Tomes of Shadowstalking

Welcome to the land of shadows, where evil is the greatest power, where nightfall marks the birth of terror, where your very soul is at risk. Join me as I investigate worlds filled with black magic and dark souls and encounter the monsters rule these wicked places.

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Where there are vampires, there are bound to be a vampire hunter or two. And there aren't any vampire hunters better than Rashel Jordan, also known as "the Cat." She's killed her share of vampires without hesitation. Why, then, does she freeze when she locks eyes with Quinn, a vampire from the 17th century whose reputation precedes him? He's a dark and deadly vampire with more deaths at his hands--and teeth--than Rashel could keep track of, yet she can't bring herself to stake him. And while she can't stake him, he can kill her...or can he? Because something's happening to Quinn, too, that he never expected. And it's a terrible distraction for them both, because something's happening in the Night World among the made-vampires, something that could bring the wrath of the Night World Council against them all. Can the two of them overcome whatever it is that's bothering them before events come to a boil...or worse, before the two of them are killed for violating the Night World law of falling in love with each other?

Here's a twist! The Chosen sets up two determined enemies in a situation that neither one of them wants to be in! It's way different from any previous vampire-human story in the Night World series, because in those it was simply that humans and vampires were in love with each other. This time, however, it's a vampire and a vampire hunter. Can you imagine what kinds of problems this relationship is likely to create? The possibilities for misunderstandings are terrifying to contemplate!

This story was considerably darker than I expected from the Night World series. Certainly it is different from the previous four novels. In those the stories were mostly light-hearted. Sure, there were occasions of pain and suffering in them, but overall everything was fairly upbeat. This book, though, explores the dark side of what is essentially a dark world to begin with. There are good points to consider, though, such as the relationship that develops between Cat and Quinn. Then, too, there is the first-bitter-then-happy reunion at the end of the book that makes the beginning of the novel clear. You'll have to read the book yourself to understand what I'm talking about.

While a YA novel--like all of L.J. Smith's other books--Night World: The Chosen is slightly more bleaker than the rest, and I'd recommend it for more mature readers than younger ones, but that's your choice to deal with. Certainly, though, it's a good read and definitely a part of the Night World!

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