290 of 301 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointed but haven't given up..., August 5, 2009
I usually put my reviews on the UK Amazon site. However, after reading the US Amazon reviews of 'Bad Moon Rising' I thought I'd copy my review here.
My favourites in the Dark Hunter series are the Wren and Vane stories, so I've been waiting with enthusiasm for Fang's story (he and Aimee are the inter-species Romeo and Juliet of the Dark Hunter world!). The day before 'Bad Moon Rising' arrived, I reread Fury's short story to bring me up to date with the wolves. Ho hum, there wasn't much point. I'll explain...
I can understand that we need to see Fang and Aimee's side of previous stories. However, as the book progressed I began to read faster and faster. When was I going to get to something new? In retrospect I should have read slower (so that's my warning to you!) because we only read about the 'present day' (in terms of the Dark Hunter storyline) in the very last section of the book. Everything else is just a rehash apart from one interesting section. It's not giving anything away to say that this section concerns another realm (don't worry, it's far more interesting than more Greek god stuff!)and we're introduced to an intriguing new character: Thorn (an Archeron replacement in terms of interest?). I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of Thorn (hope so).
After finishing the book I'm left with the feeling, 'so what'? If you're a Dark Hunter fan then of course you have to read this book and it's perfectly readable (apart from the rushed writing which gives the characters things like an 'evil smile', followed on the next page by an 'evil laugh' - I'm getting used to this in Kenyon's later books and it's one reason I've stopped automatically buying all her books). However, the book could have been so much better. This is the first time we've had a bear as a main character, but to be honest you wouldn't know it apart from a liking for honey and the way the cubs's room is decorated (plus a little bear left on Aimee's pillow - cute). I don't even know what Aimee looks like as a bear (OK, she's foremost a human, but the bear must still be part of her character). And that's what is wrong for me with this story - it lacks depth. So much more could have been made of the struggle in their relationship and discovering the differences between the species (in Kelly Armstrong's books her wolves are truly wolves).
Perhaps 70% of the book is a rehash of past (and better) stories and the characterisation is a bit muddled (I think there are far too many 'clever' remarks and ALL the characters make them, not just the characters where it's part of their characterisation, so what is meant to be clever or funny just falls flat and distracts).
Therefore I suggest reading and enjoying, but don't expect too much so you're not disappointed. Plus don't rush the reading to get to something 'new' - there's not much of that so just enjoy what's there (I rushed too much and I'm therefore confused by Varyk and puzzled and irritated with Maman Bear's character - I should reread but I'm not convinced I can be bothered, which is very unlike me). By the way, before you give me a 'not helpful' for not raving about Sherrilyn Kenyon's book, please note I'm a fan, albeit a disappointed fan who lately has become more disappointed with the publication of each new book, but I haven't given up.
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90 of 95 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
They just keep getting shorter..., August 5, 2009
I am (was) a avid SK fan. I was ready to wait at walmart at 12am to get Acheron. This book was really not what I expected. I am very tired of the buildup of a huge great book and then going into the bookstore to see it is almost a novella. More than half of the book was rehashing the past in a different viewpoint. One chapter was a chapter from Wren's book...probably just copied and pasted that. There is just SOOO much missing, so much character exploration that could have been brought in. All the regular dark-hunters were missing except for Valerius in the past. The new books seem less vivid to me. A really good author can let you picture the books environment in your imagination. I just got one big blur from this book. Even in the new part of the book it is almost impossible to tell where on the timeline it is taking place. This is just my opinion that it almost seems like Acheron like lost his powers at the end of the book (he didn't but it seems like he has been brought down on the character totem pole). I think she really needs to take more time with these books. I don't care about the manga or the marketing of the new website. I want a decent storyline and it seems like that is going by the wayside. I think I will switch my fan adoration to Christine Feehan...even after umpteen books they still have good character interaction and are more than 300 pages.
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58 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ok., August 5, 2009
I have read everyone of the Dark Hunter stories. I have to say besides Ash, Fang and Aimee's story was the one that I was looking forward to the most. That being said it was a little bit of a disappointment. Not to say that I didn't love it, but I started out thinking ok, she's telling us how they met and then it was when he was hurt, what really happened during that time. But as the book went on I was reading parts of books that I've already read. The last part of the book was the best because it was current. In "Upon a Midnight Clear" there is a scene where Fang, Fury, Vane and Bride are all at their house and one of them looks at Fang and says "You smell like Bear" According to this book, he never lived with them until after everyone knew about him and Aimee...
Overall, if you're looking for a great re-read of all the other books into one, this is the book for you. While I still loved it because it's Fang and Aimee's story, it did fall short for me.
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