Another Kind Of Dead (Dreg City #3) By Kelly Meding
Urban Fantasy
August 2, 2011
Paperback
Random House Publishing

Been there. Done that. Evy Stone is a former Dreg Bounty Hunter who died and came back to life with some extraordinary powers. Now all but five people in the world think she is dead again, this time for good—immolated in a factory fire set specifically for her. Evy and Wyatt, her partner/lover/friend, can no longer trust their former allies, or even the highest echelons of the Triads—the army of fighters holding back from an unsuspecting public a tide of quarreling, otherworldly creatures—they can trust only each other. Because when the Triads raided a macabre, monster-filled lab of science experiments and hauled away the remnants, they failed to capture their creator: a brilliant, vampire-obsessed scientist with a wealth of powerful, anti-Dreg weaponry to trade for what he desires most of all—Evy Stone: alive and well, and the key to his ultimate experiment in mad science. (Goodreads) 

Favorite Quote: “The girl who went through hell is long gone, ashes scattered to the wind. I didn’t ask to be brought back and I’m done fucking apologizing for it. ”

Evy Stone has nine lives and by my count has used up three of them. Another Kind Of Dead picks up a few weeks after As Lie The Dead leaves off. She, Wyatt, and the Triad destroyed the lab and contained the hybrids but failed in capturing the scientist who created them. Evy has come out unscathed from her battle with a few more ‘gifts’ to add to her growing repertoire. Evy can now heal herself. When fey avatar Jaron tracks Evy and Wyatt down, she speaks of betrayal and trust but dies before saying anymore. Right on her heels is a hybrid goblin hit man who’s genetic origins leads them back to William Thackery-a scientist who’s hatred of vampires has pushed him over the edge. Evy and Wyatt soon learns from the fae that the crystal that contains Torin has been stolen and Thackery has it. He wants Evy in exchange. Evy will once again have to place her faith and life into the hands of people who betrayed and killed her if she wants to survive

I am a huge fan of Ms. Meding’s Dreg City series. A dark edgy Urban Fantasy filled with nail biting action, suspense, and intrigue. The originality of this series is it’s appeal. Your never sure what is going to happen. The lines between good and evil are blurred and often enough the good ARE just as bad and worse then villains. Smooth writing, a fast pace, and engaging dialogue keeps you on your toes to the very end. A convoluted storyline gives us a very interesting view of the supernatural and the human warriors who stand between them and us. Betrayal and redemption are a continuing underlying theme as we watch our heroine and hero navigate through their minefield infected lives. One step in the wrong direction and BOOM!

Evy is still a girl to be reckoned with. Ms. Meding has allowed her to grown within the storyline at a steady comfortable pace. She has finally accepted the body she inhabits and acknowledges that her constant excuses about Wyatt and not being sure if what she feels for him is real or Chandra’s feelings are just that…excuses. We see more of her back story in here (how she came to be recruited into the triad) and her reasons for animosity towards them. At the same time, Ms. Meding does a wonderful job of showing us Evy’s love and longing to be back part of that group. They are her family and she misses being part of that. Courage and loyalty are her strongest points as she continuously tries to save a world that has done nothing but hurt her from day one. She’s not completely forgiving though. She is very careful about dealing with the Triad and the Assembly. She knows her use to them is tempermental and she is always prepared for the moment they will turn on her.

I love our hero Wyatt. As Evy’s ex-handler and lover-he admirably tries to keep her safe while giving her the space she needs to deal with her feelings for him. He realizes after As Lie The Dead that the only one he can truly trust is Evy though he is enough of a strategist  to know he cannot alienate the Triad or the Assembly. He is a constant presence in this book and we are left with no doubt  here where his loyalties lie.

There is a deeper emotional aspect in here then the other books. Evy is tested in ways that would destroy a less indomitable person and your heart breaks for her. We are also given a more in depth look at the intricate relationships between the members of the Triad which paints a different picture then what we have thought. The romance between Evy and Wyatt jumps some long standing hurdles and a healing or sorts begins for them.

We free fall through the main conflict and events leading up to it’s climatic resolution. There are some rough spots in here that had me hyper ventilating but Ms. Meding wondrous slight of hand tricks allows us an acceptable outcome with just enough left open to ensure the 4th book in this series-Wrong Side Of Dead– is a must read for 2012.

Action, suspense, intrigue, and just the right amount of humor makes Another Kind Of Dead a wonderful addition to any urban fantasy readers bookshelf.

Over all rating: B+

Recent Reviews:
The Spinecracker -5 stars