Valentine’s Resolve: Like a favorite TV show

Valentine’s Resolve by E.E. Knight

Some time has passed since the end of Valentine’s Exile, and in Valentine’s Resolve David Valentine is still in exile. He has spent many months wandering the Kurian zone exacting revenge on “Quisling” scum. When Styachowski and Duvalier find him in a remote outpost, he is alone, filthy, and just a little bitter. His former comrades convince him to take on a special mission for Southern Command. They need the help of the Lifeweavers and they believe Valentine may be the only one capable of finding them.

Valentine’s Resolve is a typical Vampire Earth novel, which is a good thing. At this point in a series it’s always great when the story is still fresh. E.E. Knight adds enough twists to keep the pages turning, and just enough drama to squeeze your heart a little. Great characters and good storytelling make this another solid edition to the tale of David Valentine.

I’ve read six of these books now and all have been a positive experience. The common themes are consistent from book to book. There is action, tragedy, violence, tough choices and a few moral lessons. These stories are like a favorite TV show that I anxiously await for each installment. You become so attached to the characters that you cringe with every bump they take. You definitely should pick up a Vampire Earth novel if you are looking for a fun and gritty read.

I think E.E. Knight might be afraid of his characters getting too predictable, though, so they have a tendency to do some strange and spontaneous things from time to time, and this holds true for Valentine’s Resolve. I’m very attached to these characters and always notice when they do something I wouldn’t think they would normally do. I also find there are a few plot devices often overused to move things along. I’m telling you now, if Valentine gets arrested and falsely imprisoned in the next book, I will scream.

I listened to Valentine’s Resolve on Audio CD from Brilliance Audio. It is read by Christian Rummel, who is manly man voice incarnate. Nobody in the business can go from sweet southern belle to battle-hardened drill sergeant like Mr. Rummel can. Congratulations to Rummel and the production team on another job well done.

~Justin Blazier

In this latest installment of Vampire Earth, Val is conscripted back into Southern Command where the need is dire. The explanation of the situation is ok, but I didn’t buy into Val being that easy to track down and capture if he has been this successful for this long at staying away.

I enjoyed the story, but Val’s continual fight with authority and the consequences that follow are making me nervous. A game I used to play allowed you to choose your enemies, and it was wise enough to point out that if you pick the CIA for an enemy, you are going to have a very exciting, but very short game. Val is making too many short-game enemies and all of his friends together won’t be able to keep him alive for much longer.

The story is interesting, his love interest is a strong reminder of Ali for some reason, except she likes physical intimacy as much as Ali doesn’t. A fitting place holder. Val continues to make rash decisions that get the crap kicked out of him and then get him in even more hot water than before. It’s got to slow down a little in this regard because, to top this latest exploit, he would have to be dead.

Vampire Earth is simply awesome entertainment, but Val needs to get a little smarter about being a Cat/Bear/Wold so that he can live long enough to keep the series going.

~John Hulet