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tanyad74's review against another edition
2.0
In Dragonmark, we are actually taking the perspective of Illarion, a brother who made his appearance in Dragonbane. We do go back to Illarion's past and visit some of the events that have impacted and shaped this ornery dragon brother. I found the story of the romance between Illarion and his mate Edilyn kind of disappointing in the beginning. Edilyn's fate, as well as what he endures for hundreds of years make Illarion a very unhappy camper.
Even when Illarion is released from his imprisonment, his mental state is not the best. However, he will help out his brothers. This is where we get pulled back into Dragonbane. The situations all replay themselves. Some even coming from Maxis's point of view. That surprised me. I wasn't all that excited to be repeating a story I had already read, but it would have been a little more tolerable if the story had of been straight from Illarion's point of view.
Much of the book I did find myself flipping through as it was all so much of a repeat. Sometimes, however, a refresher is good for me. That is what keeps me from raging too loudly about so much of the book being a repeat. I am disappointed that I spent so much money on this book for the amount of new story I got.
Things do progress past what I believe Dragonbane did, and we are stuck in the same illusion Illarion is in. Or what Max and everyone believes is an illusion. Even I believed it was an illusion after how Illarion was left alone. It was also a bit disappointing to this romance lover that we didn't get back to Edilyn and Illarion until 30 pages before the end of the book.
I really did enjoy the story of Illarion and Edilyn when it was about the two of them. That ended up being about half the book. The refresher was ok, I could skip through it, but I don't think it was worth the money I spent. Especially considering I bought a hard cover to keep with my collection. I'm hoping that our next book, Dragonsworn, takes us farther into the dragon story with some new story.This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict
Even when Illarion is released from his imprisonment, his mental state is not the best. However, he will help out his brothers. This is where we get pulled back into Dragonbane. The situations all replay themselves. Some even coming from Maxis's point of view. That surprised me. I wasn't all that excited to be repeating a story I had already read, but it would have been a little more tolerable if the story had of been straight from Illarion's point of view.
Much of the book I did find myself flipping through as it was all so much of a repeat. Sometimes, however, a refresher is good for me. That is what keeps me from raging too loudly about so much of the book being a repeat. I am disappointed that I spent so much money on this book for the amount of new story I got.
Things do progress past what I believe Dragonbane did, and we are stuck in the same illusion Illarion is in. Or what Max and everyone believes is an illusion. Even I believed it was an illusion after how Illarion was left alone. It was also a bit disappointing to this romance lover that we didn't get back to Edilyn and Illarion until 30 pages before the end of the book.
I really did enjoy the story of Illarion and Edilyn when it was about the two of them. That ended up being about half the book. The refresher was ok, I could skip through it, but I don't think it was worth the money I spent. Especially considering I bought a hard cover to keep with my collection. I'm hoping that our next book, Dragonsworn, takes us farther into the dragon story with some new story.This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict
mina_reads_30's review against another edition
2.0
Well, what can I say? I am not disappointed but, this book was just blah for me. I mean, the beginning was really promising, then all of the sudden a big WTH. I get that Ms. Kenyon had to tell the story again from Illarion's point of view. I felt the end was rush and now even interesting because we don't get to see what happens to Edilyn between her death and her rebirth as a new species to the series.
Hopefully the next book will go back to being as they used to be, simple yet awesome.
Hopefully the next book will go back to being as they used to be, simple yet awesome.
mina_reads_30's review against another edition
3.0
I wish we could go back to the older Dark-Hunter books. I feel that this universe has grown so much, everything is mix and causes confusion. I feel like I been reading the same story line in the last 4 Mrs. Kenyon books, that includes The League Series.
bookish_boricua's review against another edition
4.0
After a slow start, I find that I really enjoyed reading Falcons story. It was great to get to see a part of him that no one has really been privy to. Secrets that were held tight until this book. I will not post spoilers, even though I know most to all of her fans have already devoured this book. For those struggling with it, keep going it does pick up and get way better. I can not wait til next year for the next book.
rikuskey's review against another edition
2.0
DNF. I first read the chronicles of nick, DNFd that because of the writing style being horrendous, gave Kenyon another shot with her DH series, fell in LOVE with all the characters and the plot lines but now... What the hell is even happening in this series. Nick is AWOL, I have to pull up character bios on Wikipedia to know who the hell any of these people are anymore, especially since everyone and their mothers (literally!) are related to each other somehow, someway and they are often mentioned ONCE then you don't hear about them for 5 or more books down the line. everyone's personality has become the same, there isn't anything new offered (woe me I have a tragic past and I'm a hard ass who doesn't need anyone, except this one chick who somehow melts away my thousands of years of defenses down in one freaking hour because she's hot?) the plots expanding to where it's extremely hard to follow. The gallu have been gone for about 5 books suddenly they are back and oh yeah now everything even faye are infected by the gallu (when did THAT happen?!), the pathenons can't cross but somehow everyone seems to be able to do this? Oh yeah by the way if you haven't read her very first books under her pen name, you'll be punished because this is a continuation of Lords of Avalon! I'm so confused anymore! This book just ended up being the tipping point. I was interested in Falcyons story, even skipped the 7 pages of nothing but him and Meadea sleeping around in hostile territory (because that always makes sense), but now Appolymis direct line lead to the malachi? (had to look that one up too) so let me guess now nick and acheron are distantly related. Was any of this stuff in con? Must have because now the readers who don't read every single one of her books are being punished for it. Im upset I invested so much time into this series, and now I just can't continue, I feel like the author doesn't even know what's happening anymore or even care.
As for the book itself, I can't give an honest full book review since I DNFd it, but it was leading to be the same ol shit of I've been betrayed, you're a woman I just can't resist, show me the light, let me screw you and claim you as my soul mate even though we just met like two hours ago and then oh yeah some stuff happens to lead the plot along with another dangling carrot even though it really didn't progress the series any.
As for the book itself, I can't give an honest full book review since I DNFd it, but it was leading to be the same ol shit of I've been betrayed, you're a woman I just can't resist, show me the light, let me screw you and claim you as my soul mate even though we just met like two hours ago and then oh yeah some stuff happens to lead the plot along with another dangling carrot even though it really didn't progress the series any.
redheadbeans's review against another edition
3.0
What sets this one apart from most of the books in the recent series is that the story is mostly about a group of characters working together, not just a man and a woman who start hating each other but are also in lust with each other thrown together for some reason, with an end fight between a lot of people. So while the banter between the characters, particularly the male ones, is the same copy-paste casually sexist ridiculous egotistic bs you see in most of Kenyon's Dark-Hunter books (e.g., "I'm a sarcastic asshole and all my male friends and family try and fail to kill me, change up descriptors"), the teamwork aspect in the story is pretty enjoyable. There aren't many Dark-Hunter stories where women who aren't related to each other work together without enmity or build friendships with each other, at least during the story and not during a time skip of some kind. It was so nice to see women making friends with each other - and not just because they both cared about the same guy! I knew catfights weren't your only go-to, Kenyon!
Although it was a bit odd, considering how Medea was treating Nick only a short while ago, but well... Character whiplash and plot amnesia are also typical of the Dark-Hunter books. And Nick's not even really in this book anyway, even if he does get mentioned a couple times, so who cares about him, amiright? - probably something that went through Kenyon/her editor's head at one point, maybe.
And is this... the first Dark-Hunter book to have a canonically non-evil gay character? -scrutinizes book heavily- I mean... it's skirting things, but well. Wow. I mean yeah, he's randomly sexually assaulted by a woman for no apparent reason because that's apparently Kenyon's go-to for LGBTQA+ stuff, but well... progress in the Dark-Hunter series...? -sighs heavily- Bet he dies in the next couple books anyway. But it's okay! Kenyon's clearly setting up a future book by introducing a new(?) minor villain character who's bi/pan and all set for her typical Dark-Hunter redemption storyline, so that's all right! We'll keep our Dark-Hunter quotas a-okay!
There are good banter moments, which help the story. Characters making light fun of each other, showing off their powers, talking about the environment, theorizing about politics and lore... Even some of the generic Kenyon-trademarked 'lol I'm so loony look at this crazy thing I just said' humor is back, and it made me smile. Haven't seen anything in these books do that since like the second "Chronicles of Nick" book came out. Could we just have more of that and less "people are always trying to kill me because I'm ass" and "you're such a pussy" and "she's a bitch" in re: women comments? Please? And more characters for the protagonists to interact with. Teamwork is clearly not Kenyon's forte because there are apparently only two kinds of male relationships she can write (I'd die for you v. Let's out-asshole each other verbally), but this was a good start. Roll with it. And less of the infodumps. Jeez. I still like the mythology of this universe but this is the first time I've felt the need to use index cards to keep track of what was going on.
Although it was a bit odd, considering how Medea was treating Nick only a short while ago, but well... Character whiplash and plot amnesia are also typical of the Dark-Hunter books. And Nick's not even really in this book anyway, even if he does get mentioned a couple times, so who cares about him, amiright? - probably something that went through Kenyon/her editor's head at one point, maybe.
And is this... the first Dark-Hunter book to have a canonically non-evil gay character? -scrutinizes book heavily- I mean... it's skirting things, but well. Wow. I mean yeah, he's randomly sexually assaulted by a woman for no apparent reason because that's apparently Kenyon's go-to for LGBTQA+ stuff, but well... progress in the Dark-Hunter series...? -sighs heavily- Bet he dies in the next couple books anyway. But it's okay! Kenyon's clearly setting up a future book by introducing a new(?) minor villain character who's bi/pan and all set for her typical Dark-Hunter redemption storyline, so that's all right! We'll keep our Dark-Hunter quotas a-okay!
There are good banter moments, which help the story. Characters making light fun of each other, showing off their powers, talking about the environment, theorizing about politics and lore... Even some of the generic Kenyon-trademarked 'lol I'm so loony look at this crazy thing I just said' humor is back, and it made me smile. Haven't seen anything in these books do that since like the second "Chronicles of Nick" book came out. Could we just have more of that and less "people are always trying to kill me because I'm ass" and "you're such a pussy" and "she's a bitch" in re: women comments? Please? And more characters for the protagonists to interact with. Teamwork is clearly not Kenyon's forte because there are apparently only two kinds of male relationships she can write (I'd die for you v. Let's out-asshole each other verbally), but this was a good start. Roll with it. And less of the infodumps. Jeez. I still like the mythology of this universe but this is the first time I've felt the need to use index cards to keep track of what was going on.
leanner's review against another edition
3.0
I really dreaded doing this review. I just couldn't get into this book and yet I love this series. There were just too many extras and I got lost. I didn't connect with the characters at all, they felt like strangers. Maybe the next one will go back to the roots of why fans love the Dark Hunters.
dreamer4ever's review against another edition
5.0
This is my favorite author and series in the whole world. This one was a good one. This will be short and vague as to give nothing away. We get more new people that intertwine with the huge world and I really like the whole Camelot/Arthur cross, this is not your Camelot that usually gets portrayed, this is more an evil crazy ass Camelot with Morgan running things and the lunacy that entails. This was good and I love this world, I hate having to wait so long for the next one. Oh, and The Simi pays a visit!!!
stephtorto's review
4.0
4.5 stars for Sherrilyn Kenyon's ever-amazing ability to weave together so many myths and legends into her own story/stories. There was more than one H/H in this book, which left me wanting more of each, as there wasn't quite enough of each story for me to be fully invested in either couple. The ties to the pantheons and our regular cast of characters was great, and I'm always game for more page time for Acheron, Styxx or Savitar - or all three.