Hunt the Moon (Cassandra Palmer, #5)

by Karen Chance

[Jo]

Oh. My. God! I am completely reeling after finishing this book! Regular readers of my blog will know by now how big a fan of Karen Chance's novels I am, so it will be no surprise to hear I was more than a little excited to read Hunt the Moon. But, despite the fact that Chance is a genius and always, always, surprises and wows me more than words can say, I would never have expected to be blown away to such a level as I was when I had finished reading.

I don't even really know where to begin. So much happens in Hunt the Moon, like in the others, it's hard to know what to say without spoiling the book. There is the usual chaos that follows Cassie where ever she goes, with more action than you can shake a stick at - yet it all flows beautifully together to create a story that's just unbelievable. In every review of a novel by Chance, I always go on about howbrilliant the action is, but there isn't really much more to add - but it all still stands. Just incredible.

There is a new element in this book though; questions regarding the Norse and Greek myths - or at least where they overlap. We saw this a little witht he introduction and demise of Apollo previously, but more comes into it in this book. If there was Apollo, and all those other gods held back by the ouroboros spell, then what else that is considered myth - even in Cassie's world - is actually real? And what does that mean for Cassie? It's siply fascinating, and Chance has put so much research inot the myths and worked them seemlessly into her book. It's just brilliant.

We find out a lot more about the pasts of both Mircea and Pritkin, - one based in actual history, the other pure imagination, both completely believavble. It's this combination of fact and fiction that make Chance's novels that more credible. We're not just told their histories for the sake of it though, there is a point, as there always is, in everything in these books. It gives insight into who these people are and what they've been through, and explains why deicions hae been made or actions taken in the past, in the present, and they may be made or taken in the future. It's more jigsaw pieces that make the whole person for both characters, but also ad to the bigger picture of the story.

The romance between Cassie and Mircea goes up a notch in this book. Not only do they sizzle like they always do, but there is real emotion that comes through. But there is another person on the outside who is a "will they? won't they?" love interest that Cassie simply doesn't see. There have been hints in the previous books and a fair few more in this, and I just wish Cassie would open her eyes, and Pritkin would open his mouth and just say it! Actually, "hints" is the wrong word for this book because it's so obvious! And I think I might prefer PRitkin to Mircea a bit. I really do like him!

And then there's the ending. Oh my god, the ending! The ending that had me shouting at the book in anger and denial, the ending that had me on the verge of tears, the ending that had me fall in love just a little bit. The ending that has probably had a bigger emotional impact on me than any other urban fantasy has had before, and has me literally desperate for he next book in the series, on which I can find no info about! I think I might have actually got a little too emotionally involved in this series, because I would be quite willing to jump into it's pages and try and be a hero(ine).

The book is the best in the series sp far, it's completely amazing, and Chance fans simply cannot miss out on it. It's jaw-droppingly good!

For Ink and Paper - fantasy book blog.