Dark Descendant

Nikki Glass, Book 1

By: Jenna Black

Narrated by: Sophie Eastlake

From the acclaimed author of the Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist books comes the gripping first novel in a new series about a private eye who discovers, to her surprise, that she's an immortal huntress.

©2011 Jenna Black (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"The Descendant is an exciting new series featuring gods and goddesses in a new way. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the unique tone and powerful characters, especially the protagonist, Nikki Glass." ( Romantic Times)

Loved it

I could not stop listening to this book. It kept my interest the entire time. I cannot wait for the next one.

Not Bad for the Genre

The pacing is good. The character development is good. The main character is like able. The world created is unique in it's own yet not so unfamiliar it is difficult to follow - interesting concept. The flow of the story is good. The tension is good. Overall this is nothing g new and pretty standard for this type of book and it does what it us supposed to so if this is what you are looking for it will deliver.

Modern novels based on old mythology

I'm really impressed with the series. I've read a lot of paranormal, and the ideas here are very unique. A long, long time ago, before the ancient gods left the earth, they each bestowed immortality on one of their descendants. There's only a limited number of immortal slots available, and the only way to become immortal is to be a descendant of a god and to kill an immortal.

The story focuses on a newly immortal P.I. She didn't know anything about the immortals before she accidentally became one. She's witty and has a great sense of humor, is bold and daring with a lot of style. She has to learn to use some new powers and abilities that don't come with an instruction manual, navigate the politics of the immortal factions, figure out who's a friend and who's an enemy, solve a new case involving immortals, move, and deal with an adopted mortal sister who really wants to know whats going on.

Add three complicated men to the mix and well...it's a hit. No spoilers, but I loved books 2 and 3 and can't wait for the next one to come out.

Super! Enjoyed it very much

This was a fun book to listen to ... I didn't want it to end. Now I want to hear the sequel!

Excellent Book!! Two thumbs up!!

This book very good!! There's a lot of action fight scenes and a little bit of romance. The story is very original and ALL the characters are interesting. The female lead is strong and has a funny since of humor. I didn't think I would like it, but I couldn't stop listening.

The narrator has a clear speaking voice. She does a great job with both the male and female characters. I thought I knew the answer to the mystery but was wrong, so it will definately keep your interest. All the characters have different powers and different strengths. I can't say enough! It's definately worth listening to. I can't wait for the 2nd book to come out. I'm adding Jenna Black to my favorite authors list. :)

I am so glad there are more boooks

What made the experience of listening to Dark Descendant the most enjoyable?

The depth of the characters and the creation of a new world is great. I think Jenna Black does a great job putting a creative twist on your typical mystical world. You really can connect with Nikki Glass and the other characters. This first book definitely left me wanting more and I am extremely excited to read the others!

What about Sophie Eastlake’s performance did you like?

She was very emotional in her reading. The emotions the characters should be feeling at the time really came out in her voice.

Excellent story and excellent narration!

I was so surprised by this book and can't wait to get the next one in the series. I really like the main character and didn't want to slap her the whole time for making stupid decisions (only a few times). The other characters are interesting and have unique personalities, not just carbon copies.

The story really grabbed me from the start and I didn't want to stop listening. There wasn't a single slow or boring part in the whole book.

The narrator did a great job, especially for the main character.

A taste of something different

Would you consider the audio edition of Dark Descendant to be better than the print version?

I don't know that I can say that the audio is better than the print version but I can say that the voices are done well enough to distinguish them all.

What did you like best about this story?

I like the fact that this is something different. I haven't found many urban fantasy books revolving around the various pantheons.

Have you listened to any of Sophie Eastlake’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

The Niki Glass series is the only series I've heard Sophie read, however I like her and would like her to continue it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, actually I think I may have done it in 2 lol.

Great start to an exciting series!

Nikki Glass is a private investigator working a missing persons case for Emmett, a young attractive man. Emmett's girlfriend went missing with what Emmett believed to be a cult, and Emmett had Nikki investigating them trying to find a way to get his girlfriend out. Little did Nikki know that Emmett was no ordinary man, and that cult, lets just say they are earth's best hidden supernatural secret, and Nikki has been thrown into their world!

This story is about Greek God descendants. Nikki unknowingly steps in the middle of a war between some immortals that think they should rule who are called the Olympians, and the rebel group of immortals that fled from the Olympians, (they don't have a cool name for their group). Anderson appears to be the leader for this rebel group, but it's hard to tell at first if he's the good guy or bad guy because of the way he treats Nikki when they first meet. Nikki had no idea this world existed, nor did she know that she was the person the two factions were fighting over. Once the cat is out of the bag, it's a race of survival of the fittest!

For one, what! OMG, during this entire book they chose rape to be the threat of choice! Usually it's death, but rape, really? Rape in books is not cool, I avoid those like the plague, but this one snuck past my radar, because who the heck knew! Luckily though, I did not have to experience a rape scene in detail, and was able to handle the violence in the book like a champ. Nikki's character was very sympathetic and believable. She had a sordid past as a child, and therefore believed in second chances, but was kinda misplaced with whom she chose to give a second chance to. All of the immortals came across very cocky, and that's why it was hard to tell who could be trusted, and who was on the side of good and not evil. The world created, the characters, the story line all came together perfectly for one great read. I truly enjoyed and connected with the characters, I hated Alexis, just like I was supposed to, and I empathized with Anderson and Nikki because of what they had gone through. I was worried for Nikki, scared for the victim and excited for the battle! I definitely can't wait to dig into the next book!

Narrator Review
Sophie Eastlake narrates for Jenna Black. When I saw who the narrator was I was super excited! I love Sophie from the other books I have had the pleasure of hearing her narrate. Sophie has sass, snark, and true deep emotion in her performances, which is why I love her so much! I'm so happy Sophie is on board for this crazy train ride!

Great read!

What did you love best about Dark Descendant?

The story line was original. I love me some vampire/werewolf stories but they can get a bit repetitive. This was a great break from that.

What about Sophie Eastlake’s performance did you like?

Everything! I started reading this series because she was the narrator. She's amazing.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yep! Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't wait to find out more about the main character and her background.