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    The Curse Keepers
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    The Curse Keepers
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    The Curse Keepers
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Curse Keepers

    Written by Denise Grover Swank

    Narrated by Shannon McManus

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    The wall between our world and that of vengeful spirits has protected humanity for more than 400 years. It's about to come crashing down.

    Ellie Lancaster has lived her whole life by the site of the mysterious Lost Colony of Roanoke, the Virginia settlement that vanished without a trace around 1590. Ellie is a Curse Keeper, the direct descendant of one of the two men who banished the spirits of a warring tribe from the material realm. The story goes that if the two Curse Keepers ever meet again, the countdown to the death of the curse will begin, the gate will open, and the raging Native American spirits will be unleashed to seek their revenge.

    Ellie has always taken the legend for a harmless fairy tale. Until she meets the darkly handsome, but downright infuriating, Collin Dailey and realizes that he is the other Curse Keeper. The prophecy is coming true. Now Ellie and Collin must battle supernatural forces and their loathing - and passion - for each other to set things right.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateNov 19, 2013
    ISBN9781480538559
    Unavailable
    The Curse Keepers
    Author

    Denise Grover Swank

    New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in the area until she was nineteen. Then she became a nomadic gypsy, living in five cities, four states and ten houses over the course of ten years before she moved back to her roots. She speaks English and smattering of Spanish and Chinese which she learned through an intensive Nick Jr. immersion period. Her hobbies include witty Facebook comments (in own her mind) and dancing in her kitchen with her children. (Quite badly if you believe her offspring.) Hidden talents include the gift of justification and the ability to drink massive amounts of caffeine and still fall asleep within two minutes. Her lack of the sense of smell allows her to perform many unspeakable tasks. She has six children and hasn't lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.  

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    Reviews for The Curse Keepers

    4/5

    58 ratings15 reviews

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    • 3/5
      On the day that the lost colony of Roanoke reappears, Ellie Dare Lancaster realizes that the stories her father told her all her life were true. She is one of two curse keepers--one English colonist and one Croatan indian--whose job is to preserve the curse that holds the spirits and gods away from our world. And now it's time for her to act. Except she has no idea what to do.

      Collin is the other curse keeper, and he's spent his life in training for this. Ellie relies on him to guide her as they are terrorized by spirits, gods, and thugs from Collin's past.

      There was a twist in this book that was, to me, very obvious. Knowing in advance didn't make it any less painful when I experienced it along with Ellie.

      I liked that Ellie and Collin were in their twenties and that Ellie was at a place in her life where she hadn't yet found what she wanted to do or be but was still taking a great deal of responsibility in her personal life, helping support her parents' B&B, and dealing compassionately with her father who has Alzheimer's. All this added to how she dealt with her new role as a curse keeper, something she'd chosen to completely block out of her life. It was good to see her deciding on her priorities and maturing, without losing her sense of adventure.

      (Provided by publisher)
    • 5/5
      really, really, really enjoyed this book (like really) I can not stress how much I was into it. I bought the next one before I'd even finished reading it. Ellie Dare Lancaster works in a diner. A hottie comes in who she instantly knows is trouble. He is going to touch her and she knows by her breathing she shouldn't let him.In short there is a curse. Not on Ellie. Each member of her family will know the curse. Her father passed it down to her. They are the curse keepers. There is another family who are the second. There are only two curse keepers. One from each family. When the two meet and touch the curse is lifted, the gates to hell open and with it and well work that out for yourself.....Yep you got it the hottie (Collin Dailey) was the other (Manteo's keeper) and Ellie (Dare's keeper) denies the curse even exists. This causes arguments obviously.The whole history written in this novel was exciting. It's sort of a native american thing. With demons and gods and spirits. BRILLIANT.When Ellie's friends and people she knows start showing up dead she can no longer hide.They each had an item that would be helpful passed down along the line. Ellie sold her's. Collin put his in a museum. They now must together go on a road trip to get the items back while more and more spirits are let loose. There is no way to do this book justice. I loved every second of it.Ellie is the sea Collin is the land, when they put their hands together they become one and feel the life around them. I would break the curse just for that alone. Ellie and Collin are a pair made in heaven. I could of read about them forever but as all stories go collin betrays her. GOD DAMN IT!!! I can get her need to be pissed but in the second book she gets with another guy *SIGH* *DOUBLE SIGH* when what collin done weren't unforgivable (I wouldn't say) and that was it for me. The other guy got on my nerves and the story started to dwindle towards boring...... So basically I've liked just this book in the series.The history feeling alone is good enough, the romance makes it scorching, the gates to hell opening makes it fantasy, the killings make it action and Collin makes it AMAZING! Read if you dare (excuse the pun)WARNING: If you love Collin be ready to get depressed in the next two......
    • 3/5
      *I received a complimentary e-book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

      So I really wanted to like this book, and during some parts I was captivated by the story behind the curse. I felt like the characters kind of fell short and I was becoming increasingly annoyed with the main protagonists, Ellie and Collin. Collin was, simply put, a jerk throughout the story until the very end and Ellie's thoughts and actions made me roll my eyes more than once. Also, I felt like a lot of the dialog was very cliche and unrealistic. That being said, the details of the curse made me keep reading and held my attention until the end. The writing was actually pretty decent and I got a little less annoyed with the characters at the end, so I will most likely read the next book in the series when it comes out.
    • 4/5
      Ellie Lancaster is trying hard to live an ordinary life, as ordinary as she can with a father with Alzheimers, a family inn that is failing and two jobs to keep everything going. Her life changes when Collin Dailey walks in the door of the cafe where she works and her life changes forever.He's such an assumptive ass, she's not doing better research or paying enough attention to what's happening. They both need to wake up and smell the coffee. Sometimes she's just too stupid to live. But I found it quite a readable story even if I sometimes wanted the author to get on with the story and stop meandering and going on road trips. The families needed to have more people involved in their secret to stop it from being lost. Could have done with better editing and some tightening. I'm looking forward to the sequel.
    • 5/5
      ***Copy provided from the Publisher via Netgalley***

      I LOVED this book!!! I could not put it down! I am wanting to go right now and get the next in the series, I have to find out what will happen next!!! Not really a cliffhanger ending per se,but enough to leave you wanting the next one! I expected it, but then again I didn't!

      I really liked the premises behind the book! The history and how it effects everything was done very well! I have to say I really liked how different things went with Ellie and Collin. I was loving all the banter! Great read!
    • 3/5
      A unique and interesting paranormal tale revolving heavily around the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Some Native American lore mixed with the paranormal make this a fascinating urban fantasy. However, this book has two of the most frustrating characters ever! So this really is a fifty/fifty book

      Ellie is a waitress and helps her stepmother run the family in. Her father has dementia and the family struggles financially. She is a Curse Keeper. One of two and when she meets the other they unlock a gate that has been keeping angry Gods and spirits locked away for the past several hundred years. Now they only have 1 week to seal the gate before it is too late.

      The problems? Ellie does not remember how. Her father taught her but she forgot and dismissed the lessons. They are missing key items needed to stop the vengeful from passing the gate and they have a strange despised attraction to one another.

      At first Collin frustrated me the most. He is a complete jerk and has a LOT of secrets. But then Ellie is frustrating in her own right. While they only have a week to SAVE THE WORLD she at first refuses to work with him just because he rubs her the wrong way then things like job shifts, etc are still needed. UMM, you are on a tight schedule and you don't even have or know what you need yet. You just rely on Collin and assume nothing will go wrong?! Then, to top everything off, Collin keeps warning her off, saying not to trust him, yet she does and then blames him when it goes bad! I wanted to go off on her several times throughout the book. While I don't have to love every character is is hard to fully enjoy the book when the main character refuses to take off her rose-colored glasses and wake up while the world is going downhill fast. GRRR!

      I do like how the author took the time to look into the legends and lore to make this book work. It gave the book a more plausible feel. The story concept is great with an interesting perspective. The writing style is okay but not great. Simple, I guess you could say. The flow works and it builds nicely to the ending.

      Overall, I am curious enough to read the next book but Ellie especially needs to improve or I might not continue very far. The ending of this book better have been a wake-up call for her. Note that this is a New Adult book and is filled with sexual situations from beginning to end.

      *I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair/honest review. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.* 2.5 stars
    • 4/5
      THE CURSE KEEPERS mines a different mythology for its paranormal elements than most of the paranormals I read. This one deals with ancient curses and trapped Native American gods. Ellie Lancaster's father told her all the legends and tried to teach her about her heritage as a Curse Keeper. But after her mother's death in a home invasion, Ellie mentally blocked out all that he taught her. Now the curse has been broken, her father is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, and Ellie really needs to know what she blocked from her mind.Collin Dailey has come to town. He is the other curse keeper of this generation. He is really handsome but also really arrogant and he isn't willing to cut Ellie any slack for what he sees as her irresponsibility. Nonetheless, Ellie and Collin have to work together. They have seven days to seal the gate or let loose vengeful Native American gods who have been trapped for 400 years.Ellie is a pretty normal young woman. She doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. She is looking for the sort of relationship that she perceived her parents had but hasn't found the right man yet. She is in complete denial about the whole idea of curses. Collin has known about his role as curse keeper his whole life but has made some choices along the way that are very questionable. He seems to work for a criminal boss who is eager to get his hands on Ellie because he thinks she knows something of value to him. I began this story not really liking either of the main characters very much. Until I knew Ellie's story, I couldn't understand why she was so adamant in ignoring the curse. I thought Collin was just rude and not at all helpful. I still have trouble believing that the two of them would ever have any sort of relationship. The story was exciting, though, and had lots of twists and turns in its plot. Readers looking for something different in a paranormal will enjoy this one.
    • 4/5
      Denise Grover Swank is a new author for me and I enjoyed this book very much. The heroine in the story is Ellie Lancaster, her father was a curse keeper and because she is a descendant and now turned 18 she is the a curse keeper.Collin Dailey is also a curse keeper and when they meet the prophecy begins.The curse say's that when the two curse keepers meet and touch the gates holding the evil demons will open and they will have only 7 days to close them again before the gates let the demons escape.The plot line is exciting as they go the hunt for relics they will need for the ceremony. The relationship between Ellie and Collin at the begging isn't very good as they to learn to trust each other and realize they might need each other.It's a great start for The Curse Keeper series, and I'm looking forward to finding out what's next for Ellie and Collin.A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review.
    • 3/5
      Plot: 3 1/2 stars
      Characters: 2 stars
      Style: 3 stars
      Pace: 3stars

      I figured I'd give her books another chance, and since this one was on a kindle special for like $3 not long after it was released, it seemed worth the shot. I almost DNF multiple times on it. I found the characters flat and the MC was... well, too stupid to live is a kindness comparatively. The sex scenes in it were okay, but felt predictable and dry. The only bright part in it was a strong, for once not horribly cliche use of Native American mythology.
    • 2/5
      This sounded like a really interesting story but I couldn't stand either main character. Ellie is a small town girl going nowhere with her life and everything changes when a handsome stranger arrives in the diner she works at and shakes her hand. Turns out she and this man have 7 days to close the spirit gates that have been opened. Both are descendants of the two people that closed the gates to the spirit world last time during the time of the Roanoke colony. The curse keeper duties fall to the oldest child when they turn 18 but Ellie has blocked all the knowledge her father tried to teach her since her mother died when she was 9. Collin on the other hand knows everything about the curse and is angry that she has remained willfully ignorant. Collin is the total bad boy hottie in the story but the only thing that makes sense of Ellie's attraction to him and her constant trust in him even after he does questionable things is the magical bond they have. I honestly grew bored with the story and the push/pull of the attraction she had for him. Mostly the book irritated me and I will not be reading the next one in the series.


      Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
    • 3/5
      Actual rating 3.5 stars.

      My request to view this title was approved by Netgalley.

      Curse Keepers is a fantastic paranormal romance based on Native American mythology. Ellie Lancaster has been told by her father she is a Curse Keeper but Ellie flat out refuses to believe him. Until the day Collin Daily walks into the restaurant she works at and everything changes.

      I must admit when I read the first chapter and the hot guy walked in, the connection felt by Ellie, I was thinking oh no, here we go, insta love. But it wasn't insta-love at all. Their meeting sparks an ancient curse, opening the gates of hell and the mythology tells that the two Curse Keepers now have seven days to close the Gates of Hell before chaos erupts and gods and spirits are set loose on the earth.

      The story was compelling, I loved the setting, and the Native American mythology. Ellie was a pretty kick ass heroine. There was some wonderful writing and description as the plot progressed. Ellie had a hard time still believing the whole thing was real before reluctantly accepting her duty. When she finally did - it was awesome.

      My main issue with the book as to why it was a three star not five star was Ellie's push and pull relationship with Collin. I hated his character. He was an asshole right from the start. Pretty pissed off that he had been training for this Curse Keeper thing his whole life and Ellie hadn't (reasons for Ellie's lack of training and belief were explained in the novel). and he talked down to her a lot. He was beyond arrogant, with a very iffy background. He and Ellie bickered like children a lot and that really got annoying.

      While as much as I disliked Collin, as the novel progressed, he and Ellie became more and more attracted to each other and the romance was pretty damn sizzling. Until a twist at the end changed everything.

      Even though I hated the male lead, I still did thoroughly enjoy the novel and it did have a kick ass ending so I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel.

      So thank you Netgalley for approving my view request and to 47 North as well who gave me my first Netgalley auto-approval.
    • 5/5
      The Curse Keepers is a fun History/Mystery/Paranormal/Romance, YA novel. It is the first book in Denise's new series. I enjoyed this book because it wasn't just romance without depth. The main character Ellie is thrust in the middle of what ends up being quite a thrill ride. She is a small town girl dedicated to helping keep the family business a float, working not only at the local restaurant but also as often as she can at the family business. Due to a traumatic event when she was young she lost her mom and seems to shy away from serious relationships as a coping mechanism. In walks Collin and all common sense flies out the door. Collin is what appears to be a bad boy determined to use Ellie to take care of his own family business-the curse that they both inherited. Together they work together to stop evil from taking over the world. Ellie and Collin's seem to clash through most of the story, until she caves and falls for his charm. This is where the steamy romance steps in. As with all ending's to the first book in any series this one leaves you wondering what is next to come! I want to add the Native American history added to this really added depth to the story. It's always fun for me to see what new ways Denise will find to create her stories with and she didn't fail with this series! I will add that it is a written with young adults in mind, but as I am not close to that category anymore I still loved this story. Great job once again Denise!
    • 5/5
      This was my first time reading Denise Grover Swank’s work and The Curse Keepers, the first novel in her new urban fantasy series is fan-freaking-tastic! After reading the book’s description and discovering the setting was in my native state of NC, I just knew it was going to be one I liked, and it turned out to be even better than I expected. This book appealed to me on so many different levels:The Setting/History/Native American MythsThe Outer Banks of North Carolina holds a special place in my heart and is one of my favorite places to vacation, and Swank sets the story on the small tourist island of Roanoke, NC. Growing up in N.C., I was very familiar with the history and mysterious disappearance of Roanoke’s lost colony, and even after all these years, there is still much speculation about what really happened to the remaining colonists after John White returned from England three years later to find the settlement had been abandoned.Swank provides her own unusual theory about the lost colony by weaving its history into a very creative fictitious plot involving Native American mythology, magic, and the supernatural. She has created a complex plot centered around two descendants, Ellie and Collin, connected to the colony and their secret responsibility to guard the gate separating the earthly and spiritual worlds. The storyline is engaging and kept me enthralled during the entire book, which I figuratively devoured in one day.The PlotWhen Ellie and Collin meet in the first chapter of the book, the tension between them is palpable and Ellie’s visceral reaction to Collin is what hooked me. Ellie has no idea their encounter has set in motion events that will endanger her life and threaten the future of humanity. Now the clock is ticking, and time is running out for Ellie who must accept the responsibilities given to her as a Curse Keeper and take the necessary measures to close the gate to keep angry, vengeful gods and spirits from entering the earthly realm. The problem? Ellie has no clue what she's supposed to do and is forced to rely upon, Collin, the second Curse Keeper whom she finds both infuriating and desirable to help her survive the next seven days. The Characters Ellie Lancaster is the protagonist, and the entire story is told from her POV, which is effective in building suspense since readers only get her limited viewpoint, and when secrets and revelations come to light, I was just as shocked as she as her world spins out of control right up to the very end. I couldn’t help but like Ellie; she’s down-to-earth, funny, and witty even though she frustrated the heck out of me at first because she kept denying the truth…that all those stories her father told her about being a Curse Keeper are true, and now she needs to step up and become the protector she is destined to be. However, when Ellie does finally get in the game and accept her magical gifts, she is a woman to be reckoned with, and she really steps up to earn my admiration and respect. Ellie is a gutsy young woman who has the gumption to stand up to the arrogant, drop-dead gorgeous Collin, who tries to intimidate her at every turn throughout the first half of the book. She has the attitude and the snark to put him in his place when he deserves it. Their witty banter and bickering are engaging and at times downright hilarious. Even in the midst of danger and despair, Ellie finds ways to lighten the somberness of the situation and ease the tension.Collin is a complicated character and what you see is not always what you get with him. On the surface, he’s cocky, aloof, and most definitely a heartbreaker. He’s a man with his own agenda and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He even tells Ellie not to trust him, even though he seems to always have her best interests at heart. Ellie wavers back and forth over just how much she can trust Collin and early on is so suspicious of his motives, she doesn’t want to let him out of her sight. Collin is a mysterious man with many secrets, only some of which are revealed in this first book. The RomanceThe chemistry between Ellie and Collin is potent, especially when they link their magic together. Swank gradually builds the sexual tension between them until it becomes clear that it isn't if they will get together, but when.“Are you an angel or enchantress, Ellie Lancaster?”I kissed him long and slow, nipping his lower lip and licking behind it. “I’m whichever you want me to be.” ***“You must be an enchantress. You have me under your spell.”He kissed me this time, making my pulse rise. “And what does that make you?” I teased.“Yours.” The end of the book is intense, shocking, and left me greedy for the next installment! This is a series I will most certainly continue to follow. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher to review for an honest opinion. The quotes used are taken from a pre-published copy and may be changed or omitted in the published version.
    • 2/5
      I just finished reading The Curse Keepers by Denise Grover Swank and I must say, I have mixed feelings. The book didn’t have a very good flow to it, and I found myself skimming instead of delving because I wanted to get through it. I don’t believe in reviewing a book that I have not read all the way through.First, let me point out some good things about this book. There is a rather hot “bad guy” type character that is pretty irresistible. The romantic relationship between said “bad guy” and the lead character is pretty steamy and fun to read. Ellie, the lead character, is not a dumb blonde bimbo that is blinding by her co-star’s beauty. She has a brain of her own and uses it regularly. The whole idea of a curse based on the lost Roanoke Colony is pretty unique. The ending was pretty heart wrenching and lends itself to an interesting sequel.On the other hand, I had some serious issues with The Curse Keepers. The dialogue in this book seems like it is trying extremely hard to be natural. Banter between Ellie and Collin, dreamy bad guy, fills the majority of this novel and it is just not easy too forced. Another issue I have is that Ellie says the term “f- you” a LOT and I don’t really like that. There is a certain allotment I have for books when it comes to cursing, but too much takes away from the plot, just like it does for a movie, and it passed that mark into annoying.Other readers may really enjoy this book, it is on the historical fiction side and that alone will float the boats of many readers, but I did not care for it. I will not be picking up the sequel, The Curse Breakers. It came out on April 29th of this year. I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I think that is what I’ve given. I don’t want to be too critical or harsh, but nobody is going to like every book they read.
    • 4/5
      The Curse Keepers. 3.5 stars elevated to 4 for the creativity shown in her history and keeping deep respect for the Native American culture.I would like to thank both NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for granting me the chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Though I received the e-book for free that in no way influences this review.The wall between our world and that of vengeful spirits has protected humanity for more than 400 years. It’s about to come crashing down.Ellie Lancaster has lived her whole life by the site of the mysterious Lost Colony of Roanoke, the Virginia settlement that vanished without a trace around 1590. Only the descendants of the two men who banished the spirits of an enemy tribe from the material realm know what really happened to the colony. Ellie is one of those descendants—a Curse Keeper. Her father took pains to teach her what he knew of the curse and the responsibilities of its guardians. He taught her that if the two Curse Keepers ever meet, the curse will be lifted, the gate will open, and the raging Native American spirits will be unleashed to seek their revenge.Despite her father’s seriousness, Ellie has always taken the legend for a harmless fairy tale. Until she meets the darkly handsome, but downright infuriating, Collin Dailey and realizes everything she was told is true. For when they meet, it’s like the air is sucked from the room. Collin’s presence is electrifying… and it’s not just attraction Ellie feels, but the inexorable pull toward her destiny. The prophecy is real, and now Ellie and Collin must battle supernatural forces and their loathing—and passion—for each other to set things right.The Curse Keepers are all that stand between the world and its destruction.Ellie Lancaster works at the New Moon restaurant and at her family's B&B. Her mom died when she was a little girl, sacrificing her own life to save Ellie. But secretly Ellie has always blamed herself for her mother's death because a few days before she died Ellie had broken THE rule, telling her best friend Claire about the Curse and how she'll be a Curse Keeper someday. After that day no matter how her father pleaded she refused to talk about or learn about the Curse Keeper's, but the time has come that she deeply regrets her stubborn refusal to learn from her father.It all starts the day that Collin Dailey shows up in the restaurant during her shift and suddenly Ellie simply can't breathe - a sign of the two Curse Keepers meeting. And since he is the only new person in the restaurant Ellie knows what he is. Legend states that if the two Curse Keeper's ever meet they only have seven days to close the the gate to Hell or the world will be overrun by the angry & vengeful spirits that got locked away. While sitting at his table Collin suddenly reaches out and grabs Ellie by the hand, sending a jolt of electricity through them both. That single touch also leaves them both with matching marks on their palms. From this point on Ellie's life seems to spiral out of control, and Ellie cherishes control.Ellie is a pretty well grounded woman, one who doesn't believe in the nonsense that her Alzheimer-ridden father continues to spout. He may forget who Ellie is, but he still remembers that damned Curse. Living frugally is second nature to Ellie as she works multiple jobs in an effort to help keep the family home. As much as she loves the place, and all the kind folks who stay at the B&B, she simply can't bring herself to move back in. She values her privacy and personal space too much to manage living with her dad, stepmom, and rotating number of guests. But she is a good girl and works herself to exhaustion daily in her attempt to make up for not moving back in. Plus she simply loves her family. She is a pretty solid character, strong and resilient, but not without her flaws. According to virtually everyone her biggest flaw is her taste in men, and when she really thinks about it she has to agree. She always goes for safe, comfortable men - in other words, boring. At least she did until Collin comes along.The two begin with a very contentious relationship, and as they spend time together things go from bad to worse with Collin repeatedly dragging Ellie into dangerous situations. Yet despite all of the problems neither one can deny the electric chemistry flying between them. Though Collin keeps telling her not to trust him, for once Ellie throws caution to the wind and ignores his warnings, assuming he is talking about his ugly past, the one which is spilling over into their present. But he isn't the only one keeping secrets, and their mutual distrust causes them unnecessary problems.Collin is pretty much up front about who, and what, he is. He makes no effort to hide his past from Ellie, or at least not until the day he takes her out to reach her how to surf. After that day Collin becomes even more conflicted about his relationship with Ellie, but feels trapped by history and his role as the other Curse Keeper. Even though he repeatedly tells Ellie not to trust him and to stay away emotionally, he is unable to resist her, and not strong enough to follow his own advice for both their sakes. The question is, will their new-found love survive the test to come?There is a nice balance between the character building and action throughout the story, creating a smooth arc to the story so that you never feel to bogged down in any one section. The ending leaves plenty of unanswered questions and challenges that remain to be met as the series continues.