As I was reading one of Jeaniene Frost’s “Night Huntress” books, I
started thinking about another great vampire-themed love story – the one between
vampire Michael Cyprien and the formidable Dr. Alexandra “Alex” Keller in Lynn Viehl's “Darkyn” series. Each
series has a different vampire mythology and a lot of other wildly different
components, but both also have some important things in common – including
strong female characters and kick-ass vampire love stories. In the “Night Huntress” series the
villains are usually megalomaniac paranormal or government types, and in the “Darkyn” series the
villains are usually the sadistic and completely twisted quasi-religious group
called the Brethren.
I didn't immediately warm to Jeaniene Frost's Cat
Crawfield and Lynn Viehl's Alexandra Keller when I was first
introduced to them. However, by the second book and upon re-reads of book 1, I
think I grew to love them for the same things that got on my nerves the first
time around. Both woman have a backbone of steel, are very blunt, and have a wry
wit. While their actions and words can sometimes appear very tactless, I grew to
appreciate their straightforwardness and find it extremely refreshing. Although
they are both women with very different backgrounds – Cat grew up as a
half-vampire turned vampire slayer, and Alex started out as a human doctor
before turning blood-sucker – they are both fighters in their own way, not
easily manipulated or pushed around, and first-class heroines.
"Bones left me in the dust when it came to inner strength,
daring to show his deepest vulnerabilities without fear, safety net, or
rationalization."
"No matter what happens, you will never lose me," he whispered.
"I am forever yours, Kitten, in this life or the next."
I got into the “Night
Huntress” series after hearing rave reviews in my online reading groups –
specifically about how great Bones is. I decided to check it out for myself. I
am not normally a fan of having a lot of action in a romance, but there is just
something irresistible about the “Night Huntress” series that
pulls you in. There is so much that happens in the first book in the series, HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE, and
the descriptions by Jeaniene Frost are so
detailed and vivid that it's like watching a movie unfold. The eroticism in the
“Night Huntress” series
is a heady thing, but what makes it so powerful is the strong emotional bond
between Cat and Bones. The sometimes prickly initial relationship they have in
HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE
evolves into something much more as Cat begins to trust Bones. The sense that
they can trust each other, work as a team, and have each other's back when it
counts, is one of the things I love most about them as a couple.
Bones shattered all my preconceptions while reading HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE. I was
reading about a new kind of paranormal hero. Even though I love paranormal
romance, many of the heroes I read about were kind of like the villain in DESTINED FOR AN EARLY GRAVE
– autocratic, condescending, and obsessed with maintaining control and power.
When reading DESTINED FOR AN
EARLY GRAVE, I couldn't help wondering if Gregor was Jeaniene Frost's
commentary on the average paranormal hero. Bones is a wonderful contrast to the
traditional alpha male gothic paranormal hero – yes, he is an incredible sexy,
confident , and powerful vampire, but he is also an incredibly sensitive guy who
allows himself to be emotionally vulnerable and totally put himself out there
for the woman he loves. Maybe it's because of his human past when he knew
hardship and tragedy, but he often displays empathy for those weaker than
himself who are in trouble. These finer qualities make him even more attractive
than his sexy swagger and his British accent.
Templar Knights, a creepy religious order called the Brethren, hot
vampires who release floral scents, and Robin Hood are some of the things that
make the “Darkyn”
series stand out. What I really love is that, with this series, you can expect
the unexpected. Lynn
Viehl always goes against convention and genre stereotypes. Some things that
are guaranteed in this “Darkyn” series are
inventive story-telling, a wide variety of strong female characters, and one or
two fascinating anti-heroes. Each book in the series features a different
couple. However, the main couple from the first book – Michael and Alex – act as
the secondary romance throughout the series. Fans either love this or hate this.
I happen to love it because I love Michael and Alex, but also because Lynn Viehl doesn't just
throw in the secondary romance as a gimmick or for continuity, but actually has
the relationship between Michael and Alex evolve, grow, and stay relevant with
each book. As the series progresses, the couple learns more about each other and
the bond between them gets stronger and more beautiful. NIGHT LOST and EVERMORE are particular
favorites of mine which showcase the strength and depth of the relationship.
"I was afraid that the only reason we were together was because
of the bond thing. That it was making us love each other. But it wasn't. It
isn't."
"The bond is very strong", he admitted, kissing the top of her
head, "but it cannot create love where there is none."
The first book in Lynn
Viehl's “Darkyn”
series is very action-packed and full of violence. For readers who find the
first book – IF ANGELS
BURN – to be too intense to enjoy, I recommend giving book 2 a try. Because
IF ANGELS BURN is the
first book in the series, there is a lot of ground that's covered to establish
who the major players in the series are, and just how evil the bad guys can be.
I think that in succeeding books, the action and violence is more balanced with
the character-driven scenes and romance. The “Darkyn” series is worth
sticking with for many reasons. The PRIDE AND PREJUDICE vampire dream sequence
in PRIVATE DEMON is a
highlight of the series.
The major reason the “Darkyn” series is one of
the most dynamic paranormal series I've read is because of Dr. Alexandra Keller.
Like Cat, Alex is a strong woman who is not afraid to speak her mind and call
people out when they're behaving badly. I love that her reaction to finding
herself as the object of desire of a vampire is a more realistic and more normal
than some heroines in a paranormal romance. As a result, the initial
relationship between Alex and Michael is characterized by a very uneasy yet
compelling attraction with the pace and mood of an Alfred Hitchcock film. By the
end of the series I can say that Alex is my hero and one of my favorite female
characters of all time. Whenever I find myself reading a romance in which the
heroine is very malleable and easily led, I find myself wishing she had a friend
like Alex to get her on track.
If you enjoy stories about vampires, and love strong female characters – you
have to check out the “Night
Huntress” series by Jeaniene Frost and the
“Darkyn” series by Lynn Viehl. The writing is
phenomenal, the characters are complex and easy to fall in love with, and the
love stories are epic and to die for.
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy