Thief of Lives

Rating:
Summary: Entrapped and entranced!!
Review: "Thief of Lives" was an intriguing tale of a dhapmir, a half-elf, and a supernatural dog. It was an exciting story that grasps the imagination and it takes it to new heights of adventure. If you are a fan of vampire legends then this is truly the story that will captivate and thrill your senses. The interaction between Leesil and Magiere is fiery and tense. I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to "Dhampir". I hope that Barb & J.C. Hendee will continue to write about the adventures of Magiere, Leesil, and Chap.

Rating:
Summary: Entrapped and entranced!!
Review: "Thief of Lives" was an intriguing tale of a dhapmir, a half-elf, and a supernatural dog. It was an exciting story that grasps the imagination and it takes it to new heights of adventure. If you are a fan of vampire legends then this is truly the story that will captivate and thrill your senses. The interaction between Leesil and Magiere is fiery and tense. I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to "Dhampir". I hope that Barb & J.C. Hendee will continue to write about the adventures of Magiere, Leesil, and Chap.

Rating:
Summary: an all-nighter read
Review: A vampire story set in a high fantasy world. Sounds interesting? Then you would enjoy what the Hendee's have created.

Dhampir, published in 2003, was our introduction to Leesil and Magiere. Our heroine is not your typical simpering, scantly clad woman. Magiere caries a falchion, a very bid sword, and a wicked set of canines. No need to fear her unless you are an undead. Magiere is a "dhampir", a child born of a mortal and an undead. Using the gifts given to her by her undead father, she is able to wage war against vampires. Her sidekick and partner is Leesil, a half-elf with dangerous skills and even more dangerous secrets. Leesil is a troubled man. His exploits typically involve copious quantities of booze and gambling. While not the typical leading man/hunk/piece of meat one expects, many of use would gladly volunteer to be Leesil's nursemaid. To round out this group is Chap, who appears to be a dog, but appearances are deceiving. Chap can scent the undead and has a bite that the undead fear.

This unlikely trio embarks on a new adventure in Thief of Lives, published in January 2004. At the end of Dhampir, Magiere has discovered what she is - a dhampir. Manipulation makes her leave the Sea Lion, her and Leesil's new comfy tavern to save the village of Miiska. Magiere, Leesil, and Chap sail to Bela to rid the city of its undead and collect a hefty bounty. This time each of the three will discover how hard killing the undead can be. Myths and folklore don't hold the truths necessary to accomplish the task. To add to the mix, Leesil and Chap finally divulge a few of their secrets.

The story is complex and will keep you guessing until the end. Each character is finely crafted like the weapons they carry. The Noble Dead series is sure to please both fantasy and horror fans. Its unique premises keep your interest level up and nothing is rushed. My only complaint of the book is the cover art. Leesil is my mind should look like Orlando Bloom in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Also, the clothing worn on the cover is completely different from the descriptions set in the book. Too bad authors do no have more input on cover art.

Barb & J.C. Hendee are a husband/wife pair of writers. Barb Hendee is the author of another vampire novel titled Blood Memories in 1999. Both authors have written many short stories published. They have a website at www.nobledead.com with many extras for the series. I enjoyed reading the series and look forward to the next book. The next installment will be released January of 2005, Sister of the Dead.

Rating:
Summary: A dhampir's job is never done
Review: Any list of the best writers of vampire novels working today must include the dynamic duo of Barb & J. C. Hendee. Their first collaborative effort gave the world Dhampir, a truly engaging vampire tale set in a rich atmosphere suggestive of mediaeval times. It was there that we first met Magiere, the acclaimed vampire hunter; her half-human, half-elf partner Leesil; and Leesil's extraordinary dog Chap. Magiere and Leesil used to be con artists, staging vampire kills to rob superstitious villagers of their collective wealth, but Magiere grew tired of the game and the guilt that came with it, choosing to settle down in the town of Miiska and run a tavern. As luck would have it, though, Miiska was the home of three very real vampires. The game had become real, and Magiere, Leesil, and Chap endured great pains as they sought to rid the city of its undead killers. Magiere struggled most of all with the newly-acquired knowledge that she was a dhampir who could, she feared, kill Leesil unintentionally when she needed blood to survive a life-threatening injury.

Thief of Lives begins right where Dhampir left off. The vampire threat in Miiska has been dealt with, although one of the vampires is unaccounted for. Magiere's hope that her vampire-hunting days are over is soon dashed when a letter arrives from Bela - it seems the metropolis is dealing with a vampire menace of its own, and a councilman's daughter is the latest victim of a truly vicious attacker. A certain little matter of a burned warehouse in Miiska and the economic impact it has wrought on the town leaves Magiere little choice but to reluctantly head to Bela. By the time she arrives, she has already had to survive one attack on her life. Awaiting her and Leesil is a blast from the past - good old Ratboy. Now freed from the grip of his creator, Ratboy has cleaned himself up pretty impressively and taken on the airs of a nobleman of sorts, creating his own special minions to protect him and, in the case of the tempestuous Sapphire, arouse his ardor. I had my doubts that the Ratboy we met in Dhampir would prove a worthy opponent for Magiere and Leesil in this novel, but the Handees did a great job redefining him.

The vampire hunting action is just as exciting as it was in Dhampir, but Thief of Lives adds a new mixture of potentially noxious potions to the pot. Magiere and Leesil are forced to come to grips with their emotionally troubling pasts, and questions are answered that neither partner ever dared ask before. New foes - and one all too familiar one - stand in opposition to them, posing altogether new types of threats to those who would take their heads. A startling revelation about the duo's uncommonly intelligent dog Chap is revealed, forcing Magiere and Leesil to reevaluate their own history together. As coincidences begin to add up, it eventually becomes clear to our heroes that something fishy is going on in Bela; it's as if someone is playing with them, manipulating their every encounter with their foes. Running around in the shadows is Welstiel Massing, Magiere's mysterious "benefactor" from the earlier novel. You had to wonder what this guy was really up to; Thief of Lives begins to give the reader some answers. Did I also mention that an elfin assassin has come to Bela to deal with Leesil as a traitor to his people?

With so much going on, Thief of Lives gives the reader an even more immersive story than that of Dhampir. You get plenty of plot and subplot for your money, and the increasingly complex characters are explored much more deeply, as we see them forced to deal with the discomfort of painful memories. By the time all is said and done, Magiere and Leesil have begun to forge an entirely new type of relationship.

Readers will be thrilled to know that the story of Magiere and Leesil does not end here. A new and unexpected quest is revealed at novel's end, and some intriguing questions - such as the actual fate of Leesil's elfin mother - jump to the forefront. Clearly, there is fertile ground in which to plant the seeds of a third exciting novel in this uncommonly compelling series, and I will be one of many readers anxiously awaiting its publication.

Rating:
Summary: Deduction gone awry!
Review: Aside from the comments made by other readers, I enjoyed another aspect of this new tale from the world of the Noble Dead. It's sort of a mystery... or perhaps more like a gumshoe tale, if the detectives were amateurs who really didn't know what they were doing. It's not a weakness of the novel but its strength. Opposing sides in the conflict are shown to make perfectly rational deductions based on what they know, yet the conclusions often lead them in the wrong direction... and still the sides are perpetually at conflict. And there's a great hint to the strange twist on elvish society in this world through a new minor character I hope will return again in next book. In THIEF the hendees created a new story unto itself which is still built upon the last novel DHAMPIR. An interesting blend of sequel and standalone novel!

Rating:
Summary: Explain it to me again I'm a Dumbpir
Review: Been ill at bed with high fever for couple of days so I managed finishing Dhampir and its sequel Thief of life.
*Let's go through the good points first.
*Good Characterization - Both protagonists are rounded, each has its own past (shrouded in a little mystery), they have inner conflict, and share a development of character. This rule goes also for the antagonists, which are also well rounded.
*The plot - Is interesting enough, conflict arises and conflict is solved, though nothing unexpected happens as the reader point of view is omnipotent and he learns all the answers well before the protagonist does.
*The bad things about Dhampir and TOL lies with the lack of a strong editor.
*Repetitiveness - Phrases, sentences and paragraphs are repeated all over again. It looks like the author wasn't sure I was paying attention the first time (I don't like being patronized like that. Who does?). If you read just Dhampir it's annoying, if you read both Dhampir and sequel it's intolerable. Repetitiveness surface also in content. Entire scenes are copied between the books. For instance, the following formula is used at least 10 times between two books. The vampires strike, are wounded by the magical blade and dog, are amazed by the fact that they can bleed and escape with their lives only to try again and again and again. I wonder how does the third book end. Maybe one of the antagonists escapes to plague our heroes in the sequal. Why not? It worked in the first two books. Repetition is bad. You can get away for stealing ideas from other writers; you can't get away from stealing from the previous page.
*Too many flashbacks - The first book suffer from too many flashbacks that stop the plot. Some of them or most should have converted to active scenes. I must point that this was remedied in the second book.
*Bad choice of point of view - The omnipotent point of view (where we see all characters actions and thoughts), doesn't sit well in a vampire/mystery tale. For my tastes it would have been best to keep the readers in the dark. For example, in one scene we see the vampire laying a magical trap and in the next we see the hero fall into it. Ruins the suspense and surprise, a better scene would have showed us the protagonist triggering the trap.

Summery: I'll give the book two and a half stars for entertainment, but for the lack of fractions in the grading system I'll settle for two. I'm sure not going to buy the next vol


Rating:
Summary: Solid Storytelling
Review: Dhampir was one of those novels that I wished had a few more chapters. I hated to close the book. So after a year's wait I was thrilled to be able to pick up pretty much where our sometimes gallant, sometimes conniving trio left off.

The Hendees spread their literary wings a little on this outing and take the reader on a ride to the city of Bela where a vampire is eating pieces of the Upper Crust. With lashings of mystery and political intrigue, a few new weapons, some more glimpses into our heros' origins, and almost a high fantasy-noir environment, misfits Magiere and Leesil follow Chap's nose right into the thick of things.

I found the story satisfying. One thing I would really like to see in the next book is a map of the Hendees' world. I hope they can convince their publisher to offer one in the next volume.

Rating:
Summary: Wow! Excellent!
Review: Don't be put off by the cover. Despite a jacket which makes Leesil the elf, look like the Pillsbury Dough Boy, this book was excellent!

The plot? This novel is a sequel to Dhampir, and begins pretty much where the first book left off. I.E. while trying to create a 'normal' life for themselves the vampire hunting duo are sucked once more into the action, working hard to uncover a nest of vampires who are preying on the citizens of a prosperous northern town.

What makes this series succeed (at least for me) are the characters. Magiere and Leesil are likeable. Magiere's stiff emotionlessness and Leesil impulsiveness are a good combination. (And an interesting reversal of the typical fantasy gender roles). I like the fact that the author has not rushed the romance between these two characters, but has allowed it to develop naturally. My favorite of the two main leads is Leesil, whose backstory is quite fascinating. I like the fact that he refuses to take anything seriously except Magiere. Now if he could only stay away from the wine flask!

Peeves? I am at a loss to criticize anything about TOL except the fact that I'd like to see more books. Soon! (Grin). Second: while I don't need anything graphic as an adult reader, I felt romance scene was rushed. Especially after all that buildup. Surely a LITTLE more romance wouldn't be amiss. Finally, I am wondering about Magiere's craving for blood and what impact this will have on the couple's relationship in the future.

This is a wonderful series with very likeable characters. A keeper!

Rating:
Summary: Better than Dhampir
Review: Earlier this year I picked up Dhampir based on all the positive reviews on this site and others. It turned out to be, by a fair margin, the worst book I'd read this year. Poorly written, poorly executed, quite risible. Then I went and made kind of a jerk of myself at the Hendees' website. Now, I've finally picked up the sequel to that book, Thief of Lives.

It's still not very good. There are still sentences with words missing, weirdly constructed sentences, strange tense shifts, and various other weirdness. But it's worlds better than Dhampir, and if the authors continue to improve at this rate, by the time the projected five-book "Sage of the Noble Dead" is complete in a couple more years, they could very well be writing books worthy of all these four- and five-star reviews.

Thief of Lives takes a little too long to get rolling, and it took me four or five tries to punch through the first chapter, but once I managed that it kept my attention. The action is better-written this time around, the characters are more fun and get into more interesting situations, the plot strands are handled more capably, and while this Eddings meets Gemmell meets Blade story is far from original, it does handle some of its elements in a different way from the usual. And it doesn't hurt that the plot is right up my guilty pleasure alley.

Hardly a masterpiece of contemporary vampire fiction, this is at least an entertaining bit of escapist fiction, interesting enough that I'll probably pick up Sister of the Dead when it comes out in January -- and if that's as much an improvement on Thief as Thief was on Dhampir, I may just be along for the duration.

Rating:
Summary: mmmm vampires
Review: From the authors of Dhampir comes the continuing saga of Magiere the vampire slayer and her companions: Leesil, half-elven and Chap, a dog who is more than he seems. Much to the dismay of the raven haired beauty her dreams of a peaceful life are once again disrupted by a letter from the far off city of Bela. Bela it seems has a problem of the toothy kind.

In their quest to find the killers of a councilman's daughter the trio finds that the vampires aren't the only trouble in town. They must also deal with corrupt noblemen and come to terms with past regrets. Once again the mysterious stranger is meddling in Magiere's affairs and steering her to a path which may claim not only her life but her very soul.

With a little help from friends old and new Magiere may just make it out of Bela alive but what awaits her after is quite the coin toss.