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Night Runner #2
End of Days (Night Runner Novels) by Max Turner
In this thrilling follow up to Night Runner, Zack Thomson is back with his friend Charlie, searching for answers all the while being hunted by a creature most deadly...While Charlie struggles with his vampirism, he, Zack, and their friends are pulled into a conflict with the mysterious Mr. Hyde, a creature who hunts vampires. As the story unfolds, and the ties between Zach and his girlfriend Luna intensify, the network of support around them collapses, forcing them to redefine their notions of good and evil and find a way forward.
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First published August 24, 2010
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About the author
Max Turner
4 books73 followersThere is more than one author with this name
MAX TURNER has been a high school science teacher for seven years. Night Runner is his debut novel. He lives in Ottawa with his wife and two children.
MAX TURNER has been a high school science teacher for seven years. Night Runner is his debut novel. He lives in Ottawa with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 20, 2017
3.5 stars
I read this sequel years ago, so I do not feel comfortable giving a full review.
I read this sequel years ago, so I do not feel comfortable giving a full review.
October 21, 2010
Reason for Reading: Next in the series.
That a sequel to Night Runner was coming out came upon me fairly close to its actual publication. I was thrilled and couldn't wait to read the new book as I had been out of the loop about the sequel being a go!
The very first thing I want to say to US readers is that the US cover is awful! This book is aimed at teenage boys and is *not* a vampire romance like the usual fare out there. Sure girls will love it too, but please don't let that girl-appealing US cover let you think that it's not for boys, spend the little extra and get the awesome Canadian cover, if you have to!
Everybody is a year older now and getting used to either knowing they are vampire or having just been turned. The Coven is still out to get Zach, and other child vampires, keeping him on the run, though he has been safely holed up for the last year. But with the death of the one who held them together The Coven is fighting within itself making it an unstable organization; the Underground who protect the vampires from society has been breached and detection from that side is now out of control and suppliers find their blood tainted and vampires are dying. But that is not all. An ancient prophecy of the son of a hunter who will either save or destroy the vampire world seems to be coming true as vampires are ripped to shreds by an incredible Beast, that not even the strongest vampire among them can defeat. Zach finds himself in the middle of this chaos, being a child vampire on the run from those who wish him dead and being the son of a hunter whom some think may be the promised Messiah. A select few of the remaining old wise ones remind him to stay on the side of the good, to choose saint over evil. But can he?
It's been just over two years since the first book came out that I don't know if I'm being fair when I say this is even better than Night Runner! While the immediacy of having just read End of Days may make it feel better than the first, it is certainly of equal brilliance. What an incredible vampire story! Turner has created a vampire mythos and world that tends toward the tried and true vampire lore but he hasn't been afraid to inject his own new, fresh vision that creates something very refreshing and exciting. Breathtakingly revitalizing is the absence of a mopey, clingy love story. There is a love relationship, which is important to characterization but is not essential or even necessary to the plot. They are simply two characters who love each other and whom the reader grows fond of as well. All the characters are fascinating from the evil Beast, which has a mystery behind it, to Ophelia their caretaker and on. More background is given on everybody really fleshing out the characters from book one. This is a page-turner, a stay-up all-nighter and a return to the vampire (with an attitude) genre. Best for those who don't like their vampires ala Edward. The book comes to a satisfying conclusion but there are many unanswered questions and dangling threads that can be picked up for another book. Hopefully, the wait will be shorter than two years Mr. Turner!
That a sequel to Night Runner was coming out came upon me fairly close to its actual publication. I was thrilled and couldn't wait to read the new book as I had been out of the loop about the sequel being a go!
The very first thing I want to say to US readers is that the US cover is awful! This book is aimed at teenage boys and is *not* a vampire romance like the usual fare out there. Sure girls will love it too, but please don't let that girl-appealing US cover let you think that it's not for boys, spend the little extra and get the awesome Canadian cover, if you have to!
Everybody is a year older now and getting used to either knowing they are vampire or having just been turned. The Coven is still out to get Zach, and other child vampires, keeping him on the run, though he has been safely holed up for the last year. But with the death of the one who held them together The Coven is fighting within itself making it an unstable organization; the Underground who protect the vampires from society has been breached and detection from that side is now out of control and suppliers find their blood tainted and vampires are dying. But that is not all. An ancient prophecy of the son of a hunter who will either save or destroy the vampire world seems to be coming true as vampires are ripped to shreds by an incredible Beast, that not even the strongest vampire among them can defeat. Zach finds himself in the middle of this chaos, being a child vampire on the run from those who wish him dead and being the son of a hunter whom some think may be the promised Messiah. A select few of the remaining old wise ones remind him to stay on the side of the good, to choose saint over evil. But can he?
It's been just over two years since the first book came out that I don't know if I'm being fair when I say this is even better than Night Runner! While the immediacy of having just read End of Days may make it feel better than the first, it is certainly of equal brilliance. What an incredible vampire story! Turner has created a vampire mythos and world that tends toward the tried and true vampire lore but he hasn't been afraid to inject his own new, fresh vision that creates something very refreshing and exciting. Breathtakingly revitalizing is the absence of a mopey, clingy love story. There is a love relationship, which is important to characterization but is not essential or even necessary to the plot. They are simply two characters who love each other and whom the reader grows fond of as well. All the characters are fascinating from the evil Beast, which has a mystery behind it, to Ophelia their caretaker and on. More background is given on everybody really fleshing out the characters from book one. This is a page-turner, a stay-up all-nighter and a return to the vampire (with an attitude) genre. Best for those who don't like their vampires ala Edward. The book comes to a satisfying conclusion but there are many unanswered questions and dangling threads that can be picked up for another book. Hopefully, the wait will be shorter than two years Mr. Turner!
January 26, 2024
An epic conclusion to the first book. Faster, twisty, fiesty and adventurous! Wide rage of scenes and safe houses, never ending tension of being chased and on the brink of death, hanging at the edge of your seat. Thuroughly enjoyed this sequal!
June 27, 2019
Great book, ending?
The book was great but the ending was cut off which really sucks. I would give it 5 stars if it weren't for that.
The book was great but the ending was cut off which really sucks. I would give it 5 stars if it weren't for that.
July 16, 2024
Finally, a worthy opponent for Zack and co!
January 19, 2012
Grant Wolf
End of Days by Max Turner
English 10
Book review E
Turner, Max. End of Days. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2010.
I am a liar. In my last book review, I said that I would never read another vampire book (after reading Night Runner, what I felt was the best vampire book ever). However, I said this before I read End of Days by Max Turner, the sequel to Night Runner. As soon as I heard that there was a sequel to Night Runner I could not contain my excitement. I got my hands on the book as soon as I could. I started to read on Sunday around 5:00 pm after I had gotten home from a friend’s house. Six hours and 300 pages later, I was done and craving more. I suppose the reason I was left wanting more is that in this book, Turner constantly changes the dimensions of the characters as well as the plot, no character started the book in the same way that they finished it, and no passage of the book ends the way the reader expects. This allows the book to flow amazingly well with no boring uneventful passages in between.
I have never read a book that got my heart to race like this. Max Turner has a very unique writing style when it comes to plot twists, he gives the reader a pattern for when to expect a twist, but never enough information to predict what will happen. “All I saw was a man wearing a white hospital robe holding a semiautomatic pistol in one hand. I had been betrayed and the feeling wasn’t pleasant. My stomach felt as if it was falling out,” (Turner 140) in this passage, as in most of Turner’s important passages of the book, the world around Zach begins to slow down until a certain point (in this case him seeing a man holding a gun to him) when the passage takes off and begins to snowball. I found this way of writing kept the reader more occupied because the plot would never slow down unless Turner was establishing background, preparing for a massive plot twist, or describing the ever changing actions of a character.
In the first book, Night Runner, Turner seemed to be happy allowing all characters besides Zach to remain perfectly static, they never changed, which caused the book to almost stop dead whenever another character besides Zach would have any involvement in the plot. This is in complete contrast to End of Days, where Zach is arguably the least dynamic character “So nothings changed in your life. Said Charlie,” (Turner 109) Zach was so above average in the first book, not much could change about him. However, because Zach is such a complex character, there was no real need for him to change in End of days. The same, however, cannot be said for most of the secondary characters in the book.
In End of Days, Suki, who was barely mentioned in the first book, goes through more changes than any other character, ‘Her normally bronzed skin was as pale as alabaster. Also, she kept her distance from Charlie, a year ago they would have been wrapped up like two pretzels. But that was then, so much has changed, her once bubbly personality has been taken over by something darker, more alone,” (Turner 179) this constant change in the characters keeps the readers on their toes as well as their heads in the book.
This array of changing characters allows the reader to see every part of the book through a perspective they might not have thought of. The reader can get a sense of a vampire’s life from the oldest vampire in the world, a newly “infected” vampire, a person who has been a vampire all of his life, and a human living among vampires. All of these perspectives allow the reader to get a more complex and three dimensional view of the plot and the characters.
I suppose that this book has over taken Night Runner in my all time favorite book spot. Although I am sure that not many people will see eye to eye with me, End of Days is a very interesting book because it expands the genre of vampire from Turner’s first novel. However, End of Days is its own experience, despite being the sequel to Night Runner, the two are written very differently. In End of Days, Turner seems to stop trying to appeal to all people with his Dracula-Twilight mix, he only wants to please himself and his more faithful fans in this book. I suppose you cannot blame him for this because if you like his style of writing, a fast paced, dynamic read, then it makes for one hell of a book. However if you do not like this odds are you will be a little disappointed by the lack of romantic flare in End of Days as opposed to Night Runner.
End of Days by Max Turner
English 10
Book review E
Turner, Max. End of Days. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2010.
I am a liar. In my last book review, I said that I would never read another vampire book (after reading Night Runner, what I felt was the best vampire book ever). However, I said this before I read End of Days by Max Turner, the sequel to Night Runner. As soon as I heard that there was a sequel to Night Runner I could not contain my excitement. I got my hands on the book as soon as I could. I started to read on Sunday around 5:00 pm after I had gotten home from a friend’s house. Six hours and 300 pages later, I was done and craving more. I suppose the reason I was left wanting more is that in this book, Turner constantly changes the dimensions of the characters as well as the plot, no character started the book in the same way that they finished it, and no passage of the book ends the way the reader expects. This allows the book to flow amazingly well with no boring uneventful passages in between.
I have never read a book that got my heart to race like this. Max Turner has a very unique writing style when it comes to plot twists, he gives the reader a pattern for when to expect a twist, but never enough information to predict what will happen. “All I saw was a man wearing a white hospital robe holding a semiautomatic pistol in one hand. I had been betrayed and the feeling wasn’t pleasant. My stomach felt as if it was falling out,” (Turner 140) in this passage, as in most of Turner’s important passages of the book, the world around Zach begins to slow down until a certain point (in this case him seeing a man holding a gun to him) when the passage takes off and begins to snowball. I found this way of writing kept the reader more occupied because the plot would never slow down unless Turner was establishing background, preparing for a massive plot twist, or describing the ever changing actions of a character.
In the first book, Night Runner, Turner seemed to be happy allowing all characters besides Zach to remain perfectly static, they never changed, which caused the book to almost stop dead whenever another character besides Zach would have any involvement in the plot. This is in complete contrast to End of Days, where Zach is arguably the least dynamic character “So nothings changed in your life. Said Charlie,” (Turner 109) Zach was so above average in the first book, not much could change about him. However, because Zach is such a complex character, there was no real need for him to change in End of days. The same, however, cannot be said for most of the secondary characters in the book.
In End of Days, Suki, who was barely mentioned in the first book, goes through more changes than any other character, ‘Her normally bronzed skin was as pale as alabaster. Also, she kept her distance from Charlie, a year ago they would have been wrapped up like two pretzels. But that was then, so much has changed, her once bubbly personality has been taken over by something darker, more alone,” (Turner 179) this constant change in the characters keeps the readers on their toes as well as their heads in the book.
This array of changing characters allows the reader to see every part of the book through a perspective they might not have thought of. The reader can get a sense of a vampire’s life from the oldest vampire in the world, a newly “infected” vampire, a person who has been a vampire all of his life, and a human living among vampires. All of these perspectives allow the reader to get a more complex and three dimensional view of the plot and the characters.
I suppose that this book has over taken Night Runner in my all time favorite book spot. Although I am sure that not many people will see eye to eye with me, End of Days is a very interesting book because it expands the genre of vampire from Turner’s first novel. However, End of Days is its own experience, despite being the sequel to Night Runner, the two are written very differently. In End of Days, Turner seems to stop trying to appeal to all people with his Dracula-Twilight mix, he only wants to please himself and his more faithful fans in this book. I suppose you cannot blame him for this because if you like his style of writing, a fast paced, dynamic read, then it makes for one hell of a book. However if you do not like this odds are you will be a little disappointed by the lack of romantic flare in End of Days as opposed to Night Runner.
November 1, 2010
*WARNING, SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1 - NIGHT RUNNER!
End of Days by Max Turner was an absolute thrill ride of a book. It is everything a sequel should be - the characters are further developed - but they stay true to form, the pacing and tone are both similar to the first book and the plot continues to develop.
The book begins one year after the conclusion of Night Runner, and Zack and Charlie have been bunking together with Ophelia. Charlie has, understandably, been struggling with his new status as vampire. His old life revolved around the sun, as Zack puts it, he was a water baby in his first life. Now, Charlie has to adjust to life in the night. He, does not however blame Zack for this and he definitely enjoys some of the perks of being a vamp.
Thankfully, Charlie has been fleshed out more in this book and I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. My only real gripe with the Night Runner was that the secondary characters were rather flat. Now, Charlie has a lot more going on mentally, and the character really benefits from it. Not only does he struggle with controlling his inner vamp, but he worries about Suki.
Suki still takes more of a backseat in End of Days, but I have a feeling she will be more relevant in the next book. At the start of the book, Suki and her sister, Luna are living with their parents. The household is in shambles and everyone is having a hard time of it. Suki wants to be a vampire, like her sister, boyfriend (Charlie) and friend (Zack). She feels really out of the loop and goes through a sort of depression. Luna is also extremely lonely, because she is the only vampire in the area. Their parents are also having a hard time coping - their father is desperately trying to find a cure for Luna and has been forcing her to get blood transfusions. He also is adamant about keeping the girls away from Charlie and Zack - especially Zack. He blames him for his struggling daughters and thinks him to be some sort of criminal and all around bad seed.
But, the real fun begins when a new monster comes to town. He is some sort of crazy vampire eating madman and causes some real trouble for our band of heroes. Not only do they have to worry about this monster, who is apparently unbeatable, but they have to worry about the cops and coven as well.
The cops are after Zack because they believe he murdered one of their men and the coven is after all of the teen vamps for being child vampires. However, they are really after Zack because of they believe he is the child from the prophecy. Supposedly, a son of a great vampire hunter will be orphaned. Then the boy will drink blood and will die and be brought back to life. Then, the kid will make a choice - either saving the vampire race or bringing about its destruction. Zack is widely believed to be the child from the prophecy and it puts a giant target on this back.
Once again, there is plenty of action, humor, suspense and a tiny bit of romance (more so than the first book). Zack and Luna's relationship continues to develop and something amazing happens between them. I don't want to spoil it, but it is a pretty awesome, sort of talent-for-two. Once again, Turner writes a humorous book with lots of twists and turns - I often found myself laughing along with the story. If you haven't picked this series up yet, I would suggest you do. I think that fans of The Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong and The Strange Angels Series by Lili St.Crow would really appreciate this book - it has the same sort of adventure plot with teen characters that are sort of rebel outlaws. Anyways, my point is, start reading this series!
End of Days by Max Turner was an absolute thrill ride of a book. It is everything a sequel should be - the characters are further developed - but they stay true to form, the pacing and tone are both similar to the first book and the plot continues to develop.
The book begins one year after the conclusion of Night Runner, and Zack and Charlie have been bunking together with Ophelia. Charlie has, understandably, been struggling with his new status as vampire. His old life revolved around the sun, as Zack puts it, he was a water baby in his first life. Now, Charlie has to adjust to life in the night. He, does not however blame Zack for this and he definitely enjoys some of the perks of being a vamp.
Thankfully, Charlie has been fleshed out more in this book and I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. My only real gripe with the Night Runner was that the secondary characters were rather flat. Now, Charlie has a lot more going on mentally, and the character really benefits from it. Not only does he struggle with controlling his inner vamp, but he worries about Suki.
Suki still takes more of a backseat in End of Days, but I have a feeling she will be more relevant in the next book. At the start of the book, Suki and her sister, Luna are living with their parents. The household is in shambles and everyone is having a hard time of it. Suki wants to be a vampire, like her sister, boyfriend (Charlie) and friend (Zack). She feels really out of the loop and goes through a sort of depression. Luna is also extremely lonely, because she is the only vampire in the area. Their parents are also having a hard time coping - their father is desperately trying to find a cure for Luna and has been forcing her to get blood transfusions. He also is adamant about keeping the girls away from Charlie and Zack - especially Zack. He blames him for his struggling daughters and thinks him to be some sort of criminal and all around bad seed.
But, the real fun begins when a new monster comes to town. He is some sort of crazy vampire eating madman and causes some real trouble for our band of heroes. Not only do they have to worry about this monster, who is apparently unbeatable, but they have to worry about the cops and coven as well.
The cops are after Zack because they believe he murdered one of their men and the coven is after all of the teen vamps for being child vampires. However, they are really after Zack because of they believe he is the child from the prophecy. Supposedly, a son of a great vampire hunter will be orphaned. Then the boy will drink blood and will die and be brought back to life. Then, the kid will make a choice - either saving the vampire race or bringing about its destruction. Zack is widely believed to be the child from the prophecy and it puts a giant target on this back.
Once again, there is plenty of action, humor, suspense and a tiny bit of romance (more so than the first book). Zack and Luna's relationship continues to develop and something amazing happens between them. I don't want to spoil it, but it is a pretty awesome, sort of talent-for-two. Once again, Turner writes a humorous book with lots of twists and turns - I often found myself laughing along with the story. If you haven't picked this series up yet, I would suggest you do. I think that fans of The Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong and The Strange Angels Series by Lili St.Crow would really appreciate this book - it has the same sort of adventure plot with teen characters that are sort of rebel outlaws. Anyways, my point is, start reading this series!
January 1, 2014
I read the first book, Night Runner and wasn't to impressed. I thought it was good but it didn't make my favorites list. I actually wasn't planning to read the sequel (I didn't really think about there being a sequel until I saw it in the book story). I am so glad I did because the sequel was better than the first.
End of Days had a lot more interesting storyline, not that the first one didn't. To be honest, I had forgotten a lot that had happened in the first book. I was reminded as I read. But if a book is a favorite of mine, it always sticks with me. It is hard for me to forget anything. I thought this one was a lot faster paced and there was more action. I had liked Zack from the first book but I again I wasn't to thrilled with it. I grew to like him even more in this one.
I do like the author's writing style, and he has very good description that I love. One thing that got on my nerves a bit was that Zack would think more than talk. I know that you are probably going to say that is part of his character and that is not what I mean. An example of what I am trying to say would be "I agreed, and I said so." I think it would be better to just have Zack actually say it in dialogue that he agrees. It was just one little thing I found irritating but that is just me.
****WARNING: SPOILERS****
I do have a couple questions that I may have missed the answers to or they will be answered in the third book. One thing I didn't get was that it was said multiple times that if a vampire drinks another vampire's blood that it was fatal. Zack and Luna drank each others blood and a mind link was established, which I thought was cool, but why didn't it kill them? Not that I want them to die or anything but it doesn't make sense. Are they wrong? Is vampire blood not fatal because Zack also drinks from Charlie and he didn't die. Is it because Zack turned Charlie? But then Zack didn't turn Luna, Charlie did. I am assuming that the mind link was established between Zack and Luna because they both drank each others blood. I am guessing that Zack and Luna are soulmates, so drinking each others blood didn't kill them. Also because Zack turned Charlie that it wasn't fatal to him. I don't know. I guess I will have to wait and see what happens in the third book.
My other question is about the messiah, which will most likely be answered in the future books. Is Zack or Vincent the messiah? I want it to be Zack but I will have to wait and see. I am not a big fan of lycanthropes, so I really don't want him to be the messiah. Plus, Zack is my favorite character and I want it to be him.
********
All in all, I will rate it 4 1/2 stars. It was a lot better than the first, which I would give 3 1/2 stars. So, if you are fan of the first book I would definitely say read this one. If you read the first one and, like me, it wasn't your favorite but you enjoyed it, then I would say check out the sequel. I enjoyed it more.
End of Days had a lot more interesting storyline, not that the first one didn't. To be honest, I had forgotten a lot that had happened in the first book. I was reminded as I read. But if a book is a favorite of mine, it always sticks with me. It is hard for me to forget anything. I thought this one was a lot faster paced and there was more action. I had liked Zack from the first book but I again I wasn't to thrilled with it. I grew to like him even more in this one.
I do like the author's writing style, and he has very good description that I love. One thing that got on my nerves a bit was that Zack would think more than talk. I know that you are probably going to say that is part of his character and that is not what I mean. An example of what I am trying to say would be "I agreed, and I said so." I think it would be better to just have Zack actually say it in dialogue that he agrees. It was just one little thing I found irritating but that is just me.
****WARNING: SPOILERS****
I do have a couple questions that I may have missed the answers to or they will be answered in the third book. One thing I didn't get was that it was said multiple times that if a vampire drinks another vampire's blood that it was fatal. Zack and Luna drank each others blood and a mind link was established, which I thought was cool, but why didn't it kill them? Not that I want them to die or anything but it doesn't make sense. Are they wrong? Is vampire blood not fatal because Zack also drinks from Charlie and he didn't die. Is it because Zack turned Charlie? But then Zack didn't turn Luna, Charlie did. I am assuming that the mind link was established between Zack and Luna because they both drank each others blood. I am guessing that Zack and Luna are soulmates, so drinking each others blood didn't kill them. Also because Zack turned Charlie that it wasn't fatal to him. I don't know. I guess I will have to wait and see what happens in the third book.
My other question is about the messiah, which will most likely be answered in the future books. Is Zack or Vincent the messiah? I want it to be Zack but I will have to wait and see. I am not a big fan of lycanthropes, so I really don't want him to be the messiah. Plus, Zack is my favorite character and I want it to be him.
********
All in all, I will rate it 4 1/2 stars. It was a lot better than the first, which I would give 3 1/2 stars. So, if you are fan of the first book I would definitely say read this one. If you read the first one and, like me, it wasn't your favorite but you enjoyed it, then I would say check out the sequel. I enjoyed it more.
January 20, 2015
THE END OF DAYS IS COMING . . .
Zachariah Thomson has spent the past year getting used to the idea that his best friend, Charlie, and the lovely Luna are now vampires, just like he is. As they learn to cope with the changes this brings, a mysterious creature appears. Likened to the Beast of the Apocalypse, it begins to dismantle the network of support around Zack, who discovers he is more than just an orphaned vampire - he is the subject of an ancient prophect that relates to the End of Days. As friends and enemies, old and new, throw his world into chaos, he is forced to reexamine what it means to be good at a time when it seems that only the strong and ruthless can survive.
My Review
After the harrowing events of Night Runner, Zack is ready for some down time with his best friend, Charlie, and his girlfriend, Luna, both of whom were turned last year. But he should have known better than to wish for that! Soon, Zack and Charlie discover that the vampire underground that helps take care of vampires, supplies human blood, and hunts down those who develop Endpoint Psychosis, is under attack. Nearly all of their vampire allies have been hunted down and killed. The problem is that no one knows who the enemy is. Even after the boys narrowly escape an encounter with the Beast, no one is able to identify it. Out of safe places to hide, Zack and Charlie need to figure out what they're up against before it's too late.
Once again, Max Turner delivers a fresh, easy vampire read. This is such a great series for middle grade and reluctant readers! Cute, clean, and fast-paced, End of Days is everything you need for a great vampire book. The US cover makes it look like Luna, Zack's girlfriend, is the main character of this installment, but she really doesn't play that big of a part. Zack and Charlie are still the main characters in this adventure tale, and boy do those boys know how to get themselves into trouble! I enjoyed End of Days even more than the first book in the series because Zack already knows about his vampirism and now the boys face an even bigger threat. I can't recommend this book more. While girls will still enjoy the story, it's a great book for boys.
3.5 stars.
http://amandasbooksandmore.blogspot.com/
Zachariah Thomson has spent the past year getting used to the idea that his best friend, Charlie, and the lovely Luna are now vampires, just like he is. As they learn to cope with the changes this brings, a mysterious creature appears. Likened to the Beast of the Apocalypse, it begins to dismantle the network of support around Zack, who discovers he is more than just an orphaned vampire - he is the subject of an ancient prophect that relates to the End of Days. As friends and enemies, old and new, throw his world into chaos, he is forced to reexamine what it means to be good at a time when it seems that only the strong and ruthless can survive.
My Review
After the harrowing events of Night Runner, Zack is ready for some down time with his best friend, Charlie, and his girlfriend, Luna, both of whom were turned last year. But he should have known better than to wish for that! Soon, Zack and Charlie discover that the vampire underground that helps take care of vampires, supplies human blood, and hunts down those who develop Endpoint Psychosis, is under attack. Nearly all of their vampire allies have been hunted down and killed. The problem is that no one knows who the enemy is. Even after the boys narrowly escape an encounter with the Beast, no one is able to identify it. Out of safe places to hide, Zack and Charlie need to figure out what they're up against before it's too late.
Once again, Max Turner delivers a fresh, easy vampire read. This is such a great series for middle grade and reluctant readers! Cute, clean, and fast-paced, End of Days is everything you need for a great vampire book. The US cover makes it look like Luna, Zack's girlfriend, is the main character of this installment, but she really doesn't play that big of a part. Zack and Charlie are still the main characters in this adventure tale, and boy do those boys know how to get themselves into trouble! I enjoyed End of Days even more than the first book in the series because Zack already knows about his vampirism and now the boys face an even bigger threat. I can't recommend this book more. While girls will still enjoy the story, it's a great book for boys.
3.5 stars.
http://amandasbooksandmore.blogspot.com/
February 22, 2011
I will go right into and say I did not enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed the first book. I found myself struggling to keep into it and I felt like it wasn't written the same as the first book. I felt like something is missing and that upset me.
Zack learns many new things about himself in this book. He is having a hard time being away from his girlfriend and dealing with the fact that he is a vampire. Zack in this book seems to confused on what he should do. In the last book he was much stronger and was good at facing unknown facts. Zack here struggles and seems more cowardly.
The love interest in the book is heart breaking. Zack is kept away from the one thing he holds most dear. I knew that Zack draws his strength from her but he seem too weak without her. I wanted Zack to stop being a pansy and grow up. I wanted him to take charge and not be afraid.
Sadly, this book ended on something I did not like and well I just don't think I will be reading the next book if there is going to be one.
Zack learns many new things about himself in this book. He is having a hard time being away from his girlfriend and dealing with the fact that he is a vampire. Zack in this book seems to confused on what he should do. In the last book he was much stronger and was good at facing unknown facts. Zack here struggles and seems more cowardly.
The love interest in the book is heart breaking. Zack is kept away from the one thing he holds most dear. I knew that Zack draws his strength from her but he seem too weak without her. I wanted Zack to stop being a pansy and grow up. I wanted him to take charge and not be afraid.
Sadly, this book ended on something I did not like and well I just don't think I will be reading the next book if there is going to be one.
February 7, 2011
Mini review--I really liked how this and the first book are not your typical vampire novel. Since this book is more geared to boys (I suppose), the focus is more on the action and less on the romance, which I'm totally fine with! Yes we know Luna and Zack care deeply for each other but it doesn't stop them or even slow them down in their search for the 'beast' or the prophecy surrounding Zack and the mysterious 'end of days'. You really don't know who to trust in this book; it keeps you on your toes and eager to see what's going to happen next. Zack seems pretty wise for his age, and he mirrors the more wild Charlie well. They make a good team. All the characters work really well together actually. If you've read and liked Night Runner, or just want a more action-y YA read, I think you'll like this one.
March 14, 2014
Even better than the first.
When my wife suggested I read this, saying "I love a good end of the world prophesy" I may have actually rolled my eyes.
Prophesy is a hard theme to play with. Things tend to either feel as subtle as a hammer to the face, or have a forced twist that just leaves you feeling like you want to slap someone.
This managed to avoid both, and even within the book there is the warning that prophesies are vague, could apply to anyone, and have been applied to others before without any success.
Vampires are usually hard to relate to, but the characters in this world manage to stay accessible without seeming diminished. They are powerful, without being either impervious to the real trauma something like this would no doubt entail, or with turning melodramatic and making me feel slappy again.
I liked it, can't wait for #3.
When my wife suggested I read this, saying "I love a good end of the world prophesy" I may have actually rolled my eyes.
Prophesy is a hard theme to play with. Things tend to either feel as subtle as a hammer to the face, or have a forced twist that just leaves you feeling like you want to slap someone.
This managed to avoid both, and even within the book there is the warning that prophesies are vague, could apply to anyone, and have been applied to others before without any success.
Vampires are usually hard to relate to, but the characters in this world manage to stay accessible without seeming diminished. They are powerful, without being either impervious to the real trauma something like this would no doubt entail, or with turning melodramatic and making me feel slappy again.
I liked it, can't wait for #3.
January 12, 2011
The sarcasm and humor I fell in love with in Nightrunner has a star spot within End of Days as well. Here is a short list of my favorite lines.
"I hate to break it to you, Edward, but you aren't in Forks anymore"
"Cheese!...Yeah, I'm definitely tagging you on my Facebook page"
"Hell hath no fury like a demented vampire. I'm sure Shakespeare said that somewhere."
I literally laughed out loud at parts, fell in love with various characters, and rushed to keep up with the fast paced storyline. I highly enjoyed this installment and would definitely check out future releases within this series.
Rating: 4.5/5
Full review is here: http://vampsrus.blogspot.com/2010/08/...
"I hate to break it to you, Edward, but you aren't in Forks anymore"
"Cheese!...Yeah, I'm definitely tagging you on my Facebook page"
"Hell hath no fury like a demented vampire. I'm sure Shakespeare said that somewhere."
I literally laughed out loud at parts, fell in love with various characters, and rushed to keep up with the fast paced storyline. I highly enjoyed this installment and would definitely check out future releases within this series.
Rating: 4.5/5
Full review is here: http://vampsrus.blogspot.com/2010/08/...
June 23, 2016
"Positive messages to convey – a different kind of vampires"
I seldom read teen fiction, and this is more so since the trend of “romantic teenage vampire werewolf affairs” started. I have to agree with reviews that I have read for Max Turner’s Night Runner series, it is a different kind of vampire story – even yes, there’re vampires, werewolves and a lot of teenagers. Humorous and lively writings. Great storyline with some great positive messages to convey. End of Days is actually the second book of the series. It is a standalone great read. I have no problem following the storyline, and found that the author has done a good job in presenting “the past” in a non-intrusive way. I have enjoyed this book, and am now definitely going to seek out its predecessor to read.
I seldom read teen fiction, and this is more so since the trend of “romantic teenage vampire werewolf affairs” started. I have to agree with reviews that I have read for Max Turner’s Night Runner series, it is a different kind of vampire story – even yes, there’re vampires, werewolves and a lot of teenagers. Humorous and lively writings. Great storyline with some great positive messages to convey. End of Days is actually the second book of the series. It is a standalone great read. I have no problem following the storyline, and found that the author has done a good job in presenting “the past” in a non-intrusive way. I have enjoyed this book, and am now definitely going to seek out its predecessor to read.
December 29, 2010
Read this because it is a continuation of a previous book, Night Runner, which I only read because I won the book from the publisher.
As a continuation of the story from Night Runner, End of Days wasn't fabulous. It was okay. Parts were great, other parts were so-so. It seemed like there was more "filler" in this book and less content when compared to the first book.
I have to say that I am curious to see where the story goes from here, as the ending was left open ended on a few threads from the story.
As a continuation of the story from Night Runner, End of Days wasn't fabulous. It was okay. Parts were great, other parts were so-so. It seemed like there was more "filler" in this book and less content when compared to the first book.
I have to say that I am curious to see where the story goes from here, as the ending was left open ended on a few threads from the story.
July 28, 2014
Do you know what saves this book? It's really funny. Not the ha ha Saturday Night Live funny, but more along the sarcastic route. It's witty and does not seem forced. It just flows out of the characters mouths so easily that I can actually picture the characters in my head saying this to each other. I still question some of the actions in this book like Zack not going to school since the 2nd grade and vampires being put down by silver bullets, but I can forgive some of the silly stuff if it makes me laugh. The books are fun and I am actually looking forward to the third one.
October 22, 2010
I enjoyed this as much as the first book. There is so much action and so many twists that it keeps you on your toes. Zack and his newly made vampire buddy are now being hunted not only by the coven (child vampires are not allowed) but also by a creature. There is a prophecy that hints at Zack being the savior of the vamp race. The job is to keep him safe - good luck with that. Lots of sadness and death as in the first book. Hope the third book doesn't take so long to be published.
December 5, 2010
This book was a great sequel to Night Runner. The events were really great. I still really love Charlie, and the rest of the characters of course, but mostly Charlie. Too bad those people died in the end and there was such a surprise at the end!!!!!!!! I really love the relationship between Zacj and Luna. Read this book because it was pretty good!
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 22, 2015
End of Days is a great sequel to Night Runner. I love that the author kept the series short with just two books. The story stayed interesting and didn't get drug out. Cleanliness: A few swear words / an old vampire using opium / opium used in a pain reliever for Zack / a stop at a rave, but no references to any illegal activity there / some violence and blood drinking / as I recall there is one kissing scene.
October 24, 2013
I loved this book a lot. Zack and Charlie make a great team and I loved the action. The book is definitely geared towards boys in my opinion because the romance is lacking but the writing definitely makes up for that. I really hope Mr. Turner release third book soon!
February 2, 2016
A nice sequel to the first book, carrying the plot on nicely. Leaves you with a few of those annoying questions that you desperately want answered so I will be reading the third book as soon as I can. Some character development and a surprising twist at the end.
Want to Read
June 15, 2010i read the first one it was really good i cant wait to read this one
September 25, 2010
good book couldnt put it down
November 12, 2010
Review to come!
November 9, 2014
Another good light read from Max Turner.
I enjoy this breed of vampire novel - a little more superhero action and a little less whiny romance.
I enjoy this breed of vampire novel - a little more superhero action and a little less whiny romance.
March 20, 2011
Never saw the end coming, and now i'm mad. i wanted them all to be ok, but that never does happen in books. Can't wait for the next one to come out.
May 26, 2011
This is a fast-paced and exciting series. I know the field is crowded with vampire novels, but you won't be sorry to read these. They would make good movies...
August 17, 2011
I liked this book. Very interesting. The chapters definitely caught my attention. The characters are also all very intriguing.
December 8, 2012
It was alright, not as good as the first, of course.
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