Published: July 28, 2009
Words: 103901 (approximate)
Language: English

Ebook short description

For Aaron, growing up is an uneventful ritual. That is, until he meets Kyna, a voracious psychic vampire for whom love has little meaning. At first convinced that their feelings for each other are the result of mere infatuation, they quickly find themselves caught in a web of friendship and deceit as their vampiric dependencies lead them on a treacherous journey of self-discovery.

Extended description

Anaheim, California is comprised of two types of people: duds and the afflicted (also called “initiates”). The former are your everyday, average folk, but the latter possess what is informally referred to as “the knack.” An unusual sort of STD, the knack heightens a person’s metaphysical abilities. It allows a person to perform “mind-magic” in the form of subliminal persuasion, lucid dreams, shape-shifting, and, even, the swapping of minds between bodies. The downside is that, once infected, a person becomes dependent on the essence / life force of others, and must continuously replenish his or her energies.

For Aaron, growing up is an uneventful ritual. That is, until he meets Kyna, a voracious initiate for whom love has little meaning. At first convinced that his feelings for her are the result of mere infatuation, Aaron quickly find himself caught in a web of friendship and deceit as Kyna’s vampiric dependencies lead them both on a treacherous journey of self-discov... (Read more) Anaheim, California is comprised of two types of people: duds and the afflicted (also called “initiates”). The former are your everyday, average folk, but the latter possess what is informally referred to as “the knack.” An unusual sort of STD, the knack heightens a person’s metaphysical abilities. It allows a person to perform “mind-magic” in the form of subliminal persuasion, lucid dreams, shape-shifting, and, even, the swapping of minds between bodies. The downside is that, once infected, a person becomes dependent on the essence / life force of others, and must continuously replenish his or her energies.

For Aaron, growing up is an uneventful ritual. That is, until he meets Kyna, a voracious initiate for whom love has little meaning. At first convinced that his feelings for her are the result of mere infatuation, Aaron quickly find himself caught in a web of friendship and deceit as Kyna’s vampiric dependencies lead them both on a treacherous journey of self-discovery.

Note: For mature readers; contains sexual / violent content.
(Less)

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Tags

blood, california, std, teenagers, urban, angst, grunge, anaheim, dysfunctional youth, psychic vampires

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Reviews

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Review by: Carol on Jan. 30, 2012 :
This urban fantasy is on the horror end of the genre. A creepy tale, well told.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Terrance Foxxe on Feb. 11, 2011 :
New to Anaheim, California is Aaron Capps. This young Texas transplant is in for a rude awakening as he confronts a new form of urban vampire. They can make others do what they want. They make others feel what they want them to feel. Puppets without strings. They live off the soul’s force, feeding off bodily fluids. High school is just the tip of the iceberg, and no member of his family is safe from those that have The Knack.

A family battlefield survivor, Kyna Miller is self-control personified. This high school warrior leads her tribe with an iron hand, taking from them, taking for them. Yet, newcomer Aaron is different. He’s more than fresh meat. He’s a possibility.

Writers of fiction see the world for what it is, and they don’t hold back reality to satisfy the needs of others. They tell it like it is. Five stars for this carefully crafted look into a new urban mythos.
(reviewed the day of purchase)

Review by: Matthew on Jan. 21, 2011 :
Not what I expected, but that turned out to be a good thing. The Knack is basically an urban fantasy story about a group of teenagers who, for better or for worse, contract a disease that gives them psychic powers, with one important drawback: they must continuously feed off of the life energies of others in order to stay healthy. In that respect, there's a mild vampire/horror element to the plot, but it's mainly a garnish on what is at its heart a very touching, very powerful love story. The novel jumps back and forth between the perspective of the two main characters, Kyna and Aaron, both of whom must learn to deal with the benefits and consequences of their burgeoning powers. And it isn't easy as they discover what can sometimes be an amazing gift can also be a terrifying burden.

This is a beautifully told character-oriented, contemporary fantasy novel. Its harsh at times, but then it's always darkest before dawn, and in this case I think the journey is totally worth it.
(reviewed within a week of purchase)

Review by: sal p on Jan. 21, 2011 :
This is the first Jesse Gordon book that I've had the pleasure of reading. His perception on social, personal, and relationships are so deep and touching that I have since read all of his works. This books take on a coming of age story is definitely one of the most original I have ever read. Now don't read "coming of age" as "commercial tween vampire rip-off." The issues and subjects tackled in this book are far from the usual star-crossed lover force fed to us on a regular basis and the subject matter is definitely intended for mature adults. This book is definitely not for the immature and probably would go way over the heads of the commercial reader. The characters are well fleshed out and three dimensional. One of my favorite things about Jesse Gordon's writing is the way his fiction can give us so much insight into our own world. As the first Jesse Gordon book I read, this one will always hold a special place and I hope for more people to enjoy this beautiful story.


s
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Katie Monson on Jan. 20, 2011 :
Jesse Gordon writes with such vivid description that is so precise that it is almost as if you can smell, taste, feel what the characters are going through. Not for the faint of heart, but overall a very good read!
(reviewed the day of purchase)

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