Richard Bamberg

This unintentionally turned into a bit of a feminist critique of the book. I guess I can't help but see things through that lens.

Listening to this was an interesting experience. Paranormal Romance is generally considered a genre geared toward women. It does after all have the word romance in it. But Monster Hunting 101 is most definitely a PNR for men. As such, I suspect many would avoid calling it PNR at all, insisting instead on Urban Fantasy or Military Fantasy (the hero is a veteran). show more But let's not quibble, it has werewolves and a strong romantic subplot. It is Paranormal Romance, plain and simple. It's just written such that the male character is the focus, instead of the female one, as would normally be the case.

That's not to say that, as a woman, I didn't enjoy it. I did. But books written by and for different audiences have a different focus, different centre of attention, different tone sometimes. And MH101 has the male gaze of its protagonist, not to mention his brand of humor, and he is the moving force of the plot, while the female fades into the background. This makes it stand apart from a lot of PNR books. I enjoyed it, but it was a different experience than many will be used to and it has different strengths and weaknesses.

I liked Jesse very much. He was an admirable hero and he was funny in the face of danger, as was Gail. But I very much felt she was just there to give him someone to bounce banter off of. The world of Hunters looks to be an interesting one and I can see this series going on for a while. It has lots of potential.

On the other hand, I thought the ridiculous amount of time dedicated to the choosing and applying of bondage gear was there for little more than titillation, especially since Gail so often had to be near naked in these scenes.

Plus, I got seriously sick of him subtly propositioning her for sex. I totally understand this was how the two of them flirted and she was not feeling offended or pressured at all. The (male) author made sure to write it that way. But as a female reader, I was annoyed by it. It was ceaseless and slapped of coercion. This joking, lighthearted, nothing wrong with any individual comment (most compliments), when taken together is constant pressure. In real life, it's one of the ways "nice guys" coerce reluctant women to sleep with them. For the target of such a man's attention, it's sometimes easier to just give in and get it over with, even if you don't really want it, than put up with the continued onslaught, especially if it's a situation in which you are stuck. So, seeing Jesse do this eventually became nails on a chalkboard for me and I suspect it's one of the many real world ways some men's view of their own behavior and some women's view of the same actions differ. Maybe others won't read it this way, certainly the author didn't intend it to be, but that's where I was at the end of it.

I was also slightly annoyed that the strong, capable Gail called Jesse with a problem and then handed all control and decision-making power over to him. I mean, the D/s bondage gear as a solution was a fairly literal example of this. But ideally, who leaves the least knowledgable and experienced member of a crew in charge? But then, it too often seems natural for it to be the man, regardless of how skilled the women involved are. Don't we see that everyday? Don't get me wrong, Gail was never a push over and I loved that about her and Jesse respected and appreciated her strong personality. I very much liked that about him. But the book still made Jesse the most frequent decision-maker. He was the leader. In fact, I suspect the ending left him able to physically control certain aspects of Gail's werewolf nature. Making him literally in control of her body.

Lastly, while the writing is pretty good, outside of a few examples of the same word being used several times in close succession and sounding repetitive, the plotting has far too many coincidences in it to be believed. I could not suspend my disbelief far enough to roll with some of the happenstance in this book. Ryan Jeanmaire also did an admirable job with the narration, but I did find it a bit flat.

All in all, I had some issues with the book, but I mostly enjoyed it and would be willing to read a second one. show less

The Hunters: Monster Hunting 101 hit every mark for a great read!

In many books I've read lately I've been disappointed with the amount of "filler" that adds nothing to the storyline in between peaks of interest. Happily this was not the case in The Hunters: Monster Hunting 101! Author Richard Bamberg has an intriguing start to the story and skillfully keeps the pace going until the books end.

Main character, Jesse, hasn't heard from Hiigh School sweetheart, Gail, in years but goes to her aid show more after she calls asking for help but gives no details. Minutes after his arrival Jesse starts on the job training (for a job he didn't apply for) fighting preternatural beings he didn't even know existed. Between the action filled battles Bamberg still makes it hard to put the book down adroitly using the time they make preparations for what they must face next, Gail, born into a long line of Hunters, gives Jesse a crash course in Monster Hunting 101. She schools Jesse in the reality of ghouls, werewolves and ghosts versus the Hollywood version, with their lives on the line Jesse proves to be a quick study. As an Army veteran who served two tours in Afghanistan, he shows he is able to keep his head in the heart of battle and thankfully is more than qualified when it comes to the use of weapons. Bamberg's deft writing was well balanced overall with the perfect amount and timing of humor, romance (sexual tension may be more apt wording) and predominantly for his interactions between the Hunters and monsters and the characterization of each. The monsters weren't over-the-top, nearly indestructible creatures and the Hunters didn't possess unrealistic abilities or exhibit unbelievable physical skill as is needed to say take on a horde of creatures all at once. Don't get me wrong "The Hunters" is nowhere near as wholesome and simplistic as Scooby Doo and the Mystery Gang but nor is it overly fantastical and gory as say Night of the Living Dead.

I truly hope this will be the first book in a series, the emotional investment for Jesse and Gail has only heightened with the books ending!!

If the 5 star rating I gave was not recommendation enough perhaps I can illustrate it better with this. The morning after I started reading I was sent to the ER and upon being told I was to be admitted the first thing I asked was for someone to get my iPad from home to continue reading the book. Under normal circumstances no doubt I would've finished the book in two days!! show less

Raphael (Rafe) Semmes is an old soul in a young man’s body. He was saved by Fate and given a mission - answer the call and save humanity from the denizens of darkness. Fate has made him a being of great power. He is a Wanderer. He and his possessed motorcycle are led to Huntsville, Alabama where he follows his magical senses to a New Age store. He realizes there is a powerful item protected behind a magically locked door. He lies to those around him in order to disguise his abilities and show more his mission. If he must kill someone to get it, it will be done.
I found the book to be exciting, gritty, witty and downright sexy. I thought the characters were likable or at least understandable, even the bad guys. There is definitely a sense that good is not always pure light and evil is not pure dark. Real life is often played out in the shades between, and smack in the middle of the gray area is where Rafe lives.
This is about a man who knows that lines between good and evil can often get blurry and sometimes the best choices are still bad ones. Following Rafe allows us to see the complexities of human relationships through the eyes of one who can’t have them. I read the book in a few hours, falling in completely and sad when it was over. There were a lot of interesting twists in the plot and a few unanswered questions that I assume will be handled in subsequent books. There’s so much to explore in Rafe’s world, I hope the author gives us a few more chances to do so. I got my copy for free through a giveaway from Library Thing and I'm glad I did. I loved the book. This is definitely a must read. show less

Rafe is back, and I couldn’t be happier.

The book opens with Rafe walking through a military hospital in Texas late at night. Fate has given him a new assignment. He’s there to pick up a wounded soldier named T.E. Sylvan, his new apprentice. He opens the door and meets a woman named Tess.

Rafe’s familiar, Beast, the manticore/motorcycle, is just as surprised as he that the new Wanderer is a woman. Rafe still has to train her and fast, but Tess can’t train until she heals. She has show more significant damage to her body. He’s decided to take her to a motel to rest, start the healing process, and begin her training.

The motel looks familiar, but he doesn’t remember why. When a woman calls his name, comes up to him, and kisses him, he remembers where he is.

Laura is the woman he fell in love with years ago. If he could have, he would have taken her with him, but he had to leave her behind. Now she is standing in front of him again and old feelings for her surface along with memories of his mentor, Walt, while he’s trying to deal with new feelings about Tess. To make matters worse, a Norse god of mischief has noticed them, and the renegade Wanderer Rowle is sending all manner of people and creatures to kill them.

I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Book two in the Wanderer series is written differently from book one, but just as good. At first I was a little thrown off by the interludes between chapters as I’m used to just plowing through. I don’t stop to read the chapter headings, so I was about two sentences into the first interlude when I got confused. I went back and realized it’s a flashback scene. Once I figured that out, I started watching for the interludes, and I was able to enjoy them when they popped up.

I loved the first book and now with the second we get more information about Rafe’s reality. I like that more of Beast’s personality has emerged with this book. It’s becoming more obvious why the two have been companions for so long. With the introduction of Tess, we see also more of Rafe’s magical abilities. We already know how someone is chosen to be a Wanderer, we now have a glimpse of how one becomes a Wanderer. I’m hoping the author keeps going with the series. I would love to see Tess develop her skills, meet her familiar, and find out what’s next for Rafe. show less