Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Skinwalker - Jane Yellowrock Bk 1 - Faith Hunter

Through a carefully (and skillfully) laid back story we're introduced to Jane Yellowrock. A Native American Cherokee myth comes to life, a Skinwalker. As far as she knows the only one of her kind in the world.

Part of that back story reveals that Jane almost died a year ago taking out a Blood Family. (Make sure you check out PN Elrod's anthology, Strange Brew for the full story.) She's enjoyed healing with her Witch friend Molly and her family for the past year, but it's time to get back to work, destroying rogue "Vamps."

Hired by the first civilised Vampire she's ever met, Kathrine Fontaneau, she leaves her home in North Carolina to head to New Orleans. Fontaneau and the other Vampire ruling class want this rogue taken out, by any means necessary. Not so much because he/she/it is killing humans (and other Vampires), but because it's affecting the bottom line. Since coming out of the coffin in the 1960's, the main stream Vamps get quite a bit of their money from tourism.

Ms. Hunter does an amazing and new take on a shapeshifter. Jane is not alone inside herself, she also has to deal with Beast on a daily basis. When Jane shifts Beast is Alpha and Jane is Beta. It's almost dealt with in a Multiple Personality Disorder, but with the other her only being partially submerged, able to affect the dominate who's driving. Her talents make her the perfect vampire hunter, able to track and destroy them in both her human or animal forms.

Jane can become any animal she wishes through years of practise, but Beast prefers her own, and gets rather pissed at Jane is she shifts into another. I cannot go on enough about how well Ms. Hunter does this novel. At no time are you bored while reading Jane back story. It's parted out throughout Skinwalker in bits and pieces. You won't get hit with one big chapter basically saying, "Here's what happened before..."

Faith Hunter delivers creates someone you may think you've met before at first glance, a kick ass, no nonsense Vamp hunter. She's six feet tall and beautiful, especially when she's riding her motorcycle, Bitsa. She feels the most comfortable with her Italian shotgun, stakes, crosses and holy water about her. Do Not think Jane is only a warrior women. With Beast constantly commenting on her actions and affecting them to some degree, you'll meet someone completely new in the annals of Urban Fantasy.

I cannot wait until January 5th with the second full Jane Yellowrock novel, Blood Cross: A Jane Yellowrock Novel. You will miss out this summer is Skinwalker is not one of your purchases. It is a must have.

Obviously, and amazingly since I never do this for the first novel in a series, Skinwalker receives a Classic rating of 4 out of 4 Stars.

Please Support This Site and Pick Up a Copy Here: Skinwalker - Jane Yellowrock Bk 1 - Faith Hunter

Make sure to stop by Ms. Hunter's Website.

4 comments:

  1. Great review! I was wondering how this book was, and now I'm definitely going to have to get myself a copy.

    Jenni @ Falling Off The Shelf

    ReplyDelete
  2. 4 out of 4 stars! Woohoo! I'm so glad that book is sitting next me. I'm going to be reading it, I hope by this weekend.

    I have Strange Brew but I have just browsed through it. Should I read the short story by Faith Hunter in it first or last?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jenni & Donna- If you have a chance check out Strange Brew first. You will get bits and pieces of what happend in the story and Skinwalker can be read alone, but it helps. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm so glad that book is sitting next me. I'm going to be reading it, I hope by this weekend.

    Lingerie Affection

    ReplyDelete