Audiobook review: Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped by Annette Marie
The story opens with Robin and Zylas playing a card game. He continues to needle her about how she blushes and stares at him, but he doesn’t understand why. Robin has been translating her family’s grimoire and runs across a demon artifact that may help Zylas return home.
The first part of Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped overlaps with Druid Vices and a Vodka, this time we get events such as visiting the summoner at Odin’s Eye and the battles with the gollums from Robin’s POV. Robin, Zylas, and Amalia discover that Claude is involved, as well as a mysterious and deadly family of mages who possess demon-stopping magic. From there, the story spins off with Ezra helping Robin (and Tori leaving town). I LOVE that Robin and Ezra share their secrets and work together to stop the deadly mages from kidnapping another victim. Finally! It’s clear that we will learn this part of the story from Tori’s POV in a future book.
While many questions still remain, I feel that Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped finally moves the story forward on multiple fronts. I love seeing Robin gain confidence and abilities as the months have gone by. She’s learning to trust others, which is a huge leap forward after her parents were murdered and she was betrayed by her uncle. She is making friends in the guild and learning that it is okay to depend on others. She is making smarter choices (although at one point in the story, I was a bit frustrated), and she’s kicking butt.
There is a lot of momentum on the Claude/grimoire storyline. Robin and gang are able to piece together what Claude stole from Robin’s grimoire and some of his intent. With Ezra on their side, they are able to maneuver through Vancouver’s guilds and law enforcement. Robin, Zylas, Amalia, Ezra, and Etteran make a FANTASTIC team – something I’ve been waiting to read since we first met Robin. I love that the humans are learning more about demon kind, and realize that they are sentient creatures who feel and had lives before being summoned. Likewise, the demons are learning not all humans are stupid fools.
Finally, there are huge steps made in the relationship between Robin and Zylas. Watching their fragile bond strengthen while walls are torn down is both frightening and rewarding. I honestly have no idea how this storyline will play out, which makes it all the more exciting.
Narration: the story is shared via the first person POV of Robin. Dukehart captures the timid and unsure personality of Robin. Dukehart alters character dialogue based on gender and age with moderate success, making each character fairly distinguishable. Her voices for the demons are especially interesting, making each unique and fitting of the demon’s personality. Dukehart keeps the story moving forward in a lively manner.
In the end Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped is a non-stop rollercoaster. My emotions were all over the place as I hung on to the wild ride. And I loved every moment. I cannot wait to find out what happens next.
My Ratings
Story: A-
Narration: B+
Jen
About the Book:
I thought I understood power.
My parents taught me that magic attracts equal danger, and everything I’ve seen since becoming a demon contractor confirms it. I’ve witnessed how power twists and corrupts–and I’ve tasted power no human should wield.
I thought I knew greed.
Ambition and avarice drove my family into hiding. My parents died for someone else’s greed. I’ve never hunted anything in my life, but now I’m hunting their killer–with my demon’s help.
I thought I’d seen evil.
But with each step closer to my parents’ murderer, I’m uncovering a different sort of evil, piece by hidden piece. I’ve stumbled into an insidious web that silently, secretly ensnares everything it touches. My demon and I came as the hunters…
…but I think we might be the prey.
Author: Annette Marie
Narrator: Cris Dukehart
Series: The Guild Codex: Demonized #3; Guild Codex Universe #11
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Audiobook Release Date: June 23, 2020
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Length: 8 hours and 28 minutes
Source: Library
Audio Speed: 1.25x