Rafael

Laurell K. Hamilton

Feb 2021 · Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Book 28 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

Rafael, king of the wererats, must fight to the death to defend his crown. He wants Anita Blake, one of his closest allies, with him as he faces an opponent unlike any he’s faced before. He will ask Anita to risk everything to be at his side....
 
But some of the wererats fear that Rafael depends too much on Anita and her ties to the vampires. They believe that there is only room in America for one supernatural king, and Rafael will turn them into nothing more than food for the bloodsuckers.
 
Among his enemies, a new challenger has arisen who is younger, hungrier, and has dark secrets that could destroy both the wererats and the vampires. Rafael will go into the magical heart of his people to find the power and violence that he needs to save them all, or die trying.

Ratings and reviews

The only complaint I have, is that every book lately from LKH has been short. The first bunch of books in this series took me a few (3-4) days to get thru, this one just an afternoon and evening. Which is kind of disappointing. The storyline was great and I liked the backstory on Rafael as a character.

I feel like it's been a while since we've seen Rafael, and I've missed him. Yes, he's arrogant, but that's kind of par for the course with most of Anita's men, and I've liked the back and forth between the wererat king and Anita since he first showed up in the series. I've been a fan of the Anita Blake series since it all started, so it's safe to say I'm thoroughly invested at this point. This 28th book in the series is a bit shorter than the norm, but we do still get quite a bit of the relationship angst that has been an ongoing theme for some time - or maybe that's relationships angst? Either way, it's there as well as Anita's indecision. Granted, she's always been conflicted, but this is a strong woman who only gets stronger with each new big bad she faces, and with so much growth over the years, I would've expected some improvement there too. And that lengthy issue over something as simple as walking into a shower room combined with all the discussion in the hallway is the only reason this one got 4 instead of 5 stars - because the last half of the book was exactly what I was hoping for. It was exciting and dangerous and even creepy. It was also fast-paced and frantic, which means I didn't stop turning pages until I'd read the last line for the whole second half of the book. Another plus is the page time for Jean-Claude. It's not as considerable as I would've liked, but given that this is Rafael's book, it's a fair amount. I'd say if you're a long time fan of the series, this is one you'll want to read despite needing to wade through the angst of which lover might get their feelings hurt and how Anita can avoid doing that with so many. So, it was good to catch up with Rafael, and I hope to see more of him in the future. It was also nice to see a new Anita Blake book so soon after the last one. The characters and the world Laurell K Hamilton has created are still hanging on tightly, and I'll be anxiously waiting for whatever's next.

Laurel K Hamilton, never disappoint. I have read all of Anita Blake adventures each book show how she has grown to become who she is. Even when confused about the demands of her body, her lovers, and friends.

About the author

Laurell K. Hamilton is a full-time writer and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series and the Merry Gentry series. She lives in a suburb of St. Louis with her family.