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Partners is the second book in Laws of the Blood, a series about Vampire society in modern day America.

Partners is not a direct sequel to The Hunt, but rather another adventure in that same world -- a world where vampires have laws, enforcers and a ruling council. Like human society, vampires can be good or bad, powerful or weak, sane or crazy.

The books don't have to be read in order, but I'd still recommend starting with The Hunt. The background is sure to give the reader a depth of understanding that will enhance enjoyment, as well as making the second book an easier read.

Char (pronounced Shar) McCairn, the protagonist, is a very special type of vampire. Char is an enforcer, empowered by the council to keep peace in the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, she hasn't been an enforcer for very long and she's got several hang-ups, not the least of which is she's sort of insecure and not very tough, at least to begin with.

Her path takes her to Seattle, where a newly formed dark cult possesses powers that threaten both vampires and humans. Char, as interesting an anti-hero as I've seen in a long time, must fight not only external enemies, but internal demons as well.

Once again, Susan Sizemore gives us a cast of memorable characters that are realistic, entertaining and interesting. Her descriptions are wonderful.

The multiple point of view works, even though the initial setup seemed a bit contrived. Once past that, the book turns positively surreal. More than once I found myself giving my head a shake -- a sure sign that a book is worth reading.

Though I don't generally like vampire books, I find myself waiting for the next installment in The Laws of the Blood series.

Steve Lazarowitz reads and writes fantasy and SF. His work has been published in a number of online 'zines and he is the editor of the Dragonclaw Showcase. His short story anthology A Creative Edge: Tales of Speculation is due out from Domhan books in 1999.