Nocturnal Book Reviews: Post-Apocalyptic Urban Fantasy Review: That Which Bites by Celis T. Rono

Post-Apocalyptic Urban Fantasy Review: That Which Bites by Celis T. Rono

Tuesday, January 29, 2013 | Posted by kara-karina@Nocturnal Book Reviews

That Which Bites by Celis T. Rono (Julia Poe Vampire Chronicles #1)

bought

Synopsis from Goodreads
The Gray Armageddon has destroyed most of humanity.
Vampires have slinked out of hiding, penning the few human survivors as blood cattle.

Young Julia Poe survives the horror. She has dodged the undead since she was eight years old in downtown Los Angeles and has the only untapped vein in the new realm.

Now she celebrates her 22nd birthday as a cattle rustler, fighting the vampire factions alongside a gun-toting nun with an even bigger vendetta.

Kaleb Sainvire, the master vampire and architect responsible for milking cattle,' is first on Poe's list. That is, if she isn't taken by his vampiric allure.

Amazon US/UK | Amazon kindle US/UK | The Book Depository US/UK

9.5/10

* * *

I've had this book recommended to me by a friend on Goodreads, and only managed to buy and read it last month.

I can honestly say that this is one of the grittiest, harshest, most hardboiled urban fantasy series I have ever read. And I read a lot in this genre.

Julia Poe Chronicles blends almost childish simplicity of Blood Red Road, Reapers Are The Angels and Mad Max in post-apocalyptic landscape of vamp infested, deserted Los Angeles, and some of the intensity of earlier Connie Suttle and Lilith Saintcrow.

Poe certainly is one of the most messed up heroines I've had pleasure reading about. Her whole family perished in Gray Armageddon -an unknown airborne plague which killed billions instantly and allowed vampires to assert their dominance over human race. Poe was only eight when this happened, and had to find an abandoned bunker where she was hiding and learning about fighting vampires through action movies and books until 4 years later she met her first companions.

Julia is a fascinating creature, mostly due to her lack of any upbringing - savage, bloodthirsty, paranoid, lacking almost all social skills. She never gives up and that's what makes her so terrifying for vamps and their flunkies alike, and that's why she unwillingly becomes one of the symbols of human resistance.

This is an amazing true grit, which I hope any UF fan won't like to miss. You truly feel and root for Poe until the bitter end. She is a heartfelt, stubborn and strong-willed heroine who just can't catch a break... Highly recommended.

* * *

Честно говоря, пропускать эту серию любому серьёзному фанату городского фэнтези просто нельзя.

Хроники Джулии По совмещают в себе симплистику Кроваво-красной Дороги и Безумного Макса и в то же время напоминают раннюю Лилит Сэйнткроу и Конни Саттл.

По лишилась всех своих родственников в тот момент, когда Серый Армагеддон накрыл облаком пыли землю и убил миллиарды людей. В 8 лет она нашла в опустошённом Лос-Анжелесе заброшенный бункер и в одиночестве прожила там 4 года, питаясь вышедшими из срока давности консервами и учась сражаться с помощью фильмов и книг. Только в двенадцать лет её путь пересёкся с двумя компаньонами, которые вовлекли По в человеческое сопротивление вампирам и продолжили её обучение.

По - очень интересный и раздробленный персонаж. Честно скажу, что такой больной на голову девушки я не встречала со времён Данте Валентайн. Она кровожадна, дика, параноидальна и почти полностью лишена навыков социального общения. Однако По упряма, невероятно талантливый стрелок, и пробирается напролом к своей цели, становясь устращающим противником вампирских лордов. Несмотря на её нежелание людского контакта, она становится символом Сопротивления, которому помогает, и никак не может найти время для передышки, травмируя свою психику и тело всё больше и больше... Джулия цепляет, и за неё переживаешь.

Её хроники - не для слабонервных, но читать их очень рекомендую несмотря на мелкие недостатки авторского стиля. Одна из крутейших и наиболее жёстких книг жанра, - я была в полном восторге!

Tags: 9.5/10, celis t. rono, post-apocalyptic, urban fantasy, vampires, вампиры, городское фэнтези, пост-апокалипсис

7 comments:

Blodeuedd said...: Just from that blurb is sounds like all kinds of messed up. What a world!; 29 January 2013 06:40
Melliane said...: Oh I didn't know this one but wow 9.5? I'll have to check it out now!; 29 January 2013 07:02
Mel said...: Sounds fairly intense!; 29 January 2013 08:42
Joyous Reads said...: Damn. 9.5 out of 10, huh? Almost a perfection. And more importantly, does it have romance? (banal, I know!); 29 January 2013 14:40
Melissa (My World...in words and pages) said...: Hmm, now this is a first for this one for me. And I like that grit. Thank you!; 30 January 2013 01:18
kimbacaffeinate said...: Oh my goodness..your first sentence gave me goosebumps and I am already opening a page to find this on B&N..LOL; 30 January 2013 13:56
kimbacaffeinate said...: bought it!; 30 January 2013 13:58