Acheron

Acheron is the latest and most anticipated book in the Dark-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. As Ash has always been on of my favorite characters in the books, I couldn't wait for his book. In Acheron you learn the entire history of Acheron, from his birth to his death, and finally his re-birth. Kenyon had always let the reader know that Acheron's history was ugly, but the exact details were brutal. Ash is the son of two God's who is sent to be born as a human to save his life. Unfortunately, the humans treat him worse than any creature should ever be treated, with the exception of his sister Ryssa. Ash learns early to trust no one and they carries over into his life after his re-birth.

Once the history of Acheron is told, Kenyon brings the reader to the present, where Ash is attending a lecture at the Parthenon in Nashville to hear a lecture by Dr. Soteria Kafieri, or Tory, about the search for Atlantis. Tory has grown up with her family searching for the lost land of Atlantis. Ash comes to the lecture to discredit Tory, since he knows if the ruins of Atlantis are ever found, the world would come to an end. Tory, unlike every man and woman to come into Ash's presence, isn't immediately attracted to Ash. She actually throws a hammer at Ash upon their next meeting. Tory and her crew have found journals written by Ash's sister Ryssa that will tell not only about Ash's history, but how to kill both Apollo and Artemis. Ash doesn't want anyone to every see the journals, since it would reveal everything that ever happened to him as a human. However, he had promised Tory that he would teach her how to read the language of the journals. Ash knows, from past experience, that as soon as Tory learns anything about his past life, that she will turn away from him in disgust. Ash has never really trusted anyone in his entire life. Ash, the Weres, and the Dark-Hunters must fight to save Tory when her life is put in danger.

There is as much action and romance in Acheron as in every Dark-Hunter story by Kenyon. Once I made it through his history, which just about had me in tears, I loved watching him choose how his life would move forward. He is a very strong man who could only ever learn to trust due to the love of a very strong woman. The romance between Ash and Tory is one of the sweetest I've ever read. Ash and Tory both move slowly toward their choice of each other, but have a love that seems like it will last forever. I look forward to the next book in the Dark-Hunter series, which is Stryker's book called One Silent Night and comes out in November.