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
Kitty Goes to War
by
Carrie Vaughn
It is part of the Kitty Norville #8 series and is a urban fantasy in Paperback edition that was published by Tor Books on June 29, 2010 and has 334 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Dark and Stormy Knights, Kitty Goes to Washington, Kitty and the Midnight Hour, "Kitty Meets the Band", Hex Appeal, Kitty and the Silver Bullet, Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand, Kitty Raises Hell, Kitty's House of Horrors, Kitty's Big Trouble, Kitty's Greatest Hits, Kitty Steals the Show, Kitty Rocks the House, Kitty in the Underworld
Eighth in the Kitty Norville urban fantasy series about a pack of werewolves in Denver led by a radio talk show host.
My Take
Yup, Kitty will go to war with anyone to protect those she believes need protection. On the wolf-side, it’s Green Berets who need Kitty’s help. Seems someone took Paul Flemming’s ideas a few steps further and now it’s all blown up. And the U.S. Army needs help from Kitty.
On the personal side, questions have been raised about supernatural-type events that center around Speedy Marts. Franklin’s reaction is just too suspicious and the data Cormac turns up…well, it could get very slippery.
I do love Kitty’s efforts to show the Green Berets the possibilities of fitting into regular life. Ben is resigned to the fact that Kitty just has to dig in and help. It’s certainly a detailed analysis of one alpha confronting another, much stronger and bigger one.
In spite of the chill, Kitty is a warm, giving person who won’t give up. You’ll enjoy her confrontations with the colonel and the doctor.
At one point, Schumacher is trying to insist on coming along on the full moon run. Considering her position and what she’s been studying…what kinda drugs is she on??
For the men, it’s a double whammy with the esprit de corps engendered by the army and that of pack, pushing at them to do what they believe is right.
The Story
Strange reports keep coming in about Speedy Marts and this time, on this radio talk show, Kitty brings it up. Retaliation is swift in the form of a lawsuit and all it does is raise Kitty’s hackles. Between the speed of the lawsuit being filed and the odd string of coincidences, it’s a good job for Cormac to investigate. He’s out of jail and Kitty and Ben could use his skills.
Only, the army has a problem. A rogue team of Special Forces werewolves have escaped custody. And they’re on the way to Denver.
The team, the army, Dr. Schumacher, and Kitty each have their own idea of what happens next.
The Characters
Kitty Norville is the alpha for the Denver pack. She’s also the radio talk show host for Kitty and the Midnight Hour on KNOB radio. Ben O’Farrell is her werewolf mate and husband as well as a lawyer. Matt is the engineer for Kitty’s show at KNOB and Ozzie is the station manager. Cormac is Ben’s cousin and just got out of prison, although he’s still on parole. One of the terms of his parole is no weapons. So his werewolf bounty hunter days are still on hold.
Harold Franklin is the owner of the Speedy Mart chain of convenience stores. He’s a real hands-on kind of guy, visiting the stores in different cities. Charles Beauregard from Shreveport has a file on what he considers suspicious coincidences between those visits and catastrophic events.
Kitty’s pack includes:
Shaun is Ben and Kitty’s lieutenant for the pack and the manager for the restaurant they own, the New Moon. Becky helps play bait and Dan and Jared help at New Moon for the boys’ outing.
Rick is the current Master of Denver and pops up in a few places as does Detective Jessi Hardin with the Denver PD. Amelia Parker is a Victorian-era woman who was hanged a hundred years ago and is still hanging about. She likes that Kitty speaks her mind.
Dr. Elizabeth Schumacher heads up the Center for the Study of Paranatural Biology, replacing Paul Flemming. Colonel William Stafford is army and he’s got a problem he can’t handle.
Captain Cameron Gordon was a Green Beret stationed in Afghanistan. He put together and created his own werewolf Special Forces. He just forgot to explain a lot more about being a werewolf to his men: Sergeants Crane, Estevan, Yarrow, Joseph Tyler, Ethan Walters, and Luke Vanderman.
Christopher is the alpha for a pack of Seattle werewolves. They’re known for taking in runaways and those needing a little extra help. Sarah is his mate.
The Cover and Title
The cover is mostly yellows with a bit of orange and browns. It’s Kitty in a camouflage-patterned tank top and jeans, her blonde hair braided and hanging down her back with three wolves peeking around her from where they stand on hot, hard-packed ground.
The title is true enough. But then it could apply to any situation in which Kitty feels the need to protect and care for a member of her pack. For Kitty Goes to War to keep those whom she considers hers safe.
