Customer Reviews

Chaos Bites (Phoenix Chronicles, Book 4)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Handeland's Phoenix Chronicles series has a lot of very good, interesting aspects. For example, Liz's growing powers, the subplot with Sawyer's baby, and some of the ancillary characters keep me reading this series. However, with this new book, the doom and gloom of the others has gotten kind of ridiculous. As leader of the light, Liz must distance herself from people she cares about, and must make morally ambiguous (or just plain wrong) choices for the good of the world. Realistically, these are things that you would expect from a leader in an apocalyptic scenario. In order to defeat evil, the other side must come really close to embracing it in order to win. Although I understand this, it really makes the series, and this book in particular, kind of a downer. As a reader, I kept wondering, why do you keep going? Why not just kill yourself? That sounds horrible, but listening to her dead foster-mother Ruthie, and watching her mutually destructive relationship with Sanducci, (in which they both have literally raped each other- not ok) it seems like she has nowhere to turn. I feel like her life is going to be a loveless journey in which she has to constantly defy her own morals and hurt everyone that matters in order to try to postpone the apocalypse (and it's not even like it can be defeated permanently). So what I think is this, I like Liz, I like Luther, and a lot of aspects of the book, but really you have to throw the reader a bone! Who wants to read about horrible horrible soul-crushing things (especially the rape and not-exactly consensual sexual acts that have recurred repeatedly in this series, without being given the gravity that should be due)? In order to keep trudging along on Liz's adventure, there has to be some silver lining. Even in the darkest of dark fantasy (which I normally love) there has to be some pleasantness, some hope to get you through. So although this book is well-paced and well-written, it left me feeling really really negative. So three stars (which again seems like kind of an apathetic "I liked it" when really I mean that it pulled me in so many different directions that I simultaneously loved and hated it).

It's true...I'm a Phoenix Chronicles fangirl of major proportions. To me it's the biggest urban fantasy buried treasure out there. So rather than reviewing it on my blog that exactly five people read, I'm going to be the first to review it here on Amazon, in the hopes that more people will read it, and then start reading the series.

Chaos Bites is the fourth book in Lori Handeland's series and I wonder why, oh why, aren't more people addicted to what has got to be the best urban fantasy series out there after Keri Arthur's Riley Jensen series? Now that the ninth and final book in that series is about to be released, it's the perfect time to make the switch, and help propel Handeland's series into the stratosphere, where it most assuredly belongs.

Elizabeth Phoenix, like many an urban fantasy heroine, owes a lot to her predecessors, but she has as much in common with J.D. Robb's Lt. Eve Dallas as she does, say, LKH's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter. It's true that, like Anita - and Merry and Riley and Sookie - she's got more than one suitor, but the one-time foster child turned cop turned Leader of the Light makes me wonder what might have happened had Eve had psychometric powers, and been brought up in Ruthie's care. Frankly, to compare Elizabeth to Eve is an incredible compliment, and one I don't make lightly.

For the unintiated, the series began with Any Given Doomsday. After the death of her foster mother Ruthie, Elizabeth Phoenix becomes leader of the light against the Nephilim - dangerous off-spring of fallen angels and their human lovers - who plan to destroy humanity. Jimmy Sanducci, the one-time love of her life who later betrays her, becomes her partner; he is a demon hunter and she is the seer who ferets out the Nephilim for him to kill. In order to come fully into her powers, though, she must spend more time with Sawyer, the Navajo shaman she once studied with at Ruthie's behest. Sawyer is far more than a shaman; he's a skinwalker and can shapeshift when the tatoos of various animals on his body are activated. Though Liz fears Sawyer, she is inexplicably drawn to him and discovers she can only learn the answers to certain questions through sex, such as that she is a sexual empath, able to take on the magic and powers of her supernatural partners through orgasm (shades of Merry Gentry, but not really).

Liz becomes both a seer and demon hunter, and is able to shape-shift herself. She must form alliances at times with Jimmy, Sawyer, and Summer - the fairy Jimmy betrayed Liz with - through varying levels of wariness and enmity. In particular, Summer and Liz hate each other, neither Jimmy nor Liz trust Sawyer, but as the story progresses, each character must cross into the dark side in order to defeat it. Nephilim armies led by a vampiric witch who is also Jimmy's father, an unspeakably evil smoke-witch who gave birth to Sawyer, and her own previously unknown birth-mother (hint: it all has to do with Liz's last name) lay waste to entire towns along the way and as Chaos Bites begins, she is coping with the aftermath of ripping Sawyer's heart out of his chest while it was still beating to prevent the Apocalypse.

So how is he appearing in her dreams and leaving his scent behind when she awakens? And just how did his baby, whom she names Faith, end up on her doorstep? Because Liz accepted a demon in order to save the world, Ruthie can no longer speak directly to her. Instead, she speaks through Luther, an adolescent lion-shifter, who informs her she must give the baby into Jimmy's care and seek out the shape-shifter who mentored Sawyer for her next step in defeating the Nephilim.

Faith is no ordinary baby; she's a skinwalker as well, which Liz and Luther discover when covering her with a baby blanket festooned with kittens. And somebody wants her...badly. But why? Through one of her mystical, sexual visitations with Sawyer she learns that it's not what Faith is now - it's who/what she'll become. And that mystery is not solved by the end of the book. No, by the end of the book Liz has traveled to the Badlands where the old shape-shifter lives, and then to New Orleans, where a Nephilim guarded by flying, organ-pecking night-creatures himself guards a mythical book while awaiting the Anti-Christ.

To say any more about the storyline would give spoilers, which I absolutely will not do, but what I can add is this: Chaos Bites is a read-in-one-sitting, action-packed book. It not only reveals even more strongly the seedy under-side involved in saving the world, it illuminates a side of Liz we've not really seen, a more womanly and - dare I say? - maternal side. And it's here where I connect Liz Phoenix with Eve Dallas. Neither knows how to change a diaper, or what to feed a baby. But both women care about those they love, even when deeply conflicted.

More aspects of Liz reveal themselves as each book progresses, and her willingness to cross the line as the stakes are raised is not easy for her. That the author expresses this so well is one of the reasons I love the series. Her strong moral compass...shot to hell. It's impossible to stay clean when killing evil incarnate with such frequency that you buy clothes and sneakers in bulk at Wal-Mart so as not to stay covered in blood and brains as you check into another seedy motel.

While this is definitely a page-turner, at times the story moved a little too fast for me. I wanted things to slow down so I could more easily digest what was going on, but the pace didn't allow for it. Reading this series is like being on a wild ride; you don't get off until it's over. When you do, that's when you can think through every twist and turn, all while waiting in line for the next ride. Too bad it won't start for another several months.

OK, I'll admit it, Lori Handeland is a guilty pleasure for me. I read a Nightcreature short in a collection one time and immediately went out and bought the entire series, I think there were seven at the time. I then started reading the Phoenix Chronicles when they started coming out. However, I actually wish I handn't read her lastest in that series, "Chaos Bites". Don't get me wrong, it was a fun read, everything you'd expect in this Romantic/Fantasy genre. But let's say reading this one was like getting just to the point where a character was in the heat of passion, nearly to the point of climax and she stops. Yeah, that pretty much explains what I felt like at the end of the story. There is so much more to tell here and Lori has gone back to writing books in some of her other series while leaving us hang in The Phoenix Chronicles with no word on when or if she'll pen another. I hit her up on facebook and asked her why she would do this to me and she responded, "It seemed like a good idea at the time". I'm not saying don't read it, it's actually the best of the series so far. I'm just warning you that you'll be left wanting more. I just hope there is more...eventually. Chaos Bites (Phoenix Chronicles, Book 4)

One of the best book series I've ever read! I started first with this author's other, popular series and got hooked to her writing. So when I saw this series, I thought "why not?" Boy was I hooked right away! It started quietly for me in the beginning but once I got into the story, the pages just turned quickly. Before I knew it, I was into book two and then book three...when I finished the last book, I started the entire series all over again. It was that good! I was in love with Sawyer and was shocked to my toes when he was killed. I mean...come on it takes a brave author to kill off one of the "heroes" in the midst of a fast-developing plot so kudos to Lori Handeland for going down this route but I had to put the book down for a DAY to slow down my hyperventilation. I mourned for Sawyer. After I finished the last book, I eagerly searched for the next instalment but...please Ms Handeland, publish the next instalment. At least let your readers know how the story will end before 2012 when the REAL apocalypse comes! I've read so many series (your night creatures, Anita Blake, Sookie, Meredith Gentry, Bella and Edward, Immortals After Dark, Sizemore's Prime vampires and Laws of the Blood, Dark Hunters, demons, demon slayers etc etc but the Phoenix Chronicles' series is by far one that grips me from beginning to end and so good I read the series twice. Like another reviewer here, I don't understand why it's not more popular than it already is. This is one series I'll highly recommend to anyone who enjoys the paranormal genre. It's got everything thrown in - demons, vampires, shapeshifters, fairies, magic, fantasy, action but not too much gore, romance albeit the skewed kind and the author skilflully blends all of it into a fast paced plot with exciting twists and turns guaranteed to make you read deep into the night - all right I stayed up till the next morning before I had to go to work. Please, let us have the next instalment. It's a sad day when a series as good as this one has to be placed on the back burner...I NEED closure on Sawyer and Liz (and not on e-books please! I want the books on my shelf!)

This is the fourth book in the Phoenix Chronicle series featuring Elizabeth Phoenix, skin walker, vampire, shapeshifter. After the death of her foster mother Ruthie, Elizabeth became the leader of the light, the person who will thwart Armageddon. She fights against the Nephilim, who are children of fallen angels and humans. Her entourage includes Jimmy Sanducci, a vampire and the man she grew up with in Ruthie's home, and who later became her lover. Luther is a young black man 18 years old and a shape shifting lion. Ruthie visits Phoenix through Luther and gives her advice and warnings that Ruthie receives from the highest power, the Spirit above. Summer, a fairy that is in love with Jimmy and sold her soul for him in the last book, is a helper in the fight but whose main job is to irritate and infuriate Liz as they share a love for Jimmy. Also, included is Sawyer, the Navajo shaman she studied with and fell in love with but who she had to kill at the end of APOCALYPSE HAPPENS. Liz wants to resurrect Sawyer, as he has been visiting her in her dreams. Sawyer is as strong as she is and her thinking is two are better than one in their fight against the Nephilim. Sawyer left her a gift, and Liz thinks she's pregnant, but later a baby appears on her doorstep and Liz realizes this is the gift Sawyer referred to before he died. Liz names her Faith and discovers that Faith is a skin walker who changes into whatever animal she comes in contact with whether it is the kittens on her blanket or would shift into whatever else she touches. This book centered on Liz's quest to find another being like Sawyer, who will advise her on what she needs to do to raise Sawyer from the dead. Ruthie doesn't want Liz to raise Sawyer. Some things are meant to be left alone. But Liz is headstrong and will do whatever it takes to bring about a happy ending for all of them and if raising Sawyer will help her achieve that end, then that's what she will do. The book ends with another cliff hanger and will I'm sure be resolved in the next in this series.

I don't understand why there aren't more people reading this series. If you like urban fantasy, then this series is worth checking out. You will not be disappointed. You get action, great characters, and sex. Not too much, not enough to make you gag, but enough to peak your interest. It's not paranormal romance, but there is a definite love interest or interests in this case. Liz is torn between Jimmy and Sawyer as she loves them both.

It's one of the best of its kind out there. I think Liz and the gang are awesome and read the way you would imagine real people behaving in such circumstances as the characters in the Phoenix chronicle finds themself. I wish there were more light moments and downtime for the characters, but I suppose under the circumstances, you don't really get many time outs. I have to say this series is in no way predictable - I have no idea what is around the corner and Liz always suprise me. She is so fiesty and impulsive, making so many mistakes and taking responsibility for them. One thing I would like to see is Liz having a better handle her her powers. It was fine at the start when she was just thrust into it, but after 4 installments, she should read less clueless than this about what she is capable of. Still, I am enjoying this series and I look forward to the next installment.

As always, Ms. Handeland comes through with a very entertaining series...I love the characters, not to mention the surprises.

CHAOS BITES BY LORI HANDELAND is a interesting Urban Fantasy. It is set in the future. Is the fourth in the Phoenix Chronicles series. It can be read as a stand alone. The writer captures your interest from the beginning to the end. It has an absorbing plot with interesting characters. You have Liz, (a demon slayer, Phoneix, and the new leader of "The Light"). She is strong willed, beautiful, and trying to savethe world from Armageddon. This book has demon slayers, vampires, demons, a dead Navajo skinwalker (who Liz happened to love), fairies, an ex-lover who is another demon slayer, voodoo, powerful magic, danger at every turn,sex and power intertwined. Although, I would have liked a better ending to let the reader know some of what has happened to Sawyer the dead skinwalker, brought back to life by Liz, Jimmy, the ex-lover of Liz, who has disappeared, and the baby, Faith,(Sawyer's child), who someone or something is trying to kill and has now been kidnapped.If you enjoy fantasy, magic, danger, twists and turns you will enjoy this one. This book was received for review and details can be found at St.Martin's Paperbacks and My Book Addiction and More.

Well, Lori Handeland just keeps me on the edge, guessing which way she'll go next. In the latest installment of the Phoenix Chronicles, our heroine is dealing with consequences... some of which are not of her own making. As well as all that apocalypse stuff! With the (wary) help of her old lover and some interference by her latest (dead) lover, Liz heads to New Orleans for some voodoo, magical messaging and good food. I am really unsure of where this story is going, but what a ride! The twists and turns kept me guessing and only one thing is certain: we're in for a strange and unique trip. Can't wait for the next book!

Her dead lover Navaho Skinwalker Sawyer, whom she killed, (see Apocalypse Happens) visits Liz Phoenix every time she dozes off. His nocturnal appearances gives her hope she may be able to raise him from the dead though she has no idea how to bring him back to her and his shapeshifting baby that she is raising and protecting from malevolent forces.

Liz turns to her acrimonious former lover Jimmy Sanducci to help her find a magical tome protected by spells and beasts who no one in their right mind would want to encounter or tangle with. Her job of keeping the baby safe makes their mission all the more difficult. Their trek is dangerous as there are many things out there that prefer the end of the world.

The latest Phoenix Chronicles (see Doomsday Can Wait and Any Given Doomsday) is an exhilarating urban fantasy as the prime triangle continues their escapades with Sawyer reaching out to his beloved from the grave. Fast-paced throughout, the aptly titled Chaos Bites is a great run through a gauntlet of death as apocalypse now continues to happen overwhelming the heroine who also has a baby to contend with (shades of Willow). The Handeland mythos is a creative and great place for readers to visit.

Harriet Klausner