Dark Peril

Dark Peril by Christine Feehan

Carpathian Dominic Dragonseeker has taken a desperate gamble by ingesting deadly vampire parasites that will help him infiltrate cruel enemies who seek to destroy his peaceful race. He never counted on finding his lifemate under these dire circumstances, but to his shock, his dreams of a jaguar shape-shifter turn into reality when he meets warrior Solange Sangria. Solange is bent on destroying her evil father and his cohorts, who murder women and conduct hideous scientific experiments. Dominic and Solange must learn to fight side by side and trust each other to protect the innocent and heal their old wounds.

--Dark Peril
by Christine Feehan
Copyright © 2010 by Christine Feehan
Published by Berkeley Hardcover
Reprinted October 2011 in paperback by Jove Books

My Review

I’ve long enjoyed Christine Feehan’s books, but I have to say, the sexual depravity by some of the characters in a couple of her most recent books have left me with a bad taste in my mouth. This one contains similar elements by supporting characters (not the main protagonists) and I can’t help wondering if this is becoming a staple in her books. Yes, there are plenty of depraved people out there, but that doesn’t mean all of us readers enjoy reading the details of their demented thoughts.

This is probably the lowest review I've ever given a Christine Feehan book, but I could barely bring myself to finish this story. One of the things I've always loved about her characters is their passionate nature that's constantly at war with their savage nature. But this time, it was just over the top. Long paragraphs of narration about how everything in their world has changed now that they found their life mate and the same information is repeated again and again and again ad nauseum. I started listening to the audio version of the book and had to stop and finish it by reading the novel. It was much easier to skip over the unbearable parts that way.

To quickly summarize, Solange is the last pureblood of the royal Jaguar line. Her father, Broderick, has been on a campaign to kill any female with Jaguar blood that cannot shift. He thought years ago he had killed Solange, but she's still alive. Joined with Dominic, her life mate, they fight to destroy Broderick's operation. At the same time, they work to destroy the vampires that Broderick has allied himself with in his quest.

For those who may think I'm no longer a fan, you're wrong. I do still enjoy her novels and I'm looking forward to the next Sea Haven novel. I'm eager to learn more about the Prakenskii men...I just hope it's not as repetitive as the Carpathians have become.

I give this story TWO STARS.

Dark Gold

Dark Gold by Christine Feehan

Alexandria Houton will sacrifice anything--even her life --to protect her orphaned little brother. But when both encounter an unspeakable evil in the swirling San Francisco mists, Alex can only cry to heaven for their deliverance . . . And out of the darkness swoops Aidan Savage, a golden being more powerful, more mysterious, than any other creature of the night. The ageless Carpathian male snatches them from a hideous fate. But is Aidan Alex's salvation . . . or her sin? If she surrenders to Aidan's savage, unearthly seduction, and gives him the color, the light, the family he craves, will Alex truly save her brother? Or sacrifice more than her life?

--Dark Gold by Christine Feehan, Copyright © 2007


My Summary

My least favorite of the Carpathian series, if this had been my first Christine Feehan read, I might not have read any of the others in her series. Good thing it wasn't my first because several others that came after this one I consider my favorite stories of all time.

I was put off by Alexandria's constant whining and Aiden's constant assertion that he knew best and that she should just be quiet and do as he says. Granted, she didn't ask to be made Carpathian and he didn't ask to have an independent woman as a lifemate, but for Pete's sake, people, bend a little, will ya?

As in all stories, there's a happy ending, so that's nice, and we never hear from them again until the Christmas Reunion--also nice. Their relationship has stabilized by that point so they don't get on my nerves (much).

I had planned on listening to Dark Magic next, but I still remember the main points of the storyline, so I'm going to skip it.

Please, please, hold back your applause, you're scaring the cats.

I give this story TWO STARS.

Dark Desire

Dark Desire by Christine Feehan

The stranger silently summoned her from across the continents, across the seas. He whispered of eternal torment, of endless hunger, of dark, dangerous desires. Somehow, American surgeon, Shea O'Halloran could feel his anguish, sense his haunting aloneness, and she ached to heal him, to heal herself. Drawn to the Carpathian mountains, Shea found a ravaged, raging man, a being like no other, and she trembled. In his burning eyes, his icy heart, she recognized the beloved stranger who'd already become a part of her. This imperious Carpathian male had compelled Shea to his side. But was she to be his healer or his prey? His victim or his mate? Was he luring her into madness or would his dark desire make her whole?.

--Dark Desire by Christine Feehan, Copyright ©2006 by Christine Feehan


My Review:

The second in Christine Feehan’s Carpathian series, this story takes place about twenty-five years after the first, but there’s only the barest of hints of that much time passing. A seven year gap is mentioned, as that’s germane to the storyline, but the twenty-five years, well, you had to have read the previous story and you had to pay attention to what you were reading to catch that little tidbit.

Does that time gap really matter? Perhaps not. Maybe I’m just being picky.

Yeah, probably.

Okay, so, this story opens with Jacques, the brother of Mikhail (our hero from Dark Prince) locked away in solitude, his mind splintering due to the agonizing torture he endured at the hands of human vampire hunters. Turned over to them by “the Betrayer,” Jacques hung on to the barest shreds of his identity, his broken mind reaching out desperately for someone to help him.

Shea O’Halloran, an American doctor, is haunted by visions of a man in pain, at times even feeling his pain. He calls to her, and she tries to resist but when she is confronted by a pair of mysterious hunters, Shea goes on the run and finds her way to the Carpathian Mountains. Through her exploration of the area, she comes across Jacques’ body, buried upright in the wall of an abandoned, burned-down house. She rescues him, and the doctor in her has no choice but to heal the wounds of his body and try her best to heal the wounds in his mind.

A necessary trip into town finds Shea meeting up with another of Jacques’ kind. He—Byron—along with Mikhail, Gregori and Raven, find Shea and Jacques at her cabin. Shea is grateful, for now Jacques’ healing can finally begin.

But who is “the Betrayer?” Who turned over Jacques to the vampire hunters? What connection does Shea have to Jacques and Mikhail, besides being Jacques’ lifemate? With the hunters close on their trail, can the answers be found in time to save Jacques’ sanity, and Shea’s life?

I give this story THREE STARS.

Dark Prince

Dark Prince by Christine Feehan

Mikhail Dubrinsky is the prince of his people, the Carpathians. But they are dying out. There are few women, and the men are either falling prey to vampires or are choosing the soulless life.

Losing all hope, Mikhail is no longer sure he can bear the bleak future laid before him. The only thing that can add light to his life, can relieve his terrible haunting loneliness, is to find a life mate. But he has given up believing one exists. As the beast rages inside, threatening to consume him, he vents his centuries-old despair in an anguished cry that fills the waning night. And then, incredibly, a life-saving voice answers him.

Raven Whitney has a rare gift: she not only can read minds, but she can communicate telepathically. But her talent is not always a gift. Her job is to track the twisted mental paths of serial killers, and their evil thoughts drain her both mentally and physically. Now, she is hoping to heal and comes seeking a quiet escape in the Carpathian Mountains. But when she mentally hears the anguished cry at dawn, she can not ignore it, unaware that her life is about to change forever.

--Dark Prince by Christine Feehan, Copyright ©2005

My Review:

I tried to stop myself. Truly, I did try. I told myself “Self, you’ve read this story at least twice if not three times. You do not need to read/listen to it again. Find something else to listen to…you’ve a huge audio library…choose something else!” But as much as I tried, I just couldn’t help myself and loaded up my iPod with Dark Prince.

If you’ve never ready any of Christine Feehan’s Carpathian series (sometimes called Dark series), this is the first book and the one you need to start with. It lays out the foundation of the entire series and you need that foundation to understand the remaining books in the series.

Mikhail Dubrinsky, unable to continue his bleak existence, decides to end his life. He has despaired for centuries, seeking his lifemate, the light to his darkness, and has been unable to find her. But in the anguish of his last night, a voice reaches out to him. Young, understanding, female. Who is this strange woman and why is she able to communicate with him in his mind? He decided to find out and discovers a woman staying at a nearby inn. Mikhail is unable to take his eyes off of her because he has at last found what he was looking for. His lifemate.

Raven Whitney is exhausted, mentally and physically, and has come to the Carpathian Mountains to rest. A psychic skilled at hunting serial killers, she is on the verge of collapse due to the demands of her job and only wishes to be left alone to rest. But the mental touch of a man in pain causes her to reach out and offer some measure of comfort. Little did she know that in that brief moment of compassion, she was sealing her fate and linking her life to a man who would draw her into a world of wonder, beauty, passion…and blood.

I was and still am a bit bothered by Raven’s easy capitulation to Mikhail’s will. I’d’ve expected her to put up more of a fight, make Mikhail work for her love rather than just decide it must be so and that’s it. Now, Raven gives Mikhail plenty of sass—she’s no wilting flower—but it’s pretty much a fait accompli that Mikhail will win Raven’s heart, simply because he wishes it. I think the man needs to work for his woman, even if they are destined to be together.

The different obstacles thrown in their path—vampire hunters who believe Mikhail to be the undead, a jealous wanna-be suitor, a rogue master vampire who wants Raven, and the introduction of half a dozen or so minor characters who will have their own stories in the future—are nicely woven together with a few jarring notes. The introduction of Aiden is the most jarring as he appears late in the story, seemingly from nowhere, and does nothing to move forward the plot.

However, Ms. Feehan’s skill as a teller of passionate tales improves greatly over the life of the series (I know because I’ve already read them all) and the stories become richer, more detailed, and draw the reader deeper and deeper into the Carpathian world. I thoroughly enjoy the series, and if you’re interested in reading a different take on the standard vampire stories, I urge you to give this series a try.


I give this story FOUR STARS.

Dark Slayer

Dark Slayer by Christine Feehan

A rumor has persisted in the vampire world of a dark slayer—a woman—who travels with a wolf pack and any among the vampires who meets her is slain. Mysterious, elusive and seemingly impossible to kill, she is the one hunter who strikes terror into the hearts of the vampires.

Ivory Malinov is that woman, betrayed by her own people, by her family, by everyone she held dear and she hunts during the night with only her pack to sustain her sanity. She has not spoken to or been with any other person for a hundred years other than to feed from or slay. She stumbles across a body on her way back to her lair and discovers—her lifemate.

He is Razvan, branded a hated criminal, detested, feared and loathed by all Carpathians—he is also a dragonseeker of one of the greatest lineages of all Carpathians Held captive nearly his entire life by his grandfather, the Carpathians bitterest enemy, he is seeking the dawn to end his terrible existence.

This is a story of two people, horribly betrayed, wounded in spirit, fighters to the death, who must struggle to unite against a common enemy.

--Dark Slayer by Christine Feehan, Copyright © 2009



My Review:

I think this is the first time I’ve listened to an audio book where I wish I’d been reading the actual physical book instead. With a book, I can go slower and re-read a passage, taking a few precious moments to savor what I just read before going on. It’s not quite the same as when listening to a book and driving down the highway to or from work.

This is (I believe) the 20th book in Christine Feehan’s Carpathian series, so if you haven’t read any of the books in this series, do not, absolutely DO NOT start with this one. You will be so lost and confused as to the intricate details of the back-story ant it might turn you off to the series all together. Seriously, this is why I stopped reading Archangel’s Kiss after only one chapter.

If you have read the series, then read on.

Ivory Malinoff is known among the vampire community as The Slayer, a dark, beautiful woman who delivers death to any vampire foolish enough to cross her path.

One night, returning to her lair, she spies the body of the man splayed out on the ground at the base of her mountain home. He is Carpathian, and he pleads with her to leave him where he is so he may meet the sun and end his long, painful existence. Ivory is tempted, but in the end, cannot comply with his wishes and takes him into her home to begin healing his many wounds.

He is Razvan, scourge of his race and believed these many years to be in league with Xavier, the sworn enemy of the Carpathian people. But Razvan was merely a puppet, a body to be used by Xavier to commit his legion of crimes as he worked to find a way to eradicate the entire Carpathian race.

Ivory had once been Xavier’s student and had learned much under his tutelage, until the day he betrayed her to the vampires. She survived beyond all odds and applied herself to learning all she could about Xavier and his work so she could one day destroy him.

Now allied with Razvan, her lifemate, and with the backing of the Carpathian prince and his people, the two must set out on an impossible mission: destroy that which does not want to be destroyed.

I love Christine Feehan’s Carpathian series and I would be hard-pressed to give any of her stories less than four stars. There is one that I think I would …but this isn’t that one.

I give this story FIVE STARS.