SoCalGov Stalker Kai Gracen always knew Death walked in his shadow. Enough people told him that, including his human mentor, Dempsey. Problem was, the old man never told him what to do when Death eventually caught up. Where Tanic, his elfin father and the Wild Hunt Master of the Unsidhe Court, brought Kai pain and suffering, Dempsey gave him focus and a will to live… at least until everything … everything unraveled. Now caught in a web of old lies and half-truths, Kai is torn between the human and elfin worlds, unsure of who he is anymore. Left with a hollowness he can’t fill, Kai aches to find solace in the one elfin he trusts—a Sidhe Lord named Ryder—but he has unfinished business with Dempsey’s estranged brother, a man who long ago swore off anything to do with the feral elfin child Dempsey dragged up from the gutter.
Reeling from past betrayals, Kai searches for Dempsey’s brother, hoping to do right by the man who saved him while trying to keep ahead of the death haunting his every step. Kai never thought he’d find love or happiness as a Stalker, but when Death comes knocking at his door, Kai discovers a fierce need to live life to the fullest—even if that means turning his back on the people he calls family.
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This is the forth Kai Gracen book and just as good as all the others, better in that he and his lordling finally get together. Of course, it’s a lot of blood and death and suffering to get them into bed (these books go DARK), but I’ve been invested in this couple from the get go. I’m so glad they finally made it. Very grown up and civilized they were about it, too. Communication and everything.
It ended with more hints about Kai’s heritage, so it looks like there will be more in this series, but honestly this is a very satisfying final book. So if you’ve been waiting to pick it up, for fear of cliff hangers, you can rest assured that this works as a quartet and you’ll be very happy with the four books as they currently stand.
I recommend both book and series if you like hard urban fantasy with lots of gore, a snarky tortured murder peanut main character, a pining elf, and broken angst all over your knives.
** 3.5 stars **
I finally got around to reading the latest Kai Gracen story. Some things were awesome and some not so much but in general I enjoyed it. Ms Ford as always created vivid images of SoColGov and the world inhabited by Stalkers, elfin and all manner of creatures that came from the Merge. I enjoyed her turn of phrase and detailed descriptions. There was plenty of angst and emotional upheaval for all the characters to go through. THE EVENT that we all wanted to happen between Ryder and Kai finally happened but it was a bit underwhelming – short, not as detailed and a bit flowery. Considering the build up to it and the slow burn relationship, I expected something a bit spectacular. Another thing that was a bit repetitive was the black dogs – the same fighting and the same chasing all over the place. I liked the intrigue surrounding Kai’s origins and his present relationships with people closest to him. That was rather good. This book showed a bit into Kai’s past and what shaped him as a Stalker and a man. I enjoyed delving into that. Overall, it was a good story with some parts that needed a bit of tweaking for me to love it.
If Kill Bill and Fellowship of the Ring were fused together… You would end up with an amazing story with some brutal fight scenes and some interesting reflection on what it means to be human. That is what this story offers up. I enjoyed every minute and I can’t wait for more.
Wow. Everything I thought I knew about Kai Gracen is not exactly true. Rhys Ford starts the story with a bombshell and kept blowing my mind through the rest of the book. The story is fast paced and packed with new information. I didn’t want the book to end. I have so many questions, I need to re-read the book. I need to re-read all the Kai Gracen books. And the feels! (Spoiler Alert!) I expected the loss of Dempsey but the other emotions and experiences Kai goes through were unexpected. I sometimes forget that Kai is an unreliable narrator and is not good at conveying age or time. I was glad Cari had a bigger presence in this story but I felt as surprised as Kai to realize that she is a mature woman now. Also, realizing that Kai is older than he seems and had a whole other relationship before the events when we first meet him in “Black Dog Blues.” I was glad that the relationship with Ryder moved forward and that he had Ryder to support him while his world changed. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
6 out of 5
This book drags the reader kicking and screaming through the full gamut of emotions, I cried in the first few pages, got angry on Kai’s behalf, smiled at the Fae shenanigans and held my breath through multiple life threatening runs.
This book is not billed as a romance, it’s not, not really, but it has some of the most romantic moments in it. The relationship between Kai and Ryder is moving along…. well until Kai talks himself out of it again, in self destruct mode.
Now we need to see Kai’s family wiped from the face of the earth. Could take a while, they’re sneaky!
This series has become one of my most anticipated adventures and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
This series has won my heart and I am in LOVE with Kai Gracen! Its available in Kindle, hard copy, and audio (the audio narrator is EXCELLENT, btw), and I cannot recommend it enough. Fantastic world building, fascinating characters, unique twists on classic themes. It has its darknesses, and its bright spots, and Kai is an entrancingly complex character that makes SENSE when he does something unexpected – a well built creation with rationality. Seriously, you have to try this series out. Silk Dragon Salsa is the 4th book of the series, and all of a sudden all the little hints you missed in the last 3 books are coming together to show an unexpected and INTRIGUING picture….Rhys Ford cannot write fast enough! I want to know what’s next!
Silk Dragon Salsa by Rhys Ford was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Strap yourself in it’s going to be a bumpy ride. This story from beginning to end was one heart stopping moment to then next with some tears and laughter in between. The world building Rhys continues to create is so vivid I could hear the black dogs breath near me or Ryder’s green tea scent in the air. I loved every minute of this story and will be waiting for the next book with great anticipation.
3.5 Stars
In this next installment of the Kai Gracen books, Kai has to face the death of his mentor/dad Dempsey. Secrets are revealed that leave Kai hurt and shaken, not knowing who he can trust. He has to track down Dempsey’s brother Kenny in New Vegas, to retrieve something that Dempsey sent him years ago. On the way he saves an old nemesis, comes across an old lover and learns some more hard truths. Back in San Diego, while tracking down Kenny, he comes across another nemesis. This hated foe has more power to hurt Kai than any other except his father Tanic. In a hard fought battle under the city, Kai realizes that the one person he truly trusts and wants is the one he’s been holding off. While healing at home he decides to take that next step in his relationship with Ryder.
This book was a little slow going and hard to keep focused for me. It does have action, information and progresses the story line but for me there was too much descriptions of the environment that was overly long. This dragged the story for me and had me wanting to skim the book but since I didn’t want to miss anything I found myself putting the book down many times throughout the reading. The hurt Kai suffers at the beginning of the book is justified and I thought was handled well. The ending gives Kai one more clue to his Sidhe side and abruptly stops, so we have to wait until the next book to find out more. When Kai and Ryder finally make love, it’s all smoke and mirrors and very short. You don’t get a clear picture of their coming together, which for me is a shame. The sexual tension has been building for four books and then we get less than what most novellas give. I absolutely love Kai and Ryder and I can’t wait for the next book. It’s a well written book with no noted spelling, grammar or punctuation errors. Not Rhys best book (definitely not the best Kai book) IMO but worth the read.
ARC received for an honest review.