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Deadman's Cross #1
Deadmen Walking
#1 New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon debuts a sweeping new epic saga sure to appeal to her millions of fans!
Deadmen tell their tales . . .
To catch evil, it takes evil. Enter Devyl Bane an ancient dark warlord returned to the human realm as one of the most notorious pirates in the New World. A man of many secrets, Bane makes a pact with Thorn an immortal charged with securing the worst creations the ancient gods ever released into our world. Those powers have been imprisoned for eons behind enchanted gates . . . gates that are beginning to buckle. At Thorn's behest, Bane takes command of a crew of Deadmen and, together, they are humanity's last hope to restore the gates and return the damned to their hell realms.
But things are never so simple. And one of Bane's biggest problems is the ship they sail upon. For the Sea Witch isn't just a vessel, she's also a woman born of an ancient people he wronged and who in turn wronged him during a centuries long war between their two races, a woman who is also sister to their primary target. Now Marcelina, the Sea Witch, must choose. Either she remains loyal to her evil sister and almost extinct race against Bane and his cause, and watches humanity fall, or she puts faith in an enemy who has already betrayed her. Her people over the totality of humanity let's hope Bane can sway her favor.
Deadmen tell their tales . . .
To catch evil, it takes evil. Enter Devyl Bane an ancient dark warlord returned to the human realm as one of the most notorious pirates in the New World. A man of many secrets, Bane makes a pact with Thorn an immortal charged with securing the worst creations the ancient gods ever released into our world. Those powers have been imprisoned for eons behind enchanted gates . . . gates that are beginning to buckle. At Thorn's behest, Bane takes command of a crew of Deadmen and, together, they are humanity's last hope to restore the gates and return the damned to their hell realms.
But things are never so simple. And one of Bane's biggest problems is the ship they sail upon. For the Sea Witch isn't just a vessel, she's also a woman born of an ancient people he wronged and who in turn wronged him during a centuries long war between their two races, a woman who is also sister to their primary target. Now Marcelina, the Sea Witch, must choose. Either she remains loyal to her evil sister and almost extinct race against Bane and his cause, and watches humanity fall, or she puts faith in an enemy who has already betrayed her. Her people over the totality of humanity let's hope Bane can sway her favor.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 9, 2017
1135 people are currently reading
9213 people want to read
About the author
Sherrilyn Kenyon
233 books30.1k followersOfficial Author site
Official Nevermore site
Official Deadman's Cross site
Official Chronicles of Nick site
Official Silent Swans site
Official Hunter Legends site
Official Witch of Endor site
Official Lords of Avalon site
Official Facebook site
New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon is a regular at the #1 spot. With legions of fans known as Paladins (thousands of whom proudly sport tattoos from her series and who travel from all over the world to attend her appearances), her books are always snatched up as soon as they appear on store shelves. Since 2004, she had placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats including manga and graphic novels. Her current series are: Dark-Hunters, Chronicles of Nick and The League, and her books are available in over 100 countries where eager fans impatiently wait for the next release. Her Chronicles of Nick and Dark-Hunter series are soon to be major motion pictures while Dark-Hunter is also being developed as a television series. Join her and her Paladins online at MySherrilyn.com and www.facebook.com/mysherrilyn
Official Nevermore site
Official Deadman's Cross site
Official Chronicles of Nick site
Official Silent Swans site
Official Hunter Legends site
Official Witch of Endor site
Official Lords of Avalon site
Official Facebook site
New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon is a regular at the #1 spot. With legions of fans known as Paladins (thousands of whom proudly sport tattoos from her series and who travel from all over the world to attend her appearances), her books are always snatched up as soon as they appear on store shelves. Since 2004, she had placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats including manga and graphic novels. Her current series are: Dark-Hunters, Chronicles of Nick and The League, and her books are available in over 100 countries where eager fans impatiently wait for the next release. Her Chronicles of Nick and Dark-Hunter series are soon to be major motion pictures while Dark-Hunter is also being developed as a television series. Join her and her Paladins online at MySherrilyn.com and www.facebook.com/mysherrilyn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 805 reviews
Want to read
May 21, 2017Saw this first in a new series from Sherrilyn Kenyon, set in the Dark Hunter world. Got all excited, went to buy it... $15 for the kindle version.
Sorry.
Not. Happening.
When will they learn?
Sorry.
Not. Happening.
When will they learn?
November 19, 2017
Convoluted
There were so many characters, so many storylines, and it seemed like each character had a name, nickname, and secret origin name.
The love story was disjointed and felt slapped together; like the author changed her protagonists about 1/3 of the way in. You never really felt connected to any one character, and the others were almost more interesting than the mains. The antagonist was dry and boring, and the background of the three central (? maybe) characters were downright confusing.
Having read most of Kenyon's books, this was surprisingly difficult to finish. I hope her tendency to keep all her storylines in her head hasn't become detrimental to her work.
There were so many characters, so many storylines, and it seemed like each character had a name, nickname, and secret origin name.
The love story was disjointed and felt slapped together; like the author changed her protagonists about 1/3 of the way in. You never really felt connected to any one character, and the others were almost more interesting than the mains. The antagonist was dry and boring, and the background of the three central (? maybe) characters were downright confusing.
Having read most of Kenyon's books, this was surprisingly difficult to finish. I hope her tendency to keep all her storylines in her head hasn't become detrimental to her work.
June 3, 2017
3.5 stars
Pirates, Sea Monsters, Mermen, Sprites and many more.
Overwhelming and confusing at times, many new types of beings, powers, worlds and add a new history and you have a lot to digest. This first book in Ms. Kenyon spin off series is all about the world building and it is a complicated world as I've found her others to be. I would have loved an illustrated guide to keep the visual and background of these characters in order. The new characters were amazing, the merman/mermaid my favorite of all I love her design on the mythical beast. Really an illustrated guide would have been awesome.
Thorn from her Dark Hunter series is featured in this new series, he is the lead of these Deadmen. Deadmen, pirates who sail the seas sending demon/wicked/evil back to where they should be. The Deadmen are all second chance wrongdoers looking for some form of redemption from their fate. This book focuses on one couple, the Captain and his lady. Their past combines and lashes at them until blood is drawn and death is always waiting. Yeh that's all I'm giving you.
The book ended with a cliffhanger and my favorite character was the one hanging off the cliff but one slim finger. Now I'll be waiting forever to grab book 2 and see how they faired.
Pirates, Sea Monsters, Mermen, Sprites and many more.
Overwhelming and confusing at times, many new types of beings, powers, worlds and add a new history and you have a lot to digest. This first book in Ms. Kenyon spin off series is all about the world building and it is a complicated world as I've found her others to be. I would have loved an illustrated guide to keep the visual and background of these characters in order. The new characters were amazing, the merman/mermaid my favorite of all I love her design on the mythical beast. Really an illustrated guide would have been awesome.
Thorn from her Dark Hunter series is featured in this new series, he is the lead of these Deadmen. Deadmen, pirates who sail the seas sending demon/wicked/evil back to where they should be. The Deadmen are all second chance wrongdoers looking for some form of redemption from their fate. This book focuses on one couple, the Captain and his lady. Their past combines and lashes at them until blood is drawn and death is always waiting. Yeh that's all I'm giving you.
The book ended with a cliffhanger and my favorite character was the one hanging off the cliff but one slim finger. Now I'll be waiting forever to grab book 2 and see how they faired.
December 28, 2017
DEADMEN WALKING is the first installment in Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Deadman’s Cross series. For Dark Hunter fans, this is an entirely new series that features new mythology. However, there is mention of Acheron and the Dark Hunters so if you’re a fan, you’ll be happy to note some cross over between the series. This is why I suggest being at least familiar with the Dark Hunters world before reading this series because the worlds do connect in some areas.
That being said, as a fan of Kenyon’s book in general, I had some very high expectations with this book and the author absolutely succeeded in delivering something refreshing to the genre. Deadman’s Cross is a mix of Pirates of the Caribbean and Kenyon’s advanced worldbuilding. There are a bunch of interesting characters, all with their own stories, that are brimming with personality. Kenyon spends a lot of the first half of the book on the worldbuilding, which is expected since this is the first book of the series. I haven’t come across mythology like this one, so I found myself glued to the pages as I read about this brand new world. Of course Kenyon would be the one to blow me away with her imagination. Her mind works in such wonderful ways.
The romance between Devyl and Mara really develops in the second half of the novel. There, we get a lot of their backstory that is told in various ways, such as flashbacks and dialogue so we do get plenty of chances to get to know who these characters are. This is turn deepened the bond between the hero and heroine.
I was really impressed by the way Kenyon was able to bring these two together. They have gone through a lot together and it seemed nearly impossible to see a happily-ever-after for them, but she manages to bring them together in a believable way. By the head, I was as head over heels with the romance as I was with the world.
DEADMAN WALKING is a strong start for Sherrilyn Kenyon and the Deadman’s Cross series. With worldbuilding unlike ever before, this is a series that must be on your summer to-read list!
Read this review at Fresh Fiction
That being said, as a fan of Kenyon’s book in general, I had some very high expectations with this book and the author absolutely succeeded in delivering something refreshing to the genre. Deadman’s Cross is a mix of Pirates of the Caribbean and Kenyon’s advanced worldbuilding. There are a bunch of interesting characters, all with their own stories, that are brimming with personality. Kenyon spends a lot of the first half of the book on the worldbuilding, which is expected since this is the first book of the series. I haven’t come across mythology like this one, so I found myself glued to the pages as I read about this brand new world. Of course Kenyon would be the one to blow me away with her imagination. Her mind works in such wonderful ways.
The romance between Devyl and Mara really develops in the second half of the novel. There, we get a lot of their backstory that is told in various ways, such as flashbacks and dialogue so we do get plenty of chances to get to know who these characters are. This is turn deepened the bond between the hero and heroine.
I was really impressed by the way Kenyon was able to bring these two together. They have gone through a lot together and it seemed nearly impossible to see a happily-ever-after for them, but she manages to bring them together in a believable way. By the head, I was as head over heels with the romance as I was with the world.
DEADMAN WALKING is a strong start for Sherrilyn Kenyon and the Deadman’s Cross series. With worldbuilding unlike ever before, this is a series that must be on your summer to-read list!
Read this review at Fresh Fiction
June 6, 2017
Surprising and enjoyable start to a new series.
August 13, 2017
*now, after reading it*
Fucking kill me now. I am so done with SK and her writing.
She literally has a whole page describing Devyl. ONE PAGE.
Of course, let's not forget how all women and men are devastatingly beautiful and everyone would love to have a bite of them. Or the threats, the fucking threats, seems like no one can talk without threatening you first.
*may 9th 2015, before reading*
I'M FREAKING EXCITED, NEW CHARACTERS + THORN + PIRATES =
#THEEXCITEMENTISREAL
Fucking kill me now. I am so done with SK and her writing.
She literally has a whole page describing Devyl. ONE PAGE.
Of course, let's not forget how all women and men are devastatingly beautiful and everyone would love to have a bite of them. Or the threats, the fucking threats, seems like no one can talk without threatening you first.
*may 9th 2015, before reading*
I'M FREAKING EXCITED, NEW CHARACTERS + THORN + PIRATES =
#THEEXCITEMENTISREAL
May 13, 2017
A new series by one of my favorite authors! I was so excited when I saw this and the whole look and sound of what this book was going to be had me giddy.
My overall feelings about it after reading
I kind of felt like I was forcing myself to read the book. "C'mon Cat, few more pages and the chapter is over..." "Just a few more and the end of the book is closer then before.." "Almost there Cat..."
I wanted to love this book. There was just SO MUCH thrown in and it felt jumbled. One moment we're in 1700s earth the next we're wherever the hell Devyl came from and back and forth and then BAM we're in a desert with Thorn... It was a lot of jumping.
Next, it took me literally half the book to figure out WHO the main couple was supposed to be. I got Devyl right off the bat, but who ended up being his lady love was kind of
So skipping over the rest of that part, the ending.
It was like someone came in and was like "Yo Kenyon, you've been typing for hours, let's get this thing in production!" and boom bam click enter, the book was finished.
So now we gotta wait to find out wtf is going on with Kalder but Devyl's little story was just easily tied with a bow and done..... or is it. That Epilogue.
How did she manage to get that item? She was nowhere NEAR him. AND she wasn't even THERE when he placed it with his harthfelt, so how would she have known to snag it? It was too convenient and that kind of pisses me off. That's what we call godmodding in roleplay and frowned on. Had it been Gaderyl then yeah, could see that.. but not the other.
Disappointed...
My overall feelings about it after reading
I kind of felt like I was forcing myself to read the book. "C'mon Cat, few more pages and the chapter is over..." "Just a few more and the end of the book is closer then before.." "Almost there Cat..."
I wanted to love this book. There was just SO MUCH thrown in and it felt jumbled. One moment we're in 1700s earth the next we're wherever the hell Devyl came from and back and forth and then BAM we're in a desert with Thorn... It was a lot of jumping.
Next, it took me literally half the book to figure out WHO the main couple was supposed to be. I got Devyl right off the bat, but who ended up being his lady love was kind of
So skipping over the rest of that part, the ending.
It was like someone came in and was like "Yo Kenyon, you've been typing for hours, let's get this thing in production!" and boom bam click enter, the book was finished.
So now we gotta wait to find out wtf is going on with Kalder but Devyl's little story was just easily tied with a bow and done..... or is it. That Epilogue.
How did she manage to get that item? She was nowhere NEAR him. AND she wasn't even THERE when he placed it with his harthfelt, so how would she have known to snag it? It was too convenient and that kind of pisses me off. That's what we call godmodding in roleplay and frowned on. Had it been Gaderyl then yeah, could see that.. but not the other.
Disappointed...
January 4, 2020
I like that SK started a newer series that is diverging from the Dark Hunters. I liked the pirate theme and motif. However, I do feel like it was a bit one-note and a bit too samey as her Dark-Hunter books. I was fairly interested, and I wanted to see where the story went. As always, I enjoyed her dialogue and the snark that is freely traded between the characters. I was surprised about who ended being the couple. I thought it was going to be someone different. I would continue this series, but clearly two years later, it hasn't been a priority for me.
Want to read
September 22, 2015Tagged as "Wish-sereis-was-shorter" because THIS one is part of The Dark-Hunterverse. And will be published by one of my favorites publisher of speculative fiction of all time (Tor books) maybe next year.
But I have the fear that Kenyon won't be able to finish The Dark-Hunterverse books before she dies.
Don't misunderstand me, I love her; but she's opening so many storylines, and closes very few. At the rate we're going, I'll have grandchildren by the time the series ends. If it's ends.
The new Deadman’s Cross trilogy will be a historical fantasy series filled with pirates, demons, and high-paced adventure on the stormy seas, and featuring cross-over character Thorn from the Dark-Hunter saga (most recently seen in Son of No One).
But I have the fear that Kenyon won't be able to finish The Dark-Hunterverse books before she dies.
Don't misunderstand me, I love her; but she's opening so many storylines, and closes very few. At the rate we're going, I'll have grandchildren by the time the series ends. If it's ends.
May 29, 2017
I'm so hooked!!! I enjoyed this book so friggin much,this is one of the best new series I've read in forever. I wasn't sure if I was going to like this series,but I was pulled in by Kenyon's amazing storytelling and her ability to make us root for characters who though they may be damned for their sins are loyal and in the end just looking for redemption. I'm in love with so many of the Deadmen crew Will,roach,Bart,sancha,kalder,belle and Marcellina and captain devyl bane he be a hot sexy Beastie!! I've always loved pirates so this was a treat. The only bad thing about this book is......waiting for the next book in this series!!!! 5stars once again for Sherrilyn Kenyon's AMAZING STORYTELLING!!!!
July 6, 2017
*sighs* I feel like this book started with one couple, then she changed her mind and made the heroine someone else. I liked the first girl, Cameron. Mara was bleh. Their sudden understanding after 1000s of years fighting was bleh and too quick. Honestly, if you are stuck with someone for thousands of years and don't know their full personality, you are tstl.
That said, I got bored. The beginning had so much potential because I thought the heroine would be this fun, naive, quirky Cameron, not Mara of drama-land blindness.
So... two stars because I really liked Cameron and her parts. I liked Bane (the hero) and I REALLY want Cameron's story, because she's pure awesome.
That said, I got bored. The beginning had so much potential because I thought the heroine would be this fun, naive, quirky Cameron, not Mara of drama-land blindness.
So... two stars because I really liked Cameron and her parts. I liked Bane (the hero) and I REALLY want Cameron's story, because she's pure awesome.
May 18, 2017
Mini Review:
The concept and the plot were fantastic. I loved the different sea creatures but all the different myth/religions got confusing. The explanations werent always clear and Im personally not a big fan of Alpha males. However Id still recommend it because pirates and awesome concept.
The concept and the plot were fantastic. I loved the different sea creatures but all the different myth/religions got confusing. The explanations werent always clear and Im personally not a big fan of Alpha males. However Id still recommend it because pirates and awesome concept.
May 23, 2017
1. are devyl bane, don duel, and du and uncle dubu ALL THE SAME PERSON?
2.What did he do to her in chapter 8? i seriously really don't understand
There are so many name issues in this book, I've had to put it down. I got such a headache trying to keep track of the names, that I just have to put it down.
I am seriously considering going out and buying a 2nd copy, so that i can cross out all the different variations of the name, and fill in one
because it doesn't happen with just one character it happens with a few.
I started taking notes, on characters, to try and follow them and just gave up,
seriously this book gave me a headache,
otherwise this book, is done for a while.............. at chapter 10,
I really enjoyed this book, but then she kept changing the names on me, and cameron disappeared
and I had to go back and re-read 2x and I still can't figure out what's going on.
I actually asked on facebook and several other forums and have gotten no responses yet.
I really like kenyon's books normally, but this one I just could not follow at all.
I got lost around chapter 8
2.What did he do to her in chapter 8? i seriously really don't understand
There are so many name issues in this book, I've had to put it down. I got such a headache trying to keep track of the names, that I just have to put it down.
I am seriously considering going out and buying a 2nd copy, so that i can cross out all the different variations of the name, and fill in one
because it doesn't happen with just one character it happens with a few.
I started taking notes, on characters, to try and follow them and just gave up,
seriously this book gave me a headache,
otherwise this book, is done for a while.............. at chapter 10,
I really enjoyed this book, but then she kept changing the names on me, and cameron disappeared
and I had to go back and re-read 2x and I still can't figure out what's going on.
I actually asked on facebook and several other forums and have gotten no responses yet.
I really like kenyon's books normally, but this one I just could not follow at all.
I got lost around chapter 8
August 3, 2017
New series with crossover characters from the Dark Hunter series....slow to start but picked up speed midway thru.....looking forward to more adventures from the "Deadmen crew ".
3.5 stars.
3.5 stars.
June 5, 2017
Oh, the amazingly brilliant mind of Sherrilyn Kenyon. I can’t believe she made me fall in love with a pirate, which besides Captain Jack, AKA Johnny Depp from Pirates of the Caribbean, I typically avoid like a plague. Especially in romance books, just not my cuppa. But Deadmen Walking is so much more than just a pirate romance. This novel is packed with action, adventure, fantasy world full of mythological characters, and a happy ever after that is well deserved.Captain Devyl Bane and his crew of pirates made a packed with Thorn, to help hell from breaking loose. But in this book, Bane’s biggest battle is his feelings for the Sea Witch he is bound to for years. Mara has hated him since they’ve met and only now that they start to really see each other in a different light. Trust and loyalty will be their biggest issue but I assure you, love will be their only hope.
Though it's supposed to be the same world as Dark Hunter series, it felt like a whole new world of magic, and characters full of color. Kenyon touches on Greek mythology as well as Norse and some Christian mythos. It doesn’t surprise me that the world building is pretty amazing!
I love how this author lets us get to know the characters she creates. Kenyon made it easy for me to fall for Devyl and Mara. The good character build-up and the multiple POVs made that possible. I felt their pain, thirst for revenge and the longing for a happy-ever-after in all kinds of angles.
It wasn’t just about the H/h though. I loved that the secondary characters were also developed well. Though not in full stories, you will still get to know them and definitely want more. From what I understand, Kalder Dupree, one of the crew members will be featured in the next installment(Death Doesn't Bargain). He had a lot of page time and the set up for his story was pretty darn good. I believe, Thorn will have his story within this series. I'm assuming it will be the last installment, At Death's Door. Everyone, including myself, have been waiting for that story to happen. Overall, a great start to Kenyon’s new trilogy.
*Review copy provided by publisher
Reviewed by Angela❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
Want to read
June 9, 2017DNF 70%!
Note to self: Paranormal Romance is not a genre for me. I really, really tried to like this book, thinking this isn't so bad, sure the characters are a bit one-dimensional and the whole making everyone in the book sexy (because no-one can be plain looking) gets a bit annoying after a while, but I can do this because I like the mix of mythological creatures etc.
But, the romance part...urk, it's sooooo predictable, boring and uninteresting to read. And totally without passion. Although that could be because the characters are quite flat.
So, no, just no, this is not a book for me. Now I need something else to brighten my mood!
Note to self: Paranormal Romance is not a genre for me. I really, really tried to like this book, thinking this isn't so bad, sure the characters are a bit one-dimensional and the whole making everyone in the book sexy (because no-one can be plain looking) gets a bit annoying after a while, but I can do this because I like the mix of mythological creatures etc.
But, the romance part...urk, it's sooooo predictable, boring and uninteresting to read. And totally without passion. Although that could be because the characters are quite flat.
So, no, just no, this is not a book for me. Now I need something else to brighten my mood!
January 2, 2018
This was a pretty good historical fictionread about pirates that are all damned souls that are supernatural creatures led by a Pirate Captain who is actually a viking and his figurehead first mate is a dryad. When a young woman who is a cherub angel holding tons of power that the darkness wants, its up to the Pirates to save her. It's a great first book in the series and I am looking forward to book II . If you like these types of stories and Sherrilyn Kenyon's books, definitely check this book out at your local library and wherever books are sold.
May 11, 2017
I won't rate this book just yet. I need to think about what I just read.
----
Non-spoilery review. Just general impressions.
I though about it. 3.5 stars. It was better than the last book, Dragonmark, but it's still... bland. And confusing. And did I say bland? Sherrilyn Kenyon is among my favourite authors but with these last few books, including the ones in the Chronicles of Nick, I don't quite understand what is going on with her writing.
Deadmen Walking is the first instalment in a new trilogy that ties with the Dark Hunter world but that could be read separately. Supposedly. Kinda. Nope. There's too much information related to the Dark Hunters and the Chronicles of Nick that I don't understand how this is supposed to be a separate trilogy. One of the main characters is also a very important character in the original series, for fucks sake. Also, there are HUGE spoilers for Chronicles of Nick in this book if you haven't read that series. Some sweet plot twist will be ruined for you.
That being said, I liked this book. I didn't particularly care for the characters, but I liked the plot and the setting. I love pirates. I love things that happen at sea, and this book had a very Pirates of the Caribbean vibe to it that I loved. My main problem, however, as it has been for the past few books, is that Kenyon includes to much mythology in her books and does not really give any explanations. It was bad enough with the inclusion of dragons and Arthurian mythology in the last books (I still don't understand what's happening and Thorn was also part of that), but now she's getting into Christian mythology (which I'm excited about, I'm not going to lie) mixed with more Celtic stuff on top of Norse mythology? Please, update your Dark Hunter Guide because I'm lost.
My other peeve is her way of describing her male protagonists as these badass warriors and whatnot. In this particular book it came to a point where I was rolling my eyes each time we discovered that Devyl was "something more" that just a Deadmen. By the end of the book I was like "ok, so Devyl is half druid, three quarters of an elf, one quarter of a dwarf, 3% orc, 2% skimmed milk and he shits infinity stones". That's how ridiculous it end up being. Note: if you tell me that a character is son of Whoever and is superpowerful and they are also descendants of Whatever and that makes them SuperAwesome(tm), but you don't actually explain why, it does not work. It worked in the first books with Greek mythology because we are more or less familiarised with that and because we had like 20 books to get to know that mythology. However, you can't expect your readers to understand what you're saying when you throw Celtic and Norse terms at them. Not everyone know everything about every mythology/religion.
I truly think her books would benefit of a glossary of terms at the end of the book. Many fantasy writers do so for less complicated settings, I don't see why she could not do that.
And that's about everything I have to say about this book. I enjoyed it. It's a different line in this very complex story. I just wished she would stop overcomplicating things :___)
----
Non-spoilery review. Just general impressions.
I though about it. 3.5 stars. It was better than the last book, Dragonmark, but it's still... bland. And confusing. And did I say bland? Sherrilyn Kenyon is among my favourite authors but with these last few books, including the ones in the Chronicles of Nick, I don't quite understand what is going on with her writing.
Deadmen Walking is the first instalment in a new trilogy that ties with the Dark Hunter world but that could be read separately. Supposedly. Kinda. Nope. There's too much information related to the Dark Hunters and the Chronicles of Nick that I don't understand how this is supposed to be a separate trilogy. One of the main characters is also a very important character in the original series, for fucks sake. Also, there are HUGE spoilers for Chronicles of Nick in this book if you haven't read that series. Some sweet plot twist will be ruined for you.
That being said, I liked this book. I didn't particularly care for the characters, but I liked the plot and the setting. I love pirates. I love things that happen at sea, and this book had a very Pirates of the Caribbean vibe to it that I loved. My main problem, however, as it has been for the past few books, is that Kenyon includes to much mythology in her books and does not really give any explanations. It was bad enough with the inclusion of dragons and Arthurian mythology in the last books (I still don't understand what's happening and Thorn was also part of that), but now she's getting into Christian mythology (which I'm excited about, I'm not going to lie) mixed with more Celtic stuff on top of Norse mythology? Please, update your Dark Hunter Guide because I'm lost.
My other peeve is her way of describing her male protagonists as these badass warriors and whatnot. In this particular book it came to a point where I was rolling my eyes each time we discovered that Devyl was "something more" that just a Deadmen. By the end of the book I was like "ok, so Devyl is half druid, three quarters of an elf, one quarter of a dwarf, 3% orc, 2% skimmed milk and he shits infinity stones". That's how ridiculous it end up being. Note: if you tell me that a character is son of Whoever and is superpowerful and they are also descendants of Whatever and that makes them SuperAwesome(tm), but you don't actually explain why, it does not work. It worked in the first books with Greek mythology because we are more or less familiarised with that and because we had like 20 books to get to know that mythology. However, you can't expect your readers to understand what you're saying when you throw Celtic and Norse terms at them. Not everyone know everything about every mythology/religion.
I truly think her books would benefit of a glossary of terms at the end of the book. Many fantasy writers do so for less complicated settings, I don't see why she could not do that.
And that's about everything I have to say about this book. I enjoyed it. It's a different line in this very complex story. I just wished she would stop overcomplicating things :___)
July 18, 2017
ok so like i'm DNF-ing this....
Another book that has been sitting on my currently reading shelf for sometime now, I mean I was really excited to start this, I mean common pirates !! whats not to like ?!?!
And in all actuality it lived up to the pirate-y stuff really well, and one of my favorite things about this book, is the lack of sexism, you know what I mean when it comes to pirate ships and women, but in this it was totally chilled out, there were women pirates (legit women pirates, who were almost more scary than the men) aboard and it wasn't even a big deal, which is something you almost never see, huge round of applause for that.
BUTttt.....
ok now comes the crapy part....
I went into the story expecting some action pertaining to the story line that was promised, but what do I get, the introduction of Cameron Jack the false/misleading heroine, (the author really tried to make this concept work, by misleading the reader and then bring them back and showing them this different side of the coin, sad to say it didn't really hit the mark at all, it just left you feeling let down and cheated) and enormous amounts of flashbacks coupled with huge amounts of godforsaken internal monologue.
Like excuse me Sir ? but where is the great sea adventure I was promise, I'm at 47% of the book and NOTHING has happened ?!?!
so therefore I am done, I can't push through anymore I have just lost my interest after putting it down and can't bring myself to pick it up again, life is too short to read books you really don't love soo I guess it's TA-TA Deadman Walking !!
Another book that has been sitting on my currently reading shelf for sometime now, I mean I was really excited to start this, I mean common pirates !! whats not to like ?!?!
And in all actuality it lived up to the pirate-y stuff really well, and one of my favorite things about this book, is the lack of sexism, you know what I mean when it comes to pirate ships and women, but in this it was totally chilled out, there were women pirates (legit women pirates, who were almost more scary than the men) aboard and it wasn't even a big deal, which is something you almost never see, huge round of applause for that.
BUTttt.....
ok now comes the crapy part....
I went into the story expecting some action pertaining to the story line that was promised, but what do I get, the introduction of Cameron Jack the false/misleading heroine, (the author really tried to make this concept work, by misleading the reader and then bring them back and showing them this different side of the coin, sad to say it didn't really hit the mark at all, it just left you feeling let down and cheated) and enormous amounts of flashbacks coupled with huge amounts of godforsaken internal monologue.
Like excuse me Sir ? but where is the great sea adventure I was promise, I'm at 47% of the book and NOTHING has happened ?!?!
so therefore I am done, I can't push through anymore I have just lost my interest after putting it down and can't bring myself to pick it up again, life is too short to read books you really don't love soo I guess it's TA-TA Deadman Walking !!
June 13, 2017
Over the last view years I’ve read three books by Sherrilyn Kenyon. And although I haven’t been swept away by her stories I did enjoy all three of them. So when I was approached to read this first book in her new Deadman’s Cross series I was definitely interested. Even more when I read that this book was about pirates, definitely something that sparked my interest.
In ‘Deadman Walking’ we meet Devyl Bane, an ancient dark warlord who now is one of the most notorious pirates. Although he is supposedly very evil, it’s clear early on that there is much more about this Devyl than we first get to see. And that becomes more clear when we meet Marcelina, a Sea Witch that is forced to life with Devyl due to a binding spell. Although they have enough trouble and history between the two of them, together with their unusual crew they are humanity’s last hope to restore the gates of hell.
In the beginning I found myself being very intrigued by this read. There was so much going on, and I loved the whole pirates part. And Devyl was definitely a character I enjoyed reading about. He was very evil, aggressive and grumpy, but I just knew there was so much more about him. And I loved getting to know him and his weird crew of witches, mermaids and other creatures.
Half way through the book things got a little more confusing. Throughout the book a lot of different creatures started appearing, with their different histories and abilities. And there were a lot of different names. And as I’ve told in earlier reviews, I’m really bad in keeping names a part. And in this book there were so many that I couldn’t follow it all the time.
And then there was the world building, there was a lot to keep track of. And to me it was honestly a little too much. Especially near the end when things got very intense and thrilling.. I just didn’t understand what was going on with all those different worlds and appearing characters. Maybe it’s because I haven’t read many of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s books where some of the worlds are already explained, but it got too confusing.
Near the end there was something happening in the book with one of the other characters, which I really hope will be the subject of the next book in the series. I really want to see what will happen with that character!
I found the romance part in this book a little mellow, but I have high hopes for the romance with that character!!
Overall this was definitely a fun start of a new series. I really would have loved some more explaining of the worlds and the different characters though. A glossary of terms at the end or the beginning would have been perfect. But still, I definitely want to read the next book in this series.
In ‘Deadman Walking’ we meet Devyl Bane, an ancient dark warlord who now is one of the most notorious pirates. Although he is supposedly very evil, it’s clear early on that there is much more about this Devyl than we first get to see. And that becomes more clear when we meet Marcelina, a Sea Witch that is forced to life with Devyl due to a binding spell. Although they have enough trouble and history between the two of them, together with their unusual crew they are humanity’s last hope to restore the gates of hell.
In the beginning I found myself being very intrigued by this read. There was so much going on, and I loved the whole pirates part. And Devyl was definitely a character I enjoyed reading about. He was very evil, aggressive and grumpy, but I just knew there was so much more about him. And I loved getting to know him and his weird crew of witches, mermaids and other creatures.
Half way through the book things got a little more confusing. Throughout the book a lot of different creatures started appearing, with their different histories and abilities. And there were a lot of different names. And as I’ve told in earlier reviews, I’m really bad in keeping names a part. And in this book there were so many that I couldn’t follow it all the time.
And then there was the world building, there was a lot to keep track of. And to me it was honestly a little too much. Especially near the end when things got very intense and thrilling.. I just didn’t understand what was going on with all those different worlds and appearing characters. Maybe it’s because I haven’t read many of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s books where some of the worlds are already explained, but it got too confusing.
Near the end there was something happening in the book with one of the other characters, which I really hope will be the subject of the next book in the series. I really want to see what will happen with that character!
I found the romance part in this book a little mellow, but I have high hopes for the romance with that character!!
Overall this was definitely a fun start of a new series. I really would have loved some more explaining of the worlds and the different characters though. A glossary of terms at the end or the beginning would have been perfect. But still, I definitely want to read the next book in this series.
May 18, 2017
4.5 Stars
Definitely feel that the Hellchaser's are some of the least expanded upon part of the Dark-Hunterverse and I'm glad that they are getting some more love. Also who doesn't like pirates. While I feel that we did get some back story of the crew members I could've done with some more so they weren't just a handful of names I was trying to keep straight. This book has opened up Kenyon's already vast world even more and am so looking forward to the next one.
Definitely feel that the Hellchaser's are some of the least expanded upon part of the Dark-Hunterverse and I'm glad that they are getting some more love. Also who doesn't like pirates. While I feel that we did get some back story of the crew members I could've done with some more so they weren't just a handful of names I was trying to keep straight. This book has opened up Kenyon's already vast world even more and am so looking forward to the next one.
June 1, 2017
More of a 4.5. S. Kenyon is my favorite author and I remember seeing this last year thinking I couldn't possibly wait so long for this book, especially given that Thorn is one of my favorites, he intrigues me. This huge and complex world just got bigger as now enter Norse mythology and a whole slew of everything that brings. I really enjoyed this but I'm still not quite sure just what Devlyn and Mara are, some type of Gods I presume, I've taken to reading some other reviews to see if someone figured it out and apparently lots of reviews are questioning the same thing, so I didn't miss it. This was crazy, I loved it. If your not familiar with this world I would very much suggest starting at the beginning, there's so much intertwining that you will really lose out without all the back info. I love Thorn, we get some new info on him but there's still so much not being told. Next book should be most interesting but I still say I wish I would have kept a notebook on this world, there's just so much going on and the treachery is like none I've ever read, she sure knows how to make her characters suffer. And...the wait begins for next story!!!
dropped
May 15, 2017I didn't even last 100 pages, had to stop before my eyeballs rolled right out of my head. I can't believe how excited I was for this book to come out only to be so thoroughly disappointed once I started reading it. We all knew by the cover if not by the blurb that this was going to be quite a bit like Pirates of the Caribbean, but it's REALLY blatant. The ship in this book might as well be named The Flying Dutchman and "Cammie" has nothing on Elizabeth. I could not stand Cammie and her incessant questioning of a crew she's supposedly terrified of, but wtfever I guess.
At least I borrowed it from the library and didn't actually spend money on this.
At least I borrowed it from the library and didn't actually spend money on this.
October 11, 2020
2.5 🌟
I thought I'll like this demons.. Pirate ships etc. But I just felt so confused.
There seems to be no rules to this world. This demon can do this and this demon that. Such and such. No understanding.
I thought I'll get more satisfaction with Cameron stort but that took over by the captain and his story from his sister to the woman he loved such and such...
Just wasn't interesting enough to continue on to book 2.
I thought I'll like this demons.. Pirate ships etc. But I just felt so confused.
There seems to be no rules to this world. This demon can do this and this demon that. Such and such. No understanding.
I thought I'll get more satisfaction with Cameron stort but that took over by the captain and his story from his sister to the woman he loved such and such...
Just wasn't interesting enough to continue on to book 2.
October 4, 2017
I like to pride myself on finishing even the most painful books. The same cannot be said for this one. I made it about 40% and now I'm going to finally call it quits. I feel like it's unfair to review a book that you didn't finish but at the same time I feel like I owe it to people to give them a fair representation of what they would be getting themselves into in reading this book.
First off, the description of this book leads people astray. The summary gives us the story of an ancient dark warlord and the Sea Witch, his sentient ship imbued with the soul of the sister of his wife, hell bent on revenge against the man who killed her sister. Seems interesting enough. Too bad the story starts with a woman searching for her presumed dead brother, led by a random woman to seek the company of Devyl and his Deadman crew. And the thing is it's not a bad storyline, they're just completely different from each other. For over 150 pages we follow Cameron Jack, a woman who is more than meets the eye, on her quest. I found myself referencing the summary over and over trying to figure out why I was confused. Maybe because the two have almost nothing to do with one another. Having made it so far into the book I began reading other reviews to try and make sense of what was going on and although I did not get far enough to confirm this I can say that the reviews lead me to believe that somewhere around chapter 10 the "main heroine" (I put it in quotes because who at this time can tell) changes from Cameron Jack to Marcelina, the woman ship actually mentioned in the summary. Why does this duel storyline exist? Why not just choose one plot and go with it?!? All this serves to do it make the story convoluted and disjointed.
So what we are left with are two storylines weakly woven together. The initial story I invested myself in: i.e. girl searching for brother escorted across the sea by cursed men, and the strange questionable love triangle of Devyl Bane, his trapped in purgatory evil wife Vine, and her sister turned ship. They have almost nothing to do with each other except for the fact that Cameron's brother is in the merciless hands of Vine so at least it makes sense that all the characters head in the same direction, but that's about it.
That is just the tip of the iceberg for me. What ultimately led me to quit reading was the convolutedness of the storyline. I will admit that I am a stranger to works by Kenyon but having said that I thought when I chose this book that I was starting at the beginning of a new series by her, one where I wouldn't have to try and figure out her huge histories that have guided her previous works. I was wrong. Apparently this is some kind of ill-marked spin off that one should never attempt to read without prior knowledge. Although I take that back because it's the author's job to not only keep the interest of returning readers but to entice new readers into the fold. What that means is that a brand new readers should be able to latch on to what's going on in the 1st of a series even with it being a spin off. This book could not be further from this point and it is ultimately what annoyed me.
There are a gajillion characters. She introduces each and everyone of them with a unique eye color and family lineage between 1-2 pages. How is anyone going to remember that?!? More importantly is this information important?!? As a reader should I care?!?! Are these descriptions of these people going to help me in the story in times to come?! No. they are not. Its just a monotony of endless banal information page after page after page. And when it's not character information it's backstories. And it's not even interestingly presented. It's essentially world vomit. Kenyon never stops telling her readers things. She needs to let the story breathe for itself. Just let the characters interact and the story naturally develop. We don't need everything up front and all at once, we as readers will never remember it all.
Devyl would talk to someone, reminiscence about the past (that may or may not involve characters from previous books), go away and remember another past incident, for pages upon pages. There would be a scene break and then we would do it all over again. Cameron was treated as the typical "blank slate" in which the author could use her to tell us about her world, because she, like us, has no idea what's going on. So we're introduced to all the women on the ship through her. Insert time needed to hear the backstory of 4 women back to back. Why?!?!?!?!? I finally got to the point where I couldn't see the point in continuing on. It didn't show any signs of changing format even 40% through. How was I almost halfway and still getting character introductions?!?!
I don't have words for how frustrating this book was to read. It's even more frustrating because I wanted nothing more than to finish it just to say that I could. Well I can't, and ultimately later I'm sure I'll be okay with that because this is just not worth my time
First off, the description of this book leads people astray. The summary gives us the story of an ancient dark warlord and the Sea Witch, his sentient ship imbued with the soul of the sister of his wife, hell bent on revenge against the man who killed her sister. Seems interesting enough. Too bad the story starts with a woman searching for her presumed dead brother, led by a random woman to seek the company of Devyl and his Deadman crew. And the thing is it's not a bad storyline, they're just completely different from each other. For over 150 pages we follow Cameron Jack, a woman who is more than meets the eye, on her quest. I found myself referencing the summary over and over trying to figure out why I was confused. Maybe because the two have almost nothing to do with one another. Having made it so far into the book I began reading other reviews to try and make sense of what was going on and although I did not get far enough to confirm this I can say that the reviews lead me to believe that somewhere around chapter 10 the "main heroine" (I put it in quotes because who at this time can tell) changes from Cameron Jack to Marcelina, the woman ship actually mentioned in the summary. Why does this duel storyline exist? Why not just choose one plot and go with it?!? All this serves to do it make the story convoluted and disjointed.
So what we are left with are two storylines weakly woven together. The initial story I invested myself in: i.e. girl searching for brother escorted across the sea by cursed men, and the strange questionable love triangle of Devyl Bane, his trapped in purgatory evil wife Vine, and her sister turned ship. They have almost nothing to do with each other except for the fact that Cameron's brother is in the merciless hands of Vine so at least it makes sense that all the characters head in the same direction, but that's about it.
That is just the tip of the iceberg for me. What ultimately led me to quit reading was the convolutedness of the storyline. I will admit that I am a stranger to works by Kenyon but having said that I thought when I chose this book that I was starting at the beginning of a new series by her, one where I wouldn't have to try and figure out her huge histories that have guided her previous works. I was wrong. Apparently this is some kind of ill-marked spin off that one should never attempt to read without prior knowledge. Although I take that back because it's the author's job to not only keep the interest of returning readers but to entice new readers into the fold. What that means is that a brand new readers should be able to latch on to what's going on in the 1st of a series even with it being a spin off. This book could not be further from this point and it is ultimately what annoyed me.
There are a gajillion characters. She introduces each and everyone of them with a unique eye color and family lineage between 1-2 pages. How is anyone going to remember that?!? More importantly is this information important?!? As a reader should I care?!?! Are these descriptions of these people going to help me in the story in times to come?! No. they are not. Its just a monotony of endless banal information page after page after page. And when it's not character information it's backstories. And it's not even interestingly presented. It's essentially world vomit. Kenyon never stops telling her readers things. She needs to let the story breathe for itself. Just let the characters interact and the story naturally develop. We don't need everything up front and all at once, we as readers will never remember it all.
Devyl would talk to someone, reminiscence about the past (that may or may not involve characters from previous books), go away and remember another past incident, for pages upon pages. There would be a scene break and then we would do it all over again. Cameron was treated as the typical "blank slate" in which the author could use her to tell us about her world, because she, like us, has no idea what's going on. So we're introduced to all the women on the ship through her. Insert time needed to hear the backstory of 4 women back to back. Why?!?!?!?!? I finally got to the point where I couldn't see the point in continuing on. It didn't show any signs of changing format even 40% through. How was I almost halfway and still getting character introductions?!?!
I don't have words for how frustrating this book was to read. It's even more frustrating because I wanted nothing more than to finish it just to say that I could. Well I can't, and ultimately later I'm sure I'll be okay with that because this is just not worth my time
June 3, 2017
Casey's Challenge 2017 - #34 with pirates
Way back in the day I discovered a new series and a new hero, Kyrian with a side of Ash, and it was good. According to my goodreads read list I've made it to book 19 in this series, although honestly, I don't really remember that.
As a writer...well when she was good she was very, very good and when she was bad...
It's not that I dislike her writing or her world(s) or even her characters. It simply boils down to the fact that if you were to take all the exposition and world building and telling of who the characters are (as opposed to showing) you would have about 50 pages of story left. And having been out of the DH world for so long I was massively confused. With a book that is set in the world, in the 1700s no less and not actually about DH!!!
Will I read the next of this trilogy? Or anymore of the DH series at all? Eh...chances not good. Will I go back and read some of my all time favorite of her books over and over again? Yup.
Way back in the day I discovered a new series and a new hero, Kyrian with a side of Ash, and it was good. According to my goodreads read list I've made it to book 19 in this series, although honestly, I don't really remember that.
As a writer...well when she was good she was very, very good and when she was bad...
It's not that I dislike her writing or her world(s) or even her characters. It simply boils down to the fact that if you were to take all the exposition and world building and telling of who the characters are (as opposed to showing) you would have about 50 pages of story left. And having been out of the DH world for so long I was massively confused. With a book that is set in the world, in the 1700s no less and not actually about DH!!!
Will I read the next of this trilogy? Or anymore of the DH series at all? Eh...chances not good. Will I go back and read some of my all time favorite of her books over and over again? Yup.
September 18, 2019
Sigh. Do you know what one of my biggest book pet peeves is? It's when Sequels and spin-offs aren't well labeled. What's more, I honestly believe that authors and publishers do this purposefully so that readers who might not pick up a books 5 or 15 or 25 in a series will be tricked into picking up a book one in a poorly labeled spinoff that is actually book 5 or 15 or 25 in a previous series.
That's how I feel about Deadmen Walking. I've long wanted to try a Sherrilyn Kenyon book. But Haven't really known where to start, since there are so many of them. But when I saw book one of a what I thought was a new series, I gave it a go. Big mistake.
Deadmen Walking has no world building, a confusing muddle of mythologies and several characters (of which there are far too many) were barely introduced. It felt enough unlike a standalone book that I finally did some investigation to discover that it's a spinoff of the Dark Hunter series.
Outside of the spinoff series issue, I also just didn't think it was very good. It wasn't complete shite, but it felt VERY formulaic and shallow. I saw no reason why characters who'd lived together for centuries suddenly saw each other in a different light and finally accepted love. There was no development in the romance, (again, they'd lived together for centuries). There were too many characters to keep straight and several were basically pointless. A second romance was tacked on at the end that hadn't been developed at all. (And it felt like the female character was originally meant to be the primary love interest until Kenyon changed her mind, so she had to be matched up somewhere.) I didn't understand the villains motivation or how she got so powerful. Bane seemed to develop abilities randomly and the pacing seemed super inconsistent.
I no longer fear I might be missing out having never read a Kenyon novel.
That's how I feel about Deadmen Walking. I've long wanted to try a Sherrilyn Kenyon book. But Haven't really known where to start, since there are so many of them. But when I saw book one of a what I thought was a new series, I gave it a go. Big mistake.
Deadmen Walking has no world building, a confusing muddle of mythologies and several characters (of which there are far too many) were barely introduced. It felt enough unlike a standalone book that I finally did some investigation to discover that it's a spinoff of the Dark Hunter series.
Outside of the spinoff series issue, I also just didn't think it was very good. It wasn't complete shite, but it felt VERY formulaic and shallow. I saw no reason why characters who'd lived together for centuries suddenly saw each other in a different light and finally accepted love. There was no development in the romance, (again, they'd lived together for centuries). There were too many characters to keep straight and several were basically pointless. A second romance was tacked on at the end that hadn't been developed at all. (And it felt like the female character was originally meant to be the primary love interest until Kenyon changed her mind, so she had to be matched up somewhere.) I didn't understand the villains motivation or how she got so powerful. Bane seemed to develop abilities randomly and the pacing seemed super inconsistent.
I no longer fear I might be missing out having never read a Kenyon novel.
May 25, 2017
Black Sails (even a bunch of the same character names) meets Pirates of the Caribbean with some Dark-Hunter crossover.
Did I like it? Yes. Did I love it? No. Do I think I'll like more as the series progresses...absolutely!
This book was the first in a new spin-off, and it has amazing potential. I adored the heaven/hell elements with the paranormal pirate theme and Norse mythology and other pagan pantheon mythos. I liked the characters. But I didn't connect with them enough...yet. This book set things up for sure, and will leave you wanting to know more. It also reads way more like an Urban Fantasy than a Paranormal Romance. There's an overall arc, not much romance, and you won't even know who the main couple is supposed to be (if it was even intended) until over 3/4 of the way through.
With those things firmly in mind, definitely give it a shot.
I'm actually excited for more in this world. It's Kenyon. What's not to love? But 1) go into it not expecting classic Dark-Hunter, 2) think of it as an introduction to the new series and sub-world, 3) embrace your inner mythology geek and just enjoy the ride.
Did I like it? Yes. Did I love it? No. Do I think I'll like more as the series progresses...absolutely!
This book was the first in a new spin-off, and it has amazing potential. I adored the heaven/hell elements with the paranormal pirate theme and Norse mythology and other pagan pantheon mythos. I liked the characters. But I didn't connect with them enough...yet. This book set things up for sure, and will leave you wanting to know more. It also reads way more like an Urban Fantasy than a Paranormal Romance. There's an overall arc, not much romance, and you won't even know who the main couple is supposed to be (if it was even intended) until over 3/4 of the way through.
With those things firmly in mind, definitely give it a shot.
I'm actually excited for more in this world. It's Kenyon. What's not to love? But 1) go into it not expecting classic Dark-Hunter, 2) think of it as an introduction to the new series and sub-world, 3) embrace your inner mythology geek and just enjoy the ride.
June 14, 2017
I'm conflicted about this book. Nothing is really standing out for me. There was no character that really grabbed my attention and made me invested in this story. Even now I still don't know what the Protagonists objective was. Will have to mull it over.
Full review will be on www.bookmoodreviews.com
Full review will be on www.bookmoodreviews.com
June 6, 2017
Originally posted at SmexyBooks-http://smexybooks.com/2017/06/review-...
Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series is one of the best-selling paranormal romance series to date. Appealing to readers of all ages Ms. Kenyon’s unique twist on vampires, Greek mythology, and religion combines fantasy with paranormal romance to create a genre all its own. Ms. Kenyon has enthralled us since her first book, Fantasy Lover. Now over 30 books in, Kenyon expands her world once again, taking us into the past and introducing us to the original Hellchasers with Deadmen Walking.
Deadmen Walking is the first in a historical fantasy trilogy set in the same world as the Dark Hunters. Kenyon uses a plethora of mythologies, along with various religions, reincarnation, magic, revenge, and an enemies to lovers romance to bring to life her pirates, monsters, and high sea adventure for her readers. Fans of Pirates of the Caribbean and Black Sails will see some strong similarities as we are introduced to a sea captain and his deadly crew who must save the world. Set in 1700s Captain Deyvl Bane is a former warlord/druid who marched across the plains spilling blood and leaving carnage in his wake. With the magical ability to reincarnate (so to speak), his lifespan dates back centuries. Think Vikings, Asgard, Norseman. Eventually murdered by his ex-wife and sent to Hell, he is given the opportunity to escape by the infamous Thorn with an invitation to join his Hellchasers. Bane and his crew now sail the seven seas fighting all manner of evil in an attempt to redeem themselves and free their souls.
“There’s something not right about the lot of you.”
“There’s something not right about the lot of the world, mate. We just embrace our natural differences with gusto.”
Though this is the start of a new story arc and introduces a new character base, this cannot be read as a standalone. Seriously, this is not the place to introduce yourself to this world. Hell, this world is now the size of a small galaxy and we have officially left Earth. We see character and situational cross over from the Dark Hunters series all the way to the Chronicles of Nick with references to previous scenes and storylines. I’m a seasoned veteran of this world who has read every single book and I was confused at times. Also, there are some big spoilers in here.
Those who are familiar with SLK will recognize this basic characterization trope she uses in a majority of her stories. An abused and misunderstood character is betrayed by the one person they trusted to never harm them and in return, they isolate themselves into a grumpy “I hate you all and want to kill you all” shell to protect them from being betrayed ever again. They will then be forced to save the lives of those around them including those who may have betrayed them and there is a 99% chance self-sacrifice will be involved. And they’ll do it because, all in all, despite all their bluster and posturing, they just want to be loved.
“Thieves, drunkards, lunatics, wastrels, and whores we might all be, but there ain’t a coward among us.”
Captain Bane is this story’s grumpy hero who was betrayed first by his parents, then by his allies, and eventually by the woman he loved. The kicker here though is Bane is no saint and is equally guilty of the crimes committed against him. He and his crew, a personable and rambunctious bunch, are on a mission to rescue a fellow sea captain before he’s used to open a gate of Hell and release Bane’s demonic ex-wife, Vine. He needs the help of the Sea Witch who hates him. His ship is an actual living being, Marcelina (Mara) aka the Sea Witch, who has long and bloody history with Bane.
“We are the protectors-”
“My ass cheeks.”
“Du, please watch your language!”
“Watch your lies! Are you really going to stand there and preach that as if I wasn’t there?
Marcelina grimaced at him. “And what of yours? How many fell to your race and army? Need I remind you how we met?
“Need I remind you how we parted? Blood soaks us both!”
I liked though I didn’t love. It has a nice pace to it along with an engaging main storyline. The action, intrigue, and humor blends well with the mild romance. I’m a sucker for pirates and have long been fascinated by the men and women who sailed the high seas looking for adventure and treasure. My main problem is there is too much going on and Kenyon notes everything single little detail. We see a mixture of multiple religions, legends, and mythologies used to try to explain the protagonists’ backgrounds and how they tie into the main arc. My eyes glazed over once I realized the hero had three other names he went by depending on which timeline we were speaking of. There is a lot of world building that is based on these characters’ history and it slows the story down. We are also led to believe the heroine is Cameron Jack only to discover she’s actually just meant to establish the storyline and help push the real heroine (Mara) and Bane together. *shaking my head to clear it* Kenyon with her skill and finesse almost makes it work too but misses the mark.
The romance is hot, sweet, and oh so slow going as this couple has centuries of lies and anger to work through. The romance is really no more than an element in here. Bane, in the past, decimated Mara’s clan and kidnapped her and her sister. Mara watched her brethren fall one by one and in retaliation bound Bane’s life to hers. As Bane and Mara work together, Mara finally understands the anger that drove Bane back then and how wrong she was in her thinking. Bane also has his own epiphany and acknowledges the damage he did to Mara.
He couldn’t imagine his life without her in it.
The main plot and subsequent subplots are pretty intense as Kenyon brings in various familiar faces, closes some open-ended plotlines, and answers some almost forgotten questions. We learn the battle lines have been long in the making and we are slowly learning who will stand with who…and on what side.
”You do not escape here. You do not escape me.”
[…]
“You wanted war? By all means, have some!”
The ending is a dramatic affair and a bit of a shock as Kenyon dumps yet more characters and information on us. I was overwhelmed. So many groups have a hand in what is coming and unlike Kenyon’s earlier books, we aren’t being given the time to absorb all the new information and characters. It’s tossed at us and then Kenyon whisks us away to another part of this huge galaxy for more information and world building. I will admit one particular scene broke my heart a little. All I can say is Thorn better find a way to keep his promise to Cameron and Kalder. Even with the issues I had, it was still a fun read. Pirates, sea monsters, and good old fashioned sword fights are enough to make this old girl happy. Will I read the next in the trilogy? Yes, because I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO KALDER!! But I’ll be getting it from the library. I hope Kenyon settles down soon because for some reason she is really making this world almost too complicated to follow anymore.
Grade: C
Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series is one of the best-selling paranormal romance series to date. Appealing to readers of all ages Ms. Kenyon’s unique twist on vampires, Greek mythology, and religion combines fantasy with paranormal romance to create a genre all its own. Ms. Kenyon has enthralled us since her first book, Fantasy Lover. Now over 30 books in, Kenyon expands her world once again, taking us into the past and introducing us to the original Hellchasers with Deadmen Walking.
Deadmen Walking is the first in a historical fantasy trilogy set in the same world as the Dark Hunters. Kenyon uses a plethora of mythologies, along with various religions, reincarnation, magic, revenge, and an enemies to lovers romance to bring to life her pirates, monsters, and high sea adventure for her readers. Fans of Pirates of the Caribbean and Black Sails will see some strong similarities as we are introduced to a sea captain and his deadly crew who must save the world. Set in 1700s Captain Deyvl Bane is a former warlord/druid who marched across the plains spilling blood and leaving carnage in his wake. With the magical ability to reincarnate (so to speak), his lifespan dates back centuries. Think Vikings, Asgard, Norseman. Eventually murdered by his ex-wife and sent to Hell, he is given the opportunity to escape by the infamous Thorn with an invitation to join his Hellchasers. Bane and his crew now sail the seven seas fighting all manner of evil in an attempt to redeem themselves and free their souls.
“There’s something not right about the lot of you.”
“There’s something not right about the lot of the world, mate. We just embrace our natural differences with gusto.”
Though this is the start of a new story arc and introduces a new character base, this cannot be read as a standalone. Seriously, this is not the place to introduce yourself to this world. Hell, this world is now the size of a small galaxy and we have officially left Earth. We see character and situational cross over from the Dark Hunters series all the way to the Chronicles of Nick with references to previous scenes and storylines. I’m a seasoned veteran of this world who has read every single book and I was confused at times. Also, there are some big spoilers in here.
Those who are familiar with SLK will recognize this basic characterization trope she uses in a majority of her stories. An abused and misunderstood character is betrayed by the one person they trusted to never harm them and in return, they isolate themselves into a grumpy “I hate you all and want to kill you all” shell to protect them from being betrayed ever again. They will then be forced to save the lives of those around them including those who may have betrayed them and there is a 99% chance self-sacrifice will be involved. And they’ll do it because, all in all, despite all their bluster and posturing, they just want to be loved.
“Thieves, drunkards, lunatics, wastrels, and whores we might all be, but there ain’t a coward among us.”
Captain Bane is this story’s grumpy hero who was betrayed first by his parents, then by his allies, and eventually by the woman he loved. The kicker here though is Bane is no saint and is equally guilty of the crimes committed against him. He and his crew, a personable and rambunctious bunch, are on a mission to rescue a fellow sea captain before he’s used to open a gate of Hell and release Bane’s demonic ex-wife, Vine. He needs the help of the Sea Witch who hates him. His ship is an actual living being, Marcelina (Mara) aka the Sea Witch, who has long and bloody history with Bane.
“We are the protectors-”
“My ass cheeks.”
“Du, please watch your language!”
“Watch your lies! Are you really going to stand there and preach that as if I wasn’t there?
Marcelina grimaced at him. “And what of yours? How many fell to your race and army? Need I remind you how we met?
“Need I remind you how we parted? Blood soaks us both!”
I liked though I didn’t love. It has a nice pace to it along with an engaging main storyline. The action, intrigue, and humor blends well with the mild romance. I’m a sucker for pirates and have long been fascinated by the men and women who sailed the high seas looking for adventure and treasure. My main problem is there is too much going on and Kenyon notes everything single little detail. We see a mixture of multiple religions, legends, and mythologies used to try to explain the protagonists’ backgrounds and how they tie into the main arc. My eyes glazed over once I realized the hero had three other names he went by depending on which timeline we were speaking of. There is a lot of world building that is based on these characters’ history and it slows the story down. We are also led to believe the heroine is Cameron Jack only to discover she’s actually just meant to establish the storyline and help push the real heroine (Mara) and Bane together. *shaking my head to clear it* Kenyon with her skill and finesse almost makes it work too but misses the mark.
The romance is hot, sweet, and oh so slow going as this couple has centuries of lies and anger to work through. The romance is really no more than an element in here. Bane, in the past, decimated Mara’s clan and kidnapped her and her sister. Mara watched her brethren fall one by one and in retaliation bound Bane’s life to hers. As Bane and Mara work together, Mara finally understands the anger that drove Bane back then and how wrong she was in her thinking. Bane also has his own epiphany and acknowledges the damage he did to Mara.
He couldn’t imagine his life without her in it.
The main plot and subsequent subplots are pretty intense as Kenyon brings in various familiar faces, closes some open-ended plotlines, and answers some almost forgotten questions. We learn the battle lines have been long in the making and we are slowly learning who will stand with who…and on what side.
”You do not escape here. You do not escape me.”
[…]
“You wanted war? By all means, have some!”
The ending is a dramatic affair and a bit of a shock as Kenyon dumps yet more characters and information on us. I was overwhelmed. So many groups have a hand in what is coming and unlike Kenyon’s earlier books, we aren’t being given the time to absorb all the new information and characters. It’s tossed at us and then Kenyon whisks us away to another part of this huge galaxy for more information and world building. I will admit one particular scene broke my heart a little. All I can say is Thorn better find a way to keep his promise to Cameron and Kalder. Even with the issues I had, it was still a fun read. Pirates, sea monsters, and good old fashioned sword fights are enough to make this old girl happy. Will I read the next in the trilogy? Yes, because I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO KALDER!! But I’ll be getting it from the library. I hope Kenyon settles down soon because for some reason she is really making this world almost too complicated to follow anymore.
Grade: C
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