Customer Reviews

The Path of Razors: Vampire Babylon, Book Five

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The Path of Razors by Chris Marie Green
Urban Fantasy- Aug 4, 2009
4 stars

The Path of Razors is an engrossing Urban Fantasy from the extremely creative mind of Chris Marie Green. Her books are a real treat that are not to be missed! For those who have not read her works, this is the 5th in her Vampire Babylon series. The first three are a trilogy within the series that has a storyline which is resolved by the third book. Because the Path of Razors is the second book in the `second trilogy' (starring the same characters as the first), I would suggest at least reading the 4th book, A Drop of Red before reading this one to orient yourself properly. (Or if you would like the full enjoyment reading the first 4 stories to appreciate the growth in the characters!)

As explained The Path of Razors is the second book in the second trilogy of Chris Marie Green's series and as such it leaves the reader with many answers but also many surprises. All of which I hope will be resolved in her 6th book!

The Path of Razors is actually composed of 2 storylines. The first deals with: evil vampires, the Queenshill School and the mysterious Underground. The second storyline concerns the heroes who are bent on finding them and exterminating their nest.

In the heroes' story, the heroine Dawn, the mysterious Costin and the rest of the team are investigating an inhuman school for girls and trying to find its link to a secret Underground lair of vampires. Unfortunately there is conflict within the team as the leader Costin fights against the body he occupies for control and the vampire abilities he was forcefully given to save his life. He finds himself now the enemy he has sworn to vanquish. Adding to the tension is the love triangle between Dawn's father, mother and a murdered ghost!

The villains' storyline is equally if not more compelling as secrets behind: Mrs. Jones, Wolfie and the Queenshill dorm are revealed. Small references to the secret vampire underground also kept me on edge as I tried to figure out where the story might be leading.

What I find most unusual about Christ Marie Green's books is that she develops the villains equally if not better than the heroes. I often find myself preferring them to the `heroes.' The author has the rare ability to make the villains: relatable, vulnerable and vastly appealing. I found the sections with the school girls exciting and was drawn to their sheltered lives as they tried to discover the secret behind Wolfie and Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones's story is revealed and it was a fantastic surprise which was well worth the price of the book!

I feel I have invested time in these characters and grown to know them. Chris Marie Green really knows how to develop her characters and create tension. I am eager to discover how or if their situations with be resolved in the next book. The school girl Della in particular is an absorbing character which I would love to see in more books past the next?! I am also curious to find out more about the mysterious Whisperer and dragon.

This is a fantastic series not to be missed. But WARNING, once you start you will become addicted!

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

For those who've not yet read any of the Vampire Babylon Series by Chris Marie Green, "The Path of Razors" is the 5th in the series and the 2nd installment within the second story arc. Books 1-3 are a trilogy within the series and have a story line that is resolved in the 3rd book, "Break of Dawn". While it is not necessary to read the first trilogy in order to understand the storyline within the second arc, readers will find much background information and a much better "preparedness" for this new adventure!

In this installment of Vampire Babylon, Dawn Madison, (a big screen stunt woman turned "tough as nails" vampire hunter), the mysterious Costin, and the rest of Limpet & Associates are in the midst of unraveling the mystery of the private Queenshill School for Girls and its link to the local underground vampire nest. In addition, Costin finds himself not only struggling with his "host" for control, but also struggling with the fact that Dawn is now his "master" as a result of an interesting turn of events at the conclusion of the first trilogy. Costin now finds himself the very "enemy" he has sworn to vanquish!

But readers do not fret, `tis not all seriousness and dour! Chris Marie Green has a knack for keeping the reader entertained on all levels and never fails to add a healthy dose of humor into the mix! This humor can be found in places such as our crazy little man "Kiko", or even within the tension of a supernatural love triangle between Dawn's father, her mother, and a ghost!

Readers beware! Once started, this series becomes a thrilling, suspenseful, page turning adventure that will keep you wanting more! Woot Woot! March 2nd is just a few days away! This reader is impatiently awaiting the next installment, Deep In The Woods!

The Path of Razors is the fifth book in the Vampire Babylon series, and the second installment in the London Underground trilogy.

Dawn Madison is on a quest to infiltrate and destroy another Vampire Underground. Her one moment as a vampire in the previous book, A DROP OF RED, has left her with a new mind ability. She can control things and people with her mind, and shestruggles to control the new power. Meanwhile, her boss Costin, and newly turned vampire, compliments of Dawn, is having a hard time containing his host body, Jonas. Jonas struggles to overcome Costin's control and the turmoil may cost the team if not handled correctly.

Della is one of the special vampires from an all girls school. A local London Underground uses the school to recruit young girls into their world. She loves being a vampire and craves the hunt. She keeps having recurring visions of a woman bathing in blood, and the visions seem to spur Della onto a terrifying path. She has no guilt or regret for her transgressions, and she won't let Dawn stand in her way.

THE PATH OF RAZORS, VAMPIRE BABYLON, BOOK 5 is an exciting addition to the series. A lot of weaknesses and strengths are revealed about members of the team, and the final goal is creeping near. Gritty characters, a twisting and dark plot, and kick-butt action set the scene. Fans of the series won't be disappointed! If you like fantasy or paranormal, give VAMPIRE BABYLON a look. It has it all!

*Courtesy of Romance Junkies

This a really great book. You have to read these in order. The characters are really great. Dawn,Kiko and Bresi....and the boss. The thing is that no one knows what the boss looks like. He is called the Voice...All you hear is his voice over the speakers. The first Trilogy is Night Rising,Midnight Reign,Break of Dawn.

The next books are Drop of Red,Path of Razors, and Deep in the woods.

They are really great books..Chris Marie Green is an awesome writer, and hope she comes out with more books.

Chris Marie Green has written a great set of stories, thouroughy bringing you into their world. This is a set you don't want to put down until you find out what happens next. Great Read.

Dawn Madison and her group of vampire hunters are determined to eradicate the Underground in London, but they face an entirely new type of vampire. Della and her fellow Queenshill vampires would be tough to fight on their own, but who are the mysterious custodes and what is their hidden agenda? Meanwhile, will Dawn, Costin, Keiko, and the rest survive the internal strife within their midst?

THE PATH OF RAZORS is the fifth book in the series, but the second in a story arc started in A DROP OF RED. Readers will have a difficult time comprehending the various relationships between the plethora of characters without at least reading A DROP OF RED. Nuances of the story may also be missed unless one has read the series in its entirety. Readers should note that THE PATH OF RAZORS has some unresolved threads as it is part of a three book story arc.

I have mixed feelings about THE PATH OF RAZORS as I feel like I ought to like it better than I did. The storyline is creative as Chris Marie Green gives readers some real insight into her villains. However, the line between hero and villain is starting to blur quite a bit as Dawn is somewhat unlikable at times. The situation involving Costin and Jonah is mirrored in many ways by Della's relationship with Wolfie as both relationships are very unhealthy. On one hand, I commend Chris Marie Green for being willing to take so many chances with her storyline... and yet the storyline at times seems a bit disjointed, as if the author is trying to incorporate so much into it that the sense of who the characters are and what they stand for is being lost. Perhaps this is the intention of Chris Marie Green as many series have a soul-searching book in which things seem bleak. The next book will be the deciding factor for me as to whether to continue reading the Vampire Babylon series.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

The Path of Razors: Vampire Babylon, Book FiveChris Marie Green writing is like an addiction you have to continue on with the stories because of all the unanswered questions like Dawn has for the Jonah/Costin entity. She is not sure if she loves the physical body and presence of Jonah or the mental presence of Costin. Too bad she can't agree to the idea of having two men in one gorgeous body. The underground that is found in this trio of books is situated underneath a school for girls and every three years a new set of 7 girls are recruited in with some being used to " update" one of the masters. Apparently not all the masters can keep up a youthful image without gory bloody ruination of their victims. You will not be sure who is the real master since the two masters have different viewpoints on the followers they both create one of the masters uses the followers the other plays with the followers. the followers in this underground turn into weird cat/wolf creatures when not appearing human they are also daywalkers to some extent

Costin, a Soul Traveler inside of Jonah's body (with his permission) is now a vampire turned by former stuntwoman Dawn Madison, who also was a vampire albeit briefly. Now he cannot leave Jonah's body so they work together along with their group to find out where the master vampires and their underground is. Their search takes them to England , but they are attacked by schoolgirl vampires from Queenshill campus.

Nobody is certain if they are part of an Underground or just an ordinary group of vampires. They would have been part of the Underground once they graduate, but circumstances dictate that the three girls and their dorm mother Mrs. Claudia Jones move into the Underground immediately. The vampires of the Underground and the Keepers (intelligent Renfields) want to know if Costin and Dawn's group are in the area to get them or if it is just an unbelievable coincidence. Costin is content to let Jonah be the dominant personality until they find the Underground and destroy it but neither expected the truth when it is revealed.

Dawn is a lean mean fighting machine but when she becomes human again after a short stint as a vampire, there is a deep darkness to her that ignites when she is angry or in trouble; she cannot control herself like she did before so she struggles to keep it submerged. The Underground culture in England is different than that of one in Los Angeles. "Wolfie" leads this underground but his interest is only in young beautiful girl vampires and they are enthralled with him. They believe he is the only one who loves them. Thought provoking and loaded with atmosphere and action, the PATH OF RAZORS is a first rate urban fantasy that will have readers believing the magic of this wondrous tale

Harriet Klausner