Sherrilyn Kenyon - Acheron

Book 13 (or 25 including anthologies) of the Dark Hunter Series

I have never read the Dark Hunter series until now, mainly because every time I picked up the first book in the series the blurb just sounded too stupid…ancient guy stuck in a book to be used a sex slave…nope just didn’t appeal to me, and truth be told it still doesn’t.

However having just finished Acheron I may have to go and read the rest of the series (including, or maybe excluding, the first one in the series)

Acheron is in actual fact two books in one, hence why it is such a huge volume, but it is well worth reading. The first half of the story deals with Acheron’s life as a human, and his very early life as a god. It is an incredibly well written story that had me crying in a few places, whilst all the while wanting someone to just love Acheron for himself. The things that Acheron suffered but survived are horrific, perhaps all the more so because it was written in such a way as to be believable. Yes it is set 11,000 years ago in a place steeped mainly in myth, but the innate cruelty of people was laid bare by Sherrilyn Kenyon, and I applaud her for daring to write such a difficult topic, and writing it with compassion yet with brutal honesty. The human race hasn’t changed in 11,000 years. If you never read the rest of the book or series I urge you to read the first half of this story, it really is worth it in my opinion.

As to the second half, it kept my interest but I think that was mainly because Acheron had found himself a place in my heart. I really can see why fans of this series have been champing at the bit for this book to be written. He and Simi, (really love Simi! she’s like Jayne Castle’s Dust Bunnies!) are the reason I am going to have to go and read the rest of the series. And also because some of the other characters I have met in this book have been so off the wall I really do need to go and read their stories.

As to the heroine Tory, well I really didn’t connect with her and had no real interest in the love story between her and Acheron, all I really wanted to know was, was Acheron finally going to find someone to love him? I couldn’t have cared one way or the other if it was Tory or not, what mattered was that she was who Acheron wanted. So in that respect this wasn’t so much a romance for me as it was a life story, Acheron’s life story. The romance was very much secondary to his story,even though that was I surmise the whole point to the second half of the book. After all this series is a paranormal romance series, but then I think Acheron has taken on a life of his own separate to the whims of the author and the readers.

If like me you haven’t read any of the Dark Hunter books before, don’t worry, it is very easy to read this book and thoroughly enjoy it. Ms Kenyon has done a great job of setting the world so that it can be followed (so long as you pay attention while your reading the first half of the book!) So even if you haven’t read the series, try this book, you may find like me you have to go read the rest!
Tazallie

1. Fantasy Lover
2. The Beginning (in Sins of the Night)
3. Dragonswan
4. Night Pleasures
5. Night Embrace
6. Phantom Lover (in Midnight Pleasures)
7. Dance with the DevilX
8. A Dark-Hunter Christmas (in Dance with the DevilX)
9. Kiss of the Night
10. Night Play
11. Winter Born (in Stroke of Midnight)
12. Seize the Night
13. Sins of the Night
14. Second Chances (free give away exclusive novella)
15. Unleash the Night
16. The Dark Side of the Moon
17. A Hard Day’s Night-Searcher (in My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding)
18. Until Death We Do Part (in Love at First Bite)
19. Fear the Darkness
20. The Dream Hunter
21. Devil May Cry
22. Upon the Midnight Clear
23. The Dark-Hunter Companion (with Alethea Kontis)
24. Dream Chaser
25. Acheron
26. One Silent Night 2008
27. Dream Warrior 20009
28. Fang2009