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Skinners #5
The Breaking
“One of the most underrated paranormal fantasy sagas out there.”
—Paul Goat Allen “An action-packed, blood-soaked ripsnorter of a monster-hunter series.”
—Tom Piccirilli, author of The Midnight Road “ Twilight fans hungering for more vampire/werewolf drama can look forward to Skinners .”
— USA Today Humankind’s last defense against the darkness, Skinners are back in The Breaking . Book five in Marcus Pelegrimas’s phenomenal dark, nonstop urban fantasy series finds creature-hunters Paige and Cole desperately trying to forestall the Apocalypse in the face of terrifying shapeshifter carnage and inexplicable threats from fellow Skinners. Fans of Jim Butcher and dedicated Halo gamers will be swept away by The Breaking , and the other installments in series Barnes and Noble previously named among the Year’s Best Paranormal Fantasies.
—Paul Goat Allen “An action-packed, blood-soaked ripsnorter of a monster-hunter series.”
—Tom Piccirilli, author of The Midnight Road “ Twilight fans hungering for more vampire/werewolf drama can look forward to Skinners .”
— USA Today Humankind’s last defense against the darkness, Skinners are back in The Breaking . Book five in Marcus Pelegrimas’s phenomenal dark, nonstop urban fantasy series finds creature-hunters Paige and Cole desperately trying to forestall the Apocalypse in the face of terrifying shapeshifter carnage and inexplicable threats from fellow Skinners. Fans of Jim Butcher and dedicated Halo gamers will be swept away by The Breaking , and the other installments in series Barnes and Noble previously named among the Year’s Best Paranormal Fantasies.
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 31, 2011
8 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Marcus Pelegrimas
18 books65 followersMarcus Pelegrimas is the son of Sicilian immigrants who rose to power in the criminal underworld of the 1950’s. No wait…that was Michael Corleone.
Marcus Pelegrimas lives and works in Nebraska . Yes, he eats corn. No, he doesn’t live on a farm.
He graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice and currently lives in Omaha , Nebraska where he has worked in several different genres of fiction including western, mystery, horror and fantasy. Nowadays, he plays too many video games and spends too much time watching crappy movies when he should be hard at work on his next novel. Good thing his beautiful and very patient wife Megan is there to knock him off the couch when the deadlines creep in.
Marcus Pelegrimas lives and works in Nebraska . Yes, he eats corn. No, he doesn’t live on a farm.
He graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice and currently lives in Omaha , Nebraska where he has worked in several different genres of fiction including western, mystery, horror and fantasy. Nowadays, he plays too many video games and spends too much time watching crappy movies when he should be hard at work on his next novel. Good thing his beautiful and very patient wife Megan is there to knock him off the couch when the deadlines creep in.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 10, 2015
The best so far as far as I am concerned.
Possible spoilers ahead. It's the fifth book in the series, after all. Unless I use generic praise, there have to be some spoilers.
It took me a while to start reading this because of the way Vampire Uprising ended. I wasn't really eager to read about Cole being framed and imprisoned. It turned out to be the best thing for this book. It takes more than a third of the book for him to get out. In the meantime, he is stuck with some pretty messed up people. Also, with two pretty interesting prisoners.
Cole being on his own without Paige gave him an opportunity to grow, to become stronger and for us to see how capable he is.
His and Paige's parts of the book switch every now and then and that made this book a pleasure to read even with those parts that are hard to get through.
It doesn't take long for Paige to realize that Cole isn't where she thought he would be. She cannot do anything about that because Half Breeds and Full Bloods are everywhere she turns.
They manage to get to each other near the end and they do it with a bang. They manage a feat no Skinner managed for a very long time. Now, that would be a major spoiler.
The story itself continues from Vampire Uprising, only it gets a lot worse. The Nymar make only one appearance and even that only because a certain house was theirs. What the Skinners and the rest have to worry about are the Full Bloods and the whole towns of new type of Half Breeds.
But, Paige and Cole will get help from unexpected places.
Since the Full Blood's arrival, a lot of other creatures are coming out of wherever they have been hiding. Even the Skinners didn't believe that some exist.
This is a horror urban fantasy with unredeemable monsters. Full Bloods, Half Breeds eat and kill people, the vampiric Nymar with their spores and now a new shadow spore aren't any better. And, yet, I still consider the Skinners the worst of them all. Even if I am rooting for Paige and Cole (and whomever they pick up along the way), I find the Skinners horrible people and considering the changes that happened in this book they will annoy me even more in the next.
I love this series.
There is a tiny issue of a wrong name in one place, but it wasn't that much of a deal.
Possible spoilers ahead. It's the fifth book in the series, after all. Unless I use generic praise, there have to be some spoilers.
It took me a while to start reading this because of the way Vampire Uprising ended. I wasn't really eager to read about Cole being framed and imprisoned. It turned out to be the best thing for this book. It takes more than a third of the book for him to get out. In the meantime, he is stuck with some pretty messed up people. Also, with two pretty interesting prisoners.
Cole being on his own without Paige gave him an opportunity to grow, to become stronger and for us to see how capable he is.
His and Paige's parts of the book switch every now and then and that made this book a pleasure to read even with those parts that are hard to get through.
It doesn't take long for Paige to realize that Cole isn't where she thought he would be. She cannot do anything about that because Half Breeds and Full Bloods are everywhere she turns.
They manage to get to each other near the end and they do it with a bang. They manage a feat no Skinner managed for a very long time. Now, that would be a major spoiler.
The story itself continues from Vampire Uprising, only it gets a lot worse. The Nymar make only one appearance and even that only because a certain house was theirs. What the Skinners and the rest have to worry about are the Full Bloods and the whole towns of new type of Half Breeds.
But, Paige and Cole will get help from unexpected places.
Since the Full Blood's arrival, a lot of other creatures are coming out of wherever they have been hiding. Even the Skinners didn't believe that some exist.
This is a horror urban fantasy with unredeemable monsters. Full Bloods, Half Breeds eat and kill people, the vampiric Nymar with their spores and now a new shadow spore aren't any better. And, yet, I still consider the Skinners the worst of them all. Even if I am rooting for Paige and Cole (and whomever they pick up along the way), I find the Skinners horrible people and considering the changes that happened in this book they will annoy me even more in the next.
I love this series.
There is a tiny issue of a wrong name in one place, but it wasn't that much of a deal.
September 20, 2012
So good. This really is an exceptional horror saga. Love Cole's character. Paige's character is infuriatingly and dangerously impulsive, but maybe learning. And the monsters, they just keep getting bigger, badder, and freakier.
May 9, 2023
3.5⭐...would've rated it higher if it wasn't the first book in the series I read and i knew more about the storyline. I probably would've enjoyed it more
July 20, 2011
This is another stellar installment in the Skinners series, full of non-stop action that will literally keep you on the edge of your seat. The book begins directly after the events in Vampire Uprising so if you haven't read book 4 I would have to say...What the heck are you waiting for? Seriously though, I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series and move through the world as the author intended. You'll avoid feeling lost and confused, plus you'll have the benefit of knowing all the major players. One of the things that sticks out for me is how the author doesn't bore established readers to tears by rehashing every event from previous books. You get just enough information to refresh your memory, something I prefer when reading a series book, because nothing is worse than realizing that out of an entire book only about half the information is actually new. Not an issue here.
The Skinners world is a brilliant urban fantasy setting that mixes elements of horror with action adventure, and even has a bit of romance with the relationship/partnership of Cole and Paige. The Breaking has so many characters and plot twists to keep track of but I think this is one of the best in he series to date, despite the fact that Cole and Paige are separated for most of the book. That aspect of the story really drove home just how vital they are to the survival of the Skinners community, but it also gave the reader a chance to see how capable Cole can be on his own. And I needed to see that Paige is more than just a bitch on wheels. She is tough as nails but definitely has strong feelings for Cole and you are treated to a bit of that at the end. They are a fearsome and complex urban fantasy couple and I hope they stay together more in the next book.
As usual, Cole has some of the best lines in the book and I love all the classic music and pop culture references. It's sort of like how Supernatural always has a killer song when Dean is driving, or at the end of an episode, and how many of his comments refer to something going on in the "real" world or to some amazing classic tune. Cole is like that too.
Riding away from the warehouse that night in a SWAT van had ben one of the most terrifying moments of his thirty-four years on this planet. That was no small thing, considering all the horrific things he'd seen in those years. First there was the speedy ascension of dancing reality shows to the top of the ratings, followed by the slow death of old fashioned rock 'n' roll. Once he got his first look at a real werewolf, his world had gotten even worse. ~Cole, pg 44
The Skinners world is a brilliant urban fantasy setting that mixes elements of horror with action adventure, and even has a bit of romance with the relationship/partnership of Cole and Paige. The Breaking has so many characters and plot twists to keep track of but I think this is one of the best in he series to date, despite the fact that Cole and Paige are separated for most of the book. That aspect of the story really drove home just how vital they are to the survival of the Skinners community, but it also gave the reader a chance to see how capable Cole can be on his own. And I needed to see that Paige is more than just a bitch on wheels. She is tough as nails but definitely has strong feelings for Cole and you are treated to a bit of that at the end. They are a fearsome and complex urban fantasy couple and I hope they stay together more in the next book.
As usual, Cole has some of the best lines in the book and I love all the classic music and pop culture references. It's sort of like how Supernatural always has a killer song when Dean is driving, or at the end of an episode, and how many of his comments refer to something going on in the "real" world or to some amazing classic tune. Cole is like that too.
Riding away from the warehouse that night in a SWAT van had ben one of the most terrifying moments of his thirty-four years on this planet. That was no small thing, considering all the horrific things he'd seen in those years. First there was the speedy ascension of dancing reality shows to the top of the ratings, followed by the slow death of old fashioned rock 'n' roll. Once he got his first look at a real werewolf, his world had gotten even worse. ~Cole, pg 44
July 10, 2011
I finished "The Breaking" by Marcus Pelegrimas about two weeks ago. I put off the review as I needed to focus on full sentences instead of a list of adjectives to describe this book.
This is an extraordinary, action packed ride into the world of werewolves, vampires and all things that go bump into the night. This is the fifth book in the series and it does not disappoint in anyway.
The story picks up right where we left off in "Vampire Uprising" Cole is being held by unknown military/law types, Paige is trying to locate him and in the middle of all this, all hell is breaking lose-literally. Staying alive is a priority for both Paige and Cole. The Skinners are the last line of defense in order to save humanity and hopefully themselves in a fight that only promises to get more treacherous by the hour.
IMHO Marcus Pelegrimas is definitely a master of his trade and this series is absolutely one of the best I've read in this genre. It is a must read for anyone who enjoys a tale of werewolves, vampires and humans, there is so much action that it's like watching a movie.
The final book in the series "Extinction Agenda" is scheduled for release sometime this Fall. For me it will be a bittersweet end. I'm so attached to the characters that I hate to see the story end. I know it will be nothing short of brilliant! I'm convinced that Mr. Pelegrimas will be writing amazing stories for a long time to come and that maybe we'll see this world again.
This is an extraordinary, action packed ride into the world of werewolves, vampires and all things that go bump into the night. This is the fifth book in the series and it does not disappoint in anyway.
The story picks up right where we left off in "Vampire Uprising" Cole is being held by unknown military/law types, Paige is trying to locate him and in the middle of all this, all hell is breaking lose-literally. Staying alive is a priority for both Paige and Cole. The Skinners are the last line of defense in order to save humanity and hopefully themselves in a fight that only promises to get more treacherous by the hour.
IMHO Marcus Pelegrimas is definitely a master of his trade and this series is absolutely one of the best I've read in this genre. It is a must read for anyone who enjoys a tale of werewolves, vampires and humans, there is so much action that it's like watching a movie.
The final book in the series "Extinction Agenda" is scheduled for release sometime this Fall. For me it will be a bittersweet end. I'm so attached to the characters that I hate to see the story end. I know it will be nothing short of brilliant! I'm convinced that Mr. Pelegrimas will be writing amazing stories for a long time to come and that maybe we'll see this world again.
July 8, 2011
Amazing book!! Cole and Paige were separated most of the book but still...lots going on and oh man...Kowasa sure threw a wrench into things. Too bad he fricken got away again. At least Paige found a way around his deceiving. :-) Glad to see Liam out of the picture...just wondering what Randolph is up to now? Plus the new Full Blood, Ceceil...I wonder if they can actually turn her on their side? Hmmmmmm Looking forward to the next one!
January 1, 2012
This one was probably one of the better in the series. On to book 6!
December 15, 2015
4 3/4 stars.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews