Child of a Dead God-Barb and J.C. Hendee

Child of a Dead God
Barb and J.C. Hendee
Roc, Jan 2008, $24.95
ISBN: 9780451461872

Magiere the dhampire and Leesil the elf have finally left the elven territories to continue their search for an artifact hidden in a castle with six towers encased in ice in the mountains of the south. Wynn the sage, Chap the canine protector and two distrusting elves accompany them. Master Sage Domin Tilswith asked Magiere to find the relic in order to keep the magical object from the times of Forgotten History from falling into the evil hands of those like her Noble Dead (vampire) half-brother Welsteil.

Welsteil believes the artifact will take away his overwhelming hunger for blood; he raises a pack of loyal feral vampires to help him follow his adversary, his half-sister. When she retrieves the object, his squad will capture her and take possession of the object from her. Neither of the siblings is aware that a third party, the Most Aged Father, an Elven, plans to grab the artifact as he believes this is the only way to save his people from the increasing encroachment of the vile humans and their related evil species if war comes.

Readers who love vampire novels will appreciate the full works of Barb and J.C. Hendee as they consistently provide some of the genre’s best. Each novel adds to the Hendee mythos yet stands alone as the story lines are complex in terms of furthering the adventures of Magiere and Leesil, but are also a complete tale onto itself. The lead duo is courageous and caring as they battle two enemy groups in which treachery and double crossing from your own team is expected. Except for trusting one another and to a degree Chap and Wynn, Magiere and Leesil knows betrayal can come from within as much as from blood kin. The audience will be want to read this novel in one sitting as the triad converges on what looks like a fatal confrontation, but for whom.

Harriet Klausner