Intensity

Chronicles of Nick, Book 8

By: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Narrated by: Holter Graham

Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

It's a demon-eat-demon world for Nick Gautier. Just when he thinks he's finally gotten a handle on how not to take over the world and destroy it, Death returns with an all-star cast that is determined to end the Malachai reign and lineage forever. Worse? Death and War have found the one, true enemy Nick can't find, and even if he did, it's one he could never bring himself to banish or kill.

Now framed for murders he hasn't committed, and surrounded by new friends who might be turncoats, Nick is learning fast how his father went down in flames. The heat in New Orleans is rising fast, and Nick's threat-level has gone into a whole new level of intensity.

He's learning fast that when War and Death decide to battle, they don't take prisoners. They don't negotiate. And they're both immune to his biting sarcasm and Cajun charm. To win this, he will have to embrace a new set of powers, but one wrong step, and he will belong to the side of Darkness, forever.

Contains mature themes.

©2017 Sherrilyn Kenyon (P)2018 Tantor

Not the ending these characters deserved :-(

I had to take a minute before writing this review. When I first noticed this book was 5 hours long, I figured this was a novella before the real finale. But I was wrong. A series of 9 books in the making had a finale that was the shortest book in the series. Hmmm... that should have been a red flag.

So then one would think that with such a short amount of time the author would get straight to the point and stay on track through the finish line. Wrong again. Instead, we get these drawn out unnecessary scenes that do nothing to move the story forward.

And still even in the final book we get new characters and their back stories. I feel like the author had these random scenes that she just wanted to put somewhere. I'm aware she has started other series, but did every character in these other series need a cameo.

I love me some complicated drama, but this novella was so complicated that it just got messy. In addition to the main "time jumper" we also have 4 other people jumping around in time at different ages and with different names. We end up with a younger time jumper going forward in time past the original time jumper's life to go back in time to tell some from his future that another person from the future has come back to the past pretending to be the original time jumper coming from the future.... and add three time jumpers on top of that... like I said it gets MESSY.

For a story with such an amazing premise, the author put too much unnecesary filler. Even characters in the book continuously said, "I'm confused". Every time a character said it I laughed because not even they knew how to explain this insanity.

I don't feel like these characters got the ending they deserved. Though the story was complicated, the ending was simple, bland, and an easy fix to get it over with. I felt like the author wanted to hurry up and get to her new series so the hell with this one.

The poor narrator, Holter Graham, tried his best. But with numerous characters and then back ground stories on these irrelevant characters he just ran out of voices. At one point the voices of the main characters changed. I guess he got confused too. Poor guy.

Overall I think the ideas behind this story were awesome. But there were times were you can tell that the author's attention had moved on to something else.

I'm so saddened by this book in so many ways.

Holter Graham is my all time favorite male narrator. He changed up so many of the characters voices, it was hard to stomach, but, in his defense, this book was a letdown and a disaster. My son and I have been listening to this series since we discovered it many years ago, and have listened to them all repeatedly. We walked away from this one with a permanently wrinkled forehead from confusion and disappointment. I hope, for her thousands and thousands of fans out there, she decides to come back with another book and pay proper homage to all the fantastic side characters, and give us a sense of closure, or what could possibly continue the series. I know her more adult book series continue to grow, but this one has given such joy to so many, it seemed simply shameful to work so hard on a book that seems so poorly put together.
We will continue to revisit the rest of this series, but this one is getting shelved until some of the threads can be woven in. Please Ms. Kenyon, don't let us down. The rest of the series is pure magic.

Can someone, anyone, re-edit this please?

So first I'd like to say that I'm aware that Mrs. Kenyon had issues with this book, her typical publisher pushing it release back further and further so she bought the rights back and self published it. For which i am deeply thankful. This is why it is one of the only books of hers I've ever bought and not gotten from the library. In short, I really wish I had gotten this from the library. In short her publishers were trying to tell her she needed to re-edit the book, cut the rants and increase the amount of actually store therein.

So this book, i honestly have no idea where to begin. The plot, what plot there is, actually fits in maybe an hour. Yeah that's right, it fits in an hour. The other four hours are the same tried true, worn out, exhausted repetitive Kenyon rants we've all read before but this time even worse. There was a stint of 40 minutes where all it was, was ranting. Half the time i spent listening to the book I found myself begging the book to get back to the characters, the plot, make a joke something other than ranting about injustice, prejudice, poverty, mistrust, and betrayal.

That's not to say nothing major happens, like the final reveal on just how she is going to tie this into the dark hunter series. I give her props for doing it but would take away another star if i could for how. Also someone important dies. Yep that's all you get because the most important event in four books takes place in about five minutes. It was nice not to have a character whine for half book about their lose, but at the same time when I heard the basic lecture drone on for 30 minutes i felt cheated. Honestly, you don't need to rant, simply quote "When the storm of life come for you shout, do your worst for I shall do mine" (The Counte de Monte Cristo by Alexander Duma if you care) write a scene to illustrate and you're done. You don't have to rant for 40 minutes!

So yeah after this and the last book, and listening to every book she's come out with to date, i might never read a Kenyon book ever again. Her work keeps getting worse as she piles on more series with cookie cutter characters to replace her the individuals she once created and rants to replace actual story and her sense of humor, the best part of her books, is completely missing altogether.

In the end, rent it, borrow it but do not buy this book just isn't worth it, I've read better pieces of type from complete amateurs and that is the true tragedy.

So disappointed...

I have followed this series for years and this ending seemed rushed and unresolved. this book was basically a lot of backstory of other characters I mean the ending basically made the WHOLE series kinda pointless. and holters performance was lackluster compared to infamous or inferno. Personally I enjoyed the series because I love nick, but I think it could have been resolved better.

could have been better

I have read the entire series and was looking forward to this installment, unfortunately I was disappointed. the story never pulled me in or got me engaged. The narration was passable at best. the narrator was not someone who I can say was enjoyable to listen to.

What exactly was that?!

I am a huge fan of Sherrilyn and like most have been anticipating this new book. I know I listened to the whole thing but I am not really sure what happened or what the point was. I literally started the book this morning am already finished it. The book has me a bit confused and wanting.

Disappointed

Through the years I have read all of Sherrilyn Kenyon's books. I read this series with the hopes of getting closure and answers to many unwritten details of one of my past favorite characters through your DH series. Though there were many of my questions answered, I was shocked to have encountered the ending to the Chronicles of Nick series that I did. I have yet to be disappointed in any of your books or series, and after completing the series I can honestly say that I was disappointed with the final ending.

I’m not sure what happened here.

Is this the ending? This felt like the author had to throw something out there like they wanted to get rid of it. Where’s the full ending and conclusion?? This was short and lacking. The rest of the series has been great.

Chronicles of nick , intensity

Wow I don’t know what happen but holler gram acre up , the voices sounds horrible. Why would he change the voices ! It sounds hideous when you hear nick or Cody or Simi.
The story is readable , it is a disappointment . I was not expecting the book to be like this . After waiting for so long it is a shame that
this book turn out to be crap , inferior , compare to the previous books .
PLEASE GRAHAM RE DO THE VOICES !!!!!!!

Disappointing Finale...

Sadly, I did not find this a satisfying ending to the series. It felt rushed and like a whole lot of stuff was missing.The ending felt predictable and cliche. It some ways it felt like this was a term paper written the day before it was due so no heart was involved in the story. I doubt that's true, but that's the how I came away feeling. Yes, it wrapped some things up, but left a whole lot up in the air. I really hope the next series about Nick's son clarifies things.

Mr Graham's performance was excellent as always. The issue was not with him at all.