Book Review: Larissa Ione’s Lethal Rider

Posted July 12, 2012 by Kathy Davie in Book Reviews

I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Source: the library
Book Review: Larissa Ione’s Lethal Rider

Lethal Rider


by

Larissa Ione


It is part of the Demonica #8, Lords of Deliverance #3 series and is a paranormal romance that was published by Piatkus Books on May 22, 2012 and has 464 pages.

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Other books in this series include [books_series]

Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Desire Unchained, Pleasure Unbound, Passion Unleashed, Ecstasy Unveiled, Sin Undone, Eternal Rider, Immortal Rider, Supernatural, Rogue Rider, Bound by Night, Reaver, Revenant, Snowbound, "Bond of Destiny", "Z", "Azagoth", "Revenant's Epilogue", "Hades", "Razr", "Hawkyn", "Cipher", Reaper, Bond of Passion, Legacy of Temptation

Third in the Lords of Deliverance paranormal romance series revolving around the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The couple focus is on Thanatos, Death, and Regan Mathews.

My Take

Love the comment on how Hades might want popcorn while Thanatos kills, but I’m not really buying Thanatos’ threats about the eight months.

Ooh, interesting theory on providing the baby with a range of foods. Whoa, back up…interesting twist on the evolution of vampires.

Oh, please, the tired old bit about you have to leave me. Certainly not what I would expect to hear in this. Thanatos certainly does confuse Regan — rough one minute and respectful the next. He’s certainly an old-fashioned kind of guy protective of her and furious with how the Aegis has treated her.

Well, there are plenty of twists and turns, flips and flops. Most of it is the usual until the end. It’s a definite surprise. And I’ll have to wait for Rogue Rider to find out how it all ends!

The Story

The baby is key and neither he nor Regan are safe anywhere as the invasion at the Aegis headquarters proves. Vampires, Pestilence, and Thanatos are all on her ass.

Thanatos’ compound has been compromised. The Aegis is in turmoil. And Pestilence is getting stronger and more demonic every day. The rape was enough of a betrayal, but Regan continues to rack up more against Thanatos, revealing his secrets, the plans she has for his son.

The Characters

Regan Mathews is an Elder, a psychometric empath, and a camborian, the product of a human dad whose seed was infused with demonic energy. She’s also pregnant as part of the Aegis’ plan. So desperate for acceptance that Regan went with their plans and raped Thanatos, but, really, it was for his own good.

Thanatos is Death of the Four Horsemen. Also known as Bludrexe, he’s been imprisoned for the past eight-and-a-half months in his own body, desperate for the sex to which Regan introduced him. Drawn to kill, those he commits to death are absorbed into his armor, souls he can use to kill. Styx is his horse, a living tattoo. Artur is his oldest daywalker and in charge of his household. Other vampires, both daywalkers and nightcrawlers, serve him including Peter, Dariq, Markus, Roland, Owain, and Viktor.

Each Horseman is drawn to the tragedy that embodies their power. Limos (Famine) is married to Arik while Ares (War) is with Cara and Hal her loved hellhound. Pestilence‘s seal was broken and now the former Reseph ravages the world.

The Aegis is a private organization with headquarters in Berlin whose Guardians hunt demons with twelve Elders running it. Other Elders include Lance, Juan, Omar, Takumi, Ian, Malik, Zachary, Chad, Kynan Morgan (former army medic and doctor at Underworld General (UG); his daughter Dawn is a year old), Decker, and Valeriu.

Shade is a Seminus (incubus) demon and paramedic at UG; he’s also one of the hospital’s founders with his other brothers. Eidolon is in charge and is a doctor and Wrath is a vampire with a talent for finding things. Con is a vampire medic.

Harvester (was once Verrine, an angel of justice) and Reaver (battle angel with some healing ability) are Watchers. One fallen and the other saved. Their mission is to watch the Four Horsemen and not interfere. Yeah, right. Gethel was a Watcher until relieved of her duty. She still keeps in touch.

The Daemonica is the demon bible holding the prophecy that leads to the Apocalypse. Hades is normally bound to Sheoul-gra and Pestilence’s plans are releasing demons faster and faster, weakening Hades. Azagoth runs Sheoul-gra and rumor says he’s the Horsemen’s father.

The Cover and Title

The cover is a rapture of transparent lilac entwining a shirtless and well-muscled Death, his scorpion tattoo riding his right shoulder, his arms wrapped around a be-jeaned and black leather corseted Regan. His hands holding her tightly to him, cupping her shoulder blades.

The title says it all as the focus is on Death a very Lethal Rider in this fourth of the Horsemen.