By Blood We Live
Talulla should be pleased with her fairy-tale ending from Talulla Rising (2012), and yet she grapples with the nagging tie she feels to Remshi, the 20,000-year-old vampire resurrected in the last installment. The feeling is mutual, with Remshi believing she is the returned spirit of his beloved, Vali. This round, the narrative is divvied up by three: Talulla shares it with Remshi and his human familiar and recently turned vampire companion, Justine. This trio of voices works in sync to craft a tale about the crux of humanity, the role of prophecy, and the eternal question of death. Sure, yes, they are being hunted by various occult organizations; there are plenty of battles, blood, and sexy escapades; but the real treats continues to be Duncan’s beautifully twisted way with language and the profound thesis he poses about humanity. Defiant and dramatic to the last, Duncan wraps up his finale with a flourish akin to a film actor staring directly into the camera. Once more, Duncan’s elegant, striking prose is the star in his enthralling conclusion to the Last Werewolf trilogy. --Courtney Jones