Slayer [Paperback]

Karen Koehler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2004

In a city ravaged by crime and submerged in fear lies an underworld more horrific than anyone has ever imagined. Now the horror has emerged into the daylit world. Our world. And the hunter has become the hunted.

Nothing you have ever read...nothing you have ever seen...nothing in this world can prepare you for the world of Slayer...

The Hunter

His name is Alek Knight. He is tall and beautiful...and a master assassin. His raven black hair is worn long to symbolize his status in the Coven, his cult of Vatican-trained, vampire-slaying allies. He is a master swordsman, a prodigy even among ancients. And for good reason: he is one of the rare and deadly dhampiri--an evolved form of the creature we know of today as Vampire. Alek possesses an almost supernatural talent for slaying vampires and his weapon of choice is the legendary Double Serpent Katana, an ancient sword forged by master swordsman Hattori Hanzo for the Japanese Ninja class over 400 years ago.

The Hunted

Once Alek was the most powerful acolyte of the ancient Covenmaster Amadeus. Once he was heir to the seat of Covenmaster. Then the sins of his past returned to haunt him and drove him to betray his master and all he once believed in. Haunted by undying sorrow and the many murders he committed in the Coven's name, Alek turned on his fellow slayers and became a rogue determined to discover the true purpose of his existence. Now he lives in the shadows of the city by night, hunted by an army of immortal soldiers who seek his blood in exchange for his betrayal. The war is coming, the battle lines are drawn...may the best immortal win.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Slayer is anything but just another vampire novel...Koehler's writing is fast-paced, compelling and will leave you wanting more." -- Horror World, the #1 Online Horror Community

"Darkly elegant and rich with detail...a compulsive read." -- Tamara Thorne, author of Candle Bay

"Koehler has created a cast of characters that are compelling, seductive and dangerous. Highly recommended." -- Dark Realms Magazine

"The urban Gothic-punk ambiance and raised-hackles politicking would do a White Wolf campaign proud." -- The Vampire's Crypt

From the Publisher

First in the Black Death Books best-selling SLAYER series in a brand-new second edition with a new edit and new cover art.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: KHP Publisher (March 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974768014
• ISBN-13: 978-0974768014
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,910,190 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Time for a new kind of Vampire, October 25, 2004

By 

Ann Cory "http://www.anncory.com" (Aphrodisiacs for the Mind) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Slayer (Paperback)

Sexy and dangerous. Those words aren't only to describe the writing style of author Karen Koehler, but also to describe Slayer, a vampire novel that will leave you breathless by the end. Not only intelligent and thorough, Slayer opens you up to a world of the dhampiri's; creatures that have evolved from what we know as vampires. Trust me when I say this is completely different...even if you are absolutely convinced you couldn't stand to read another book on vampires...I promise you will find yourself entranced from the get go.

We are first introduced to Alex Knight, the quintessential vampire hunter and a master at his art of assassination. He slays vampires with skill, wisdom, and rogue panache. His supernatural powers enable him to be the best at what he does. For the fallen, the weak, and the brigade of vampires...he is their enemy and demands the very poisonous essence they hold inside. It is a sleek ride into the underworld and what happens when it collides with our world.

Slayer has a rare complexity in its intense plotline. There is nothing repetitive of other vampire novels; it is in a class all its own. Vampires are my favorite and I've been reading several books about them as of late. Each one touches on a mere myth of the vampire and fully evolves into a story brimming of unique and imaginative settings. From the first paragraph I was swept away into a whole new world and damn did I enjoy the escape!

Karen Koehler brings a stylish touch to Alex Knight. Not only do you delve into his dark world, but you also get caught up in the action that plays out almost before your eyes. I was also enraptured by the ancient ways the vampire hunter honors. There is a lot of history here, which makes it even more intriguing to read. It doesn't let your mind stop working, or your blood stop pumping. Your adrenaline will get a workout. The characters are an amazing depiction of each and every one of us; lone characters that roam together or apart, each with individual traits. In any world, even the underworld, there are those fueled by thoughts, obsessions, cravings, desires, and danger. To say this is thrilling would be a severe understatement.

Everything within the realm of Slayer is detailed. From the weapon of Alex's choice; a 400-year-old Double Serpent Katana sword, to his reasons for the attack on vampires, to the very dark alleys he protects, you gain a strong sense of understanding and clarity. I found myself holding my breath more times than I care to mention. When I get locked into a character's headspace, than I know I'm reading about a character I will care about and continue to think about, even after I've finished. It also shows me that the author knows what she is doing, and I can certainly say that about Karen Koehler.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great New Take on the Vampire Genre!, January 30, 2006

By 

Jennifer L. Bratcher "Gothic Writter Goddess" (Clarksville, In) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Slayer (Paperback)

It's good to see a new voice in the vampire genre who doesn't lean on old cliches and the like and Karen Koehler is one such new author. Her novel, "Slayer", sets up a very dark, gothic and industrial world for a maner of supernatural characters to play, thrive, and die tragically in. Her take on vampires is unique, and its always good to see the lesser known myth of the dhampir come into play.

Now, this isn't a happy novel. It's very dark and dismal, but that's part of its charm. The action scenes are top rate, and Koehler doesn't skirt around dark issues. Her style reminds me of Nancy A. Colins, but Koehler is more poetic and sees the beauty mixed into her world while Collins makes sure to paint everything in an ugly light.

This is a dark, beautiful, sad, gothic, and cutting edge vampire tale. I highly recomend it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A NEW BREED OF VAMPIRE NOVEL, January 6, 2006

By 

S.F. Falkner "S.F. Falkner" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Slayer (Paperback)

I feel like I'm just about the last person on the planet to read this book, so I'll dispense with a synopsis. (If you haven't read it, and you have any interest in vampire or goth novels, then you must, tout de suite!)

I don't think I've ever read a book that's been so damn honest to its characters. Koehler has no problem whatsoever in examining the foibles and eccentricities of her subjects in ways that might make the reader feel a tad bit uncomfortable. She delves into semi-incestuous vampire relationships, semi-homosexual vampire relationships, interracial relationships - vis-a-vis vampires & humans, and yet she remains incredibly loyal to the universe she's created; in other worlds you never get the sense that she's doing it for the shock factor. Koehler cares about these characters in a very real way. You get the sense as you're reading the book that she took great care and time to decide just exactly what each of their fates would be.

What's great about this book is that Koehler "sets up" the entire Slayer universe while at the same time telling an involved, tragic story about how Alek Night (the Slayer) comes to lose everything he thinks he knows about his existence.

Engaging, emotionally charged with TERRIFIC battle sequences, "Slayer" is CERTAIN to satisfy any lover of the genre!!