What do you think?
Rate this book
Kitty Norville #12
Kitty in the Underworld
As Denver adjusts to a new master vampire, Kitty gets word of an intruder in the Denver werewolf pack’s territory, and she investigates the challenge to her authority. She follows the scent of the lycanthrope through the mountains where she is lured into a trap, tranquilized, and captured. When she wakes up, she finds herself in a defunct silver mine: the perfect cage for a werewolf. Her captors are a mysterious cult seeking to induct Kitty into their ranks in a ritual they hope will put an end to Dux Bellorum. Though skeptical of their power, even Kitty finds herself struggling to resist joining their cause. Whatever she decides, they expect Kitty to join them in their plot . . . willingly or otherwise.
305 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 30, 2013
About the author
Carrie Vaughn
268 books4,346 followersCarrie Vaughn is the author more than twenty novels and over a hundred short stories. She's best known for her New York Times bestselling series of novels about a werewolf named Kitty who hosts a talk radio advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged. In 2018, she won the Philip K. Dick Award for Bannerless, a post-apocalyptic murder mystery. She's published over 20 novels and 100 short stories, two of which have been finalists for the Hugo Award. She's a contributor to the Wild Cards series of shared world superhero books edited by George R. R. Martin and a graduate of the Odyssey Fantasy Writing Workshop.
An Air Force brat, she survived her nomadic childhood and managed to put down roots in Boulder, Colorado, where she collects hobbies.
Visit her at www.carrievaughn.com
For writing advice and essays, check out her Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/carrievaughn
An Air Force brat, she survived her nomadic childhood and managed to put down roots in Boulder, Colorado, where she collects hobbies.
Visit her at www.carrievaughn.com
For writing advice and essays, check out her Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/carrievaughn
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 330 reviews
August 3, 2013
I've hung on with this series for a while now, but this one is it for me.
Kitty in the Underworld is boring. Seriously, seriously, boring. A solid third of the book has no dialogue (followed by inane dialogue with crazy people), and Kitty's inner thoughts on Regina Luporum are not enough to sustain my interest. To huge detriment, her trusty cadre of sidekicks aren't in 98% of the book. Ben, when he does appear, is still his awesome lawyerly husband self. Cormac is still Cormelia. Plot-wise, almost nothing happens.
After several books of filler, I no longer care about the Long Game or this series.
Kitty in the Underworld is boring. Seriously, seriously, boring. A solid third of the book has no dialogue (followed by inane dialogue with crazy people), and Kitty's inner thoughts on Regina Luporum are not enough to sustain my interest. To huge detriment, her trusty cadre of sidekicks aren't in 98% of the book. Ben, when he does appear, is still his awesome lawyerly husband self. Cormac is still Cormelia. Plot-wise, almost nothing happens.
After several books of filler, I no longer care about the Long Game or this series.
August 2, 2013
This series needs to end or to shift focus.
I still liked this book, it's not bad. But in comparison to the earlier novels, it's boring.
In my opinion, there are two problems:
1) The story arc about the Long Game has been going on for a long time (this is vol. 12) and really needs to be resolved.
2) The main character, Kitty, is no longer interesting. Don't get me wrong, she's a good character, but there is no suspense. She's developed as a person, her career is as good as it can be, she's in a stable relationship with a nice but rather boring man (nothing against Ben, but he's not an exciting character) and even if she still gets into trouble, we know by now she can handle it (and the plots are getting weaker -
The most interesting characters in the books were always Rick (who's - for now - being written out of the story) and Cormac. So I'm hopeful about the next book which has been announced as being from Cormac's point of view.
I really like the universe Vaughn has created, but perhaps it is time to let another character take the spotlight. Kitty is rapidly using up her potential as a character.
I still liked this book, it's not bad. But in comparison to the earlier novels, it's boring.
In my opinion, there are two problems:
1) The story arc about the Long Game has been going on for a long time (this is vol. 12) and really needs to be resolved.
2) The main character, Kitty, is no longer interesting. Don't get me wrong, she's a good character, but there is no suspense. She's developed as a person, her career is as good as it can be, she's in a stable relationship with a nice but rather boring man (nothing against Ben, but he's not an exciting character) and even if she still gets into trouble, we know by now she can handle it (and the plots are getting weaker -
The most interesting characters in the books were always Rick (who's - for now - being written out of the story) and Cormac. So I'm hopeful about the next book which has been announced as being from Cormac's point of view.
I really like the universe Vaughn has created, but perhaps it is time to let another character take the spotlight. Kitty is rapidly using up her potential as a character.
January 31, 2019
This series is a consistently light read designed only for light amusement... assuming that preparing to war against an ancient vampire in our modern world, setting up allies between other vampires and werewolves and magicians to fight this war is a "light read".
Well, to be honest, it is. This is a UF dealing with social masked social issues, sometimes even coming back to Kitty's radio talk show, but more often of late it's all about killing Roman.
This particular novel takes a weird dark turn, getting her kidnapped and pressured into a cult-like magical ceremony with possibly deluded weres and vamps that SHOULD be Kitty's natural allies.
Was it kind of a mess? Yeah, a bit. And the whole identification with captors bit was a bit ... difficult... but this is, at its heart, a LIGHT UF.
I didn't hate it. But then, I don't usually take this kind of thing too seriously, either. :)
Well, to be honest, it is. This is a UF dealing with social masked social issues, sometimes even coming back to Kitty's radio talk show, but more often of late it's all about killing Roman.
This particular novel takes a weird dark turn, getting her kidnapped and pressured into a cult-like magical ceremony with possibly deluded weres and vamps that SHOULD be Kitty's natural allies.
Was it kind of a mess? Yeah, a bit. And the whole identification with captors bit was a bit ... difficult... but this is, at its heart, a LIGHT UF.
I didn't hate it. But then, I don't usually take this kind of thing too seriously, either. :)
March 21, 2021
Kitty in the underworld by Carrie Vaughn
Its the 12th book in the series and I love it. Kitty is a popular night time radio talk show and a werewolf. Witha mundane job you would think that would get boring. Nope. She always finds a way to get into some kind of adventure or trouble. In this book one of her friends gets killed while trying to stop a big bad guy. While she was dealing with writing a book figuring out the mystery she gets kidnapped by people that are also trying to stop the big bad. They just going about it all the wrong way. I really recommend this series.
Raiting: 4 🌟
Its the 12th book in the series and I love it. Kitty is a popular night time radio talk show and a werewolf. Witha mundane job you would think that would get boring. Nope. She always finds a way to get into some kind of adventure or trouble. In this book one of her friends gets killed while trying to stop a big bad guy. While she was dealing with writing a book figuring out the mystery she gets kidnapped by people that are also trying to stop the big bad. They just going about it all the wrong way. I really recommend this series.
Raiting: 4 🌟
August 11, 2013
Kitty is kidnapped and spends most of the book talking to herself. The rest of the time she talks to a bunch of totally unbelievable characters. Not much plot, suspense or action. I was mildly bored throughout most of it. I skimmed a lot in the middle. If story telling is your thing and a lot of of mythology lessons, this might be for you. If I wasn't dead set on reading the next book in the series, I would have thrown this against the wall. Hard.
I hope that Vaughn has not permanently lost the plot. If this is an experiment to do something differently in the series, it has failed.
She actually managed to kindle my curiosity again in the epilogue, so I will get the next book for sure. But, please, please, please, finish the story arc with The Long Game, it is boring me to tears! I really do not care what Roman does.
I hope that Vaughn has not permanently lost the plot. If this is an experiment to do something differently in the series, it has failed.
She actually managed to kindle my curiosity again in the epilogue, so I will get the next book for sure. But, please, please, please, finish the story arc with The Long Game, it is boring me to tears! I really do not care what Roman does.
December 31, 2015
1.5 stars or a little less. I very nearly DNF'd Kitty in the Underworld, and I did a large portion of the book at 3x speed in audio, just to get through it. Not only did not alot happen until the end, I was thouroughly irritated with Kitty for much of the book. Initially, I kept going because, when I asked if I needed to read this, I was told something happens at the end that carries forward into next book. I haven't read that book yet, but at this point nothing that happened seems that significant. I only finished this because I didn't get around to downloading another book. Check the inside the spoiler if you want more details.
I completely agree with everyone who said this should have been a short story and that the long game part of the series is a snooze. I have the next book, but as of now I am taking a Kitty break.
I completely agree with everyone who said this should have been a short story and that the long game part of the series is a snooze. I have the next book, but as of now I am taking a Kitty break.
January 8, 2015
Summary: Dux Bellarum, Roman, has hurt a friend, and Kitty is worried about what they can do to stop them. When there are unknown weres in her and Ben's territory, Kitty goes to check it out. She is kidnapped, but can't stay angry for long because they know how to stop Roman. Will they succeed?
Review: I am a champion for the Kitty books. I think Carrie Vaughn is a superb writer. But this book was just a big letdown.
I like her characters. Kitty continues to grow and in this book she starts to see her role in the Long Game as more than just a "mouthpiece". She has been fighting it for a bit, but I think she is coming to terms with it. We barely got to see our normal supporting cast, but we met other interesting characters.
Also, I enjoyed the storytelling and historical references. It helped frame the whole novel.
That's where it ends for me. Because, this felt more like a novella than a full length novel. I was bored with Kitty's time in lock up. Was it necessary for it to be that long and monotonous? I think if she shortened Kitty's time as a prisoner, the story would have flowed better. And, as much as I enjoyed the history in this book, it was a bit much. Too many tales with separate threads that didn't find a cohesive story.
The overall plot was also bland. It wasn't compelling. I wanted to get sucked into Kitty's world and I found myself skimming. Not good. A kidnapping should be exciting. Rather it was boring. I half thought they were going to break out the fancy tea set and have petite fours at one point. Where was the heat?
She introduced characters that could have been fleshed out later, but instead many of them died. Why introduce characters that are going to die anyway? And what was Angelo's role in this book? I didn't get it. I don't see how he added to the story.
The best of Kitty's books are the radio shows. And again, I was bored by them. She had a vampire stripper on the show. She could have made it so much more fun! Think of the places that it could go! But, I wanted to take a nap, instead.
It was dull. I hate saying that about books, especially when they come from an author I admire, but there it is. It was boring. I hope we get a more thrilling story in the next installment. Or, it's time to wind down Kitty's story? I suppose that's something only Vaughn can answer.
Sex: none
Violence: not much at all. Negligible.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Series rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Quote: "So, a question for the peanut gallery: Once they turn sixty-five, how long should working vampires be able to collect social security? The rest of their lives, like the rest of us? Are you a vampire collecting social security? I want to hear from you..."
Next book: Not sure , but I think it will be a novel from Cormac's POV. Let's hope there is no everlasting romance between him and Amelia.
Review: I am a champion for the Kitty books. I think Carrie Vaughn is a superb writer. But this book was just a big letdown.
I like her characters. Kitty continues to grow and in this book she starts to see her role in the Long Game as more than just a "mouthpiece". She has been fighting it for a bit, but I think she is coming to terms with it. We barely got to see our normal supporting cast, but we met other interesting characters.
Also, I enjoyed the storytelling and historical references. It helped frame the whole novel.
That's where it ends for me. Because, this felt more like a novella than a full length novel. I was bored with Kitty's time in lock up. Was it necessary for it to be that long and monotonous? I think if she shortened Kitty's time as a prisoner, the story would have flowed better. And, as much as I enjoyed the history in this book, it was a bit much. Too many tales with separate threads that didn't find a cohesive story.
The overall plot was also bland. It wasn't compelling. I wanted to get sucked into Kitty's world and I found myself skimming. Not good. A kidnapping should be exciting. Rather it was boring. I half thought they were going to break out the fancy tea set and have petite fours at one point. Where was the heat?
She introduced characters that could have been fleshed out later, but instead many of them died. Why introduce characters that are going to die anyway? And what was Angelo's role in this book? I didn't get it. I don't see how he added to the story.
The best of Kitty's books are the radio shows. And again, I was bored by them. She had a vampire stripper on the show. She could have made it so much more fun! Think of the places that it could go! But, I wanted to take a nap, instead.
It was dull. I hate saying that about books, especially when they come from an author I admire, but there it is. It was boring. I hope we get a more thrilling story in the next installment. Or, it's time to wind down Kitty's story? I suppose that's something only Vaughn can answer.
Sex: none
Violence: not much at all. Negligible.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Series rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Quote: "So, a question for the peanut gallery: Once they turn sixty-five, how long should working vampires be able to collect social security? The rest of their lives, like the rest of us? Are you a vampire collecting social security? I want to hear from you..."
Next book: Not sure , but I think it will be a novel from Cormac's POV. Let's hope there is no everlasting romance between him and Amelia.
August 23, 2013
For the very reasons that I loved the last book in this series, I left this book with a feeling of 'meh'.
Many of these urban fantasy series have a big overarching story line and a big bad that must be defeated. I admit to usually not really not enjoying these series' when they do focus on the big bad, preferring the more self-contained or, dare I say it, mundane, adventures.
Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series definitely has a big bad. However, I find that it is when Ms. Vaughn focuses on this overarching that I have to struggle to finish the book. When she focuses on the smaller victories of Kitty being the the Alpha of a Werewolf pack or dealing with other more mundane issues, this series shines (Kitty dealing with her mom's health issues in an earlier book was brilliant and heart-breaking). However, in the books where she is fighting the Roman, I lose interest. This is one of those 'Roman' books (perhaps its me but does it seem that every other book is a Roman book?)
Having said that, another problem this book has is that hardly anything happens whatsoever. Kitty is kidnapped, the kidnappers have a plan to fight Roman, Kitty helps them (you can get all that off of the jacket blurb for the book.
This is another book that I'll put in the "only for true fans of the series" category. It is definitely not in my must re-read pile.
Many of these urban fantasy series have a big overarching story line and a big bad that must be defeated. I admit to usually not really not enjoying these series' when they do focus on the big bad, preferring the more self-contained or, dare I say it, mundane, adventures.
Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series definitely has a big bad. However, I find that it is when Ms. Vaughn focuses on this overarching that I have to struggle to finish the book. When she focuses on the smaller victories of Kitty being the the Alpha of a Werewolf pack or dealing with other more mundane issues, this series shines (Kitty dealing with her mom's health issues in an earlier book was brilliant and heart-breaking). However, in the books where she is fighting the Roman, I lose interest. This is one of those 'Roman' books (perhaps its me but does it seem that every other book is a Roman book?)
Having said that, another problem this book has is that hardly anything happens whatsoever. Kitty is kidnapped, the kidnappers have a plan to fight Roman, Kitty helps them (you can get all that off of the jacket blurb for the book.
This is another book that I'll put in the "only for true fans of the series" category. It is definitely not in my must re-read pile.
January 15, 2014
I enjoy this series and will continue to read it, but this one felt like an extended episode without much movement or development in either overarching plot or characters. It could have been trimmed a lot, and made part of a book with other things happening. I still like Kitty, though, and will look forward to her next, hopefully less isolated and static, adventure.
August 7, 2013
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2020
Kitty Norville, nationally syndicated nighttime radio talk show host, werewolf extraordinaire, and the leader- along with her husband and fellow werewolf Ben - of a werewolf pack in Denver, is in a bit of a quandary about a book she is set on writing. She then receives a call from Tom, a pack member, who informs her of some unusual activity he observed deep in the hills outside of Denver. Kitty then drives off that evening to join Tom and while both are in the process of investigating this activity, both become separated from one another and Kitty is brought down by a flurry of tranquilizer darts.
Kitty awakes to find herself a prisoner in a section of an abandoned silver mine. Her captors are an unusual bunch of supernatural beings - 2 lycanthropes (a male werewolf from India and a woman were-lion from Egypt), one of the oldest vampires in the world, and a woman conjurer - who have banded together on a quest to destroy Roman a powerful, despotic vampire (whom Kitty once encountered sometime ago) set on achieving worldwide control. They want Kitty to join them on this quest. There is a contest of wills between them and Kitty which informs much of the novel.
I leave it to the reader of this review to find out what goes down. Prepare to be amazed.
Kitty awakes to find herself a prisoner in a section of an abandoned silver mine. Her captors are an unusual bunch of supernatural beings - 2 lycanthropes (a male werewolf from India and a woman were-lion from Egypt), one of the oldest vampires in the world, and a woman conjurer - who have banded together on a quest to destroy Roman a powerful, despotic vampire (whom Kitty once encountered sometime ago) set on achieving worldwide control. They want Kitty to join them on this quest. There is a contest of wills between them and Kitty which informs much of the novel.
I leave it to the reader of this review to find out what goes down. Prepare to be amazed.
July 12, 2020
Notes:
Parts of the useful elements should have been inserted in other books. This was total filler and not a well crafted story.
Note to Self: The rest of the series is still available at the library but it would be better to avoid frustration.
Parts of the useful elements should have been inserted in other books. This was total filler and not a well crafted story.
Note to Self: The rest of the series is still available at the library but it would be better to avoid frustration.
September 19, 2013
It all started with a lion, a were, a witch and an ancient vampire.
Kitty gets herself were napped and discovers her captures are a rag tag group of delusional cultists. Or are they ? They drug her, cage her, treat her like a wild creature keeping her away from her pack and her life. She only wants to run. Stories keep her interested. The stories they share are muddled, but perhaps hold some hope ? Does she risk it all or does she run while the running is good?
I really enjoyed this edition to the series. Kitty is one of my favorite heroines. Her thirst for the next great story, the truth, the answers, never fail to captivate me. The mysteries she uncovers are ancient and I loved hearing them. Very little of the pack or Ben was in this one, it was mostly Kitty's drama. It was a bittersweet story with a fantastic ending.
Kitty gets herself were napped and discovers her captures are a rag tag group of delusional cultists. Or are they ? They drug her, cage her, treat her like a wild creature keeping her away from her pack and her life. She only wants to run. Stories keep her interested. The stories they share are muddled, but perhaps hold some hope ? Does she risk it all or does she run while the running is good?
I really enjoyed this edition to the series. Kitty is one of my favorite heroines. Her thirst for the next great story, the truth, the answers, never fail to captivate me. The mysteries she uncovers are ancient and I loved hearing them. Very little of the pack or Ben was in this one, it was mostly Kitty's drama. It was a bittersweet story with a fantastic ending.
October 4, 2013
I’m not sure exactly what it was about this book, but it didn’t grab me as much as the others have.
I think it’s because Kitty seemed to act uncharacteristically passive and illogically here. I mean, she’s always been non-confrontational; it’s a defining characteristic, but up till now she hasn’t acted willfully stupid in most cases I can remember. Specific gripes are in the spoiler, and unfortunately they make up most of the review:
The fact that I was annoyed at the apparent deviation from character says something about how well Vaughn has constructed Kitty up to this point, but the latter half of this book seriously threw me; I couldn’t find a real reason for Kitty’s incongruous behavior that convinced me.
I’m willing to believe this was an “off book” for the author, but it also smacks of a forced plot and a bit of a rush job. Given how soon after Kitty Rocks the House this book came out, both are certainly possible. While I appreciate another entry in the series coming so swiftly, I’d rather wait for a quality installment than see the universe suffer due to rush jobs.
I think it’s because Kitty seemed to act uncharacteristically passive and illogically here. I mean, she’s always been non-confrontational; it’s a defining characteristic, but up till now she hasn’t acted willfully stupid in most cases I can remember. Specific gripes are in the spoiler, and unfortunately they make up most of the review:
The fact that I was annoyed at the apparent deviation from character says something about how well Vaughn has constructed Kitty up to this point, but the latter half of this book seriously threw me; I couldn’t find a real reason for Kitty’s incongruous behavior that convinced me.
I’m willing to believe this was an “off book” for the author, but it also smacks of a forced plot and a bit of a rush job. Given how soon after Kitty Rocks the House this book came out, both are certainly possible. While I appreciate another entry in the series coming so swiftly, I’d rather wait for a quality installment than see the universe suffer due to rush jobs.
August 27, 2013
Book provided to reviewer in exchange for a fair review.
Summary – 3.5 stars
Kitty in the Underworld by Carrie Vaughn continues the storyline of Kitty the werewolf's fight against uber villain Dux Bellorum, also known as Roman. This time Kitty is kidnapped by a group who plan to use her in their own fight against Dux Bellorum, and held captive in an abandoned silver mine. It's somewhat reminiscent of Kitty's House of Horrors only the supporting cast is neither as sympathetic nor as much fun to hate. The personal intrigues and human issues have mostly been lost to the greater conspiracy, which makes minimal progress. Kitty remains a fun read even when treading water, and long time fans will not be sorry for spending the time or money on Kitty in the Underworld. It's worth the $7-8 ebook cover price. This is the 12th book in the series and is not recommended as a stand alone read.
Fantasy World
Vampires, and werewolves, and magic oh my! The author's descriptions of what it's like to be a werewolf are still wonderful. The vampires are mysterious and the magic unique.
Tingle Factor
This is a fantasy novel so there isn't any tingle. Kitty is held captive well away from any romance or nookie.
Romance
Kitty does long for her husband, Ben, and spend some time on memory lane, but that's it for any romance.
Drama
The plot is good for the first half of the book, but takes a turn towards the unbelievable during the second half. It's hard to feel a lot of anticipation for the outcome when you're too busy wanting to smack people upside the head for making bad choices.
Heroine
Kitty is still best when she's in her element – the radio. Her opening show with the vampire stripper is vintage Kitty. She's still trying to find her way as a werewolf Alpha and as a soldier in the fight against Dux Bellorum. Despite her doubts, she doesn't quit trying, however, her lack of self confidence can be a bit trying.
Supporting Cast
The usual supporting cast (Ben, Cormac, the police detective, the local vampire master) are given token appearances, but Kitty spends much of her time alone underground in a mine. The new vampire master is nowhere near as much fun as the old one, Rick, however he has potential. The kidnappers are mostly irritating as they fall into two categories – blind leaders or blind followers.
For access to all links in this review, please visit http://www.damesunrestrained.blogspot...
Summary – 3.5 stars
Kitty in the Underworld by Carrie Vaughn continues the storyline of Kitty the werewolf's fight against uber villain Dux Bellorum, also known as Roman. This time Kitty is kidnapped by a group who plan to use her in their own fight against Dux Bellorum, and held captive in an abandoned silver mine. It's somewhat reminiscent of Kitty's House of Horrors only the supporting cast is neither as sympathetic nor as much fun to hate. The personal intrigues and human issues have mostly been lost to the greater conspiracy, which makes minimal progress. Kitty remains a fun read even when treading water, and long time fans will not be sorry for spending the time or money on Kitty in the Underworld. It's worth the $7-8 ebook cover price. This is the 12th book in the series and is not recommended as a stand alone read.
Fantasy World
Vampires, and werewolves, and magic oh my! The author's descriptions of what it's like to be a werewolf are still wonderful. The vampires are mysterious and the magic unique.
Tingle Factor
This is a fantasy novel so there isn't any tingle. Kitty is held captive well away from any romance or nookie.
Romance
Kitty does long for her husband, Ben, and spend some time on memory lane, but that's it for any romance.
Drama
The plot is good for the first half of the book, but takes a turn towards the unbelievable during the second half. It's hard to feel a lot of anticipation for the outcome when you're too busy wanting to smack people upside the head for making bad choices.
Heroine
Kitty is still best when she's in her element – the radio. Her opening show with the vampire stripper is vintage Kitty. She's still trying to find her way as a werewolf Alpha and as a soldier in the fight against Dux Bellorum. Despite her doubts, she doesn't quit trying, however, her lack of self confidence can be a bit trying.
Supporting Cast
The usual supporting cast (Ben, Cormac, the police detective, the local vampire master) are given token appearances, but Kitty spends much of her time alone underground in a mine. The new vampire master is nowhere near as much fun as the old one, Rick, however he has potential. The kidnappers are mostly irritating as they fall into two categories – blind leaders or blind followers.
For access to all links in this review, please visit http://www.damesunrestrained.blogspot...
July 7, 2015
Writing: 4
Story: 2
Satisfaction: 3
I was a little disappointed by this book. A little more light is shed on who Roman is and his backstory but other than that, not a lot happens. Usually Vaughn is great at writing strong side characters but everyone introduced in this book came across really flat to me.
Ben goes away on a short business trip and Kitty catches wind of some kind of were-animal in her territory. She goes tracking to find out who's come uninvited into Denver but is kidnapped and finds herself locked in a silver mine while her captors continue to call her "Regina Luporum" and trying to coerce her into joining their magic ritual. A were-lion, a werewolf, a magician and an old vampire keep talking in a cultish way about this spell to destroy Roman for good but no one will tell her exactly what the ritual is or how it works. Most of the time, Kitty's just locked in the mine by herself.
This is another one of those episodic Kitty books that doesn't make too much of a difference in the long run. Not much happens and by the end, we're pretty much in the same place we started. Pretty disappointing given how strong this series has been in other books.
Story: 2
Satisfaction: 3
I was a little disappointed by this book. A little more light is shed on who Roman is and his backstory but other than that, not a lot happens. Usually Vaughn is great at writing strong side characters but everyone introduced in this book came across really flat to me.
Ben goes away on a short business trip and Kitty catches wind of some kind of were-animal in her territory. She goes tracking to find out who's come uninvited into Denver but is kidnapped and finds herself locked in a silver mine while her captors continue to call her "Regina Luporum" and trying to coerce her into joining their magic ritual. A were-lion, a werewolf, a magician and an old vampire keep talking in a cultish way about this spell to destroy Roman for good but no one will tell her exactly what the ritual is or how it works. Most of the time, Kitty's just locked in the mine by herself.
This is another one of those episodic Kitty books that doesn't make too much of a difference in the long run. Not much happens and by the end, we're pretty much in the same place we started. Pretty disappointing given how strong this series has been in other books.
August 31, 2013
This installment is much better than the last one. The plot flows better; there is a sense of peril, the Long Game story arc moves along. It even makes me not get upset about the seemingly step back with Hardin.
In a fantasy novel about a werewolf that is peppered with humor, Vaughn also raises some moral questions (timely considering what has been in the news this week) questions about what to when confronted by evil. Additionally the use of the avatars is well thought out. Considering the prevalence of books that have Catherine the Great of Russia fighting off space aliens as she saves her lovers from the vampire gang of communists, Vaughn uses of historical figures as supernatural creatures is rather interesting.
In a fantasy novel about a werewolf that is peppered with humor, Vaughn also raises some moral questions (timely considering what has been in the news this week) questions about what to when confronted by evil. Additionally the use of the avatars is well thought out. Considering the prevalence of books that have Catherine the Great of Russia fighting off space aliens as she saves her lovers from the vampire gang of communists, Vaughn uses of historical figures as supernatural creatures is rather interesting.
December 30, 2018
This was a bit of a let down for the Kitty series. The titular underworld is an abandoned silver mine in which she's imprisoned, not a mythological afterlife location. Kitty escapes from her kidnappers, but then, apparently suffering from a form of Stockholm syndrome or somesuch, joins up and does what they wanted her to do all along. The long game arc isn't advanced much at all, and the familiar supporting cast members appear only briefly or not at all. The kidnappers didn't seem to be too well conceived or convincing to me. Kitty's "voice" is perky and entertaining, but the book never came together despite some clever twists and turns.
February 15, 2015
There are only two more books left in Kitty's story: the Cormac novel, and the finale. It's time. I've loved these books since the beginning, but even I can see that it's time to wrap things up. I'll be sad when Kitty's story ends, but not as sad as I would be if it kept going.
August 2, 2013
This was a novella trying very hard to be a full novel but not succeeding. There simply wasn't enough to this story to stretch it out as much as it was. Little was accomplished, little revealed.
I'm still invested in the outcome of this series, but this book was a disappointment.
I'm still invested in the outcome of this series, but this book was a disappointment.
August 3, 2018
As other reviewers have mentioned, this series is starting to get a little long-in-the-tooth. The last couple of books seem to have slowed the pace of the over-arching story arc that has been slowly building so I was glad to see a bit different approach on this one. Unfortunately, this time around, the action was mostly non-existent, in favor of a lot of internal dialog from Kitty, due to her situation. It was an interesting concept but it did tend to drag quite a bit throughout.
Still, I am looking forward to the next one which I understand is told mostly from Cormac's point-of-view. I expect that will breath new life into the series as we get closer to the finale.
Still, I am looking forward to the next one which I understand is told mostly from Cormac's point-of-view. I expect that will breath new life into the series as we get closer to the finale.
June 12, 2021
While I thought that technically the author did a brilliant job of conveying Kitty's internal thought process, there wasn't a lot of physical action to the story. Kitty was held captive, hungry and thirsty, and alone with her thoughts. This made more a rather plodding story. I kept waiting for something really interesting to happen. I had to wait until the end of the book. Also, the captors are really creepy.
June 24, 2022
Slow and repetitive can be justified by content that it enhances (qv Steve Reich or Andrei Tarkovsky) but here it makes the first half of the book the wrong kind of difficult read. Things get better toward the end.
September 12, 2015
Wow, I’m not quite sure where to start with what I want to say…. I love Kitty Norville. She’s always been a fresh change in a sea where the paranormal series blend together as they always have the same thing to say. The books in this series are always original in plot and there is usually an interconnected storyline or bad guy that drives them forward. That being said, I may just be done reading it.
I’ll try to explain why. Kitty lost the spark for me. In the past few books we haven’t gotten much in the way of changing of Kitty’s character. Yes, she’s the Alpha of her Pack. Yes, she’s learning to deal with the dangers she faces, but at the core she’s still a bit of a cynic and carries on the same way that she would’ve a few books back. I am not seeing the character growth.
Then there’s Cormac. I’ve seen his characters morph and change into this weird thing that now is really also a witch who lives in his body. I used to LOVE him. And I can’t find it in me to love him anymore.
As much as this story was still fresh and interesting, what with Kitty having to go to the Underworld and not knowing if she would make it out alive… I was sadly uninterested. Don’t get me wrong it’s still a good story. But I lost that love and spark. I feel like maybe it’s time to give this series a conclusion or a new twist.
*Review copy provided by publisher
July 21, 2015
**I received this book for free from Tor Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
Kitty in the Underworld is the Twelfth installment in the Kitty Norville series. When last we left Kitty and the gang, Rick had decided to go on a walkabout leaving Denver to a new Master. Kitty and her allies are still trying to find a way to stop Roman from uniting his forces in an effort to take over the world. Kitty found herself challenged for Pack Alpha the last time out, but this time, she has an entirely different challenge ahead of her. A challenge that might give her insights on how she can stop Roman once and for-all.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://www.gizmosreviews.blogspot.com...
*Received from Publisher* Published: July 30th 2013 by Tor Books
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
Kitty in the Underworld is the Twelfth installment in the Kitty Norville series. When last we left Kitty and the gang, Rick had decided to go on a walkabout leaving Denver to a new Master. Kitty and her allies are still trying to find a way to stop Roman from uniting his forces in an effort to take over the world. Kitty found herself challenged for Pack Alpha the last time out, but this time, she has an entirely different challenge ahead of her. A challenge that might give her insights on how she can stop Roman once and for-all.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://www.gizmosreviews.blogspot.com...
*Received from Publisher* Published: July 30th 2013 by Tor Books
August 12, 2013
Not one of her better books. I think this whole concept would have been better as a short story or at the most as the beginning of a novel to set up the second part. The base idea of the story was good. Kitty gets kidnapped by other supernaturals to play a role in a plot to kill Roman and bring an end to the Long Game. However, the story just felt dragged out and the mythological tales, while interesting, almost felt like filler. The we need to get the book to a minimum length sort of thing.
Overall I was very disappointed but at least the epilogue left some hope of some interesting future tales. I just hope Vaughn isn't treading down the same path as other long series authors (Laurell K. Hamilton and Charlaine Harris come to mind) where the novels produced are poorer and poorer. I like Kitty. I'd hate to see her series go the way it seems to be heading.
Overall I was very disappointed but at least the epilogue left some hope of some interesting future tales. I just hope Vaughn isn't treading down the same path as other long series authors (Laurell K. Hamilton and Charlaine Harris come to mind) where the novels produced are poorer and poorer. I like Kitty. I'd hate to see her series go the way it seems to be heading.
May 14, 2014
Oh my word. This is probably the most boring of all the Kitty books. She spends the majority of the book tied up in an old silver mine. There is one major incident at the end. And a teaser at the end that makes me want to still read more, though I think I will wait a while before I do. Until there are a couple more books in the series to read.
I think it could have been much improved if the author would have added chapters from Ben's point of view as he searched for Kitty. That way the chapters of absolutely nothing happening could have been interspersed with chapters where something was actually going on.
Kitty was not at her snarky best either, though I suppose that could be due to her being tied up most of the time. Exhausted, hungry, and slight silver poisoning can do that to a person. Or werewolf.
I think it could have been much improved if the author would have added chapters from Ben's point of view as he searched for Kitty. That way the chapters of absolutely nothing happening could have been interspersed with chapters where something was actually going on.
Kitty was not at her snarky best either, though I suppose that could be due to her being tied up most of the time. Exhausted, hungry, and slight silver poisoning can do that to a person. Or werewolf.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2013
I liked this one, but it was missing something. Of course Kitty gets in trouble, that is what happens to her, but this time she is taken away from her everything she knows, she spends most of the book with her captors. This is what I think is missing, Ben, Cormac, and the pack. They have become such a big part of what Kitty does that it seems weird to not have them around but for bit parts.
I did like all the new things that Kitty learned about Roman and the long game. I’m not sure if any of it will help her out or not. I am intrigued by the choice that Kitty, Ben, and Cormac made at the end. It will either fizzle out or bring them loads more trouble, not sure what I am hoping for at this point.
I did like all the new things that Kitty learned about Roman and the long game. I’m not sure if any of it will help her out or not. I am intrigued by the choice that Kitty, Ben, and Cormac made at the end. It will either fizzle out or bring them loads more trouble, not sure what I am hoping for at this point.
January 31, 2016
Audiobook
I swear I read this book before. Unless I'm psychic and can now predict plot lines as I read. I'll go with the second.
Awhile back I remember friends on Goodreads saying after this major change that some of their books were missing. I am diligent about listing books I read so this would not have fallen through the cracks. I wonder what other books are missing!!!
Anyway the story is good even though I already knew it. A reviewer had mentioned that it was more a short story although it's over 250 pages, it does feel like a short story with the time of the audiobook. I'm planning on either catching up or finishing this series (I don't know if it's at an end yet). 3-1/2 stars.
I swear I read this book before. Unless I'm psychic and can now predict plot lines as I read. I'll go with the second.
Awhile back I remember friends on Goodreads saying after this major change that some of their books were missing. I am diligent about listing books I read so this would not have fallen through the cracks. I wonder what other books are missing!!!
Anyway the story is good even though I already knew it. A reviewer had mentioned that it was more a short story although it's over 250 pages, it does feel like a short story with the time of the audiobook. I'm planning on either catching up or finishing this series (I don't know if it's at an end yet). 3-1/2 stars.
September 11, 2013
For start I have to say I love love love Kitty Norville series! Read all 13 books in the row, could not put it down.
Brilliant writing.
However this last book, Kitty in the Underworld seemed fairly weak in comparison to previous 12 books.
Not as good as the others.
But still will carry on reading this series, can't wait for next book!
Brilliant writing.
However this last book, Kitty in the Underworld seemed fairly weak in comparison to previous 12 books.
Not as good as the others.
But still will carry on reading this series, can't wait for next book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 330 reviews