Dark Descendant Narrator: Sophie Eastlake Series: Nikki Glass #1
Published by Tantor Audio on December 30, 2011
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 336
Length: 8 hours, 24 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm
Nikki Glass can track down any man. But when her latest client turns out to be a true descendant of Hades, Nikki now discovers she can’t die...
Crazy as it sounds, Nikki’s manhunting skills are literally god-given. She’s a living, breathing descendant of Artemis who has stepped right into a trap set by the children of the gods. Nikki’s new “friends” include a descendant of Eros, who uses sex as a weapon; a descendant of Loki, whose tricks are no laughing matter; and a half-mad descendant of Kali who thinks she’s a spy.
But most powerful of all are the Olympians, a rival clan of immortals seeking to destroy all Descendants who refuse to bow down to them. In the eternal battle of good god/bad god, Nikki would make a divine weapon. But if they think she’ll surrender without a fight, the gods must be crazy...
As I continue to read, or in this case listen, to books by authors who will be at NOLA Storycon later this year, I selected Dark Descendant. Melanie from Rabid Reads and Hot Listens has a review of one of the newer installments and I can count on her to give me a good sense of a book, so I know what I will like or to avoid it. The library had it available on digital audio and there you go. It took less than 24 hours to devour.
I seem to be in an audio craving, reading sort of slump. Audio has been an awesome way for me to continue with a series where reading didn’t work. It’s also been the way to fit in the new NOLA Storycon author TBR pile. Listening on the way to and from work or over lunch consistently gets me through about 2 books a month. Listening at bedtime is frustrating since I’ve missed some chapters when I wake up.
Sophie Eastlake did a good job with the narration. I have listened to her on the later Chicagoland vampire series, with difficulty since I preferred Cynthia Holloway for Merit’s snarky style. Eastlake is a much better fit here. She does well with the emotion of the different characters imparting a fitting sense of them. I like her here. I’ve listened to her on a few Thea Harrison titles where the voice was stronger which fit well there. Obviously, she has skill and versatility.
So, Nikki Glass has not had an ordinary, simple childhood, like many urban fantasy ladies. She is a private investigator now. I was engrossed and fully into the plot throughout. After listening, I have SO MANY QUESTIONS. The world building was not confusing during, but now there are many missing pieces.
The action was steady. My concern for Nikki’s life and those of her friends and family was fairly constant. The knowledge we, and, sometimes Nikki, gained, was a dribble. Yet it was so inconceivable in some respects, it felt like drinking from a fire hose.
I don’t like to be spoilery, so hopefully these questions aren’t too much. What happens now? What kind of life can Nikki or Steph have? How did Nikki end up a private investigator and what about her clients? Did she have any allies, particularly police contacts as a PI? Did she REALLY never use her career skills and current funds to try to find her birth family? REALLY? Will there be any romantic partner for her?
Nikki doesn’t seem particularly skilled or strong but facing the horrors so fast and furious, who would? She does seem to consider her integrity and choices; she’s not a bad person. Some of her attitudes are certainly very human and realistic. I can empathize.
Wanting to know SO MUCH MORE, I will have to read or listen on in the Nikki Glass series.
2.5 Pros and Cons
About Sophie Eastlake
An avid reader her whole life, Sophie Eastlake happily extends her love of books to her passion for narrating. She lives in New York, where she survives the subway grind with a book in her hand and drops in on every literary reading she can find, while on a never-ending quest for the perfect cup of coffee.
About Jenna Glass
Jenna Glass (Jenna Black) is your typical writer. Which means she’s an “experience junkie.” She got her BA in physical anthropology and French from Duke University.
Once upon a time, she dreamed she would be the next Jane Goodall, camping in the bush making fabulous discoveries about primate behavior. Then, during her senior year at Duke, she did some actual research in the field and made this shocking discovery: primates spend something like 80% of their time doing such exciting things as sleeping and eating.
Concluding that this discovery was her life’s work in the field of primatology, she then moved on to such varied pastimes as grooming dogs and writing technical documentation. She writes paranormal romance for Tor and urban fantasy for Bantam Dell.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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I still need to read the last book in the series. I was kinda hoping that Tantor would pick it up (since they did the others), but I don’t know. I can tell you that this series doesn’t really go into much of Nikki’s life in the past. I mostly focuses on her present. I don’t think Nikki searched for her mom because of the resentment for being left at the church as a child. I hope you continue to enjoy the series. 🙂