Cold Reign

Cold Reign (2017) Faith Hunter

This is Jane Yellowrock Volume 11. In case you had lost track (which I had).

An unnatural storm has fallen over New Orleans and long-dead vamps are rising as revenants.

And a lot of MAJOR events happen here. Some of which seem small, unless you’ve been reading along for eleven books.

Secrets were dangerous to mental health. He had assured me of that, which was odd considering how many secrets the former Ranger was keeping, like the source event of his own PTSD.

Jane, Eli, and Alex are taken to water to purify themselves after Jane receives a call from Angie AND a message from Sabina that they should do so immediately.

And finally Jane starts to truly understand how her past made her who she is.

I realized that the Damours’ dark magic had combined with the evil done to me by my grandmother when she taught me to kill. Together, they had become something else. Something much more powerful than I had understood. Something that conflicted with the sacred name of the Almighty.

Although we don’t see Eli’s actual experience when he goes to water, we do see the results later.

Would these events have the same meaning to someone to jumping into the story here as they do for those who have been reading along? Possibly not. But for me, seeing Eli finally open up about some of his experiences was a deeply important event and a further change in their relationships.

We also get to see Alex growing up.

Mostly.

I particularly liked this bit between Jane and Edmund. For a couple of books Beast has been asking to go hunting in Edmund’s car. Which I found hilarious from the first, which makes this all the better.

“He’s fighting the call. Give him something else to think about.”

“Beast wants to hunt cows from inside your fancy car,” I said instantly. “With the top down and Eli driving around a muddy field. You don’t calm down, I’m taking her hunting.” I leaned closer and grinned, showing teeth. “She’ll claw up your leather upholstery. Maybe scent-mark your carpet.”

Inside me Beast perked up. Hunt cow? In Edmund car with no head? Which I figured was her way saying with the top down.

Of course, I’m certain I’ve mentioned before how much I love Beast’s voice.

Need food. Jane did not answer.

Stared at bag of food on floor. Taco. Beast never hunted taco. Did not know if taco was bird or alligator or pig. Was too stinky to be fish. Edmund opened bag and Beast sniffed. Was stinky. But Beast ate, swallowing fast. Taco was meat and bean-stuff and corn-stuff. Had man-spices in it. Taco meat would be better raw. But did not want to hunt taco. Stinky animal.

But that’s barely touching the surface of what happens here. Some things were a surprise, some things were a bigger surprise, and some other things were a long time coming.

I quite liked this, and now have to wonder how long before the NEXT book comes out.
Rating: 8.5/10

Published by Ace

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