Choice of the Cat (The Vampire Earth, Book 2) [Mass Market Paperback]

E.E. Knight (Author)

Book Description

Series: Vampire Earth | Publication Date: May 4, 2004

The alien Reapers have ruled Earth for forty-five years. David Valentine is a member of the human resistance, who is now being trained as a Cat-an elite stealth warrior. His first mission is to investigate the threat of the Twisted Cross, a mysterious new force under Reaper control.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A compelling new world."—Creature Corner



"I have no doubt that knight is going to be a household name in the genre."—Silver Oak Book Reviews



"Way of the Wolf is character-driven, speculative fiction adventure at its very best, and I for one can''t wait to see its sequel."—Black Gate



 

About the Author

E.E. Knight graduated from Northern Illinois University with a double major in history and political science, then made his way through a number of jobs that related to neither.

 

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Roc (May 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451459733
• ISBN-13: 978-0451459732
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #389,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a science fiction/dark fantasy writer.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Way of the Wolf was great; Choice of the Cat is even better, July 9, 2004

By 

Daniel Jolley "darkgenius" (Shelby, North Carolina USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Choice of the Cat (The Vampire Earth, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

Way of the Wolf was a bold, exciting beginning to what is definitely shaping up to be an innovative, compelling dark fantasy series from the pen of E.E. Knight. Choice of the Cat takes the heroic journey of protagonist David Valentine in an entirely new direction, one conducive to even more suspenseful action than before. Many a young writer finds it difficult to recreate the magic of a successful first novel, but E.E. Knight has come through with an impressive follow-up sure to delight all fans of dark fantasy and hair-raising heroic adventure.

The setting for The Vampire Earth series is a post-apocalyptic earth of the mid- to late-twenty-first century. Back in 2022, up to 90% of the human population perished as a result of the terrible Ravies plague, but this was just the beginning of Earth's struggle. The Kur, an alien civilization made up of vampiric creatures who feed on the life aura of others, quickly subjugated large portions of the earth. The Kur's most deadly weapons are the Reapers, terrifying, alien beasts through whom the Kur absorb the auras of their victims. Three types of human beings emerged from the apocalypse: those who betray their species and assist the Kur, those who are outwardly ambivalent to the Kur and just try to stay out of trouble, and those willing to fight and die for humanity. David Valentine is one of the latter. After the massacre of his family, the young boy went on to follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a Wolf, a member of the military first line of defense of the Ozark Free Zone. As this novel opens, Valentine is assigned to a new unit of soldiers and forced to hold off an enemy attack on orders of his superior officer; when that officer is injured, command falls to Valentine, who oversees a retreat by his outnumbered men based on his own informed decision and the intelligence he receives from a Cat (a warrior spy). Much to Valentine's (and my own) surprise, he soon finds himself facing a court-martial for disobeying orders. A tough choice between leaving the Wolves and staying to fight the military justice system is made a good bit easier when the Cat he met in battle offers him a chance to become a Cat himself.

Soon, Valentine is off to partake of some incredibly demanding training with his mentor Alessa Duvalier (code name: Smoke) as well as an intense initiation into the order; this induction into the Cats increases his senses and abilities many times over. For some time, Valentine has been deeply interested in a mysterious group of enemies identified by a Twisted Cross, but his reports and inquiries have not seemed to generate much attention in Southern Command. His first mission as a Cat, working alongside his new mentor and friend, involves going into the Kurian zone and gathering intelligence on this seemingly specialized group of enemies. Before he's done, he gets an up-close and personal look at the whole nefarious organization.

There is a great deal of action in this novel. Whereas Wolves act in concert with one another, Cats basically work alone (unless they are training a new recruit such as Valentine). Valentine has always been a fighter, and there is still a good bit of Wolf left in this young Cat; even though his mission is to listen and learn, he cannot abandon innocents when he thinks he can save them. There are lots of skirmishes and one humdinger of a fight before the novel draws to a close, and the addition of the most unlikely of allies further energizes this gripping story about two-thirds of the way through. This novel does end, but I feel as if the writer has just taken a moment to catch his breath, and I eagerly await the chance to sink my teeth into Book 3 of The Vampire Earth series when it is published.

Don't let the word Vampire in the book series name throw you; this is in no way a "vampire novel," for the Kur are unlike any vampires you have ever encountered. Knight is adept at creating living, breathing characters that will captivate your spirit and engulf you in their dangerous and heroic feats. This is a unique and wonderfully entertaining novel that truly delivers while promising even greater things to come.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Avid Reader & Reviewer, April 24, 2004

By 

Alisa McCune (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Choice of the Cat (The Vampire Earth, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

In 2022, the world as we know it comes to an end. With the introduction of the Kurians and their deadly Reapers, mankind reverts to its roots. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there and no one is safe from the Reapers. Each Kurian lord controls a group of Reapers, a vampire-like being that kills by absorbing a person's life force or aura. The Kurians use the auras that the Reapers steal as a means to achieve immortality. Humankind is now a farm animal for the Kurians. Hope is not lost. Lifewavers, enemies of the Kurians, have come to Earth to recruit humanity to fight their war with the Kurians. The Lifeweavers have a process of enhancement for humans referred to as "turning up the volume." These enhancements give humanity the ability to fight back and reclaim Earth.

Choice of the Cat is E.E. Knight's second book in the Vampire Earth series. The book opens with Lt. David Valentine commanding a group of Wolves, a military designation for his unit, on a reconnaissance mission. Valentine has gained a great deal of maturity since Way of the Wolf. The young man, part Sioux, with a chip on his shoulder struggles to make a difference. Valentine has become a true officer who puts his men first. No one, not even the commanding officer, is going to use Valentine's men as cannon fodder. Of course, this attitude is not conducive to advancement with Southern Command or with his commanding officer.

With the help of Alessa Duvalier, a Cat or spy, Valentine embarks on a new journey. From the Ozarks to Denver with a final showdown in Omaha, a city devastated by nuclear war, Valentine and Duvalier set out to find the Twisted Cross. Valentine will need all his skills as a warrior and his innate ability to sense Reapers to survive.

Choice of the Cat is not burdened with the creation of the Vampire Earth world introduced in Way of the Wolf. Action starts immediately and does not stop until the last line of the book. In Way of the Wolf, Valentine started on a journey originated by his father. The young man comes into his own in Choice of the Cat. Valentine is a killing machine with a conscience and a moral identity. He will not leave anyone behind, no matter what the cost to himself. Through all the betrayals of his fellow man, David Valentine is able to be a true hero. I found myself rooting for him on page one.

The episodic nature of this series reminds me of anime. Each twist in the plot deepens our understanding of Valentine and his world. This world created by E.E. Knight will be the source for many more adventures to come and many hours of enjoyable reading.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vampire Earth developing into a good series, July 14, 2004

By 

P. D Huang "happy reader" (chula vista, ca United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Choice of the Cat (The Vampire Earth, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

Choice of the Cat, the second book by EE Knight in the Vampire Earth series continues the development of David Valentine as he continues his crusade against the ruling Kurians and the Twisted Cross.

I enjoyed the book as the writing and dialogue moved well and the battle scenes are descriptive and flowing. Certain plot points resolve too quickly and neat, but on the whole the story does well in keeping the reader involved and interested.

I was really intrigued by the change and gain of almost superhero powers that Valentine undergoes to become a "Cat".

Knight does not pull any punches and his world is grim and savage where strength and brutality rule the day. Characters bleed, die, and are beset by doubts.

It's been an interesting series so far and I would recommend this book. The best compliment I can give is that I wish it had been 100 pages longer.

It's going to be interesting how and when Knight makes Valentine into a Bear. I hope not soon as I can see more books in this series.