All reviews for Łowca ciemności (2010)
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This book begins with Mira and Danaus who have gone to Venice to tell the vampire ruling court about the coming naturi nightmare and convince them to join in the battle. Instead, the two find a naturi guest enjoying open freedom in the court and they become embroiled in vampire politics and intrigue.What was briefly introduced in the first book is more fully explored in the second book--the combining of Mira's and Danaus' powers that rockets to supernova proportions. They team up to magnify each other's powers and inadvertently vaporize the souls of the surrounding naturi instead of just killing the nasty buggers. Both are appalled and blame each other, destroying the tenuous trust they have begun to build. Mira also discovers that Danaus can enter her mind and use her as a weapon the same as Jabari, her mentor, can. On the one hand this makes them more mistrustful of each other; on the other, it teaches them more about each other.The members of vampire court ("Coven") try to manipulate Mira for their own political purposes; and all are uneasy with Danaus' presence. Even the naturi leader, Rowe, tries to convince Mira to join forces with him.In the first book, Mira has rescued Tristan, a young vamp, from Sadira, their maker. She takes Tristan to Venice with her in the hopes of protecting him, but the Coven kidnaps him for their sadistic entertainment and nearly kills him before Mira can rescue him.There is also an open seat on the four-member Coven due to the murder of Tabor, one of Mira's makers. Each member wishes to have their own choice installed, and Jabari's choice is Mira, whom he believes he can manipulate. Mira wants nothing to do with the open seat or vampire politics.Mira, who is willing to sacrifice her life to save nightwalkers and humans, is hunted by everyone and doesn't know who she can trust. She also finds her powers beginning to expand. She can perform earth magic but has no control over its effect. The mind link between her and Danaus gets stronger.When Mira returns to Savannah, she decides to build a family (a seethe,), something she has resisted for centuries. She has no choice but to build a family for the protection of all in the community. Tristan is her first member.Yes, this book is much more slow moving than the first and deals with intrigue, politics, and posturing, but many, many things still happen; and it fully sets the stage for Book 3.There is a reason Jocelyn Drake is a best-selling author--and these books are it.
I liked the development of the characters in this novel, but something holds me back from giving it more stars. I love the fact that we have a powerful female vampire protagonist. I love that though others seek to use her, she rises to the challenge (though she wishes she didn't have to)and does not back down.I think my main problem lies within the fact that I keep looking for her "male counterpart" as the series unfolds. I am not entirely sure she has one, and that might actually be an awesome thing. We are offered several um...choices so to speak. But none seem worthy of her in my opinion. I think popular fiction has conditioned me to look for the alpha male who can be both a challenge and a support without being over bearing or too weak; and that simply may not be the case in this series.I am also having a hard time understanding the motivations of each of the political entities involved in this war. I get that we can only see from Mira's perspective but I need more information to decide how I feel about what is happening. I don't get the sense that the Naturi are inherently evil, though this is Mira's experience. As she evolves I believe she will she this is not the case. I am however getting impatient of the "big reveal."This series is forcing me to think a bit out of the box and I like that. But something feels a bit off to me...I just can't place it.
Same