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Darkyn #1
If Angels Burn
SHE RESTORES THE LIGHT OF HOPE.
Dr. Alexandra Keller is Chicago's most brilliant reconstructive surgeon.
HE DWELLS IN SHADOW.
Michael Cyprien is New Orleans's most reclusive millionaire--and in desperate need of Dr. Keller's skills.
A NEW DAWN AWAITS THEM BOTH....
Beneath the foundation of a mansion in the heart of the Garden District, Alexandra will perform an illegal surgery. Her patient's disfigurement is beyond medical repair. But his body's ability to recuperate from his wounds borders on the miraculous.
Alexandra knows Michael Cyprien is no ordinary patient. Intrigued by how his remarkable physiology might benefit medical science, she is even more compelled by his presence--and the mystery surrounding him and his associates, a cadre of immortals who call themselves the Darkyn.
Dr. Alexandra Keller is Chicago's most brilliant reconstructive surgeon.
HE DWELLS IN SHADOW.
Michael Cyprien is New Orleans's most reclusive millionaire--and in desperate need of Dr. Keller's skills.
A NEW DAWN AWAITS THEM BOTH....
Beneath the foundation of a mansion in the heart of the Garden District, Alexandra will perform an illegal surgery. Her patient's disfigurement is beyond medical repair. But his body's ability to recuperate from his wounds borders on the miraculous.
Alexandra knows Michael Cyprien is no ordinary patient. Intrigued by how his remarkable physiology might benefit medical science, she is even more compelled by his presence--and the mystery surrounding him and his associates, a cadre of immortals who call themselves the Darkyn.
291 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 5, 2005
80 people are currently reading
5,933 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Viehl
53books986followersAlso see S.L. Viehl, Gena Hale, Jessica Hall. Rebecca Kelly.
She writes mostly novels in a variety of genres and under several pseudonyms. Among them are science fiction (as S. L. Viehl), romantic fiction (as Lynn Viehl, Gena Hale, and Jessica Hall), and Christian fiction (as Rebecca Kelly). She has described herself as primarily a writer of romance: no matter what genre she is working in, an element of romance will always be present.
In what spare time remains she enjoys quilting, reading, cooking, painting, and knitting. She currently lives with her family in Florida.
She writes mostly novels in a variety of genres and under several pseudonyms. Among them are science fiction (as S. L. Viehl), romantic fiction (as Lynn Viehl, Gena Hale, and Jessica Hall), and Christian fiction (as Rebecca Kelly). She has described herself as primarily a writer of romance: no matter what genre she is working in, an element of romance will always be present.
In what spare time remains she enjoys quilting, reading, cooking, painting, and knitting. She currently lives with her family in Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 451 reviews
July 9, 2010
5 stars – Vampire/Urban Fantasy Romance
I’ve had Viehl’s Darkyn series on my TBR shelf for quite some time now, but I’d made a decision not to start on any new series until I’ve caught up with all the others that I’m following. Oh well, resolutions are made to be broken, right? I have to say that in this case, I’m glad because I found this to be an engrossing and chilling read.
As some other reviewers have noted, it leans more towards urban fantasy rather than straight paranormal romance due to the dark, gritty, violent, and graphic content and the fact that it doesn’t have the typical, declared HEA ending. But that didn’t lessen my enjoyment at all, perhaps since I knew ahead of time to expect it, or maybe I just loved it because of the top-notch writing, spellbinding story, strong, interesting characters, fascinating medical science aspect, captivating history of the Darkyn, unique take on some of the usual vampire clichés, and twisted, demented religious zealots as the villains. The Brethren monks reminded me of the fanatical priests in Dan Brown’s , and yes, I admit that I loved that book.
As for the “romance” part of the story, it is a very slow building, reluctant, volatile love-hate relationship between the H/H, but there’s a kissing scene involving fangs that’s extremely erotic, even more so than when they finally have sex. Although the “I love you’s” are expressed between the H/H, there is still a lot left unresolved between them, other characters, and with the story in general, as well as having a slight cliffhanger ending.
Overall, this was a nice surprise, a thrilling read, and something different to re‘vamp’ (pun intended) the paranormal romance reading slump I’ve been experiencing lately. It looks like I’ve got yet another series to catch up on! 5 stars!
I’ve had Viehl’s Darkyn series on my TBR shelf for quite some time now, but I’d made a decision not to start on any new series until I’ve caught up with all the others that I’m following. Oh well, resolutions are made to be broken, right? I have to say that in this case, I’m glad because I found this to be an engrossing and chilling read.
As some other reviewers have noted, it leans more towards urban fantasy rather than straight paranormal romance due to the dark, gritty, violent, and graphic content and the fact that it doesn’t have the typical, declared HEA ending. But that didn’t lessen my enjoyment at all, perhaps since I knew ahead of time to expect it, or maybe I just loved it because of the top-notch writing, spellbinding story, strong, interesting characters, fascinating medical science aspect, captivating history of the Darkyn, unique take on some of the usual vampire clichés, and twisted, demented religious zealots as the villains. The Brethren monks reminded me of the fanatical priests in Dan Brown’s , and yes, I admit that I loved that book.
As for the “romance” part of the story, it is a very slow building, reluctant, volatile love-hate relationship between the H/H, but there’s a kissing scene involving fangs that’s extremely erotic, even more so than when they finally have sex. Although the “I love you’s” are expressed between the H/H, there is still a lot left unresolved between them, other characters, and with the story in general, as well as having a slight cliffhanger ending.
Overall, this was a nice surprise, a thrilling read, and something different to re‘vamp’ (pun intended) the paranormal romance reading slump I’ve been experiencing lately. It looks like I’ve got yet another series to catch up on! 5 stars!
June 29, 2022
Like with most UF books it took me a bit to get my bearings in this new paranormal world, but once I did I loved it. I like the way vampirism is in this book. I liked Dr. Alexandra Keller, but I did at times get annoyed with the way she kept pushing Michael away. Of course Michael wasn't a perfect prince by any means. The way he didn't make him unlovable, but a flawed hero. I liked getting to know Alex's brother John Keller and I felt really bad for the way things went for him. I hated the Brethren and Gelina so much. There was some nasty torture and rape in this book so be warned it's dark. The books ends in a kinda cliffy and I really want to jump in and see what happens next.
November 29, 2018
3.5 stars
June 28, 2008
I was standing in my local Borders one day looking for someone new to read. I was in the mood for something from the Paranormal family having just finished reading two of JR Ward's books back-to-back. I had soured on Laurell K. Hamilton. JR Ward wasn't due for a new book for a six months. And who knows when L.A. Banks was coming out with her next one. I had enjoyed Richelle Mead and was waiting for her next one to come out as well. I was on the library waiting list for unread Marjorie Liu's and Nalini Singh's. So I was somewhere betwixt and between.
My problem was that the paranormal genre seems a bit over saturated to me. And to my mind, it takes a bit of intestinal fortitude to wade through the various offerings to weed out the stuff you don't like just to find the gems you do. And unfortunately, I had tried quite a few other authors that just didn't seem to click for me. I really don't like Feehan's work and really wish I hadn't stuck it out so long with Kenyon. I tried a Lyndsay Sands once but her stuff for me just read like a Harlequin with fangs. And I had worked through two of Laura Adrien's when I realized I wasn't being drawn into her world because I was too busy playing hunt the JR Ward similarities.
Then suddenly I was standing in front of Lynn Viehl's section. I had read some reviews of her stuff where people either seemed to love them or hate them. And the reviews on Amazon completely intrigued me. So I got If Angels Burn.
I was instantly hooked.
Alexandra Keller is a surgeon who gets kidnapped to perform reconstructive surgery on the face of a reclusive millionaire, Michael Cyprien. The Reason? A Time magazine article hailing her as being "speedy." You see Michael is one of the Dark Kin, a vampire. He had been kidnapped and tortured by The Brethren. A secret unsanctioned sect of the Catholic church dedicated to hunting down and eradicating the Darkyn. They know the Darkyn's only vulnerability is to copper and used copper weapons to ruin Michael's face. But Michael is a vampire and their healing ability is legendary. So as they broke the bones in his face, they healed over quickly and grotesquely. His dilemma with getting his face fixed is that he would heal faster than any surgeon could reconstruct him. Except possibly, Alex "Speedy fingers" Keller.
In the meantime, Alex's brother John is a priest who is being courted by the Brethren. For reasons unknown to the reader, Alex and John are "persons of interest." They also have a very prickly, adversarial relationship with each other. And during this book they find themselves going down divergent paths. John finds himself tangled up with Brethren, while Alex finds herself tangled up with Michael and the Darkyn.
As i was reading this book, I realized that even though it is called a romance, it didn't feel like I was reading a romance novel. It simply didn't fit the romance novel tropes and style that I'm used to reading. Instead, this book felt like the first in a fantasy series. Viehl does a lot of world building in this first book and the romance between Alex and Michael, while there, kinda takes a back seat to the history, mystery, trials and travails of the Darkyn. And as one reads the remainder of the series (the later books are more conventionally romance), one quickly realizes that the series as a whole is Alex and Michael's romance (Lynn Viehl herself refers to Alex and Michael as the "series protagonists" on her blog). Their romance arc winds throughout the rest of the books as does Alex's main plot arc -- a quest to cure herself of being Darkyn. So they don't find a conventional romance HEA at the close of this book. They are in love, but have unresolved issues which start to get resolved as the series goes on.
Having said all that, the world she builds for the Darkyn and Alex is great reading. -
First I totally enjoyed the concepts of the Darkyn, such as how they all have a distinct smell like flowers and plants (Michael is Roses, Alex is Lavender, Phillipe is Honeysuckle, Valentin is Camellias etc.). They have a hierarchical structure with a king (a totally bad ass back in Ireland named Richard), an heir apparent (Michael) and leaders known as suzerains under Michael who control their own geographical territories called Jardins (makes so much sense if your people are gonna go around smelling like flowers). Viehl does a great job of making the Darkyn males cling to their their old world customs. Even as they travel in private jets and use technology, they still speak with an old world formality and intonations (none of them call Alex a Doctor, they instead use the term "leech"), view women from a 13th century perspective, and are alternately puzzled by and resentful of the 21st century. This attitude is gleefully juxtaposed with Alex's relentless modernity. I also like how they all have a special distinct talent (Michael can mess with your memories and perceptions, Alex can read the minds of violent killers, Phillipe can control other people's motor functions etc.).
Second, I liked the concept of the Brethren. A group of Priests, monks friars etc. who are based in (but not sanctioned by) the Catholic Church. As the enemies of the Darkyn they are interesting. One thing I hate is a boring villain. Just making the bad guys generically evil doesn't cut it. I need the villains to good motivation for what they do. The Brethren do for me. To them, the Darkyn are unholy and UnGodly. They are the un-dead minions of Satan. Except....the Brethren themselves are terrible people. They've contorted and twisted their own reasoning until they've become so corrupt that they are actually worse sinners and perpetrate more evil than those they hunt.
Third, The Darkyn themselves are nicely varied. Some enjoy being Darkyn, others despise it. Others actually work with the Brethren for their own personal gain. Like in any society, there is jockeying for position, jealousies, loyalties and infighting. The Darkyn King Richard is a monster or is he? Michael loves and is loyal to Richard, Alex fears and hates him. And the background of the Darkyn, they are Templar Knights who fought in the crusades, makes the persecution of the Brethren somewhat ironic.
Fourth, I flat out liked Alex. I think one of the reasons I tend to veer away from the "romance" part of paranormal romances is the quick acceptance some of the heroines have of their fate. Sure there is disbelief, but it is almost window dressing. What I found so refreshing about Alex is that she railed against her fate --- loudly and defiantly. She didn't want to be a vampire. She was pissed, she was depressed, she was mad. And it wasn't romance novel mad. Viehl does a great job of getting across that Alex is really angry about her fate. So much so that she fights it until circumstances force her to accept what shes become. At least temporarily.
With a nod toward the fact that this is supposed to be a romance, Viehl lets Alex and Michael acknowledge their love in the end, but it is a fragile thing, almost uneasy. Hence the reason I think a lot of romance readers tend to dislike this first book.
There is one criticism about this book with which I tend to agree. John Keller. The book follows both Alex's descent into Darkyn and John's descent into the Brethren. The problem is that while Alex's story is intense, interesting, and compulsively readable...John's isn't. I can't quite put my finger on why I had such a hard time with his sections. They tended to stop the story momentum cold. It is obvious that Viehl is setting the stage for developments in later books and John has some major part in it. I appreciate groundwork well laid. But these parts are largely why this book is 4 rather than 5-star.
Like I said I enjoyed it because I liked Alex and Michael and their story continues and I cant wait to see what happens next. Viehl is a fine writer with a very interesting vamp world and a very sophisticated storytelling sensibility. It is amazing how much story she packs into this first, 300 page volume.
My problem was that the paranormal genre seems a bit over saturated to me. And to my mind, it takes a bit of intestinal fortitude to wade through the various offerings to weed out the stuff you don't like just to find the gems you do. And unfortunately, I had tried quite a few other authors that just didn't seem to click for me. I really don't like Feehan's work and really wish I hadn't stuck it out so long with Kenyon. I tried a Lyndsay Sands once but her stuff for me just read like a Harlequin with fangs. And I had worked through two of Laura Adrien's when I realized I wasn't being drawn into her world because I was too busy playing hunt the JR Ward similarities.
Then suddenly I was standing in front of Lynn Viehl's section. I had read some reviews of her stuff where people either seemed to love them or hate them. And the reviews on Amazon completely intrigued me. So I got If Angels Burn.
I was instantly hooked.
Alexandra Keller is a surgeon who gets kidnapped to perform reconstructive surgery on the face of a reclusive millionaire, Michael Cyprien. The Reason? A Time magazine article hailing her as being "speedy." You see Michael is one of the Dark Kin, a vampire. He had been kidnapped and tortured by The Brethren. A secret unsanctioned sect of the Catholic church dedicated to hunting down and eradicating the Darkyn. They know the Darkyn's only vulnerability is to copper and used copper weapons to ruin Michael's face. But Michael is a vampire and their healing ability is legendary. So as they broke the bones in his face, they healed over quickly and grotesquely. His dilemma with getting his face fixed is that he would heal faster than any surgeon could reconstruct him. Except possibly, Alex "Speedy fingers" Keller.
In the meantime, Alex's brother John is a priest who is being courted by the Brethren. For reasons unknown to the reader, Alex and John are "persons of interest." They also have a very prickly, adversarial relationship with each other. And during this book they find themselves going down divergent paths. John finds himself tangled up with Brethren, while Alex finds herself tangled up with Michael and the Darkyn.
As i was reading this book, I realized that even though it is called a romance, it didn't feel like I was reading a romance novel. It simply didn't fit the romance novel tropes and style that I'm used to reading. Instead, this book felt like the first in a fantasy series. Viehl does a lot of world building in this first book and the romance between Alex and Michael, while there, kinda takes a back seat to the history, mystery, trials and travails of the Darkyn. And as one reads the remainder of the series (the later books are more conventionally romance), one quickly realizes that the series as a whole is Alex and Michael's romance (Lynn Viehl herself refers to Alex and Michael as the "series protagonists" on her blog). Their romance arc winds throughout the rest of the books as does Alex's main plot arc -- a quest to cure herself of being Darkyn. So they don't find a conventional romance HEA at the close of this book. They are in love, but have unresolved issues which start to get resolved as the series goes on.
Having said all that, the world she builds for the Darkyn and Alex is great reading. -
First I totally enjoyed the concepts of the Darkyn, such as how they all have a distinct smell like flowers and plants (Michael is Roses, Alex is Lavender, Phillipe is Honeysuckle, Valentin is Camellias etc.). They have a hierarchical structure with a king (a totally bad ass back in Ireland named Richard), an heir apparent (Michael) and leaders known as suzerains under Michael who control their own geographical territories called Jardins (makes so much sense if your people are gonna go around smelling like flowers). Viehl does a great job of making the Darkyn males cling to their their old world customs. Even as they travel in private jets and use technology, they still speak with an old world formality and intonations (none of them call Alex a Doctor, they instead use the term "leech"), view women from a 13th century perspective, and are alternately puzzled by and resentful of the 21st century. This attitude is gleefully juxtaposed with Alex's relentless modernity. I also like how they all have a special distinct talent (Michael can mess with your memories and perceptions, Alex can read the minds of violent killers, Phillipe can control other people's motor functions etc.).
Second, I liked the concept of the Brethren. A group of Priests, monks friars etc. who are based in (but not sanctioned by) the Catholic Church. As the enemies of the Darkyn they are interesting. One thing I hate is a boring villain. Just making the bad guys generically evil doesn't cut it. I need the villains to good motivation for what they do. The Brethren do for me. To them, the Darkyn are unholy and UnGodly. They are the un-dead minions of Satan. Except....the Brethren themselves are terrible people. They've contorted and twisted their own reasoning until they've become so corrupt that they are actually worse sinners and perpetrate more evil than those they hunt.
Third, The Darkyn themselves are nicely varied. Some enjoy being Darkyn, others despise it. Others actually work with the Brethren for their own personal gain. Like in any society, there is jockeying for position, jealousies, loyalties and infighting. The Darkyn King Richard is a monster or is he? Michael loves and is loyal to Richard, Alex fears and hates him. And the background of the Darkyn, they are Templar Knights who fought in the crusades, makes the persecution of the Brethren somewhat ironic.
Fourth, I flat out liked Alex. I think one of the reasons I tend to veer away from the "romance" part of paranormal romances is the quick acceptance some of the heroines have of their fate. Sure there is disbelief, but it is almost window dressing. What I found so refreshing about Alex is that she railed against her fate --- loudly and defiantly. She didn't want to be a vampire. She was pissed, she was depressed, she was mad. And it wasn't romance novel mad. Viehl does a great job of getting across that Alex is really angry about her fate. So much so that she fights it until circumstances force her to accept what shes become. At least temporarily.
With a nod toward the fact that this is supposed to be a romance, Viehl lets Alex and Michael acknowledge their love in the end, but it is a fragile thing, almost uneasy. Hence the reason I think a lot of romance readers tend to dislike this first book.
There is one criticism about this book with which I tend to agree. John Keller. The book follows both Alex's descent into Darkyn and John's descent into the Brethren. The problem is that while Alex's story is intense, interesting, and compulsively readable...John's isn't. I can't quite put my finger on why I had such a hard time with his sections. They tended to stop the story momentum cold. It is obvious that Viehl is setting the stage for developments in later books and John has some major part in it. I appreciate groundwork well laid. But these parts are largely why this book is 4 rather than 5-star.
Like I said I enjoyed it because I liked Alex and Michael and their story continues and I cant wait to see what happens next. Viehl is a fine writer with a very interesting vamp world and a very sophisticated storytelling sensibility. It is amazing how much story she packs into this first, 300 page volume.
June 25, 2011
Series gets better and better with each book
I had put off reading this, based on the mixed reviews on Amazon. After reading the book, I thought it was more of a dark urban fantasy with some romance, rather than a paranormal romance as its marketed. The romantic relationship is not the primary storyline in book one. I suspect that might be the reason for so many mixed reviews--the book missed its target market. However, now that I've read more of the series (I'm through book 4) I learned that as the author introduces a hero/heroine, she continues their story in future books. For example, Alexandra and Michael were introduced in book one and we see more of their relationship in subsequent books. The books got better and better as the series progressed. The first book was good, while others were great. So keep reading!
I enjoyed the well written, fast paced storyline and the world building around being a Darkyn. I liked the main characters and supporting cast. I would have liked more development of the relationship between Michael and Alexandra in book one, however was ok with their continued story in later books.
Didn't do a plot synopsis, since that was already done well in a lot of other reviews. All in all, a good read. I plan on reading the other books in the series.
*EDIT*
I just finished the latest Kyndred spin off book, which got me thinking about the original Darkyn series. It made me realize I forgot a lot of the details of the series, and made me want to do a reread. I just finished this book for the second time around and it was even better than the first read through. Great series! I especially like the Kyndred books.
I had put off reading this, based on the mixed reviews on Amazon. After reading the book, I thought it was more of a dark urban fantasy with some romance, rather than a paranormal romance as its marketed. The romantic relationship is not the primary storyline in book one. I suspect that might be the reason for so many mixed reviews--the book missed its target market. However, now that I've read more of the series (I'm through book 4) I learned that as the author introduces a hero/heroine, she continues their story in future books. For example, Alexandra and Michael were introduced in book one and we see more of their relationship in subsequent books. The books got better and better as the series progressed. The first book was good, while others were great. So keep reading!
I enjoyed the well written, fast paced storyline and the world building around being a Darkyn. I liked the main characters and supporting cast. I would have liked more development of the relationship between Michael and Alexandra in book one, however was ok with their continued story in later books.
Didn't do a plot synopsis, since that was already done well in a lot of other reviews. All in all, a good read. I plan on reading the other books in the series.
*EDIT*
I just finished the latest Kyndred spin off book, which got me thinking about the original Darkyn series. It made me realize I forgot a lot of the details of the series, and made me want to do a reread. I just finished this book for the second time around and it was even better than the first read through. Great series! I especially like the Kyndred books.
June 23, 2011
Opening line: "Got another letter from that Cyprien guy" Grace Cho said as she placed the office mail on Dr Alexandra Keller's desk."
Dr Keller is a reconstructive surgeon, and a really fast surgeon at that. She has a booming practice and with her skills in demand she can afford to choose her cases. One patient in particular, Michael Cyprian won't take no for an answer and eventually has his people kidnap Alex, flying her to his mansion in New Orleans and forcing her to reconstruct his horribly disfigured face. Due to her compassionate nature Alex performs the surgery; its quite tricky though because once cut Michael heals immediately but she's up for the challenge. After the successful surgery Michael is beautiful once again but unfortunately for Alex he's also very hungry.
Filled with bloodlust Cyprian bites the good Doctor thus infecting her with the vampire virus. Alex then spends her time trying to figure out how to cure herself as she goes through some dark changes on her way to becoming a Darkyn. Lots of attention here is also given to her brother John. A very tired priest who travels to Rome and undergoes special training with some not so nice monks known as the Breathen. Their mission is to hunt down and torture (extensively) the Darkyn, ultimately destroying the race. Bad news for Alex who is on her way to becoming one of them.
I will admit I struggled through the first half of If Angels Burn. The amount of French spoken and Darkyn language without a glossary was overwhelming and the considerable sub plots and characters confusing. It came together a bit for me in the end and I really liked Alexandra's spunkiness as well as the old fashioned speech and mannerisms of Micheal.
This was a dark, violent ride but full of adventure and well written. However I wouldn't label it a romance and I definitly wouldn't call it erotic as the cover states. Its more
meets medical mystery with a little vampire love thrown in. The one and only love scene (if you could even call it love) doesn't take place until almost the end of the book and even then it's pretty mundane.
As a by-the-way does anyone else think the guy on the cover looks like Toby Mcquire from Spiderman? I'm just saying its a little weird.
Dr Keller is a reconstructive surgeon, and a really fast surgeon at that. She has a booming practice and with her skills in demand she can afford to choose her cases. One patient in particular, Michael Cyprian won't take no for an answer and eventually has his people kidnap Alex, flying her to his mansion in New Orleans and forcing her to reconstruct his horribly disfigured face. Due to her compassionate nature Alex performs the surgery; its quite tricky though because once cut Michael heals immediately but she's up for the challenge. After the successful surgery Michael is beautiful once again but unfortunately for Alex he's also very hungry.
Filled with bloodlust Cyprian bites the good Doctor thus infecting her with the vampire virus. Alex then spends her time trying to figure out how to cure herself as she goes through some dark changes on her way to becoming a Darkyn. Lots of attention here is also given to her brother John. A very tired priest who travels to Rome and undergoes special training with some not so nice monks known as the Breathen. Their mission is to hunt down and torture (extensively) the Darkyn, ultimately destroying the race. Bad news for Alex who is on her way to becoming one of them.
I will admit I struggled through the first half of If Angels Burn. The amount of French spoken and Darkyn language without a glossary was overwhelming and the considerable sub plots and characters confusing. It came together a bit for me in the end and I really liked Alexandra's spunkiness as well as the old fashioned speech and mannerisms of Micheal.
This was a dark, violent ride but full of adventure and well written. However I wouldn't label it a romance and I definitly wouldn't call it erotic as the cover states. Its more
meets medical mystery with a little vampire love thrown in. The one and only love scene (if you could even call it love) doesn't take place until almost the end of the book and even then it's pretty mundane.
As a by-the-way does anyone else think the guy on the cover looks like Toby Mcquire from Spiderman? I'm just saying its a little weird.
March 26, 2008
My god, this book is terrible! I am baffled by all the good reviews.
First of all, I don't think I'd call this a romance novel, because there's no actual romance in it. There's some sex, but there was never any emotional connection between the two main characters. I think on the last page, one of them said "I love you" while tossing the other a weapon or something. Wow.
The rest of the story was gory, gross and disturbing. Rape, torture, decapitation... I'm not afraid of a dark tone, these types of things aren't necessarily horrible in and of themselves, but are handled with zero grace in this novel and are thus just icky.
If the really gross vampire plot and completely unappealing love story don't bother you, the extremely poor writing should turn you off. This book has no redeeming qualities. No likeable characters, no charming or funny scenes, no intriguing mythology... (well, some of the mythology might have been mildly interesting, but not very.)
If you want to read a good vampire romance book, turn to JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Those are worthy of the guilty pleasure title. This book was just terrible.
First of all, I don't think I'd call this a romance novel, because there's no actual romance in it. There's some sex, but there was never any emotional connection between the two main characters. I think on the last page, one of them said "I love you" while tossing the other a weapon or something. Wow.
The rest of the story was gory, gross and disturbing. Rape, torture, decapitation... I'm not afraid of a dark tone, these types of things aren't necessarily horrible in and of themselves, but are handled with zero grace in this novel and are thus just icky.
If the really gross vampire plot and completely unappealing love story don't bother you, the extremely poor writing should turn you off. This book has no redeeming qualities. No likeable characters, no charming or funny scenes, no intriguing mythology... (well, some of the mythology might have been mildly interesting, but not very.)
If you want to read a good vampire romance book, turn to JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Those are worthy of the guilty pleasure title. This book was just terrible.
December 13, 2012
Incredibly boring and just sloppy: either the main character can pass for white or she gets teased for being black, which is it? Put the book down when she literally transforms into a white woman. Fuck that noise.
June 2, 2008
**Bad review ahead***
This book had a really stupid plot and I didnt even really like the characters... the 2 main characters seemed to fall in love as an afterthought at the end of the book... wtf?? Sorry if others really liked this book, it just didnt do it for me...
This book had a really stupid plot and I didnt even really like the characters... the 2 main characters seemed to fall in love as an afterthought at the end of the book... wtf?? Sorry if others really liked this book, it just didnt do it for me...
January 30, 2009
This is the first vamp-themed romance, for me, in which the vampire (Darkyn) are the dominant characters in the story. I also enjoyed the story. Perhaps the somewhat darkly painted world aided in cultivating my pleased feelings for the Darkyn.
The story between Michael and Alex had merit and carried well through the severed views of alternate characters telling the story from their POV. Sometimes this can throw the story if done to often but Lynn Viehl wove the pieces masterfully. For me she gives me a new view of the vampire world. I look forward to the next book: Private Demon
The story between Michael and Alex had merit and carried well through the severed views of alternate characters telling the story from their POV. Sometimes this can throw the story if done to often but Lynn Viehl wove the pieces masterfully. For me she gives me a new view of the vampire world. I look forward to the next book: Private Demon
November 17, 2014
I've re-read this book (and Dark Need) trying to understand how I could love this author's voice, but not her books. Yes, they are difficult to categorise, but it shouldn't be such a problem. Alas they seem to be for me.
They have a stunning world-building and convoluted plots. But I believe that their lack of clear focus are what disturbs me. I can't feel nor figure the romantic elements, I'm told they love but it's never evident nor acceptable to me. I really never see how they came to love. I can't even feel the chemistry if I'm honest.
On the other hand, the total lack of agency for the heroines makes this story unpalatable as UF. Oh yes, they maybe unique and all that jazz, but at the end of the day they are puppets in their lovers' hands. If nothing happens to them is because their men prevents it. :(
Honestly I can't believe all that Michael does to Alex with the excuse of loving/protecting her. Oh she shouts, and has a tantrum. But that's the maximum amount of reaction we see, a tantrum. (I'm thinking about what happens in Dark Need here.)
And so comes the heart of my problem. Nothing here is acceptable to me, except the world. And it's not enough it seems.
They have a stunning world-building and convoluted plots. But I believe that their lack of clear focus are what disturbs me. I can't feel nor figure the romantic elements, I'm told they love but it's never evident nor acceptable to me. I really never see how they came to love. I can't even feel the chemistry if I'm honest.
On the other hand, the total lack of agency for the heroines makes this story unpalatable as UF. Oh yes, they maybe unique and all that jazz, but at the end of the day they are puppets in their lovers' hands. If nothing happens to them is because their men prevents it. :(
Honestly I can't believe all that Michael does to Alex with the excuse of loving/protecting her. Oh she shouts, and has a tantrum. But that's the maximum amount of reaction we see, a tantrum. (I'm thinking about what happens in Dark Need here.)
And so comes the heart of my problem. Nothing here is acceptable to me, except the world. And it's not enough it seems.
June 12, 2010
This book was... interesting.
I agree with the other reviewer who said it felt more like UF than PNR, because there's no definite HEA at the end. I mean, yeah, there's the ILY's, but things didn't feel resolved between the H/h at the end. Which, considering there's a bunch of books in the series, really isn't that big of a problem.. Though honestly, while the UST was nice and thick between Alex and Michael, I never really felt her falling in love with him. It was kind of like "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I wanna bang you, I hate you, I hate you, ahh crap I love you"... Sure, they had the physical chemistry, but it almost felt as if the "love" between them was a pure result of the whole I'm-the-one-who-turned-you bond rather than a true building of grudging affection.
I was also surprised that nobody addressed Michael's tendency to muck with Alex's memories (I would have expected Alex to at least tell him that if he did it again, she'd cut off important parts of his anatomy...
Quite a bit of the smexin made me a bit uncomfortable as well. The thing in South America for one, the whole thing with Galina, and Michael's forced seduction of Alex (which still felt more like some sort of buried compulsion rather than surrender to hidden/suppressed desire like most forced seductions in romance are).
I'm about to start the second one, , which I hope to enjoy because the hero was one of my favorite characters from this book.
Overall, I liked the Darkyn mythology, as well as the interesting bits of medical science that LV kept throwing in.
I keep wavering between 3 1/2 and 4 Stars. 3 1/2 because I was bothered by the relationship between the H/h, and 4 because I'm really looking forward to reading more of the Darkyn mythology, especially in regards to the virus/innoculation theory.
I'm compromising and saying 3.75 stars :P
I agree with the other reviewer who said it felt more like UF than PNR, because there's no definite HEA at the end. I mean, yeah, there's the ILY's, but things didn't feel resolved between the H/h at the end. Which, considering there's a bunch of books in the series, really isn't that big of a problem.. Though honestly, while the UST was nice and thick between Alex and Michael, I never really felt her falling in love with him. It was kind of like "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I wanna bang you, I hate you, I hate you, ahh crap I love you"... Sure, they had the physical chemistry, but it almost felt as if the "love" between them was a pure result of the whole I'm-the-one-who-turned-you bond rather than a true building of grudging affection.
I was also surprised that nobody addressed Michael's tendency to muck with Alex's memories (I would have expected Alex to at least tell him that if he did it again, she'd cut off important parts of his anatomy...
Quite a bit of the smexin made me a bit uncomfortable as well. The thing in South America for one, the whole thing with Galina, and Michael's forced seduction of Alex (which still felt more like some sort of buried compulsion rather than surrender to hidden/suppressed desire like most forced seductions in romance are).
I'm about to start the second one, , which I hope to enjoy because the hero was one of my favorite characters from this book.
Overall, I liked the Darkyn mythology, as well as the interesting bits of medical science that LV kept throwing in.
I keep wavering between 3 1/2 and 4 Stars. 3 1/2 because I was bothered by the relationship between the H/h, and 4 because I'm really looking forward to reading more of the Darkyn mythology, especially in regards to the virus/innoculation theory.
I'm compromising and saying 3.75 stars :P
March 28, 2009
ok, New series by author Lynn Viehl. This is the first I have read of her writing.
Alexandra Keller is a brillant reconstructive plastic surgeon practicing in Chicago. She had a booming practice, a boyfriend, a fulfilling life in most ways.
Micheal Cyprien is from New Orleans and is one of the most reclusive milllionaire's in Louisiana. But he does have a secret, he is a centuries old vampire. He has been horribly scarred by an order of priests called the Brethren. He needs Alexandra to reconstruct his face. After attempting to hire her to do the work, she just shrugs him off, even after the promise fee of 4 million dollars is promised to her for her services. So what is a vampire to do, he kidnaps her and brings her to his home.
Alexandra relents and does the surgery, totally reconstructing Micheals face but guess what he becomes enthralled with Alex and turns her into a vampire. No way?? Yes Way!!
Good book! The author really did her research in the surgery situations. The only thing I did not like was the way Alex did treat Micheal, but Micheal was also wrong for kidnapping her. So tit for tat. The author also brings in secondary characters from Alex's brother, who is a priest that joins the brethren, to Valentin, Thierry Durand and others.
Alexandra Keller is a brillant reconstructive plastic surgeon practicing in Chicago. She had a booming practice, a boyfriend, a fulfilling life in most ways.
Micheal Cyprien is from New Orleans and is one of the most reclusive milllionaire's in Louisiana. But he does have a secret, he is a centuries old vampire. He has been horribly scarred by an order of priests called the Brethren. He needs Alexandra to reconstruct his face. After attempting to hire her to do the work, she just shrugs him off, even after the promise fee of 4 million dollars is promised to her for her services. So what is a vampire to do, he kidnaps her and brings her to his home.
Alexandra relents and does the surgery, totally reconstructing Micheals face but guess what he becomes enthralled with Alex and turns her into a vampire. No way?? Yes Way!!
Good book! The author really did her research in the surgery situations. The only thing I did not like was the way Alex did treat Micheal, but Micheal was also wrong for kidnapping her. So tit for tat. The author also brings in secondary characters from Alex's brother, who is a priest that joins the brethren, to Valentin, Thierry Durand and others.
April 5, 2010
Not the best in the series- shame too because it's the first, but it's a wonderfully intricate story that I recommend!
Warning: the Darkyn series is mostly Urban Fantasy with romantic elements. There is a different couple for each book but the first couple's story, Michael and Alexandra from this book, archs throughout the series. (Don't expect your typical HEA at the end of this book!)
Warning: the Darkyn series is mostly Urban Fantasy with romantic elements. There is a different couple for each book but the first couple's story, Michael and Alexandra from this book, archs throughout the series. (Don't expect your typical HEA at the end of this book!)
May 20, 2013
Slow start, but it made up for it. I didn't totally understand how they fell in love, but it kind of worked with the story. The author has great world building and an ability to twist your mind like a pretzel, but to solve it all in the end, so it's good :D
November 25, 2014
It was ok. I liked the idea of Alexandra being a plastic surgeon and healing vampires. However, I have mixed feeling about the tribute to Anne Rice and the religious part of the story. Sometimes it felt like reading Anne Rice fanfic.
April 18, 2012
4.5 Stars
I have to admit, I’d not heard of this author before. I have no idea how I missed her. I saw a promotional post on her latest release Nightborn (Lords of the Darkyn) spinoff the Darkyn series, and it sounded so good! But because I am really particular about reading series in order, I picked this first book in the series up immediately. Once I started If Angels Burnand updated goodreads status to Twitter, everyone was like ARE YOU JUST NOW READING THIS? Ack! But I quickly discovered the source of their passionate disbelief… From the very first chapter, I KNEW this would end up being a favorite series for me. I kept thinking to myself, “this is sooo my kinda book!” Yes, it was released in 2005, but it’s new-to-me and I loved it so much that I simply had to review it, in case there are others who have missed this awesomely DARK Fantasy-Kinda PNR series!
Dr. Alexandra Keller has built herself a life very much based in facts, and science. She is a brilliant reconstructive surgeon with a private practice all her own. She is an abrasive yet charismatic heroine and I was immediately drawn to her. In contrast, her brother has gone the other direction, completely embracing his faith in the Catholic Church, all the way to seeking priesthood. Abandoned at a young age, John and Alexandra wandered in and out of foster care, before the church arranged their adoption by a foster couple. That very couple died years later in a car crash, leaving them once again homeless. Suffice it to say, life has not been easy for either sibling. The dynamic of their relationship and the very painful pasts for them both, along with the separate but intertwined paths they continue take are fascinating. The dichotomy between the heroine’s path and her brother’s very religious path is fantastic. Here is a conversation between the two of them that gives you an idea of what very different worlds they have found themselves in:
“That’s a nice confession, Johnny, but it’s not my job to listen to it. Remember, I’m the doctor. You’re the priest. If I fuck up, you come in and wave your beads over them before they go see your God.” She shrugged. “That’s as involved as we get from here on out.”
Now his hands were fists. “He’s your God, too.”
“I stopped believing in God after the first time I treated a toddler with infected cigarette burns. He’s all yours, Father.” The elevator opened and she strode into it.
Hostile, no? The hero in this story is Michael Cyprien, his face is a big ol mess of horrifying mutilation and he keeps sending requests to Alexandra to help him in his home. He offers her $4 Million to come to his home in New Orleans and fix his face, but she is like “no-uh freak, leave me alone”. So he then proceeds to have her kidnapped and brings her to New Orleans to help him anyway. It’s not really love at first sight *snickers* and this isn’t REALLY a Romance story. We discover that Time did a front-page story on her having thee fastest hands in the industry, and he needs someone to be able to work on his face very very quickly, because of his healing rate as a Darkyn. She truly is the only one that can fix his face. From there, the story really launches and Alexandra finds herself in the middle of a Fantasy world she never knew existed… But her brother knew it did. And doesn’t THAT make for an interesting story!
This is a verrrry complex story, and a very complex story told well. And, just to be clear, there are not really angels (which you might infer from the title). This is a vampire novel, as the Darkyns are vampires. And if you’re like me and you’ve read a lotttttt of UF and PNR Vampire stories – let me tell you right now, I found the vamp mythology and origin story very unique! It is very well tied-in with religion, but peripherally, and the Knights of the Templar play in to the story, which for me made it extra interesting to follow. I would definitely say that even though this is categorized as Paranormal Romance and is not told in first-person point of view, it definitely leans more towards Urban Fantasy in that there is a romance but it falls secondary to the plot. I totally dug it, but if you’re looking for a warm and fuzzy romance, this ain’t it. These are very damaged and tortured characters with multi-layered stories and copious amounts of cruelty by the hands of the villains. I loved every second of it. There is some sexual tension and erotic pay-off, though, you just have to work for it. I came away adoring Alexandra and Michael and was so relieved to find out that they play key roles in all the future books of the series!
While this is a review of the first book in the series, I’m up to Book 4 in the Darkyn series now, because I couldn’t put the books down. I can confirm that the Darkyn novels do get better and better! Even when we were trying to move out of our house, I kept running to hide in another room to get 10 more pages read.
September 2, 2008
This is the first book in the Darkyn series, and boy, am I disappointed. I've heard Lynn Viehl's name repeatedly on the Paranormal Romance group, so I thought I'd give this series a try. It's a vampire series, and it has a couple passionate scenes in it, but it's not the least bit romantic - more like dark and evil. It's more accurate to bill this book as an exploration of torture techniques than a romance. Really - I kid you not - graphic descriptions of torture is fairly common in this book.
For the sake of an interesting romance with compelling characters, I'm generally willing to read a little gore and horror, but this is WAY over the top for me. It is well written, and the characters are complicated and well described, but I doubt I'll read the next in the series.
Basic premise: Vampires first arose during the plaque in the 14th century, victims of a strange virus, though all the vampires think it's because they are damned. It's modern day America, and a female plastic surgeon is forced to repair the severely burned face of the leader of the American vampires. He accidently bites her and gives her his blood, making her the first newby vamp in several hundred years. Meanwhile, her brother is recruited into a sadistic Catholic army called the Brethen who are set upon exterminating the vampires. (They are the ones who burned off the vamp's face.) The surgeon is very smart and manages to figure out how to stall the progress of the virus, leaving her in a half human/half vampire state. She and the vamp are also extremely attracted to one another, but, here's a little realism for you, she hates his guts for turning her. She agrees to help a family of vamps that were tortured by the Brethen - and let me tell you - it is ghastly what was done to them. Meanwhile, the Brethen are out to kill both her and her brother, though it beats me why they bother. Along the way, the Brethen torture, kill, and maim. There's also some vampire political intrigue as a sub-plot.
---time lapse----
I just finished this book at lunch, and it got a little better at the very end - a whole bunch of evil Bethen died.
For the sake of an interesting romance with compelling characters, I'm generally willing to read a little gore and horror, but this is WAY over the top for me. It is well written, and the characters are complicated and well described, but I doubt I'll read the next in the series.
Basic premise: Vampires first arose during the plaque in the 14th century, victims of a strange virus, though all the vampires think it's because they are damned. It's modern day America, and a female plastic surgeon is forced to repair the severely burned face of the leader of the American vampires. He accidently bites her and gives her his blood, making her the first newby vamp in several hundred years. Meanwhile, her brother is recruited into a sadistic Catholic army called the Brethen who are set upon exterminating the vampires. (They are the ones who burned off the vamp's face.) The surgeon is very smart and manages to figure out how to stall the progress of the virus, leaving her in a half human/half vampire state. She and the vamp are also extremely attracted to one another, but, here's a little realism for you, she hates his guts for turning her. She agrees to help a family of vamps that were tortured by the Brethen - and let me tell you - it is ghastly what was done to them. Meanwhile, the Brethen are out to kill both her and her brother, though it beats me why they bother. Along the way, the Brethen torture, kill, and maim. There's also some vampire political intrigue as a sub-plot.
---time lapse----
I just finished this book at lunch, and it got a little better at the very end - a whole bunch of evil Bethen died.
July 28, 2015
A Top 5 favorite series. Dark, yet enthralling! Re-read.
Dr. Alexandra Keller is Chicago's most brilliant reconstructive surgeon. She ignored messages from M. Cyprien who kept asking for her to travel from Chicago to Louisiana to assist in a reconstructive surgery. After many refusals, Dr. Alex was kidnapped and forcefully brought to Louisiana. There she was introduced a different race named the Darkyn, humans cursed to drink blood and hunted by a religious group as an abomination.
Alex's abduction thrust her and her brother Father John Keller in the middle of a battle that they were unaware they had always been a part of.
I loved this story. It was dark, gritty, well written, and intriguing. This is my second time reading this story and I am baffled at how underrated this story is.
Alex is an awesome heroine. She is strong and resourceful. She has been through a lot. It's also really cool to have an African American or Biracial heroine who kicks butt. I am glad she started making concessions that her life has been irrevocably changed. I look forward to her next step with Michael Cyprien.
Dr. Alexandra Keller is Chicago's most brilliant reconstructive surgeon. She ignored messages from M. Cyprien who kept asking for her to travel from Chicago to Louisiana to assist in a reconstructive surgery. After many refusals, Dr. Alex was kidnapped and forcefully brought to Louisiana. There she was introduced a different race named the Darkyn, humans cursed to drink blood and hunted by a religious group as an abomination.
Alex's abduction thrust her and her brother Father John Keller in the middle of a battle that they were unaware they had always been a part of.
I loved this story. It was dark, gritty, well written, and intriguing. This is my second time reading this story and I am baffled at how underrated this story is.
Alex is an awesome heroine. She is strong and resourceful. She has been through a lot. It's also really cool to have an African American or Biracial heroine who kicks butt. I am glad she started making concessions that her life has been irrevocably changed. I look forward to her next step with Michael Cyprien.
January 20, 2010
I thought this book was definitely different. I really liked the heroine and the interesting setup. The first several chapters had me hooked when she performs the surgery and everything is a big mystery. However, I thought it kind of went downhill from there. It started changing POVs and I didn't care for who it changed to. I thought the book was also too short for my tastes. I did enjoy it as a whole though and kept me interested enough to read it to the end. I will probably read the next book in the series sometime, I'm just not in a big rush to do so.
March 30, 2023
I read this series back when it came out but really have no memory of it. While doing a purge of books, I was like, let me reread it to see if I liked it lol. And, it was okay.
Set in a world where vampires are known as Darkyn, Dr Alex Keller gets kidnapped and pretty much forced to work miracles on the head vampire of the US. Of course in a lust filled rage, he bites her and almost turns her but Alex being the determined woman that she is, refuses to 100% turn. But while they're fighting their lust for each other, Alex's brother joins a secret society to kill the Darkyn called the Brethren. And then there's a lot of biblical references and history lessons.
Over all, this book was just okay. There was a little too much rape - from talk about it, to visual scenes to the act itself - like there was a lot. Also, I think I'm passed the dominant male who forces a woman to love him scenario.
What I did like though was the vampire lore and how Alex's love of saving people could actually help the Darkyn - since she can't really work on humans until she figures out what's going on.
I have, I think, 4 more books of this series still that I know I read but can't remember. So I might continue and see where this journey takes me.
Set in a world where vampires are known as Darkyn, Dr Alex Keller gets kidnapped and pretty much forced to work miracles on the head vampire of the US. Of course in a lust filled rage, he bites her and almost turns her but Alex being the determined woman that she is, refuses to 100% turn. But while they're fighting their lust for each other, Alex's brother joins a secret society to kill the Darkyn called the Brethren. And then there's a lot of biblical references and history lessons.
Over all, this book was just okay. There was a little too much rape - from talk about it, to visual scenes to the act itself - like there was a lot. Also, I think I'm passed the dominant male who forces a woman to love him scenario.
What I did like though was the vampire lore and how Alex's love of saving people could actually help the Darkyn - since she can't really work on humans until she figures out what's going on.
I have, I think, 4 more books of this series still that I know I read but can't remember. So I might continue and see where this journey takes me.
March 20, 2018
I'm kind of on the fence with this one. It was well written and definitely had a very fresh and interesting take on vampires, but it did not blow me away. I really liked Alexandra. She was smart, sharp and sarcastic, but the romance between her and Michael didn't sit well with me. He was an alpha jerk to her, she was a bitch to him and then all of a sudden, with minimal explanation, they love each other? It just wasn't believable to me.
I kinda want to check out book 2, but I'm not all that pressed.
I kinda want to check out book 2, but I'm not all that pressed.
January 26, 2015
2015 Reading Challenge #46 Un libro de un autor con mis mismas iniciales
Esto no es romance y reto a un duelo a muerte a quien afirme lo contrario.
Pero, pero, PERO se lee. Trata de los hermanos Keller (creo) que por diferentes circunstancias terminan involucrados con los Darkyn y los Bethren (o algo así) y la guerra jurada de éstos. Los hermanos Keller no se llevan bien, Alexandra siente una gran antipatía por John, quién la abandonó a su suerte cuando era adolescente. Alex no se lo perdona, y John tampoco. Pero él no podía quedarse con ella por razones que al principio no sabemos.
Me fastidiaba Alex al principio, tan hosca, pero luego eso se ganó mi simpatía porque cuando estos Darkyn aparecen en su vida ella pelea hasta la muerte para resistirse a ellos. Es inteligente, es lista, es atenta, será un grano en el culo pero es capaz de cerrarle la boca a estos vampiros cuando se están pasando de la raya. No se deja pisotear y es bien conciente de la situación en la que se encuentra. Creo que hubiera sido mucho más romántico si el interés amoroso hubiera sido Phillipe en vez de Michael.
John, no sé qué pensar sobre John. Es difícil verlo con buenos ojos. Hizo cosas malas y tiene algo dentro suyo que me asusta. No sé qué será de él.
Michael no tiene protagonismo, un par de líneas para demostrar que tiene un poco de pinta de lider, pero no mucho más. No tenemos ni idea de quién es él, de qué ve en Alex, de qué quiere, no es honesto, no es tranquilo, no es atento, no es la perfección hecha carne, pero está ahí y es el prota. ¿Por qué? Ni idea. Juro que había más destellos de amor entre Phillipe y Alex que con Michael. En serio, este chico no es nada amable.
Este libro no me sirve para entender la trama. Hay cosas que no se explican, que se descubren a medias, que dejan tiradas a mitad del camino, qué pasó con Z, qué hicieron con X, por qué esto, por qué lo otro. Pero me gusta la idea del fondo. Si puliera su parte romántica y no lo forzara todo (como hizo en los últimos capítulos) para que quedaran juntos y se amaran, la cosa de todas formas hubiera estado bien. La seguiré, porque extraño leer sobre vampiros y porque creo que merecen una oportunidad estos Darkyn por muy cutres que sean.
Esto no es romance y reto a un duelo a muerte a quien afirme lo contrario.
Pero, pero, PERO se lee. Trata de los hermanos Keller (creo) que por diferentes circunstancias terminan involucrados con los Darkyn y los Bethren (o algo así) y la guerra jurada de éstos. Los hermanos Keller no se llevan bien, Alexandra siente una gran antipatía por John, quién la abandonó a su suerte cuando era adolescente. Alex no se lo perdona, y John tampoco. Pero él no podía quedarse con ella por razones que al principio no sabemos.
Me fastidiaba Alex al principio, tan hosca, pero luego eso se ganó mi simpatía porque cuando estos Darkyn aparecen en su vida ella pelea hasta la muerte para resistirse a ellos. Es inteligente, es lista, es atenta, será un grano en el culo pero es capaz de cerrarle la boca a estos vampiros cuando se están pasando de la raya. No se deja pisotear y es bien conciente de la situación en la que se encuentra. Creo que hubiera sido mucho más romántico si el interés amoroso hubiera sido Phillipe en vez de Michael.
John, no sé qué pensar sobre John. Es difícil verlo con buenos ojos. Hizo cosas malas y tiene algo dentro suyo que me asusta. No sé qué será de él.
Michael no tiene protagonismo, un par de líneas para demostrar que tiene un poco de pinta de lider, pero no mucho más. No tenemos ni idea de quién es él, de qué ve en Alex, de qué quiere, no es honesto, no es tranquilo, no es atento, no es la perfección hecha carne, pero está ahí y es el prota. ¿Por qué? Ni idea. Juro que había más destellos de amor entre Phillipe y Alex que con Michael. En serio, este chico no es nada amable.
Este libro no me sirve para entender la trama. Hay cosas que no se explican, que se descubren a medias, que dejan tiradas a mitad del camino, qué pasó con Z, qué hicieron con X, por qué esto, por qué lo otro. Pero me gusta la idea del fondo. Si puliera su parte romántica y no lo forzara todo (como hizo en los últimos capítulos) para que quedaran juntos y se amaran, la cosa de todas formas hubiera estado bien. La seguiré, porque extraño leer sobre vampiros y porque creo que merecen una oportunidad estos Darkyn por muy cutres que sean.
May 31, 2011
Very disappointing. There was no real romance. I mean, their dialogue usually went something like this:
Vamp hero: "Stay with me."
Almost vamp heroine: "No, I'm an independent woman who doesn't need a man."
VH: "Stay with me."
AVH: "No, I can take care of myself even though I have no idea how to handle what has happened to me and am slowly starving to death."
Vampire Servant: "You just need to give her time. Let her chooe you."
VH: "Okay, I'll try. I need you, I'll help you, I'll take care of you."
AVH: "Bug off, I have a psycho to save. By the way, I love you, here's a sword."
Fin
You see? You see this? This is only exaggerated a tiny bit. This is the whole book! This is not a romance! Ugh! (throwing up hands in defeat, pacing the room angrily) It's like Christine Feehan all over again, and there is a reason I stopped reading Christine Feehan's vampire books. I am giving her one more chance right now with the Ghostwalker books, but she is This Close to screwing that up too. I don't mind strong female characters until the start thinking they know everything, are always right, and refuse to have a relationship with a man until he has crawled over hot coals and is begging at her feet for her to save them. And they are so selfish that they refuse to see reason and say "Okay, I have a chance here to help save this guys life, which will save lots of other people's lives. It may not be the life I had planned for myself, but I can make it work. We can sit down like two rational human, er, vampire beings and figure out how we will handle it." But noooo, she has to fight and fight and fight it, causing all these stupid problems along the way that could have been prevented if she were really intelligent and used the brains God gave her.
Vamp hero: "Stay with me."
Almost vamp heroine: "No, I'm an independent woman who doesn't need a man."
VH: "Stay with me."
AVH: "No, I can take care of myself even though I have no idea how to handle what has happened to me and am slowly starving to death."
Vampire Servant: "You just need to give her time. Let her chooe you."
VH: "Okay, I'll try. I need you, I'll help you, I'll take care of you."
AVH: "Bug off, I have a psycho to save. By the way, I love you, here's a sword."
Fin
You see? You see this? This is only exaggerated a tiny bit. This is the whole book! This is not a romance! Ugh! (throwing up hands in defeat, pacing the room angrily) It's like Christine Feehan all over again, and there is a reason I stopped reading Christine Feehan's vampire books. I am giving her one more chance right now with the Ghostwalker books, but she is This Close to screwing that up too. I don't mind strong female characters until the start thinking they know everything, are always right, and refuse to have a relationship with a man until he has crawled over hot coals and is begging at her feet for her to save them. And they are so selfish that they refuse to see reason and say "Okay, I have a chance here to help save this guys life, which will save lots of other people's lives. It may not be the life I had planned for myself, but I can make it work. We can sit down like two rational human, er, vampire beings and figure out how we will handle it." But noooo, she has to fight and fight and fight it, causing all these stupid problems along the way that could have been prevented if she were really intelligent and used the brains God gave her.
October 23, 2009
I liked this book, but I think potential readers should keep one thing in mind; this, despite the classification, is not a romance. Yes, there is a love story, but the primary focus of the book is world building, and the story is a paranormal thriller with a romance sub plot. If I judge the book this way, I like it a lot. If I were to judge it as a romance, it would fail, because Viehl's primary purpose is not developing romantic love; it's the story of one a woman and her brother and their dangerous involvement in the world of the Darkyn and the Brethren (enemies of the Darkyn). The world building is intricate; Viehl has a strong and compelling voice, and the characters are nicely drawn.
Unlike other reviewers, I did not dislike the heroine. She can be a bit abrasive, but I found this more realistic and true to life. I am heartily sick of sweet, silly, perfect heroines. Alex read to me like a real woman, who had real issues stemming from losing her parents and her brother. She also had the distinction of being one of the few Romance heroine surgeons, who I actually believed was a surgeon, rather than Doctor Barbie. The hero was slightly more problematic, because he did not seem to be as developed, and his motivations were less clear.
This book is part of a series that I am enjoying, and reading it is necessary to really appreciate the other books. If you approach this expecting a good paranormal, rather than a good Romance, I think you will find yourself pleased and intrigued enough to continue with the rest of the Darkyn saga.
February 11, 2013
I keep hearing/reading a lot of good things about Lynn Viehl, so I figured it was time to give her writing a try.
Let me just say - as many have already mentioned in reviews for this book - that this book is uber-DARK. If I were to categorize it as a stand-alone book, I'd say that it absolutely belongs in the Urban Fantasy genre (where the story revolves around a conflict and romance - if any - is secondary to the storyline). In fact, there is practically no romance here. I happen to enjoy Urban Fantasy books, but because I expected this one to BE a Paranormal Romance (as it's been categorized), I can say that it fell short.
That said, I can absolutely appreciate Ms. Viehl's world building in this book and have been told by fans of this series to keep on reading, as the protagonists' relationship progresses in subsequent books. However, I don't feel that this book did enough to hook me and make me want to continue with the series. But then again, J.R. Ward did a lot of world building in Phury's book to (where she focused more on world building than story telling, and as a result, the story fell short - in my opinion). So, I'll give the Darkyn series the benefit of doubt. I'm going to pick up book 2 and see how I feel about the series then.
Let me just say - as many have already mentioned in reviews for this book - that this book is uber-DARK. If I were to categorize it as a stand-alone book, I'd say that it absolutely belongs in the Urban Fantasy genre (where the story revolves around a conflict and romance - if any - is secondary to the storyline). In fact, there is practically no romance here. I happen to enjoy Urban Fantasy books, but because I expected this one to BE a Paranormal Romance (as it's been categorized), I can say that it fell short.
That said, I can absolutely appreciate Ms. Viehl's world building in this book and have been told by fans of this series to keep on reading, as the protagonists' relationship progresses in subsequent books. However, I don't feel that this book did enough to hook me and make me want to continue with the series. But then again, J.R. Ward did a lot of world building in Phury's book to (where she focused more on world building than story telling, and as a result, the story fell short - in my opinion). So, I'll give the Darkyn series the benefit of doubt. I'm going to pick up book 2 and see how I feel about the series then.
January 29, 2011
This book was a total waste of time.
The plot wasn't interesting and waaaay too unbelievable, a plastic surgeon who can build a new face from scratch?, and a super handsome face at that... come on?!
The writing was awful!, the characters didn't make sense most of the time...
I hated both of the main characters... Alex was not smart or witty or sassy, she was a mean, senseless, stupid bitch... and Michael was so dull and insipid, I wouldn't have care if he was killed.
And we didn't even get to see Alex as a Darkyn!
Father John and the bad guys were... meh!, all the gore and rape and torture weren't scary, just plain gross.
I did like Phillipe...
I don know if I will read the next one in the series... right now I would say NO but who knows?!
The plot wasn't interesting and waaaay too unbelievable, a plastic surgeon who can build a new face from scratch?, and a super handsome face at that... come on?!
The writing was awful!, the characters didn't make sense most of the time...
I hated both of the main characters... Alex was not smart or witty or sassy, she was a mean, senseless, stupid bitch... and Michael was so dull and insipid, I wouldn't have care if he was killed.
And we didn't even get to see Alex as a Darkyn!
Father John and the bad guys were... meh!, all the gore and rape and torture weren't scary, just plain gross.
I did like Phillipe...
I don know if I will read the next one in the series... right now I would say NO but who knows?!
November 5, 2010
This book should not be categorized as romance. There really is nothing romantic about the story. Alex is a doctor who is called to perform a medical miracle on Michael.
Since this book is first in the series it talks a lot about the Darkyn and the Bretheren who are out to kill the Darkyn. Alex is a very outspoken woman and pushes Michael to his limits. However I really did not feel as this was a romance. She meets him, helps his other Darkyn. If your looking for a love story I don't think you'll find it here. It is interesting how the author creates the Darkyn and the Brethren. I did not find Michael to be caring at all but at the same time neither was Alex. I'll read the second one and see if it's better.
Since this book is first in the series it talks a lot about the Darkyn and the Bretheren who are out to kill the Darkyn. Alex is a very outspoken woman and pushes Michael to his limits. However I really did not feel as this was a romance. She meets him, helps his other Darkyn. If your looking for a love story I don't think you'll find it here. It is interesting how the author creates the Darkyn and the Brethren. I did not find Michael to be caring at all but at the same time neither was Alex. I'll read the second one and see if it's better.
February 16, 2015
This was very The DaVinci Code meets Anne Rice lol. I did enjoy it and even though it's romance that's not the entire story which I can appreciate. Gives the book more depth IMO. It did have one of my typical deal breakers, change of POV without a break of some sort. Fortunately I was sucked in to the story and liked the characters enough that I could deal. I did have to go back and reread a few paragraphs often which is annoying. But all in all a very solid and well delivered book. I will be picking up book 2 in the future.
November 9, 2009
Very dark, with torture scenes I just had to skip over.
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