Book Review: Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Ok so I have this wee obsession with all-things Sherrilyn Kenyon. A friend of mine suggested I, "check out her Dark-Hunter series." I am always on the look-out for a new series to read. Added bonus, these are paranormal, so I was certainly willing to check out the books. That was March 2010. By May 2010 I had read 13 of her books. Yes 13 books in 2 months. Crack! Crack I say! To feed my addiction, she and Dianna Love, whom she's co-authored now 2 other series with, came to town. We had the opportunity to go up and meet these two lovely ladies, and not only are they down-home, they actually took their time with us crazy fans. Since then, I've amassed quite the collection of Sherrilyn's books, and eagerly await each new book when it hits the shelves.

Since this is my first review and if you aren't familiar with the Dark-Hunter series, you may ask,"What is a Dark-Hunter?". The Greek God Apollo decided around eleven thousand of years ago he could one-up Zeus by creating his own race of people that would be better than humans, thus the Apollites were created. The Apollites queen, who used to be Apollo's lover, became jealous when Apollo took a human lover and the human gave birth to a son. The Apollite queen sent her guards to murder Apollo's lover and son. Apollo, in a rage, cursed his own people to die slowly and painfully at the age of 27; the same age as his mistress. In steps the last remaining Goddess of the Atlantean pantheon, Apollymi, who shows the Apollites how to elongate there lives by consuming human souls. As long as that soul lives, the Apollites continue to live, but turn into Daimons. They have to continually take in souls to live. Artemis creates warriors, called the Dark-Hunters to kill the Daimons and free the human souls. These people have usually been wronged by someone in their lives, and scream out for vengeance as they lay dying. Artemis hears those screams and visits the person, offers them the chance to seek vengeance for their death and to join her race of warriors called the Dark-Hunters. Since they take on the characteristics of the Daimons, Artemis figured if they were like the Daimons, it would be easier to hunt them. The Daimons can't go out in sunlight, have fangs to consume the soul--although Dark-Hunters don't do that--but do get the teeth, and supernatural powers.

Now back to Retribution. It came out August 2nd. I picked it up at the book store August 3rd, and finished it the next evening. Yes, these books are that good. 432 pages of another great story in the long line of her Dark-Hunter series. One thing that I really liked is that she has visited yet another pantheon. She originally started with the Greek Pantheon, but has also included Atlantean, and Sumerian Pantheons. She now has stepped into the world of Native American lore. Yeah!

With Sherrilyn's series, her characters overlap in her books. William Jessup Brady, aka "Sundown," was introduced very early on in the Dark-Hunter series (book 3 to be exact), but hadn't been in other books. Luckily he got his own! If I've counted right, Sundown's book is number 19.

Sundown is relocated to Las Vegas after having lived in Reno for many years, and runs into an issue with a human running with Apollites that are killing other Dark-Hunters. He soon realizes that Abigail is the little girl he once knew that is grown up and gunning for him. "Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of Apollites and raised on one belief: Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both Apollites and mankind. They must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters and training for the day when she meets the man who killed her family… Jess Brady." Because of her actions, she almost creates an Apocalypse. With the help of Sundown, another Dark-Hunter--who is first introduced in this book--named Ren (I know you will see him again!) and a few other characters, they have to try to avert the end of the world.

The dialog as usual is quick-witted, humorous, and page turning. I know this is book 19(ish), and I recommend you start all the way at book one. This way you know the entire story. Especially since at the end of Retribution is a bonus scene that you have to know who the people are in order to appreciate it!