Dark/Carpathian #34
“I have been alive centuries. … Why should I waste one moment of my precious time on pressing buttons and staring at a screen?”
Sandu
When a series has been going on for over thirty books, it is hard to keep everything feeling fresh and new. Christine Feehan manages it skillfully with a unique couple, ratcheted tension, and plenty of action.
Elisabeta is a unique heroine in the series. There have been women who have suffered hardships but never to the extent she has. It is beautiful watching her re-learn how to live, while Ferro walks the fine line of encouraging her to push herself and protecting her. While they both struggle, they find their way together.
The vampires have been enemies of the Carpathians since the first books, and they show their strength in this book. While the mages have recently taken center stage, the vampires have reclaimed their leading villain role. The tension stays high as the Carpathians can only react early on as characters turn on each other. Some old friends return, and while I wouldn’t say I like some of the characters’ actions, some interesting facts about the Carpathian world emerge.
I also liked the mystery aspect, as attacks came from every angle, the Carpathians struggle to counter them before everything they have built falls. I did not guess some of what is going on before the reveal, which is always a nice feeling.
This book fixed some of my issues with recent entries in the series. The BDSM elements are toned down, and while spells are still cast, they are without the invocations, helping the flow of the story.
This book is an excellent entry in the long-running series, managing to keep things fresh while opening up new parts of the world to explore. If you’re a fan of the Dark series, it is well worth picking up.
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