Iron Night by M.L. Brennan

American Vampire, Book 2

Synopsis: Underemployed by day. Undead by night.

Underachieving film theory graduate and vampire Fortitude Scott may be waiting tables at a snooty restaurant run by a tyrannical chef who hates him, but the other parts of his life finally seem to be stabilizing. He’s learning how to rule the Scott family territory, hanging out more with his shapeshifting friend Suzume Hollis, and has actually found a decent roommate for once.

Until he finds his roommate’s dead body.

The Scott family cover-up machine swings into gear, but Fort is the only person trying to figure out who (or what) actually killed his friend. His hunt for a murderer leads to a creature that scares even his sociopathic family, and puts them all in deadly peril.

Keeping secrets, killing monsters, and still having to make it to work on time? Sometimes being a vampire really sucks.

Review: I was really curious to find Fortitude again after a very good first volume. I must say that the series is really nice to read and we follow an anti-hero who always manages to be in catastrophic situations, all that is mixed with an exciting plot that always keeps us in suspense throughout the story.

Since the end of the first novel, Fort learned a little more about governing the territory of his mother with his brother and soon realizes that he really knows nothing. But besides that, he tries to learn how to fight to avoid feeling helpless. But even with a different life like that, he has decided to stay away from his family and to live quietly on his side as he has always done, while working for people who hate him. But an event will turn everything upside down when one night he discovers the mutilated body of his roommate in his flat. Ofcourse, he is convinced that this is not a coincidence, even if his family isn’t particularly interested in it. Determined to discover the truth, and helped by Suze, Fort will investigate this murder. However, he certainly didn’t expect to be embedded in a story mixing shepeshifters and elves. And while he gradually discovers a new world he did not know about, he could alienate more people than he previously thought. Moreover, to complicate matters, Matt decides to interfere in his story to discover the truth about Fort and his family. Something that will be very difficult indeed.

I enjoyed reading the ideas of M.L. Brennan in this novel. Fort has evolved considerably since the first novel, but he keeps his hero soul although he does have little skills for that. He always tries to protect those he loves whatever may be the consequences. I was also surprised to see his brother and sister act for his best here. We will see them a little more in the novel, understanding how they ended up like that and I admit that I took a great pleasure in seeing a little more Prudence. This is such a complex character that it is difficult to decide about her and at the same time I’m sure she loves her little brother in her own way. But it is sure that when there is need for action, her presence is enough to upset everyone. Of course, Suze is also there, and it’s true that this is one of my favorite characters in the series. She has quickly befriended Fort and I always love to see her teasing him in all circumstances. I must say she is very good at it and she constantly uses it. Moreover, we feel that something is appearing between them without being able to define it and it’s true that I’m curious to read more to see how everything will evolve. We also learn a little more about her and her family, and I am eager to know all the details of her life.

In terms of the story, I must say that I was completely swept away. I was very curious to know the identity of the culprit and the reasons behind the killings. The author had some pretty ideas this time too. We can not doubt for one second at the beginning of the novel about what is really happening, and with a series of discoveries and investigations we discover the truth little by little. Moreover, we meet like that some new characters that I hope we’ll see again later.

It was a very good novel, Fort accepts increasingly the role he must play while understanding his importance. Of course, his life is just beginning but I’m sure we will discover more soon. If you do not know the series, I can only recommend you to read it. This is a beautiful discovery, a little different from what we can usually read all that with a clumsy hero who has a sense of duty and justice as anyone else. A new great surprise and I’ll eagerly wait for the third volume.

4-5

mellianefini

14 thoughts on “Iron Night by M.L. Brennan

  1. I’ve never heard of this series before. I tend to stay away from vampire books just because there’s virtually nothing new about the plot. This sounds like it has something different to offer though.

    Lovely review, Melliane.

    • yeah I don’t read a lot of vampire books anymore either. Well they don’t release a lot now mainly about other creatures. But sometimes we can have some great surprises like this one.

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