amanda95624's review
4.0
Suspesful
This series is amazing. The author ties all his books together so far. If I could give more than. 5 stars I would.
This series is amazing. The author ties all his books together so far. If I could give more than. 5 stars I would.
smashattackash's review
Stop by Smash Attack Reads for a character interview with Talya! http://smashattackreads.blogspot.com/2011/02/blog-tour-kensei-by-jon-f-merz.html
My Thoughts
Lawson was born a vampire and he is a Fixer. He ensures the secrecy of his kind, and his work is tough. He decides to take some time off and visit Japan, but Japan isn’t as welcoming as he hoped. After he nearly loses his life in an assassination attempt, he meets an unsuspecting colleague in Starbucks. Yuki is also a vampire, and she is in charge of that particular slice of Tokyo. Yuki uses her intel to help Lawson figure out his almost-assassin’s identity. Turns out the assassin wannabe worked for a major bad-ass, The Kensei, whom was once thought dead, and seems to be beckoning Lawson to come hither and fight. There is no R & R in the future for dear Lawson.
I enjoyed this one. Lawson’s character is right up my alley. He’s a smart ass and doesn’t put up with BS. I enjoyed his commentary throughout the book. He even called himself an “ass clown” once. :)
The setting is also one I enjoy – JAPAN! I’ve never visited the country (boohoo!) but I’m a lover of the culture and really enjoyed reading about it in this novel. I became immediately immersed in the story.
Talya, an ex-KGB and Lawson’s secret non-vampire girlfriend, was the highlight of the story. I loved her personality, her witty banter, her intense feelings for Lawson, and her kick ass fighting skills. Not to mention she stole my heart when I learned about her purpose in Tokyo. You see, while she was more than happy to drop in on her secret lover, she actually came to Tokyo for a different reason. Talya has actually been financially supporting an African village. (Big money in assassination, people!) She has a tender spot for these kids and visits them often. However, some of the children have ended up missing or dead, and Talya figured out what was happening: organ trafficking. She followed their trail to Tokyo, seriously heated and ready to kill.
I thoroughly enjoyed Lawson and Talya teaming up. They delivered some great banter and worked well as a team. They both have significant skills and really make a well-oiled fighting machine. I also enjoyed them as a couple, and thought their tender moments were sweet and honest. In their line of work, it’s hard to settle down and start a family, although they talk about it.
Lawson isn’t allowed to be with her and could get in serious shit if the Vampire Council found out. I wonder if they will ever get an HEA?
One complaint: Lawson wasn’t very vampire-like. He does mention blood as the life force, and he has above average instincts, great sight, regeneration abilities and superior reflexes. Honestly, I just thought of him as a really great fighter. There just wasn’t a lot of focus on his vampire-side. Yes, he drinks blood, or juice, as he calls it. He doesn’t drink in the traditional way – via a vein – but instead mixes it in coffee (gag!) or sips it from a vial. It was just easy to forget his true nature.
Other Favorite Quotes
My Thoughts
Lawson was born a vampire and he is a Fixer. He ensures the secrecy of his kind, and his work is tough. He decides to take some time off and visit Japan, but Japan isn’t as welcoming as he hoped. After he nearly loses his life in an assassination attempt, he meets an unsuspecting colleague in Starbucks. Yuki is also a vampire, and she is in charge of that particular slice of Tokyo. Yuki uses her intel to help Lawson figure out his almost-assassin’s identity. Turns out the assassin wannabe worked for a major bad-ass, The Kensei, whom was once thought dead, and seems to be beckoning Lawson to come hither and fight. There is no R & R in the future for dear Lawson.
I enjoyed this one. Lawson’s character is right up my alley. He’s a smart ass and doesn’t put up with BS. I enjoyed his commentary throughout the book. He even called himself an “ass clown” once. :)
“I was told you fancied yourself as some type of comedian.”
“Who? Me? Nah. I’m just a sarcastic cynical prick. If that’s your idea of comedy, well, then I’m your man.”
The setting is also one I enjoy – JAPAN! I’ve never visited the country (boohoo!) but I’m a lover of the culture and really enjoyed reading about it in this novel. I became immediately immersed in the story.
Talya, an ex-KGB and Lawson’s secret non-vampire girlfriend, was the highlight of the story. I loved her personality, her witty banter, her intense feelings for Lawson, and her kick ass fighting skills. Not to mention she stole my heart when I learned about her purpose in Tokyo. You see, while she was more than happy to drop in on her secret lover, she actually came to Tokyo for a different reason. Talya has actually been financially supporting an African village. (Big money in assassination, people!) She has a tender spot for these kids and visits them often. However, some of the children have ended up missing or dead, and Talya figured out what was happening: organ trafficking. She followed their trail to Tokyo, seriously heated and ready to kill.
Hell hath no fury like a professional assassin named Talya.
I thoroughly enjoyed Lawson and Talya teaming up. They delivered some great banter and worked well as a team. They both have significant skills and really make a well-oiled fighting machine. I also enjoyed them as a couple, and thought their tender moments were sweet and honest. In their line of work, it’s hard to settle down and start a family, although they talk about it.
Talya slumped back. “Just would be nice.”
“What?”
She smiled. “Having kids with you.”
“Sure, we could have our family fun time. Sniper hour, close-quarter pillow fights, nighttime recon, we’d be the hallmark of a family utopia.”
Lawson isn’t allowed to be with her and could get in serious shit if the Vampire Council found out. I wonder if they will ever get an HEA?
One complaint: Lawson wasn’t very vampire-like. He does mention blood as the life force, and he has above average instincts, great sight, regeneration abilities and superior reflexes. Honestly, I just thought of him as a really great fighter. There just wasn’t a lot of focus on his vampire-side. Yes, he drinks blood, or juice, as he calls it. He doesn’t drink in the traditional way – via a vein – but instead mixes it in coffee (gag!) or sips it from a vial. It was just easy to forget his true nature.
Other Favorite Quotes
The girl started screaming. The guy scrambled away. Both of them started shouting at the top of their lungs. Now I had a soundtrack as I worked.
The locals in Noda-shi get a kick out of all the foreigners that come to this sleepy little town. Before they found out the last true ninja was living a few doors down the only source of excitement was the Kikkoman soy sauce company located nearby.
I couldn’t recall the last time soy sauce got me excited.
She smirked. “You’re a slut.”
I grabbed my chest. “I prefer the term ‘manho.’”
“Took you long enough.” She smiled. “I had to wait in line and then I got propositioned three times.”
“What?”
She patted my thigh. “Relax, lover. They weren’t guys.”
I raised my eyebrows. “And you turned them down?”
evavroslin's review
4.0
The novel is written in a fresh style that makes this book a pure pleasure to read. It’s nice to go back to the ‘old’ model of supernatural fiction — where humans aren’t supposed to know about vampires, and vampires aren’t out in the open, and its dangerous for humans to find out about these secret underworlds. Lawson is a Fixer, or someone who has to maintain the human and vampire balance, ensuring that humans don’t find out about vamps. Overall, a good novel if you enjoy vampire PI series like the Vicky Nelson books by Tanya Huff, or P.N. Elrod's books, and I would say Inspector Chen, as well.
veronica87's review
3.0
I bought this book on impulse because I liked the cover and the blurb on the back cover sounded interesting. I was pleasantly surprised. It had vampires, spy intrigue, action sequences, and a dash of romance. It was sort of like if Jason Bourne were a vampire. This is apparently the fifth book in the series but I haven't read any of the previous books and I was still able to jump right in and follow the story. I don't think it's necessary to read the previous books though I have since gone back and read the first one just to see how Lawson and Talya first met. If there are additional books to come in this series I would definitely be interested in reading them.
hdbblog's review
5.0
I hang my head as I tell you this my friends, but my childhood love of James Bond has been thwarted. Yes, from the moment that Lawson stepped into my life I was smitten and there was no turning back. New favorite action hero, thy name is Lawson!
When I first opened the pages of The Kensei I really wasn't sure what to expect. I'd heard rave reviews about Lawson's escapades, but would I really fall in love with the martial arts action that was said to lie within the pages? As a girl who grew up surrounded by action/espionage novels, I've had my fair share of disappointments with this genre. Honestly, I don't know why I worried. By page 20 I was completely in love with Lawson and his story! He is one of those characters who oozes charisma (generally by being a total smart-ass) while at the same time having that depth and vulnerability to him that makes him real. The part of this book that really hit home for me is that it isn't bogged down by the concept of vampires. Sure Lawson has to heed his baser instincts, but it isn't the focus of the storyline. Instead the reader is treated to a roller coaster ride of a plot, complete with twists, turns and one very chilling villain.
Japan is the perfect backdrop for this story, and Merz weaves it into the action seamlessly without ever letting it be overpowering. I was taken on a journey through parts of the world that I've never seen, and yet now I feel like I've been there. Don't mistake me though. The writing in this book is not at all flowery in its descriptions. No, instead Merz seems to create an omnipresent Japan that flows with you as you read. People and cities seamlessly waver in and out of focus without ever really taking away from the action. I honestly can't seem to figure out how so much detail was present without it seeming to overshadow the rest of the story, but it's there. Also woven into the story is ample history about martial arts and the different branches therein. I found it completely fascinating and a wonderful way to further immerse the reader in the story.
Afraid that this book will simply be too much testosterone fueled action for you? I know that sometimes we waver on reading books like this simply because we tire of the mano a mano action scene. Enter Talya. She is Lawson's lady love, but Talya is definitely no shrinking violet. More than capable of handling her own, I loved Talya with every ounce of my female heart. She is strong willed, completely matches Lawson's own wit, and yet once again there is a sweetness and a vulnerability to her that really brings her character home. It's always nice to see a female character who can hold her own next to our male action hero! The amount of times she pulls Lawson's butt out of the fire are numerous, but she takes it all in stride. After all, someone has to save the man she loves. Right?
I could write pages about how much this story impressed me, but I'll wrap it up here. Intense action, martial arts scenes, veins of sweet romance, and chilling villains are just a small part of what you will find in Jon F. Merz's The Kensei. I really can't recommend this book enough, especially to those of you out there who are wanting to break into more action fueled books, but are worried you won't mesh. Never fear, Lawson is here to take you away (and personally I'd let him).
When I first opened the pages of The Kensei I really wasn't sure what to expect. I'd heard rave reviews about Lawson's escapades, but would I really fall in love with the martial arts action that was said to lie within the pages? As a girl who grew up surrounded by action/espionage novels, I've had my fair share of disappointments with this genre. Honestly, I don't know why I worried. By page 20 I was completely in love with Lawson and his story! He is one of those characters who oozes charisma (generally by being a total smart-ass) while at the same time having that depth and vulnerability to him that makes him real. The part of this book that really hit home for me is that it isn't bogged down by the concept of vampires. Sure Lawson has to heed his baser instincts, but it isn't the focus of the storyline. Instead the reader is treated to a roller coaster ride of a plot, complete with twists, turns and one very chilling villain.
Japan is the perfect backdrop for this story, and Merz weaves it into the action seamlessly without ever letting it be overpowering. I was taken on a journey through parts of the world that I've never seen, and yet now I feel like I've been there. Don't mistake me though. The writing in this book is not at all flowery in its descriptions. No, instead Merz seems to create an omnipresent Japan that flows with you as you read. People and cities seamlessly waver in and out of focus without ever really taking away from the action. I honestly can't seem to figure out how so much detail was present without it seeming to overshadow the rest of the story, but it's there. Also woven into the story is ample history about martial arts and the different branches therein. I found it completely fascinating and a wonderful way to further immerse the reader in the story.
Afraid that this book will simply be too much testosterone fueled action for you? I know that sometimes we waver on reading books like this simply because we tire of the mano a mano action scene. Enter Talya. She is Lawson's lady love, but Talya is definitely no shrinking violet. More than capable of handling her own, I loved Talya with every ounce of my female heart. She is strong willed, completely matches Lawson's own wit, and yet once again there is a sweetness and a vulnerability to her that really brings her character home. It's always nice to see a female character who can hold her own next to our male action hero! The amount of times she pulls Lawson's butt out of the fire are numerous, but she takes it all in stride. After all, someone has to save the man she loves. Right?
I could write pages about how much this story impressed me, but I'll wrap it up here. Intense action, martial arts scenes, veins of sweet romance, and chilling villains are just a small part of what you will find in Jon F. Merz's The Kensei. I really can't recommend this book enough, especially to those of you out there who are wanting to break into more action fueled books, but are worried you won't mesh. Never fear, Lawson is here to take you away (and personally I'd let him).
More...