Curse the Dawn (Cassandra Palmer Series #4)

Karen Chance affirms that she is one of the best fantasists today with her fourth Palmer thriller

When the gods were banished from earth, those using the magic bestowed on them by Artemis banded together to create the Silver Circle. Apollo keeps in touch with the mages through the Pythians, but the Silver Circle has kept the chief Pythian under their control for millennia. Cassie Palmer is the current head Pythia, but the Silver Circle fears her independence as she refuses to bow to their control leaving her in their minds susceptible to Apollo¿s manipulations.

They place a large bounty on her dead or alive. Cassie thinks they are acting stupid because their action places the Silver Circle at war with Apollo¿s followers, The Black Circle as well as the God himself who is playing his foes like a puppeteer pulling the strings of his puppets to abet his returning to earth to rule. Master vampire Senator Mircea Basarab protects Cassie, which further aggravates the combatant Circles as they assume the undead want to use Cassie for their own purposes. No one seems to respect Cassie as her own person as she repeatedly risks her life to do what she believes is ethically right.

Karen Chance affirms that she is one of the best fantasists today with her fourth Palmer thriller (see EMBRACE THE NIGHT, TOUCH THE DARK and CLAIMED BY SHADOW). Readers will believe that vampires, mages and distant interfering Gods exist in the Chance realm. The story line starts at the speed of light and accelerates from there as Cassie has a price on her head that brings out the avaricious dregs of society; leading the audience to ponder the question of whether the end ever justifies the means. The strong support cast, mostly her enemies, enhances this kick butt heroine¿s tale as she knows that the enemy of her enemy may remain her enemy.

Harriet Klausner

9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

LOVED IT!

I've loved this series from the beginning, and this book didn't disappoint. Like another reviewer said, I'd love to see them turned into a television series. All of the winning elements are there...come on, HBO and Showtime!
Cassie is still evolving, which I always like to see. The oh-so-interesting state of her love life has me whining for the next book already. I think that her choice is even harder than Sookie's...I mean, how can a girl choose between a devoted, powerful, rich, super hot Romanian vampire and, well...an equally hot, rugged, BRITISH (yay for the accent!), equally powerful half sex demon wizard?
Hmmm...when put that way, I know what I'd choose. Sigh.
Oh, and the tie-in with her Midnight's Daughter series is a nice touch. It had me wanting to shake Cassie and tell her to stop being so suspicious.

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

A Masterpiece!

i highly recommend this series for anyone who likes humor romance drama vampires and war mages all twisted into one. It kept me entertained all the way throughout the fourth book and i am very eager to see the fifth book come out!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great read

Book 4 in the Cassie Palmer series is an enjoyable follow-up. In this book, we see growth with some of the major characters and learn more about Cassie's parents. Also, we meet some interesting new characters though a few characters are visibly absent (Louis Cesar and Tomas).

Readers can expect lots of thrilling action as the war in the magic world spills out onto the pages; Cassie is pushed to the limits as she tries to appease both sides. Finally, we see her take a stand as Pythia as she tries to keep the mage/vampire alliance together!!! The pacing is excellent, and the dynamic between the characters is great, especially Cassie, Pritkin, and Mircea. I had a really hard time putting the book down.

I love how the story has evolved over the series--the characters change and grow, the action is fantastic, and the plot keeps me intrigued. Karen Chance really knows how to create a world and flesh out the characters. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Action packed!

This series is getting better with each book and this book is the best so far. The action is constant and the sexual tension is explosive. Cassie is definitely starting to come into her own. She's figuring out what she wants and what she's willing to do to get it. The characters have all developed really well in this series and we see more of what makes them tick in this book. Definitely a must read if you're a fan of the series. I finished it in one night and didn't want it to end! Awesome!!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

The BEST - read the whole series just for this book!

Funny as all get out. I love the series, but this one takes the cake.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Better than the rest

I feel this one is the best of them all. I really enjoy the story and that's what has kept me in this even though the writing style has been all over the place. I really wish that Cassandra and Pritkin were together I think they would make the better couple but we can't always get what we want. If you are first stepping into this series I suggest you start from the first one just to have a better understanding of what's going on. I will tell you though it's a ruff start but you will come to love the characters as I have. The only reason I give this book 4 out of 5 stars is because the writer is still a little over descriptive in parts and it distracts from the story. I almost wish someone else wrote it, you know like when you watch the same movie by two different directors and prefer one over the other. I think if someone else wrote this the story would be a hit.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wow! What a find!

I was looking for another book and found the first one in this series. I bought it on audio book for the office. Two chapters in and I was hooked. I went home and ordered the next two and then the third on my nook. I can't wait for the next. I hope she is fast. Wonderful series!!!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A fast-paced exciting read.

A great installment in the Cassandra Palmer series. This book delivers action, suspense, intrigue, humor, romance, and a feast for the imagination. I couldn't put it down and it left me wanting more.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A great rollecoaster ride

Cassie never disappoints. This book was terrific with the mix of action and sexual tension that is just right. I love the way Cassie interacts with Pritkin in this one. The friends she makes along the way are also way fun (ex. a transexual with a shoe fetish). I could not put this book down. Don't worry Mircea is still there!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Better than the last

This fourth installment is a modest improvement over the last two. It's a good read but missing a little something to qualify among my favorites. The story is still plagued by an excess of action and a lack of reflection. I was surprised to find how little time has passed in the timeline since the first novel; it has made the plot a tad less believable as Cassie has essentially experienced a nonstop chaotic series of disastersand life changing revelations since Touch the Dark. She has yet to take any time to reflect and the pace never slows. The series would be improved by a short break from the frenzied pacing to focus on character development.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Awesome as usual

I have learned to expect certain things from a Chance novel--great characters, strong plot, tons of imagination, thrills, chills and laugh out loud moments--and this book had them all in spades! I can't wait to see what's next for Cassie's crazy, dangerous life. Get this book; you won't be disappointed!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Awesome

A great continuation of a wonderful series!

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Loved it

Love this author and this series. Can't stop reading them

This series is great. It always keeps you in suspense to the next book. I couldn't stop reading them. I had to keep buying them because it is one of those books you don't want to put down. Thank goodness I limit myself to reading at night otherwise I would be reading a book a day rather than every 2 or 3. If you like vampires you will love this, because it not the blood sucking, kind of book. Its more of a good guy against bad guy. GREAT READ. CONGRATS KAREN CHANCE ON A GREAT SERIES.

Misogynistic??

Anyone know what that means?

loved!

I read all these books in one weekend! I couldn't put them down. ACTION PACKED!

Technicolor Rollercoaster!

I adore this series. It has wonderfully vivid imagery and an intriguing plot. The test of a truly great book for me is if I think about it when I'm not reading it. I think about this series a lot! This is my favorite book in the series so far, and much of that is because this book is hilarious with loads of action. If you're an urban fantasy fan give this series a shot. It's lovely!

Enjoyed this one

I really liked this book out of all of them. The section where Cassie and John switched bodies had me laughing my as* off. From the first book, I have though Cassie should be with John. Thomas lied to her from the git go, Mircea twisted her emotions with the geis as well as knew throughout time she would be Prias eventually. I think Mircea is just using her. John is a straight shooter, continually lays his life on the line for her, and is SEXY! Never a dull moment in the series.

Great Series

This series is one of the best that i have read. I would rate the right up there with the Anita Blake series. It takes a little to get onto it but if you keep going it gets better. One thing that is great is she doesn't use the first chapter to get you up to spped on the series. She starts off right where the other book left off. I hope there are more top come.