Infinity: Chronicles of Nick
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Release Date: May 25, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Chronicles of Nick Series Book #1
(with direct tie-in to the Dark Hunter Series)
ISBN: #0312599072
Genre: Young Adult – paranormal
From GoodReads:
At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.
Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.
But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he’s next on the menu.
As if starting high school isn’t hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?
What I’m talking about:
WARNING: there are mild spoilers contained in this discussion.
Nick is your “typical” 14-year old boy… trying to fit in, hoping the girls will like him, etc. Little does Nick know that his city (New Orleans) is full of paranormal activity and his classmates range from human to shifter to demon (and some other things we don’t know about). Oh, and not to mention that Nick is destined to be the destroyer of humanity and evil incarnate. Sounds like a lot, but surprisingly, this tale is lively, witty and full of action. It highlights the best of Kenyon’s Dark Hunter (DH) world and expands on the already amazing series. Nick is a good kid, and it will be interesting to watch him struggle with right and wrong as he comes into his powers and gets closer to the betrayals that set him on the path of destruction.
One of the best themes through the book is Nick’s love for his mom. It is tender and sincere. Their moments together are wonderfully written and make my heart ache for the Nick I love from DH. I hope that Nick’s love for his mom and her love for him is what will eventually save him from his destiny.
Newcomers to Kenyon’s DH world will surely enjoy her world-building – she’s one of the best in the business. Fans of Kenyon’s DH series should note that this book begins a rewrite of the “history” that was developed in the first 20+/- DH books. But how will these “true events” (as Kenyon states on her website) play into Fate as defined by Kenyon? If Fate says Nick is going to be the Malachai, can Nick go back in time and prevent himself from turning into the evil/uncaring Malachai? DH fans have been taught that FATE will eventually find its way, but in Infinity Nick says NO WAY to his FATE, and he is taking matters into his own hands. I like this concept and I want Nick to have a happy ending – a better life than where he’s headed in the DH series. It’s like JJ Abrams version of Star Trek – it resets the mythology and the world we all know as “real.” I just don’t know how happy I am that it’s going to take 10 books to tie into the DH series.
For readers of DH, the Chronicles of Nick must be thought of as part of the DH series, and if you planned on skipping it – don’t. This series will have major repercussions on the DH series. While it is a critical path for DH fans, I feel this story will be equality if not more enjoyed by first time series readers. One problem I found while reading was that I was constantly trying to recall all the events from the DH series and figure out if each part of Infinity matched what I had read in the other books. This gave me a headache after a while!
The book makes for an excellent YA read without dumbing down Kenyon’s normal humor and story lines. Nick is a lovable character and I think newcomers and veteran DH readers alike will enjoy getting to know him in Infinity.
My Rating:
I think I would be comparing all the time too..and since I don’t remember the DH books all that well, a headache would def happen 🙂
This one has been getting pretty good reviews..will have to add it to my tbr.
HA! I knew I’d need it as part of DH. I bought it because I just knewwwwwww that it would be an important part of the DH overall story. Great review!!!!!! I’m gonna take the plunge this month 🙂
I’m seeing so many good reviews of this one. I was kind of burned out on the DH series since I read the whole thing back to back. I was hesitant to try this one. You might have convinced me. 🙂
I, too, loved this book. The humor and dimensionality of the characters that is characteristic of Kenyon are so there. I found that I didn’t compare it to the DH series because I kept thinking it would be apart from the DH. I don’t think you HAVE to compare it to the other series because it is Nick’s chance at changing the future. Great review, my dear!
I also LOVED seeing where the “hideous” Hawaiian shirts came from!!
@Mandi & Fiction Vixen: I felt the same… I wasn’t planning on reading it. The DH series, while excellent has been getting so big and out of control – I didn’t want to get involved with a spin off. But it’s not as complex as the last few DH books and it’s fun.
@Spaz: I hope you enjoy!
@Una: Thanks for answering all of my questions while I was reading it!
OK, you’ve convinced me! I will give it a go.
Thanks for the review 🙂