Customer Reviews

Retribution (Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles, Book 5)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been an Anna Strong fan ever since I started reading these books earlier this year, so when Retribution, the fifth book in this series released, I dropped what I was reading to read it instead.

In Retribution, Anna Strong is still dealing with her two sided nature, her vampire and human sides and trying to accept her new life as a vampire, which I think she starting to come around to, evident in her new-found relationship with another vampire who is also a super hot underwear model, Lance. Warren Williams, San Diego's ex police chief and her ex-mentor now the leader of the local supernaturals, is pressing Anna to help find the person responsible for draining newly turned vampires of their blood. Anna is resistant at first because she still feels a boat load of resentment towards Williams for having a part in her family move to a winery in France, even though it's the safest place for them to be, away from the dangers surrounding Anna's supernatural world.

As a bounty hunter, Anna has to be cunning and part sleuth in finding criminals on the run. These skills as a bounty hunter come in handy while she tries to track down Belinda Burke, a very powerful black witch who has put a death spell on one of her close shape shifting friends, Culebra. Culebra owns Beso de la Muerte (Kiss of Death), a bar in the deserts of Mexico that caters to the supernatural and when he shows up at his own bar near death with Belinda Burke's name the last words he speaks, the clock starts ticking for Anna to find Belinda.

Anna has always been a cocky, hard-edged gal with a strong stubborn streak, who has always been quick to speak her mind and never takes any bull from anyone but she's always had a soft heart inside the tough exterior she shows world.

Anna speaking to a bail jumper:
"Save your breath, sweetie," I whisper in her ear. "The last glimpse I had of Hank, he was hopping in the back of a pickup. He's long gone."
I reach down and haul her to her feet. I use one hand as if she weighs twenty-five pounds instead of two-fifty. "Looks like it's just you and me."
Hilda is looking at me bleary-eyed with confusion and alcohol. "How did you --? What did you--? Where did you--?"
I pat her head and push her toward my own car. "Don't try to figure it out, Hilda. You'll hurt yourself."

I've enjoyed reading about the situations she always seems to get herself into but this time there was a spot in the story line that really bothered me and I didn't like Anna's reaction, which I can't say anything about without giving out spoilers. I felt her behavior wasn't inline with her character. It was the only low spot in the book for me.

I love the characteristics of the witches in this book and their ability to conjure magic with just a wave of a hand. The witches here can be very powerful beings and they have a whole world of possibilities and dimensions. One of the witches in Retribution has a short story in the anthology Many Bloody Returns, the story gives a insightful look into the world of witches that live in Anna's world. It's not necessary to read it before Retribution but it would give you a better understanding of the witches here and it's a good quick read.

I really enjoy Jeanne Stein's writing style, her words easily flow off the page bringing you into her world of paranormals. The paranormal world she has created around Anna Strong is unique one with many surprises, that has intrigued and entertained me throughout reading the Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles. Ms. Stein always adds an occurrence with an element of harsh realism in her books, they always leave me with deep thoughts on these matters. I like it when an author is not afraid to add an element that could shock and make me think long after I have finished reading a book.

Overall, I enjoyed the mystery and the fast pace set in Retribution. The main plot line gets tied up real nice with subtle hints into Anna's role in the supernatural world as the chosen, the one. I liked this book with the exception I noted and I'll be looking forward to the next book, which I hope will shed some light on Anna's role as the one. I think fans of the Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles will happy with this latest installment, aptly named Retribution. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes stories based in an urban, supernatural world with an air of mystery.

I struggled to get into this book. Secondary characters appear only in a few sentences, more as props for the plot rather than story enhancing characters. No development on Lance - he is just a quickie plot prop. A beautiful model that she has sex with and that's it? No development on any character except for Williams... and that development seems ridiculous. Once I finally got through the book, there were so many questions left. If Burke was such a threat and so very powerful... how did they so easily overcome her in the previous books? How did the retro vampire get created in the first place? By Burke's serum, not by an actual vampire? Where did Burke get this serum? So Anna and Williams were willing to torture and kill Burke's sister - even though she had helped them and killing her didn't help them or solve anything? Willams went crazy? Please... that development goes against the first four books. The secondary characters are not developed - so you don't care about them. Anna Strong isn't interesting enough on her own to make you care about what happens to her next. So, no more Anna Strong for me. The promise this story held, didn't pan out...

Anna's really, you know... Strong. But it never seems to matter. Take out the word vampire everywhere, and she'd just be a private eye or a bounty hunter. It's good writing otherwise, though.

I got the whole series in one purchase (of which this is of course just one of the books) and I recommend that you read them in order. If you start with this one you will have missed alot and may not understand why things are happening as they do in the book.

Very entertaining, fun to read and engaging. Escapism at it's best!

I really enjoyed the first three novels of this series- Ana is a young woman who works as a Bounty Hunter, when, on the job, she is accidentally 'turned" and becomes a vampire. It's a fun twist on an old genre, and the series started well, but the fourth book was a let down. With "Retribution" I feel like the author is back on track. Although our heroine is often ridiculously stubborn and her own worst enemy in ways I find insanely irritating, this book answered a few questions- and asked a lot more. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, and I almost did not read it, that's how disappointing book 4 was! Worth a read- and if you're thinking of picking up the series, I'd suggest you do- just don't get discouraged by book 4- it does get better- let's just hope it KEEPS getting better!

When I saw that Book 5 of the Anna Strong Series was on the shelves, I quickly added it to my must read stack. Having read the previous four novels, I was geared up and ready to follow Anna's latest adventures.

In this book, bounty hunter and newly turned vampire, Anna continues to struggle with living the life of a vampire while trying to maintain a hold on her humanity. When young vampires start turning up dead, Anna is forced to joined forces with her mentor-turned-enemy Warren Williams to dig up answers for fear that she may be next. Add to the mix that Belinda Burke is back on the scene and has placed a nasty spell on her friend Culebra and subsequently Daniel Frey and you've got a fast paced, story that doesn't let you down.

I really enjoyed reading Jeanne C. Stein's lasts installment in the series. She's been able to build a supernatural world around her main character that's perfectly woven into modern day San Diego. My only complaint about the storyline would be that there were more questions raised than answered. The biggest question being -- "What does being the `Chosen One' really mean?"
I guess we'll have to wait for Book 6 to get that answer. It's definitely a book I'd recommend!

I'm a big Anna Strong fan. She's a very likeable charachter. Anna has all the human foibles, although a vampire and can be her own worst enemy. "Retribution" has a strong storyline and good pacing. A good addition to the series.

i have all 5 now and i really like these books...anna can be somewhat obnoxious when she doesn't get her way and pouts and tries to do what she can to change things but other than her denial of being vampire the book was good. i wish she would just accept it already b/c it's not going to change! frustrating and i want to slap her! but the story line was good and kept you turning the pages to see what would happen and who would die this time!

Anna a new vampire that has been called the chosen one ,The true Immortal by elder Vampires that seem to refuse to explain what that means,runs a Bounty hunter business and keeps the fact shes minus a reflection from her business partner who now on Vacation.And tries to hold on to her humanity as all her connections to her humanity seem to dry up. Oh and fight a evil witch who out to make a fortune on face cream that uses vampire blood as a base.And the new knowledge that her vampire side seem to be acting be itself like separate personality has begun to alter her sexual orientation to bisexual to make eating ehh drinking easier. And a werewolf with hurt feeling who blames her for her lost loves death who ether wants to eat her or kiss her. The book filled with dozens of plot threads that should be funny but are instead are pure drama and action and makes this wonderful adventure as Anna not the reader is the one having trouble keeping track of her screwed up unlife.Who desperately fights her destiny,her vampire nature that seems more and more like a separate persona and tries to lead a normal human life. This is a must read for any hard core Vampire fans who enjoy character development.

She has been fighting a losing battle to hold onto her humanity, but months old vampire Anne Strong doubts she can much longer. Her parents are sent by Anna's nemesis to a winery in France with their "grand-daughter" so they cannot be used as hostages by those coming for Anna. She has few friends, but one of them is shapeshifting Culebra who owns a bar in Beso de la Muerte where vampires can feed on willing hosts. He meets her in Mexico her and asks not to visit the bar because he is on vacation and his substitute Sandre wants nothing to do with her. Unable to believe what he is saying, Anna goes to see herbut meets Warren Williams, the former San Diego chief of police and now the chief officer of the supernatural community.

He warns her that six young vampire corpses have been found drained of their blood. Soon after that meaning Sandra summons her to come to the bar because Culebra is ill and may be dying. Before Culebra lost consciousness he mentioned Belinda Burke, an enemy of his, Anna and William. She cast a spell on him and the only way to save his life is to find the witch and kill her. Anna fears she and Culebra will die if she fails to locate the witch. Tracing the path of her enemy, Anna finds more drained dead vampires and a person close to her who is helping Culebra stay alive through magic spells is now near death. Killing Belinda becomes the only sensible RETRIBUTION.

This is a strong vampire urban fantasy entry in a great series (see THE WATCHER, LEGACY, and BLOOD DRIVE) due to the lead professional who has distanced herself for obvious reasons from her family and has joined the supernatural community. Anna continues to explore her new powers as she also treks the dangerous dark world in which beauty is only skin deep is a mantra as the monsters inside are deadly. The world of Jeanne C. Stein is dark, deadly and dangerous; but most critical to readers is her species (vampires, witches, and shapeshifters) seem genuine.

Harriet Klausner