SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Chapters Read: 16-20

Ah man, as I said before in my ramble post the other day, I've been massively down in the dumps. It's pretty bonkers just how bad. Crazy burnt out mentally AND physically. Catastrophic cortisol levels man. It's just off the charts. My blood is probably so thick with cortisol you could likely clean a grill with it. In fact, if a vampire from this series bit me, they'd probably just instantly have a panic attack.

But yeah, in times like these I truly thank God for my favorite books. Time to dive back into this series. Can't believe I've fallen behind this much honestly. I've just been super busy. When life is painful like this, may as well escape into this other realm for a little while.

These last chapters of Hunters of the Dusk were solid! Evanna is such an enigmatic character. She is like equally likeable and annoying, it's rather odd. I suppose that's on purpose but yeah. The whole 'I can't take sides' attitude she has is rather annoying at times but, I suppose that's how it's gotta be for her. The whole high and mighty and wise thing is a bit tiresome at times especially after Kurda who was also high and mighty and whatnot. But I'm just nitpicking. 99 percent of my posts about this series is essentially me praising it enthusiastically. It only makes sense for me to mention parts that bug me here or there. This series really leans into the whole like, 'taking sides is foolish' vibe which is rather exhausting at times. But I do believe if I remember correctly, this series sort of develops in a different sort of way as we proceed. I don't know, these books are really thought provoking in my opinion. I guess that's the struggle with life. Avoid confrontation constantly or constantly stand on the fence? I suppose that's the infinite battle of life.

Harkat's latest dreams are wild. The fact that his dream portrayed him being impaled by spikes should have maybe been a dead give away that he was Kurda. LOL. I have hindsight now but yeah.

Vancha revealing more of his past of literally being a half-vampaneze was wild. Vancha is a complicated cat. His rawness and complex nature is pretty unique. Him running into his brother Gannen is pretty nuts. It's remarkable how swiftly this series sort of makes Vancha feel very important and deep, its pretty impressive. Really adds intrigue to the whole story in general and adds complexity to the vampires and vampaneze as a whole and their conflict and history. Gannen literally saved Vancha's life many years ago when Vancha couldn't stand being a vampaneze any longer. Then when Paris fond Vancha just adds soooo much lore. The way this series quickly paints a picture and a backstory and just throws information at the reader is so good.

I also sort of wonder if Vancha running into his brother was a mild form of foreshadowing that The Lord of the Vampaneze is Steve. Darren and Steve aren't brothers of course but ya know, it's similar.

Vancha is just, in general, a way more interesting character to me than he was in prior reads. I guess when life whoops you enough times, you understand other characters differently, I dunno.

Then when Evanna drops the bomb that the servant was The Lord of the Vampaneze that was pretty mind-blowing. That's another reason Evanna bugs me slightly. She doesn't wanna like take sides or involve herself, but she literally straight up tells them that that was The Vampaneze Lord AND that Gannen is the primary protector. Perhaps she was semi-obligated to tell them so they're aware that they missed one of their four remaining opportunities.

I wonder what Steve was thinking in that moment when he saw Darren and Mr. Crepsley. I am unsure if he specifically knew that they were actually two of the hunters or not at that point in time. Maybe that will be revealed later. Perhaps this encounter is when he begins plotting big time...

It's rather curious that Steve has just one protector while there's three hunters. I wonder how Gannen feels about Steve being rather uh, intense. Vampaneze are different, but not lacking morals or decency entirely. It's been said many times that there's many respectable vampaneze. I mean Mr. Crepsley straight up calls Steve evil, I just wonder how Gannen or others feel about Steve.

It's also interesting in general how Steve is like, potentially singled out as a potential 'chosen one' of sorts. Like he simply is the guy for the vampaneze, he's yet another character with main character energy. This series does a remarkable job at making several characters have main character energy. Even though Steve is the main bad guy, he does have main character energy thrust onto him.

I guess I point this out because I think of Mr. Tiny. I don't peg him as being a simple 'good guy, bad guy' type of creator. Since he's basically pulling nearly all of these strings. In addition, Darren or Steve are both destined to be The Lord of the Shadows anyway! I mean, I wonder what's up with Mr. Tiny there. Does he really see Darren as the good guy and Steve as the bad guy or like, what? Maybe he simply doesn't care.

I dunno, what Darren does at the end of the series, I doubt Steve would have done. Steve also does many blatantly heinous things throughout the series and will do more as well.

I mean, many of these themes throughout the book, sort of entertain the idea of perspective, and how neither side is truly fully in the right or fully in the wrong or whatnot.

It's easy to think Darren is totally the good one as he's the main character. But then when you consider how Kurda was also intended to save the vampires FIRST, it makes you wonder. Then consider how Kurda is sort of still alive, it's like maybe Kurda is STILL the real 'chosen one' as corny as that may sound. I mean, Harkat/Kurda is still heavily involved in this war. He's a live wild card. He's an unofficial fourth hunter.

In fact, technically since Kurda still kinda exists, and Mr. Tiny said Kurda was their first chance to eliminate the Vampaneze Lord threat, perhaps that means this 'first chance' is still fully valid and active????

Bruh.

Speaking of Kurda/Harkat, I've always wondered why Harkat is so strong. I don't recall it ever explained that Little People are super strong. I mean, they do have oddly nifty abilities and advantages over humans and are formidable but it's not really explained to what extent. Is that another hint that Harkat was a vampire? Does some of Harkat's s strength come from his past life? When they ambush the vampaneze, Vancha assigns two vampaneze to Harkat while Darren was to attack one vampaneze and a servant they suspect to be a half-vampaneze or vampet. Perhaps it was because Darren is more valuable to their overall mission and Harkat is seen as more expendable? But the fact that Harkat handles himself well is still astonishing. He can literally kill vampaneze and nobody seems to even question how. Also, prior to them all agreeing to ambush the vampaneze, Harkat seems to show a desire to fight whereas Kurda was more of a pacifist. Perhaps that's like, a character development thing. LOL. The Kurda within him wants to be less plotty and more actiony.

I don't know, I just wanna keep reading!!! Love this series! On to book eight!