Dark magic, unknown enemies, monsters of every stripe - FBI profiler Jace Valcheck have seen it all. In this bizarre parallel universe, shape-shifting werewolves and blood-thirsty vampires don't even warrant a raised eyebrow. That is until Jace has to face what life might look like as one of them...It starts as just another run-of-the-mill assignment: to track down the rogue don of a mafia werewolf family before he upsets the delicate balance of the underworld, but Jace wasn't counting on being bitten...and soon she's fighting the growing wolf inside her with a startling antidote - vampirism. Stopping a bloody gangland war won't be easy when Jace is feeling some new, and very inhuman, desires...
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"Choice and control are major themes of the newest Bloodhound Files outing. Despite humans being an extreme minority, FBI profiler Jace Valchek's pugnacious personality won't let her back down, even in the face of long odds. Barant continues to explore themes of persecution and discrimination with outsider Jace struggling to find her place. For Jace, events come to a life-changing crossroads, giving readers a true emotional punch. A steller addition to an already outstanding series." --"RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars! TOP PICK!)"
"Snappy writing, a page-turning story and fresh world-building make "Dying Bites" a satisfying meal of a book."--Kelley Armstrong, "New York Times "bestselling author of "Men of the Otherworld "and "The Awakening"
""Dying Bites" is wacky, unpredictable, fresh and amazing. I would kill to write as well as D.D. Barant. Seriously."--Nancy Holder, author of "Pretty Little Devils "
"This engrossing debut adds another captivating protagonist to the urban fantasy ranks...Barant's well-developed world offers intriguing enhancements to mythology and history. Jace is remarkable, strong-willed and smart, and she sets an unstoppable pace. Look for the Bloodhound Files to go far."--"Publishers Weekly "(starred review)
"A heroine with plenty of guts, moxie and a sense of the absurd. [A] fresh and original take on urban fantasy...Huge kudos to Barant for spicing things up with a story that expertly integrates detective work, kick-butt action and a wacky sense of humor. Make sure you get in early on the outstanding new Bloodhound Files series."--"Romantic Times"
"D D Barant builds a strong world and fills it with fascinating characters that will delight and entertain. "Dying Bites" is a well-written urban fantasy with a gripping plot and a heroine who is quite believable with her very human flaws. I'm looking forward to seeing more in this captivating world."--"Darque Reviews" (starred read)
"Five stars. An exciting new series. It has hum
About the Author
DD Barant lives in Vancouver, BC, and loves monsters, chocolate, animals, reading, comics and lying naked on the beach, while hating bullies, narrow-minded people, Sea Urchin Sushi, and gluten. Awful, terrible, gluten.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Imagine waking up one morning to be told you were going to an alternate earth, in a different dimension. Your earth being much like the one we know, but the other having some glaring differences. Oh, the countries and cities of this other earth appear much like our own, but other things are very different. The most obvious being the fact humans only make up one percent of the population. The other ninety-nine percent are vampires, werewolves, or golems. In other words, humans are a protected species that may not last much longer. Yet you come from an earth that doesn't have any of these mythological beings, which makes you feel rather out of place. Well, that is how Jace Valcheck feels when this happens to her, and she did not get a choice in the matter. Those who brought her over made a deal so as to gain her cooperation. All she had to do is use her FBI profiler skills to catch a human serial killer (virtually unheard of on this version of earth) and after he is safely dealt with, she could go back home.
If you haven't noticed, this is book four of the series and that agreement began in book one. Nothing has gone quite right for Jace, as other problems keep getting in the way. She came close a couple times, but hasn't had much luck lately. In the intervening months since her arrival, she has adapted and even made friends, but this adventure may ruin her plans to ever get home. Dr. Pete, a werewolf friend whose identity was altered earlier in the series from some nasty magic, could be saved and brought back to how he once was. Unfortunately, before the solution can fully work, he bites her. This exposes Jace to the lyncanthrope virus which will change her on the next full moon. If a method to counteract the virus isn't found in time, she will turn into a species she has no desire to become. There is a possible way to stop it, but it could result in deathly consequences. Jace has a lot of choices to make, on top of her usual job to do, which includes hunting down a mafia werewolf who has become a dangerous threat to society (well, more so than a usual mafia guy). Nothing will be easy until all her latest problems are resolved.
I must admit, this series seemed to be diverting off its course a bit since book one (which had been my favorite). Yet "Better off Undead" brought back all the original characters and excitement I remembered from before. I really enjoyed the humor, brief emotional moments, and action that ensued. It was what I had been hoping for and more. Jace didn't get much progress made on the hunt for the serial killer, but that might have ended the series, so that was okay for me. In this one she focused on trying regain her old friend Dr. Pete, who had become Tair- an evil, alternate version of the man she knew. As for whether she was successful, I can't say since you'll have to read the novel to find out. She also had to deal with the idea of becoming something other than human. This brought her down a bit, but she bounced back quickly, ready to fight for her life. Just like the Jace that has shown a remarkable determination to overcome the odds of all the other adversity she has faced since arriving in the alternate dimension.
For those who have read all the previous novels, you will find "Better Off Undead" to be the best yet. It has the tough heroine that we have seen throughout the series, all the main characters we have grown to love, and the action stays in the Seattle area where it all began. It is not a novel you want to miss. For those who are new to the series, you may want to start off at book one, if you really want to understand the dynamics at work for later books. The author does take time to explain some of the past events, which could make it possible to read this one alone, but it would still be better to go to the beginning.
I highly recommend The Bloodhound Files for those who enjoy a mix of paranormal, fantasy, and sci-fi adventure. The world building and character development are excellent, as well as unique. The next book, Back from the Undead, is set to be released in April of 2012. I will certainly be picking it up! For those who would like the series reading order, here it is:
Dying Bites
Death Blows
Killing Rocks
Better Off Undead
If you haven't noticed, this is book four of the series and that agreement began in book one. Nothing has gone quite right for Jace, as other problems keep getting in the way. She came close a couple times, but hasn't had much luck lately. In the intervening months since her arrival, she has adapted and even made friends, but this adventure may ruin her plans to ever get home. Dr. Pete, a werewolf friend whose identity was altered earlier in the series from some nasty magic, could be saved and brought back to how he once was. Unfortunately, before the solution can fully work, he bites her. This exposes Jace to the lyncanthrope virus which will change her on the next full moon. If a method to counteract the virus isn't found in time, she will turn into a species she has no desire to become. There is a possible way to stop it, but it could result in deathly consequences. Jace has a lot of choices to make, on top of her usual job to do, which includes hunting down a mafia werewolf who has become a dangerous threat to society (well, more so than a usual mafia guy). Nothing will be easy until all her latest problems are resolved.
I must admit, this series seemed to be diverting off its course a bit since book one (which had been my favorite). Yet "Better off Undead" brought back all the original characters and excitement I remembered from before. I really enjoyed the humor, brief emotional moments, and action that ensued. It was what I had been hoping for and more. Jace didn't get much progress made on the hunt for the serial killer, but that might have ended the series, so that was okay for me. In this one she focused on trying regain her old friend Dr. Pete, who had become Tair- an evil, alternate version of the man she knew. As for whether she was successful, I can't say since you'll have to read the novel to find out. She also had to deal with the idea of becoming something other than human. This brought her down a bit, but she bounced back quickly, ready to fight for her life. Just like the Jace that has shown a remarkable determination to overcome the odds of all the other adversity she has faced since arriving in the alternate dimension.
For those who have read all the previous novels, you will find "Better Off Undead" to be the best yet. It has the tough heroine that we have seen throughout the series, all the main characters we have grown to love, and the action stays in the Seattle area where it all began. It is not a novel you want to miss. For those who are new to the series, you may want to start off at book one, if you really want to understand the dynamics at work for later books. The author does take time to explain some of the past events, which could make it possible to read this one alone, but it would still be better to go to the beginning.
I highly recommend The Bloodhound Files for those who enjoy a mix of paranormal, fantasy, and sci-fi adventure. The world building and character development are excellent, as well as unique. The next book, Back from the Undead, is set to be released in April of 2012. I will certainly be picking it up! For those who would like the series reading order, here it is:
Dying Bites
Death Blows
Killing Rocks
Better Off Undead
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.3 out of 5 stars
22 reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Fantastic Return to Form for Special Agent Valchek
10 Oct 2011
By sazbah
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Jace Valchek returns, and is back to form! Hopefully, if you're reading Better Off Undead (the fourth installment in the Bloodhound Files series), you're familiar with the story: FBI Profiler Jace Valchek is sucked into a parallel universe where the paranormal is normal. She needs to catch an insane human serial killer to get her ticket home. Here, as a human, she's an endangered species, but Valchek might just be getting her wolf on. Oh, and she needs to catch an insane werewolf mob boss, too.
After a somewhat shaky third installment, Jace is back to kicking butt. She's settled into a life in this world. The Jace/Charlie banter that is the lifeblood of this series is back (it was sorely lacking, for obvious reasons, in Killing Rocks [obvious if you've read it, that is]); Jace is again learning more about Thropirelem, but seeming more at home; Cassius is manouvering. It's GOOD. The best since Dying Bites. In fact, I genuinely think this may be the best in the series so far. Some of my favourite parts of this book were Jace's interactions with her shape-shifting St Bernard, Galahad, and there was another scene involving a very new Lem, Billy Beta, that got me a bit sniffly. The [very obvious] parallels with our own world's civil rights movements work here, and add depth, realism, and *soul* to this series.
Readers will also get some satisfaction as the ever-enigmatic Cassius gets even more backstory (there's a LOT of backstory when you're two thousand years old), and his relationship with Jace develops further. On an aside: Cassius is fascinating, and I would have thought I'd enjoy seeing more of him--which is exactly what we got in Killing Rocks. While Cassius is (very) present in this installment, he's not half as ubiquitous as he was in the previous, and I enjoy his scenes all the more for the waiting.
These books are brilliantly plotted. They have tight episodic storylines, but the overarching story arc throughout the series is also brilliant. They're constantly reminding me of a TV series (Fringe!). Individual episodes, but a much larger story arc. You can tell DD Barant is a TV Writer, and it works. I haven't enjoyed a series so much without reservations in a long time.
After a somewhat shaky third installment, Jace is back to kicking butt. She's settled into a life in this world. The Jace/Charlie banter that is the lifeblood of this series is back (it was sorely lacking, for obvious reasons, in Killing Rocks [obvious if you've read it, that is]); Jace is again learning more about Thropirelem, but seeming more at home; Cassius is manouvering. It's GOOD. The best since Dying Bites. In fact, I genuinely think this may be the best in the series so far. Some of my favourite parts of this book were Jace's interactions with her shape-shifting St Bernard, Galahad, and there was another scene involving a very new Lem, Billy Beta, that got me a bit sniffly. The [very obvious] parallels with our own world's civil rights movements work here, and add depth, realism, and *soul* to this series.
Readers will also get some satisfaction as the ever-enigmatic Cassius gets even more backstory (there's a LOT of backstory when you're two thousand years old), and his relationship with Jace develops further. On an aside: Cassius is fascinating, and I would have thought I'd enjoy seeing more of him--which is exactly what we got in Killing Rocks. While Cassius is (very) present in this installment, he's not half as ubiquitous as he was in the previous, and I enjoy his scenes all the more for the waiting.
These books are brilliantly plotted. They have tight episodic storylines, but the overarching story arc throughout the series is also brilliant. They're constantly reminding me of a TV series (Fringe!). Individual episodes, but a much larger story arc. You can tell DD Barant is a TV Writer, and it works. I haven't enjoyed a series so much without reservations in a long time.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
More?
17 Oct 2011
By GC
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
*Some Spoilers*
I was excited about the new book and had it on my upcoming books list, but felt it had been so long since the last book that I first reread the prior three books.
1. YAY about Jace's relationship with Cassius! We finally see some major action at the very end! I'll admit that I didn't quite know where the book was heading with the inoculation idea and the initial episode. It made more sense by the end as things started getting tied together. But... I wanted MORE than the one event before Cassius got busy with work. What happens next? Will the relationship continue to evolve?
2. Soooo... is it common knowledge that the video footage made a percentage of pires/thropes nuts? It seemed like NSA top secret level knowledge to me rather than public knowledge. Or maybe it's hard to hide the crazies and easy to figure where it originated from. This tiny detail just bothered me a bit.
3. We see more to Charlie! His opinions and knowledge, more about lem construction and rights. It follows nicely from the last book actually, which I thought seemed oddly different since it didn't move the overarching plot line from the previous two books.
4. Gretchen seemed a bit uneven of a character to me. She's first nice with a great dry humor, she's overprotective of her daughter (especially after the kidnapping of her newborn), and now she's a bit cold/cruel (also related to the overprotectiveness of her daughter)? I'm not sure I like her as much anymore... although undead "life" hasn't been very kind to her recently.
Overall... the crime/detective plot remains a real part of the book which is great! It seemed a bit less tight to me because I can usually pick up on clues and sorta figure out where the author might be headed... and I'm not sure I "got" any clues along the way although it makes sense after I finished the book. It's more fulfilling to anticipate where the plot will go and get the surprise in the climax... I just wasn't entirely sure.
It's a good book and definitely moves some things along... just not the initial plot line that will get the main character home. So I wouldn't really agree that this is the best book yet. I definitely liked the first and second books more for moving the overarching plot... this book moves along the Dr. Pete/Tair plot line, which is mostly okay to me. Aristotle Stoker, where did you go in this book and what are you up to?? :)
I was excited about the new book and had it on my upcoming books list, but felt it had been so long since the last book that I first reread the prior three books.
1. YAY about Jace's relationship with Cassius! We finally see some major action at the very end! I'll admit that I didn't quite know where the book was heading with the inoculation idea and the initial episode. It made more sense by the end as things started getting tied together. But... I wanted MORE than the one event before Cassius got busy with work. What happens next? Will the relationship continue to evolve?
2. Soooo... is it common knowledge that the video footage made a percentage of pires/thropes nuts? It seemed like NSA top secret level knowledge to me rather than public knowledge. Or maybe it's hard to hide the crazies and easy to figure where it originated from. This tiny detail just bothered me a bit.
3. We see more to Charlie! His opinions and knowledge, more about lem construction and rights. It follows nicely from the last book actually, which I thought seemed oddly different since it didn't move the overarching plot line from the previous two books.
4. Gretchen seemed a bit uneven of a character to me. She's first nice with a great dry humor, she's overprotective of her daughter (especially after the kidnapping of her newborn), and now she's a bit cold/cruel (also related to the overprotectiveness of her daughter)? I'm not sure I like her as much anymore... although undead "life" hasn't been very kind to her recently.
Overall... the crime/detective plot remains a real part of the book which is great! It seemed a bit less tight to me because I can usually pick up on clues and sorta figure out where the author might be headed... and I'm not sure I "got" any clues along the way although it makes sense after I finished the book. It's more fulfilling to anticipate where the plot will go and get the surprise in the climax... I just wasn't entirely sure.
It's a good book and definitely moves some things along... just not the initial plot line that will get the main character home. So I wouldn't really agree that this is the best book yet. I definitely liked the first and second books more for moving the overarching plot... this book moves along the Dr. Pete/Tair plot line, which is mostly okay to me. Aristotle Stoker, where did you go in this book and what are you up to?? :)
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better Off Undead
5 Jan 2012
By S. Mateo
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read prodigiously but rarely write reviews. I've just finished the first four books in DD Barant's Bloodhound Series and found them very enjoyable (this after several months reading inexpensive, self-published Kindle fantasies and nearly giving up reading due to poor story-telling). Special Agent Jace Valchek is a resourceful FBI profiler with a hard-boiled, irreverent exterior, working to keep her moral compass aligned properly in an alternate universe where humans are an endangered species. The story-telling is entertaining, the characters engaging, and the questions of right and wrong complex enough to give a bit of depth to the mix. I recommend this series to anyone who also likes Harry Dresden or the Nightside.
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4.3 out of 5 stars
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