I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Night Seeker
by
Yasmine Galenorn
paranormal romance in eBook edition that was published by Berkley on July 3, 2012 and has 336 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, Night Huntress, Harvest Hunting, Blood Wyne, Courting Darkness, Shaded Vision, Shadow Rising, Haunted Moon, Night Myst, Night Veil, 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
Third in the Indigo Court urban fantasy series revolving around two cousins and their friends
My Take
It’s heavy-handed, melodramatic , and all too easy. Sure there are a number of dramatic moments: a hunt and battles. But when you take a step back, they are only moments — sweet, romantic, terror-filled, and fearful — and their conclusions are too simple. But hey, at least we have the clichéd protagonist who can’t be bothered to stop for a minute to learn the negative side effects. Oops, gotta stop and grab that eyeball that rolled right out o’ me eye socket…
I was curious as to how Galenorn would handle the big reveal to Ysandra when Cicely confesses to their deception. Yawn. And what’s with all the mention of werewolves in the stories so far? They pop up once or twice to what…add a hairy experience? Nothing ever involves them. So…why?
We do get the back story on how Cherish and Shy meet. It’s so sweet…yawn… Such potential with Geoffrey and Leo. Good thing Galenorn decided to wait…wouldn’t want to tire the boys out too fast. Of course, we have to endure the big dramatic moments of Cicely’s cheesy blind acceptance of how her choices will change her fate. No, there’s nothing wrong with this; it’s actually very admirable. Unfortunately, Galenorn has set me up like Pavlov’s dog — a dramatic moment that will flatline and die off.
I do enjoy the characters. They love and care for each other and yet have suffered such losses. Losses more obvious in the tell of the story than in the show. Intellectually, I can empathize, but Galenorn doesn’t make me feel it.
It’s sad because Galenorn has a great plot with so much potential. Potential that fizzles with the snow that will melt in the spring.
There’s also the melodrama of it with patches of cliché worked in. Don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to the next in the series, Night Vision — mostly because I always have to know what happens next, but it’s not a story I feel compelled to own.
The Story
It’s official. Their not-so-happy group have banded together as the Moon Spinners per the Consortium requirements. But they’re still in hiding in the warehouse with the Shadow Hunters, Fae, and Vampires hunting for them, even as the Queen of Summer lies dying.
Nothing will stay as it seems, and the old order will be overturned in too many ways to count.
The Characters
Cicely Waters is a witch who manipulates the Air, shapeshifts into an owl, and is soulmated to Grieve. Ulean is the Air Elemental Lainule asked Grieve to bind to Cicely’s service. Aunt Heather was taken and turned in Night Myst, 1; all that’s left alive of the family is Cicely’s cousin Rhiannon Roland, a witch who manipulates fire. And has her own shape!
A prince of summer, Grieve was turned by Myst into a Vampiric Fae, a fate he battles daily. Chatter, his best friend and cousin, is in love with Rhiannon. Wrath, Cicely’s father, is the King of Rivers and Rushes, Lainule’s consort. And the owl who has been training Cicely to shift. Lainule is the Queen of Summer, terrified by possible loss into choosing wrongful alliances. The Maiden of Knowledge was a great opportunity for some drama—guess Galenorn was tired that day.
Peyton Moon Runner, a half-werepuma and half-magic-born, is about to meet Rex, the father she doesn’t remember.
Kaylin Chen is a 101-year-old martial arts sensei and dreamwalker possessed by a night-veil demon. And he is falling for the bard, Luna. Zoey is with the Akazzani, a source that may have a way to rescue Grieve.
Geoffrey the Great is the Northwest Regent for the Vampire Nation and he’s determined to turn Cicely, to use her. Leo Bryne was Geoffrey’s day runner who made his preferences known in Night Veil, 2. Erik is another day runner who has made some bad choices. Icarus is a vampire who runs Inley, an underground club for vampires.
Regina Altos is the Emissary to the Crimson Court, her brother’s twin and lover, and one terrifying vampire; her brother, Lannan, is a professor at the Conservatory, a sadistic, cruel vampire who wants Cicely above all things. Juliana is part of Lannan’s stable.
Ysandra Petros is from the Consortium, who knows much more than expected.
Myst, Queen of the Indigo Court, was fae and Geoffrey’s lover before Geoffrey turned her, making her so much more powerful than he. When that powerful, who needs partners?
The Vein Lords, a.k.a., the Crimson Court, a.k.a., the Vampire Nation, are the vampires. Yummanii are the fully human. The Consortium is a worldwide organization of supernaturals, who, along with the Vein Lords and certain officials, run the world. Akazzani are a group of historians — yummanii and magic-born — who bear silent witness to the events around them. The Moon Spinners are the new magical society in New Forest. What’s left of the city anyway.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a chilling foreshadowing of what is to come, and it’s all about Cicely. A dark night brightened by the snowy landscape, by her head an owl roosts on a branch overhanging the icy stream near which Cicely crouches in her deep royal blue u-shaped tank top, her tattoos visible, wearing black leather pants and calf-high stiletto boots. One hand on her hip, the other crossing a thigh and holding a dripping dagger, Cicely is confident and challenging.
The title finds me clueless. Could the Night Seeker be one of the vampires, a Vampiric Fae seeking to avoid the light-rage, or is it a euphemism for death?
