Rating: 
Summary: An Excellent Read!
Review: "Blood Trail" is the second instalment in Tanya Huff's "Blood" series and it is superb. I loved the first book in this series, "Blood Price", and so was thrilled to discover that the second book was just as good, maybe better. With three central characters who I have really come to care about and a storyline that gripped me from page one and wouldn't let go, "Blood Trail" is an immensely entertaining and satisfying read!The series revolves around Private Investigator Vicki Nelson, an ex-policewoman forced to resign from the force because of her failing eyesight. Vicki is a wonderful heroine, a tough and determined woman who readers can respect, but at the same time she has plenty of vulnerabilities which make her seem all the more real and allow readers to identify with her. In "Blood Trail", Vicki's friend, Henry Fitzroy, 450-year-old vampire, romance writer, and bastard son of Henry VIII, comes to her with a plea for help. Henry's good friends, a large family called the Heerkens, are being murdered one by one, and they can't go to the police for help because they have an amazing secret, they're werewolves! The two members of the family who have been killed so far were shot at night in their fur-form, which makes it all the more complicated, since Vicki is completely night-blind. But once Vicki meets two of the younger Heerkens, twins named Rose and Peter, she just can't refuse. So Henry and Vicki head out of Toronto into the countryside around London, Ontario - Vicki planning to do the day work and Henry the night. But as Vicki begins to investigate, it soon becomes clear that the Heerkens haven't been as careful as they thought. Someone knows just what they are and is planning to murder them all. After a close examination of the area, Vicki discovers where the killer did his/her shooting from, but it doesn't bring her any closer to finding out who it is. And from the location the shots were fired, the killer has to be an Olympic calibre marksman, which doesn't bode well for the wer, who refuse to limit their freedom. And as time goes by, Vicki becomes more and more attached to the Heerkens, and more and more determined to catch the monster who is murdering these good people before anyone else dies. Huff does an excellent job of portraying the wer society, making it highly similar to that of real wolves. All of the wers are beautifully portrayed, and Huff makes them seem incredibly real; from Stuart and Nadine, the alpha pair, all the way down to Daniel, the youngest child and an exuberant little cub. And amidst the mystery and suspense, Vicki's relationship with Henry (the main reason I like these books so much) is developing and growing into something very important to both of them. It's great watching Vicki and Henry interact, and the character interactions get REALLY interesting as Mike Celluci, Vicki's best friend, former partner, and sometime lover, arrives to find out just what is going on. Mike, still a cop with the Toronto police, is convinced that Henry is involved in organized crime, and plans to prove it to Vicki. Of course, when Mike arrives, he has a serious coping failure when he discovers what Vicki has gotten herself involved in, and things get a little crazy. "Blood Trail" builds in suspense, and as the conclusion gets closer, it becomes harder and harder to put the book down. I was utterly absorbed in the story and was amazed when I finished and realized I had read the whole book in one day! Huff has created another winning tale that is sure to please readers everywhere. Vicki, Henry, and Mike will compel you to read about them, and the wers are just the icing on the cake. "Blood Trail" is a fabulous read, containing a perfect blend of mystery, fantasy, and romance. So don't miss out on the fun and excitement, buy "Blood Trail" today!
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Read!
Review: "Blood Trail" is the second instalment in Tanya Huff's "Blood" series and it is superb. I loved the first book in this series, "Blood Price", and so was thrilled to discover that the second book was just as good, maybe better. With three central characters who I have really come to care about and a storyline that gripped me from page one and wouldn't let go, "Blood Trail" is an immensely entertaining and satisfying read! The series revolves around Private Investigator Vicki Nelson, an ex-policewoman forced to resign from the force because of her failing eyesight. Vicki is a wonderful heroine, a tough and determined woman who readers can respect, but at the same time she has plenty of vulnerabilities which make her seem all the more real and allow readers to identify with her. In "Blood Trail", Vicki's friend, Henry Fitzroy, 450-year-old vampire, romance writer, and bastard son of Henry VIII, comes to her with a plea for help. Henry's good friends, a large family called the Heerkens, are being murdered one by one, and they can't go to the police for help because they have an amazing secret, they're werewolves! The two members of the family who have been killed so far were shot at night in their fur-form, which makes it all the more complicated, since Vicki is completely night-blind. But once Vicki meets two of the younger Heerkens, twins named Rose and Peter, she just can't refuse. So Henry and Vicki head out of Toronto into the countryside around London, Ontario - Vicki planning to do the day work and Henry the night. But as Vicki begins to investigate, it soon becomes clear that the Heerkens haven't been as careful as they thought. Someone knows just what they are and is planning to murder them all. After a close examination of the area, Vicki discovers where the killer did his/her shooting from, but it doesn't bring her any closer to finding out who it is. And from the location the shots were fired, the killer has to be an Olympic calibre marksman, which doesn't bode well for the wer, who refuse to limit their freedom. And as time goes by, Vicki becomes more and more attached to the Heerkens, and more and more determined to catch the monster who is murdering these good people before anyone else dies. Huff does an excellent job of portraying the wer society, making it highly similar to that of real wolves. All of the wers are beautifully portrayed, and Huff makes them seem incredibly real; from Stuart and Nadine, the alpha pair, all the way down to Daniel, the youngest child and an exuberant little cub. And amidst the mystery and suspense, Vicki's relationship with Henry (the main reason I like these books so much) is developing and growing into something very important to both of them. It's great watching Vicki and Henry interact, and the character interactions get REALLY interesting as Mike Celluci, Vicki's best friend, former partner, and sometime lover, arrives to find out just what is going on. Mike, still a cop with the Toronto police, is convinced that Henry is involved in organized crime, and plans to prove it to Vicki. Of course, when Mike arrives, he has a serious coping failure when he discovers what Vicki has gotten herself involved in, and things get a little crazy. "Blood Trail" builds in suspense, and as the conclusion gets closer, it becomes harder and harder to put the book down. I was utterly absorbed in the story and was amazed when I finished and realized I had read the whole book in one day! Huff has created another winning tale that is sure to please readers everywhere. Vicki, Henry, and Mike will compel you to read about them, and the wers are just the icing on the cake. "Blood Trail" is a fabulous read, containing a perfect blend of mystery, fantasy, and romance. So don't miss out on the fun and excitement, buy "Blood Trail" today!
Rating: 
Summary: Someone is Killing the Werewolves of Canada
Review: "Blood Trail" is the second in Tanya Huff's vampire series. Written in 1992 it anticipates and foreshadows Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series. Huff's heroine is similar to Anita in that she is tough and self willed, but she is a bit more subdued, lacks any special powers and is handicapped by the retinosa pigmentosa which is slowly making her go blind. Nor are the settings similar, Toronto instead of St. Louis, and vampires are rare and not necessarily monstrous. While Huff's stories have an element of romance in them, they do not even approach the steamy vampire sexiness that Hamilton puts together with ease. That being said, this tale starts out in Toronto, but rapidly shifts to the countryside around London, Ontario. At vampire Henry Fitzroy's request Vicki is helping to discover a sniper who is trying to kill a family of werewolves. Nightblind, Vicki will do the day work and Henry will watch the night. Two have already died before Vicki arrives, and Henry is wounded on his very first patrol. Vicki is initially wary of the wer, but soon discovers that they are hardly the creatures of horror stories. Instead the Heerkens family are pleasant, caring folk who live very much in the present and who have an overwhelming charm. To the observer they are ordinary farmers with a lot of dogs and a penchant for nudity. Vicki makes a strong connection with some of the younger members of the pack and rapidly becomes determined to track down the real monster, the guy with the gun. On top of Henry's injury, an attempt is made on Vicki's life when her brake lines are cut. To make matters worse, Mike Celluci, Vicki's ex-partner, and sometimes lover, appears from Toronto. Mike is convinced that Henry is an organized crime boss and has come to rescue her. Needless to say, rescuing is not what she needs. Mike inadvertently finds out that the people for whom Vicki is working are werewolves and nearly has a coping failure. And he never quite gets his confrontation with Henry. And in the meantime, the killer is still stalking the werewolves. The wer themselves refuse to limit there own freedom, making Henry and Vicki's task even more complicated as they seek for a hunter who is also an extraordinary marksman. All of this adds up to a great tale. With an entire family of werewolves to present, Huff keeps extraneous characters to a minimum. The most interesting are the country doctor who cares for the Heerkens and a curious woman who teaches Vicki more than she ever wanted to know about Olympic Marksmanship competition. The Heerkens family itself is fascinating from Nadine and Stuart, the alpha pair to the young twins Rose and Peter. Huff has managed to create a new kind of werewolf that seems as true as if it followed the legends exactly. Huff's brew is a mix of humor and suspense that makes "Blood Trail" a unique and satisfying book.
Rating:
Summary: Someone is Killing the Werewolves of Canada
Review: "Blood Trail" is the second in Tanya Huff's vampire series. Written in 1992 it anticipates and foreshadows Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series. Huff's heroine is similar to Anita in that she is tough and self willed, but she is a bit more subdued, lacks any special powers and is handicapped by the retinosa pigmentosa which is slowly making her go blind. Nor are the settings similar, Toronto instead of St. Louis, and vampires are rare and not necessarily monstrous. While Huff's stories have an element of romance in them, they do not even approach the steamy vampire sexiness that Hamilton puts together with ease. That being said, this tale starts out in Toronto, but rapidly shifts to the countryside around London, Ontario. At vampire Henry Fitzroy's request Vicki is helping to discover a sniper who is trying to kill a family of werewolves. Nightblind, Vicki will do the day work and Henry will watch the night. Two have already died before Vicki arrives, and Henry is wounded on his very first patrol. Vicki is initially wary of the wer, but soon discovers that they are hardly the creatures of horror stories. Instead the Heerkens family are pleasant, caring folk who live very much in the present and who have an overwhelming charm. To the observer they are ordinary farmers with a lot of dogs and a penchant for nudity. Vicki makes a strong connection with some of the younger members of the pack and rapidly becomes determined to track down the real monster, the guy with the gun. On top of Henry's injury, an attempt is made on Vicki's life when her brake lines are cut. To make matters worse, Mike Celluci, Vicki's ex-partner, and sometimes lover, appears from Toronto. Mike is convinced that Henry is an organized crime boss and has come to rescue her. Needless to say, rescuing is not what she needs. Mike inadvertently finds out that the people for whom Vicki is working are werewolves and nearly has a coping failure. And he never quite gets his confrontation with Henry. And in the meantime, the killer is still stalking the werewolves. The wer themselves refuse to limit there own freedom, making Henry and Vicki's task even more complicated as they seek for a hunter who is also an extraordinary marksman. All of this adds up to a great tale. With an entire family of werewolves to present, Huff keeps extraneous characters to a minimum. The most interesting are the country doctor who cares for the Heerkens and a curious woman who teaches Vicki more than she ever wanted to know about Olympic Marksmanship competition. The Heerkens family itself is fascinating from Nadine and Stuart, the alpha pair to the young twins Rose and Peter. Huff has managed to create a new kind of werewolf that seems as true as if it followed the legends exactly. Huff's brew is a mix of humor and suspense that makes "Blood Trail" a unique and satisfying book.
Rating:
Summary: Witty werewolf read filled with great characters
Review: BLOOD TRAIL is a fun read. It has wit, sass and great characters.
Watching the tension grow between Vicki and her two boyfriends (who both
suffer from major fits of jealousy but will _never_ ever admit it) is
always amusing and I really loved peeking into the daily routines of the
life of a werewolf. I can't wait to dig into the other books in this
series to what happens next to these three
Rating: 
Summary: Not in the same class with others of the ilk
Review: I've read the first three books in this series, and I can't say I particularly cared for this one. The werewolves are pretty silly, and not nearly as fleshed out as other authors' portrayal of the same. Plus, I just don't really care for Vicki. She is nowhere near in the same class as Anita Blake as far as being a well-rounded character. You'd think someone would have a little bit of soul-searching if they are involved sexually/romatically with two men simultaneously. It is possible to be a "tough girl" and still have emotions.
Rating:
Summary: Now add Werewolves!
Review: In this 2nd book with Vicki Nelson & Henry Fitzroy. Herny has freinds in trouble, & they want to hire Victory to help them. Someone is picking them off one by one, & they can't go to their local police because they have a big secret: they are Werewolves. Ms. Huff makes me believe there are Werewolves, not the monster movie kind, but a Breed of creatures striving to survive just like humans. Vicki, can't resist a challange & rides to the rescue. Major complication is Mike Celluci her ex-partner/lover, he didn't totally catch on to the whole super natural thing last time(Blood Price), so he totally unprepared for what he steps into in this investigation. Wonderful believable characters, fast paced... with lots of different elements.. ScFi, Horror, Mystery & Romance.. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: I love this book
Review: Seriously though anyone who is a fan of vampire or lyncanthrope fiction needs to read this book. I fell absolutely in love with the Blood series and any Hamilton fan will instantly. Huff takes a lot of the same concepts and a very similiar headstrong female lead and goes in an entirely different and equally captivating direction. Huff breathes life into the werewolf mythology that is really unique. Truth be told, I was very sad that the series came to a hault where it did and I will warn any readers that it will bother you too. They are just too good.
Rating:
Summary: My fav out of the series
Review: Tanya Huff did a excellent job when writing this book. She put together a funny, thrilling, serious and sad book that keeps you on your toes. Henry and Victory are two of the best characters in this series I have seen. This book reminds you of some of the wrong that religion has done to people, the serious part, and also reminds you that being yourself is fun, the funny part. My favorite shifter has to be Shadow the youngest son. He is hilarious in his clown like ways and just makes you laugh. My family thought I was crazy when I laughed out load at Shadow's antics. Tanya Huff with her Blood series isn't quite up to Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series but she has got me re-reading her books!
Rating:
Summary: I loved this!
Review: Tanya Huff is a wonderful author. I am so thankful I found this series! I have two more to go and I am already getting upset that it's close to the end of the series. I don't want to slow down. I have read one right after the other - never tiring of the characters - enjoying everything to the fullest! This book with the werpeople was very, very good. Tanya Huff did a wonderful job describing the wer's life and showing the families/packs commitment to each other. It had you cheering, crying and laughing - especially at the antics of Shadow/Daniel. With not a lot of descriptive paragraphs, Tanya Huff brings everything happening between the pages so clearly into focus. You feel as if you are there. Even after the first book, I found myself caring very much for the three main characters. Glad that when I finished the first I had four books more to go. This is a wonderful series! Don't miss it, but make sure you read them in the order they were written.
|
