Just finished reading Black Dawn by Rachel Caine, No. 12 of the Morganville Vampires.  This book takes up immediately where Last Breath left off.  The Draug are still in Morganville, Magnus and his thrall are still attacking vampires, and humans if necessary, at every opportunity and the vampires are scared and holed up at Founders Square.  If you haven’t read any of the previous novels I would suggest reading no further as spoilers will be contained below.

Okay, I enjoyed this installment, although not as much as last breath.  That being said I enjoyed the different perspectives which we got to see a lot more of.  This is a really fast paced novel, if you like action you’re going to be plenty pleased with this book.  We move from one escape/rescue/potential abduction to the next.  The draug are relentless.  The clouds gather ominously and then grey sludgy figures appear.  On top of that Amelie is infected – and let’s face it, if she dies, life in Morganville is going to become a whole lot less, mmm, livable – at least for the humans.

The difference in this novel is that Shane is in more danger.  RC has proved already that she isn’t afraid to lose a few characters and this particular instalment is no exception.

I did enjoy this novel, BUT, it’s taken on a new direction, which I suppose is to be expected given that we’re getting towards the end of the series.  Amelie has become more chilling and Myrnin isn’t quite the same character that we’ve become used to.  Now maybe this is all leading up to the grand finale – I’ve always wondered how things could possibly end well for all sides – so maybe we’re being led now down the path of more dislike for the vampires.  This has a feel now where things are going to become much more ‘us and them’ and a potential fight to the death with a situation where, if the vampires win, they are released upon the general unknowing population.  That’s just my weird speculation.

In terms of criticism – yes, I had one major one – in the previous novels it always felt like Claire, Shane and the crew were fighting to stay alive against their foes.  In this novel they weren’t against the vampires, the vampires and the humans had joined against the common enemy – the draug.  But it felt a little unrealistic.  Lots of vampires but the humans go out on these missions.  I understand that the humans can look after themselves and fight back when they have to – but, they’re going out on missions with vampires and helping with things that the vampires would be much better at.  Now, I understand that the vampires are scared of their ultimate enemy – but, I don’t understand why the humans are trying to help them (well, until the end I didn’t understand).  But, even with that understanding, I don’t get why the humans didn’t just say ‘to hell with this’ and get out of there.  They’re helping their own enemy and are constantly under threat from them and treated like real inferiors.

Anyway, a good instalment.  It didn’t have the jaw dropping moments of the last and for me, personally, Myrnin, lost a little something in translation in this book.  Like I said, maybe it’s the beginning of the end.  I don’t know.

However, if you’ve read this far, you can’t possibly stop now??  Can you??

I will certainly read the rest.  I have to know how this ends.

Black Dawn