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
Darkness Hunts
by
Keri Arthur
It is part of the Dark Angels #4 series and is a urban fantasy in eBook edition that was published by Penguin on November 6, 2012 and has 400 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Mercy Burns, Darkness Unbound, Darkness Rising, Darkness Devours, Dancing with the Devil, Darkness Unmasked, Fireborn, Hearts in Darkness, Wicked Embers, Flameout, Blood Kissed, Demon's Dance, Hell's Bell, Hunter Hunted, Wicked Wings, Deadly Vows, City of Light, Ashes Reborn, Magic Misled, Broken Bonds
Fourth in the Dark Angels urban fantasy series featuring Risa Jones. This series carries on from Riley Jenson, Guardian, which was a much better series, in my opinion.
My Take
Oh, brother. Risa is getting so stupid. And I hate stupid characters when they’re supposed to be the good guys. She gets mad because Azriel pulls back. To protect himself from harm. How can you claim to love someone and want to do things that will hurt them?
Then, she almost purposely avoids eating or sleeping — I suspect it’s Arthur’s sloppy attempt at creating drama and tension. So, now that Risa’s weak, she compounds things by refusing to let Azriel help her simply because he gave in to something she wanted. What is her issue?!
Make up your mind! First she wants him to completely distance himself from her, and at the same time, she wants him up close and personal. I can sympathize with this catch-22 of wanting what you shouldn’t, if only she didn’t behave like a complete jerk about it.
Oh, brother. Again. Okay, so Risa gets a note on matching stationery. Whoopie-ding-doo. She automatically assumes it’s the bad guys when we actually haven’t a clue who it is. Arthur is really being sloppy here by simply assuming we’ll accept this…because that’s what the current story is about. God forbid she should actually drop a clue that would make it a reasonable assumption. OR have to work it to make it a reasonable one.
Arthur continues stringing us along, then she compounds it with that stupid trap.
It’s perfectly reasonable for Risa to sleep with Lucian when Azriel is behaving this way. So, he’s irritating me a bit as well. Arthur needs to give the guy more dramatic license. As it is, he’s simply looking wishy-washy.
Yes, there are a couple of important side developments in this, but really, I’d consider this more of a bridge novel with Arthur dragging things out.
And I’m getting bored…
The Story
While her father and the Raziq play cat-and-mouse with Risa to find the keys, another magical being is killing vampires. He claims it’s his heritage.
The Characters
Risa Jones, a wolf shifter and an orphan since her mother’s death, has great roommates: Tao, a wolf shifter affected by a fire element (he’s also Stane’s cousin), and Ilianna, a gay horse shifter. Risa’s sword is the bloodthirsty Amaya. The three of them own a successful restaurant, RYT (Rich Young Things).
Carwyn is a stallion Ilianna’s parents want her to hook up with; she hasn’t come out to them yet. Mirri is Ilianna’s girlfriend.Stane is a computer geek friend of Risa’s who can find anything.
Azriel is the Reaper in love with her, although, technically, he’s a Mijai, a dark angel; his task, however, is to prod her into finding the Keys that too many beings want to use to close the gates between earth and heaven and hell. Valdis is his sword.
Risa is sleeping with Lucian Dupont, a wingless Aedh who is obsessed with revenge. Lauren McIntyre is a black practitioner who may have a way out for Risa. Jak Talbott is a reporter who betrayed Risa with a story he wrote about her mother. Hieu is Risa’s father, and he is not content to simply be a renegade Raziq, but he’s a renegade from them as well. James Larson is her father’s courier.
The Directorate of Other Races is…
…a law enforcement organization for the supernatural. Rhoan is her uncle, a wolf, and I think he’s second-in-command. Riley, her aunt married to Quinn, a half-Aedh, half-vampire, and a former Cazador (their story is in the Riley Jenson, Guardiann series) and Harris West are agents. Jack Parnell is the senior vice president and in charge of the entire Guardian division. He’s also Madeline Hunter’s half-brother.
Adeline Greenfield is a witch and a friend of her late mother’s. Logan was John Nadler’s attorney. Dorothy Hendricks and Vonda and Dani Belmore are targeted vampires.
The High Vampire Cåouncil is…
…the ruling elite of the vampires. Madeline Hunter is a very powerful vampire and a high-ranking member of the council as well as the head of the Directorate of Other Races. Cross her if you want to die yesterday. Markel Sanchez is one of the Cazadors (the council’s own personal hit squad) Hunt has assigned to follow Risa.
Henry Mack has several aliases. Zane Taylor is working with Jason Bright, an IT specialist.
Malin is the female Raziq leader who wants Risa’s father. The priest who betrayed her.
The Brindle is the witch depository in Melbourne. Aedh are energy beings who live on the gray fields. The Raziq are a group of renegade Aedh priests who forged the Keys. Razan are humans changed by the Raziq. Reapers are soul guides.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a wide range of oranges with a curious Risa crouching on a rail overlooking a fantastical building, holding her sword, Amaya, her wings closed behind her.
The title refers to the faceless being hunting Risa through the gray fields— it’s Darkness Hunts.
