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
Night Huntress
by
Yasmine Galenorn
urban fantasy in Paperback edition that was published by Berkley on January 6, 2009 and has 288 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Hexed, Witchling, Changeling, Never After, Darkling, Demon Mistress, Dragon Wytch, Bone Magic, Harvest Hunting, Blood Wyne, Courting Darkness, Shaded Vision, Shadow Rising, Haunted Moon, Night Myst, Night Veil, Night Seeker, Autumn Whispers, Night Vision, Night’s End, Priestess Dreaming, Panther Prowling, "Flight From Hell", Flight From Death, Souljacker, Legend of the Jade Dragon, Darkness Raging, Fury Rising, Murder Under a Mystic Moon, Ghost of a Chance, Once Upon A Curse, A Harvest of Bones, One Hex of a Wedding, Starlight Hollow, Moon Shimmers
Fifth in the Otherworld / Sisters of the Moon urban fantasy series revolving around three unusual Fae sisters. The D’Artigo girls. This story is from Delilah’s perspective.
My Take
What a load of crap! I really thought Galenorn was improving as a writer and Night Huntress has proved me wrong. Whatever happened to continuity? Oh, wait, I know what happened…this must be a dream sequence that Delilah is having. One in which she sees herself as brave and commanding. ‘Cause it sure ain’t the impression I’ve been getting of her. I don’t care if this story is from Delilah’s perspective. Galenorn depicts Camille as meek, following Delilah’s strategy and commands out in the field. Right along with Morio and Smoky, Iris, and Mennolly when she can come along.
It’s five books in and the girls are just now figuring out tha they need wards that EVERYONE can hear when they break?
This is one of those where you’ll find yourself rolling your eyes and murmuring “oh, brother”. A lot.
Oh, please, can it be more obvious when Delilah avoids taking an important call from Sharah?
It’s all Keystone Kops again.
Mennolly does make a good point about how all the supernaturals treat Chase. He is more fragile with fewer powers. And he is a human male with all the ego that implies. It simply confirms what Chase said earlier.
The Story
A floundering bloatwurgle wakes everyone up and tips the girls and friends that Storm Wing is back on the move. He’s hunting for the nine pieces of a Spirit Seal created at the end of the last supernatural war. When the Seal was broken, the Great Divide was created, making it much more difficult for the demons and supernatural folks to cross to Earthside. Storm Wing intends to reunite the pieces and invade Earthside before he storms OtherWorld.
It’s not the only monster, for Vanzir reports finding a nest of venidemons that must be dealt with and Delilah gets her second clue that life with Chase is not that sweet while the Autumn Lord sends Delilah on a task into Darkynwyrd.
The adventures in this evil forest lead them to an old friend of Trillian’s who has welcome news that just pisses Camille off. But the fun doesn’t stop. Delilah and Zach go undercover to an S&M vampire club with Mennolly — only, they’re the subs.
Then a lead comes up to the next Spirit Seal and the gang must secure battle and protect a horde of various supernaturals and, meanwhile, the Autumn Lord has some life-changing news for Delilah.
That ignored call the night before? Never ignore a call in a tense situation. You never know when the bad guy wants to “up his insurance”. And he expects a heavy payment if they want Chase back.
The Characters
Delilah D’Artigo has picked up some extras—there’s her regular were-house cat she shifts into and now, after their encounter with the Autumn Lord (he’s got some long-term plans for his only living Death Maiden), she also shifts into a panther and one of the Element’s Death Maidens. Delilah’s sword has a name — Lysanthra; she also has a deceased twin who shows up on the ghostly plane as a giant leopard who helps Delilah fight. Chase Johnson is burning the candle at quite a few ends having taken on his newly deceased boss’ role in addition to handling the Faerie-Human Crime Scene Investigations team. For some reason, he’s more and more reluctant to get up close and personal with Delilah.
Camille D’Artigo is living in the woods near Smoky’s barrow with her two husbands: Smoky the dragon shifter and Morio the fox demon. They’re still hoping to find and free Trillian so he can join their happy trio. Technically, Camille still runs the Indigo Crescent Bookstore, but more and more with Henry Jeffries‘ help. She’s a witch dedicated to the Moon Mother and now carries a very powerful magical weapon.
Mennolly D’Artigo is a tactless half-fae, half-vampire and runs the Wayfarer Bar and Grill. Iris is a Talon-haltijia and a priestess of Undutar who is still seeing Bruce O’Shea, a leprechaun. Maggie is a calico gargoyle baby and she’s starting to take a few steps. Rozurial is an incubus and we meet his wife, Fraale, a dominatrix succubus forced to work for Karvanak. A very sad story. Vanzir is a dreamchaser demon who defected to the girls. He had been a Gift to Karvanak from another demon. Yugi is a Swedish empath and Sharah is an elf-medic at the F-H CIS.
Tanaquar is the rebellion’s leader and Lesthesanar is the drug addict queen. Tanaquar’s new adviser is their dad, Sephreh ob Tanu.
Zachary Lyonnesse is a werepuma with the Rainier Puma Pride who is interested in picking up with Delilah. He’s also running for City Council in Puyallup on a Supe platform, but the Elders are not happy about it. Venus Moon Child is the pride’s shaman.
Lindsey is pregnant. Erika is Chase’s undisclosed ex-fiancée. Why she thinks it’s okay to hurt Delilah I do not know. I do, however, understand her desire for revenge on him!
Darynal is a Svartan friend of Trillian’s with news who lives alone in the forest and traps furred animals or supernaturals.
Titania is the Seelie Queen, Morgaine is dusk, and Aeval is the Unseelie Queen. They’re back and setting up their Earthside faerie courts and the tensions between Earthside and Otherword fae is rising.
Karvanak is a Räksasa demon and one of Storm Wing’s generals. He got the drop on them in Dragon Wytch and made off with that Spirit Seal. Shadow Wing is a demon Lord who rules the Subterranean Realms and intends to overrun Earthside.
The Elliot Bay Orcas have joined the Supe community project. The murder of the elf in Dragon Wytch has resulted in the Alysin te Varden Lending Library, a collection of books related to all the fae races.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a full range of browns from pale gold through oranges to deepest brown. Her blonde hair swirling around her head, Delilah is crouching down in profile wearing her black leather pants and a burgundy tank top, a knife hanging from her hips, and her head turned toward us. The background is stone, a wide ring of stone carved into the stone wall behind Kitten with a primitive cat’s head carved in its center.
The title refers to Delilah, the Night Huntress who prowls in the dark.
