Stygian

Dark-Hunter, Book #27

Were-Hunters, Book #11;

Lords of Avalon, Book #7

By Sherrilyn Kenyon

ISBN# 9781250102683

Author’s Website: sherrilynkenyon.com

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Review

There is nothing more fierce or vindictive as a Goddess scorned.

Apollymi fell in love with one of her Sephirii, Kissare and they had a son together that they loved dearly.  However, it was against the gods’ laws for a Sephirii to get a goddess pregnant.  Kissare was imprisoned, tortured and executed for his crime.  Apollymi had tried to free him, but he refused to go knowing the gods would turn on her and their son if he were to get away.  He vowed to come back to her even if he had to be reborn to be reunited.  Death would not keep them apart.

Kissare’s sacrifice was for nothing though.  Their precious son was later murdered.  And, when the gods went after Apollymi’s second son as well, Apollymi was ready to destroy the world.  And, when she went to exterminate her pantheon, the last goddess standing was Bet’anya, who was due to deliver a son any day.  Apollymi couldn’t kill the innocent child she carried.  Instead, Apollymi took the infant out of her womb and placed it in that of a mortal so that he could be reborn and she could watch over him.  She did not however, anticipate that Apollo would curse his own race.  This child, now the son of Apollo’s son, Stryker, was the first to be born with the Apollite curse.

Urian did not have an easy life.  All of the Apollites thought he was strange with his weird eyes and white hair.  He was so different from all the others and they made life hell for him because of it.  He couldn’t even find someone that would feed him, and he had to resort to blood his father forced his men to donate.

Urian knew from an early age that he would turn Daimon.  If the choice is his life or the humans, he will always bet on himself.

Urian was a great warrior under his father’s command.  And he outlived most of their family; siblings, children, nieces and nephews.  The only family he had left was his father.  And, when Stryker discovered that Urian betrayed him by marrying a woman he was supposed to kill, his own father turned on him.

Acheron was there to save him, but Urian was no longer a Daimon, but something entirely different.  He went to live with and work for Acheron.  He became friends with the others of the household and even the brother that Ash despised.

While on a quest, to help his sister save her people from Apollo’s latest curse, Urian found his first love, Xyn.  Urian thought she was dead this whole time. She had been turned to stone with the other dragons.  They were able to wake the dragons and the two were reunited.  Right as the two were settling into their new life, they discover that Urian’s ex-wife isn’t dead like they thought either.  She’s alive but had turned trelos and was being kept prisoner in Stryker’s domain.  Now Urian must fight the father he once loved to do what is right.  But could saving Phoebe ruin what he has with his dragon?  His new-found family is not about to let him fight alone.  But will it be enough to save them?

There is a lot going on in this book.  At first it feels like a story about Apollymi, but it’s actually about Urian.  His entire life, dating back to 9527 B.C.!  This book touches on pretty much everything that has happened in the series to this point.  All of our favorite characters are included.

I was frustrated with a lot of this book.  It would have short ‘chapters’ with a small scene and then fast-forward several, sometimes thousands, of years.  Whatever the characters were concerned with, in the previous scene completely forgotten.  It made it hard to follow and made for a choppy clunky book.  Then, the last few chapters were massively huge. I feel there was a lot that could have been cut out of this novel, especially in Urian’s past as we slogged through centuries of boredom. Save a tree or two, why don’t you? 

I liked re-uniting with all the characters I love, especially Ash and Styxx.  It was fun seeing them again and seeing how all the different stories tie together.  It felt like a reunion of sorts.  And I’m glad that Urian finally found a place he belonged and didn’t have to feel alone anymore.  Overall, I just felt like this book could have been so much better than it was.

I am curious if we will eventually get a book on Apollymi, it seemed like they were gearing up for it on this one.  Maybe it’s time for her to be reunited with Kissare.  I guess we’ll have to wait and see!