The Dead Seekers

by Barb Hendee

In the New York Times bestselling Noble Dead saga, Barb and J.C. Hendee created an engrossing mix of "intrigue, epic fantasy, and horror."* Now, they present a bold new series set in the same world, where the destinies of two hunters shaped by the shadows of their pasts are about to collide . . .

In the dark reaches of the eastern continent, Tris Vishal travels from village to village, using his power to put unsettled spirits to rest. He works alone, having learned that letting people close only leads to more death. Still, he finds himself accepting the help of the M ndyalitko woman who saves his life-a woman whose gifts are as much a burden as his own.

Mari Kaleja thirsted for vengeance since the night her family was taken from her. She has searched far and wide for the one she thinks responsible, known only as "The Dead's Man." But before she can kill him, she has to be sure. Mari hopes traveling with Tris will confirm her suspicions. But as they embark on a hunt where the living are just as dangerous as the dead, she learns the risks of keeping your enemy close . . .

Because it's no longer clear who is predator and who is prey.

• ISBN13: 9780451469342
• Publish Date: 3 January 2017
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 25 March 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Berkley Publishing Corporation,U.S.
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

The Dead Seekers is told by our two main characters, Mari Kaleja and Tris Vishal. We also get a little perspective from Tris's mentor, an alchemist which I found equally fascinating. Mari is a cat-shifter whose family was wiped out in the woods by a dark shadow in her youth. Since then she has sought revenge. Tris Vishal a noblemen by birth but lives atop an alchemist's shop and travels from village to village using his powers to remove spirits from this world.

I quickly slipped into this world and story. I appreciated that we were given both perspectives. The world building isn't overly complicated and allows you to enjoy the fast-paced tales. Tris was a bit of mystery with his rare talents and the darkness surrounding it. He is a bit of a loner and keeps people at arm's length, so his interactions with Mari became interesting. Mari is a character seeking revenge and believes that Tris is the one she seeks. Despite her anger and thirst for revenge, she needs to be sure. Thus she follows him, and an incident soon has them traveling as companions. The more Mari learns, the more confused she becomes.

It appears as if each book will feature encounters with unsettled spirits. I loved the cases they encountered. We deal with one minor and one major case. Dead Seekers reminded me a bit of the Greywalker series by Kat Richarson. The Hendee's managed to create suspense and a level of darkness with these spirits and Tris's ability. I loved the added element of alchemy and enjoyed the character of Heil. He added some tension, snark, and banter to the mix.

The tension between Tris and Mari was fun, suspenseful and had me guessing. We aren't sure if Tris is truly a hero. As I said, he is troubled, and his gift comes with equal parts darkness. Wrong or not I pictured Benedict Cumberbatch as Tris. I think these two work well together. Despite the questions, we see a certain level of trust and companionship build. Could there be a romance? It is hard to say at this point, although there is the potential for one as their friendship/partnership grows.

All in all Dead Seekers was a sound beginning to this series and has me curious about other works by this writing team.

Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer