Dream Warrior

Dream Warrior by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Dream-Hunter

ISBN# 978-0-312-93883-3

Available now

Published by St. Martin's Press

Format: mm pbk., 314 pages

Genres: fiction, paranormal romance, urban fantasy

I have a problem with the way the Dream-Hunter novels are marketed as being separate from the Dark-Hunter series.  A lot of fans now think they can skip these books if they're just into the Dark-Hunters and that's not exactly true.  The first two, The Dream Hunter and Upon the Midnight Clear, may have been Kenyon's attempt at a separate series since they can be skipped without anything missing from the world of the Dark-Hunters.  Dream Chaser and this book, however should not be skipped, not if you want to know what the hell is going on.  Dream Chaser picks up where Devil May Cry (Dark-Hunter, book 11) left off and Jaden makes his first appearance.  Dream Warrior not only formally starts the next stage of the Dark-Hunter series, it's also where the war begins.

Around nine thousand years ago Cratus was bound and thrown to Earth by Zeus for disobeying just one order, to kill an infant.  What almost none of the gods are aware of is that his punishment didn't end there and, in fact takes place nightly.  You can imagine that he's not a very happy person, made even less so when Phobos and Delphine show up to ask for his help on behalf of Zeus.  Since he turned them down flat Delphine, who's a Dream-Hunter, plans to enter his dreams that night and talk to him there.  Before she has a chance to intervene Azura gets to him first and sways him to their side promising him the return of his powers and a chance to take down Zeus.  While hope is all but lost the Dream-Hunters bravely continue to fight Noir and Azura's Skoti (rogue Dream-Hunters that have given into the temptation to feel emotions anyway they can) army.  In the latest battle the Dream-Hunters are ambushed in their own sanctuary and Delphine, along with many others, are taken prisoner.  Jericho (aka Cratus) takes an interest in Delphine so Azura gives her to him as a present thinking it will keep him busy.  After a few missteps they enter an uneasy alliance that slowly turns to love, but when she's drugged in her sleep he begins to realize that his hatred of the Olympians has blinded him to the wrongness of what Noir and Azura are trying to achieve.  Jericho's first battle turns out to be more of a rescue mission with them sneaking in to save their people and swinging the Skoti back to the Dream-Hunters.  Without an army Azura and Noir retreat, but it's quite clear that the war is only beginning.

This is most definitely not the book to start this series with.  I've read all the previous books and still felt a little lost, tons of new characters are introduced (most by name only), and all kinds of subplots are starting although none of them come to a conclusion in this book.  Besides all the new characters introduced for the second stage of this series it looks like Nick and Zarek will also be playing major roles.  If this book is anything to go by we'll all need a notebook beside us to keep track of what's going on and who's who in this second stage.  There are a lot of things I don't understand, but I think most of it will be explained in future books so I'm not worried too much yet.  If you like paranormal romance with the world-building of urban fantasy and have an interest in Greek mythology this series is right up your alley.  For proper reading order see the list here.

Zhye