Rating: 
Summary: A new reality.
Review: Fast on the heels of MINION, the predecessor to the vampire huntress
series, is THE AWAKENING...the tale continues. Every one thousand years
a Neteru is born, divinely created and specially anointed, a female
vampire slayer with all the powers of the world of light. And should
she willingly host a vampire seed during her entrance into womanhood,
she will produce a 'day walker', a master vampire who can dwell
topside as a human, with the power to also transform other undead into day walkers.
Carlos Rivera, a third generation vampire, has been summoned by the
Vampire Council and escorted to the sixth realm of hell. He is elevated
to a master vampire because the Council needs him to bring them the
huntress. Carlos is tormented, Damali Richards is the huntress and he
has had an attraction for her long before any vampire madness occurred.
When they were teenagers he promised to be her protector; now he is
destined to deliver to the world of darkness, the one woman he vowed to
protect. Everyone's awaiting Damali's twenty-first birthday, the day of her
ovulation when she enters fully into womanhood, and the night of
reckoning for the darkside. There is dissention in the vampire ranks,
both The Vampire Council and a master vampire turned rogue, Fallon Nuit
want Damali. Ready and waiting to do battle with both powers is
The Covenant, the guardians sent to protect her. Whichever is victorious
will rule; and Carlos is the catalyst. Because of her love for him,
Damali openly welcomes him across her threshold, into her fortress. And
because of his love for her Carlos compromises himself and reveals that
he too is a master vampire, but he has a plan. He becomes a vampire
double agent and strikes deals with the Council, with Fallon Nuit whom
he now hates, and also with The Covenant. And so the battle begins.
Damali knows that the fate of the world rests on her shoulders and that
Carlos, although she feels in her soul, is the nemesis, or is he? Time
is running out, Carlos and Damali have choices to make. THE AWAKENING is a masterful tale of hybrids: half demons, half vampires
and half humans, graced with guardian angels. The battle is still the age
old battle of good versus evil, but the players are caught somewhere
between the old world and the new millennium. L.A. Banks creates an
intriguing world of probability, one that invokes eerie inhuman interest
with all the possibilities she ignites. Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
Rating: 
Summary: Damilia is Back and Even Better
Review: I could not put this book down! Not only does this story have great vampire fight scenes, but the characters' interaction and conflicts are intriguing. Banks knows her occult lore and designs some of her own theories to explain the unexplainable. I love her descriptions of the layers of Hell, and the central idea that what you send out is returned to you. Unlike Anita Blake, who says she is a Christian, but we never see her beliefs as a part of her. Damilia's deeply rooted beliefs are what make her an ideal vampire huntress. She understands evil, because she truly believes in the ultimate good. I LOVE Carlos. In my opinion, he is the most interesting character. Within him is the ultimate struggle between good and evil. The relationship between Damilia and he, is so moving. I can't wait to read the next book, The Bitten.
Rating:
Summary: Awakened!
Review: I haven't picked up a good vampire novel in quite a while. After reading the work of the authors whom I considered the masters of vampire fiction: Anne Rice, Stephen King, and even Robert McCammon, author of "They Thirst", I really didn't have high expections for this novel or any others in this genre.
What a surprise to discover that a Philadelphia sistah has written a bona fide, nail-biting vampire novel that is equal if not better than Anne Rice, et. al.
Damali, the Huntress is a black woman with locks. The multi-racial cast of characters added depth to this superbly written tale.
For me, one of the high points of the story is when Carlos, Damli's former friend now turned vampire invades her compound. There is unexpected erotica during this encounter that left me breathless.
The cover illustration is phenomenal. I heard there's going to be a movie (or perhaps movies) I'm not sure, but I hope so. I'm so excited I have to back track and pick up Minion and I'll read The Hunted next.
Kudos to Ms. Banks for reawakening my love of vampire novels.
Rating:
Summary: "Sista is doin her thang!"
Review: I loved the second installment of this book. It picks up where the first book left off. You'll enjoy reading about how Damali is coming into her own.
This story could well be the Romeo & Juliet of the vampire novels. Two people who were destined to be together, but can't because of who they are {Carlos-Mater Vampire & Damali-Neteru (vampire slayer)}, but they still love each other. They're love is so strong that it transcends boundaries. However, the love has to be put on the back burner, so that they can help their respective families take care of business.
Also, Carlos is the man! The way he stands up for his woman in the end is unforgetable.I can't wait for the next book "The Hunted". I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good series to sink their teeth into.
Rating: 
Summary: Hip Hop Dracula
Review: I've got to be honest, this book reads like someone from RAP City on BET wrote a vampire novel. I like the fact that it takes a look at horror fantasy from a african american point of view. However, this particular point of view is from a bad rap music video. It like it is trying to hard to be hard. I was hoping for a smarter book, with more plot and character development. I am a fan of the modern vampire genre, but this is one series I will skip completely in the future. I had high hopes for this book, but I was really disappointed. Maybe I am too old for a Hip Hop vampire story. Nah.. I just need a good hip hop vampire story.
Rating: 
Summary: Copycat Sleep Long
Review: L. A. Banks' second novel in her Vampire Huntress series, the Awakening seems more like a hodgepodge of current vampire flicks than an original piece of work.
Carlos Rivera, the master vampire awakens in the sixth realm of Hell, to find himself before the Vampire Council. While there the council assigns him the task to bring Damali, the vampire slayer, to the underworld and impregnate her on her twenty-first birthday. After all, she is the millennium Neteru who apparently has supernatural powers that involves her ability to produce day-walkers, vampires that can live in sunlight. If these forms of vampires are born into the world, then they can ultimately destroy the human race. Fallon Nuit, another more evil vampire desires Damali for himself, because he sees Damali's genetic abilities as a means to further his rank among the council. However, both Fallon and Carlos forget to realize that Damali and Carlos relationship is far from over and that Damali has a team of angels on her side. Her band- the Guardians, sole purpose is to slay vampires and the Blue Knights Templars were created to defend and protect Damali. With all these forces on Damali's side, will it be enough to keep her away from Carlos' lure? Will Carlos break his allegiance to his soul's proprietors to save the woman who is lord over his heart? Will the world be saved?
The first time I read a book from this series, I applauded it. I thought the subject was fresh and anticipated a sequel, as I am a big fan of Anne Rice and Brams Stoker. However, after reading all three novels in the series and after much reflection my view of this author's work has changed. Although Banks has a talented writing ability her characters, plot, theme and conflict are trite and unoriginal. Damali's character is a black "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" with the genetic makeup of the Underworld's Selena, the death dealer. Carlos's predestined love match resembles that of Angel and the vulnerability of Michael's (both characters of which were love interests to the vampire heroines in "Buffy" and "Underworld", respectively). Banks also rips off chunks of "Blade," "Aliens," "the Matrix," Queen of the Damned and Interview with a Vampire to name a few. I really wanted Banks to do something that these books lacked not just throw black characters in the mix and rewrite Romeo and Juliet. I would like to know more about the relationship between Puerto Rican and other Latino immigrants and Vampires that she has presented in this series, to discuss why vampires are sensual creatures and how it affects their outcomes and how it advances the plot.
I think this story is good for paranormal romance beginners, because the activities that go on are trendy and familiar. But for underworld and horror enthusiasts, stick with Anne Rice and Stephen King until Banks fourth novel, The Bitten comes out. Hopefully, her next book will have more of Bank's signature to it, whatever that is.
Dee Stewart
R.E.A.L. Reviewers
Rating: 
Summary: Someone please find an editor
Review: Overall, this book lacked plot depth. It relied too heavily on the tried and true vampire cliches without developing the real character tension I'd like to have seen.
What destroyed all enjoyment of this book for me was the constant stream of typos, grammatical errors, and shifts in Point of View. If it weren't for the generally above average character development, I would have given this book a single star and thrown it at the wall.
As it was, Carlos thoroughly intrigued me throughout the book. His internal conflicts kept me reading to the end. Damali is at least somewhat different than the usual vampire novel heroine and I appreciated that. It was the overall lack of development of tension between them and the bad guys and the lack of development of a coherent trilogy length story arc that never really turned me on.
Rating:
Summary: fantastic urban fantasy
Review: She is known by many names; Slayer, vampire huntress and Neturu come to mind and she is feared by the forces of darkness who wants to destroy her before she reaches her twenty-first birthday and comes into her full powers. She is protected by seven Guardians and together they battle the creatures of the night. Her one weakness is Carlos who if he traveled another road would have been her guardian but at twenty-three he is a powerful mob boss who makes a fortune dealing drugs. Fallon Nuit, a rogue vampire master wants to control all vampire activity on Earth and to have the slayer killed before her twenty-first birthday. He turns to Carlos but before the transformation is complete he is whisked away to the vampire council who will make him a master vampire if he destroys Fallon Nuit and the Neturu Damali Richards. He accepts the deal without signing any contracts because his own goal is to protect the slayer, even from himself and help her even though she discovers what he has become and rejects him. Make no mistake, all the vampires in THE AWAKENING are evil beings who think of human beings as cattle. Carlos is different because as he was turned he was praying and so there is hope for him if Damali will give him a chance. This is a fantastic urban fantasy tale and all the loose ends will be tied up in the final book in this series THE HUNTED. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: The Urban Princess Warrior Returns
Review: The Awakening is the second installment of the Vampire Huntress saga authored by L. A. Banks. I enjoyed Minion, but I LOVED The Awakening. The battle between good & evil, laced with the deadly romantic attraction between Neteru and Master Vampire was intoxicating. Damali, Neteru, is coming into her own. Her birthday is nearing and so is her vulnerability to the master vampires stalking the Earth. Every demonic creature imaginable is aware of this historical event, but only the vampires have the ability to use it to their evil advantage. Carlos and Damali have always shared a bond, an attraction. Carlos always felt the need to protect Damali...kind of like her guardians. But when opportunity presents itself, can the softhearted drug lord resist. Carlos gets caught up in something that even his arrogant street-wise character can't reverse. The Vampires approach Carlos with a lucrative offer. His decision and actions thereafter can shift the balance between good and evil. The author delivered constant action, mental stimulation, and tweaked every human sense available. I'm twitching in anticipation for the next book. I sat in awe as I read. I'm a big vampire fan, and the urban spin that Banks weaves into this series mesmerizes me. I wish it were a weekly sitcom. When you pick The Awakening up to read, siphon off enough time to complete it because once you pick it up, you won't put it back down until . . .
Rating:
Summary: The Urban Princess Warrior Returns
Review: The Awakening is the second installment of the Vampire Huntress saga authored by L. A. Banks. I enjoyed Minion, but I LOVED The Awakening. The battle between good & evil, laced with the deadly romantic attraction between Neteru and Master Vampire was intoxicating. Damali, Neteru, is coming into her own. Her birthday is nearing and so is her vulnerability to the master vampires stalking the Earth. Every demonic creature imaginable is aware of this historical event, but only the vampires have the ability to use it to their evil advantage. Carlos and Damali have always shared a bond, an attraction. Carlos always felt the need to protect Damali...kind of like her guardians. But when opportunity presents itself, can the softhearted drug lord resist. Carlos gets caught up in something that even his arrogant street-wise character can't reverse. The Vampires approach Carlos with a lucrative offer. His decision and actions thereafter can shift the balance between good and evil. The author delivered constant action, mental stimulation, and tweaked every human sense available. I'm twitching in anticipation for the next book. I sat in awe as I read. I'm a big vampire fan, and the urban spin that Banks weaves into this series mesmerizes me. I wish it were a weekly sitcom. When you pick The Awakening up to read, siphon off enough time to complete it because once you pick it up, you won't put it back down until . . .
|
