Shori looks like a 10-year-old black girl, but she's actually a 50-something vampire, a genetically-altered member of the Ina race who awakens with amnesia to discover the burnt remains of the commune where she was living. This is an excellent novel, very similar to Hubbard's (see below), with a great exploration of the Ina race and their symbiotic relationships with human beings. Shori comes under fire from renegades within the larger community who are worried about the mingling of vampire and human genes, allowing for Butler to bring in themes of racism and bigotry. Since this was her last book before her untimely death in 2006, we won't (unfortunately) be seeing a sequel.

posted Jun 26, 2007 at 11:48AM

This book is AWESOME! It’s really sad that the author died before she could write more, but then, maybe she would’ve sold out like King, or Rice, instead of remaining true to her characters. This is an exceptional read!

posted Jun 13, 2009 at 1:49PM

THis book ROCKED. one of the best vampire books out there

posted Sep 22, 2009 at 10:59AM

What a surprising novel. It was a wonderful read, and gave a new dimension to vampire mythos. An elegent, simple writing style and a very memorable and unique heroine make this book a spectacular read. Refreshing change from all the glamour and gloom of a lot of vamp lit. 5 stars.

posted Apr 13, 2010 at 2:09PM

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