Dhampir

Rating:
Summary: Good but not great
Review: An entertaining book but could use a bit more 'action' as it were, solid characters and interesing premise but missing that something "special".

Rating:
Summary: refreshingly innovative horror
Review: As a child Magiere was shunned by the townsfolk because her father was a traveling noble and her mother was a peasant woman. They made her life so miserable that she ran away from home at seventeen carrying only a magical knife and two amulets that her father left behind for her. She worked at any job she could find, traveling from town to town until she met the half-elf Leesil. Together they worked the perfect con, pretending she was a vampire hunter who could rid the town of a vampire that was in the area.

After she saved enough money, Magiere bought an inn in the town of Miiska. Nobody could be more surprised than Magiere and Leesil to learn that a trio of vampires lived in the town and what's more they know about her since she killed one of their kin. Magiere comes to learn she is the natural enemy of the vampire, a DHAMPIRE born of a mortal woman and a vampire father, with powers she must learn to use if she doesn't want to end up being a vampire's meal.

Barb and J.C. Hendee have written a refreshingly innovative horror novel where the protagonists and antagonists act according to their own nature. The vampires serve as worthy adversaries for the Dhampir to destroy if she can and the reader will be rooting for her all the way. After years of being homeless, Magiere and her half elf companion finally have a home and they will do everything in their power to protect it. The plot is meaty and juicy with unexpected turn so that readers are already anticipating the next surprise.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Vamp novel!!
Review: Damphir is an excellent novel for vampire lovers. It weaves an exciting tale of self-discovery and straightforward action. Magiere and her half-elven partner, Leesil, have been traveling the country side duping innocent villages into paying her to "remove" the undead from their midst for a healthy sum. When they happen upon a town with real undead; things change dramatically for the duo.

Each character has a past they would just as soon forget. The characters are very well developed and at times you find yourself rooting for the villains. I hope this is the beginning of an exciting series.

Rating:
Summary: Living Up To Ones Advertising
Review: Dhampir has more alternate spellings than almost any occult term, enabling countless writers to get mileage out of what is often the same plot. It signifies the natural child of a vampire and a human something that in most legends is only marginally possible. In general, these creatures are not vampire friendly, often hunting and feeding on the undead side of their family. They share the powers of a vampire, but to a lesser degree, and are able to walk in daylight.

So, when I picked this offering by Barb and J. C. Hendee, I expected another novel of semi-vampires chomping pure vampires, and simply hoped that it would be diverting. Original ideas are as rare in horror fiction as they are most anywhere else, and one shouldn't expect much from an inexpensive first offering. While 'Dhampir' is not earth shattering, it turns out to be a story with a couple of interesting twists and an engaging style.

Magiere and her half-elf friend Leesil make their living running a vampire scam, Leesil playing bloodsucker and Magiere pretending to be the ultimate bounty hunter. Just as this ploy was getting tiresome (there are only so many villages to rescue), Magiere, who doesn't believe in vampires, accidentally kills one the right way. Drawing undue attention, of course.

In one of those coincidences that are the meat of horror fiction, Magiere has decided to settle down by opening an inn in the same town that is home to a nest of vampires - friends of the one she killed. It is easy to see where this is headed - lots of screaming villagers while Magiere discovers that she really was not faking her talent.

For the most part this is an enjoyable, and fairly ingenious story of vampire splatting in a medieval alternate world. The characters are quite sympathetic, and the humans and almost humans behave like real folks instead of walking lunches. Even the vampires aren't complete archetypes. In fact, the only thing that bothered me was that the ending is over long, stretched out by the fumbling efforts of our prototype slayer and the inability of either side to get a clear victory. It's as if the goal was as much to write a 400 page book as it was to produce a successful vampire novel. Fortunately, the authors managed to succeed at both.

Rating:
Summary: Dhampir
Review: Dhampir is a book about a hunter named Magiere. Her partner Leesil and his pet dog Chap hunt vampires. At first Magiere, Leesil, and Chap hunt vampires, but later on, they decide not to hunt for vampires anymore. So they open up a bar that Magiere saved up money for. They open up the bar at a little town called Miiska. But at the town there is a trio of powerful vampires.
The leader of the three vampires is Rashed a very powerful and wise vampire. Teesha is a very weak physically but she is strong mentally. Then there is Ratboy who has the ability to hide in shadows and be undetected. Three of them go and kill a lot of loved ones. The three hunters and the three vampires fight over and over but there is never a victory for either group. So Magiere, Leesil, and Chap go to fight the three vampires to live and win or die trying.
My favorite part of the book was when Beth-Rae threw a bucket full of garlic water at the vampire, Ratboy. Beth-Rae was the wife of Caleb and also the grandmother to Rose. Beth-Rae and Caleb worked and lived at the tavern. Beth-Rae¡¯s courageous act concluded to her death. That was my favorite part because of the courage that Beth-Rae shows as she throws a bucket full of garlic water at the vampire. It really saddened me when the vampire killed Beth-Rae. Even after the death of Beth-Rae that was my favorite part.
Dhampir is the book I chose because it had an interesting summary on the back of the book. I also chose Dhampir because the cover page had a great illustration of the three main characters. I also chose this book because the first few pages that I read were really interesting. It was interesting because it had a lot of fighting and a lot of things going on. This book is a very good book, it was really enjoying. Dhampir is one of the best books I have read.

Rating:
Summary: Best Fantasy I've read in Months....
Review: Dhampir is the first fantasy novel I've enjoyed in Months. Magiere and her half-elf sidekick, Leesil are con artists, fleecing superstitious peasants out of their money by pretending to be vampire hunters. Magiere, however, has begun to grow tired of the scam and has decided to buy an inn and retire. When the companions run into a true vampire, the proverbial excrement hits the fan, and Magiere must decide whether she wants to run or stay in her new home and fight.

I really liked the characters of Magiere and Leesil. Magiere is tough without being overbearing. Leesil is just plain /fun/ (although if I were Magiere I would hide his wine skin). I also really enjoyed the 'evil' vampires, Rashed, Teesha, and yes even Rat Boy. Even though they were killers, they had great personalities, and I enjoyed the romance between Rashed and Teesha.

Minor peeves: I did think Magiere and Leesil were great characters but for two adults they didn't seem to be fully developed emotionally. These characters need a little more romance and social contact to be believeable. I also found it hard to believe such two physically attractive people would be wandering around the countryside not attracting admirers. Part of me is refreshed by the fact that Magiere and Leesil aren't a couple. But, then the other part of me thinks, the idea should have least been mentioned as an issue/non issue.

Anyway, peeves aside. This is a great book. Well worth the time to hunt yourself a copy.

Rating:
Summary: Wow!!
Review: Dhampir was a fabulous find. When I read the description that it was a cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Lord of the Rings I had to read it. I do agree that there are similarities between the two. It does have the wit and action of Buffy, as well as the adventure and settings of Lord of the Rings.

The main three characters are: Magiere, (who is half vampire/half human) she did remind me of Buffy herself, but she also kind of reminded me of Aragorn. She has the strength and speed of the vampires, but none of their weakness. She had this hard edge about her, but underneath, she was sensitive and had a gentle heart. She also shied away from her past, which is why she reminded me of Aragorn. The only clues to her past are a sword, worn armor and two amulets left to her by her mysterious father.

Leesil, (who is a half-elf) he is an even more mysterious past. He was raised as an assassin by his parents to serve a warlord. When he ran from that life, he met up with Magiere and they became friends of a sort. He says that he has three lives, the first was with his parents serving the warlord, the second was his first taste of freedom when he escaped, and the third and true life was when he met Magiere and made their pact. Leesil drinks to escape his past and uses humor to lighten the mood at tense moments. Because he is a half-elf, he also has added strength and speed as well as great night vision.

Last, but not least, is Chap. Chap is much more than just a dog. He may possibly be the most mysterious of the three. He became Leesil's only companion when Leesil's mother gave Chap to him as a boy. His mother told him that he was a special dog from an old breed who was trained to protect. We really don't know much more about Chap than that. He is quite large and resembles a wolf. We do know that Vampires are very afraid of him and Chap's bite burns them.

This is a great story filled with action, adventure, redemption, and friendship. I really enjoyed the camaraderie between the characters and the way they grew closer during story. Even though they had been traveling together for years, they really didn't know that much about each other. They were too busy ignoring their pasts and trying to forget them.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I can't wait for the next adventure. I will be waiting at the edge of my seat!!

Jennifer

Rating:
Summary: A fantastic new vampire story! Two thumbs way up!
Review: For several years Magiere, Leesil, and Chap have been moving from village to village, earning their living by ridding frightened and superstitious people of the undead creatures that plague their lives. But the whole thing is merely a sham, an elaborate game they have concocted, and Magiere is no true Hunter. Or is she? Finally tired of playing 'the game' for so long, Magiere is ready to call it quits and settle down to a simpler and easier way of life, running a tavern. But what she and Leesil don't realize is that Magiere really is a Dhampir, a Hunter, and what they have been playing at for so many years will soon become a shocking reality. Vampires (and other undead creatures) really do exist, and they have decided that the Hunter is a threat that must be eliminated.

I am very, very impressed with how the authors have created a vampire story set in a true fantasy world. It felt real and natural, and was a refreshing change from the norm! The world building was very well done, the characters were vivid and compelling, and it had a nice dash of mystery and intrigue. There was also lots of great action, humor, sadness and grief, and questions of selfishness, sense of duty, and honor (or doing 'the right thing'). The story sucks you in from the very beginning and there is never a dull moment. I read this one from the first page to the last, without ever putting it down.

I loved how Magiere and Leesil's relationship was portrayed, and how they were both far from perfect, even as far as having secrets that they knowingly, or unknowingly, kept from each other. We are introduced to them at an important junction in their lives, and along the way we are given tantalizing glimpses into their past which, amazingly, never breaks the flow of the story. And it was a joy to watch them grow and evolve, and learn to understand each other better, even though when we meet them they have already been companions for several years. We even get fascinating glimpses into the thoughts and motivations of the villains that make you feel very sympathetic towards them at times. All in all, it makes for a very complex, engaging, and emotional story that is not just as simple as good vs. evil.

Towards the end of the book I was feeling a little disappointed that the adventure would soon be over. But to my surprise, and delight, it looks as though Dhampir will be the first in a series (or will have a sequel at the very least). I can't wait to read the next installment that holds the promise of more mysterious revelations, and greater things to come. Please don't miss this one, I HIGHLY recommend it!

Rating:
Summary: a captivating read
Review: From the first page of this book i was hooked. The way the authors have managed to write this book is amazing. You can't help but feel connected to the struggles and friendship between the two main characters. As i neared the end i found myself slowing my reading so it would'nt end. I hope there is a continuation. I would recomend this to all especially vampire lovers. That was also a surprising part of the book. They have managed to change the way of a vampire without ruining there escense. A must read!

Rating:
Summary: Vampires are victims too!
Review: I agree with the reviewers who sympathised in part with the vampires, because the female vampire was indeed presented as a victim. The Hendrees take a lengthy detour to tell the story of Rashed's companion, Teesha. She was a beautiful and happy young wife until she caught the attention of Corische, a vampire lord who took her to his castle, killed her husband, and made her a vampire too. After many years of resentment she persuaded Corische's head servant Rashed, himself a vampire, to kill Corische. Rashed and Teesha then fled to Miiska with two other vampires who had been part of Corische's entourage, where they bought a warehouse and developed it into a thriving business. The purpose of this must be to evoke sympathy for Teesha, so we're not looking at a black-and-white situation. I very much agree with this approach as it makes for a far more interesting read. However, the Hendrees then throw it away.