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a_reader_obsessed's review
4.0
What stands out for me in this series is that in and amongst the heavy tone, depressing reality of hate, and the constant self loathing Roan has - this is probably one of the smartest, snarkiest, funniest series I've read.
At times, I'm equally tickled silly and horribly saddened about the fantastic adventures of Roan and company, and the second to the last book in this series was no different.
Suffice it to say everyone is evolving - Holden, Dylan, Roan. They're making some changes, opening their eyes to things they didn't want to face. But scary things are happening - I don't blame Roan for his fears or his bitterness. He chose the difficult path but it wasn't a difficult decision to make. He's making plans, settling his affairs, getting his ducks in a row. He pretty much has accepted the conclusion to what he deems is his inevitable demise. His only question that remains is will he go out in a hail of bullets and fire or quietly into the night?
"He was doomed anyway right? He got that completely. Which was why he'd just decided to give into the nihilism and stop worrying about it all. Fuck it. He'd make himself enjoy the human time he had left."
Let's hope he's wrong on both fronts.
Thanks Sofia, Sheri, Rosa, and Otila for the BR - looking forward and dreading reading the last book with all of you!
At times, I'm equally tickled silly and horribly saddened about the fantastic adventures of Roan and company, and the second to the last book in this series was no different.
Suffice it to say everyone is evolving - Holden, Dylan, Roan. They're making some changes, opening their eyes to things they didn't want to face. But scary things are happening - I don't blame Roan for his fears or his bitterness. He chose the difficult path but it wasn't a difficult decision to make. He's making plans, settling his affairs, getting his ducks in a row. He pretty much has accepted the conclusion to what he deems is his inevitable demise. His only question that remains is will he go out in a hail of bullets and fire or quietly into the night?
"He was doomed anyway right? He got that completely. Which was why he'd just decided to give into the nihilism and stop worrying about it all. Fuck it. He'd make himself enjoy the human time he had left."
Let's hope he's wrong on both fronts.
Thanks Sofia, Sheri, Rosa, and Otila for the BR - looking forward and dreading reading the last book with all of you!
eb00kie's review
4.0
I realize I am the only one probably sad about Church of DT leaders dying, but, come one, David Bolt? I liked him, we need a decent asshole at the helm! Roan has too good a support system and the usual antagonist is pretty forgettable. Where's someone to egg him on?
Douchebag wanted!
Also, Rosenberg, woman, you are my idol, from now until... I get bored, but, well.
Why is it that Roan finally goes Carpe Diem when shit finally goes bad?
Douchebag wanted!
Also, Rosenberg, woman, you are my idol, from now until... I get bored, but, well.
Why is it that Roan finally goes Carpe Diem when shit finally goes bad?
shazov's review
5.0
Reread 2020
Nothing has changed. Still feel the same way.
Original review
Andrea Speed again delivers a book that keeps you spellbound from beginning to end. The characters are still evolving, even after 7 books. There is still more to discover. More to work through and more to learn about all of them.
Some characters have moved on and others have stepped up and taken a much larger role in Roan and Dylan's life. This book again focuses on Holden as well, which makes me quite happy. He is another one of these characters that are built with layers. And more layers. Hard shelled, yet soft cored. I'm honestly amazed at this authors ability to bring these complex characters to life, keep them consistent throughout the whole series and still make me wanting more, and more, and still more again.
I'm waiting with baited breath for the next one...
Nothing has changed. Still feel the same way.
Original review
Andrea Speed again delivers a book that keeps you spellbound from beginning to end. The characters are still evolving, even after 7 books. There is still more to discover. More to work through and more to learn about all of them.
Some characters have moved on and others have stepped up and taken a much larger role in Roan and Dylan's life. This book again focuses on Holden as well, which makes me quite happy. He is another one of these characters that are built with layers. And more layers. Hard shelled, yet soft cored. I'm honestly amazed at this authors ability to bring these complex characters to life, keep them consistent throughout the whole series and still make me wanting more, and more, and still more again.
I'm waiting with baited breath for the next one...
kaje_harper's review
4.0
This book only works as part of the excellent series it belongs to - do not start here. In this seventh book, we get to spend time with old friends. Holden in particular gets more on page time, and progression in both his personal life and his role as a high-octane Robin to Roan's Batman. This is a good thing - I really appreciate time spent with Holden.
The cliff-hanger ending of book six is resolved with a surprisingly low-key progression. In fact, although Roan moves forward in his increasingly amoral vigilantism, and escalates his battles with self-loathing as much as with the lion within, this book feels a bit status quo for Roan, and Dylan. This has a couple of mysteries, one fairly minor and swiftly resolved. There are some fun scenes with the country's coolest hockey team. Roan and Dylan share a few emotional moments, while still choosing to keep half of a wall between them about important issues. Publicity about Roan's unique status as an evolving viral-human hybrid, with the avalanche of disasters that could ensue, hovers but never falls. This is a nice series book, about characters I care for, but not one that breaks new ground for them. It feels like that's coming, though. Roan's secret can't be kept forever, and perhaps Dylan and Holden can gang up on Roan's damnable obsession with self-sufficiency.... next book?
The cliff-hanger ending of book six is resolved with a surprisingly low-key progression. In fact, although Roan moves forward in his increasingly amoral vigilantism, and escalates his battles with self-loathing as much as with the lion within, this book feels a bit status quo for Roan, and Dylan. This has a couple of mysteries, one fairly minor and swiftly resolved. There are some fun scenes with the country's coolest hockey team. Roan and Dylan share a few emotional moments, while still choosing to keep half of a wall between them about important issues. Publicity about Roan's unique status as an evolving viral-human hybrid, with the avalanche of disasters that could ensue, hovers but never falls. This is a nice series book, about characters I care for, but not one that breaks new ground for them. It feels like that's coming, though. Roan's secret can't be kept forever, and perhaps Dylan and Holden can gang up on Roan's damnable obsession with self-sufficiency.... next book?
nightcolors's review
5.0
Roan continues to live with this impossible virus. Now with the lion learning how to live in human body and all. The cases he works on and his life keep getting more complicated and sometimes depressing. I loved Undertow as much this time as I did the first time I read it.
The cases and people in Undertow feel less tragic than in Freefall, Shift or Lesser Evils. There are more satisfying bits, like when Roan goes to break up the cat fight club and saves the two cats who were in the pit fighting and the cats start working with Roan. Even when it gets sad, like when Roan couldn't save that lion running around outside who die from getting run over by a car, him sitting with the dying lion, showing how much he cares... These all added up to my loving Undertow more than the last three books in the series. I really liked those books but can't say I loved them like I did this book.
mrella's review
3.0
There are might be possible spoilers.
It's not a bad story, but it's glacial, more and more of the same-old same-old. Self-loathing on Roan's part, and poor-poor-poor Dyl on the other. And The Church is... well The Church. After Eli died it's more of a crutch than anything else to carry the story on.
The cat-fighting episode resembled the snuff case too much. Stray cat cases are really more of the same as well.
The story on the whole doesn't really progress a lot over 600+ pages (on my iPad). The only momentum there is comes from Holden. I don't deny - Roan changes, but only physically so. To himself he is still a monster. To everybody else AND the readers poor Dyl is still poor. Andrea is too eager to convince us that Dyl is happy, but I don't see it. He is not. He is upset and crying and too worried.
To me, what I see right now looking back at book 7, is a freeze. There is something going on under the surface (and the title is perfect in that sense) but the surface itself is frozen solid. Nothing changes except for that weak undertow under the solid thickness of ice.
2.75 stars is all I can give it.
It's not a bad story, but it's glacial, more and more of the same-old same-old. Self-loathing on Roan's part, and poor-poor-poor Dyl on the other. And The Church is... well The Church. After Eli died it's more of a crutch than anything else to carry the story on.
The cat-fighting episode resembled the snuff case too much. Stray cat cases are really more of the same as well.
The story on the whole doesn't really progress a lot over 600+ pages (on my iPad). The only momentum there is comes from Holden. I don't deny - Roan changes, but only physically so. To himself he is still a monster. To everybody else AND the readers poor Dyl is still poor. Andrea is too eager to convince us that Dyl is happy, but I don't see it. He is not. He is upset and crying and too worried.
To me, what I see right now looking back at book 7, is a freeze. There is something going on under the surface (and the title is perfect in that sense) but the surface itself is frozen solid. Nothing changes except for that weak undertow under the solid thickness of ice.
2.75 stars is all I can give it.
mousegoddess's review
4.0
I picked this up from the library, not realizing it was the seventh book in a series. At first I had a little trouble getting into it, not because of the story (that grabbed me right away) but because I felt very ambivalent about the writing style. But it gradually pulled me in until I looked at my clock and went "Holy shit, when did 3 AM happen??". I cannot express how impressed I am by the story, the storytelling, and the world building. It doesn't hurt that I'm a Puget Sound girl who recognized a lot the locales (FOR THE RECORD, Purdy has more than the women's prison...sigh.) and has been feeling homesick.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
eloiseinparis's review
4.0
I love this series, I have been hooked since book one. Sure you can read this as a stand alone novel, but the other books are so good why would you? I liked that in this book we got three mysteries that were solved instead of the usual two. For a sick man Roan works hard as hell. The only thing that is missing from these books is the virus backstory. Where did a disease that makes people shift into animals come from? Why only big cat’s? There is also a new aspect of the disease that no one seems to freak out about. Who exactly were Roan’s parents? Are they why he’s so different? I really hope the next book delves into it. While I love reading about Roan solving other people’s mysteries I know I would love it more if he solved his own.
relly's review
4.0
Still love this series, but this is not the strongest of the series
I still love this series, but this book gave me a few niggles. The mysteries weren't as good in this one.
It kind of felt like we were just treading water and going around in circles, covering ground that has already been covered in the other books. It didn't seem to go anywhere with Roan. I understand that he is frightened and he still is sick and no one can work out why but his self hate is getting old.
I did like the scene with Roan comforting the dying cat, and the mothers reaction after that. About time someone thanked him.
Dylan and Roans relationship, I harp on this every book, but it doesn't seem to work for me. While there is that barrier between them, the two separate lives, and Dylan's lack of wanting to know, I can't see how they can have a proper relationship. And with Dylan constantly turning a blind eye to things he came across as weak.
I like Holden and Scott together. I also like the fact that we got to hear more from Holden in this book.
I miss Tank, purely for the entertainment value and I love Doctor Rosenburg, she is a hoot
Will I re read this book - yes. But not the strongest of the series
I still love this series, but this book gave me a few niggles. The mysteries weren't as good in this one.
It kind of felt like we were just treading water and going around in circles, covering ground that has already been covered in the other books. It didn't seem to go anywhere with Roan. I understand that he is frightened and he still is sick and no one can work out why but his self hate is getting old.
I did like the scene with Roan comforting the dying cat, and the mothers reaction after that. About time someone thanked him.
Dylan and Roans relationship, I harp on this every book, but it doesn't seem to work for me. While there is that barrier between them, the two separate lives, and Dylan's lack of wanting to know, I can't see how they can have a proper relationship. And with Dylan constantly turning a blind eye to things he came across as weak.
I like Holden and Scott together. I also like the fact that we got to hear more from Holden in this book.
I miss Tank, purely for the entertainment value and I love Doctor Rosenburg, she is a hoot
Will I re read this book - yes. But not the strongest of the series