Hunter's Moon

Rating:
Summary: Blech
Review: The more I think about this book, the more irritating it becomes. I especially disliked the patronizing, moralistic tone that crept in as the story progressed. I wouldn't have said there was such a thing as "politically correct nihilism" before reading this. We are not only expected to sympathize with a character who kills innocent people for money and feels no regret, but the novel implies that we should be ashamed for judging him. Personally, I didn't see why he was supposed to be more sympathetic because it was "just business." If anything, it made him seem more cold-blooded. At least a psychopath like Scotty can be excused on the grounds of being born that way, but Tony clearly had a choice.

More nauseating yet, we're offered a list of flimsy justifications for this "career choice" (from the mouth of a licensed psychiatrist, no less), which basically amount to "It's been around since the beginning of time" (so have child prostitution and slavery--are those okay, too?) and "If he doesn't do it, someone else will" (Which makes him totally blameless, apparently), and, my personal favorite, "Everybody dies." Sue is supposed to be intelligent, but if that were the case, I think she would do a better job of knocking over these ridiculous arguments. She never says anything more articulate than, "But it's wrong to kill!!" creating the illusion that the pro-hitman viewpoint has the intellectual advantage (it doesn't.) This same psychiatrist seems to feel that there is an inherent conflict between "being yourself" and "being human" (ie, having values). So he advises Sue to give up her moral values in order to be true to herself. WHAT?

Oh yeah, and apparently we need the Mafia and should support them because they keep the gangs in check. Uh, isn't that supposed to be the cops' job?

I really wanted to see Sue grow a spine and verbally castrate these stupid, condescending jackasses, but alas, it was not to be.

Which brings me to another problem. Sue. We're told again and again that she's not weak, that she's actually quite intelligent and strong-willed and just has self-esteem issues. I see no evidence of this. She never puts up much of a fight at any point in the novel; the one time she confronts Tony about his career as a hitman, he instantly shouts her down and she curls up into a meek little ball. Yeah, they're going to have a healthy relationship.

Redeemed villains can be wonderful protagonists, but Tony clearly doesn't want to be redeemed; he thinks he's A-OK the way he is. It's really kind of a shame the authors chose to populate their novel with such vile characters, because their writing--while amateurish in places--does show glimmers of promise and talent. I liked the way they brought us into Tony's world of enhanced smells...and in fact, the writing itself is the only reason I'm not giving this one star. But as for creating sympathetic protagonists, as far as this reader is concerned, they failed dismally.

Rating:
Summary: Hunter's Moon
Review: This book was a wonderful read, especially if the reader is into the paranormal. The fact that the main character is a killer for hire did not bother me. It gave readers and I'm sure the writers something to over come. How does one come to like a "bad guy". Plus, how else would Sue and Tony have met? If the story was changed it wouldn't be "Hunter's Moon". I did have a problem with the scent imagery. Though it does make sense since Tony is a werewolf.
Basically, there was action, romance, a plot, mystery, and a great deal of the paranormal. The characters had to overcome challenges that aren't normally seen in romances and something I've never seen since reading this genre...it is written from the point of view of the male main character in most, if not all of it's entirety.