Children of the Night

Written by Mercedes Lackey

Narrated by Traci Odom

Rock band Wanderlust is about to hit it big, guitarist Dave Kendall is sure of that. They're playing better venues, in front of bigger crowds-and the people showing up at the after parties are increasingly good-looking and cool. Some even radiate power, like "Master" Jeffries, the tall, saturnine man who seems to have some sort of weird control over Dave's fellow bandmates.

But Dave's too tired to pay much attention to Jeffries. He's tired a lot, lately, and making music isn't as much fun as it used to be. Probably he's just working-and partying-too hard.

Luckily, Dave has a friend who takes what's happening to him very seriously. Diana Tregarde is a practicing witch and a Guardian of the Earth. It's her job to keep an eye on innocents like Dave and make sure they stay out of trouble and don't become someone's lunch.

Jeffries has been on Diana's hit list since she first spotted him pursuing a young Romany. Di wasn't fast enough to stop him, but the Rom have their own protector-a dashing, charming, very attractive vampire named Andre Le Brel.

Together, the witch and the vampire face Jeffries and his evil minions in a battle for the soul of rock 'n' roll.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Sep 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9781515943990

Mercedes Lackey

Mercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music. Also known as Misty Lackey.

Reviews for Children of the Night

[bibliotropic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mercedes Lackey admitted to writing the Diana Tregarde books because paranormal investigations were big at the time and she had no problem with making a little cash by playing the fads. I'm glad that she did, because although the series isn't fantastic, it's still very entertaining to read through. In this one, Diana is called upon to help with a police investigation of a serial murder, and ends up getting tangled up in the middle of a plot to resurrect ancient Aztec gods into modern-day (or relatively modern, at least) Dallas.I admit, it's a little disconcerting to read Burning Water and seeing the remarkably un-PC language used throughout. References to "Indians", "krauts", and "gypsies" are littered through the pages, terms which people don't tend to use anymore unless they want to get glared at on the street and called ignorant. Sometimes I had to make myself take a step back and remember that this was all written before PC language was really coming into its heyday, and such terms, while not perfectly acceptable, were still in more common use, and so in context, it's not that unusual to see them mentioned.That being said, the attitude towards paganism as a relgion as expressed in the novel is rather ahead of its time, given that even today, 20 years later, some people still don't have that level of understanding when it comes to non-Abrahamic religions. The idea that there's no one true way seems to be a common theme in Lackey's work, though, and so it was no surprise to see it echoed here.The writing style is still very early-Lackey, lacking some of the polish she attained with more practice, though it still shows a lot of promise of what's to come, all the good bits that I like about her writing. True to style, too, it's a rather large amount of build-up, finding the pieces of the puzzle, and a then a relatively short period of high-action tense conclusion at the end.Burning Water's ending was interesting because although there was a conclusion to the immediate problem, it was still remarkably open-ended and unfinished. The immediate resurrection plot ends, but the god is not destroyed, not even really defeated or even daunted, and the reader is left with a slight feeling of incompletion. Which, I have no doubt, was the entire point. The battle was won, but the war goes on, and when one is dealing with things on a scale as grand as gods, you often can't expect much better at the end.Definitely a book worth reading if you're into Lackey's work or you enjoy a good paranormal investigation that doesn't get bogged down in being overly dark and gritty.

[kathryngrace_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Exciting story only marred by a slightly anti climatic ending.

[whitewavedarling · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've got a soft spot for this series, and I'd say it's a predecessor of the Laurell K. Hamilton Anita Blake books. I'd recommend it to any of Hamilton's fans, and anyone in general who likes straight-forward super-natural suspense/horror. It's a fun and well-written read.

[pitcherbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A bit dated but a good library read when you can't find anything else. Wouldn't go out of my way for it. Not Lackey's best. Probably won't keep this title.

[jimmaclachlan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've enjoyed Lackey's fantasy books, but never felt a burning urge to read them all. They're enjoyable, but not my first choice. This series is paranormal & was done before it was really cool, so I give her a bonus for that. It wasn't badly written, but I just never developed much interest in any of the characters nor was the end ever in doubt. Actually, the script of the book wasn't in doubt.Diana, the heroine, is tough, smart & pretty powerful. I expected to like her, care & worry about how she'd overcome the various obstacles in her life. I didn't. I KNEW she would & she did, in perfect style. She was never in any danger, thus never really engaged me. I knew pretty much how the book would turn out from the first few pages & it never varied much from that format. The few 'dangerous' situations were shallow. Everyone loved her, she never did any wrong. Too perfect, perhaps.There were other characters in the book, but none of them grabbed me either. The police chief was overdone & I don't care much for reading mangled language - only done in his case. Our hero, blindly following in Diana's footsteps, was a perfect gentleman. The only sexual tension was explained & taken care of early, never mentioned or felt again. Everyone & everything was perfectly scripted, adhered to their niches in society without ever straying or really making me take notice.If there was a 'yawn' rating, I'd give it that. A good book to read if you're sick & not tracking so well.

[karlstar_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm not normally into mysteries or detective novels, but I really enjoyed this one. Rather than rely on a plot trick to hide the true mystery, this is more about how the main character will use her skills to get to the bottom of the problem, no matter what. Enjoyable and hard to put down.

[maybedog · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I am so bored by this book! They never do anything, just sit around and talk about the case or how great Di is. The only action is from a victim's perspective, usually a loser or a jerk or both so I don't even care about them. It's also ridiculous how quickly a small Texas town Sheriff accepts her. And if I see just one more word unnecessarily italicized I shall go batty!

[bcquinnsmom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Burning Water is just a fun book. Fun not as in making me laugh or anything, but fun in the sense that it was just a good old adventure/occult fiction story. I happen to really like that type of book and a person can't read literature all of the time!Synopsis:There is a bizarre killer on the loose in the Dallas TX area. People are turning up dead everywhere, with the only clue left at the scene usually some flower petals. Mark Valdez, a detective in the police department, knows that these killings smack of something not of this world and calls on his old friend Diana Tregarde to help out. Diana writes romance novels but is also a witch and has great powers. So they join forces in trying to solve the murders.Like I said, this was a fun diversion from my more "serious" reading. I'd recommend it to people who want something less serious in their reading, who like occult fiction and who are interested in this series.

[tyger_raven · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I usually try to give every book a decent shot. I try to be less judgemental of them because I'd hate for someone to judge my book harshly. That said, I'm not a big fan of this book. It was full of too much information that the reader didn't need to know and not enough of the information that the reader DID need. Plus, I'll sleep better from now on now that I don't have to ever remember the phrase "Four Ack Emma"!!

[tvnerd95 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in the Diana Tregarde series but the book didn’t quite feel like Di was the main character. It was more about Mark and his observation of Di as she helps him solve some killings in Dallas. The book was released in 1989 and you can tell it was. There are some definite points that show its age but that also help give it a fantastical feel which is exactly what this book is – paranormal goodness.

The book is really good and full of action, history and relationships. The story starts off immediately and it doesn’t really ever ease up on the intensity until the last few pages of the book. Both Mark and Di are very interesting characters and the author establishes the length of the relationship and you never doubt it because of the ease they have with each other. The mystery is a little obvious and there were times I wondered why Mark and Di didn’t see it. The author tried to explain it away but it still seemed too obvious.

The friendship between Mark and Di was so refreshing because it was a man and woman true friendship. No gay best friend, no secret love for each other, no friends with benefits -- just a good friendship built over years of knowing each other.

I actually had to deduct a whole star for the ending. I can’t really get into too much other than to say it was less than satisfying. I also think the Kindle version needs some editing as there several editing errors in the book.

Overall a really good book and I look forward to reading the next one in the series.

[bookgal123 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I usually enjoy Lackey's fare, but this entry was sadly lacking. The characters were at best flat and uninteresting, and at worst outright irritating. Though I found her foray into the supernatural mystery genre disappointing, Lackey has written some compelling fantasy. Check out Lackey's 500 Kingdoms series or her Valdemar books.

[ediedoll · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read the second book in this series, Children of the Night, before I did this one. They stand alone, so I wasn't lost reading the second, but I do compare this one to it. Honestly, I preferred the sequel, but I enjoyed this one as well.The Diana Tregarde series is an urban fantasy, involving a witch who helps the police solve occult crimes. This particular book dealt with a serial killer that is also the avatar of an Aztec god. The story moves briskly, and the character of Diana is very appealing. This series came out before the current onslaught of urban fantasy, and I think it is superior in some ways, such as the writing and characters. I also like that the supernatural creatures aren't so over-the-top, like one finds in a lot of the werewolf/vampire/zombie lit enjoying popularity. The only problems I have with this book is that it is very bloody, to the point that it at times seems ridiculous. I also think a little more personal life would do Diana some good - she's very all work and no play - and maybe some more rounded out background characters. In all, an enjoyable read, I'll definitely pick up any other books I find in the series.

[mamzel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Diana Tegarde is a witch and helps the police with cases that have occult facets. In this case she is invited to Texas to help investigate a series of murders that result in hearts being removed and the corpse left with flowers around it. The body count is going up and up and Diana seeks help from every type of mystic living in the area until she is able to reach a bruja who points her towards an Aztec god trying to return to the living to avenge the decimation of his people.

[Rebekah Sandell · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I am not into hearing about people of the dark overtaking inocent people.

[kevinrubin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After being kind of disappointed with the first Diana Tregarde novel, I only read “Children of the Night” by Mercedes Lackey because I’d already purchased it. However, I’m glad I did, I enjoyed it quite a lot more.“Children of the Night” opens with Diana living in New York City and helping her friend out by taking over her small magic shop just off 42nd Street. So this already interested me more because I live in New York City, not far from 42nd Street.Before long Diana teams up with a real, genuine, blood sucking vampire, Andre, who has taken it upon himself to protect some people.They have some enemies, psi-vampires who drain energy, but not blood, from people, and a mysterious creature that eats souls. The enemies have teamed up because they found it advantageous to work together.Diana and Andre also include a couple of Diana’s friends from New York in their team, and have an unexpected ally, an old boyfriend of Diana’s in the psi-vamp team who never wanted to become and doesn’t enjoy being a psi-vampire, and just wants out of it.This novel also covers how she helped the Romany people in New York so they are in debt to her, which was a plot point in the first Diana Tregarde novel, “Burning Water” that now obviously takes place later than this one.I can’t figure out when it takes place. When I read the first Diana Tregarde novel, “Burning Water” I assumed it took place around the time it was written, the late 80’s. This one was written in 1990, and at first I assumed it took place around that time. But then Lackey makes passing reference to the Vietnam War and Richard Nixon being president, which would be the first half of the 1970s. While doing some in-story research, Diana refers to Michael Moorcock’s “Elric” saga and the sword Stormbringer in a way that would indicate time has passed since Moorcock wrote about it, fitting with the story taking place around when it was written, the late 80’s or 1990…. But then there’s mention of a B-grade actor in the governor’s mansion, which would seem more like the late 60’s or early 70’s, whereas if it took place in the 80’s, I’d expect mention of this B-grade actor having ascended further, to the White House.Overall, though, I quite enjoyed the story, and I’d recommend it.

[phyllis2779 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first two in this series. I found it hard to get into, mainly because for some unknown reason in the first part of the book, Diana was depressed and fearful, which was totally different from the other books. Also, the book didn't seem to fit chronologically with the earlier books. Very confusing. There's a third book I own, which I may or may not try.

[jasmyn9 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Diana Tregarde is a guardian who is sworn to protect those who ask for her help. She finds herself caught up in a complex series of what at first appears to be coincidence, but with the help of her friends and a man she just met, she puts the pieces together to find that many of the strange things happening were really linked together.Diana experiences every possible emotion in this book and Lackey is there to show them to us in a detailed way that leaves the reader grinning at her jokes, wishing we could give her comfort as she cries, and wanting to go hide in the corner with her fears.Overall, quite a good book. The story was engaging from the beginning and had enough twists and turns to keep you interested without confusing or muddling the chain of events. Personally, I would have liked to see the characters of Lenny and Keith, who in their own way played quite an important, if small role, expanded on a little more as they seemed a bit flat. At times the story began to turn towards a romance novel, but before it could get to far Lackey reigned it in and got back on track.

[emscape · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Diana Tregarde is a powerful person, which is a good thing, because she's being targeted by some extremely indomitable forces. Fortunately, she also has allies to assist in the fight. I really don't want to give too much away about this book because it's so impressive how Lackey brings us in to her supernatural tale, revealing and explaining the particular mythology around Diana's powers and those of her friends and enemies. She turns popular mythology around vampires and witches on their sides and introduces additional strange and fascinating supernatural entities. I also really liked Di as a heroine, particularly considering the time period in which this was published. Diana is tough, no-nonsense, and flawed but also kind, protective and a little bit broken. I look forward to reading more about her.

[jjmcgaffey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very rich - a lot of turning points for Di and others. Growing a new Spook Squad? (No, but it sounds like it in this book). I like Andre - nice guy and neat concept. The psivamps are truly nasty, and the gaki is worse - or at least as bad. Dave does a lot of late growing up, too.

[lisamaria_c · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Before Buffy or Hamilton's Anita Blake or Harris' Sookie Stackhouse, Lackey was writing Urban Fantasy with a strong heroine, Diana Tregarde, starting with Burning Water and also including, besides this one, Jinx High. Diana is a practicing witch and a "Guardian" sworn to protect innocents who get caught up in the supernatural.Of the three novels, I think this is the strongest. I've read the Tregarde novels didn't sell well, and that's why Lackey hasn't written more with this character. I find that a shame--I like these books as much as any by Lackey and more than many an urban fantasy featuring vampires that are bestsellers. I like the vampire character, too, Andre Le Brel, and how well he partners with Diana. This story is actually a prequel to the first published book, Burning Water, so you could start here first.

[darla_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This started off slow, & the gratuitous use of italics nearly made me stop reading, but after the first chapter, I was totally hooked.

[threadnsong · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This installment of Mercedes Lackey's Diana Tregarde series features a young Diana fresh out of college and covering for her friend's occult shop in the early 70's Manhattan. At least I think that's the timeframe - she references Nixon a couple of times, so either it's pre-Watergate or it's an alternate timeline. I'll go with the former.Diana is becoming a successful romance writer, lives in a lovely brownstone with dancers of several different genres, and helping out at her friend's store during her friend's final stages of pregnancy. Several visitors enter the store who are not among the normal customers, and one is a young Gypsy boy with the Sight.The concurrent story involves an ex of Diana's who's in a burgeoning rock and roll band. While at a party he takes one of the proffered pills and wakes up a couple of days later with very little memory of the rest of the party evening and a deep and gnawing hunger that just won't go away.Add in Diana's good friend Lenny from the apartment, Lenny's new boyfriend Keith, and a rather sexy vampire whom Di has no idea if he's the killer of the Gypsy boy or just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you've got a pretty good cast of characters.What made this book lose half a star was the constant inner dialogue, in italics, that gets in the way of the storyline or action or events. Just tell the story already, and let the character's actions determine their intent! Diana's right-turn into her panic attack and how Andre is able to talk her through it seemed more like the author's need to self-reveal than a vital plot point. Plus, and I realize I'm talking about a story that involves vampires and other elements of the strange and weird side of things, being 18 months out of college and already an accomplished brown belt in martial arts and already a signed, successful author does not lend itself to the "realistic" side of Diana's story.So, it still shows, in the early 90's when it was written, a gutsy heroine who has fears and doubts and still faces them and helps those in need. And has friends among the human as well as the not-quite-human race.

[jamespurcell · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Could not connect with characters and the storyline was not very compelling

[theyodamom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is filled with magic and Guardians and psychic vampires and yet it has a real feel to it. Di the heroine has a job, bills, friends and a broken heart. She has panic attacks that can impede her in her job. She has unruly hair and does not dress to impress.
People are ending up dead, their souls ripped out of their bodies. this triggers memories causing her to have black outs. Her ex is somehow involved in this drudging up too many bad moments. She ha to use all her skills to fight and out think some of the most dangerous and devious evil she has ever encountered.
Super French vampire hunk Andre' steps into the picture. He has to preserve his Rom friends he guards. He always works alone, has for 200 hundred years. I liked this version of a vampire, no he does not sparkle.
This is a mystery, and great one with all the right twists and turns. I enjoyed it, it was very well planned out and I was on the edge of my seat the whole story. My only complaint, a few dated words like "foxy" to describe attractive.

[salimbol · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Reasonable supernatural mystery/paranormal romance/urban fantasy that checks off all the obligatory attributes for a female protagonist (a teensy-weensy, tough-as-nails yet emotionally-scarred, music-loving martial artist who gets involved with a vampire). However, as this book was written in the early 90s and is therefore probably one of the series responsible for making those things into tropes, I forgive it :-). The early stages feel a bit wallowing, but it picks up the pace towards the end, and certainly it had a very gripping climax.

[dswaddell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Diana Tregarde is a guardian who protects those in need.But when no less then three different types of vampires come to town she may be in trouble. An enjoyable read.

[kellswitch_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I find the characters in this series to be dangerously close to being Mary Sue's, but not so much that I can't stand reading about them. For me this is a fun bit of fluff when i want to read something fantasy related that isn't to challenging or so dumbed down it's insulting.I also have a weakness for the urban fantasy genre as a whole and I do like the way she integrates the "real" world with the magical and makes it work for the universe she has created.

[roguebelle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An excitingly different vampire novel -- Lackey brings her usual flair, not to mention her wonderful heroine Diana Tregarde, to the undead genre, to great effect.

[laranth · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Diana Tregarde is a Guardian, a member of a group dedicated to protecting people from the harmful influences of the supernatural. Practicing witch and talented psi, she's taken an oath to help all those who call on her in need. When the need comes as a Talented gypsy teen who is being Hunted, she finds herself drawn into a dangerous game, where psionic vampires Hunt in the night of the city.

[wingedwolf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A Wiccan Guardian must solve a terrible mystery...what is killing people, and devouring their souls? A friendly vampire, psychic vampires, and comfortable and entertaining characterization make this highly unusual plot an excellent read.