Sister of the Dead (The Noble Dead) [Mass Market Paperback]

Barb Hendee (Author), J.C. Hendee (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Noble Dead | Publication Date: January 4, 2005

Magiere the dhampir and her partner, the half-elf Leesil, are on a journey to uncover the secrets of their mysterious pasts. But first their expertise as vampire hunters is required on behalf of a small village being tormented by a creature of unlimited and unimaginable power.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Picking up where Thief of Lives [BKL Ja 1 & 15 04] left off, dhampir (i.e., half-human, half-vampire) Magiere and her half-elf friend, Leesil, have finally given in to their feelings for each other and started a relationship. But they don't have much time to revel in their newfound bliss. They've decided to undertake a journey to find out the truth about Magiere's parentage and to try to find Leesil's mother. Accompanied by elfin scholar Wynn and her dog, Chap, who is actually a fay in a dog's body, Magiere and Leesil set out, unaware that they are being tracked by Welsteil, Magiere's would-be mentor, who betrayed her, and Chane, a vampire who harbors a passion for Wynn. Upon arriving in the village where she was raised, Magiere encounters hostility from some of the locals, but she presses on to the castle where her mother was taken by a corrupt nobleman, his son, and an otherworldly creature who possesses the answers Magiere is seeking. Another satisfying entry in the Hendees' lively series. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

...refreshing change from clear-cut good-vs.-evil tales...a strong heroine who defies genre clichés. -- Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Roc; 1st ed edition (January 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 045146009X
• ISBN-13: 978-0451460097
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,119 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blood Relatives, May 4, 2005

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Sister of the Dead (The Noble Dead) (Mass Market Paperback)

I picked up Dhampir, the first volume in this series, on a whim. It has turned out to be one of the better vampire series in recent memory. The Hendees display considerable writing skill, as well as an ability to craft elements that are vampire commonplaces into a story that has more than a little originality. When we first met Leesil and Magiere a long time ago there were an unlikely pair running as vampire killer scam in a world vaguely reminiscent of Medieval Hungary and, of course, Transylvania.

But their scam backfires when they are set on the trail of a real vampire we find that Magiere is a Dhampir - human child of a vampire - with terrifying skills and a destiny that won't let her go. Half-eleven Leesil and his dog Chap (a canine with an agenda all its own) are her accomplices. In short order they really are vampire killers, inn owners, and finally, with this volume they are on a quest to find out the truth behind their history.

In Sister of the Dead, Magiere returns to her roots to find out about the vampire that fathered her on her unwilling mother. Joining them on this quest is Wynn, the apprentice wizard from Thief of Lives. And following behind them are two vampires. Welstiel is one(...)who knows why Magiere was created and has his own uses for her. The other is Chane, who loves Wynn almost as much as he loves blood - maybe more.

Terrible things follow them as they work their way to Magiere's village and then on to the lair of the blood wizard who worked her birth. Outer conflict is balanced by inner. Chap confronts his true nature, Magiere and Leesil explore the relationship that has grown up around them, and Wynn must deal with an inconceivable reality where the woman she most admires and the man she once loved are both monsters.

With each volume the tale gets richer and more detailed. All of the characters gain the reader's sympathy, and the book goes by a little too quickly. If you are looking for something that stays in genre but with an original flair that quickly becomes compelling try this series out. You'll find yourself waiting impatiently for the next volume.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Hendees do it again., February 23, 2005

By 

Jean Hurley "fan of otherworldly books" (Somers, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Sister of the Dead (The Noble Dead) (Mass Market Paperback)

Barb and J.C. Hendee prove again that they're a great writing team. This third installation in the "Noble Dead" series pulls the reader further into the lives of Leesil and Magiere, halfling and dhampir. They've got great charater development and interesting plot twists. I was rather hoping that Leesil would find more answers, but I'm glad Magiere was given more information. Of course, this information makes the reader long for more!!

Now, while I haven't quite given up on LKH's Anita Blake (the orgies do detract from the plot, but pleasantly), these books are really a nice way to pass the time. I find myself drawn into the world that the Hendees created, and also feeling an affinity for the characters. To me, that's the sign of a really good book. I want more!!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Hendees Have Just Rendered Laurell Hamilton Irrelevant, January 22, 2005

By 

L. J Lewis "Miss Amii" (Collierville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sister of the Dead (The Noble Dead) (Mass Market Paperback)

Once, I was a big fan of Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake series. I don't consider myself to be one any more seeing as Hamilton decided that having orgies with vampires was more interesting than killing them. I consider it no big loss because about the time that Hamilton completely lost the plot Barb and JC Hendee published Dhampir, the story of Magiere and Leesil, two con-artists turned vampire slayers. Their story continues in Sister of the Dead, the third installment in the series.
In this novel, Magiere and Leesil, accompanies by Chap, the fey dog, and Wynn, the scholar, return to the place of Magiere's birth to uncover the secrets of her birth. There they discover a history of murder, blood, and necromancy as they come closer and closer to discovering the purpose and true nature of the unnatural Dhampir. Of course this trip is no Sunday drive as our vampire hunters face off against insane peasants, undead sorcerers, and the vampire duo of Chane and Welstiel Massing, leading to some very exciting action scenes.
An action-packed story with skillful characterization, this series has quickly become my favorite fantasy/action series. The romance between Magiere and Leesil is very endearing without being smaltzy and does not overpower everything else. The only bad thing is that we have to wait another whole year to see what happens next.