Review: Last Of The Red Hot Vampires
Last Of The Red Hot Vampires
Author: Katie Macalister
Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Signet (April 3, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 0451220854 ISBN-13: 978-0451220851
Retail: $7.99
From the Publisher
On a trip to England, physicist Portia Harding is stalked by a heart-stoppingly handsome maniac.Theondre North is a nephilim -- the son of a fallen angel -- who needs Portia's help to change his fate. Problem is, Portia's down-to-earth attitude frustrates beings from both heavenly and hellish realms -- and gets Theo turned into a vampire. But at least he has Portia to satisfy his newfound hungers -- and possibly save his soul.
I have to admit by the time I got through the first few chapters I had my doubts about whether or not I would finish the book let along like it, a definite first in regards to Katie Macalister's books. For one thing the whole heaven/hell thing. Nothing new to be sure, we visited Abbaddon a/k/a/ Hell in Even Vampires Get The Blues, now we are introduced to it's polar opposite, Court of Divine Blood ... Heaven.
Ok she goes to great lengths to tell us it isn't *really* heaven, but basically it's the role model supposedly adopted and eventually cultivated into modern religions versions of heaven.
I have to take an aside here and tell you the main reason I gave up on LKH Merry Gentry books was the whole faire court business. Trying to keep all the hierarchies, and relationships, circumstances, consequences and such straight was too much like work. That's why I like vampires and werewolves vs. fairies and other paranormal folk, each has pretty much a standard set of rules and we go from there. Other than individual charcter's stories really nothing to involved keep track of from book to book. And here in lies the rub, I suddenly had a fear that Katie was either going to take us into a new realm, or possibly moving the Dark ones more into say the Aisling universe... in fact Bael who we see in this book is a character from those books. Have nothing against the Aisling series, just would prefer not all Katie Mac's paranormal books end up there. Just my personal preference.
In the end, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, politics and such of the Court of Divine Blood were kept to a blessed minimum, even though they make a few trips there.
The second (and last I promise) problem with the beginning of this book was Portia Harding. First off she is supposed to be American, but frankly she couldn't have sounded less American and more British if she tried. She was borderline annoying and frankly had I been Sarah I would have never brought her along on the trip! Luckily for the book, Portia's tone became less harpy and more analytical once she accepted Theo for what he was and quit trying to have him arrested. After this point the story moves along quite well, typical Dark One romance with a little mystery to solve. Portia not only accidentally acquires the Virtue Hope's powers to control the weather, but she is accused of Hope's murder. Eventually she is given the benefit of the doubt and is given the task to find out who did murder Hope. Along the way she must also pass the remaining trials which will ensure her position of Virtue and hopefully win back Theo's soul with admission to the Court.
Theo... not quite as broodingly Dark as I would have liked, yes he has his own "demons" so to speak, but really compared to others who've lost their souls in previous books he took it exceptionally well. I think a bit more angst might have been called for, but that could just be me. I just finished a rather sappy book and might have been suffering a sugar rush. lol
A few familiar faces appear in LotRHV, of course the afore mentioned Bael, also the Guardian Noelle, and Christian Dante all make very brief appearances.
Some authors can't resist the opportunity to impress their beliefs or lack of them when religion becomes a part, no matter how large or small, of a story. Katie Macalister does a nice job of staying on that fine line, letting her Court acomplish what it needs to in order to further the story and nothing more. Religion was neither beat upon our heads nor dismissed outright. Having Faith is a very important part of this book, but not necessarily faith in God or any higher power. Just importantly is having Faith in something, someone. To quote Joss, and god I love it when I am able to... "I don't care what you believe in, just believe in it " Shepard Book.
If you are a fan of any of Katie Macalister's Dark One's paranormal romances you will more than likely enjoy this one. Not one of her absolute best, but definitely a great read. After I got past those two small points which I mentioned, the book ended up being a very quick and plesant read.
I give this book
Author: Katie Macalister
Retail: $7.99
From the Publisher
On a trip to England, physicist Portia Harding is stalked by a heart-stoppingly handsome maniac.Theondre North is a nephilim -- the son of a fallen angel -- who needs Portia's help to change his fate. Problem is, Portia's down-to-earth attitude frustrates beings from both heavenly and hellish realms -- and gets Theo turned into a vampire. But at least he has Portia to satisfy his newfound hungers -- and possibly save his soul.
I have to admit by the time I got through the first few chapters I had my doubts about whether or not I would finish the book let along like it, a definite first in regards to Katie Macalister's books. For one thing the whole heaven/hell thing. Nothing new to be sure, we visited Abbaddon a/k/a/ Hell in Even Vampires Get The Blues, now we are introduced to it's polar opposite, Court of Divine Blood ... Heaven.
Ok she goes to great lengths to tell us it isn't *really* heaven, but basically it's the role model supposedly adopted and eventually cultivated into modern religions versions of heaven.
I have to take an aside here and tell you the main reason I gave up on LKH Merry Gentry books was the whole faire court business. Trying to keep all the hierarchies, and relationships, circumstances, consequences and such straight was too much like work. That's why I like vampires and werewolves vs. fairies and other paranormal folk, each has pretty much a standard set of rules and we go from there. Other than individual charcter's stories really nothing to involved keep track of from book to book. And here in lies the rub, I suddenly had a fear that Katie was either going to take us into a new realm, or possibly moving the Dark ones more into say the Aisling universe... in fact Bael who we see in this book is a character from those books. Have nothing against the Aisling series, just would prefer not all Katie Mac's paranormal books end up there. Just my personal preference.
In the end, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, politics and such of the Court of Divine Blood were kept to a blessed minimum, even though they make a few trips there.
The second (and last I promise) problem with the beginning of this book was Portia Harding. First off she is supposed to be American, but frankly she couldn't have sounded less American and more British if she tried. She was borderline annoying and frankly had I been Sarah I would have never brought her along on the trip! Luckily for the book, Portia's tone became less harpy and more analytical once she accepted Theo for what he was and quit trying to have him arrested. After this point the story moves along quite well, typical Dark One romance with a little mystery to solve. Portia not only accidentally acquires the Virtue Hope's powers to control the weather, but she is accused of Hope's murder. Eventually she is given the benefit of the doubt and is given the task to find out who did murder Hope. Along the way she must also pass the remaining trials which will ensure her position of Virtue and hopefully win back Theo's soul with admission to the Court.
Theo... not quite as broodingly Dark as I would have liked, yes he has his own "demons" so to speak, but really compared to others who've lost their souls in previous books he took it exceptionally well. I think a bit more angst might have been called for, but that could just be me. I just finished a rather sappy book and might have been suffering a sugar rush. lol
A few familiar faces appear in LotRHV, of course the afore mentioned Bael, also the Guardian Noelle, and Christian Dante all make very brief appearances.
Some authors can't resist the opportunity to impress their beliefs or lack of them when religion becomes a part, no matter how large or small, of a story. Katie Macalister does a nice job of staying on that fine line, letting her Court acomplish what it needs to in order to further the story and nothing more. Religion was neither beat upon our heads nor dismissed outright. Having Faith is a very important part of this book, but not necessarily faith in God or any higher power. Just importantly is having Faith in something, someone. To quote Joss, and god I love it when I am able to... "I don't care what you believe in, just believe in it " Shepard Book.
If you are a fan of any of Katie Macalister's Dark One's paranormal romances you will more than likely enjoy this one. Not one of her absolute best, but definitely a great read. After I got past those two small points which I mentioned, the book ended up being a very quick and plesant read.
I give this book