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
Dark Descendant
by
Jenna Black
mythic fantasy, urban fantasy in Paperback edition that was published by Pocket Books on April 26, 2011 and has 336 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Chicks Kick Butt, The Devil Inside, The Devil You Know, Speak of the Devil, The Devil's Due, The Devil's Playground, Deadly Descendant, Rogue Descendant, Nightstruck
First in the Nikki Glass mythic urban fantasy series about a private detective and the tug-of-war between two different groups of Liberi determined to use Nikki’s abilities.
My Take
Oh wow! This was excellent story-wise. Black has an interesting twist on the gods’ descendants with a different and nasty rivalry that creates an extremely difficult situation for Nikki. One side believes that responsibility comes with great power while the other side believes that privilege comes with great power. And both want to control Nikki’s unique Gift.
My irritation comes with Nikki choosing to keep Steph ignorant and her not being a tattletale. I realize that it’s an honor thing, but…ya know…real life just keeps intruding.
I did enjoy Black’s creative idea for Nikki’s talent as well as the walk down memory lane used to reveal and encourage Nikki to pursue it.
The Story
Ooh, she knows her sister means well, but…must she continually set her up with these jerks! So when Emmitt contacts her while Nikki is on her date, she is eager to take on the request, if only to escape this guy. A choice she soon regrets when her car careens off the icy road as she attempts to avoid the smiling Emmitt, but who could have imagined how very wrong her life could go!??
An entire world Nikki could never have imagined existing. And now she’s at the center of the conflict with Steph at grave risk with both sides wanting her, but neither side trusting her. One has already beaten her and threatened her with torture; the other has merely threatened her and her family.
The Characters
Nikki Glass (Artemis) is a foster child. A very lucky foster child in that the last family who took her in, the Glasses and their daughter Steph, loved her enough to keep her and provide her with a trust fund. Even as an adult, they fuss over her as their own.
Members of the “cult” include…
…Maggie (Zeus); Blake Porter (Eros) who uses his abilities to “drown” his victims in desire and lust; Jamaal (Hades) who cannot control his rage long enough to use logic and no lock can keep him out; Logan Fields (Tyr); Jack Gillespie (Loki), who tricks everyone; Leo (Hermes), a recluse and the financial wizard for the group; and, Anderson Kane (a minor god descended from Thanatos and Alecto; Death and Vengeance) who appears reasonable until anger heats him up — he heads up this “cult” of the descendants of gods. Liberi Deorum. Children of the gods. Emma Poindexter is Kane’s wife; lost for 10 years. Discovering her whereabouts is the price of Steph’s protection.
Emmitt (Hades) had a death wish when he inveigled Nikki into investigating the cult.
The Olympians are…
…the opposing cult. Alexis Colonomos (Zeus) has the temperament of a thug and works for Konstantin, their leader. Peter is a lesser descendant. Dean is a Liberi who works for Alexis.
The Cover
The background is a nightlit downtown city center with Nikki facing us down and a gun held straight out at us.
The title reveals to us what the story reveals to Nikki, who has been in the dark about her family heritage, as a Dark Descendant.
