This was the book that sealed the deal. If New York detective noir (with a vampire twist) is the kind of description that piques your interest, I strongly recommend this book. It's completely unlike most UF, nary a sparkle or wolf to be found, and owes most of its atmosphere to the Sam Spade tradition of the cold-hearted loner trying to retain some thin shred of his ideals. The plot appears to be a relatively straightforward investigation but has a whiz-bang reveal that floored me. When I realized what was going on--about the same time Joe did--it was like a slap upside the head.

It starts with a fight. First the physical kind (a plate glass window is involved, naturally), then the girlfriend kind (the things we do for reassurance). Day in the life of Joe Pitt. Joe's been scrambling for work since the last book, as events covered therein have negatively impacted his employability. Eventually he heads downtown to hit up Terry and the Society for work, but Terry's right hand man, Tom, gives him the bureaucratic run-around. Terry comes through, and Joe goes to work looking for the source of the new Vampyre drug on the street. Philip, the Renfield snitch, provides information and a contact. Joe stops at the Enclave, then hits the A train up to Harlem (cue the Duke), right through Coalition territory. From there, he's just trying to survive in a hostile land as he tries to uncover the source. As usual, Joe's technique doesn't consist of asking questions as much as being beat up while everyone conveniently explains themselves.

There's an interesting parallel to modern drug culture in the Vampyre world Huston has dreamed up, and the organization of a culture built around its distribution and control. Huston uses many of the traditional routes people get exposed to drugs to excellent effect: those that fell into it; the counterculture deviant; the hoodlum just struggling to survive; the accidental dose; the transformation-seekers; the runaway; the victim; the upper-class dallying in extremes; the sycophants. It works for me.

While it's a violent book, I never seem to think of it as despairing. Perhaps it's Joe's affection for Evie tempering his dispassionate violence. Perhaps it's his stubborn independence in the face of powerful factions. Whatever it is, it has me drawn in to the series and already onto the next book.

Cross posted at: http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/no-dominion-by-charlie-huston-actually... ( )

Still not sure how I feel about this series. I like the character but the story was still a little weak for me. I own the third one and that is going to be my last if it doesn't pick up. ( )

I like the series but Huston could have done the same without the vampire theme. ( )

Excellent 2nd entry in the Joe Pitt story where the rogue vampyre is finding things a little tough. After his previous exploits Joe is finding work a little harder to come by these days. He's almost fresh out of blood and also a little behind on the rent. He can't very well go ask the Coalition for a job so he goes to see what's up with the Society. His luck's in when Terry Bird asks him to look into some new drug that's hit the scene specifically aimed at vampyres. A drug that affects his kind of people is unusual in and of itself as the Vyrus just won't cohabit with anything else. Initial investigations lead to The Hood but to get there he'll have to travel through Coalition territory and that's not going to be a piece of cake either. And if he manages that he's going to stick out like a sore thumb so trying to find out what's happening there isn't going to be easy either.

A very good follow up book and probably even better than the first but not quite enough to earn that extra ½ ( )

Another excellent Joe Pitt book. This is a series I am very glad I started. I like Joe, I think his flaws are realistic, even if he does have the vyrus. I like how he deals with situations, no matter how difficult they seem. I am so looking forward to reading the remaining books in this series, as well as all the other books by Charlie Huston. ( )