Synopses & Reviews
The final installment in the “mesmerizing” (Booklist, starred review) and addictive trilogy—find out who truly holds the key to Lanny’s heart and whether she’ll be reunited with her beloved in this gripping supernatural tale of magic, lust, and longing.Lanore McIlvrae has been on the run from Adair for hundreds of years, dismayed by his mysterious powers and afraid of his
violent—even murderous—temper. She betrayed Adair’s trust and imprisoned him behind a stone wall to save Jonathan, the love of her life. When Adair was freed 200 years later, she was sure that he would find her and make her existence a living hell. But things turned out far different than she’d imagined.
Four years later, Lanore has tracked Adair to his mystical island home, where he has been living in self-imposed exile, to ask for a favor. She wants Adair to send her to the hereafter so she may beg the Queen of the Underworld to release Jonathan, whom she has been keeping as her consort. Will Lanore honor her promise to Adair to return? Or is her intention to reunite with Jonathan at any cost?
Of all the forces of the universe, the most mysterious, confounding, and humbling is the power of love. The epic story of love and loss, magic and destiny that began with The Taker and sparked a chase around the world in The Reckoning comes to a surprising conclusion with The Descent.
Review
“Brilliant series”
Review
“More than a wee bit dark, and super sexy. . . "
Review
“Beautiful, mesmerizing.”
Review
“A spellbinding journey through time.” < i=""> New York Times <> bestselling author Danielle Trussoni
Review
“Alma Katsu’s searing tale of otherworldly lovers and eternal obsession will seduce you from page one. . . . The Taker is as irresistible as the hauntingly beautiful, pleasure-seeking immortals who scorch its pages. You have to experience it for yourself!”
Review
“This is a greatbook. And by great, I mean, devastatingly so, like reading The ScarletLetter, while riding a roller coaster, on acid. Seductive, daring, soaring,and ultimately gut-wrenching. . . .”
Review
“Imaginative, wholly original. . . . Mesmerizing.”
Review
"Brilliant series" RT Book Reviews
Review
“A spellbinding journey through time.”
Review
"This story resonates with spirit, blending myth withreality, tragedy with triumph, the pages oozing with passion into a compellingsaga. Sharp as a broken piece of glass, crisply plotted, way ahead ofanything and everything in the pack."
Review
"I was really grabbed by the narrative voice and I was fascinated by the story--what a story!"
Review
Looking for a good read? Get ready to hear about a time-transcending page turner. Two years ago,having just finished The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice and The Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer, I was still hungry for more of the supernatural. My only hesitation was that I wanted something a little more plausible than blood-sucking vampires. As fate would have it, I stumbled upon The Taker by Alma Katsu. Dutifully, I checked reviews before purchasing the book. How I hadn’t heard of it prior to then is beyond me, as the book was insanely well-received and only growing in popularity. I took the novel home and was blown away by the captivating story of an impressionable young woman, the “Adonis” who she falls in love with and the “monster” who falls in love with her. Lanore, Jonathan and Adair had me spellbound like no other characters have. The Taker satiated my need for the supernatural, but was unique in it’s portrayal of everlasting love and unrelenting obsession, both of which know no boundaries for these characters. The second installment, The Reckoning, was equally fascinating—the never-ending love chase propelling the jump between several different time periods and beautiful locations all over the world. Finally, the end of this twisted tale will come to an end with Katsu’s final installment, The Descent.
Review
“This is ultimately what makes Lanore such a compelling heroine, and what makes this series so indelible: While her journey is set in an extraordinary world, her need to love and be loved is fundamental.Her passions are our passions, her weaknesses are our weaknesses, and her quest for a perfect love is every woman’s quest for a satisfied heart.”
Review
“This isn’t a vampire trilogy; it’s something entirely new. It’s smart, sophisticated, and utterly shocking; if you have delicate sensibilities, you may prefer not to pick up these books. But if you’re an adventurous reader and enjoy beautiful writing and characters you can’t even imagine, Katsu’s trilogy is an absolute must read.”
Review
“Beautifully written with fleshed out characters and an engaging conclusion… Katsu has created the most unusual and dark characters yet she managed to make me fall in love with them all… The Descent was decadent, and all of the questions and puzzle pieces fell into place… The Descent was a brilliant, well crafted ending to this dark trilogy.”
Review
“While the ending wasn’t one I would have wanted in the first book, by the time it happened, I LOVED it. I thought it was absolutely perfect and helped me put the series away in my mind, it was the definition of closure… I cannot recommend this series more highly for those who love strange, gritty, dark books that will shock you but keep you riveted to the pages. The Descent was the perfect end to a great series.”
Review
“Alma Katsu’s The Descent is one of my most anticipated read since reading The Reckoning in 2012. This novel is the last of The Taker Trilogy, and I must say, Ms. Katsu did an AMAZING job.”
Review
"Throw away everything that you thought you knew about this series. I don’t believe there is a reader who could have foreseen the culmination of this trilogy… I loved The Descent and adored this series. It’s the kind of series you pass along to your friends…"
Review
"[The Descent] will blow readers away with its creativity, nuance, and multilayered story. Book series tend to taper off for readers in terms of depth of story and the ability to surprise, but Katsu’s Taker series has transcended levels with each installment… Peers behind the veil between the human and spiritual world… A stunning end to a brilliant trilogy.”
Review
“It’s always difficult to come to the end of a series, especially one that was so good… This is certainly one of the more interesting series to come along in quite a while.”
Review
"The Descent is enchantingly magical with unanticipated surprises and fascinating characters…an unforgettable roller-coaster ride, where emotions run the gamut from deep fear to highest elation. The Descent is part of an extraordinary series, where supernatural adventures are memorable while the cast of characters are notably original.”
Review
“Did you ever pick up a book that changed the way you looked at a certain genre? That's how I felt when I read Alma Katsu's The Taker. Her vivid, imaginative storytelling, and the most unique worldbuilding ever…”
Synopsis
The author of The Hunger delivers a vivid and stunning conclusion to her critically acclaimed Taker trilogy, bringing Lanore McIlvrae to a final encounter with Adair, her powerful nemesis. Dismayed by Adair's otherworldly powers and afraid of his passionate temper, Lanore has run from him across time, even imprisoning him behind a wall for two centuries to save Jonathan, her eternal love. But instead of punishing her for her betrayal, Adair declared his love for Lanore once more and set her free.
Now, Lanore has tracked Adair to his mystical island home to ask for one last favor. The Queen of the Underworld is keeping Jonathan as her consort, and Lanore wants Adair to send her to the hereafter so that she may beg for his release. Will she honor her promise to return to Adair? Or is her true intention to be reunited with Jonathan at any cost?
Synopsis
Alma Katsu’s acclaimed trilogy—a supernatural epic that began with
The Taker and sparked a chase around the world in
The Reckoning—comes to a stunning conclusion, and brings Lanore McIlvrae to a final encounter with Adair, her powerful nemesis.
Dismayed by Adair’s otherworldly powers and afraid of his passionate temper, Lanore has run from him across time, even imprisoning him behind a wall for two centuries to save Jonathan, her eternal love. But instead of punishing her for her betrayal, Adair declared his love for Lanore once more and set her free.
Now, Lanore has tracked Adair to his mystical island home to ask for one last favor. The Queen of the Underworld is keeping Jonathan as her consort, and Lanore wants Adair to send her to the hereafter so that she may beg for his release. Will she honor her promise to return to Adair? Or is her true intention to be reunited with Jonathan at any cost?
About the Author
Alma Katsu was born in Alaska and raised near Concord, Massachusetts. She has a BA in writing from Brandeis University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins Writing Program. She lives with her husband in Virginia. Visit her online at AlmaKatsu.com or follow her on Twitter.