2008-06-29 Sequel to A Hunger Like No Other

This is the second full length novel and third story in the Immortals After Dark Series.

It opens with Kaderin the Coldhearted (Valkyrie) coming to kill vampire Sebastian Wroth. The villagers below his castle are apparently terrified of him even though he's done nothing to provoke their fear. However, it quickly becomes apparent that she is his destined Bride, and rather than kill him, she flees, leaving a somewhat disgruntled vampire behind. Their meeting has two consequences - Sebastian's heart begins to beat, and Kaderin after centuries of being an unfeeling killing machine starts to feel emotion again.

Kaderin has more important things on her mind, however. She is about to take part in the Talisman's Hie, a kind of supernatural scavenger hunt, with the ultimate prize being a key that will allow the holder to travel backwards in time. Kaderin wants the key to be able to rescue her sisters who were slaughtered on a battlefield centuries earlier - the last time she showed mercy to a vampire. Deciding it's the only way to get close to her, Sebastian joins the Hie as well. But to gain the prize will require more than teamwork, it will take the ultimate sacrifice.

Of the two main characters I find myself slightly preferring Sebastian. Kaderin takes a little longer to warm to. But I think this is probably intended, as until this story she's been completely emotionless. It's heartwarming to read about her reawakened emotions and how they take a toll on her when she no longer sees the world in black and white.

Sebastian was turned into a vampire against his will. And he does seem to have spent a goodly amount of his immortality moping. However, this all changes when he meets Kaderin and acknowledges that maybe everything does happen for a reason, as if he wasn't a vampire he would never have met her.
I will admit when I started reading I wasn't sure about the setting - the Talisman's Hie. But I really got into it. Knowing what the prize is you can see why the competitors are all prepared to fight so desperately for it. Kaderin wants to save her sisters, Bowen the lykae wants to save his mate, Sebastian considers going back in time to save his family. When the stakes are that high you understand the ruthlessness of their behaviour.

Things I love about Kresley Cole's books.

* The banter between the characters, everyone is just so darn witty and NRFTW is no exception.

"We've established that you can't kill me."
She glared at him over her shoulder. "I ache to make those your last words."

* The fact that I believe it when the characters say I love you. In all of her books the relationship feels organic. When they get to the 'I love yous' I believe they mean them.

* The variety of her characters. Here we have demons, sirens, witches, vampires, gods, elves. Each species has its defining characteristics. But every single person we meet, no matter their species, is an individual. Even the minor characters have intriguing hints dropped about their stories.
This leads me to my one niggle about the series, which is that as it goes on, sometimes it's slightly too much. Some of the intriguing hints feel a little half-finished. The books are that good though, that I have a tendency to shrug my shoulders and assume that all will become clear in a few books time. This is probably one of the best PNR series around at the moment and I recommend it highly.