Curse the Dawn (Cassandra Palmer, Book 4) [Mass Market Paperback]

Karen Chance (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 7, 2009

“Karen Chance takes her place along with Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, and J.D. Robb.”—SF Revu

View our feature on Karen Chance’s Curse the Dawn.

Cassandra Palmer may be the all-powerful Pythia now, but that doesn’t mean people have stopped trying to kill her. Most of the supernatural power players don’t want the independent minded Cassie as chief clairvoyant—and they’ll stop at nothing to see her six feet under.

The Vampire Senate does support Cassie in her position, but their protection comes with a price: an alliance with the sexy master vampire Mircea, who has claimed Cassie as his own.

But even the vampires will have trouble keeping Cassie alive now that the self-styled god Apollo, the source of the Pythia’s power, has it in for her in a big way. To save her life—and the world—Cassie’s going to have to face down her creator…

Editorial Reviews

Review

“You definitely need to check out this series.”—Literary Escapism



“A really exciting book with great pacing and a huge cast of vivid characters.—Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author of Definitely Dead

About the Author

Karen Chance has lived in France, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, but always comes back to America. She currently lives in Central Florida, the home of make-believe, which may explain a lot.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Onyx; 1 Original edition (April 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451412702
• ISBN-13: 978-0451412706
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,775 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Karen Chance is a New York Times bestselling novelist, writer of the popular Cassandra Palmer and Dorina Basarab urban fantasy series. For more information, the latest news, free stories, contests and more, visit her website at KarenChance.com or stop by her Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/cassandrapalmerseries.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 51 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars These books should be made into a Movie or TV series! April 7, 2009

By Temi-Tayo A. Shonoiki

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Let me first start out by saying.. HOLY CRAP!! This book will blow you right of your seat, you'll laugh, you'll cry, and people will think you've lost your mind! Recently there has been a lot of Movies and TV Series based on Vampire books or Paranormal related subjects and I feel Karen Chance's Cassie Palmer Series is a made for TV book, it's written so perfectly that a director would have no problem adapting it for the silver screen or small screen.

Once you read this latest addition you'll agree. Mrs. Chance has a way of grabbing her readers and pulling them into a fantasy world that is so vivid and descriptive it's hard to believe it isn't real! Cassie is a feisty, in your face, but lovable and believable heroine who gets out of trouble by using her usually handsome allies and her very clever ideas. This book is non-stop action from stop to finish, it has witty humor, believable love stories (or more accurately love triangle) and the surprises don't stop (I was literally caught screaming "No Way", "Oh Crap", "No They Didn't", "You Go Cassie!" lol).

I won't give away too many details, but Cassie is hell bent on getting some much needed training so she pursues help from Agnes (which obviously can't happen in this time because she's dead).. so that's when the action begins. She also wants to sort out her relationship with Mircea who has been very busy lately and even when they are around each other not much chatting occurs.. if you know what I'm saying.. ALSO there's this ex-war mage who Cassie kind of can't stop having deep feelings for. Yup, Pritkins in this book and he's back with a vengeance (which always puts a smile on my face, when he's around there's always action and surprises). Cassie can't seem to get a break in this book, she literal runs for her life (literal RUNS) through most the book, If I ran that much I would have a heart attack. Cassie finds out some very interesting secrets and gets one of her strongest adversaries out of the way!

This book is like every other Cassie Palmer book.. always worth the money! I'm happy these books haven't gone to Hard cover yet.. I'd be force to buy them at those expensive prices! Like I mentioned before these books would look so cool on film or TV! I CAN'T WAIT FOR BOOK 5, heck I can't wait for book 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10!!!!! =0)

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Blessed with Great Story Telling April 10, 2009

By Anna Hope VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Another hit in the continuously dangerous life of Cassie Palmer, though by this point in the series you may be starting to feel like Cassie and her crew of trouble finding supernatural friends are like sugared up kindergartners that never stop moving and your the parent that would really like a nap to catch up with the plot. Especially if your like me and stayed up till 3 am because the story was so funny, well written, and mesmerizing! Be warned this is not a stand alone book: A. You will be very confused if you try to start with this book and B. You will be sucked into entrancement of this series.

This time Cassie, unlikely queen of the clairvoyants and time shifters- otherwise known as the Pythia, is trying to get a peace deal brokered between herself and the Silver Circle of mages who should be her closest allies...but have been tying to kill her for three books because they can't control her. But when the mages pull a fast one on her she, and her anti-hero partner, the always entertaining Pritkin, are thrown into a cataclysmic supernatural attack on MAGIC ( the headquarters for North Americas vampires, weres, mages, ect.) and must try to rescue the survivors and themselves. With a traitor still in the groups midst this could be easier said than done.

Odd magical creations abound to help or hurt the duo, as well as the aid of Mircea Tepish - yes, Dracula's much cooler & saner brother- who is also for all vampire intents and purposes,Cassie's husband. A fantastic cast of secondary characters joins the party along with a few new friends, and a hilarious but accidental switcharoo occurs leading to a few awkward but memorable situations that I won't spoil here because you'll vastly enjoy reading them.

This a book - and a series- not to be missed!! If you can I would read the first book in Ms. Chance's companion series , Midnight's Daughter, before this book as hints suggest the two series are brushing along each other about to merge closer. It's another great read that can only ad to your enjoyment of his book. Enjoy your reading and try not to stay up too late!

The series in order:
Touch the Dark
Claimed by Shadow
Embrace the Night
Midnight's Daughter ( Ok, technically this is the Dorina Basarab series but she's
Mircea's daughter! It all stems from the same literary world)
Curse the Dawn
Death's Mistress ( the next Dorina book coming in October!)

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Frantic July 17, 2009

By Ithlilian

Format:Mass Market Paperback

A large part of this novel is nonstop action. Everyone is out to kill Cassie, all of the time. The poor girl never gets a break! When she is not running from enemies, she is complaining about not having a teacher to help her with her powers. I'd really like to find out more about the black circle, Pritkin, and Mircea, and hear less from Cassie. I'm not a fan of main characters that complain about the situation they are in. Make the best of it please. Also, constant action with no purpose does not make a novel to me. One or two dangerous situations, sure, add some plot progression in between, great. Page after page of action with no break for any type of plot from page 1 to 245? No thanks. This novel was a big disappointment for me, and I loved all of the other novels in this series so far. I loved finding out more about Pritkin's past, about Cassie and her pet ghost, and about Cassie becoming Pythia. I'm not a fan of this installment, however. Hopefully we get some plot progression in the future, I can only take so much of everyone being out to get the main character all of the time.