Sunday, 18 March 2012

Review: Rogue (Shifters #2) by Rachel Vincent

You know a series has captured your full attention when you're so desperate to read the next book that you read it despite it not being a review copy and not fitting in to any of your reading challenges. Such is the pitiful life of a book blogger, folks. Regardless, with Rogue, I definitely don't regret it. I loved Stray when I read it a few months ago, but this second book is even, even better.

Rebellious werecat Faythe is shocked when the bodies of murdered men begin turning up in her Pride's territory, especially as the killings can be traced back to her former life as an ordinary college student. But could a message from an old friend provide a chilling clue?

Okay, so I adore this book. I've been kind of... off from the whole urban fantasy type thing lately, but Rogue managed to plough through that reserve like a fat kid with cake. I mentioned in my review of the first book that Stray reminded me definitely of Kelley Armstrong's Bitten (not that that stopped me liking it), but this book can completely stand on its own feet. It has a plot that I've never seen in any other book of this type before - which is a shame, cause it's amazing.

It definitely relates back to the first book, although it's all nicely explained so it's not completely critical you read Stray first. I would recommend it though, as certain minor events from that story end up being more important than you realised, and it's always fun to look back and go 'Ahhh!' :) 

The whole werecat thing just kind of... works, somehow. It's fresh enough to add a much-needed spark into the urban fantasy genre, but familiar enough for those of us who have a set penchant for werewolves. 

I actually read the entire thing in pretty much one sitting - it's just that kind of book. It has a very accessible syntax, but at the same time it manages not to patronise or sound even vaguely 'clunky.' I hate it when the narrative just doesn't seem to flow, but it's not a problem Rachel Vincent has ever had - with every single book of hers I've read, I've ended up being halfway through the book before I've even glanced away from it.

I have it admit that Faythe herself got a little irritating in this book. I liked her clear-head in Stray but unfortunately I wasn't impressed with her here. My main gripe was the way she treats her mother - it actually offended me at times, and that's not easy to do. She's just so judgemental of her mother, who chooses to cook and clean instead of run out and kill baddies like Faythe - it's a choice, God damn it. She's disgustingly rude and it just doesn't fit. Aside from that, she makes some stupid decisions that are (alas) fairly common in these books. You know the ones - oh no, I can fix this myself. I won't ask for help, I'll struggle along and eventually make everything 948 times worse in the end anyway. God damn it Faythe.

Look, I'm not easy to please with urban fantasy - I expect too much from books that hardly ever deliver. But Rogue? Rogue is amazing.

Visit Rachel Vincent's website here, or find her on Twitter.

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