Home of the Alpha Showdown, and one-stop shop for urban fantasy, paranormal romance and fantasy news and reviews.
Things are advancing in the Alpha Showdown 2013. We’ve hit the second tier of the event. Winners will start battling winners. Expect the stakes to be raised and the smack talk to increase.
Both characters this round fought hard to get here. Their quarterfinal rounds were tied up until the end. Only one can continue to the final round. You decide.
Read the pitches, then make the call. Who should advance to the next round in the Alpha Showdown? The poll at the end of this post will be open for two days. Remember, alphas don’t share titles. Your votes decide who advances in the Alpha Showdown 2013.
New for 2013! Every (non-spam) comment on an Alpha Showdown post will enter you to win books featuring the final four alphas. So make sure to join the discussion and cheer on your favorite alphas.
Adam HauptmanYou know him from: The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs
First appeared in: Moon Called
Supernatural status: alpha werewolf
Championed by: Mandi from Smexy Books | @smexybooks
“Mercy,” said my mother thoughtfully, “you never told me your werewolf neighbor was quite that hot.”
Why can’t we all have a hottie neighbor? One that is not only a security specialist but one that would literally eat anyone who annoyed you.
“Sorry to disappoint you,” Adam told Kelly in silky tones. “But I prefer rabbits. Humans taste like pork.” And then he smiled. Kelly took an involuntary step backward.
*dreamy sigh*
Adam Hauptman is not only a smart businessman, but also an alpha werewolf commanding a pack of shifters that bow down to him on a daily basis. He is an alpha extraordinaire! This is the “Alpha Showdown.” I’m not even sure I need to give anymore evidence to make Adam the clear champion. But if I must…
I think what makes Adam stand out against all the other weasly wannabe alphas *smirks* is that he is a well-rounded alpha. He not only has the strength to fight off any enemy and to fight those in his pack that challenge him, but he has the smarts. He is extremely intelligent which ladies…we can all admit is a very sexy trait. He is cunning and doesn’t have to waste his energy unnecessarily.
So we know Adam is smart and fierce. But how does his alpha tendencies relate to his mate? Perfectly of course.
“I like her just the way she is, Bran.” And he meant it, greasy overalls, broken fingernails, and all.”
Is there anything better? While his protective streak runs deep with Mercy, he respects her for who she is. And that right there is the key to everything.
Intelligent. Dominant. Respectful. Gorgeous. Ladies and gents. We have a winner.
Reyes FarrowYou know him from: The Charley Davidson Series by Darynda Jones
First appearance is: First Grave on the Right (VBC review)
Supernatural Status: The Son of Satan
Championed by: Jo from Vampire Book Club | @Jo_VBC
I see a lot of vampires, some weres and even a dragon in this year’s Alpha Showdown… but only one son of Satan. That’s right, VBC readers, make way for the one, the only Reyes Farrow.
Born from the heat of supernova, he grew to be the General of Hell, leading thousands of soldiers in countless wars… and he gave it all up for a girl. That’s right, Rey’aziel (he’s name literally means the Beautiful One!) said a big FU to his dad and became Hell’s public enemy No. 1 to spend a mortal lifetime with Charley. He didn’t just turn his back on Hell though, he decided to stand directly in the path of what his father wants most, fighting on the front line to keep Heaven and Earth safe.
Inhumanly fast, bordering on indestructible and with an immeasurable IQ, he can take just about anything on. He can fight in his corporeal and incorporeal forms AT THE SAME TIME (yep, he can be in two places at once). When corporeal he’ll use that lethal body to take you out, but when incorporeal he’ll severe your spine without so much as a mark. He’s literally badass enough to scare the dead.
But it isn’t just all about the fighting, oh no. He can be compassionate and kind, he loves with his whole heart and would die in a heartbeat for those he holds close. He’s always willing to make himself look like the bad guy (or in some cases to actually be the bad guy) in order to protect someone else. His Alpha energy may intimidate people on an instinctual level, but for those who truly know him, he inspires unwavering loyalty.
Oh and he does all this looking like tattooed sex on legs, rendering most women speechless when he walks in a room.
Ultimate Alpha = Reyes Farrow. ‘Nough said.
This poll will be open for 48 hours. Alpha with the most votes will advance.
I love Adam, but I don’t think he could beat Reyes in a fight!
Love them both. Sooooo hard to choose!
I absolutely love both Adam and Reyes. But Adam can’t sever someone’s spine without breaking a sweat or leaving a mark. I have to vote for Reyes
What kind of alpha uses his mate as bait? A terrible one.
Adam all the way because he’s a better man and a better alpha. Scratch that – he’s an actual alpha unlike that other guy.
Lets hope Reyes fans can play fair this time. We’ll know soon enough.
Adam!
nooo! Reyes can’t lose 🙁
What a tough battle to choose from between Adam and Reyes. Gotta say that supernatural badass goes to another level with Reyes though. These are 2 of my favorite series ever.
Oh wow I love both of them, two of my favourite series and guys….this is a tough choice
I was a bit torn but have to say Adam… 🙂
Adam is all about the protective streak. That’s the makings of a great alpha right there!
This is great fun, but it is getting harder and harder to pick! Have any showdowns ever ended in a draw between the last two?
Adam is such an alpha. There is no way he could win!!!
These rounds are KILLING me. Gonna have to go with Adam because he staked his claim on my heart first.
shoot…. COULDN’T!!!
Adam!!! An Alpha with a heart!
I absolutely love Adam. He was the first Alpha i met and he has to stay my #1 for that reason! But I don’t know Reyes so can’t really comment about him.
It’s Adam for me.
Adam!
Love Love Love Adam but Mercy has saved his butt too many times … whereas Reyes always saves Charlie.
Going with Reyes. I love Adam but he is definitely a team player whereas Reyes gets it done on his own. Reyes gets down and dirty, lone wolf style to take care of Charley and he doesn’t worry about his image like Adam has to do.
Reyes is the best! I love him.
Reyes is smokin hot.
Adam
Reyes literally let him self be torn apart over and over in order to keep his lady safe. Even though he gave up immortality to spend one human life with ger, he was willing to spend that life in pain and seperated from her if it meant her safety. No selfishness there. Go Reyes.
Love them both! But… I honestly think Adam. He takes care of everyone in his pack and isn’t afraid of letting Mercy be the hero. Theirs is a balanced relationship wheras Reyes is always worried about what Charley will do when she realizes what she is capable of. While Reyes would win a physical fight, I think Adam has more respect for his female without threatening her or using her as bait (when she doesn’t want to be used anyway lol)
Adam!
Adam all the way! Remember as alpha he can draw upon the strength of his pack and was in Vietnam if he has to play dirty to win and protect those he loves he’ll do it. And since all Alphas in North America are sworn to Bran he could pull on Bran’s power, if Bran is feeling generous.
Go Reyes!
Adam, because I still haven’t read Darynda Jones. Should go and remedy that, lol.
Even though he is sometimes an ass, he is always a badass. Reyes Farrow is Alpha.
Adam!
No contest – Reyes hands down.
Reyes!
Gonna have to go with Reyes. Not that it matters since Ryo will be kicking his ass in a few days lol
I love them both but I love Adam more. This is so cruel making us choose like this, but on the plus is heloing us discover new Authors. I am sorry Darynda but I have to choose Adam..
Adam alle the way!!! He can’t lose please please please!!!
This one was incredibly hard for me. I love both of these characters………….in the end I had to go with Adam.
Adam!
Adam! Reyes shouldn’t have best Curran!
Reyes all the way baby. He is the son of Satan after all and fight demons! I love me some Adam but Reyes is a knockout.
Reyes, all the way Reyes!!!
Voting for Reyes. But who ever does win this round is who I will be voting for next round!
I was planning to vote for Reyes anyway, but Jo, your pitch is perfect! Great job!
when does the poll close?
12 a.m. CST.
I had so much trouble with this one!! I like them both equally…Reyes gets the Alpha vote though. I like his ruthlessness..
I love me some Reyes!
There’s cheating going on RIGHT NOW. Why don’t the moderators do anything about it? What’s the point of this poll if it’s just a cheating race?!
Like every year prior, we’ve utilized Poll Daddy for this event and the winner is determined via popular vote. As that third-party manages the poll on our behalf, we do not have any rules regarding the number of times a person can vote.
While we do monitor for poll spamming bots, as long as real people are voting, it isn’t cheating. We certainly would put a limitation on things if there was a prize involved here, but the goal of the Alpha Showdown is to encourage readership and help people find new series to love.
Then voting fairly is pointless. Good to know. Hopefully all the honest folk will take note and not waste their time anymore.
Ok, I’ve seen multiple people say there’s cheating & I’m not trying to start an argument, I’m just genuinely curious….what exactly is happening that makes people say there is cheating? Is it just the fact that the alpha you prefer is losing?
I’m not a petty child that would say people are cheating simply because my preferred character is losing.
People are voting multiple times – hundreds of times, even – just to maintain their preferred character in the lead. It;s called spamming. It happened on the Curran and Reyes round and it happened here. Now the moderator herself has volunteered that they allow that. It isn’t mentioned in the original post, so that everyone could benefit from it, but they think it’s okay. That means that if 199 honest people voted their one fair vote and 1 single opposing person spammed 200 votes, that one person would win. So, what’s the point of voting, if people with too much time on their hands will just sit there and spam votes for hours?
Why require an email address to comment, but not to vote? That would reduce cheating.
I didn’t call you a petty child. If you read my comment I said I was asking out of genuine curiousity. Seeing as how I’m unable to see “one person voting hundreds of times”, I’m curious as to how you came to that conclusion. Yes, I voted for Reyes because I love the character, but I find it irritating that something that is intended to be fun & introduce readers to new books becomes so serious to some people that they start calling others cheaters. I never called anybody a petty child or insulted anybody. I’m just curious as to how some people are coming to the conclusion that one (or multiple people) are voting “hundreds” of times like you say because I don’t see anything here that SHOWS that. Once again, I’m not trying to pick a fight. I just genuinely want to know.
It also DOESN’T say on here that you could only vote ONCE. If it was coming from only one side, then it wouldn’t be fair. But ALL sides are voting more than once. Do you actually think more than 9,000 people voted for Curran? No. I’m sure a lot of people voted. But some people voted more than once. I voted more than once for Curran. Even on Ilona Andrews facebook page there were people commenting how they voted a few times. It happens. Because it’s just a poll to have fun. It’s not official and no one is winning any prizes for being the Alpha.
Even if the poll required an email address, people have more than one. I have several and can use my kids’ emails and other family members if I wanted to. Others can do the same or they can even open multiple emails since it costs nothing to do so and it’s very easy.
Screaming that the winning side is cheating when EVERY SIDE is voting more than once and it is ALLOWED does show pettiness. Even more so when you’re coming on this site and criticizing the people doing a competition that’s supposed to be fun and help you find new books to read. I didn’t know who Reyes was but found him when he went against Curran. I now have a new series to read and am grateful for this competition, I’m not being a sore loser that my guy didn’t win. Get over it.
Hi Mary. How do you know cheating is going on?
Actually, if you try to vote more than once in a day on the same device, it tells you that your vote has already been counted. It will allow you to vote again the second day. So I don’t see how one person can be voting 200 times unless they have access to that many devices i.e. computer, laptop, smart phone, tablet, etc.
Google it. It’s possible to avoid the one vote limit and plenty have been doing that. That’s what I was griping about. It’s allowed though, per moderator, so knock yourselves out. I accept that it’s allowed, but I don’t have to like it.
Good for you, Ally. Not that I care. I’m entitled to my opinion. And regardless of how many emails you have, no one person has hundreds of email addresses. So yeah, that would be a great solution IF this was still an issue. Chelsea already said it’s allowed, which is something I didn’t know, so that’s that. Now I know and I have an opinion on it, just like you have your opinion on it. My opinion is MY OPINION and it will stay MY OPINION. Get over it.
THis is hard. I love both alphas but I am going for Reyes
Adam all the way!
ADAM is all alpha!