Infinity: Chronicles of Nick

Written by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Narrated by Holter Graham

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.

Like 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?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: May 25, 2010
• ISBN: 9781427209108

Sherrilyn Kenyon

Sherrilyn Kenyon is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several series, including the Bureau of American Defense novels BAD Attitude, Phantom in the Night, Whispered Lies, and Silent Truth and the Belador series that includes Blood Trinity, Alterant, and The Curse. Since her first book debuted in 1993 while she was still in college, she has placed more than eighty novels on the New York Times list in all formats and genres, including manga and graphic novels, and has more than 70 million books in print worldwide. She lives with her family near Nashville, Tennessee. Visit her website at SherrilynKenyon.com.

Reviews for Infinity

[Daniel W · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it! I’m very glad I read part of the Dark Hunters series first.

[Cameron · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Had a couple glitches in the middle. Great narrator and awesome story.

[Billie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Infinity
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
YA Fantasy Paranormal
Scribd audio

Nick was born poor, his father is in prison for murder, and his mother dances in a club to support him. Even though he passed the exam with high numbers, those in the private school, including the teachers, he got a scholarship to, do what they can to torment him because he's poor.

One night while walking to meet his mom at the club, a group of his friends from his neighborhood asks him for help; to watch for the cops while they talk to 'somebody'. Instead, they jump an old couple who walked by, but Nick stops them, and his friends turn on him, and they would have killed him if it hadn't been for a man who fought better than anyone Nick had seen before, including those on TV.

Accepting a job from this man, who also paid for Nick's hospital bills, a world Nick never knew existed becomes real. Demons, wereanimals, zombies, and other things that go bump in the night.

If you like sarcasm, funny comebacks, and other teenage antics, you'll love this book. I was snorting/laughing while listening to this, hearing my own teenage voice and my son's, as Nick's personality grew.

Nick's reactions to the things that had lurked behind his back were spot on. He didn't immediately accept these things; he questioned, he ranted, and he didn't want to believe until he could no longer deny it.

Very well written. All of the characters were well developed, and you can't help but to identify with Nick, his mom, and/or other characters in the book.

The only downside, all of the main characters are very attractive. The 'non-attractive' characters are vindictive teachers, and/or unimportant people who have no place/are not able to belong/accepted into the paranormal world of this book.

5 Stars

[animeshon_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As a ten-year veteran of the Dark Hunter books I have been eagerly awaiting the Chronicles of Nick since Kenyon first announed them. A glimpse into the early world of the Dark Hunters, before they all started falling in love and leaving Artemis' ranks seemed like the best thing ever. The first book in the series, Infinity, kept me enthralled right from the start, but the inconsistencies drove me nuts. I kept arguing with the book about certain events and struggling to recall others. I ended up resolving to re-read the whole Dark Hunter series and keep notes about key characters and events. And then Kenyon explained it all. Although you don't need to have read the Dark Hunter books, I do recommend reading at least the first 25 before starting the Chronicles of Nick, otherwise there will be some spoilers for the development of Nick throughout the series. Kenyon's explanation of the differences in the history is very much in the tradition of reboots prevalent these days, but also makes sense considering Nick's character and the events in the second half of the Dark Hunter series.The characters in the book, like those of the Dark Hunter series, are fun and irreverent with constant geeky, pop culture references. In Infinity, someone is turning the football team of Nick's high school into zombies, and the Resident Evil jokes flow. I imagine it can't be easy to keep to the ethos of the Dark Hunter books, some of the funniest, sexiest paranormal romances I've ever read, when you are writing young adult fiction. Some how Kenyon manages to make the transition well and I will probably be recommending the books to the young readers I know who love paranormal stories as here we have no forbidden love between human and vampire, but rather a bunch of human and supernatural teens battling their own natures and the evil of other teens.

[thebookhoarder · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was another one of those books I wanted for a long time before buying it. For some reason it also sat on my bookshelf for a year before I finally picked it up. I have no idea why it took me so long to read this book, but now that I have, I’m dying for the second one.Infinity was the first book by Sherrilyn Kenyon that I’ve read and obviously it wont be my last. I was pulled in from the first page and I did not want to stop reading. It is such a fun, easy read that has great characters, lots of action and makes you laugh out loud. If the rest of Kenyons books are this good, I may have found another favorite author.

[peeptastic · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I didn't like this one. I can see where others might love it, but I didn't. I wanted to like it (I won it!!) and at times I thought it was interesting, but mostly it just didn't hold me. There are sooooo many characters in this book. Normally that wouldn't bother me but most of them just come out of nowhere and you have no idea why they are important. There are some characters that I can only assume are from her other series that this is a spin-off from. To be honest, those were the ones that interested me the most. Because she didn't elaborate much, I still have no idea if they are the bad guys or the good guys. No really. Who are the bad guys? Because I found myself questioning everyone.Nick is a pretty ok kid. He is really poor and does a lot to protect his mom even though she doesn't realize it. His mom is funny and really good at times, other times I wanted to just shake her and make her listen to her son. But I'll admit she did have her reasons for being the way she was. He's about to see his whole world change (which he handles pretty well in my opinion). There are a few funny lines. Nick has a crush on a girl that I didn't really get. I am really not one of those people that need a lot of sex or cuss words in a book to prove to me that the bad guys are bad. But this book just came out all wrong. It seems like the author just wrote the manuscript like she normally would, then went through and made it appropriate for younger kids. You know when you watch a R rated movie on a network channel and they substitute cuss words with words that really don't fit? And the bad guys just sound really dumb? Well that's what it's like in the book. Really, I'd laugh if the tough guy told me he'd kick my butt. Some of the terms that the adults used just weren't realistic. And even the way the kids talked annoyed me after a while. We get that you're young. No need to prove it by dropping determiners and over-using double negatives! They speak as if they are in 2nd grade trying to be cool, certainly not like 14 on up.Even though there are zombies in the book, it's not scary. There's a lot of blood and violence but it's not a big deal. You know you are reading it. (Even though I hated Forest of Hands and Teeth, that book still gave me the creeps). Language is pretty subdued, one or two bad words but nothing to gasp about. So even though I didn't like it, I know that other people would like it. It's a little longer (450 pages) so read it if you want.

[mrnattania · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you want zombies, demons, witches, ogres with strippers and one all around screed up town. This book is for you. a great start to a series that yes, I have bought them all to get into this summer.

[hipney · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The book started okay and then I just got so confused. I'm not sure I even know half of what was happening. I haven't read many of the dark hunter verse series yet - maybe that is why I got so confused.

[mrnattania72 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you want zombies, demons, witches, ogres with strippers and one all around screed up town. This book is for you. a great start to a series that yes, I have bought them all to get into this summer.

[readingover50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I though this was a really good book. More entertaining than the recent Dark Hunter novels that I have read. Nick is a little too sarcastic for my taste, but the action moved along at a good pace. I would recommend this for anyone who has read Sherrilyn Kenyon in the past and enjoyed it.

[thetreereader · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was another one of those books I wanted for a long time before buying it. For some reason it also sat on my bookshelf for a year before I finally picked it up. I have no idea why it took me so long to read this book, but now that I have, I’m dying for the second one.Infinity was the first book by Sherrilyn Kenyon that I’ve read and obviously it wont be my last. I was pulled in from the first page and I did not want to stop reading. It is such a fun, easy read that has great characters, lots of action and makes you laugh out loud. If the rest of Kenyons books are this good, I may have found another favorite author.

[tonifgmamtc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this, but I think I need to go back and read the main series before continuing the series in order to have more of a connection with the characters. Sometimes this story felt like a middle grade read, and other times it felt like YA or almost mature YA.

[mrs_mcgreevy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kenyon explores the early years of some of the characters she introduced in her Dark-Hunter novels, this time especially for teens. Nick Gautier has a rough life: a criminal father, a mother who has to strip to try to make ends meet, grinding poverty, and, of course, high school. Unbeknownst to Nick, he holds great power within, and it's still not certain if he'll use them for good or evil. Factions for both vie to force him to choose one or another. A bit too glib at times, but a lot of humor and some excellent characters.

[theyodamom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I just finished Infinity by Sherillyn Kenyon (YA) is is about Nick Gautier as a young teen when he first hooked up with Kyrian. It is full of snarky comments and background information on Ash, Kryian, Nick, his mother and some other squires. I loved it. Great for the Dark Hunter fan

[laphenix · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Exciting and a little dark with an interesting premise.

[rosetyper9 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. It was nice to take a peak back at Nick when he was younger but I did feel this book is definitely geared for more younger teens. I enjoyed it though, more than I thought I would for a book about zombies (which I don't particularly favor). Hmm...so Nick gets his butt kicked a TON in this book.

I loved seeing some of my favorite Dark Hunter characters as well such as Simi and Acheron. I heart them both and it makes me sad to see everyone so happy here when I know what is impending from the Dark Hunter series. EEEEK. I will definitely continue reading this series. It is well written and I enjoyed it, not much else to say, really.

[bell7_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nick lives with his single mom, a dancer in New Orleans. He's smart and smart-mouthed, but he's always been the odd kid out, a scholarship student at a prep school. Nick's friends turn on him when he refuses to mug some tourists, and a mysterious man named Kyrian rescues him and offers to give Nick a job; meanwhile, at the school, something seriously messed up is going on when the kids start attacking each other.The story is a bit more complicated than that, but it unfolds carefully enough that I don't want to spoil the fun. This is basically the teen introduction to Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series, and I probably wouldn't have bothered to try it if a friend hadn't recommended it as good escapist fun when I was feeling particularly stressed out. Nick and some of the other characters are quick with quips and banter and made me laugh. Sometimes I found the writing awkward and a bit grating on the ear when something was particularly ungrammatical, but the truth is its main purpose is to move the story along and the more conversational sound of it keeps you reading fast. Once it got going it was hard to put the book down.

[ahnya-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I was expecting another vampire romance, and got something completely different. Hold on for a ride! Demons, zombies, were-creatures, and a redneck gun/computer shop. It is set in New Orleans, and has its wonderful paranormal elements. You never know what is going to come at Nick next.

[elizavetac.b3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

At age 14, Nick Gautier is an average kid who is living in a small town in Louisiana. All he has is is mother and Menyara. But on the night he decides to and refuse and mug some innocent tourists, his friends turn on him. Kyrian Hunter saves Nick from getting shot from his so called "friends.' He introduces him to a world you can never imagine. Nick suddenly finds out Kyrian is not only a vampire slayer but a Dark Hunter. When he finds out that one of his football team members tries to eat a students arm off he realizes that something strange is happening. Zombies. Nick and his whole crew have to discover a plan to stop this and find out that this whole problem is the cause of zombies. Someone is making them. And it starts all in a Zombie Game. Whoever plays the game creates more and more zombies. Nick learns that his friend Maudaug (the nerdiest kid in school) has created the game and cant find it. His crew set out on a mission to destroy and the zombies.

[jesses.b1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Although it was an enjoyable book overall the contents of certain parts of the story would often scare me as i usually read this book at night. I found some of the characters to be strange or even fantastical as in surreal for the simple reason that they did things no human would have dared to do! I mean honestly a chainsaw? seriously why not a sword or a knife i mean they would be much easier to conceal beneath your jacket or even in plain sight. Such as mounting a sword on the wall then simply taking it off the wall when it required.

[catya77 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a multi-layered complex tale as high school student, Nick, learns he is more than his classmates say he is. Different perspectives and some timelines are interwoven throughout the storyline. Not all the if the conflicts are resolved, but this is the first in a series.The poor grammar used occasionally early in some characters speech fades thankfully. Perhaps it is used for characterization or for flair, but there are other methods or character development which the author used prior to and afterwards, so it is annoying and confusing.A colorful and vast array of characters appear and interact throughout the plot. Dialogue and character interactions are interspersed with humor. Descriptions and scenery are varied and detailed.Overall, an enjoyable read!

[tivonut · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really like this one. Yes it is YA and I have my issues with young adult but this really was an extension of the Dark Hunters and with that had many of the characters that I've already come to know in the future.

This definitely changes the thoughts of whats going on with Nick in the main series. You get more in depth with his family and his future. Though there is the main story of zombies and some entity trying to get control of power, the back story of Nick learning who he is and where he comes from comes to the forefront.

I enjoyed both the main story and the furthering of the DH storyline. I really don't see how Kenyon is going to stretch this out for 14 books and am a little worried that it will get tiresome just like the DH have become almost 1/2 the time. This had a lot of fun and laughs but I'll be amazed if it continues past 3 or 4 book as the quips and sharp comeback, quirks of characters, etc... will become less and less original as we get to know them. I will read the next ones.

[nursewidener · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you could sum up Infinity in three words, what would they be? Enjoyable, fast, and wildWhat did you like best about this story? The fact the book was enjoyable not only to teens but adults. My 14 yr old boy keep asking if we could listen to this book on a long road trip. This was the first indication this book was a winner.Which character – as performed by Holter Graham – was your favorite? Bubba and his sidekick especially when the sidekick decked out in his swamp hunting suit. Just so freakin' funny.Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you? Nick meeting Simi for the first time is hilarious. Anything to do with Simi in this series is hilarious.

[amberfib · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was hesitant to read this series because I've been a fan of the Dark-Hunters series for a long time and I already knew what happened to Nick. I didn't see any reason to get his life story when I already knew the "ending," so to speak. I got this book at a Barnes and Noble Sherrilyn Kenyon signing so that I could get my 23498732 Dark-Hunter and League books signed. It was the only book that was available that I didn't have. I figured if I didn't like it, that'd be fine, I could just keep it as a souvenir. It turns out that this is a really awesome story and I don't know the ending! Kenyon added some new challenges to Nick's life, and he may not end up the way he did in the Dark-Hunters series at all. After reading the first book of the series, I'm hooked, and I will run out tomorrow and buy the sequel. Nick was a much more dynamic character than I gave him credit for. All of the stuff I knew about him didn't really prepare me to get to know him... if that makes sense. I figured he was just some angsty guy who couldn't let things go when in reality he's battling a lot more than I gave him credit for. Nick's situation was one of those things you can't understand unless you "see" it for yourself, and Kenyon is excellent at showing instead of telling. Therefore when I read about Nick's teenage years, I began to understand him and what his motivations were. The secondary characters didn't stand out a ton, but Simi, Kyrian, and Nekoda are three that I'm looking forward to knowing more about. Overall, they took a backseat to Nick and his issues. The plot was extremely complex for a YA novel, and it kept me guessing. Some stuff was obvious, but it's clear that Kenyon planned it that way. The things she didn't want me to know actually surprised me, though. The ending tied up a lot of the questions raised in this novel, but left room for a sequel. It didn't end on a cliffhanger, thankfully, though. The pacing was perfect, and I wasn't bored once throughout the entire book. Overall, I'd recommend this book to fans of the Dark-Hunters series as well as YA fans who like a good supernatural book written from a guy's perspective. There's a tiny bit of mythology in this book, but I'm sure the mythological aspects will grow as the series continues. This series is very different from Kenyon's other novels, but I enjoyed it. Check it out, you won't be sorry!

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In certain ways this is an alternative time-line for the Darkhunters and in other ways it's an interesting look into Nick Gautier who appears as a pivotal character in the Dark Hunter stories. Nick is a scholarship boy dealing with some of the snobs in his school with scarcasm, mostly. To his mother he is everything and her sacrafices are to ensure he has a good future. He's a teenager and dealing with subtle rebellions. However the one that has him with some of his school-mates trying to mug some older tourists wasn't really the original plan, intervening means that he's rescued by the Dark-Hunter Kyrian, who sees something in him and feels a need to change his path. There are other forces out to make sure his life changes as well, for good and for ill.Then one of his school mates creates a video game that turns some of the bullies into Zombies and Nick finds himself learning about more of the hidden world of New Orleans than he ever realised was there.It's a fun read, made me want to revisit some of the older books and re-read them. I should know better about starting to read books like this late at night, Kenyon kept me reading until I was finished, couple of chapters, yeah sure.

[elizabeth9wong98 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nick Gautier doesn't have a good life. He's bullied at school just because he's there on scholarship. Then to top it off, his friend, Madug, creates a video game that converts the players into zombies. Driven into a frenzy, Nick and his friends must find a cure to the disease. Meanwhile, Nick is hired by a guy named Kerian and meets a god, a knife-weilding cook, and a friendly demon. Not to mention he's not sure to think of Nekoda, and incredibly cute girl who happens to be nice to Nick instead of blowing him off. And then the greatest challenge of all: Not getting grounded for life and hiding his powers from his mother. I've looked at this book for about forever on the shelf of my school library. One day, I finally decided to read it. Now I wish I had read it earlier because it blew my mind. I'm pretty sure my parents now think I am crazy because I was laughing out loud so much while reading it. It's been awhile since a book has made me feel mad, sad, and happy at the same time. It was a really refreshing story from the usual books I read. At first I wasn't sure, but I have corrected my opinion about this book. I can't wait to read the rest of these amazing works bound in paper.

[deserie4comfort · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Infinity was the first book in the series, The Chronicals of Nick, which is a spin off to the Dark Hunters series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I’m sitting here and thinking just exactly how I want to phrase this next statement because I’m not really sure. I would have to say I had a higher expectation for this book and was somewhat disappointed with what I got. NOT saying that it was a bad book, just not one of her greatest. The story line was great, the humor fabulous and the characters strong. This book I would recommend for young adults looking for some adventure. And also as a possible starting point for those young adults to break into her other series.Now what I can say is that I can’t wait for the next book in the series and think it will be worth the wait. I can’t wait for more stories of what I expect to become the remaining nine objectives Nick must learn to become fully self-aware and controlled with regards to his undiscovered talents and abilities. That’s the best I can do without spoiling anything at this point!This book is a special treat for those of us who already know and love many of the characters woven into this story from all the other Dark-Hunter, Were-Hunter and Dream-Hunter novels by the brilliant and mysterious Sherrilyn Kenyon! I give it 3 ½ stars out of 5.

[jenson_aka_dl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nick has always been one of my favorite characters from Kenyon's Dark Hunter series, so it is nice to see him have a story of his own, even if it is not entirely what I had originally anticipated being a young adult adventure as opposed to a paranormal romance. I was not disappointed in the tale and it was interesting to see how Kenyon approached this new offshoot of her universe. However, how it will stand up against other paranormal YA books with an audience not yet ready for the Dark Hunter series I'm not sure of.Nick is a teen who seems to take things in stride in everything from his mom's stripper friends to mad walking zombies who used to be former classmates. It was a nicely put together adventure. At the moment I am seriously lagging behind in keeping up with Kenyon's books in general so I'm not sure if this story is something that might be reflected in those as well. The interblending and universe melting would be interesting indeed as destinys and histories seem to have shifted here.I am looking forward to reading more about Nick (coincidentally my new boyfriend's name is Nick, which probably expains why I finally decided to pick this book up after almost 2 years in my tbr pile) and finding out more about how things change for him.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick and Dirty: Not your typical vampire paranormal YA novel that’s fun with characters who eat sarcasm for breakfast. It’s enjoyable and so relatively easy going that I recommended it to my own son. Opening Sentence: “I am a socially awkward mandork.” The Review: Infinity is the first book in the Chronicles of Nick young adult series from Sherrilyn Kenyon. Nick is ever the brash, smart-alec we met early on in Ms. Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter series. Smart mouthed, irreverent and moody too and that’s why we love him, or love to hate him at the very least. But there are sometimes, as a mother, I want to reach through the pages of the book and give him a smack upside the head. And that is the only complaint I have, but I am an adult reading a YA, so I guess I’m not exactly the target audience. Though I suppose we as readers should give Nick due credit. It’s not every day a kid finds out they are a being of potentially awesome powers, living in a world teaming with things that are only supposed to go bump in the night. *cree-eepy* I do think he handles it much better than I would have if I had been handed these same facts at 14. Accompanying Nick in this series of unusual circumstances is a cast of; well I guess we can call them quirky, characters. With the notable exception of Nick’s much beloved mother, Cherise, some of these guys could give crazy a run for its money, a lot of money. But I digress. In this book, we also begin to overlap with her Dark-Hunter series. But this overlap in no way requires knowledge of the Dark-Hunter series, which is nice for readers like my son, who aren’t capable of the level of the Dark-Hunter series, but want a different side of the usual paranormal titles. As for her world building, Sherrilyn sets this in modern day New Orleans with an added touch of the extra freaky. Though in New Orleans, the threshold of freaky is a bit on the high side of life. Ms. Kenyon is absolutely fabulous at irreverent sarcasm, and supernatural oddities. In this first installment of the Chronicles of Nick, we have chaos and mayhem, all with the added touch of the supernatural. A tortured prep school geek fine tunes a video game with the intention of making the football team leave him alone. Little does he know that his fine tuning will turn these people into, well, people eaters, and not the purple one from the song, either. (Showing my age there, I know.) Nick and his schoolmates, many of whom he now realizes aren’t quite human, must band together to take on these real life zombies. And when a work of evil mixes their hand in, well who knows what will happen next. I’ll finish up by saying I have always been a fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s work, and Nick has always been my favorite of her characters. I am enjoying this series, and its fresh look into Nick’s past. Or, a look into his “fresh” past, as it were. Notable Scene: “Should we head back?” Alex asked. Bubba shrugged. “That’s what common sense would say. What do you think?” Nick leaned back in his seat. “Far be it from me to ever let my common sense get in the way of my stupidity. I say we press on. Caleb?” He flashed a cheesy grin. “What’s an arrest record anyway? Me, Alex, and Nick are all minors.” “To infinity then.” Nick frowned at Bubba’s words. “What’s that mean?” “It’s something my dad used to say when I was a kid. To infinity, meaning you’d see something through to the end.” Nick didn’t get it. “Infinity is never-ending.” “That’s right, which means you keep going and going no matter what happens or what obstacles you meet. Over, under, around, or through. There’s always a way. And if you have to chase something to infinity, strap on your big-boy pants, hikinh boots, and go.” Nick opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, something slammed into the SUV. One minute, they were fine. The next, they were spinning out of control. Chronicles of Nick Series: 1. Infinity 2. Invincible 3. Infamous FTC Advisory: St. Martin’s Griffin provided me with a copy of Infinity. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[cathy_keaton · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm a little familiar with the world and characters of Sherrilyn Kenyon's adult novel series, Dark-Hunter. The Chronicles of Nick (starting with this novel) is a Young Adult spin-off of Dark-Hunter. I read the first volume of the manga version of the adult series, called The Dark-Hunters, and that takes you about half way into the first Dark-Hunter novel. But, the main character of this spin-off, Nick Gautier, does not appear in it.One thing I could tell from the manga was that I liked the characters and felt they were funny, entertaining people. The same is true for Infinity. Nick is a totally hilarious 14-year-old who has a pretty crappy life, but he deals with it through the prolific use of sarcasm. Super cute kid and very heroic, even if he's not trying to be.The other characters are wonderful, as well. In what little we see of Kyrian Hunter, I like him way more in this book than in the manga. And, my other favorite is big ol' Bubba, the gun-toting arms dealer with the kind of sass that'll warm the cockles of your cold heart. He and his littler and prettier buddy, Mark, make a great comedic team.All-in-all, this is pretty good urban fantasy with a lot of interesting revelations throughout that are hidden from Nick until later in the story, until he gets used to the freaky paranormal stuff. Ambrose caught me completely off-guard as to his true identity. He makes a quick appearance at the beginning of the story, then disappears until the end to become a sort of 'Obiwan Kenobi' to Nick's 'Luke Skywalker.' I wish I knew HOW it was possible he could even be in Nick's life, at all!There's no need to have read Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series in order to follow this one. In fact, it's probably more exciting not knowing who most of the characters are because it won't spoil anything for you.