than the others.
Not that it hurt the rating, but did anyone else see a drop on the editing quality for this one? I always hate saying anything about it but it really struck me on this one more than the others.
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