Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock Series #1)

A Nice Thrill Ride

When I spied this book, I knew I wanted to read it. A full blooded Cherokee staring as the heroine of the book instead of ending up on the sidelines only to impart some wisdom and disappear. This story started out in "Strange Brew" under the name "Kits". However, you do not have to read that short story before you pick up this book. This book stands well on it's own.

Within Jane, she has the spirit/magic and energy of "Beast" who in one life was a mountain lion. They share a precarious relationship in which they have to agree who is alpha and control of the body. She is able to tap into Beast's energy and strength, and Beast is also able to tap into her power. It is an interesting relationship and is quite humorous at times. Beast has a better sense of humor than Jane in my opinion. Oh, and before I get into the rest of the review, I must mention "Bitsa" as well. Bitsa is Jane's bike and one I'd love to have (if I had any coordination at all, that is...)

The story is fast paced. I was surprised there would be so much mystery within the rogue vampire as it seemed that her job was very straight forward. Find the rogue, kill it. But with this story, tracking the rogue proved to provide more information than even Jane would have thought possible. Information about vampires she thought she'd never possess and more importantly, information about herself. Now, with her distant forgotten past less mysterious, will she be able to put together all the puzzle pieces to stop the rogue? Did she trust the right people? Heh... not going to tell you. You'll have to pick this one up to find out.

I gave this book 4 stars and recommend this one to anyone to loves a good urban fantasy. "Blood Cross" is the next book in this series which has just been published. I wish I had the second one in my hand, but alas, I have to wait to see what other things Jane discovers.

Oh, and as a little trivia I thought I'd add.. In the book, the vampires hate to be called vamps. They prefer Mithrains. Jane connected it to Mithra, but was not confirmed in her observation. Mithra is a sun god in an old religion. So, the question remains... was Faith Hunter using it as tongue in cheek, or is there more to the story. Hope we find out in this series. :)

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

New Author for Me and Love Her!!!

It's wonderful when you come across a new author that just grabs you... Faith Hunter hooked me in with her strong, wild character and new story line of Skinwalker. If you're a fan of Were's, Vampires and other things that go bump in the night, you will likely find her books to rock!!! Liked her so much, I immediately bought the second book in the series and signed up for more on her website.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Very Original concept!

I am a sucker for science-based urban fantasy. When the story is firmly grounded in physics but takes it one step further to develop a complex world I am hooked.

Faith has managed to explain the great mystery as to where mass goes during a shape shift and other mysteries. She brings the typical cast of supernatural characters to her story, but they are dark creatures, no sparkling vampires.

Jane Yellowrock is maybe the last of her kind, a shapeshifting Cherokee skinwalker who uses her abilities to bounty hunt vampires.

I was pulled into the story and enjoyed the character development and attention to detail.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Love this book!

I can't get enough of Jane Yellowrock and can't wait for book 3 in the future!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Enjoyable But Lacks Urgency

This book engages the reader with sultry descriptions of New Orleans, intriguing Native American skin-walker mythology and two appealing primary characters, Jane Yellowrock and her big cat alter-ego. The tale is enlivened by the first person narrative which switches between Jane and her inner mountain lion. Also, Jane's interactions with the predatory but civilized Louisiana vamps creates palpable, (sometimes provocative), tension. However, this book lacks the urgent pace and tight plotting necessary to pull off an intensely exciting tale. Instead of a relentless pursuit of the murderous rouge, the flow is periodically slowed by unnecessary side excursions, tangential investigations and irrelevant personal diversions. One of these distractions is Jane's interest in a handsome stranger who has no obvious connection to the killer. Instead of concentrating on finding and killing the rouge, Jane wastes time on a romantic but irrelevant lunch and stroll as well as an eventful but unhelpful night out dancing. Also, the addition of a few more action sequences involving the rouge would have injected more excitement into the story. Despite these shortcomings, the book is entertaining overall. (Notably, action scenes do occur, and an action-heavy climax is reached.) I believe this series has a lot of potential, and I'll probably read the second Jane Yellowrock installment.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Fantastic New Urban Fantasy Series

I really enjoyed this book. Jane Yellowrock is a vampire hunter with a deadly secret; she is also a skinwalker who shares her body with a panther and together they are Beast. Beast roams the night, while Jane functions for them both during the day. In a world where witches and vampires are the only preternaturals to come out of the supernatural closet, she stands alone amongst her kind. Jane accepts a job by a vampire madam in the Big Easy, to hunt down a rogue vampire who has taken up a new cannibalistic hobby, making a good meal out of the local vampire and human community. The job is risky, dirty and dangerous and puts Jane in jeopardy of coming face to face with a being worse than a rogue vampire...a liver-eater. Faith Hunter has such a gift of intertwining a vividly intricate story that I even found interesting during the slow parts. This story was gruesome, dark, and gritty and adds a fresh new take on vampires. Jane Yellowrock is filled with a twisted dark humor that I love. She's a strong woman who is no-nonsense and tough. She gets the job done, doesn't second guess herself to death, she's not too-stupid-to-live and she doesn't whine and pout. I highly recommend this book and also Faith's Jane Yellowrock short story in the Strange Brew anthology. I also look forward to the next book in the series Blood Cross due out 1/5/2010.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

a super new and thrilling urban fantasy series

In 1962 vampires were outed when Marilyn Monroe was caught trying to turn the president of the United States, but instead the Secret Service staked her. The press learned of the incident and follow-up investigations led to the knowledge that vampires exist. Not long afterward, real witches were revealed as genuine. Vampires do not possess the same civil rights as mortals have; legislation is being proposed to make the vampires adapt their culture to the masses; which would prohibit the practice of owning blood slaves and indentured blood servants amongst other differences.----------

Jane Yellowrock, a skinwalker of Cherokee descent, can change into any animals she chooses; her preference is the panther, the form of Beast whose soul resides in her body. She is stronger and faster than a human and she hunts rogue (insane) vamps as a slayer. In New Orleans, ancient vampire Katherine Fontaneau, Madame Katie of Katie's Ladies, hires her to kill a powerful rogue vampire who is committing genocide against his species. Jane follows the murderous scent in her human and panther bodies, but Beast believes the predator is not a vampire, but instead a liver-eater who is much more dangerous than vampires or witches combined.----------

Beast and Jane have their own chapters which emphasizes their different values and perspective, which is key to believing that two essences share the same body as opposed to the heroine having multiple personality disorder. Their differences are fascinating and at time often amusing as each come to a scenario with a different agenda similar to that of the comedy All of Me starring Martin-Tomlin, but Jane-Beast are in a lethal world. The killer is super while Jane and Beast feel they are always one corpse behind. With a great unique premise on outing the supernatural, Faith Hunter gives her Rogue Mage Thorn St. Croix a respite as she starts a super new and thrilling urban fantasy series.----

Harriet Klausner

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A new heroine arrives

Jane Yellowrock joins the roster of dominant females like Anita Blake, Buffy, Rachel Morrigan and kicks it into gear with a awesome tale as she navigates the Big Easy looking for a killer. all the while staying ahead of master vampires and other dangerous locals.

Faith Hunter take a bow, you've got a winner here with Jane Yellowrock,

good read

well thought out

Awesome series...

Loved the way the story was written...read all the books and recommended them to others

Excellent!

I kept putting off reading this from the library and now I am kicking myself because it is worth the read! I love Patricia Briggs books and this is a series that rates almost as high. I am now at the sad part where I have to wait for the 4th book in the series...May have to re-read the first 3 just to keep sane! LOL

My type of reading!

Love it, just the kind of books I like.

Go Gurl!

Yay! I enjoyed this quick read!

Highly Recommended for urban fantasy lovers

Skinwalkers are not something you find in very many books so I read it out of curiosity. I quickly found it to be a well put together book with an excilent plot and plenty of secrets to keep the storyline running. Beast is always entertaining with her simplistic view of the world and Jane herself is a good counterbalance for her. I would recomend this book for anyone who likes a good action urban fantasy.

OH YES INDEED THIS IS A GOOD BOOK

I loved the world, I loved the character, I loved the supporting characters.

I cannot wait to read more about Jane Yellowrock!

Good series

No text was provided for this review.

Highly Recommended

So I accidentally read the second book in this series first (I always wondered how people made that mistake, but rest assured, it happens.) I really liked it, and although it gives great back-story to what went down in book 1, I decided to go back and read Skinwalker. TOTALLY worth it! This book really gives depth to the relationships in book 2 (both good and bad), and even though I knew what the outcome would be it still kept me on the edge of my seat getting there. I actually contemplated reading book 2 again because I liked this one so much, which, lets face it... is ridiculous since I read it yesterday. Anyway... interesting world-building, unique main character (although I miss the sex, I like that she doesn't sleep around as much as many other heroines), great history (I can't wait to learn more about what happened to her and where she comes from), and likeable side characters. I'm on to book 3 and can't wait!

fantastic

new suther gripping, ripping and enough to make you need more!

fantastic!

My sister-in-law told me about this book, glad I decided to read it Jane Yellowrock ranks right up there with Mercy Thompson, and Jill Kismet for heroines!

Same old, same old

I'm not saying this book wasn't fun to read. It just wasn't THAT fun. The parts where Beast was the narrator were often difficult to get into, and the book really could have been trimmed down a hundred pages. Some parts were very boring and redundant. If you are tired of the tough/biker chick/supernatural bounty hunter, or if you are tired of female protagonists with Native American heritage and a bad attitude, this book isn't for you. I understand Jane has an image to protect, but she often seemed nasty just for the sake of being nasty. I wish urban fantasy authors would realize a little attitude goes a long way. The Jane Yellowrock-type of character is getting to be nothing more than a cliche in the genre. Even if she prefers tea to coffee.