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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “Nightborn by Lynn Viehl |
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“Quite enjoyable, though I didnt care for the ending.”
Deyara wrote this review Sunday, September 23, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Dark Faerie Tales wrote this review Saturday, June 9, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Quick & Dirty: Ms. Viehl’s characters live in a strange, strange world.
Opening Sentence: A shout outside the barbican tower jerked Brother Frémis from his contemplation of the inside of his eyelids.
The Review:
A strange, strange world indeed. For who in their right mind would train a tiny little girl to become an assassin by having her attacked by a crap load of males her own age. Oh, and for kicks let’s video tape it for posterity.
Let us concentrate on the hero and heroine of this particular story. Korvel is Darkyn, a certain breed of vampire. These guys are not deathly allergic to sunlight, but it does weaken them quite a bit. They do drink blood, however, and very often mix it with wine, especially when it is older or bagged. Oh, and these guys, they smell good. So good, that often they can use their scent, or l’attrait to turn any human into one who will do their every bidding. Nifty trick, that. We met Korvel in a previous book in this series, and forgive me for not remembering which one. Back then we were meant to hate him, for he did something seemingly horrible to one of the heroines from that series. Nice to see Korvel get some redemption, because I think we all knew that down deep, Korvel really is a nice guy.
Korvel is the Kyn high lord’s right hand warrior, his seneschal, and is currently on a secret mission for the high lord to recover an ancient Kyn artifact, one that contains the secret to immortality. When he arrives at the last known location of the artifact, he is ambushed by assassins trained to defeat his kind, and finds a nun who is also being attacked. After rescuing her, and suffering some battle wounds, he is taken to a nearby convent to heal before continuing his mission, for which he has now also acquired a partner, that very nun whose life he saved.
But, our little Simone is no nun; in fact she has been trained to be rather deadly since she was a young girl. She is also a trisori sentinel, a member of a group of mortals sworn to aid the Kyn, but also sworn to follow the orders of the tresoran council. The tresoran council has not only sworn allegiance to the Darkyn, but has also taken on the job of protecting the mortals of the world from them as well, if necessary. The council has ordered her to kill Korvel after he helps her find the artifact that has been in the care of her family for generations, because they don’t think his master should get a hold of it. Simone may have been trained as an assassin, but killing for the sake of killing has never been much to her liking, and this particular order becomes even harder to follow when she becomes romantically involved with the subject, or when the subject becomes romantically involved with her.
On their mission to find the artifact, they are met by a few blasts from the past, Nick, Gabriel and Alex. Nick and Gabriel were sent to find Korvel and help him; Alex appears off and on to brandish her infinite doctorial skills and sarcasm. We also bear witness to some of their struggles in life and love. But one question…when did her man Michael start letting Alex wander the countryside without him? If I remember correctly, wasn’t he all master of the caveman tendencies where she was concerned?
Needless to say, the hero and heroine accomplish their mission and live happily ever after (in a fashion). But, I want to know: Do we get to see more of Simone’s “brothers”? Sounds like some of them could be interesting, maybe even quite handsome…
I find this book does a decent job at standing alone, though previous knowledge of the Kyn and tresora, Nick, Gabriel, etc. would seemingly make some parts of the book more meaningful. Especially the parts with Alex, and those focusing on the Nicola/Gabriel relationship, and all of its hardships. Also, I do remember the complexity in Ms. Viehl’s writing from before, and the knowledge of having to read them in order. It’s a sound idea, starting from the first book, but that’s just a suggestion from me to you. Thankfully, I am up on the list to reread the whole series, start to finish, for DFT. So maybe in the future I will revisit this one, and at that point my review will seem to make more sense, at least to me anyway.
Nevertheless, I liked it as much as I remember liking her others, and would recommend it to my friends. That is if I had any friends who would actually read something about vampires, and stuff like that.
Notable Scene:
The first charged at her from behind as two flanking her ran a cross pattern. As soldiers, they had been trained to fight upright, falling prone only to take cover or to change position, and expected the enemy to do the same. Simone dropped, seizing the blades and diving between the legs of her first attacker, cutting his hamstrings. She rolled over in time to parry the man on her left as he struck down, grabbing his shoulder and using his momentum to throw him into the third soldier, who collapsed in a tangle with him.
Back on her feet, she moved to the scaffolding, using a running jump to pull herself up to the first level and turning to drive her boot into the face of the guildsman who pursued her; she leaped over the one who followed him and swept her arm back, slamming her elbow into the base of his skull.
She regarded the five who were left, and how they rearranged themselves. These were the watchful ones, the martial artists with their black belts and their clever techniques. They would be strong, practiced, and deceptive, but they had been trained to read the body of the enemy to anticipate his or her actions.
Simone remained still, holding her arms to shield her upper body while she shifted her eyes from one chest to another. Two of the men danced back and forth as they approached, feinting strikes at her head before they lashed out with their feet at her legs. She fell before they could touch her, jerking the legs they stood on out from beneath them.
Both fell back, one striking the back of his head and going still, the other managing to partially break his fall with an arm. The snap of his ulna sounded like a brittle branch as Simone wrapped an arm around his neck and dragged him up, heaving his body toward two more guildsmen.
That left one standing only a few feet from her, and he stepped forward, keeping his eyes on her face as he bobbed in a shallow bow. He raised his arms, his hands cupped, his legs slightly bent at the knees, prepared for any move she intended to make.
Except this one, Simone thought, raising the .22 she had taken from one of the soldiers and shooting the last guildsman in the knee.
The Lords of the Darkyn Series:
1. Nightborn
2. Nightbred
FTC Advisory: Penguin/Signet provided me with a copy of Nightborn. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.”
“Our Review [by Michelle L. Olson - LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha]:
LITERAL ADDICTION wrote this review Wednesday, June 6, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I have thoroughly enjoyed Lynn Viehls Darkyn and Kyndrd series. In this 2nd spinoff to the Darkyn series, Lords of the Darkyn, she hits another homerun with some old and new characters and thoroughly engaging plotline.
Korvel, seneschal for high lord Richard, is sent on a quest to find an artifact used and hidden by his kyn back in the Templar days.
He meets up with Simone, a pseudo-nun with an interesting past and an even more interesting secret.
Their journey to find the scroll is action packed and thrilling. Their chemistry is amazing, and despite the hardships they encounter they make a wicked team and bring things to a satisfying conclusion.
I was ecstatic to finally see a happily ever after for my beloved Korvel (he's been the underdog that I've been cheering on for 2 series now) and having 2 of my sassy kyndred turned kyn heroines - Alexandra and Nicola - back was an amazing treat. It was also very interesting to see a little bit deeper into the relationship between Nicola and Gabriel. There's has probably been the rockiest of them all, but they're also a couple that you want the best for.
I'm really excited to see where the Lords of the Darkyn series goes. I loved the way it started and I'm looking forward to book #2.
LITERAL ADDICTION gives Nightborn 4 Skulls, and would recommend it to all Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance readers. While you don't have to read the Darkyn and/or Kyndred series before reading this book, I would suggest that you do. There's SO much history there and this book will be way more enjoyable with that knowledge locked away. All 3 series have been incredible and they're definitely worth the time and money. ”
“Great read as usual”
Shanell H wrote this review Tuesday, April 24, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Korvel's story... I need to go back and reread all the Darkyn books (in order!) to better appreciate this story! However, I LOVED IT... The story continues to get better, READ ON!”
Owl Read You... wrote this review Tuesday, April 3, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Though I have to admit that I would have a hard time finding anything wrong with the continuation of the Darkyn series, I have to admit, there was not one bit lacking.
josieD wrote this review Monday, March 26, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Viehl has a knack for smart, sexy writing that becomes a true page turner... one you absolutely cannot put down.
I have felt sorry for Korvel in past books and the role he was forced to play, it was a pleasure to see him finally get his "happily ever after" especially when he gets to stick it to the Dark Lord! F off Richard Treymayne!!! ”
“I was thrilled that Lynn Viehl had gone back to the Darkyn with her new Lords of the Darkyn series. Nightborn is the first in the new series which slots in seamlessly behind the Darkyn series.
sfx555chick wrote this review Thursday, March 22, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This book follows Korvel trusted warrior of the High Lord Richard Tremayne and also features Gabriel and Nic from Night Lost (Book 4 of the Darkyn series).
A thoroughly enjoyable and smouldering read with a good mystery and adventure to satisfy those that like their paranormal romance not only with bite but ALSO with solid meat on the 'story bones'... ”
“I am so happy to see some of my favorite characters from the original Darkyn series back and in action.
bizzygirl wrote this review Thursday, March 22, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This book started out kind of slow but really picked up in the middle. There were a lot of questions and mysteries to be solved. Korvel turned out to be a very likeable and considerate Kyn. I am definitely going to read the next book!! ”
“3.5 Feathers
Under The Covers Book Blog wrote this review Thursday, March 15, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Nightborn
Reviewed by Francesca & posted at Under The Covers Book Blog
http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/arc-review-nightborn-by-lynn-viehl.html
The Darkyn world is a bit dark and seductive. I haven't read anything by Ms. Viehl before but this sounded really good so I had to give it a try. I think the author did a great job at explaining everything in the world that if you haven't read her Darkyn series you could pick this up and understand it.
Not knowing him from the previous series, the hero of this story, Korvel, I think is great. He's caring, first for his duty, which he follows blindly going to retrieve a scroll that holds the secret to immortality, but then he can be so tender with his heroine. Simone, is a tresora, a human servant of the Kyn. She's lived her life in a convent with blind nuns waiting for the day she will have to step up and protect the scroll. The two of them together compliment each other during their search and battles, but they also have great chemistry as a couple!
There were so many twists in this story which were very nice, some unexpected and some a bit predictable. There was plenty of action, which I liked! But I also really enjoyed the secondary characters in the book, I believe they are a previous couple, Gabriel and Nicole. She's soooo much fun! I loved her attitude and personality, I am really looking forward to going back and reading her book. Looking forward to reading more from this author!
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