Karen Chance’s new series involving dhampire Dorina Basarab begins with Midnight’s Daughter and it takes place in the same milieu as her Cassandra Palmer series. Even though it’s not out until October, I was lucky enough to get an advance readers copy, which I should say made my day since I am a fan of Chance and I have been eagerly anticipating this novel.
The story surrounds Dorina Basarab, the daughter of a vampire and human woman. She’s 500 years old and not exactly on speaking terms with her family, even though daddy keeps in contact with her. (I’m not going to tell you who her father is, but I will say that it is someone we’re familiar with.) The idea behind a dhampir is they don’t really last long. Dhampirs tend to have unpredictable rages and most often they don’t last very long, either from going insane or getting in one too many fights. Dorina has been able to live as long as she does because she counteracts her rages by doing a little violence – by killing vampires who have not been good little boys and girls. In Midnight’s Daughter, Dorina is offered a mission she’s really not allowed to turn down. Mircea is back in action and he needs Dorina to go after Dracula and secure him (yet again). She’s given one of the Senate’s top vampire duelist (can everyone say Louis-Cesare) to help with the hunt and let’s just say she needs the help, whether she uses it or not is another question.
Already being a fan of Chance’s Cassie Palmer series and I was excited when I saw that Chance was starting up a new series. At the time, I wasn’t aware that it took place in the same world as Cassie, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Now that I have had a chance to read it, and even with it set in Cassie’s world, I’m still completely mystified and captivated by Chance. The world she has built is so expansive that it’s amazing. Dorina doesn’t meet up with Cassie at all (so don’t get your hopes up), but we have already been introduced to one of Dorina’s closest friends – Claire from Buying Trouble in the On the Prowl Anthology. Midnight’s Daughter actually gives us a clue as to what happens to Claire after Buying Trouble. Even though we are in a world we’re familiar with, we’re still introduced to some very new and creative characters. Dorina’s personality alone is so complex that her development will continue to intrigue us. We’ll never know what she is going to do because she won’t know until she is in that situation. Her berserker mode (standard for dhampirs) is so much a part of her, that it’s going to affect how she handles each situation. Dorina does remind me a little of Cassie, but harder, with a better knowledge of survival instincts, and a lot more experience.
Overall, Karen Chance doesn’t disappoints. She hasn’t yet and she’s not going to. She’s given us a new character, in a world we already love, to become attached to and more trouble than even Cassie could get into. Maybe. Either way, if you love the Cassie Palmer series, then you’re going to love Midnight’s Daughter and the entire series that this begins. I’m really hoping Cassie and Dorina get to meet up at some point because I think the two of them together would make for one hellacious ride. When it comes out in October, don’t borrow or rent it, go out and buy it. You won’t be disappointed.
Also reviewed by:
The Merry Genre Go Round Reviews
SciFi Guy
