Book Review: Gena Showalter’s On the Hunt

Posted June 30, 2012 by Kathy Davie in Book Reviews

An anthology of four stories of supernatural hunts by Gena Showalter, Shannon K Butcher, Jessica Andersen, and Dierdre Knight.

The Series

“Collector” (Sentinel Wars, 3.4)
“Crystal Skull” (Night Keepers, 5.5)
“Red Angel” (Gods of Midnight, 4.5)

The Stories

Gena Showalter’s “Ever Night”

This is better than I would have expected. Rose Pascal is a Walker. Doomed to a bond with a parallel world that involuntarily activates on her eighteenth birthday sending her body to a demonic-seeming dimension. It will take a while before she realizes that appearing before Prince Vasili is actually a good thing.

I actually enjoyed this even though Showalter didn’t give any reasons for Vasili’s reactions. While Showalter presented a ton of information, it wasn’t in a smooth segue.

Shannon K. Butcher’s “Collector”

This short finds the couple focus on Neal Etan and Viviana Rowan. Viviana has an object that might cure Torr’s paralysis and Neal is determined to acquire it. Unfortunately, Viviana is unimpressed with his need, but the bond has been noticed by the Synestrn.

The usual caveman approach of the Sentinels has been toned down in this story although Neal is just as duplicitous in attaching Viviana. Although she is much more accepting than the women in the three previous stories

Jessica Anderson’s “Crystal Skull”

This is an archeologist’s dream when Natalie makes the find of a century in a Mexican jungle. And the discoveries just keep coming right along with JT Craig, an expat and local hero to the villagers.

Anderson has a unique twist for this archeologist that soon finds her completely immersed in a culture she could never have imagined. An interesting bit of a much bigger puzzle. I’ll have to find the start to this series.

Dierdre Knight’s “Red Angel”

This was my favorite of the four stories, although I can’t figure out from whence the title comes. It’s a meeting of angel and Angel when Sunny meets Jamie, a pairing that hasn’t a hope in hell.

Knight has created a full story in this short with the full range of human emotions.

The Cover and Title

Eeek, I feel like the shirtless hunk striding towards me, looong knife in hand is coming for me! And “not in a good way!

The title is accurate enough as all the stories are about being On the Hunt.