Acheron (Dark-Hunter, Book 12) Reviews

• Loved Acheron Hated the Beginning

  
  By A1EGM3WQBGEHSA on 2008-08-05
  I love the Dark Hunter Series that goes without saying and I can usually stand anything that has to do with this series good and bad, but give me a break do I need all the gory details of pain and abuse. More than half the book is filled with these vivid descriptions. While I think Ash's background is necessary, it could have been done in just as graphic a manner but using less space,while devoting more to the present and his love story. I think Kenyon used the book to purge her own demons and for her it probably achieved its purpose. I just wish she thought more of her readers and Ash to tell his story with a little less vengeance. Having said that and having given the book 3 (wish I could have given the first part 3 and the second 4 1/2)no one who loves this series should miss reading this book even if it means skimming the first 450 pages.
  
  

• She did it right!!!!

  
  By A342BV4226SM5Y on 2008-08-07
  This is the best DH book in a long while. I got it yesterday and sat up late to finish it. It is over 700 pages so you know it held my attention. All the questions we have had about Ash are answered and although it is hard to read about the things done to him you realize that they made him the God he is today. He is a God of Destruction, but Ash is filled with compassion, because he has been abused, tortured, and maimed himself. I hated Artemis for a long time and I have to say the whole situation is handled in a wonderful way. So many ends are tied up and there is still room for more DH novels. This is an awesome read.
  
  Ash faces hatred and exile in the first 400 pages. Along with torture it is very hard to read without feeling his pain. I really think only someone very strong could come out of it with his mind intact.
  
  Ryssa is his sister and the only one who seems to care for him. She is chosen to be offered to Apollo. But even serving the God she takes time for Ash.
  
  Styxx is his brother, and the hatred and jealousy that he pours on Ash is horrible.
  
  Tory is in our time, she is hunting for Atlantis. Ash meets her when he goes to a seminar that she is leading, and makes her look like an idiot. Shortly their paths cross again and he finds himself protecting her from a group led by Artemis. They are told to kill her, when she finds something that should never have been written down.
  
  Satara is determined to find what was lost and use it to destroy those she hates.
  
  Everyone in the Dark Hunter universe somehow is involved in the mystery and all the secrets are revealed. Do not miss this book. It is outstanding.
  
  
  

• Author Goddes Rules!

  
  By A1HC6OJLQYQV4R on 2008-08-05
  Yes- this is a real review I spent 8 hours straight curled up on my couch reading. I litteraly couldn't put it down.
  
  I've always loved Ash. He's sexy and funny and dark and the leader of the Dark Hunters and we all knew he had a really dark past... and then there's his tie with Artemis and I really couldn't see how that could be worked with. And the thought of a heroine for him... nobody could possible be good enough (except me!). So I went into this story eagerly but full of doubts. My doubts are gone - the AG rules!
  
  Spoilers
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  The first 428 pages of Ash's story is his human life and how he became a god. I cried. It's so hard. Abuse, physical, mental and sexual. Betrayal by all who should have loved him. Sherrilyn writes so that you feel his pain and can see his ancient world. It helps to explain who he is.
  
  Pages 429-722 are the present and it's sexy and funny and I found that I liked Tory Ash needs someone who will love him unconditionally and not break his trust. I loved seeing their relationship grow and the struggles Ash goes through to open his heart and to believe that he is worthy of love and respect. I'm greedy though- I would have liked their story to be as long as the first part of the book. :) But I know we'll see them more.
  
  At the heart of this story is the message of love- when you go through hell and think you are no longer worthy of anything- YOU ARE. All of us are worthy and we all matter and we all deserve love.
  
  Thank you Sherrilyn Kenyon for a beautiful story.
  
  

• A rare read

  
  By A18ZSMR1DW4VFW on 2008-08-06
  By now you know that this is a very intense book. If you read the other reviews you know that the first part of the book is about Acheron's past. You finally understand why Artemis must die (or at least be smacked around). I've waited for a long time to read this book, I even skipped over the last several books because I was uninterested in more teasers. IT WAS WORTH IT!!!! I loved the back story and I loved the relationship with his mother. Finally, loved the fact that she may be close to explaining Nick's story. Don't be swayed by the negative comments or the length. Take a weekend and read this one.
  
  

• Disappointed Fan

  
  By A17LDR1DVGW9R2 on 2008-09-01
  Let me start off by saying that I really, really, really wanted to like this book. In my opinion SK is only a decent writer, though her stories are very intriguing and she has a lot of twists that make her books worth reading, not for the words but the plot lines.
  
  Having said that, this book sucked. The first half of the book was about Ash's abused childhood, which read like angst filled fanfiction. Honestly, the characters would say things like "if father finds you here he'll beat you within an inch of your life" and sure enough, the father would walk into the room and have him beaten. It was ridiculous angst to be angsty, and it made the writing childish and sadly pathetic. Don't get me wrong, I felt for Ash and his childhood, but I could have felt for him in 100 pages instead of 400 and not thought the first half of the book was so poorly written.
  
  The only shining star in the first part of the book was Ryssa, was a character that needed more expanding. In my opinion she should have been the heroin of the story since she was the only one that swore never to hurt Ash. That's my own sad disappontment with this book, but I thought it bore mentioning--despite Ryssa being Ash's *NOT* sister, she should have been the one to somehow free him from his curse.
  
  But no, SK wrote her as a woman in the early years of civilization without the ability to act in a man's world (believable, but also pathetic and without a backbone to stand up and find a way to help her brother anyway (sad for an author with such strong female characters).
  
  Then we get to part two. Oh lordy! I agree with other reviews that Tory is weak, goody-goody, and nothing like what I expected for Ash. She was so pathetically written, I had to skip some of her diologue or roll my eyes until they were stuck in the back of my head! Ash was also not like himself, and though you're supposed to see the real inner workings of the man--it is his book afterall--he comes off flat, and really pathetic as well. This is NOT the Ash we've all come to love, this is a new character SK created and gave the name Acheron. Really, it's sad that this is his book and how history will remember him.
  
  And DO NOT EVEN GET ME STARTED about that stupid sex shop sequence before they first make love. I almost put the book down right then and there and said forget it! No woman in her right mind would do something like that. He's degrading, pathetic, and shows the childish and fanfiction like quality of this entire story.
  
  In the end, this story left me feeling cheated of Ash's story. SK did a real disservice to a great character by writting his story this way. And even though I've badmouthed her writting style as fanfiction during this review, I will be going to the boards myself and finding a much better Acheron story from a dedicated fan who I know will do Ash's story justice.
  
  Unlike his creator.
  
  Sorry Ms Kenyon, but this is one disappointed fan.
  
  
• Sadistic, Brutal and Very Cringe Worthy
  By AAD4K2ODWH29N on 2008-08-09
  After 285 pages of child abuse, child rape, child abandonment, child drugging, humiliation, torture, and castration, I give up. This is not entertainment, this is not informative, this isn't purging demons, this is just sick. It's not making me think or search for a deeper meaning, it's making me cringe. My sympathies to Ms. Kenyon for the abuse she suffered, and my admiration for her survival. However, this book is brutal and sadistic. I'm not talking about a few pages, or scenes, almost every page in every chapter drips with it, and I'm not even half way through it.
  
  Ash's sister, who is supposed to be the the one person in his life who loves him, the one person you think would have some redeeming qualities, comes off as just plain stupid. How many times does the father beat him because of some dumb idea of hers? No one is that naive. Here's an example... after being beaten within an inch of his life, ribs broken, castrated, and suffering blood loss from a suicide attempt, Ash asks his "beloved" sister for some liquor or drugs, anything to numb the pain. The idiot did not want to give him anything at first. "She didn't believe in running away from her problems..." Hello, beaten, broken bones, no balls, blood loss? She makes Forest Gump look like a genius. Her character reminds me of one of those people who go through life singing Tra La La, while everyone around them is dying of plague.
  
  After looking forward to this book since the series began, I feel just plain sad. Glimpsing the dark and frankly disturbing spew, the first part of this book is, I am done.
  
  
  
• -UM- NO FIRE WORKS FOR ME ....
  By AQRHUDDJ2HP0W on 2008-08-05
  Wow - After waiting years for Ash's story, I really thought Ash's book would just blow all her other Dark Hunter Books out of the water. It was just... OK ... Not bad, not great, just OK! I really didn't enjoy the 400+ pages of the "back drop" story. Yes, we need to know what he went through, but come on 400+ pages of abuse and torture, NO THANKS.
  
  Ash and Tory's story was good, however the end seemed rushed. I wasn't sure if I would like her as his heroine but I really did, she Rocks! I would rather have had more story of Ash & Tory and less of the past. I also, wanted more interaction with the New Orleans Dark Hunters (both current and ex) and at least some dialogue with Katra since she and Tory are friends.
  
  I got this book early and stayed up all night reading it. I've have had a chance to re-read some of it thinking that I had missed something and still I'm a little sad that it didn't light my fire like Devil May Cry did. Ash will continue to be a favorite though.
  
  I'm not so sure this book in hardback is worth the money, with the exception of Nick's presence, it was the only reason why I did't give it less stars....
  
  
• I HATE to say it....but I am dissapointed...a REAL review
  By A2P6Y6RD3QXHUZ on 2008-08-19
  SOME SPOILERS: First of all, I give the beginning of the book 4 stars. It was very harsh and heart-wrenching, but was very well-written and necessary so that we could see what Ash went through. I couldn't put it down dunring the first half of the novel, and had a reading marathon so I could get to Ash and Tor's story. It was SUCH a dissapointment. If this hadn't been Ash's story, I probably would have put it down and not picked it back up!
  
  I didn't even know who Ash was in the second half of the story. Where was the sauve, all-powerful, humorous Ash we've come to know and love? SK turned him into a bumbling idiot that sings love songs in public, gets drunk off of Sprite, and pretty much has no common sense. He was a total wuss with no spine at all. Where did his Alpha-male nature go?
  
  As for Tory, I liked her, but she was a little too goody-goody and unflawed. I get that Ash needed a "pure of heart" mate, but they were both so sticky sweet and sappy in this book that I wanted to gag. Another downside for me was that all Tory and Ash's conversations seemed very forced and unnatural. I think one of the stupidest scenes that was supposed to be funny was where the Tory, Pam, & Kim were dancing around singing "Fergalicious" and then talking about Pam & Kim's underwear being all over their apartment. The intro to the scene was very vague and a bit confusing, and it just wasn't FUNNY. One of my biggest hates about the book was the lack of PHYSICAL love scenes and how underwhelmed I was by the ONE (seriosly, ONE for Acheron!?!?) full scene we got. It was just so childish and it felt like there was absolutely no passion.
  
  I guess I shouldn't have been too surpirised, as Dream Hunter and Devil May Cry were terrible in my opinion. I couldn't even finish them. Dream Hunter could have been a whole seperate novel in another series it was so far off the mark, and I couldn't bring myself to care about Katra and Sin (the way they got together was so silly) in Devil May Cry.
  
  I guess I am ranting because I had such high hopes for Acheron, and while the beginning showed all the promise of the wonderful story I had dreamed of, the second half was a big let down. This should have been her masterpiece, and instead it was just plain forgettable. I have to say that I am really not that excited about the series anymore due to the poor quality and rushed feeling of the last few books.
  
  I am not dissing any of the other reviewers, as everyone deserves to be heard and respected on this bulletin board, but I am TRULY surprised at all of the "stellar" reviews this book has gotten, and I feel that some of them may be fake, solicited, or perhaps diehard SK groupies (you know, the people who think SK could fart on a page and it would be reading heaven). Make sure you read ALL the reviews people; it just might save you $24.95 (well, $14.95 if you bought it on Amazon; haha) and a heap of frustration.
  
  
• Disappointing...
  By A1MLCYBTZ3LEKU on 2008-08-12
  Spoilers Included....
  
  I was highly anticipating Ash's book (who wasn't?). What a let down. I was very disappointed in the book. The first part, though hard to read, had so much more depth than the second part. I really enjoyed it for that reason. But as it moved into the second part, I didn't feel as though there was continuity in Acheron's character. Maybe if the second part took place over more than 2-3 days, it would have seemed more believable to me.
  
  Also, I found that she used many of the same plot devices from previous books. Childhood abuse (I get that the are supposed to be "tortured" in some way, but it just all sounds the same), singing to Tory (Vane and Bride?). Seems like she's running out of ideas. Her dialog is really starting to annoy me. They all sound like teenagers. Except the one who IS a teenager - Simi. She's just too childlike. If she's supposed to be around 18 human years, can she at least start to sound like it instead of like a 4yr old?
  
  I know this sounds like rant. I guess it is. I just feel cheated. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I read it (I passed on the last few). I'm glad she gave Ash a happy ending. It just wasn't up to some of her earlier work. Makes me wonder if she isn't rushing too much to get the books out. I think this is going to be it for me, though. I don't care enough about all the new characters she's introducing to keep with the series.
  
  
• Absolutely loved the 2nd half, the 1st half was too much for me
  By A2SQWYORZCW9UR on 2008-08-05
  I'd rate this *4.5 stars* if I could. The only reason I'm not giving the 5 stars is b/c I had a very tough time even reading the 1st half. It was just too graphic and depressing, I skimmed through it and went on to the next part. I went back again after I finished and truly read the 1st half, knowing what to expect, and it was still tough.
  
  I understand that we as readers need to see Ash's past to understand his present, but I would have liked more details about him and Tory, less about the past torture.
  
  The 2nd half was terrific; loved seeing past DH's again and finding out more about Ash's personal life. Definite sense of closure on his story; The poor guy definitely deserved his happy ending.
  
  
• 3 stars for a good try
  By A18CXBKSM42V36 on 2008-08-07
  If you came to this book for answers, Ms. Kenyon delivered 100%. After that? Meh.
  
  Yes, you get all the gory details in the begining and you come out the other side of the first half with a wide eyed realism of human brutality in the 1st degree. Embracing what you now know from it though, makes you feel that you would gladly give up your heart and soul just to make this man whole.
  
  But she falls short in the execution, 'she touched his hair, he hated when people touched his hair', 'she grabbed his hair, he hated when people touched his hair', 'she brushed her hand through his hair, he hated when people touched his hair'.
  We get it.
  
  There are several different actions by others that caused him emotional & physical pain that were repeated over and over again which could have been presented each in their own horrible way to show us his pain, but instead we're given his reactions *exactly* the same way every time. It's a shame that she thinks her readers are so very dull witted that they wouldn't notice her repetition.
  
  Admittedly there were dozens of pages I skimmed through only to find myself going back to read 'just in case', so as to not miss any important information. Which I'm glad I did. For every drudge through the monotonous parts there would be one shiny nugget of information I was glad I found.
  
  As for the second part? *sigh* The Atlantean God Apostolos, God over death, destruction & suffering, the God who would bring forth Telikos: the end of the world, was reduced to a shade of who he should have been. And his romance? Nothing more spectacular then any of the other Dark Hunters, maybe less so for all the expectations.
  
  And I understand the need to change the cannon of the universe she created in previous books to tell this story...but in the same story? About a crucial aspect of who he was? Unforgivable.
  
  Toward the end of the first part she reveals why his attraction from others is so strong without his god powers to counter act them, but in the second part at a pivotal moment accepts his HEA for wanting him sexually just for him because he was tired of being grabbed & groped in public when this was suppose to be countered with his powers MILLENIA ago!
  
  Ack! I give up. I tried very hard to love this book, but in the thoughts of Apollymi, "If she rolled her eyes any further back, she'd go blind from it".
  
  
• Really Disappointed
  By A3LFKVR4H4UNBZ on 2008-08-10
  I was hotly anticipating this book and it was such a let down. I agree with everyone else that the first part goes on too long and the second part seems forced and rushed.
  
  I don't mind abuse in books, but this was just ridiculous. I don't see how Appollymi is so powerful that she can preserve Tori's virignity for Ash so he has something "pure" but she lets her son get serial rapped and abused for decades. This Ash was totally different than the Ash I loved in the earlier books. Refereeing for god's sake and building a house for humanity. Come' on. Just a little too cutesy for me. Ash is a bad a** in the rest of the books and this doesn't jive.
  
  
• Acheron - I didn't want the book to end!
  By AGNNWFOF8P89Z on 2008-08-06
  I spent August 5th into the 6th reading Acheron and was not disappointed in the least with the story line. Acheron's past is what it was and needed to be explained in the graphic detail that it was. In fact, SK was pretty tame in my opinion of the sexual horrors that Ash underwent as a human. I was pleased to see that she talked to the reader prior to the start of the book and gave us a warning of the darkness that was part of Acheron from his past and that it wouldn't be a pretty picture. Acheron's past made up who he was in the present and NEEDED to be explained the way it was and in doing so answered so many questions of mine from the DH series. The present storyline of the book wowed me as well and I did a happy dance to know that his heroine was who I thought she would be! Past DH characters were brought into the storyline and Simi as usual came thru as endearing and funnier than hell like all good quality demons should be! Acheron was a FANTASTIC read and wrapped up the DH portion of the series nicely. I'm still thinking about the book today and continue to wait with anticipation on where the series will lead too next. Congrats to SK on a job well done and thanks for taking me along for the ride. I wouldn't have missed reading the DH series for the world.
  
  
  
• I think this should have been called ARTEMIS
  By A222346D97U9SD on 2008-08-08
  I am sorry I took my time after getting this book. I listened to the audio unabridged that way I wouldn't cheat and look at the ending too soon. I'd already gotten my spoilers from some lovely folks who had read the book so I knew a few of the key points. But before writing my review I didn't want a rushed through view of the book because of my absolute adoration of the series.
  
  I'm sorry to say I can't rate it high as other books. As wonderfully tragic as Ash's life was and how well I thought the 1st half of the book was it was just missing something. I think overall Zarek's book is still much better than Ash's and I went in expecting so much more for Ash since he is such an important character in the story.
  
  I won't give spoilers or describe the story because some people are just checking reviews before deciding on this series for the 1st time. I'm sorry I don't know if the publishers cut this book to death at the last section or what, but the entire portion of the present and epilogue of the book was rushed. It was like wham bam thank you ma'am after such a tragic detailed 1st half describing his past. And as much as Artemis is a part of Ash's life we already knew what a massive WITCH she was to him so after we heard about how they met and after his death was much too long.
  
  A third of this book and maybe even a few pages more read more like the ARTEMIS show with Ash's name thrown in because he was there. And Simi such a major character in Ash's life was in other books more than her own "AKRI aka daddy" book. To give you an idea I did a search on the Amazon search inside feature ARTEMIS is referenced to 275 pages of this book. Simi only 65 page. Ash's real daughter Katra aka Kat is mentioned maybe in 12 pages of the book. And pivotal characters in Ash's life such as Savitar and others under about 30. I know this was Ash's story but overall it was just not balanced at all. I am so very sorry to write this review because although I still adored this character ACHERON deserved a much better story told.
  
  
  But for the good parts. The relationship with his sister Ryssa was a wonderful thing to finally know about as painful as it was at times. As painful as his past was it was knowledge that was overdue.
  The 3rd part of the book dealing with the present had what I've come to love about the Dark Hunter series which is witty dialogue, great action and sexy romance. With several cameo appearances by favorite characters from the past books.
  
  I hope she continues this series I've been reading rumors that since his arc of the series is over it will be going in other directions I hope that isn't true and that we'll at least get 1 Dark hunter story a year mixed in with the other stories of Dream Hunters, Were hunters, Demons and the other characters she develops for this wonderful series.
  
  Overall I give the 1st third of the book from Ryssa perspective 4 1/2 stars, the 2nd 2 3/4 stars and the last 3 3/4 stars only because that part was rushed too much it needed another 100 pages or so to really make it what it needed to be.
  
  
• So-So but still a fan.
  By A1AZ3DC2IYJ94Y on 2008-08-14
  I'm not sure if the reason I am disappointed in Acheron is because it was so long awaited and I got over excited for it to finally be Ash's (the majority of fan's favorite character) and I expected too much out of it or if it was because I assumed it would have a lot of depth since it was such a long story compared to past books in the series. It was kind of like waiting in a 4 hours line for the new roller coaster and it is over in 20 seconds and not really that much better than any other roller coaster.
  
  The first half of the book was too long. We got it; he was sexually, physically and emotionally abused. Move along. I didn't mind the details of the abuse, I think it really helped drive the point home on how gut wrenching abuse is but there was quite a bit of fluff in there as well that makes the story drag. The second half, he was such a sissy-man. Ash is always tough, quiet, wise and snarky. In this he was kind of pansy.
  
  The end was resolved too quickly and the love story seemed rushed. The hammer joke went on WAYYY too long and the heroine didn't seem cool/strong/sarcastic enough to be Ash's true love. He is way more hardcore than her, well at least his personality in past books.
  
  Maybe his abuse was how he earned love to come into his life but I do not feel like he nor she had to work to stay together there was no major adversary to fight or problem to overcome so they could be together. The hurdles were too easily removed. It didn't seem like they really knew each other either. Ok, she read the diary but that isn't really KNOWING him and the same goes for him knowing her real well. She didn't have any thing holding her back either. She had no personal demons. It was all about Ash finally getting some stones and saying he was a god and wasn't going to take it (abuse) anymore.
  
  Bottom line; don't expect this one to blow your mind/have you on the edge of your seat like past books in this series. I hope Nick's is better.
  
  
  
• Great, great read............but...
  By A1E29194QNFHFG on 2008-08-10
  I couldn't wait to read this.
  It's a HUGE book, 728 pages, small print. That didn't deter me though. I finished it in three days.
  
  I love the Dark-Hunter series. I loved Acheron but I did have a few issues with this book.
  
  First, Acheron's past portion of the book was way too long. Yes we needed to know where he comes from and we needed to know about his "demons" but I got a little too much, raw, detailed information. Some of which would have been better left unwritten. The author would've done well to let us use our imagination in some instances.
  
  The second issue I had was that in the previous novels I understood Acheron to be dark (not in coloring but personality), menacing but disciplined. This book made him very young looking, 21 (which I didn't like - and yes I know it was mentioned in the previous novels) and extremely insecure. Yes we needed to know about those insecurities but he was a little too whiny, and sometimes downright annoying, which I couldn't stand.
  You'd think that after THOUSANDS of years he'd realize that Artemis would always always take advantage of him and that eventually he'd become a little self confident... just a little.
  
  I had a mental image of Acheron from the previous novels, and quite frankly this book destroyed that image and not for the better.
  
  One last little thing that bothered me were the spelling errors in this book. Errors that a spell checker wouldn't catch. For example page 464 says:"How could he be one of the most powerful beings in the universe and not be able to move a single frail womEn out of his way?" It clearly should be "womAn". While it is a little thing, it bothered me.
  
  Don't get me wrong though, I loved the book... with these small exceptions. I'm glad I read it and it's definitely worth it.
  
  
• Very mixed feelings but FINALLY the blanks have been filled
  By AXVNVV5VH5XZY on 2008-08-17
  I've just finished the book - 728 pages in two days while not going into seclusion has been a whirlwind. Just to give some perspective to my comments. I have read every DH book in the series. I stopped purchasing them several books ago, because I thought the series was growing weak, with too many characters, and too many fragmented, surprise story lines. For every decent/good book there would be a couple of stinkers to follow. Everyone who has followed this series knows that Acheron's story has been many years overdue. For such a central and powerful character to go so long without his own story really watered the series down for me. The mystery and intrigue, became frustration, and disinterest.
  
  That said, I want to thank Kenyon for taking the time to write a good first half giving us all the details of Acheron's back story. It connected all the dots of how, what, where, and when of Acheron, Apollymi, Artemis, and the Daimons. However, I have to agree with others who were disappointed with the romance portion (second half) of the book. For all the time and effort taken with the first half of the book, the second half felt rushed and weak. The second half of the book was definitely a let down after the powerful emotion of the first half.
  
  This is a must read for anyone that wants to know Acheron's history, but I don't think the romance was worthy of him.
  
  
• Agree with the person that said should be 2 books.
  By AZCOUVSXJRF3G on 2008-09-06
  I'm obviously going to be in the minority here but I just can't give this book a glowing review. I LOVE Acheron and I've loved almost every single book that SK puts out but she didn't do enough justice to the character that she's been building up. I liked the first half of the book where it gives you the background of what makes Ash who he his today. That was great. But I think she really should have stopped there and dedicated a whole separate book to the current day and his love story. It felt WAY too rushed and quick for a man who has lived 11,000 + years. And too easy and unbelievable. She sort of turned Acheron into a sissy man or something compared to the force to be wreckoned with that he his in every other book. I think his love story should've been been way more explosive and dangerous than it was. The character she wrote to play his love interest was extremely bland and seemed undeserving of Ash, maybe its because SK spent almost zero time creating that character so there was nothing really to love or relate to with her. This won't keep me from eagerly awaiting the next book from SK but I do think she did a disservice to Acheron.
  
  
• Disappoints expectations
  By A23JQP5LMSLWRL on 2008-08-09
  I won't go over what goes on in the book, because there are many reviews which do and I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read it yet. That being said, I have to note how sadly disappointed I am in this book.
  
  Come on, it was supposed to be an awesome book!!!!!! It's Ash's for god sake's!!!! I agree with those who say the first part was too long and the second part too short. I don't think the first part would've bothered me as much as it did, had the second part equaled it in length. Also, I think it was very repetitive, and consisted of things already said in many other books. That really annoyed me.
  
  The one thing I absolutely loved was, who ended up being Ash's heroine. My friend and I had a theory about it being this person, given clues from various sites and the DH one as well.
  
  I can't believe I would've ever given this book a 2 star rating but here it is.
  
  Let's hope the stories of Nick, Savitar and Jaden make up for it in spades.
  
  Happy reading fellow DH fans.
  
  
• NOT AS GOOD!
  By A19HE3S3NYK39E on 2008-08-12
  I was sooo looking forward to Acheron story.This was not a worthy story of him.I hope Nick story will be much,much,much Better.
  
  
• Ash is finally uncovered.
  By A338LWYKSX7OW3 on 2008-08-18
  I loved this book. It was so much better than I anticipated. Recent Dark and Dream Hunter titles had been dissappointments and I almost skipped "Acheron" because I couldn't bear the idea of his book being a bomb.
  
  Boy, am I glad I caved and bought it.
  
  The first half of the book focuses on his early life and is told through two viewpoints, his older sister's as written in her journal, and through Acheron's. The ancient section is horrifying to read. The physical and mental pain and torture heaped on the young Ash is awful. The entire first half of the book is very depressing. If I were to mark anything as a negative it would be this section for the sheer brutality of it.
  
  Through the pain, though, the reader is finally given the full story behind Ash's previously confusing relationship with Artemis. Many things that were confusng on previous Dark Hunter books finally make sense. We see exactly how she is able to manipulate him for so long and why they are bound to each other.
  
  The modern section of the book brings back the tone of some of the best Dark Hunter stories. It cold have been a novel on it's own and been good, but after reading about Ash's childhood it was so much more. It fosters the same tenative hope and the same fear of failure that he has lived with for most of his life. Without the painful first half the second half wouldn't have been nearly as moving.
  
  I aldo have to say that I loved Tory. From the moment she met and hated Ash to the end of the book, she was great. Her complete lack of regard for Ash's size and the way she lovingly bullied him was almost laugable when you knew who and what he was, but at the same time it felt good to see her trying to take care of him.
  
  Acheron overcomes the recent decline in the Dark Hunters and Dream Hunters books and is well worth reading. Definately one for my keeper shelf and destined to be reread many times.
  
  
• I like it overall
  By A3C8B583HJAXLG on 2008-08-07
  Unlike most of the other reviews, I LOVED the beginning of the book. It gave me incredible insight into the character of Acheron. I really loved her style of writing and though most of it was filled with scenes of abuse, I think it was important make the reader FEEL his suffering. The second part of the book I found to be a bit disappointing. I felt as if it was a bit rushed. I would have liked to see Tory and Ash's relationship blossom a bit more. I feel as if Artemis and even Ryssa's relationship got more page time. I would also have liked Tory's character to have been a bit stronger and more special. I don't know, I guess I had BIG expectations for the woman that would steal Ash's heart. I also felt that the writing style in the second part was too similar to an advertisement. Mentioning Heroes and Dexter wasn't a plus for me. It just seemed to add to the cheesiness. I did like the ending. I am really glad that Nick played a part in it as well.
  
  
• I waited so long for...blah!
  By AMZIMP3YNCVQ on 2008-08-10
  Like every other devoted fan of Kenyon I have been salivating for this book since the first Dark-Hunter book hit the shelf. Years of waiting for questions to be answered...what is he? What happened to him? How was he human and a God? Why the heck is he tied to Artie? And then finally -deep breath- its here!
  
  And I think I want to cry.
  
  Unlike everyone else, I liked the first, shall we say, two thirds of this book. Yes, it was long, and sad and horrible to read. It was disgusting to hear of all the things done to a our favorite character. To witness him weak before he became the bad a$$ we know him today. Hey, dont blam Kenyon, the story had to be told. We bagged for more information on Ash and she gave us the all out, flat out truth.
  
  I liked the first part of the book for not only telling the story of Ash and how he became who he was, but for opening up the history of the other characters we have been reading about for so long. When Appolimi entered the scene almost a dozen books ago we hated her. She was evil, right? But now she had grown on us and any mother can understand her anger. Her love for Ash and the tender moments between her and her demon best friend and simi endeared her to me. Also, hate to sat it, we also got a little more sympathy for Artie. Yeah, she needs MAJOR help, but now we know a little of why.
  
  Ok, now the bad part. The second half of this book was like everyone else said. RUSHED. It was like here is Ash's girl, throw 'em together, let 'em make love, set a few obsticals in thier way, have her end up in the under world, make her a god, and then they lived happily ever after. WHAT! Its like the past few books she written. Come on Sherry! I want something new!
  Plus I keep reading a lot of wording and phrases over and over again, especially in the love scenes. ITs like her writting hasn't evolved over the books. Both the plots and the wording are staying the same.
  
  I was really bored with Ash in the second part. It was like she pushed for him to be this good, sweet guy under the dark guy front. (Just like Zarek, might I add). He helps out for habitat for humanity, he coaches ball, he plays games with the little cripples boy... all very sweet things, but they were giving me an aching suger tooth. Come on! This is take no prisoners God and the war path ASH! I want bad boy with sweet undertones. Sherry pretty mush plasted NICE GUY stickers on his forhead with those acts. Plus, at the end, when everyone's fight to the death he just gets bored with it, takes out his staff, and end the fight. It was kind of a boring quick fix it solution. AHH!
  
  And as for Nick. I am sick of his popping up in the book to say some dark evil things and than not act on them. He's kind of getting boring. Sherry better put his character to use really soon.
  
  Anyway, negativity aside, a must read to fill in holes for the die hard fan. A lot will be revealed in the Part One. Try not to get bored while reading Part Two.
  
  
• Well . . . .
  By A3J77J6A0Z1444 on 2008-08-12
  I've always rated all of the DH series high in marks. But . . I must admit I found this book tiring and was so surprised. I love Ash and I knew he had a past before being a DH or God, but I just had a really hard time picturing him the way he was written in the beginning. I just felt the beginning of the book could have been shorter. I'm a fast reader but had a hard time getting through the book until the "second half. It just didn't hold my interest like the rest of the series. I know I'm in the minority here. The BEST PART was having a lot of the previous characters appear and letting us see them again. I LOVED that! I did get chills over that. It was SO good seeing them all and seeing them back-up Ash. I also loved the quick mention of Ravyn who has been my favorite story of all. I wish more could appear in future books. I am surprised at the one reviewer saying this was the last of the series she's going to read. Gosh, there are so many more stories to tell and we all want to know how Nick ends up!
  
  
• Disappointing
  By AVBIFGGR70QSN on 2008-08-12
  For all the hype surrounding the release of this book, I was expecting something amazing. In stead what I got was 450 pgs of repeated scenes and passages. Kenyon told readers the same story over and over and used the exact same phrasing to tell it. It was sloppy on the editor's behalf. The first part of the book could have been told in less than 200 pages. I understand her need to be descriptive but she could have written just one sentence ( "He was sold as a prostitute by his family when he was seven.") and that one sentence would have been enough to explain to readers the horrible abuse he lived through. It wasn't the graphic nature of the abuse that I found distressing, but the fact that it was the same thing repeatedly. She could have started the first half at the point where he met Artemis and it would have been fine.
  
  The second half of the book seemed rushed in comparison to the first half. Tory is a boring secondary character from a previous novel and we don't really learn much more about her that we didn't already know. The actual love story is a hundred and fifty pages shorter than the first half. It's conclusion seems forced and Acheron and Tory's connection doesn't seem plausible given the time frame of the novel. Kenyon went out of her way in the first half to let readers know what a damaged person Acheron is, but when he meets Tory, for know explainable reason, he can let her touch him, he feels like her can trust her. After 11000 years of being alone and abused he just lets her in a matter of days? It was hard to buy.
  
  I usually like the Dark Hunter novels a lot. I was expecting more from Kenyon's epic work than this.
  
  
  
• good but too short
  By A15A0MU9Q6GL1Q on 2008-08-06
  wow i just finished this book.
  after waiting for this book for years and finally finishing it, it just seems somehow like "that's it?" somehow i guess i had a higher expectation.
  
  The ending seems almost to perfect, yes I agree with everyone that Ash deserves his happy ending, but the ending just kind of seemed like SK tied up all the loose ends and put a big bow on it... seems almost too perfect.
  
  I wish the first part was not that long, it was almost too difficult to get through, such a hard life for Ash how can he still be so compassionate.
  
  all in all not a bad book I just expected a little more after years of waiting...
  
  
• Oh, Ash
  By A2DKGZPWA6X349 on 2008-08-06
  I agree with the other reviewers who craved more out of the second part, but I have to disagree about the first part.
  
  Part I: I love the time and love that Ms. Kenyon has put into Ash's character. I was fascinated and compelled by this part, and read every word. I agree that Ash's suffering became a bit redundant, but readers have been teased with the mere breath of his torment for so long that a full section was necessary to flesh out his character. I do NOT believe, as one reviewer said, that Ms. Kenyon was trying to purge her demons through Ash by graphically describing his suffering. She anticipated that criticism in her note to readers at the beginning. Instead, her experience has given Ash's story the compassion and honesty that makes it so brutally compelling! And Rhyssa... I fell in love with Rhyssa. I believe that Part I is actually the better of the two parts in terms of character relationships and development.
  
  Part II: This part was probably a difficult one to write. Ms. Kenyon has built so much history for the Dark-Hunter (and other) world, and Ash is entwined in all of it. She needed to be able to explain what she has devoted books to without making her explanations a long list of summaries. I think she did a good job with this, and I liked how Ash and his love interest's relationship began. (I'll call her T, although I know that if you're reading the reviews you probably already know her name!)
  
  I know, since she has been in a previous book, that she is a complex and worthy match for Ash. However, after everything we learned about Ash, we know almost nothing about T in comparison. They definitely had chemistry, although their intimate scenes weren't as steamy as some of the ones that Ms. Kenyon has created in her other books. I also think that Ash has many complex relationships, with Artemis, with Simi, with other Dark-Hunters, and with his brother. It seemed to be implied that T understood these complexities instantly, although they have been building for thousands of years. I felt as if Rhyssa loved and tried to understand her brother more than T. I was really disturbed when (mild SPOILER) - Ash was happy that T wouldn't make references to his past or make him talk about them. It was as if - BAM - his trust issues 10,000 years brewing were immediately cured without her having to really talk about his inner demons.
  
  That being said, I loved the humor of this part. Sometimes it was hard to match the new vulnerable Ash with the portrayals of his character we have had in other books, but it made me love him all the more. I like that, unlike in some of her other books, Ms. Kenyon didn't have a goddess somewhere shrug and solve all of the couple's problems because she suddenly felt like being generous. (I guess it could be argued that she did that in one part, but if you accept the series, you accept that.)
  
  All in all, this is one of Ms. Kenyon's finest books.
  
  
  
• Acheron: River of Woe With A Ray of Hope (Some Spoilers)
  By A1IPKBAP6LOWCR on 2008-08-06
  This is a nice way to end the Dark-Hunter series-- for me anyway. This is the last book I will read of those immortal men and women who hold evil at bay while still having time to throw out sarcastic comments and tortured stories of their pasts. I couldn't think of a better way then with the story of their leader, the one and only Acheron Parthenopaeus.
  
  This book is told in three parts, the first being diary entries by Ash's half sister Ryssa, as she tries to help Acheron live in a world where he is hated. Told from Ryssa's point of view, it gives us a very limited glimpse into Acheron's life from his birth to his life as a sex slave. This, in my opinion, is the strongest part of the book. Ryssa's prose is sparse and straightforward and it lets us look at Acheron as if we were seeing him through our eyes. She helps him escape and determindly tries to rehabilitate him. When Ryssa explains what real love is and Acheron tries to grasp its concept by telling her he loves her too, it made me cry.
  
  The second half follows Ash as he falls in love with Artemis while living in a world where others either hate or lust after him. This is where Kenyon reverts back to her former style, using words like "lucious" to describe Acheron and a mix of contemporary slang that I had to bypass because it was making my enjoyment of the book go downhill. Unfortunately, it doesn't let up, and soon I'm wishing she had just stuck with diary passages from Ryssa. There is his brutal death, rebirth as a Dark-Hunter, and his ultimate fate in becoming the reluctant leader of an army whose very existence he pities. I cried again when Acheron discovered his sister and nephew's body--this event being the one which spurred the birth of the Daimons.
  
  The third part of the book takes place in the present day, but sadly I found this part predictable and frustrating. Ash finds happiness with Tory (of "The Dream-Hunter") but like many reviewers said, their relationship happens rapidly and I don't feel any chemistry between them at all. Bad things happen, Ash has a few moments of "we shouldn't be together because I am so tormented", but in the end, he gets his happily ever after, and for the third time I find myself crying. I can't help but remember when I first fell for Ash, and now that he has found his happiness, I applaud him.
  
  Some people will have a problem with the descriptions of beatings and prostitution in the beginning, but this is something Kenyon uses to reveal why Ash is the way he is. It's a pity that she had modeled him into a frightened young man in the first part and then she sexualies him again in the second. If only she had used the sentence structure she used in Ryssa's diary, then maybe I would have given this novel more stars. But, when all is said and done, I'm keeping my copy, and saying goodbye to this series. Thank the spirit he didn't end up with Artemis. I hope Ash's happiness continues throughout.
  
  
• Its Acheron, of cource DH fans are going to read it.
  By A22G24UMQW0ST0 on 2008-08-08
  I have to agree with most on Acheron. The page count should have been swapped, 300 for Part 1 and 400+ for Part II. I actually read the first 100 pages then skipped to Part II. Acheron was horribly abused, I got it. And the hammer reference in Part II was rather approprate for the readers of Part I. :) What I mourned was the lack of depth in Part II. I really expected more story. I would not say this is a greatest work of SK, but its certainly a must-read for all DH fans.
  TO Ms. Kenyon - the note to the readers in the front. Thank you for that. And thank you for 12 wonderful reads.
  
  
• what a disappointment
  By A38FL9ZUO0ZWKB on 2008-08-10
  After having to wait forever for this book I was so excited to finally get Acheron story. I was expecting to get a background on Ash. What I didn't expect was 400 plus pages of the author repeating Ash's abuse. She could've done that in 100 pages. I would have like the author to devote more time to the present and the relationship between the main characters. My overall review is that the book would've have been great if she would have spent more time in the present, like she has done with the other books in the series.
  
  

• One Silent Night (Dark-Hunter, Book 13)
• Turbulent Sea (Drake Sisters, Book 6)
• Dark Curse (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 16)
• Dream Chaser (A Dream-Hunter Novel, Book 3)
• Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 6)