"Infinity: Chronicles of Nick book 1" by Sherrilyn Kenyon

"Infinity: Chronicles of Nick book 1"
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Read by Holter Graham
Produced by Macmillan Audio
Approx. 8 hours.

I think I have just listened to the next juvenile fiction craze. Okay it's really hard to figure out what today's youth will read, but if the recent trend of supernatural series is any kind of sign this series will glide right in. This one not only has vampires and werewolves, but within this first in the series (or rather sub series, but I'll explain that later) the hero getting bit by and then chasing zombies, befriended by demons, getting suspended from school and worse yet getting grounded by his mother.

Nick Gautier (pronounced Go-shay not Go-tee-ay or Goat-chay, that has an extra H in it and as Nick's mom says, "We're so poor we couldn't afford the extra letter.") is your typical high school freshman. Okay, typical in some aspects, like full of sarcastic wit, worried about bullies, and fully aware of girls. Now he's not so typical in that his mom dances at a strip club on Bourbon Street to pay for Nick's tuition to a private school that because he tested so high got somewhat of a scholarship and is the only reason he is in a school where everyone else constantly reminds that he doesn't belong.

Nick also has one more secret, one that he doesn't know himself, he's not quite human. It is never revealed fully what he is but it is powerful. His father is in prison and is the secret behind what Nick is and what Nick could become.

One day before school Nick's mom gives him a hideous Hawaiin shirt, Nick knows he's going to be picked on, AGAIN, and the shirt will be the cause, but, because Nick loves his mom so much he doesn't argue with her to protect her feelings. When he arrives at school, sure enough he's picked on. This time Nick takes the taunting about his shirt. He even takes the taunting about his being poor. But, when the taunting by the school's football team bullies becomes about his mom Nick fights back. This fight gets him suspended and grounded. His mom only allows him to go to work, but he feels so bad about letting his mom down so he skips work to go apologize to her. On the way back he runs into some friends that say that if he stands lookout while they pull a job they'll pay him 200 bucks. This will be the biggest deposit in Nick's miniscule college fund ever, so Nick decides to help. When he the "friends" proceed to rob a couple of tourists at gunpoint, Nick helps the tourists escape and then gets beat up and shot by the "friends."

This turn of events is witnessed by Kyrian, who turns out to be a Dark Hunter. Here's where the idea of the "sub-series" comes in. Sherrilyn Kenyon has written numerous books about the Dark Hunters, the Dark Hunters are death to those that prey upon humans. This book is the first in a series in which Kenyon is writing for a younger audience. The nice thing is that as a writer when the readers get older they can discover her earlier works which are actually later in the life of Nick and the Dark Hunters. But for now this series is full of fun, thrills, zombie chases, crazy rednecks and very strange supernatural beings of all sorts.

Kyrian takes Nick on as an assistant to help Nick on the right path. Before Nick can fully enjoy his job he discovers Kyrian and his many friends are demons or supernatural beings. He also discovers his uncle is a demon that stays hidden to keep him safe and to aid in his training, that some demons love to eat humans with barbecue sauce, the football team is made up of shape shifters and the world is not what it seems. Then again this all takes place in New Orleans, and New Orleans has never really been what it seems.

The reader of this audio book, Holter Graham, does a superb job of interpreting this book to audiobook form. He captures Nick, with all his sarcasm, angst and discovery perfectly and captures all the characters in their own uniqueness, from the redneck zombie hunter, Bubba, to the extremely wealthy upper class of Kyrian. Some of you old-schoolers may recognize the name Holter Graham as the kid from the Stephen King movie "Maximum Overdrive." He has grown up and honed his talent to becoming a great voice actor that brings this fun novel to life.

So, if you are a fan of the Dark Hunter series and would like to share the series with your younger friends and family, or just want to know what made Nick, Nick put this one on your list. I you like reading supernatural fiction, no matter what your age this is one I highly recommend you give a listen.

"My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding" A Collection of short stories edited by P.N. Elrod

"My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding"
A Collection of short stories edited by P.N. Elrod
published by St. Martins (2006)


It's been a while since I've posted a review, so let me explain, it's not due to slacking off. Quite the contrary actually, first of all I've decided to tackle the gigantic tome that which is "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The book is 994 pages and the audiobook is 36 cds. I went for the audiobook version thinking it would be easier. I could never settle for an abridged book so I dove head first. I'm not regretting it but it does take time, but the book is worth it as you will read in a future review. I did manage to squeeze in another book in between times listening to "...Rivals." I'm glad it was a collection of short stories in retrospect.

The main reason I picked this book up to read is that it contained a short story by Jim Butcher that adds to the adventures of my favorite wizard, Chicago's own Harry Dresden. With the new book in the Dresden files series not yet released I had to absorb all the dresden I could find. So, while being treated to a very nice Dresden short story, I also got to read some pretty entertaining/interesting short stories from authors I might have missed before. And speaking of missing, as with all collections of short stories some are hits and some are misses in this book, but the misses are not really far off the mark, just not my cup of meat.

All the stories in this book, as you could guess from the title, deal with weddings and what happens when different supernatural forces come into play.

So let's break it down story by story;

"Spellbound" by L.A. Banks

Known for her vampire huntress series of books L.A. Banks writes something a little different here. I was actually a little let down not by the story but that I was expecting a vampire story. The story follows the modern day Hatfield and McCoys. The feuding still goes on but Banks throws in an extra aspect to the showdown in that they are spell casters to boot. So the feud now involves some magic, hoodoo and other charms, but 2 young college students, a representative of each family, want to get married, to do so they spells must stop. But they don't, and through a little bit of fun and a little bit of nastiness can love survive?

"Something Borrowed" by Jim Butcher

For a complete review on this story click on the following link
http://www.gilwilson.com/blog/2009/01/something-borrowed-short-story-from.html

"Dead Man's Chest" by Rachel Caine

Best known for her "Weather Warden" and "Morganville Vampires" series Rachel Caine tackles the wedding theme by adding in some dead pirates. (oops a spoiler). With some humor and even a little romance grab a bottle of rum and have fun with this story.

"All Shook Up" by P.N. Elrod

Again I was let down with the subject matter but I do have to say that this was a fun read. You see, I really like vampire stories and knowing P.N. Elrod is famous for vampire stories I expected them but what is in this story is not vampires. Okay so I got over that and read on, and had some fun. This wedding is being catered by a woman who can see the future, and the bride and groom (a famous wrestler and a famous model) have a bleak future. However the wedding singer has powers of his own. In what at first seems like an Elvis comes back from the dead story, comes the story of an Elvis impersonator...er, um tribute artist..that can change the future when love is involved. This one is fun and hey if you are prone to emotional outbursts keep the tissues handy.

"The Wedding of Wylda Serene" by Esther M. Friesner

Not knowing what to expect here, I was ready for some entertainment, but this one just didn't grab me. This is a story about a wedding that is crashed by some Greek Gods. I just could not sink myself into this one.

"Charmed by the Moon" by Lori Handeland

Like Jim Butcher, Lori Handeland writes a short story for this collection that is within the realm of one of her existing series. From Her "...Moon" series we join Jessie McQuade and Will Cadotte as they are about to get married. Jessie is a werewolf hunter of sorts and Will is a shaman. Jessie discovers someone may have enchanted them to fall in love with each other and only wanting to be married if it is TRUE love and not a spell, Jessie and Will seek the truth.

"Tacky" by Charlaine Harris

Harris is another author writing within the realm of an existing series. This story comes from the Sookie Stackhouse (Southern Vampire) Series. So finally I get a vampire story. This time a female vampire wants to marry a male werewolf. In this series the idea is that vampires have revealed themselves to the world and are treated differently by the government. But werewolves are still a secret. Also Vampires cannot marry outside their vampire race. So radicals will do everthing they can to stop this wedding to keep the human race pure. Oh and also the werewolves and vampires are supposed to hate each other. This story makes me want to go out and find the Sookie Stackhouse series and start reading it.

"A Hard Day's Night-Searcher" by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Kenyon writes this story with in the "Dark Hunter" series realm. The Dark-Hunters are immortal warriors pledged to the Greek goddess Artemis and dedicated to defending mankind against Daimons (vampires) and other assorted enemies: including a couple of rogue gods and goddesses. In this story an overprotective squire falls in love with a Dark-Hunter. This story is pretty much a novella coming in at 44 pages in length and dividen into chapters. It provides some great vampire hunting action and some interesting moments, a good read.

"...Or Forever Hold Your Peace" by Susan Krinard

This is one story I had a hard time trying to follow. It takes place in an alternate Victorian England known as Albion, where prominent families possess magicks. The somewhat detective team of Kit and Olivia have to figure out why a woman of social status has run away after her wedding was interrupted by someone that objected to the marriage but died before he could say why. Kit, Olivia and the Groom travel the countryside tracking down the woman using magic and then rescue her from an "Inquisitor." They soon find the woman may or may not be who she says she is. This story seemed to scream for a full length novel version.