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Dark-Hunter #19
Retribution
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Romance (2011)Harm no human...
A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed that every life had a price. Until the day when he finally found a reason to live. In one single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he'd spend eternity protecting the humans he'd once considered prey.
Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief - Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters and training for the day when she meeting the man who killed her family: Jess Brady.
A gun in the hand is worth two in the holster....
Jess has been charged with finding and terminating the creature who's assassinating Dark-Hunters. The last thing he expects to find is a human face behind the killings, but when that face bears a striking resemblance to the one who murdered him centuries ago, he knows something evil is going on. He also knows he's not the one who killed her parents. But Abigail refuses to believe the truth and is determined to see him dead once and for all.
Brought together by an angry god and chased by ancient enemies out to kill them both, they must find a way to overcome their mutual hatred or watch as one of the darkest of powers rises and kills both the races they've sworn to protect.
A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed that every life had a price. Until the day when he finally found a reason to live. In one single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he'd spend eternity protecting the humans he'd once considered prey.
Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief - Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters and training for the day when she meeting the man who killed her family: Jess Brady.
A gun in the hand is worth two in the holster....
Jess has been charged with finding and terminating the creature who's assassinating Dark-Hunters. The last thing he expects to find is a human face behind the killings, but when that face bears a striking resemblance to the one who murdered him centuries ago, he knows something evil is going on. He also knows he's not the one who killed her parents. But Abigail refuses to believe the truth and is determined to see him dead once and for all.
Brought together by an angry god and chased by ancient enemies out to kill them both, they must find a way to overcome their mutual hatred or watch as one of the darkest of powers rises and kills both the races they've sworn to protect.
369 pages, Hardcover
First published August 2, 2011
About the author
Sherrilyn Kenyon
240 books29.3k followersOfficial Author site
Official Nevermore site
Official Deadman's Cross site
Official Chronicles of Nick site
Official Silent Swans site
Official Hunter Legends site
Official Witch of Endor site
Official Lords of Avalon site
Official Facebook site
New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon is a regular at the #1 spot. With legions of fans known as Paladins (thousands of whom proudly sport tattoos from her series and who travel from all over the world to attend her appearances), her books are always snatched up as soon as they appear on store shelves. Since 2004, she had placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats including manga and graphic novels. Her current series are: Dark-Hunters, Chronicles of Nick and The League, and her books are available in over 100 countries where eager fans impatiently wait for the next release. Her Chronicles of Nick and Dark-Hunter series are soon to be major motion pictures while Dark-Hunter is also being developed as a television series. Join her and her Paladins online at MySherrilyn.com and www.facebook.com/mysherrilyn
Official Nevermore site
Official Deadman's Cross site
Official Chronicles of Nick site
Official Silent Swans site
Official Hunter Legends site
Official Witch of Endor site
Official Lords of Avalon site
Official Facebook site
New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon is a regular at the #1 spot. With legions of fans known as Paladins (thousands of whom proudly sport tattoos from her series and who travel from all over the world to attend her appearances), her books are always snatched up as soon as they appear on store shelves. Since 2004, she had placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats including manga and graphic novels. Her current series are: Dark-Hunters, Chronicles of Nick and The League, and her books are available in over 100 countries where eager fans impatiently wait for the next release. Her Chronicles of Nick and Dark-Hunter series are soon to be major motion pictures while Dark-Hunter is also being developed as a television series. Join her and her Paladins online at MySherrilyn.com and www.facebook.com/mysherrilyn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,244 reviews
December 14, 2015
The only star I gave was for the bonus scene of Ash's baby entering the world. The rest of this book just sucked. It was a suck-a-thon for sure. And, it blew.
Why, you wonder? Well, I'll rant about it enlighten you.
We have Jesse, the cowboy Dark Hunter, and Abigail, the girl who wants to kill him. Abigail has been killing Dark Hunters like crazy by trapping them in sunlight and beheading them. Her big hope is to kill Jesse (aka Sundance) and that is how they meet. She tries unsuccessfully to kill him and he kidnaps her to get info on the Dark Hunters she has killed. Then they fall in love. They are spouting "I love you's" within 48 hours.
Insta-love is always unbelievable, and sometimes I will even excuse it, but in this case - no way. Abigail beheaded Jesse's close friend the same night she tried to kill him. And, then he falls for her within hours? No. Not okay. It's stupid.
Another thing that is stupid is the corniness of this book. There were so many of those "charming" sayings, like "more angry than a rattlesnake", "loco as a three-tailed cat in a rocking chair factory", and such that it was ridiculous. I live in the South. People don't talk like that. They aren't all idiots talking like the old Hee Haw show (that was a thing, right?) with straw in their mouths.
Pappy, is that you?
And, when they weren't spouting off cheesy southernisms, they were quoting every proverb they could think of, from every culture. There was Plato, Confucius, and a bunch of Native American sayings. Oh, and of course, Nietzche:
What was it Nietzsche had said? Hope was the worst of all evils, for it prolonged the torment of man?
you know what's prolonging my torment? this book
So, we're supposed to believe that this guy is such an idiot that he falls for his bestie's murderer and talks like the Duke's of Hazard cast, but also quotes Nietzche from memory? Uh, no.
So, with Abigail's murder-spree, she accidentally kills a Native American god of sorts and starts the Apocalypse. There are earthquakes, hoards of killer wasps, scorpions, raining blobs of fire, floods, and roving bands of killing monsters of all kinds. But, hey, might as well stop and have a quickie in the car while this is happening and people are screaming and dying in agony all around them because of HER ACTIONS! "Baby, you're so sexy when you are ending the world!" Uh, no.
The only way to stop the Apocalypse is for Abigail to be killed and sacrificed to the Native American gods. Now, that was something I could stand by. Yes, let's sacrifice the dumb-ass bitch! Please! But, do you think that Jesse is going to let his newpiece of ass love of his life go that easily? I mean, sure, thousands of people are dying because of her, but she didn't mean to hurt anyone when she brutally murdered his friend.
I hated this book with a passion. It not only had the most unlikable female character, stupidest male character, and ridiculous plot line, but it had nothing to do with the Dark Hunter world. At all.
The only redeeming thing in this whole book was the "bonus scene" at the end. But, then again, that scene had absolutely nothing to do with the book at all. I think it might have been tacked on there in order to remind us that this was indeed a Dark Hunter book.
Pappy? You need some more kindling for the fire for tonight's ho-down?
Why, you wonder? Well, I'll
We have Jesse, the cowboy Dark Hunter, and Abigail, the girl who wants to kill him. Abigail has been killing Dark Hunters like crazy by trapping them in sunlight and beheading them. Her big hope is to kill Jesse (aka Sundance) and that is how they meet. She tries unsuccessfully to kill him and he kidnaps her to get info on the Dark Hunters she has killed. Then they fall in love. They are spouting "I love you's" within 48 hours.
Insta-love is always unbelievable, and sometimes I will even excuse it, but in this case - no way. Abigail beheaded Jesse's close friend the same night she tried to kill him. And, then he falls for her within hours? No. Not okay. It's stupid.
Another thing that is stupid is the corniness of this book. There were so many of those "charming" sayings, like "more angry than a rattlesnake", "loco as a three-tailed cat in a rocking chair factory", and such that it was ridiculous. I live in the South. People don't talk like that. They aren't all idiots talking like the old Hee Haw show (that was a thing, right?) with straw in their mouths.
Pappy, is that you?
And, when they weren't spouting off cheesy southernisms, they were quoting every proverb they could think of, from every culture. There was Plato, Confucius, and a bunch of Native American sayings. Oh, and of course, Nietzche:
What was it Nietzsche had said? Hope was the worst of all evils, for it prolonged the torment of man?
you know what's prolonging my torment? this book
So, we're supposed to believe that this guy is such an idiot that he falls for his bestie's murderer and talks like the Duke's of Hazard cast, but also quotes Nietzche from memory? Uh, no.
So, with Abigail's murder-spree, she accidentally kills a Native American god of sorts and starts the Apocalypse. There are earthquakes, hoards of killer wasps, scorpions, raining blobs of fire, floods, and roving bands of killing monsters of all kinds. But, hey, might as well stop and have a quickie in the car while this is happening and people are screaming and dying in agony all around them because of HER ACTIONS! "Baby, you're so sexy when you are ending the world!" Uh, no.
The only way to stop the Apocalypse is for Abigail to be killed and sacrificed to the Native American gods. Now, that was something I could stand by. Yes, let's sacrifice the dumb-ass bitch! Please! But, do you think that Jesse is going to let his new
I hated this book with a passion. It not only had the most unlikable female character, stupidest male character, and ridiculous plot line, but it had nothing to do with the Dark Hunter world. At all.
The only redeeming thing in this whole book was the "bonus scene" at the end. But, then again, that scene had absolutely nothing to do with the book at all. I think it might have been tacked on there in order to remind us that this was indeed a Dark Hunter book.
Pappy? You need some more kindling for the fire for tonight's ho-down?
December 5, 2017
William Jessup "Sundown" Brady (Dark-Hunter ) and Abigail Yager (Half-human, )
No matter how much I loved the idea of a famous gunslinger in the American Old West who becomes a Dark Hunter in order to avenge his death and the rape of his future wife in their wedding day by his ex-best friend; I had really many problems trying to connect to the main characters.
Notorious William Jessup was not bad, but I did not really like Abigail. How can I like someone who all her life was killing nice Dark Hunters only because she was told to kill them without using some common sense and doing some research beforehand?
Yes, she was totally an idiot.
Moreover, honestly I am not a fan of love stories between older men and young women -especially when the older guy knows the woman since she was in diapers and he was her mother’s best friend. William used to be Abigail’s mother best friend and a constant argument between Abigail’s mother and Abigail’s father who was jealous.
My favorite character from this book was definitely William’s squire.
3 stars for William and Abigail...
10 stars for the birth of Sebastos Eudorus!
(Να σας ζήσει Αχέρωντα και Σωτηρία)
No matter how much I loved the idea of a famous gunslinger in the American Old West who becomes a Dark Hunter in order to avenge his death and the rape of his future wife in their wedding day by his ex-best friend; I had really many problems trying to connect to the main characters.
Notorious William Jessup was not bad, but I did not really like Abigail. How can I like someone who all her life was killing nice Dark Hunters only because she was told to kill them without using some common sense and doing some research beforehand?
Yes, she was totally an idiot.
Moreover, honestly I am not a fan of love stories between older men and young women -especially when the older guy knows the woman since she was in diapers and he was her mother’s best friend. William used to be Abigail’s mother best friend and a constant argument between Abigail’s mother and Abigail’s father who was jealous.
My favorite character from this book was definitely William’s squire.
3 stars for William and Abigail...
10 stars for the birth of Sebastos Eudorus!
(Να σας ζήσει Αχέρωντα και Σωτηρία)
August 1, 2011
Any fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter books, can tell you that this is a series that requires you to pay attention. Sure, on the surface, each book is a romance featuring a different couple with some preternatural connection. But from the very beginning, these books have had an ongoing story playing out in the background. First it was just the battle between the Dark-Hunters and the Daimons; Greek mythology played a big part. Then we had some Atlantean lore thrown in the mix. Beyond Acheron's book, demons began to play a bigger role and by the time we got to Bad Moon Rising, we had a new subplot that Kenyon is calling the Hellchasers, featuring Thorn and his bad-boy gang. I made a real effort to try to connect to that because I thought that's where the series was going next. I was wrong.
Sundown's story is, in some ways, a throwback to the old books. It features characters we haven't seen much of in a long time. Characters like Sundown, himself... Zarek, Sin, Sasha, and Talon. But in other ways, it's dramatically different. Kenyon put almost everything she's been building on pause for this one to introduce an entirely new Pantheon of Native American gods and mythology. There are Dark Hunters and Daimons in the books, but at times I felt like it was unrecognizable from the books preceding it. Ash is just a mention (other than a "bonus scene" at the end.) Artemis & Nick each have a cameo. No Savitar. No Stryker, Jaden or Jared. It just felt disconnected.
That's not to say it was bad. It wasn't. The romance features Sundown and Abigail. It begins with the heroine trying to kill the hero because she thinks he murdered her parents. After their deaths, she was raised by Apollites. When she was grown, they gave her demon blood to make her strong enough to kill Dark Hunters. In her quest to get to Sundown, she kills someone important in the Native American pantheon, which sets the stage for an apocalypse. As the book progresses, she must overcome her misconceptions about Sundown and work with him to try to avert the disaster she has set in motion. And they fall for each other in the process. Kenyon is at her best when she does romance. And while this relationship isn't my favorite of hers, I did enjoy it.
(I could have done with a couple less pop culture references, though. I enjoyed the first few, but after about the 10th one, I was ready for her to reign them in. )
It seems Kenyon plans to continue with the Native American storyline in the next book. It will feature Dark Hunter Ren, who was a major player in this story. I don't know how I feel about that. The bonus scene at the end, featuring Ash & Tory really brought home for me how much I missed the New Orleans gang and the mythology I know. But I have no doubt I'll be there next year, to follow where Kenyon leads. It's never a dull ride. 3 1/2 stars.
*ARC Provided by St. Martin's Press
Sundown's story is, in some ways, a throwback to the old books. It features characters we haven't seen much of in a long time. Characters like Sundown, himself... Zarek, Sin, Sasha, and Talon. But in other ways, it's dramatically different. Kenyon put almost everything she's been building on pause for this one to introduce an entirely new Pantheon of Native American gods and mythology. There are Dark Hunters and Daimons in the books, but at times I felt like it was unrecognizable from the books preceding it. Ash is just a mention (other than a "bonus scene" at the end.) Artemis & Nick each have a cameo. No Savitar. No Stryker, Jaden or Jared. It just felt disconnected.
That's not to say it was bad. It wasn't. The romance features Sundown and Abigail. It begins with the heroine trying to kill the hero because she thinks he murdered her parents. After their deaths, she was raised by Apollites. When she was grown, they gave her demon blood to make her strong enough to kill Dark Hunters. In her quest to get to Sundown, she kills someone important in the Native American pantheon, which sets the stage for an apocalypse. As the book progresses, she must overcome her misconceptions about Sundown and work with him to try to avert the disaster she has set in motion. And they fall for each other in the process. Kenyon is at her best when she does romance. And while this relationship isn't my favorite of hers, I did enjoy it.
(I could have done with a couple less pop culture references, though. I enjoyed the first few, but after about the 10th one, I was ready for her to reign them in. )
It seems Kenyon plans to continue with the Native American storyline in the next book. It will feature Dark Hunter Ren, who was a major player in this story. I don't know how I feel about that. The bonus scene at the end, featuring Ash & Tory really brought home for me how much I missed the New Orleans gang and the mythology I know. But I have no doubt I'll be there next year, to follow where Kenyon leads. It's never a dull ride. 3 1/2 stars.
*ARC Provided by St. Martin's Press
July 30, 2018
4.75 star
Brilliantly sensational. Loved it!
Brilliantly sensational. Loved it!
January 8, 2018
I don't like skipping books in a series, so I had to read Retribution. I tried a couple of times before and it didn't grab my attention. I wasn't looking forward to it. Maybe I shouldn't have taken a break this long. God, where to start? Retribution is one huge mess of a story.
Let's start wide: the story. It was weak, to put it mildly. From a weird, icky and unbelievable romance to the problem and its solution(s) in the end, it was a mess. It was like the author had to write it in a hurry. The mythology and folklore is Native American and could have been much more interesting. The heroine got off way way too easily for the things she'd done. 'Oh, you made a mistake, dear? You're sorry? Okay then. Don't worry.'
The protagonists are not likeable. I didn't care at all. There wasn't a single moment in a book where I felt anything for them. From her stupid behaviour and eye-rolling at the most inappropriate moments to his pining for his dead fiancée and repeating how beautiful heroine is, it was a chore to read through it all.
The scenes from Brady's past where he is playing with her when she was a little girl were not necessary. Instead of what they were trying to achieve (making them more likeable to the readers, I guess), they added the icky factor into the mix. I don't mind immortal characters finding love in the most unexpected places, but I don't think I've read any playing with their love interest when they were kids.
The rest of the characters are equally bad. Every conversation had a young adult vibe of the worst kind.
To add to it all, Nick had to make an appearance. I hate him with a passion. I'm not sure if his book would be able to change anything. The thing is that I have a feeling he is being set up with another hateful character (Artemis).
As for the much praised epilogue, I guess it starts fine but including Artemis and her cringe-worthy behaviour and comments was not good.
Is there anything I liked? There was one scene where an ancient being is trying to drive a vehicle and it was funny as hell. Not accidentally funny either.
I'm thinking Sherrilyn Kenyon gave someone else to write this story.
Let's start wide: the story. It was weak, to put it mildly. From a weird, icky and unbelievable romance to the problem and its solution(s) in the end, it was a mess. It was like the author had to write it in a hurry. The mythology and folklore is Native American and could have been much more interesting. The heroine got off way way too easily for the things she'd done. 'Oh, you made a mistake, dear? You're sorry? Okay then. Don't worry.'
The protagonists are not likeable. I didn't care at all. There wasn't a single moment in a book where I felt anything for them. From her stupid behaviour and eye-rolling at the most inappropriate moments to his pining for his dead fiancée and repeating how beautiful heroine is, it was a chore to read through it all.
The scenes from Brady's past where he is playing with her when she was a little girl were not necessary. Instead of what they were trying to achieve (making them more likeable to the readers, I guess), they added the icky factor into the mix. I don't mind immortal characters finding love in the most unexpected places, but I don't think I've read any playing with their love interest when they were kids.
The rest of the characters are equally bad. Every conversation had a young adult vibe of the worst kind.
To add to it all, Nick had to make an appearance. I hate him with a passion. I'm not sure if his book would be able to change anything. The thing is that I have a feeling he is being set up with another hateful character (Artemis).
As for the much praised epilogue, I guess it starts fine but including Artemis and her cringe-worthy behaviour and comments was not good.
Is there anything I liked? There was one scene where an ancient being is trying to drive a vehicle and it was funny as hell. Not accidentally funny either.
I'm thinking Sherrilyn Kenyon gave someone else to write this story.
August 12, 2011
http://samsawesomness.blogspot.com/p/...
RETRIBUTION...
I think is my first ever three stars read in the Dark Hunter series. This was not what I expected and I am shamefully disappointed. This book was so far detached from the previous novels that this by itself could be a standalone and you wouldn’t even know there were past books in the series. There is a lot of maybe even to much focus on Native American Mythology and very little, if any focus on Dark Hunter Myths (e.g.) Greek, Atlantis etc...
In regards to the hero and Heroine, Jess and Abigail, I liked them, but didn’t love them. Jess is a cowboy thru and thru and I love me my cowboys- Save a Horse, ride a Cowboy – right? But even Jess’s lines got a little cheesy at time. Abigail was so confused about right and wrong, but she is quite happy to hang out with the person she thinks killed her parents, hmmm.....hypocritical.
We didn’t see a huge portion of the old tried and tested characters that we all love, but we were introduced to some new characters. Ren, who I’m assuming is the next in line for a book. I’m just hoping that SK can get back on track with that one.
Romance? Well, usually SK does it in style. Not this time. One quickie in the front driver’s seat, whilst getting swamped by killer wasps. Hey, some like it freaky, just not me.
Only thing that gave the book any kind of redemption was the bonus chapter at the end where get to meet the newest addition to the world, Acheron’s Son.
I missed Nick (one lone appearance), I missed Simi heaps, and I even missed Artemitis.
Sigh....I still recommend reading the book, maybe it’s just that this series is so huge and the hype is so built that everyone has these major expectations for it to be epic. Disappointed but still trudging on the DH lane.
RETRIBUTION...
I think is my first ever three stars read in the Dark Hunter series. This was not what I expected and I am shamefully disappointed. This book was so far detached from the previous novels that this by itself could be a standalone and you wouldn’t even know there were past books in the series. There is a lot of maybe even to much focus on Native American Mythology and very little, if any focus on Dark Hunter Myths (e.g.) Greek, Atlantis etc...
In regards to the hero and Heroine, Jess and Abigail, I liked them, but didn’t love them. Jess is a cowboy thru and thru and I love me my cowboys- Save a Horse, ride a Cowboy – right? But even Jess’s lines got a little cheesy at time. Abigail was so confused about right and wrong, but she is quite happy to hang out with the person she thinks killed her parents, hmmm.....hypocritical.
We didn’t see a huge portion of the old tried and tested characters that we all love, but we were introduced to some new characters. Ren, who I’m assuming is the next in line for a book. I’m just hoping that SK can get back on track with that one.
Romance? Well, usually SK does it in style. Not this time. One quickie in the front driver’s seat, whilst getting swamped by killer wasps. Hey, some like it freaky, just not me.
Only thing that gave the book any kind of redemption was the bonus chapter at the end where get to meet the newest addition to the world, Acheron’s Son.
I missed Nick (one lone appearance), I missed Simi heaps, and I even missed Artemitis.
Sigh....I still recommend reading the book, maybe it’s just that this series is so huge and the hype is so built that everyone has these major expectations for it to be epic. Disappointed but still trudging on the DH lane.
August 22, 2011
Book 20 in the Dark-Hunter series
Sorry, I couldn’t finish reading this book. It was just too painful. I thought the plot was weak, no chemistry between Jess and Abigail (and I didn’t like Abigail at all), introduction of new Native American mythology which had not existed in the previous novels, too much angst from the big strong brutish Dark-Hunters, and too many cheesy lines!
And I’ve heard Ren is going to get his book next. Sorry, I had zero interest in him. I don’t think I’ll continue this series, even though lately I had been only reading them from the library.
Jess is a Dark-Hunter and on the prowl to find the chick killing Dark-Hunters … that would be Abigail. I just couldn’t like her. Because of one of the Dark-Hunters she killed she brought on the apocalypse.
The bonus scene at the end was just okay for me. I didn’t love it as many people did. Don’t get me wrong, it was nice to see Ash again, but Artemis was not herself, and it just felt weird since there was no explanation for it. (Especially not after 19 books of her being a witch)
Sorry, I couldn’t finish reading this book. It was just too painful. I thought the plot was weak, no chemistry between Jess and Abigail (and I didn’t like Abigail at all), introduction of new Native American mythology which had not existed in the previous novels, too much angst from the big strong brutish Dark-Hunters, and too many cheesy lines!
And I’ve heard Ren is going to get his book next. Sorry, I had zero interest in him. I don’t think I’ll continue this series, even though lately I had been only reading them from the library.
Jess is a Dark-Hunter and on the prowl to find the chick killing Dark-Hunters … that would be Abigail. I just couldn’t like her. Because of one of the Dark-Hunters she killed she brought on the apocalypse.
The bonus scene at the end was just okay for me. I didn’t love it as many people did. Don’t get me wrong, it was nice to see Ash again, but Artemis was not herself, and it just felt weird since there was no explanation for it. (Especially not after 19 books of her being a witch)
August 27, 2011
Give me some slack in reviewing this book. It's my third read in less than 24 hours and the two previous were really good so I'm feeling a little cynical.
I was really excited to finally see Jess's book. He's mentioned in multiple previous books and I love how Kenyon writes stand-alone stories but uses the characters to preserve continuity in the series. However, Retribution is a HUGE departure from the series. Previous books have addressed ancient European mythologies - Greek, Sumerian, Celtic, Atlantis ect. This book deals strongly with Native American mythologies that are largely ignored in previous books. I didn't quite understand how this fits into the rest of the series. The Sumerian Gallu demons are being killed by the Greek Daimons to grant them more power than boring-old human souls. The daimons are no longer bound to darkness and can stalk their prey during the daylight. The book opens as Jess is receiving dire warnings from several friends - a human woman, surrounded by daimons, is tracking and killing Dark-Hunters. However it's worse than any of them imagine, the woman, Abigail has a specific vendetta against Jess and all the other Dark Hunters were just a bonus. She and her daimons lure him to a sewer, where she is overpowered and taken to Jess's house, where they are overwhelmed by their attraction to each other. But being a book, it's not quite that simple. Unfortunately Abigail did not just kill dark hunters, she managed to get a fanged Native American protector of the apocalypse. Abigail and Jess need to navigate through the Native American myths to prevent the apocalypse.
This book is a case of too much. The series is already dealing with the blending of multiple mythologies - several of which should be ending the world before too long. The other mythologies blend well because the people who worshiped the various deities would have theoretically interacted on some level - even if they were just trying to kill each other. We have no evidence that Native American's interacted with the ancient Greeks or any other Europeans at that time. I've been really worried that the series is becoming too convoluted for the past few books. Retribution is confirmed many of my sinking suspicions. Only so many apocalypse myths and causes can happen simultaneously.
Some of the humor in this book gets a little cheesy. Jess makes Abigail so hot that "if she were a chicken she'd be laying hard-boiled eggs." While used as a joke it's completely over the top - and I'll probably use it should the situation present itself, ok forget probably I'd totally use it. As cheesy as somethings got I was relieved to see new jokes rather than repetition of the same jokes in multiple of the previous books - I was getting a little tired of hearing the same joke in every book.
I was really excited to finally see Jess's book. He's mentioned in multiple previous books and I love how Kenyon writes stand-alone stories but uses the characters to preserve continuity in the series. However, Retribution is a HUGE departure from the series. Previous books have addressed ancient European mythologies - Greek, Sumerian, Celtic, Atlantis ect. This book deals strongly with Native American mythologies that are largely ignored in previous books. I didn't quite understand how this fits into the rest of the series. The Sumerian Gallu demons are being killed by the Greek Daimons to grant them more power than boring-old human souls. The daimons are no longer bound to darkness and can stalk their prey during the daylight. The book opens as Jess is receiving dire warnings from several friends - a human woman, surrounded by daimons, is tracking and killing Dark-Hunters. However it's worse than any of them imagine, the woman, Abigail has a specific vendetta against Jess and all the other Dark Hunters were just a bonus. She and her daimons lure him to a sewer, where she is overpowered and taken to Jess's house, where they are overwhelmed by their attraction to each other. But being a book, it's not quite that simple. Unfortunately Abigail did not just kill dark hunters, she managed to get a fanged Native American protector of the apocalypse. Abigail and Jess need to navigate through the Native American myths to prevent the apocalypse.
This book is a case of too much. The series is already dealing with the blending of multiple mythologies - several of which should be ending the world before too long. The other mythologies blend well because the people who worshiped the various deities would have theoretically interacted on some level - even if they were just trying to kill each other. We have no evidence that Native American's interacted with the ancient Greeks or any other Europeans at that time. I've been really worried that the series is becoming too convoluted for the past few books. Retribution is confirmed many of my sinking suspicions. Only so many apocalypse myths and causes can happen simultaneously.
Some of the humor in this book gets a little cheesy. Jess makes Abigail so hot that "if she were a chicken she'd be laying hard-boiled eggs." While used as a joke it's completely over the top - and I'll probably use it should the situation present itself, ok forget probably I'd totally use it. As cheesy as somethings got I was relieved to see new jokes rather than repetition of the same jokes in multiple of the previous books - I was getting a little tired of hearing the same joke in every book.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
October 5, 2011It's sad when a beloved series loses it's mojo. Even more sad when the best thing about the book is it's cover. The poor Dark Hunter series has at book number 20, lost that loving feeling for me. I never ever thought I'd say this, but Retribution was a do not finish for me. It pains me to write it, because as I've stated before this is one of my all time favorite series.
I haven't read the Chronicles of Nick yet,(because I think it's stupid to have 10 books to get to one dark hunter book) but friends have told me that it's like the author has poured everything she has into that seires and well, you can tell with this book. It's almost like a different writer wrote this one then the earlier novels of this series. Maybe I shouldn't be so harsh as I only got a hundred pages into this book, but with lines like:
pg.22 " Why are you more nervous then a whore at a preachers doorstep?" and this one
Pg 42 ~"Still he didn't take a lickin and not give one back."
og.79 Other than the fact that you're as loco as a three tailed cat in a rocking chair factory, I'm as clueless as a newborn colt."
pg. 86: "It's not what you think Z. Turn on those god powers and use them. I am not responsible for her knowledge of nothing."
Pg. 87: Ew. Someone was socially awkward. She wasn't sure at this point if she liked Z or not. He was rather off putting.
made it impossible for me to go any further. I know that Jesse was born in the 1800s and was a gunslinger, but seriously, I don't even think gunslingers talked like that. When the actual storyline started, I groaned out loud. It was another-I'm going to hate you for the whole book because I think you're evil till I find out I was lied to then I won't be able to live without you storyline I just couldn't get into it as much as I forced myself to keep reading it.
Another issue I had was that when the Dark Hunters whip out their cell phones or computers they are all apple products. All the I phone product placements just didn't sit well with me for some reason. I mean, I don't even see J.R. Ward doing such obvious product placements with her popular Black Dagger Brotherhood Series, and if anyone could get away with it, she could.
Also, when I learned that Acheron and Simi weren't even in the book until the bonus chapter I was like how can this be? They are the dark hunter series! How can Simi not have her BBQ or shinys to play with? Or are they too busy making cameos in Nicks books to be in the Dark Hunter world now? Despite my misgivings on this book, I tried to skim it...but here were some other cheesy lines I found:
pg.194 Nothing left of Jonah except a shimmering film that graced the floor. Iridescent like the wings of a summer butterfly.
pg.263: Life seriously needed an undo button. The coward in her wanted to turn around and run. But she'd never been a craven a day in her life, and she wasn't about now when they needed her to stand strong. (I'm assuming craven is supposed to be coward, but you get the point..)
I can't remember the last time I was so disappointed in a series book. I just want the old Dark Hunter series back, and if I have to wait through 6 more stupid Nick YA books to get it then, I will,. But please, please don't churn out another DH book just trying to make the fans happy. because you've just about lost this fan doing that. I'd rather wait and have a quality one then what the last 3 have been. This review is kinda harsh, but mainly because of how drastically disappointed I was in reading this book. That being said, I'll still buy whatever Dark Hunter book comes out next. What can I say? I'm an optimist and the next one can't any worse.
I haven't read the Chronicles of Nick yet,(because I think it's stupid to have 10 books to get to one dark hunter book) but friends have told me that it's like the author has poured everything she has into that seires and well, you can tell with this book. It's almost like a different writer wrote this one then the earlier novels of this series. Maybe I shouldn't be so harsh as I only got a hundred pages into this book, but with lines like:
pg.22 " Why are you more nervous then a whore at a preachers doorstep?" and this one
Pg 42 ~"Still he didn't take a lickin and not give one back."
og.79 Other than the fact that you're as loco as a three tailed cat in a rocking chair factory, I'm as clueless as a newborn colt."
pg. 86: "It's not what you think Z. Turn on those god powers and use them. I am not responsible for her knowledge of nothing."
Pg. 87: Ew. Someone was socially awkward. She wasn't sure at this point if she liked Z or not. He was rather off putting.
made it impossible for me to go any further. I know that Jesse was born in the 1800s and was a gunslinger, but seriously, I don't even think gunslingers talked like that. When the actual storyline started, I groaned out loud. It was another-I'm going to hate you for the whole book because I think you're evil till I find out I was lied to then I won't be able to live without you storyline I just couldn't get into it as much as I forced myself to keep reading it.
Another issue I had was that when the Dark Hunters whip out their cell phones or computers they are all apple products. All the I phone product placements just didn't sit well with me for some reason. I mean, I don't even see J.R. Ward doing such obvious product placements with her popular Black Dagger Brotherhood Series, and if anyone could get away with it, she could.
Also, when I learned that Acheron and Simi weren't even in the book until the bonus chapter I was like how can this be? They are the dark hunter series! How can Simi not have her BBQ or shinys to play with? Or are they too busy making cameos in Nicks books to be in the Dark Hunter world now? Despite my misgivings on this book, I tried to skim it...but here were some other cheesy lines I found:
pg.194 Nothing left of Jonah except a shimmering film that graced the floor. Iridescent like the wings of a summer butterfly.
pg.263: Life seriously needed an undo button. The coward in her wanted to turn around and run. But she'd never been a craven a day in her life, and she wasn't about now when they needed her to stand strong. (I'm assuming craven is supposed to be coward, but you get the point..)
I can't remember the last time I was so disappointed in a series book. I just want the old Dark Hunter series back, and if I have to wait through 6 more stupid Nick YA books to get it then, I will,. But please, please don't churn out another DH book just trying to make the fans happy. because you've just about lost this fan doing that. I'd rather wait and have a quality one then what the last 3 have been. This review is kinda harsh, but mainly because of how drastically disappointed I was in reading this book. That being said, I'll still buy whatever Dark Hunter book comes out next. What can I say? I'm an optimist and the next one can't any worse.
August 13, 2011
1. I think it's inappropriate for Tory to wish the pain of castration on Ash, a man who was once castrated. First of all, she mentally rants about how Ash needs to know what it feels like to have great pain down in his lower regions (as if he doesn't already) and then she thinks about how she wants to be the one to do this, so she fantasizes about castrating a man who has already been castrated. Interesting.
I'm sorry, but giving birth is not an excuse to wish extreme pain on someone, especially someone whose entire life has been one big ball of pain and suffering. Now, I've never given birth, but I specifically asked my mother and several other people who have, if (while they were giving birth) they literally wished their husband's to be dead/in unbearable pain, and they all said that they didn't. Case closed.
2. Abigail sucks as a heroine. She's stupid and blindly kills people without making sure they're evil and without even knowing who they are! And everyone forgives her for no reason.
3. Where was the romance? Also, there was only one sex scene. Also, they didn't figure out they loved each other until the last paragraph.
4. I didn't enjoy the scenes during which Abigail was a little, tiny child and Jess was a full grown man. It was creepy. It's one thing to know he knew her when she was an infant, but it's another to have to bear witness to those scenes.
5. I swear to God, if Kenyon thinks Artemis will make an acceptable heroine for anyone, let alone Nick, she is crazy. It seems to me this is being implied. Artemis changing because of Nick? No. There is no redemption for someone who brutally beat Ash, the most beloved character of the series, over and over again, allowed him to be castrated, beat him some more, and then watched while he was murdered. No.
6. I think Kenyon thinks that just because Artemis helped Tory give birth, that she has been redeemed. Are you kidding? NO!!! That woman deserves eternal torment. If she becomes a heroine, I will never read a Kenyon book again. That's sick.
7. Jess is just a replica of some of Kenyon's past heroes. They all have the same sense of humor. He had a bit of Dev, a bit of Talon, a bit of Ash, and a little bit of Raven. Abigail is a lot like Tabby, Maggie, Susan, Astrid, Kat, Danger, pretty much a replic of Tori. They all have the exact same personality, just with different jobs/interests.
I'm sorry, but giving birth is not an excuse to wish extreme pain on someone, especially someone whose entire life has been one big ball of pain and suffering. Now, I've never given birth, but I specifically asked my mother and several other people who have, if (while they were giving birth) they literally wished their husband's to be dead/in unbearable pain, and they all said that they didn't. Case closed.
2. Abigail sucks as a heroine. She's stupid and blindly kills people without making sure they're evil and without even knowing who they are! And everyone forgives her for no reason.
3. Where was the romance? Also, there was only one sex scene. Also, they didn't figure out they loved each other until the last paragraph.
4. I didn't enjoy the scenes during which Abigail was a little, tiny child and Jess was a full grown man. It was creepy. It's one thing to know he knew her when she was an infant, but it's another to have to bear witness to those scenes.
5. I swear to God, if Kenyon thinks Artemis will make an acceptable heroine for anyone, let alone Nick, she is crazy. It seems to me this is being implied. Artemis changing because of Nick? No. There is no redemption for someone who brutally beat Ash, the most beloved character of the series, over and over again, allowed him to be castrated, beat him some more, and then watched while he was murdered. No.
6. I think Kenyon thinks that just because Artemis helped Tory give birth, that she has been redeemed. Are you kidding? NO!!! That woman deserves eternal torment. If she becomes a heroine, I will never read a Kenyon book again. That's sick.
7. Jess is just a replica of some of Kenyon's past heroes. They all have the same sense of humor. He had a bit of Dev, a bit of Talon, a bit of Ash, and a little bit of Raven. Abigail is a lot like Tabby, Maggie, Susan, Astrid, Kat, Danger, pretty much a replic of Tori. They all have the exact same personality, just with different jobs/interests.
September 7, 2013
By far my least favorite book of the series to date.
Good grief I had so many problems with this book, I don't even know where to begin. *deep breath*
****SPOILER WARNINGS****
Add me to the list of people who found themselves wondering if S.K. actually wrote a good portion of this book. Everything from the dialogue to the new character development felt completely flat and emotionless to me. It was almost as if Kenyon wrote a few scenes here and there, and left the majority of the story up to someone else. A prime example: the book's one and only love scene takes place in the front seat of a tiny car while the H/h are being attacked by a plague of wasps. WTF???!!!
While in the end I wound up somewhat liking the character of Jess, I definitely could not drum up an ounce of sympathy for Abigail. Yes, she was lied to and used by the 'family' that raised her. I get that. BUT...that does not change the fact that she went about killing every Dark Hunter that she could get her hands on. And the fact that she was basically forgiven so easily for everything she did? Makes. No. Sense. Especially in the context of the DH world that i knew up to this point. And how about the fact that one minute she is hell bent on killing Jess and hating him with everything she has....and the next she decides she cares deeply about him, and wants to die to protect him and save the world?! Again...WTF?!?
The trademark snarky dialogue that i have come to love and expect in this series was definitely lacking here. But it wasn't for a lack of trying. The problem was that much of the dialogue (snarky or otherwise) came off as forced and at times down-right ridiculous.
As for that hot mess of a train wreck that was the ending? Talk about confusing and convoluted.
Even a cameo (blink and you miss it) by one of my all time fave DH characters Zarek couldn't make me enjoy this story.
While I understand the need to introduce new characters into the Dark Hunter world, I was not impressed with many of the new faces. I will say that i am curious for Ren's story coming up in Time Untime. I just pray that the story line is handled far better than it was here.
The only reason I am giving this 2 instead of 1 star is because of the 'bonus scene' with Ash. This chapter reminded me why i love the series so much, and felt very much like something happening in the DH world (unlike everything else that had occurred throughout the book). I loved the glimpse of remorse that we saw from Artie, and any kind of action involving Ash is always wonderful in my eyes.
My YT Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/Bookgasmic
My blog: http://ravingbookaddict.blogspot.com/
Good grief I had so many problems with this book, I don't even know where to begin. *deep breath*
****SPOILER WARNINGS****
Add me to the list of people who found themselves wondering if S.K. actually wrote a good portion of this book. Everything from the dialogue to the new character development felt completely flat and emotionless to me. It was almost as if Kenyon wrote a few scenes here and there, and left the majority of the story up to someone else. A prime example: the book's one and only love scene takes place in the front seat of a tiny car while the H/h are being attacked by a plague of wasps. WTF???!!!
While in the end I wound up somewhat liking the character of Jess, I definitely could not drum up an ounce of sympathy for Abigail. Yes, she was lied to and used by the 'family' that raised her. I get that. BUT...that does not change the fact that she went about killing every Dark Hunter that she could get her hands on. And the fact that she was basically forgiven so easily for everything she did? Makes. No. Sense. Especially in the context of the DH world that i knew up to this point. And how about the fact that one minute she is hell bent on killing Jess and hating him with everything she has....and the next she decides she cares deeply about him, and wants to die to protect him and save the world?! Again...WTF?!?
The trademark snarky dialogue that i have come to love and expect in this series was definitely lacking here. But it wasn't for a lack of trying. The problem was that much of the dialogue (snarky or otherwise) came off as forced and at times down-right ridiculous.
As for that hot mess of a train wreck that was the ending? Talk about confusing and convoluted.
Even a cameo (blink and you miss it) by one of my all time fave DH characters Zarek couldn't make me enjoy this story.
While I understand the need to introduce new characters into the Dark Hunter world, I was not impressed with many of the new faces. I will say that i am curious for Ren's story coming up in Time Untime. I just pray that the story line is handled far better than it was here.
The only reason I am giving this 2 instead of 1 star is because of the 'bonus scene' with Ash. This chapter reminded me why i love the series so much, and felt very much like something happening in the DH world (unlike everything else that had occurred throughout the book). I loved the glimpse of remorse that we saw from Artie, and any kind of action involving Ash is always wonderful in my eyes.
My YT Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/Bookgasmic
My blog: http://ravingbookaddict.blogspot.com/
November 30, 2014
As always...WOW! Sherri, yet again, has amazed another fan with another new release! Of all the male characters Sherrilyn Kenyon has ever written, William Jessup Brady has to be the most unique, if for no other reason than the sheer loveability and fun loving attitude of his personality. And, Abigale was just plain amazing. I always find something fascinating in each of the DH heroines and Retribution was no exception. Paired together, these two characters were fun to read from prologue to epilogue. The dynamic of the characters astounded even I!
The plot of this novel was so interesting, and best is described as a story which brings all of its characters full circle, but with untold future events to follow later in subsequent books. I don't doubt many who have read Retribution will say the plot was lacking in a conclusion. However, having seen what lies in store for the 2012 summer Dark-Hunter release, I think it might be safe to say Retribution was intended to be a prequel of sorts for the book Time Untime. What's more, considering the fact that our amazing Author Goddess is re-exploring the Native American subtext and Parthenon, Retribution is eased but action-packed.
Overall, yet another entertaining story with rich characterization, action-filled excitement, and passionate romance!
The plot of this novel was so interesting, and best is described as a story which brings all of its characters full circle, but with untold future events to follow later in subsequent books. I don't doubt many who have read Retribution will say the plot was lacking in a conclusion. However, having seen what lies in store for the 2012 summer Dark-Hunter release, I think it might be safe to say Retribution was intended to be a prequel of sorts for the book Time Untime. What's more, considering the fact that our amazing Author Goddess is re-exploring the Native American subtext and Parthenon, Retribution is eased but action-packed.
Overall, yet another entertaining story with rich characterization, action-filled excitement, and passionate romance!
August 3, 2011
I don't have much to say on my liking of this novel. I liked it, didn't love it, and it wasn't amazing. I'm dissapointed as a reader, I had to keep repeating too myself "This novel is part of the Dark Hunter series" It was a total shift change compared to the rest of the series. The only thing that would remind me what series I was reading, is when they mentioned the "Dark Hunters and Daimons" I looked forward to being aquainted with majority of the characters in this series,but got zippo!
The author did justify by adding a bonus material at the end. But it wasn't enough for me. Still Dissapointed....
The author did justify by adding a bonus material at the end. But it wasn't enough for me. Still Dissapointed....
December 17, 2017
Realmente fui a Rehabilitación, pero soy tan débil que vuelvo a caer, esta serie es mi perdición
¿Recuerdan a Jess AKA Sundown , el vaquero amigo de Zarek? Bueno pues este es su libro, quien lo iba a imaginar, yo pensé que no tenía libro y me alegra haberlo leído.
Esta historia es totalmente diferente a lo que hemos venido leyendo aquí dejamos atrás un poco la mitología griega y los otros panteones para adentrarnos en la mitología de los nativos amerricanso específicamente los Cherokee, todavía está esa mezcla con los demás panteones pero no tanto sino uno que otro elemento por ejemplo los daimons o lo demonios gallu, pero no se mezclan las otras creencias.
Aparecen nuevos personajes que refrescan la serie y sobre todo los viejos que son entrañables como mi Zarek, Talon y Sasha.
La mayoría de las protagonistas me han gustado pero Abigail no la soporté que chica tan más tonta y crédula, por todas las tonterías que hace se desata todo el caos y algunas cosas que hace al principio si merecía un poquito de castigo, al final más o menos se endereza pero igual me pareció que Jess era mucha cosa para ella, porque él fue encantador, tenía un sentido del humor divertido, era juguetón y relajado.
Yo le daría 2.5 estrellas, pero es que la escena final es tan aldnflsfsns , y es de mi Ash hermoso y eso merece que le dé una estrella más porque esa escena fue de 5 estrellas
Pd : Sigo enojada porque Artemisa sigue de lo lindo grrr maldita zorra.
¿Recuerdan a Jess AKA Sundown , el vaquero amigo de Zarek? Bueno pues este es su libro, quien lo iba a imaginar, yo pensé que no tenía libro y me alegra haberlo leído.
Esta historia es totalmente diferente a lo que hemos venido leyendo aquí dejamos atrás un poco la mitología griega y los otros panteones para adentrarnos en la mitología de los nativos amerricanso específicamente los Cherokee, todavía está esa mezcla con los demás panteones pero no tanto sino uno que otro elemento por ejemplo los daimons o lo demonios gallu, pero no se mezclan las otras creencias.
Aparecen nuevos personajes que refrescan la serie y sobre todo los viejos que son entrañables como mi Zarek, Talon y Sasha.
La mayoría de las protagonistas me han gustado pero Abigail no la soporté que chica tan más tonta y crédula, por todas las tonterías que hace se desata todo el caos y algunas cosas que hace al principio si merecía un poquito de castigo, al final más o menos se endereza pero igual me pareció que Jess era mucha cosa para ella, porque él fue encantador, tenía un sentido del humor divertido, era juguetón y relajado.
Yo le daría 2.5 estrellas, pero es que la escena final es tan aldnflsfsns , y es de mi Ash hermoso y eso merece que le dé una estrella más porque esa escena fue de 5 estrellas
Pd : Sigo enojada porque Artemisa sigue de lo lindo grrr maldita zorra.
Shelved as 'dnf'
January 22, 2016I debated a couple of days how to handle this book - whether it would be a 1 star or a DNF. I started reading and hated the setup with the Hero still mourning his dead fiancé and still in love with her. Then I met the heroine and totally disliked her. So I thought about a DNF. But I decided to keep going to see if It got better. The story was strange (different than previous stories). The heroine is either a descendant or reincarnation of the dead fiancé. Yuck. And the Hero knew her as a child...used to play with her. Double, triple Yuck! Totally skeeved out at this point plus by now I totally hated the heroine. She was a MURDERER who got off the hook because "oops" I thought he was a bad guy. So then I started hating the hero. BTW one sucky sex scene. Did the same author write this book it is do bad?!
I skimmed the remainder of the book and read the bonus chapter about Acheron since folks raved about it. What the fuck did they read? Because I read a chapter that was totally ruined by the bitch goddess being included in such an intimate moment. Is the author seriously trying to redeem her sick ass? NEVER! I was so angry I just put it away for a couple of days. Calmer now I have decided to mark as a DNF because I did not read all of the pages and not give it the 1 star it deserves.
I skimmed the remainder of the book and read the bonus chapter about Acheron since folks raved about it. What the fuck did they read? Because I read a chapter that was totally ruined by the bitch goddess being included in such an intimate moment. Is the author seriously trying to redeem her sick ass? NEVER! I was so angry I just put it away for a couple of days. Calmer now I have decided to mark as a DNF because I did not read all of the pages and not give it the 1 star it deserves.
August 6, 2011
I couldn't put the book down... mainly because i kept waiting for the romance to bloom through all the apocalyptic craziness.
Wow i never thought i would say this but i was actually disappointed in this story, which has never happened with a Kenyon novel before. The story line was interesting but i must remind this is a romance novel-there should be a bit more romance and relationship growth. There was just a lot of twisty turny plot fun (which is why i rated as high as i did) but i wanted so much more from Jess's book. I was more moved by the 20 page bonus scene at the end of the book than by the entire story-line. The romance seemed a bit of an afterthought unfortunately.
It wont stop me from continuing to read the series (nothing could) but i hope the next book involves a bit more romance and love (passion even maybe?) to go along with the usual Kenyon Plot twists.
Her latest editions of her romances have been straying too far from the great stories of her past for me... Maybe she's been writing too much YA and has forgotten what made her the best paranormal romance author around.
Wow i never thought i would say this but i was actually disappointed in this story, which has never happened with a Kenyon novel before. The story line was interesting but i must remind this is a romance novel-there should be a bit more romance and relationship growth. There was just a lot of twisty turny plot fun (which is why i rated as high as i did) but i wanted so much more from Jess's book. I was more moved by the 20 page bonus scene at the end of the book than by the entire story-line. The romance seemed a bit of an afterthought unfortunately.
It wont stop me from continuing to read the series (nothing could) but i hope the next book involves a bit more romance and love (passion even maybe?) to go along with the usual Kenyon Plot twists.
Her latest editions of her romances have been straying too far from the great stories of her past for me... Maybe she's been writing too much YA and has forgotten what made her the best paranormal romance author around.
August 22, 2011
Rating 3.5
I was very hesitant to read this book at first because since Acheron's book, this series had gone down-hill for me and I have only continued with it out of nostalgia but this one was good. I liked the new elements and players introduced, Sundown was awesome as ever while it took me a while to like Abby, because at the beginning I just wanted to smack her and make her disappear.
I loved the bonus scene at the end when Tory gives birth.
Retribution was good and I will be watching for Ren's book.
I was very hesitant to read this book at first because since Acheron's book, this series had gone down-hill for me and I have only continued with it out of nostalgia but this one was good. I liked the new elements and players introduced, Sundown was awesome as ever while it took me a while to like Abby, because at the beginning I just wanted to smack her and make her disappear.
I loved the bonus scene at the end when Tory gives birth.
Retribution was good and I will be watching for Ren's book.
August 5, 2011
How the hell does Sherrilyn Kenyon do that? Always amaze, surprise and make me fall in love after so many books.
I have no idea, but I'm deeply grateful for it.
I have only one word to describe this book: Wow.
It was better than I thought it would be, but in a total different way.
Can't wait for the next one!
I have no idea, but I'm deeply grateful for it.
I have only one word to describe this book: Wow.
It was better than I thought it would be, but in a total different way.
Can't wait for the next one!
May 8, 2020
I don't know, nothing was convincing to me here... simply meeeeh.
Only that bonus scene ♥
Only that bonus scene ♥
August 7, 2011
I have one question - what the hell was Sherrilyn Kenyon thinking when she wrote this book? I found myself skimming pages, glazing over the text and wishing that Ash or someone interesting would show up to pump some life into this thing. There were brief appearances from Sin, Zarek, Talon and Nick, but even they couldn't save this sinking ship. Jess is a gun slinger who was made into a dark-hunter who resides in Vegas. He's on the hunt for a "human," who's running with a pack of Daimons, wile taking out dark hunters. The human turns to be Abby who he knew as a child. Apparently Abby's mom was a descendant of the love of his life, Matilda, who watched him get gunned down by his former friend. The fact that he falls for Abby is just a shade creepy in my opinion. So Abby is all "kill all dark hunters" crazy because she not only believes that Jess killed her parents, but she's been raised by a family of Appolites who have programmed her to believe that dark hunters are the enemy. As luck would have it, Jess captures Abby but not before she kills Great Bear. This action unleashes an Apocalypse, and this is where I got lost in the shuffle of Ms. Kenyon's interpretation of this dark hunter installment. The majority of this story includes Ren, Sasha, Choo co lah tah, Abby and Jess on the side of good and Coyote and Snake on the side of evil. There's a lot of take of Native American curses, butterflies and buffalo, and a whole of stuff that made my head hurt. I just didn't get it. This story had no dark hunter feel. It was more like a modern version of a western with fangs with some spirit world scenes thrown in for good measure. The scene where the good guys, except Ren, were all in the car going to the Apocalypse was the worst of all. Not to mention the one and only sex scene in this book took place in a sports car during an attack of wasp and a mountain lion??? Yeah, I know - WHAT? This book was awful, seriously. I have never been so disappointed for a book I so looked forward to. The one saving grace about this book wasn't even the story in Retribution, but the bonus scene at the end. My disappointment completely went south when I started reading about Ash, Tory, Simi, etc. (I don't want to tell too much about that scene, but it was good.) Although, I am questioning Artemis's good-natured gesture. I mean she's the heifer-goddess. Why is she being nice all of a sudden? I think 21 books is way past enough for a series. Ms. Kenyon is constantly introducing new characters instead of cultivating the great ones that she's already created. It's very apparent that she wants to take this series in a completely different direction. I think it's a mistake. Unless this series starts to come together with the next book (which I believe is a Dream Hunter's book - oh boy here we go again), I think I may have to bid this series adieu.
July 31, 2011
I am going to have to rate this book a little different. The story is great. I loved the characters the powers they had to use and I really enjoyed the Indian heritage brought to the plate. I also was very thankful that there wasn’t a bunch of new characters added to keep up with. You’ll find humor, adventure and danger, with all of this mixed together it made this one a fast pace read. So, for the story I give a 4.
Now, for the romance I have to give a 2. Yep, this one feel very short in the romance. I never felt one spark between Jess and Abigail and at times I never felt anything believable about them being together. Don’t expect a hot romance in this story.
I really hate to go more to the story with such a big description for the book. I do want to tell you a little that goes on. Jess knew Abigail when she was a baby and kid after her parents accident (which you’ll have to read to find out what happened) he lost track of her after that, until one day he came face to face with Abigail which wasn’t as much fun as he would have liked. I have to admit it took me a bit to warm up to this idea and I really don’t know why, but it creeped me out. LOL Abigail has a thing for Jess, but it’s not want you think she wants him dead. After taking the wrong advice she has open a can of worm so to speak and now she has to turn to the one who she hates to get her out of the mess she has gotten into.
I liked Jess, he strong and caring. Abigail well she tends to hold way to much of a grudge and wont drop it. After a while it got boring.
At the end you’ll find a bonus scene for Asheron and Troy’s birth of their son. It was good except for one instance. I didn’t care for Artemis being there one bit, but that’s meJ
Now, for the romance I have to give a 2. Yep, this one feel very short in the romance. I never felt one spark between Jess and Abigail and at times I never felt anything believable about them being together. Don’t expect a hot romance in this story.
I really hate to go more to the story with such a big description for the book. I do want to tell you a little that goes on. Jess knew Abigail when she was a baby and kid after her parents accident (which you’ll have to read to find out what happened) he lost track of her after that, until one day he came face to face with Abigail which wasn’t as much fun as he would have liked. I have to admit it took me a bit to warm up to this idea and I really don’t know why, but it creeped me out. LOL Abigail has a thing for Jess, but it’s not want you think she wants him dead. After taking the wrong advice she has open a can of worm so to speak and now she has to turn to the one who she hates to get her out of the mess she has gotten into.
I liked Jess, he strong and caring. Abigail well she tends to hold way to much of a grudge and wont drop it. After a while it got boring.
At the end you’ll find a bonus scene for Asheron and Troy’s birth of their son. It was good except for one instance. I didn’t care for Artemis being there one bit, but that’s meJ
August 17, 2011
I was really looking forward to the latest addition to the Dark Hunter series. We’d initially met Jess in Dance With The Devil (Zarek’s story) and he came across as another character with a story to tell.
I feel a bit let down by Retribution. There was something a bit haphazard and rushed about it, and for the first few chapters I found myself a bit confused and rereading back thinking I’d missed explanations. At times, the scenes are written as though we were privy to information about the characters background, only that information didn’t appear until later in the book, making the flow feel jerky.
I did like the concept of using Native American mythology but, again, it didn’t really feel as well thought out as other books in the series. And the relationship between Jess and Abigail just didn’t seem as believable as with the other characters in the series. The appearance of a few other Darkhunters seemed to have been thrown in with no real reason behind it other than to have a nod toward characters we know and Ash’s complete absence from the tale just didn’t sit well with me. A Dark Hunter story with no snark from Ash just isn’t right.
I finished the book with a disappointed ”is that it?”
Without giving away any spoilers, the epilogue was probably the best part of the book. If you’re a fan of the Darkhunter series, then obviously you need to have this one and, of course, it is definitely readable but it’s not one of the best in the series – which is a shame.
http://urbanfantastic.com
I feel a bit let down by Retribution. There was something a bit haphazard and rushed about it, and for the first few chapters I found myself a bit confused and rereading back thinking I’d missed explanations. At times, the scenes are written as though we were privy to information about the characters background, only that information didn’t appear until later in the book, making the flow feel jerky.
I did like the concept of using Native American mythology but, again, it didn’t really feel as well thought out as other books in the series. And the relationship between Jess and Abigail just didn’t seem as believable as with the other characters in the series. The appearance of a few other Darkhunters seemed to have been thrown in with no real reason behind it other than to have a nod toward characters we know and Ash’s complete absence from the tale just didn’t sit well with me. A Dark Hunter story with no snark from Ash just isn’t right.
I finished the book with a disappointed ”is that it?”
Without giving away any spoilers, the epilogue was probably the best part of the book. If you’re a fan of the Darkhunter series, then obviously you need to have this one and, of course, it is definitely readable but it’s not one of the best in the series – which is a shame.
http://urbanfantastic.com
March 26, 2012
I think this is the first time I rate a book with 1 STAR!
I couldn't finish it. I went through an 80% of it and I just couldn't keep going. So slow! Pages and pages of things and nothing really went on. Or maybe too much did. I'm not even sure any more. I swear I wanted to like it because this has been one of my favorites series for so long that I just can't believe what it has become. WHERE have the original Dark Hunters gone? Their true purposes? Why has this series CHANGED so much? It just wasn't necessary when it was terrific the way it used to be. I'm just sorry things got this far. I believe this series should have come to an end already.
I didn't like any of the main characters, the bored me to death. Not good dialogues at all and the plot was terrible. I wont be reading more from this series any time soon. I believe Kenyon should focus more on her other series: The League. Now that one is something I can't wait to put my hands on.
I couldn't finish it. I went through an 80% of it and I just couldn't keep going. So slow! Pages and pages of things and nothing really went on. Or maybe too much did. I'm not even sure any more. I swear I wanted to like it because this has been one of my favorites series for so long that I just can't believe what it has become. WHERE have the original Dark Hunters gone? Their true purposes? Why has this series CHANGED so much? It just wasn't necessary when it was terrific the way it used to be. I'm just sorry things got this far. I believe this series should have come to an end already.
I didn't like any of the main characters, the bored me to death. Not good dialogues at all and the plot was terrible. I wont be reading more from this series any time soon. I believe Kenyon should focus more on her other series: The League. Now that one is something I can't wait to put my hands on.
August 6, 2011
"The happiness on your face when first you touched him was enough. I only wish you'd been there when your daughter was born, but that was my fault. I've had a lifetime of joy, hugs and love from her and you missed all of that because of my stupidity and fear. His life is my gift to both of you. Let's hope the future is much kinder to all of us than the past has been." And then she was gone...
ahhhh, the bitch goddess is growing up...Thanks Nicky!
Now...for those of you who didn't like it...I have nothing to say. The great thing about the D-H series is that each book is so different and so unique. Each builds on something that we cannot see or fore tell and that is why the author goddess is who she is!!! The Time Untime may be the time our Nicky comes into his own or not...The sum of the story arc is not this book, but that is okay too. The story in itself tells us a lot about Z, Ren, and Sasha...but of course the origin of Sundown. The circle of life (and I gag myself on that statememt) has come full circle for Buffalo and Butterfly...but the journey has just begun for Coyote, Crow and Wolf. My heart ached for Crow and his struggle. I can't wait for his story! Plus, when we get Sasha's story I am seriously counting on some more Z.
The only downside was the lack of Nick and Ash. I personally love when they call Ash and he gives them some droll sarcasm...He could have squeezed it in since the labour was like 10 hours! Tee hee! To my fellow D-H lovers...you will enjoy this installment for what it is...a great read that builds the world that we all love. me
ahhhh, the bitch goddess is growing up...Thanks Nicky!
Now...for those of you who didn't like it...I have nothing to say. The great thing about the D-H series is that each book is so different and so unique. Each builds on something that we cannot see or fore tell and that is why the author goddess is who she is!!! The Time Untime may be the time our Nicky comes into his own or not...The sum of the story arc is not this book, but that is okay too. The story in itself tells us a lot about Z, Ren, and Sasha...but of course the origin of Sundown. The circle of life (and I gag myself on that statememt) has come full circle for Buffalo and Butterfly...but the journey has just begun for Coyote, Crow and Wolf. My heart ached for Crow and his struggle. I can't wait for his story! Plus, when we get Sasha's story I am seriously counting on some more Z.
The only downside was the lack of Nick and Ash. I personally love when they call Ash and he gives them some droll sarcasm...He could have squeezed it in since the labour was like 10 hours! Tee hee! To my fellow D-H lovers...you will enjoy this installment for what it is...a great read that builds the world that we all love. me
July 30, 2011
This was not what I expected. Not really set in the DH world as in the previous books.
*SPOILERS*
You have your DH Jess "Sundown" Brady. In the beginning of the book you get a glimpse into his past and what made him become a DH.
Then you have Abigail, a confused person who I really didn't care for. She couldn't make up her mind with what was is truth and was is false. Got on my nerves quick. She believes that Sundown was the person who gunned down her parents but in the end it wasn't him.
I didn't feel the connection with them but it turns out that Jess is Buffalo(War) reincarnated and Abigail is Butterfly(Peace) reincarnated who are two halves who were supposed to be one. They only had one love scene and IMO, it could have been better but in the circumstances they were in, it made do.
You have new characters Ren, who will be the hero in the next DH book. The Coyote is brother who I assume will make an appearance in the next book. Andy, Jess's squire had his funny moments along with Sundown...
Pushing himself back, Andy hissed at them. "You mock my pain, sir."
"Nah," Jess drawled. "I mock your idiocy."
Then you have former characters make an appearance. Sasha, in case ya'll forgot is a shifter who was introduced in Zarek's book. He was hilarious...Chapter 15 was a funny one with Sasha. Zarek, Talon and *sigh* Nick make brief appearances.
This book has a bonus scene and we are introduced to Sebastos Eurodus Parthenopaeus.
*SPOILERS*
You have your DH Jess "Sundown" Brady. In the beginning of the book you get a glimpse into his past and what made him become a DH.
Then you have Abigail, a confused person who I really didn't care for. She couldn't make up her mind with what was is truth and was is false. Got on my nerves quick. She believes that Sundown was the person who gunned down her parents but in the end it wasn't him.
I didn't feel the connection with them but it turns out that Jess is Buffalo(War) reincarnated and Abigail is Butterfly(Peace) reincarnated who are two halves who were supposed to be one. They only had one love scene and IMO, it could have been better but in the circumstances they were in, it made do.
You have new characters Ren, who will be the hero in the next DH book. The Coyote is brother who I assume will make an appearance in the next book. Andy, Jess's squire had his funny moments along with Sundown...
Pushing himself back, Andy hissed at them. "You mock my pain, sir."
"Nah," Jess drawled. "I mock your idiocy."
Then you have former characters make an appearance. Sasha, in case ya'll forgot is a shifter who was introduced in Zarek's book. He was hilarious...Chapter 15 was a funny one with Sasha. Zarek, Talon and *sigh* Nick make brief appearances.
This book has a bonus scene and we are introduced to Sebastos Eurodus Parthenopaeus.
December 17, 2012
Kenyon went way off the reservation with this book.
She already has Dark Hunters, Were Hunters, Dream Hunters and many other creatures loosely based from Greek mythologies. Now she's throwing in Native American folklore...along with ALL that! Its just getting too complicated for me and I was confused most of the time. I felt like the story was constantly getting halted to remind me of some fact or detail that I'm already supposed to know from 10 books ago. And when I was still confused, I found myself referencing Kenyon's website for past information. That was just too much work to be enjoyable.
With all that, I still liked it okay. I didn't find anything memorable about either of the MCs, although Jess was pretty funny. Don't ask me his heroine's name because I have already forgotten. Plus, there's hardly any sex to even get excited about. I think my favorite character was Andy...HILARIOUS!! And Ren...I'm really looking forward to his story now.
Sadly, my favorite part of the whole thing was the "Bonus Scene" at the end of the book involving Tory and Ash and the birth of their baby. Loved getting to see some of the characters that have been around forever.
She already has Dark Hunters, Were Hunters, Dream Hunters and many other creatures loosely based from Greek mythologies. Now she's throwing in Native American folklore...along with ALL that! Its just getting too complicated for me and I was confused most of the time. I felt like the story was constantly getting halted to remind me of some fact or detail that I'm already supposed to know from 10 books ago. And when I was still confused, I found myself referencing Kenyon's website for past information. That was just too much work to be enjoyable.
With all that, I still liked it okay. I didn't find anything memorable about either of the MCs, although Jess was pretty funny. Don't ask me his heroine's name because I have already forgotten. Plus, there's hardly any sex to even get excited about. I think my favorite character was Andy...HILARIOUS!! And Ren...I'm really looking forward to his story now.
Sadly, my favorite part of the whole thing was the "Bonus Scene" at the end of the book involving Tory and Ash and the birth of their baby. Loved getting to see some of the characters that have been around forever.
August 3, 2011
Hate to say this...but I didn't really care for it. It didn't even seem like a Dark-Hunter novel; too much Native American mythology and not enough (if any) Dark-Hunter myth. At times the NA myth was just too confusing...or maybe I wasn't interested enough...even though I knew it was integral to the story. The Dark Hunter characters (Zarek/Talon/Ash/Zarek/Nick) were barely there and seemed to just be thrown in so this could be called a Dark-Hunter novel. Yes, Sasha was there and as much as I love him...he's not really Dark-Hunter. (Though his is a story I would like to see in the future). I think even Ms. Kenyon had to know that she would be disappointing DH fans with this novel, hence the bonus story at the end...that was worth reading! While I liked Jess, his speech was just too "cowboy-fied" that it became annoying and Abigail...I don't know, she didn't strike home to me. It's probably a case of expecting so much more ( a true DH novel) and not getting anything near what I expected. I hate to think that the next novel will be somewhat of a continuation of this story what with the continued references to Coyote just lying low and biding his time; also you know there has got to be somekind of HEA in the works for Ren.
September 8, 2011
This story is about a gunslinger, Dark Hunter named Sundown or Jess who has just moved to Las Vegas where a few Dark Hunters have mysteriously died. Abigail knew Jess when she was a child but then her parents were killed and she blames Jess.
I really enjoyed the story even though there was so much going on. I guess you could call this a Dark Hunter story but it really takes a left turn. SK explains it in her Author's Note but I think she should've done what she did with Dream Hunters and called this Spirit Hunters or something similar because it deals with a lot of Indian Mythology/History. For example, Jess is a Dark Hunter but he's also something more...same with Abigail.
I like all the "history" between the two main characters but wished there was a bit more romance. The car wash scene was good but not enough!!
We do get a few, very brief appearances by some of the other Dark Hunters, namely Sin, Talon, Zarek and Nick but I could've done with a lot more. There is a lot of Sasha but I can't even remember if we've met him before.
**Also, there is a little bonus chapter at the end ~ with Ash !! ~ that I really enjoyed and you shouldn't miss.
I really enjoyed the story even though there was so much going on. I guess you could call this a Dark Hunter story but it really takes a left turn. SK explains it in her Author's Note but I think she should've done what she did with Dream Hunters and called this Spirit Hunters or something similar because it deals with a lot of Indian Mythology/History. For example, Jess is a Dark Hunter but he's also something more...same with Abigail.
I like all the "history" between the two main characters but wished there was a bit more romance. The car wash scene was good but not enough!!
We do get a few, very brief appearances by some of the other Dark Hunters, namely Sin, Talon, Zarek and Nick but I could've done with a lot more. There is a lot of Sasha but I can't even remember if we've met him before.
**Also, there is a little bonus chapter at the end ~ with Ash !! ~ that I really enjoyed and you shouldn't miss.
December 1, 2011
In an act of revenge, William Jessup Brady sold his soul to become a Dark Hunter. Decades later someone is successfully killing Dark Hunter's, Jess is one of the Hunters sent out to find the person daring to disrupt the protectors of human kind. Jess ends up finding Abigail Yager, the young toddler he had ties to until the murder of her parents.
Abigail wants revenge, she knows Jess killed her parents and she plans to take his life in return. Abigail is confused though as Jess begins pointing out holes in her theory over what she knows about Dark Hunters, Appolites, and other creatures that go bump in the night. When she realizes the magnitude of what her actions have caused, she will need to unite with Jess and his fellow Hunters to save the world from impending doom.
Interesting Hunter novel, a lot different than Sherrilyn Kenyon's other work. Had a lot of Native American references to legends, very compelling read. There were moments I got a little tired of Abigail and her confusion of truth vs the falsehoods she lived her life knowing. I enjoyed Zarek, Sasha, and Talon's visits in the book though. Love Sasha, hope his book is next.
Abigail wants revenge, she knows Jess killed her parents and she plans to take his life in return. Abigail is confused though as Jess begins pointing out holes in her theory over what she knows about Dark Hunters, Appolites, and other creatures that go bump in the night. When she realizes the magnitude of what her actions have caused, she will need to unite with Jess and his fellow Hunters to save the world from impending doom.
Interesting Hunter novel, a lot different than Sherrilyn Kenyon's other work. Had a lot of Native American references to legends, very compelling read. There were moments I got a little tired of Abigail and her confusion of truth vs the falsehoods she lived her life knowing. I enjoyed Zarek, Sasha, and Talon's visits in the book though. Love Sasha, hope his book is next.
November 21, 2018
ก็ยังคงเป็นดาร์คฮันเตอร์ที่คุ้นเคย
มีปีศาจ มีเหล่าร้าย ทั้งวิ่งหนี และตามล่า
แต่เล่มนี้มีตัวละครเก่าๆมากันเยอะอยู่ เป็นตัวที่ชอบทั้งนั้นเลย ซิน ซาช่า ทาลอน แต่แปลก แอชไม่โผล่มาเลย เพราะเมียใกล้คลอด (แต่มาในตอนพิเศษนะ)
ตอนพิเศษ นี่ยัยตัวแสบเปลี่ยนไป เพราะอะไรนะ จำไม่ได้ มีบอกไว้ หรือยังไม่เฉลย?
พูดถึงตัวเรื่อง ตาดว่ามันคงมีอะไรต่อไป เพราะจบค้างๆ
เล่มนี้แต่งเมื่อปี 2011 แปลเมื่อ 2018 แต่เราจะไม่บ่นเรื่องนี้ค่ะ (นี่คือพิมพ์เฉยๆนะ ไม่ได้บ่นอะไรเลย)
มีปีศาจ มีเหล่าร้าย ทั้งวิ่งหนี และตามล่า
แต่เล่มนี้มีตัวละครเก่าๆมากันเยอะอยู่ เป็นตัวที่ชอบทั้งนั้นเลย ซิน ซาช่า ทาลอน แต่แปลก แอชไม่โผล่มาเลย เพราะเมียใกล้คลอด (แต่มาในตอนพิเศษนะ)
ตอนพิเศษ นี่ยัยตัวแสบเปลี่ยนไป เพราะอะไรนะ จำไม่ได้ มีบอกไว้ หรือยังไม่เฉลย?
พูดถึงตัวเรื่อง ตาดว่ามันคงมีอะไรต่อไป เพราะจบค้างๆ
เล่มนี้แต่งเมื่อปี 2011 แปลเมื่อ 2018 แต่เราจะไม่บ่นเรื่องนี้ค่ะ (นี่คือพิมพ์เฉยๆนะ ไม่ได้บ่นอะไรเลย)
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