J.C. Hendee

The Dead Seekers is the first book in a new series and that is something that I'm bloody happy about since I really loved this book! And, now I will try to write a review about a book I love which I hate to do since I just want to say read it, it's brilliant. But, I will try to be a bit versatile than that.

The book starts off with Tris Vishal being born. But, he never breaths and the midwife has to tell his poor parents that the baby is stillborn. Then, the midwife notices that he starts to show more breathe when she carries him away, but there is something strange about him that will mark him as different from others. He has the ability to send spirits back to where they come from. But, he also risks the lives of everyone who is close to him. Mari Kaleja learns this the hard way as a child when her whole family is slaughtered by spirits. Now she first for revenge, and it's The Dead Man she is after. But, when she finally finds Tris must she be certain that he is the right one. But, traveling with him may not be the best idea. She watches him, and he is not as she had expected. Could this really be the man she has been chasing all these years?

I found myself really enjoying this book, both the setting and the characters. Trish whose gifts are a burden for him and Mari who has spent years looking for revenge. I'm usually not much for romance in books, but one can't really say it's any romance in this book since it's more two lonely people getting to know each other (with a hint of romance). And, that's probably one of the reasons I love the book so much. There is no lusting or instalove.

As for the story itself. I loved getting to know more about Tris power, and Mari's own secret is interesting and very handy. It was also great reading about how their relationship developed from an uneasy alliance to more of a worry about each other, although Mari still wanted to kill him. But, she is a bit conflicted. The last part of the story is the best when they have to figure out who is killing soldiers. Is it a spirit or a revengeful man/woman?

I loved the ending of the book. It's the kind that put a smile on my face and I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! show less

This is a hard book to review. There is a lot of intrigue as several factions of elves reveal various hidden agendas under stress. There is relatively action though, and as some of the other movers in the bigger story comment this story is very much an offshoot, a tangent to the main quest and it feels like it too.

Leesil, driven to rescue his mother, has dragged Chap, Wynn and Magiere into Elven lands and the elves, for large parts of the story, come across as laudably not human. They end in show more faction politics that grows organically from the story, but seems rather human in its drive - but that might be my feeling that they don't write intrigue so well coming through.

The thing that does work amazingly well, and in a fashion that makes me hope they're not writing from their personal experience for their sakes, is being on the brunt of prejudice - and there's no other term for it. There are elves who hate for a reason (you may think hatred is a bad emotion, but you understand why they feel that way), but there is an amazing level of impersonally directed hatred at the "evil humans" and "vile half-bloods" as well. It's perhaps a terrible reason to like a book, but I'd use it start a discussion about prejudice any day. show less

Rebel Fay, by Barb and J. C. Hendee, is the 5th book in the Noble Dead series. With each book better than the last, this is definitely one of my favorites series. And there’s a spin-off series in the works, so I won’t have to wait an entire year between each novel.

Rebel Fay begins with Magiere, Leesil, Wynn, and Chap continuing on their journey into Elf territory in order to find and rescue Leesil’s mother. Unsure of whom to trust, they must be on guard at all times in a land where show more they are the enemy. And worst of all, they have to put themselves in the hands of the caste of assassins in order to find Leesil’s mother.

But there are two sides of an old war at work. Both sides have their plans for Magiere (a dhampir: half-human, half-vampire) and Leesil (half-human, half-elf). And the shocking truth is finally revealed.

The Hendees continue to shape this story and their characters in an epic fashion. While this story is almost entirely centered in the elven lands, it never gets slow and never lacks suspense. Every character is unique and described in such a way that you feel that you know them.

Unlike most that I read, this series must be read in order, as things that happen in one book would spoil the previous one. And the endings of each leave you craving the next. If you like medieval fantasy with plenty of action or vampire-slayer novels, this series is a must. show less

Today, I retreated from this world into a book. I dove into this book this morning, and finished it this afternoon. It follows two protagonists in a medievaloid world, who may or may not kill each other on their journey.

Tris Vishal has is introduced first, as a still-born child who revives several minutes after birth, but is forever linked to a shadow self. Mari is introduced next, but several years later, as the child of travelers, basically a gypsy family, who is the only survivor of an show more unfortunate encounter with ghosts out to kill everyone they meet.

The descriptions are very tactile and rich, but not overdone. The dangers are as believable as pursuit of the undead allows, and their distrust of each other believable as well. This is Not a romance fantasy, it is an adventure fantasy.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. And as this is the first of a series published 3 years ago, I plan to pick up the next book(s) in the series. show less