Blood Lines, Tanya Huff

If you enjoyed the first two books, this is more of the same, and that’s not a bad thing at all. I find them fairly comfortable reads, though some of the themes may be fairly harrowing — the effects of the curse on Henry, Tony’s fear, the attempt to torture Vicky… But it’s also classic: it’s basically a mummy with a curse, and it’s fun to watch the characters running around trying to cope with that.

Of course, in terms of character development, the book also throws Vicky, Mike and Henry together to work with one another again. And naturally, that doesn’t go one hundred percent as any of them would hope. Mike and Henry still have to learn to work together, because Vicky won’t put up with their pissing contests. (And Henry’s relatively civilised in general, but I still feel like if Mike Celluci wanted to have a dick measuring contest, Henry could be provoked. And don’t get me wrong, I like that byplay between them.)

I like the ending a lot — not just Vicky firmly telling Mike and Henry not to baby her, but also the larger plot (though I don’t know if it gets used later) about the three of them knowing of the existence of a god who thrives on pain, who could worm his way into their minds and use them, someday. Vicky’s way of dealing with that fact is great.

Rating: 3/5

Blood Trail, Tanya Huff

The second book in the Vicky Nelson series introduces more supernatural beings — this time werewolves, although the lore isn’t 100% traditional. (For example, werewolves are born, not created; if you aren’t a werewolf, you won’t become one.) It deals again, and more directly, with the problems that occur for supernatural beings living in a human community. The plot itself is reasonably obvious, and the ingredients make the outcome obvious: the way they get there and the characters surrounding them are more important, really.

Ultimately, I find this a comfort read; not too heavy on substance, more representative of real life than you often find (i.e. with Vicky’s disability, Henry’s sexuality, etc), and easy to read. There are some meaty things here — Celluci’s relationship with Vicky, and how that shapes his relationship with Henry; Vicky’s insistence on being independent, her certainty about her own skills and instincts despite her disability; prejudice against people that aren’t like you — and even some questions about justice and how exactly it can be enforced in special situations the law doesn’t cover (e.g. if someone killed a werewolf in their wolf form, so it’s not apparent that it is murder). But it’s treated with a fairly light hand, which keeps it highly readable.

I do wish Celluci would get with the program and grow up, though.

Rating: 3/5

Blood Price, Tanya Huff

I read this first book of the series ages ago and enjoyed it, but didn’t go on to read the rest of the series at the time. Now I’m determined to read them all: it’s such a cool set-up, the retired police officer turned private detective who, by the way, has retinitis pigmentosa, meets a vampire romance novelist. They fight crime. I’m not even kidding: it’s supernatural crime, but nonetheless, that is essentially what Vicki Nelson and Henry Fitzroy do. (And by the way, the detective is Vicki; the romance novelist is Henry.)

It’s a pretty light read, but the kind which comes gloriously without guilt for me. It’s free of homophobia (there’s a gay character, Tony); Vicki can handle herself and when she does need help, it’s not because she’s a woman; men and women can be friends; relationships can be complicated; the Alpha-Hole character’s chauvinism is called out, etc, etc. I feel like I can always rely on Tanya Huff’s work for something which includes people like me, while also delivering an absorbing story. (And the occasional giggle, e.g. when excerpts of Henry’s novels are included.)

The story itself is more or less secondary to the characters, for me: in this book, Vicki Nelson finds herself facing a young man who summons demons to get everything he wants, not knowing that he is also being used by them. The important part is not so much the mystery, but the way it brings the characters together. And while Henry Fitzroy is fiercely attractive, he’s also frightening, and we see that side of him as well. No sparkly or idealised vampires here.

Solid and entertaining; it almost deserves to get four stars, even just because I’m comparing it to M.C. Beaton’s Snobbery With Violence, which I gave three stars. This is definitely a better book, in terms of both the plot and the execution. Still, at least in this first book, I haven’t tipped over into adoring the book and the characters yet.

Rating: 3/5