Servant: The Kindred (Servant Series #3)

Wow!

An amazing ending to an enthralling trilogy. Gaby and Luther continue with their relationship, and find ways to work together in crime-fighting. A wannabe vampire is on the loose and under team Gaby's radar. Bliss has a vision that this blood-sucker wants to take the next step into straight cannibalism of a ripe child. Gaby fights her uncontrollable emotions with Luther's tender touch. And, it seems that the entire trilogy comes full circle to stamp this series as complete and excellent!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Servant The Kindred- A Great End To A Wonderful Series

Gabrielle Cody is a paladin, Gods enforcer, she's duty bound to fight evil, where ever and when ever she sees it. Luther Cross is a detective and he loves Gabby, but he wants to keep her safe. Gabby is now living with Luther and learning to love. Will this hurt her instinct to fight evil?

I loved this book, I'm sorry to see it end. I'm glad Gabby is finally learning to love instead of hate, and Luther is learning to accept Gabby's powers.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

The third Servant thriller is a super romantic urban fantasy

Paladin Gabrielle "Gabby" Cody and police detective Luther Cross are trying to find a common ground as they fall in love. She as God's warrior enforcer uses methods outside the law that he is obligated to enforce.

However, her biggest concern is her desire for Luther interfering with her higher calling. As she struggles with love, an evil predator is devouring human bodies and souls. She knows the monster is coming for her, but that does not frighten her as she has dealt with malevolent beings for years; though her need for her beloved distracts her. However, the couple realizes the beast is targeting children playing in a playground to force Gabby into a confrontation on the creature's terms.

The third Servant thriller is a super romantic urban fantasy. The lead couple struggle with a beast and with their attraction as their differing methods do not make for easy bed talk. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action as the vile creature controls the altercation. Fans will enjoy the latest entry while newcomers should read the previous novels (see THE ACCEPTANCE and THE AWAKENING) to better understand the fabulous world of L.L. Foster and the dysfunctional loving relationship between the lead sleuths.

Harriet Klausner

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great series

Smart writing, interesting storyline....would recommend to anita blake fans!

Not Quite There

The second of the series and much better than the first though I can't bring myself to give it a higher rate. The book is filled with repetitive themes such as Gaby's inner dialogue and thoughts as well as her interaction with Luther.

What I like about this book is the character development that is extended past the last chapter of the Servant: The Awakening. Though Mort barely makes a few appearances in this novel, it is clear that he is a completely different person. We also see Gaby and Luther change in their behavior with each other. Some of the dialogue can get old and predictable, but I still loved the couple and wanted them to get together. Since the beginning, Foster has teased us with the sexual tension between the two but in this novel, she gives a little scene that keeps the weary holding out for when they finally will get together. It's short, it's spicy yet predictable, and it keeps you frustrated.

What I don't like is that there was a sheer drop off of paranormalcy from the first novel. In the first novel, we are given grotesque images of twisted evil beings. The Awakening didn't touch on that. Instead, we get a psychotic woman trying to be a boy, her deranged uncle and aunt who take pleasure in torture people, and men who like to abuse prostitutes. Honestly, I would have kept the twisted beings that morph into monsters only Gaby could see to keep with the theme of the first novel. However, Foster did put a lot more about auras, which I greatly enjoyed. I also loved how she gave another character besides Gaby any form of superhuman abilities.

Again, not a great book and not one to take as a series fantasy novel, but I liked it all the same and I will be reading the next in the series which is also the last.

Could Be Going Somewhere

I had to force myself past the first few pages due to their confusing descriptions and use of wording. Once I passed those, however, the novel went by fairly quickly.

First off, I would like to say that you can tell Fantasy/Sci-fi are not Ms. Foster's usual territory. It seemed that she was so focused on developing the romance part of the novel that she completely forgot that there was suppose to be plot development, too. She did bother to come up with a plot but it was neither creative nor original. A doctor abusing patients for their own purposes? A female heroin with special powers trying to stop an evil while a man who is her exact opposite is somehow attracted to her and demands that she do as he says to keep her safe? Nope, not original at all.

I was also annoyed by the complete lack of character history. I felt that Ms. Foster purposely made Gaby an abused victim to foster home with a lack of education. It worked out for Foster seeing as that Gaby as an educational unintelligent person who lack major social skill fit into the story rather well. I just wished that Foster had come up with a better background than that. It just seemed to like a lazy way out. Not to mention that she barely mention's Mort's history, and Luther's is just non-existent.

All in all, the story didn't seem original or well developed but I couldn't stop myself from reading it. I admit it's not a great novel, or even good for that matter. I still must also admit that I liked it and couldn't put it down. I bought the book for the paranormal aspect but ended up reading it for the romance. I just had to see if Luther and Gaby hooked up. However, Gaby's personality and mouth made it hard. I understand that they way she talked and acted was part of the character that was Gabrielle Cody, yet all her foul language and agreeableness made the novel unpleasant to read. I am not offending by cursing, but Gaby's was excessive to the point of annoying. Growing up where I have, it was unbelievable, however.

An interesting book if not taken seriously.

Worth Reading

Engrossing, fast paced read. Some the vocabulary bothered me, it seemed like it was written with a Thesaurus close at hand.

Enough for me

I'm a big Lori Foster fan so I was willing to give this new series a fair chance and the premise sounded interesting. I read the first book and while I wasn't too jazzed about it I figured it was just a set up for the rest of the series.
However...

I agree with others who said the words were out of control. I'm a fast reader and fairly well educated but there were too many words that needed to be looked up. Unfortunately, I read this while on vacation and didn't have access to a dictionary.

I'm not convinced that Gaby is one of the good guys. She seems to enjoy not just killing, but killing in brutal ways.

Gaby is a 21 year old described throughout the book as narrow hipped with small breasts, skinny, scrawny, bony, plain and homely. She was also rude, crass, mean, uncaring, insulting and violent. As far as I can tell she didn't shower, wash her hair or her clothes.

Luther was a hot cop, old enough to be her father (big Ick factor for me), and he was attracted to her because??? He and Ann were suited to each other; just don't see him and Gaby together.

It looks like there's at least one more book in the series but I'm done.

One of the Best, Yet Sadly Underrated Urban Fantasy Series

I highly recommend you read the previous books in this series (The Awakening and the Acceptance) before reading this novel. This is the last installment of the Servant trilogy. I've had my ups and downs w/ this series, mainly the first book, the Awakening. Regardless of the first installment, each installment seems to get better and better. This book was excellent from start to finish. Gaby, a Paladin and vigilante has decided to let Luther into her heart, as well as her body. However, that proves difficult when her "calling" runs on its own schedule. On top of learning to trust Luther, accepting and appreciating her new friends, as well as new life; Gaby has to track down a sadistic killer who has a palate for human flesh and unquenchable thirst for human blood. In this last installment, Gaby meets the most formidable nemesis she will probably ever meet. There was great twisted humor, action, excitement, mystery and suspenseful twist and turns throughout. Gaby is my favorite and one of the best and bad-a$$ heroines you'll find in urban fantasy today. If you're looking for an urban fantasy series that doesn't cater to a whiny, pouty and too-stupid-to-live heroines, give this series a try. I'm sad to say that I'm sorry the series is ending and I will miss it tremendously (and after this novel, it has finally been proven to me, that Gaby hasn't been killing sick ugly people but actual malicious nefarious criminals). I highly recommend this book and series to dark urban fantasy readers.

I also recommend these books below, as well as their entire series:

FUN TO READ

i thought this book was fun to read. =)

Dark Urban Fantasy at its Best!

Wow, what a transformation from the first book! This book was dark, deviant, dangerous and simply delightful! Gaby Cody transforms from a defiant and deadly girl to a deadly-woman and a dark avenger. Hiding in plain sight and living amongst the prostitutes in a roach-motel, Gaby tracks an unconventional serial killer. A sadistic sadist has been boldly kidnapping prostitutes and plebeians, savagely torturing them in the most heinous of ways and finally murdering and dumping them. Gaby once again with no hesitation puts her life on the line to not only protect the innocent but also the prostitutes, who most of society considers throw-away-people; who have taken her in and cared for her like the family she never had. Acceptance not only involved Detective Luther Cross accepting Gaby and her unorthodox crusade against evil, but also Gaby accepting that she now has Luther in her life and people that care for her, accepting herself and her calling. Luther is the perfect mate for Gaby; he is secure in his masculinity, honor-bound and persistent. I must say though, in the first installment, I wasn't sure if Gaby was actually killing demons or just ugly sick people. Now in this second installment, I'm still confused if Gaby is actually killing demons or twisted evil-incarnates. I recommend you read the previous book the Awakening before attempting this book. I look forward to the next book in the series The Kindred due out 8/25/09.

Eve Dallas Meets Joan of Arc

This encouraging start to a new urban fantasy series was unique and intriguing but at the same time the story felt incomplete and sometimes corny. Gaby a young demon slayer, a loner, living life in isolation even though she's in the middle of a crowd, has her life and mission interrupted when a nosy cop, Luther, suspects her of murdering and mutilating a poor soul. To the normal human eye, this unfortunate person looks like a regular human but to Gaby, she sees the demons hiding within. She is a paladin, a warrior of god, doing his bidding. Blessed with strength, speed and agility she carries out gods justice with no mercy. Gaby has a bad attitude and an even more unpleasant disposition but she was also innocent and vulnerable. Forced to let the cop into her life, Gaby experiences and allows little rays of joy in her seclusion. The story was dark, gritty, extremely predictable and sometimes disturbing but nonetheless interesting and entertaining. However, the author didn't exactly explain where Gaby came from, are there any other paladins around. Where, how and why do these demons take over these susceptible humans? I'm still confused if Gaby was actually killing demons or ugly sick people? Sometimes I thought she was a deranged young girl, seeing "dead people". In contrary to all the inconsistencies in the story, I see a potential for a really great series. I have therefore decided to give this series a chance and read the next book The Acceptance. I recommend this book for those with patience.

L. L. foster: servant the awakening

This book was fun to read. It had a great flow in the writing. Was verry hard to put down. It had a touch of a romantic theme. I enjoyed this book alot. I'm sure you will as well.

This Author Has Spoiled Me Rotten

Not only was I in love with the first book of this series, but the second book has certainly ruined my reading ability for any other paranormal romance out there (and that's not necessarily a bad thing!). Being introduced to a strong, determined no nonsense heroine like Gabrielle Cody is a fantastic vacation away from supposed heroines of other romance novels that allow the man do everything and feel like they need to be protected. No, no, in this book the woman is the one kicking ass and taking names, and is truely the character that's saving the day. Not only that, she doesn't take any lip from the strong male character either. Not that Luther Cross isn't a man to be reckoned with; he can feel me up any day of the week if he likes!

This book is amazing, the series is awesome, and I can not wait for the next book to come out!!!

Kick-butt, soul-stirring

Loved it! Ms. Foster has a gift of linking words together that draws forth a multitude of emotions from the reader: horror, empathy, awareness, outrage, laughter, tears and so much more. Gaby is beauty (not the superficial kind, although Luther finds her so) and darkness, and Luther is her new guiding light. I can't wait to see where he'll lead in the next book. Bravo, LL Foster!

I Love This Book

I just wanted to say that I loved this book. I automatically buy everything that she writes and I have never been disappointed yet. Whether writing under Lori Foster or LL Foster, a fantastic story is guaranteed. This is another winner.

L.L. Foster rocks

L.L. Foster's books are the first paranormal books I've read and to be honest only read it because it was by her but once I read both books I must say I'm getting hooked. Loved,loved, loved the new installment of Servant

Enthralling

Just like the first book, Foster's character Gabrielle Cody holds your attention. At times I found myself laughing out loud at the innocent contradictions of this character and her attitude towards the urban wasteland that she owns. Although this book can be read alone, it follows smoothly from the previous novel 'Servant: The Awakening'. Adding a short excerpt for the next in the series at the end just whets the appetite even more.....the wait seems excruciatingly unnecessary to the fan of this urban legend world. Thumbs up from Australia for L.L. Foster!!! Now hurry up and get the next one out to your fan base!

If you like her romance, try her paranormal!

Fans of Lori's should venture to the dark side. Servant the Acceptance is fast paced and gripping. Gabby is astrong heroine and Luther is a formidable hero. I love all Lori's work.

This sequel is great!

I enjoyed the first story with these two characters, but this was even better! I loved that this story was hotter and spookier than the first. Congrats to L.L. Foster and I hope the next installment is even spicier!