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Bad Moon Rising

Sherrilyn Kenyon

Published 2009          340 pages

Summary (from the book jacket)

Fang Kattalakis isn't just a wolf. He is the brother of two of the most powerful members of the Omegrion: the ruling council that enforces the laws of the Were-Hunters. And when war erupts among the lycanthropes, sides must be chosen. Enemies are forced into shaky alliances.

When Aimee, the woman Fang loves, is accused of betraying her people, her only hope is that Fang believes in her. Yet in order to save her, Fang must break the law of his people and the faith of his brothers. That breech could very well spell the end of both their races and change their world forever. The war is on and time is running out…

The Review

Bad Moon Rising is the seventeenth book (including Dream Hunter novels) in Sherrilyn Kenyon’s phenomenally popular Dark Hunter paranormal romance series. All the Dark Hunter stories are fairly self-contained but, while it isn’t necessary to read this series in strict order, new readers might want to start with the earlier books rather than jumping straight in here. Since seventeen books into the Dark Hunter world means there are a huge amount of characters and plotlines already in play.

Bad Moon Rising is the story of Fang, a Katagari wolf (a wolf who can turn into a man) and his unlikely romance with Aimee, an Arcadian bear (a woman who can turn into a bear.) Fang and Aimee have been secondary characters in several books already and telling their tale takes readers right back to the start of the Dark Hunter books, when the pair first meet.

Established Dark Hunter fans will have already seen some of the events in Bad Moon Rising since they are part of the plotlines of earlier novels. In particular, storylines from Night Play, Night Embrace and Unleash The Night make up parts of the plot of Bad Moon Rising but now these events are seen from Fang and Aimee’s perspective giving them a whole new spin and extending the storylines further.

For the romance fan Bad Moon Rising has plenty going for it. Fang and Aimee are practically poster children for forbidden love. Their relationship is taboo on many levels. Katagari and Arcadian were-hunters don’t mix. The two halves of the were-hunter species were cursed from conception to always hate, fight and kill each other. Wolves and bears don’t mix either, with all were-hunters considering inter-species relationships to be more deviant than even a Katagari and Arcadian mating. Aimee is the last female bear of her line and her family expect her to mate another well-bred bear to continue the family blood line. The Peltier bear clan distrust Fang because he’s a wolf and they consider him a trouble maker.

All-in-all, there is no shortage of obstacles in the path of Fang and Aimee’s relationship even before the turbulent backdrop of demons, daimons and were-hunter in-fighting is added into the mix. Their forbidden love keeps them apart for most of the story but the slow burn of simmering desire keeps their relationship developing (and readers hooked) throughout the entire book.

Bad Moon Rising has no shortage of fantasy action either. The storyline rockets along from daimon attack to demon attack, taking readers along for the ride.  Favourite old characters fight alongside Fang while the story serves to introduce a couple of interesting new characters too - who will no doubt have a larger part to play in future books.

Sherrilyn Kenyon is on fine form with Bad Moon Rising. Fast-paced fantasy action, sexy heroes, touching romance and witty dialogue – this novel has everything that established Dark Hunter fans love and will have no shortage of appeal for new readers either.

Recommended reading for paranormal romance fans!

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