Second book in the Joe Pitt vampyre series. Another good series with just enough of the Charlie Huston creepiness that caught my attention in his other series. In this one, Joe actually bites someones' eye out...creepy. I like that his character is interacting more with his mortal girlfriend and hope that Charlie Huston explores that relationship more in the next book. Maybe Joe will finally tell her what he is and save her from AIDS (by infecting her with the vamprye virus, which will cure her but give her a whole new set of problems to deal with...like needing to eat blood). Fun, fast read...looking forward to the next one in the series.

I do like Joe Pitt ; a classic anti-hero with his own moral code. Add to that the fact that he's a Vampire makes for a very compelling character. No Dominion was a great addition to the series ; full of action and gore ! New York has been divided up by the Vampyre Clans and in this book Joe has to travel through the Clan areas ,unsuccessfully trying to stay safe. I don't think I've ever come across a hero who gets beaten up quite as much as Joe does ! I loved this part of the book as it reminded me of one of my favourite movies : the 80's classic " The Warriors ". A great read ,give the series a go.

2/5; 2 stars; C

This started out really good. Edgey with a film noir feel. Kind of like The Maltese Falcon with vampyres and thugs instead of Bogart and dames. Then it dragged and there were big detours to fill in back story and then the really tough guys came into the scene and I just about keeled over from testosterone poisoning so I had to call it a day.

The narrator was really good, Scott Brick.

A rare occasion a sequel turns out to be better than the first.
It improves on everything I lacked in the previous one: deepens the background of the world, striking a perfect balance between the noir-style investigation and the action happening as the mystery unfolds (at least perfect for me), while further developing the supporting cast.
Looking forward to how and where the following installments will extend the set.

Sin dominio es la continuación de ya estamos muertos, una novela de cine negro, con Joe Pitt (un antiguo punk, con algunos amigos y muchos mas enemigos de los que el quisiera) como nuestro antihéroe de esta trepidante serie de libros. Ahora enfrascado en descubrir de que va eso que haya una droga que pone a los vampiros hasta arriba, cosa que no le importa demasiado sino es por que anda mas bien justo de efectivo y de lo otro que guarda en esa nevera, bueno y que acaba de tener que sacar a uno de ellos de un bar.
Conocí esta serie por accidente, como se descubren las grandes cosas, vaya que un día Brandy apareció con un libro con una portada que me recordaba a los “inolvidables” libros de “White Wolf” de mundo de tinieblas (aquellos que los hayan “leído” seguro que entenderán lo de inolvidable) con un “tienes que leerte esto, es buenísimo” a lo cual, tras ver la portada no muy afortunada de ese primer libro pensé “vale ya veras una de esas novelas románticas en la cual le han cambiado el kilt al highlander por unos piños superdesarrolados y una leve fotofobia y ala soy un autor superinnovador “ para mi sorpresa Ya estamos muertos fue todo un descubrimiento y una decepción por no poder meterme con mi chica.
Encontré un enfoque actual y nada barroco de unos vampiros que van tirando agrupados en clanes (no por linaje a lo White Wolf, sino mas bien por creencias de cómo ir tirando o por simple conveniencia) y con un funcionamiento mas parecido a las familias de gangsters que a los tan desgastados consejos de ancianos, o el superfampiro de turno que acojona a todos los demás para hacer lo que diga o a cualquiera de las 500 ideas demasiado trilladas que tenemos un poco demasiado vistas ya.
Si el primer libro fue una grata lectura que duro una sola tarde, no por ser muy breve sino por que no había manera de dejar el libro, este segundo continua esa línea, tenemos a nuestro protagonista, mas un “fixer” que un detective, (un Sr. Lobo a la Pulp fiction) mucho humo, bajos fondos, algo de alcohol barato, un lenguaje acorde a los lugares donde se desarrolla, nuestro pobre prota puteado de lado a lado cobrando mas que un peaje de Barcelona en hora punta, un ritmo trepidante y una trama extremadamente bien hilada y donde poco acaba siendo lo que parece y donde muchos acaban haciendo lo que otro quiere, creyendo que es idea suya. Y que acaba abriendo nuevas cuestiones sobre cosas que se dan por sentadas en el mundo que se describe en estos libros que no hace sino prometer más entregas y horas de sueño perdidas.
Si te gusto “Sin City” o ya leíste el primer libro de este autor. Si “Pulp Fiction” te gusto,
O si los libros Harry Dresden están en tu estantería, en estos libros hallaras una lectura fresca y trepidante que no puedes dejar pasar. Y si no, nunca es demasiado tarde para empezar.

If you have not read the first book (Already Dead) I'm pretty sure you won't fully understand this book.

This book takes place one year after the first one ends. Joe Pitt finds himself low on cash and blood. Joe isn't just a rogue anymore, he's on the outside without anyone throwing him odd jobs. Forced to go in search of work, Joe gets a job that will cause him to cross enemy turf and go above 110th.

Much is reveled about the clan origins in NY. You see more inner workings and deeper into how the clans function amongst each other. Joe see's first hand how far some people will go to get high and the extreme cost of this high.

I like the series but Huston could have done the same without the vampire theme.

-Hey Jake.

-Hello, Pretend Me.

-Like gritty NYC crime novels?

-You bet I do.

-Like Charlie Huston?

-Read some of his books years ago. Loved em.

-Well guess what?

-What?

-Charlie Huston has a whole series of gritty NY crime thrillers.

-Awesome!

-And they’re set in the LES.

-Whohoo!

-Where the protagonist operates as a guy who does “favors for friends.”

-Can I get a Marc Albert YES!?

-There’s one catch.

-Okay.

-Just a small detail.

-Yeah.

-They’re vampire books.

-Oh.

-And while still gritty, they feature a lot of boring vampire stuff.

-Dangit!

-On top of that…

-It gets worse?

-…it has a plot in book two that addresses racism in this fantasy world…”

-Hey that’s not bad!

-But Huston writes Black characters in the laziest, most stereotypical way possible.

-That is bad!

-So it’s kinda like a vampire…

-Stop.

-Half alive and half dead.

-Damn you.

-You’re still gonna read the rest of the series, aren’t you.

-Sigh. Yes.

Charlie Huston's "No Dominion" is the sequel to "Already Dead" in the Joe Pitt series, continuing the misadventures of the vampyre private investigator. Set in the gritty streets of Manhattan, this neo-noir urban fantasy dives deep into the dark and dangerous world of vampyres and their cut-throat politics.

Joe Pitt, the tough yet morally complex protagonist, is once again at the center of the action. Tasked with navigating a volatile vampyre clan war, Joe's journey is filled with suspense, violence, and some unexpected twists. Sometimes the book reminded me of a "Sopranos with fangs" drama. Huston's sharp, fast-paced writing keeps the tension high, while his dark humor adds a unique flavor to the narrative.

The book is good at in blending the supernatural with noir elements. Joe's character development is compelling, making him a relatable and intriguing anti-hero.

Overall, I found "No Dominion" slightly under the bar set by its preceding book. Some of the developments are to be explored in the upcoming series, but the story is a bit in the middle of the road.

Fans of urban fantasy and noir will still appreciate it, especially if they read the first book. Huston's storytelling and world-building about a vampiric troubleshooter is a good material from start to finish.

Joe Pitt, vampire PI (well, kind of), is short on cash and short on blood. He drops by the HQ of the East Village's vampire Clan, the Society, to see if they've got any jobs for him. You may be shocked to find out that they *do* have a job for him: Joe must investigate a new drug that is affecting the vampire community.

OK, the premise is a bit cliched (for the 2000s anyway): urban vampire mashed up with detective noir. But it's done well. Huston's sparse style makes the words leap off the page. This book takes you on a ride reminiscent of Chandler -- twists and turns come quickly but the resolution is fair, which is important in a mystery. Huston also makes good use of New York City as his setting, and the clans feel appropriate for their neighborhoods.

This is Pitt's second casebook; I've already read the first and third, and I understand that the series has been concluded.

No really into this. It is good vampire noir but no humor at all.

Although Mr. Huston's writing is very good, I did not like this half as much as the first Joe Pitt novel, "Already Dead." While there was a lot going on, there was a lot less happening here. It is about vampire turf wars in the neighborhoods of New York City, and the distribution of the equivalent of a vampire narcotic, blood already tainted with the vampire virus which you are not supposed to drink if you are already a vampire. Joe Pitt has to find out who is distributing this narcotic in order to prevent all hell from breaking loose, which gives the novel its noir detective spin.

While I like Huston's world where there is a scientific explanation behind vampirism, the rules get kind of confusing, in spite of the many times Huston includes rule exposition. I may continue with this series, I may not at this point.