Infinity (Chronicles of Nick 01) by Sherrilyn Kenyon

At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.

Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.

But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he’s next on the menu.

As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?

Warning: Spoilers

Infinity is Sherrilyn Kenyon’s first YA novel. It takes place in the familiar Dark Hunter universe. I’d forgotten it was coming out until I saw in the store. That doesn’t say a lot for how much I was looking forward to it. Despite that, I finished it in short order, with only a very few unavoidable pauses in between reading sessions.

From the other Dark Hunter books, I knew Nick as a young man, in his early 20’s or thereabouts. In this, like the book summery says, he is 14 and going to a private high school on a scholarship. He worries about bullies, about homework and constantly checks out girls. I wouldn’t say it is necessary to be familiar with the Dark Hunter universe before reading this, but it would be helpful. Nick discovers that world as he goes on and sometimes it is even explained. Not all that often though and someone unfamiliar with the Dark Hunter world might find it confusing. Also, sometimes the transitions between adult Nick and 14 year old Nick were a little jarring.

All in all, Infinity is a pretty good read. I am tempted to say it is too short because of how quickly I finished it, but it feels complete and not really lacking in anyway. The part I liked best was a scene with the adult Nick reflecting on what had gone wrong in his life. Not too much action, but good in other ways. Action-wise, the fight at the end was pretty damn good.

Grade: B