Dhampir (Noble Dead) (Paperback)

by Barb Hendee (Author), J.C. Hendee (Author) "Long past sundown, Magiere walked into another shabby Stravinan village without really seeing it..." (more)
Key Phrases: topaz stone, garlic water, faro table, The Sea Lion, Noble Dead, Constable Ellinwood (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Magiere and her half-elf partner, Leesil, have the cleverest con in the land. Magiere claims to be a vampire hunter, while Leesil impersonates a vampire, and in a spectacular show of theatrics, she "kills" him--for a hefty sum, of course. But Magiere's modus hits closer to home than she thinks, for when she faces down a real vampire, she wins. Now fighting her natural calling, Magiere arrives with Leesil in the town of Miiska, where they intend to make an honest living as tavern owners. Unbeknownst to the pair, a group of vampires, led by the nefarious Rashed, resides in Miiska. When Welstiel Massing, a mysterious older man, confronts Magiere, claiming she is "the one," and she has an almost-deadly encounter with Rashed, Magiere discovers her true nature: she is a dhampir, a part-human, part-vampire warrior whose purpose is to battle vampires. The discovery leads to a pulse-pounding showdown with Rashed and his gang. This Buffy-like story in a medieval setting won't disappoint vampire aficionados. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description
SHE HUNTS THE REALMS MOST DANGEROUS GAME.
HER FEES ARE EXORBITANT.
SHE'S WORTH EVERY COIN SHE RECEIVES.
OR IS SHE?

Magiere has earned a reputation as the most formidable vampire slayer in the land. Villagers far and wide welcome her with both awe and disdain, grateful to her for ridding their towns of the undead menace, but finding themselves made poorer for their salvation. Magiere has always known she's dealing with simple folk who only wish to have their superstitions silenced, and she's never seen anything wrong with exploiting them for profit.

Now, tired of the game, Magiere and her partner, the half-elf Leesil, are ready to hang up their weapons and settle down in a place they can finally call home. But their new found peace will not last. For Magiere has come to the attention of a trio of powerful and dangerous vampires who recognize her true identity — even if she does not — and who fear the birthright that flows through her veins. And they will stop at nothing to keep Magiere from fulfilling her destiny.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Roc (January 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451459067
• ISBN-13: 978-0451459060
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (98 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #22,775 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #13 in	Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Fairies & Elves
  #63 in	Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Dark
  #81 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror > Dark Fantasy

• This is item 1 in The Noble Dead Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Promising beginning! I hope this will be a series!, February 28, 2003

By	Dawn M. Smoker (Mechanicsburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This book is a promising beginning to a great new adventure series. Magiere and her half-elf sidekick Leesil have been making a dishonest living running scams on foolish superstitious villagers whom Magiere promises to rid of evil spirits--for a stiff fee. Having spent her life persecuted by superstitious fools, she feels little remorse at taking advantage of what she views as their stupidity in believing in something she is sure does not exist. At the start of the book, she tires of this kind of life and decides to buy an inn and settle down. Little does she realize it, but the town she chooses is also the home of a nest of undead vampires, and they recognize her for what she really is--a Dhampir--a slayer of undead, and they quickly move to elimate her. Only if she comes to terms with her true self will Magiere and those dear to her survive what is coming...

Magiere and Leesil are fascinating characters. Both have been badly hurt in their childhoods and their motivations and feelings are well drawn. They are not perfect--Leesil drinks to deaden memories of his terrible deeds in his sad past, he picks pockets and routinely gambles away all his money. Magiere resists getting involved, is quite selfish at the start, scamming poor villagers of thier life savings. They make some missteps and people die. Both of them change over the course of the book from bitter loners to the kind of people you can truly call heroes.

And these two people are made for each other! While there is no obvious romance in this book, but I am hoping for a bit of romance between them in future volumes--there are definite hints of it here!

Secondary characters are well designed too, brave Beth Rae and Brendan, even the vampires are given at least some background and bits of history. These characters are not just cardboard cutouts.

Fans of Patricia Briggs and Dawn Cook will probably enjoy this book--the characterization and writing style is similiar.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope there will be more adventures of the captivating main characters!

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for Vampire Fans!, January 8, 2003

By	Nicole Warren (Idaho) - See all my reviews

I've read one previous novel by Barb Hendee, Blood Memories, and was impressed enough by the experience that I decided to read Dhampir. Let's begin by saying that I am not regretting that decision.

This is the first novel of a series, the next of which will not be available until January 2004. She is writing with her husband this time, J.C. Hendee, but the integration of their writing styles is seamless. If you liked the writing style of Blood Memories, you won't even notice that J.C. Hendee has come aboard. I count this as a good thing, because I liked Blood Memories quite a lot.

The story revolves around Magiere and her partner, Leesil (a half-elf), who are an awsome vampire slaying duo. Magirere is more special than she realizes; let's just say that she has some interesting ancestors. When the two decide to retire, their peaceful plans are interrupted by a trio of undead who know more about Magiere's birthright than she does herself.

This novel is set more in Tolkien's universe than in Laurell K. Hamilton's, Tanya Huff's, or P.N. Elrod's, but it should still satisfy fans of those authors. Still, it is one of the best introductory novels I've read in a long time. I hope that the rest of the series lives up to the promise.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic new vampire story! Two thumbs way up!, March 3, 2003

By	Christina M. Roberts "Neyjour" (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For several years Magiere, Leesil, and Chap have been moving from village to village, earning their living by ridding frightened and superstitious people of the undead creatures that plague their lives. But the whole thing is merely a sham, an elaborate game they have concocted, and Magiere is no true Hunter. Or is she? Finally tired of playing `the game' for so long, Magiere is ready to call it quits and settle down to a simpler and easier way of life, running a tavern. But what she and Leesil don't realize is that Magiere really is a Dhampir, a Hunter, and what they have been playing at for so many years will soon become a shocking reality. Vampires (and other undead creatures) really do exist, and they have decided that the Hunter is a threat that must be eliminated.

I am very, very impressed with how the authors have created a vampire story set in a true fantasy world. It felt real and natural, and was a refreshing change from the norm! The world building was very well done, the characters were vivid and compelling, and it had a nice dash of mystery and intrigue. There was also lots of great action, humor, sadness and grief, and questions of selfishness, sense of duty, and honor (or doing 'the right thing'). The story sucks you in from the very beginning and there is never a dull moment. I read this one from the first page to the last, without ever putting it down.

I loved how Magiere and Leesil's relationship was portrayed, and how they were both far from perfect, even as far as having secrets that they knowingly, or unknowingly, kept from each other. We are introduced to them at an important junction in their lives, and along the way we are given tantalizing glimpses into their past which, amazingly, never breaks the flow of the story. And it was a joy to watch them grow and evolve, and learn to understand each other better, even though when we meet them they have already been companions for several years. We even get fascinating glimpses into the thoughts and motivations of the villains that make you feel very sympathetic towards them at times. All in all, it makes for a very complex, engaging, and emotional story that is not just as simple as good vs. evil.

Towards the end of the book I was feeling a little disappointed that the adventure would soon be over. But to my surprise, and delight, it looks as though Dhampir will be the first in a series (or will have a sequel at the very least). I can't wait to read the next installment that holds the promise of more mysterious revelations, and greater things to come. Please don't miss this one, I HIGHLY recommend it!