Veena’s review of Dark Wolf (Carpathians, Book 25) by Christine Feehan
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 07 Jan 14
I have been a fan of the Carpathians since I first discovered them, but the characters who spoke to me the strongest are the two dragons imprisoned in the ice and the two little girls from the ice caves whom we caught glimpses of from time to time. Years have passed and many stories have come and gone, but finally Lara’s story is told and the aunts rescued from their ice prison. Dark Lycan brought alive Tatjana the red dragon and her HEA, and now finally it’s time for Skyler and Dimitri. Each story is progressively richer and more mesmerizing. This is a superb story on so many different levels……they don’t call Ms. Feehan the queen of paranormal romance for nothing. Dimitri has always been such an interesting hero. He’s an ancient Carpathian warrior who has spent a life time fighting the undead and destroying evil, and then to find out that his life mate is a young teenager – and not just any young teenager but one who was sexually abused as a child – now the adopted daughter of the legendary Carpathian Gabriel Daratrazanoff and natural child of Razvan. It’s enough to make one howl and run with the wolves, which, if I recall correctly, is something the author actually wrote into one of her books. Can he survive with honor until she’s old enough to bond with him?
Skyler is dragonseeker, mage, healer, psychic but the sum of all her parts definitely adds up to one helluva heroine. Mother Earth communicates with her and I think the parts where the earth actually creates safe passage for her through the Lycan camp and feeds her clues is a very fine piece of writing indeed. The whole death by silver torture that Dimitri is subjected to by the Lycans is truly horrific, but when Skyler heals him and attacks each thread forcing it to reverse out of his body and shed on the ground – Wow! – and then when she’s able to use the leaves to hide it in the ground and bring it up and use it as a weapon in her time of need – Double Wow!
Skylar sets out with two of her young friends, one human and one Carpathian, to rescue Dimitri using her innocence and youth to sneak in and reach him both on the physical as well as the psychic plane. Their love story is so intense that I had goose bumps as I read, turning pages faster than the speed of the eye and the brain, it seemed. Rescue Dimitri she does very ably and then awaits the big guns to handle stage two. Fear not, they arrive in time to protect and heal them and take up the slack. What a who’s who of Carpathians ~ her father and uncle, the legendary twins, Gabriel and Lucian, her birth father Razvan and his life mate Ivory Malinov and their wolves, her friend Paul’s uncles, the feared De La Cruz brothers, and Josef’s uncles, Vlad Belandrake and Byran Justicano, and let’s not forget Dimitri’s brother Fen and his life mate Tatijana. Throughout the book we get to catch up with a lot of the characters that we have met in the series as they come up on stage to play their roles.
I am always afraid when something is much desired and/or long awaited it won’t live up to the promise of my imagination, but that is certainly not the case here. For a while it seemed like the series sags a bit, but then I supposed when you are 30 deep in a series, a few misfires are totally understandable. I am happy to report that the series is completely revitalized and I, for one, can hardly wait for the next book.
Grade: A+
Summary:
In Dark Lycan, Christine Feehan journeyed into the heart of the Carpathians, and into the souls of two lifemates stirred by the flush of passion and the threat of annihilation. In Dark Wolf, the breathtaking story continues as the bonds of family are imperiled, and the fate of two lovers lies hidden in the seductive shadows between life and death.
Skyler Daratrazanoff always recognized the miracle that was Dimitri Tirunul, a man beyond any dream that had ever engaged her nights. But she was human. Vulnerable. He was Carpathian. Nearly immortal. She was nineteen. He was an ancient. Yet she held half his soul, the light to his darkness. Without her, he would not survive. Caught between the two warring species, Dimitri has spent centuries hunting the undead to keep his people free, and humans safe. He had survived honorably when others had chosen to give up their souls. But now, marked for extermination by the Lycans, Dimitri found himself alone, and fearing for his life. But salvation was coming…
No Lycan would ever suspect someone like Skyler to dare mount a secret rescue operation. A teenage girl. A human of untested abilities. But she had something no one else had. She was predestined for Dimitri—as he was for her. And there was nothing stronger for Skyler than her desire to see her life-dream come true. Whatever the risk.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
