Serpent's Kiss (A Novel of the Elder Races) [Mass Market Paperback]

Thea Harrison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2011 | Series: A Novel of the Elder Races (Book 3)

Recently, Vampire Queen Carling's power has become erratic, forcing her followers to flee. Wyr sentinel Rune is drawn to the ailing Queen and decides to help find a cure for the serpent's kiss-the vampyric disease that's killing her. With their desire for each other escalating they will have to rely on each other if they have any hope of surviving the serpent's kiss...

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thea Harrison is the pen name of author Teddy Harrison. She wrote her first book at age nineteen and had sixteen romances published under the name Amanda Carpenter. Thea holds graduate degrees in philanthropic studies and library information science and has worked as an activist for a nonprofit consumer rights organization, a receptionist, an office manager, and a director of development and research. She lives in northern California. An avid reader her whole life, Sophie Eastlake happily extends her love of books to her passion for narrating. She lives in New York, where she survives the subway grind with a book in her hand and drops in on every literary reading she can find, while on a never-ending quest for the perfect cup of coffee.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Original edition (October 4, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425244407
• ISBN-13: 978-0425244401
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #229,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Thea Harrison resides in northern California. She wrote her first book, a romance, when she was nineteen and had sixteen romances published under the name Amanda Carpenter.

She took a break from writing to collect a couple of graduate degrees and a grown child. Her graduate degrees are in Philanthropic Studies and Library Information Science, but her first love has always been writing fiction. She's back with her paranormal Elder Races series. You can check out her website at: www.theaharrison.com, and also follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Actually angry with Ms. Harrison, October 10, 2011

By 

L. Procaccianti - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Serpent's Kiss (A Novel of the Elder Races) (Mass Market Paperback)

I loved Dragon Bound. It was an amazing and fresh book, with a good storyline, inventive action sequences, and lively dialogue. I'm a big believer in good dialogue, with characters having a sharp wit, and generally-speaking a touch of sarcasm and humor. The dialogue and action were two of the best things about Dragon Bound. I read in twice, then couldn't wait for Storm's Heart, even though it was out only a few months later. However, I was a little disappointed in Storm's Heart. Sure, I realize not every book in a series is going to be a favorite. But, I missed some of the humorous, witty banter. Tiago and Tricks just didn't seem to have the same chemistry as Dragos and Pia. All in all, I gave it a 4 rating, and I still had high hopes for Rune's story.

Rune was a great character from the beginning of the series. He was funny. He had good dialogue sequences with Dragos, Pia and the others. I had such high hopes for this book that I pre-ordered Serpent's Kiss, and read the entire thing in one sitting (which I normally do for books I'm dying to read). And... I have never been so let down with a book and an author. Rune was turned into some kind of almost cartoonish character, and Carling, whom I actually liked in Storm's Heart, became a weak-minded (and weak-willed) female (and I'm not referring to the "episodes").

But the thing that really got me, that made me furious with Ms. Harrison, is the way Rune treated Dragos. Dragos told Rune in Dragon Bound that he was his best friend, yet at the drop of a hat, Rune not only deserts him but wonders if he'll ever forgive him. And for what, you ask? NOTHING! Dragos did nothing!! He acted as anyone would do in that situation, without knowing Rune and Carling were mated.... because Rune didn't tell him. Then, even though it's affecting the other gryphons, Rune actually neglects to tell Dragos or his other supposedly long time friends about what's going on. I understand needing to protect your mate, but seriously... "bros over hoes" anyone? These are his BROTHERS/SISTERS for all intents and purposes, and he just leaves them out in the dark about a major events (trying not to be spoilerish). At least Tiago was upfront with everyone when he had to leave, so everyone knew it was because he was mating Tricks. Furthermore, Carling didn't even try to intervene, to try and help Rune repair his relationship with the other Sentinels and Dragos. She was truly selfish, basically just accepting Rune giving up everything to be with her as her due.

Pretty soon, Dragos is going to be left by himself with not one of his friends/sentinels to help defend him and his new mate and child. It's sad. Now, I doubt I'll read the new book. It's not even about any characters I have interest in, anyway. I may read Book #5, which is another Pia and Dragos story, but part of me is afraid she's going to ruin two of my favorite characters. I don't know if Ms. Harrison reads these comments, but please, just go back to the winning formula of Dragon Bound -- good snappy dialogue, strong females and action. If I wanted a introspective, sad sack of a female, I'd watch a Lifetime movie.

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very dissappointed, October 6, 2011

By 

GypsyReader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Serpent's Kiss (A Novel of the Elder Races) (Mass Market Paperback)

I was REALLY looking forward to this book. I really enjoy the world Thea has built in many ways. I read the last two books with enjoyment but they both had gentle heroines that needed rescuing by the big bad wyr. But in Carling, a woman who had raised herself up from slave to queen to the Councillor of the Nightkind through her own merit, determination and strength of character I was excited to finally have a story about a heroine who didn't NEED the big bad wyr to rescue her. I thought it would be a book about the two of them falling in love and her rescuing herself through that process. Or something like that....

I didn't get that. Of all of the things that I thought would happen in this book ... I didn't expect the author to figure out a way to wipe out all that Carling had accomplished herself and attribute it all instead to Rune. But the author did manage to do it. And I am so disappointed that instead of taking the opportunity to stretch herself and write a different story about two people who are equals joining to become an even stronger whole, Thea chose to write the same old story about the boy rescuing the girl.

I don't know if I will read another of book by this author. There is a preview of the next book in the series, Oracle Moon and it is more of the same. Female in trouble needs big strong man to make it all okay. Meh... I've read that. Again and again and again. And frankly I've read it better. I'm not interested in reading a series that just regurgitates the same book one after another.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Better than #2, November 1, 2011

By 

Lady Jaye "Kaykay" (PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Serpent's Kiss (Elder Races) (Kindle Edition)

This is the third novel in the Elder Races series and Rune's story, with the Vampyre Queen Carling as his love interest.

I do think this is a much better book than the travesty that was Storm's Heart, but it is nowhere near as good as Dragon Bound. It was okay.

Hands down the best thing about the book was the heroine, Carling. I liked exploring her backstory and her motivations for her actions. She was also a strong, likable character. I did not like Carling from the previous books, but I am surprised to find myself in love with her in this novel. She rocks!

The person that didn't rock, much to my surprise, was Rune. I have loved him through Dragon Bound and Storm's Heart, but that love stopped in Serpent's Kiss. He did not seem funny to me, and all his "cool-talk/witty repartees" missed the mark for me: I found them hollow, unfunny, and sometimes quite disrespectful. Simply put, I didn't like the person Rune was in this book, and I found myself liking him less and less as the book progressed; I did not like the person he became in the end at all.

I was also very disappointed that he did not share the fact of his changing the past with Dragos and the Gryphons, or the fact that he'd mated with Carling (until he couldn't hide it later). His excuse was that he didn't trust them. That doesn't wash with me. You would think you could trust people who had been your friends and comrades in arms for centuries. Especially as they could feel the effects of his changing the past. But apparently Rune's definition of friendship and mine are different.

Another thing that bothered me was the Rift between Dragos and Rune at the end. It just didn't make sense in the grand scheme of things, and I'd have expected Rune to be less of an ass. You don't hide essential info from your closest friends and yet expect them to act as if they knew the entire picture. Needless to say I didn't think he deserved the friendship of the other wyr, much less Dragos' friendship. Dragos did not do anything wrong and acted very fairly, given what little he knew and given that he had the interests of the entire wyr race to consider. Sigh. Rune was so much less than he appeared to be in the other books. Womp.

One final thing that didn't work for me was the love. I loved Carling, and I could see her relationship blossom with Rune. It just did nothing for me - I could see the love but could not feel it. I went into this book worried that Rune would be stuck with Carling, but now I am kinda sad that Carling is stuck with Rune.

Needless to say, I am not too keen on continuing the series after this one. I'll just read Dragon Bound to regain my happy memories and quit while I'm ahead. But I am glad I read this book. If nothing at all, it wiped the bad taste of Storm's Heart from my mouth. (less)