Customer Reviews

Dark Challenge (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 5)

5 star:		(70)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

The fifth in the ongoing original saga of the Carpathians, this one introduces us to four new characters as well as the twin, Julian, of the 'hero' in Dark Gold. It also introduces Desari (Dara) a Carpathian Female who is equal in power to Julian, which makes for an interesting situation as none of the Carpathian males (except those in Desari's 'family unit') are used to dealing with Carpathian women who are the equal of their power. It also brings a unique twist into the mix as the two carpathian females introduced to us, each have a unique power that the Carpathian males were unaware that Carpathian women of power have.

This book, I felt, had a deeper depth to it than the last four. It really showed how hard it was for Carpathian males to live together, and showed a deep interaction between the "family unit" of Desari (including a sweet sister relationship between Desari and Syndil, the other female Carpathian). All of the characters were delightfully interesting, and the situation between Julian and the other male Carpathians, especially between Darius and Julian, was quite amusing and real.

This book also sets the stage for more books, introducing the reader to many interesting Carpathians, that I hope will all be seen in their own future books (Especially Darius--I think he will quickly score as high a following as Gregori, if not a higher following. Up until now, I actually liked Jacques the most, but now Darius has quickly tied with him.)

Spoiler here, but it also hints big time that we will be seeing more about the legendary warrior twins, Gabriel and Lucian. I cannot wait to read their story. The story Christine gave in the book set up quite a stage for their stories, and so far Christine has proven that her sequels can stand on their own two feet and do not fall in the trap of most sequels of wearing out the same plot over and over.

I could not put this one down, even though I had to get up at four the next morning for work. I would definitely recommend this book, and it is another that is going on my keeper shelf.

Dark Challenge proves to be just as engrossing as Ms. Feehan's previous books in the Dark series. Dark Challenge is the story of Julian (twin brother to Aidan, hero in Dark Gold) and Desari (part of a lost group of Carpathians and sister to Gregori, the hero in Dark Magic). This book sets itself apart from the rest of the series by pairing the hero with an ancient Carpathian female. Up until now we had been dealing with human females converted into Carpathians, or very young Carpathian females mated to ancient males. In book we learn that the females have their own unique gifts and are just as powerful as their male counterparts. The love story between Julian and Desari is a delight to read. Julian, like all male Carpathians is arrogant, and over protective, but he finally meets his match in Desari, a woman just as powerful as he is. Seeing a Carpathian male trying to figure out how to deal with a mate who is his equal will have you laughing out loud several times. Ms. Feehan also introduces us to several intriguing characters who will have her fans clamoring for their stories to be told. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Also recommend, Dark Prince, Dark Desire, Dark Gold, and Dark Magic.

Christine Feehan's newest book, DARK CHALLENGE, is a fabulous addition to the DARK series. Each book has a different feel to it and keeps me enthralled from beginning to end! It just keeps getting better and better! If you haven't read any of these books, start with Dark Prince and work your way up - you won't be disappointed.

Julian Savage is powerful hunter for his people, the Carpathians. He expertly hunts vampires, the undead, who torture and kill his people as well as humans. He has had to live a solitary life, sometimes even hunting down old friends who turned vampire. But he does his duty, without fail. Separated from family, totally alone, he finally finds his lifemate. Their new relationship is only part of the story - someone is out to hunt down Desari and Julian must protect her at all costs while dealing with her family and an enemy from his troublesome past.

The characters in Dark Challenge are fresh and the story takes a twist that leaves the door open for so many more possibilities! A roller coaster ride of emotions, this book had me laughing out loud at the lively banter and interaction between the characters. The family unit is very tight-knit and the heroine's brother, Darius, is awesome! I can see the legion of readers who will be begging for his story just like they did for Gregori! The sizzling romance had my toes curling and the emotional intensity touched me to tears. If you want to read a hot love story, this is the book for you! Julian and Desari are electric! I felt as if I was right there in the middle of all the action. One thing about these books is the respect the characters have for the earth, the animals, the elements. An appreciation that is beautiful to watch. The secondary story is very intriguing as well and I'm hoping we see more with the other family members in upcoming books.

It is a story about light balancing out the dark. A story about love, peace, renewal and forgiveness. A story about learning, trusting, sacrifice and honor, not only for your mate, but for your family. In Julian and Desari we see a love that shines from their souls, a timeless touch of perfection, a joyful sharing of self.

If I had to make a complaint about this book - it is only that it ended too soon!

I love this series. The Dark series has been a joy to read. I'm trying to read them slowly so that I will have time to cheris them but I want to fly right through all of them.

This is the 5th book in the series and Julian's story. He is Aidan's twin and the man Gregori had guarding his lifemate Savannah until they mated. His assignment is to warn a beautiful singer named Desari that her life is in danger from the vampire hunters. He suddenly discovers that Desari is his lifemate and also Carpathian. She and her brother Darius escaped with four other children many centuries ago the hunters and have been living with out the knowledge that other Carpathians other than those who have turned vampire still live. Desari and Darius are Gregori's long lost siblings.

Desari is not to keen on the idea of Julian being her lifemate. She likes her freedom and is quite powerful on her own. She struggles with his need to control her and protect her. She wants an equal. He is also struggling with this and is learing how to give a little. He must also battle a dark secret he has carried with him for centuries. This secret could destroy them all and he must seek it out and kill it before it hurts them.

Darius, Desari's older brother is quite a force to deal with also. He has had to learn everything on his own and protect his family unit. He is very leary of Julian but comes to respect him and his abilities to protect his family. His story is next. I can't wait. There are also some very interesting supporting characters that I would be interested in reading thier stories.

I am so glad I found this series and will enjoy it for years to come. Keep writing Christine!

This book was absolutley wonderful.Julian meets his lifemate,who is part of a lost group of Carpaithian,two of which are Gregori's brother and sister.The sister is Julian's lifemate.Desari is an ancient Carpaithian with gifts. We haven't seen the power of the woman until you have read this book. When Julian finds this group he gives the men hope because they did not Know about lifemates and that their was a posibillity of once more feeling again.Darius is Desari's brother, who is very protective and really does not like that Julian has bound his sister to him when Julian still has to face the vampire that maked him when he was young. There are undercurents between the other female in the group and one of the other men. I think they are lifemates but don't know it. A great book to read hope you enjoy it too. I hope to see more of the character's from this book in future books,especialy Darius.

If I were reviewing this book in isolation, I would have given it more than three stars. However, after comparing it to the four incredible novels that come before it, I have to agree with other reviewers who feel that "Dark Challenge" comes up short.

Christine Feehan is an extremely gifted writer who has invented a race and a world that are original and fascinating. Julian had been a minor, but intriguing presence throughout the Dark Series, and I was thrilled when he got his own story.

Unfortunately, anticipation quickly turned into exasperation. The main problem with "Dark Challenge" is that there are two heroes fighting for attention and, frankly, Julian loses. The problem is especially irritating when it interferes with the relationship between Julian and Desari. In previous novels, the developing relationships between hero and heroine are dark and intense, absolutely compulsive reading. In "Dark Challenge", so much attention is focused on other characters, it makes the relationship between Julian and Desari seem like an afterthought.

Although "Dark Challenge" is good when compared to other books in the genre, it just doesn't reach the level of perfection that Ms. Feehan achieved in her previous books.

Somehow I stumbled onto the Dark series. I'm an old "Dark Shadows" fan (the original series), so I lean towards the supernatural genre anyway. I've read all of the books in the Dark series and enjoyed every one. It was easy to follow the story line, even reading them out of order as I did.

I feel "Dark Challenge" is the best of the series (although the other 4 books are very good, too), probably because Desari is such a strong character, certainly able to deal with Julian's "cave man" tactics. Christine Feehan introduces four additional characters with Darius, Barack, Dayan, and Syndil, as well as mentions more about Lucien and Gabriel. Surely such fodder won't go to waste! I eagerly anticipate several sequels to this wonderful line of Carpathian romances.

I have to say, after scanning the other reviews, I was afraid I would be disappointed in this book. Wrong! I do believe it is my favorite out of the four I have read by Ms. Feehan this week. In the past books in this series, Julian has been portrayed as the dark brooding soul who is about to end it all. After centuries of hunting down Carpathians who have turned vampire, he feels he must end his life. Apparently the Carpathian males must find their life mates. If they don't they lose the ability to feel emotions and see colors. They live in the gray area of life until they either meet the sun and end it all or turn to the other side and become the dread vampire. Julian also carries a dark secret in his soul that forced him to separate himself from friends and his twin. Julian makes the decision to greet the sun when he is asked to do one last favor. He must warn a singer that she is being stalked. Julian finds the singer and her family just before they are about to begin a concert. Suddenly there is an assassination attempt and before Julian can react he finds there is more. He has found his life mate and she is about to die. What made this book so special for me was the complete change in Julian, as he has to learn to cope with the changes in his life and fight to protect his woman. Things don't quite as smoothly as they should because Julian's woman has a mind of her own, and a big brother whose not about to let some male invade his domain and take charge of his family. Let the fireworks begin!

I have mixed feelings about this book. This is an unusual Feehan, or so I gather, because this is the story of a powerful Carpathian male (a hunter aged over 1000 years) meeting his match in a powerful Carpathian female (another ancient, of about the same age or 10 years younger) and her brother whose powers - learned in *isolation* - equal or surpass those of the hero.

Warning at the beginning - if you don't like books in which part of the thrill is seeing the hero being tested, really tested (and I don't mean in the erotic sphere) by other men, this is not the book for you. Come to think of that, you should also avoid Dark Legend. I happen to think this aspect is fascinating, because I have never really seen any Feehan hero being challenged by another ancient male. Not to mention, being forced to live with other ancient males by his lifemate, because she will not leave her group.

This book, along with DARK FIRE, is set in a subset of Carpathian society, which grew in complete isolation from the mainstream. It has its own laws, in effect. And the "Prince" of this society is Darius - who is not the hero. There are three males and two females who form the group, and they are reeling as much from the unexpected defection of a fourth male and its consequences, as from what happens when Julian makes his presence felt. Julian himself has to cope with moving from being very much a loner, to learning to live in a group, and to share his lifemate with the others who are effectively her brothers and sister, if not of the same womb then by a shared lifetime.

I haven't read all the other Feehan books, and I don't usually read vampire books or paranormal romances. [Asaro and Bradley aside... but they are SFF writers]. I am therefore judging this book on its own merits.

Is this a successful romance? I think so, despite the fact that a lot of the novel's energy is expended on the complicated group interactions, and even more on the conflicts between the hero and the heroine's brother. After all, the couple meet, they fall for each other, they miss each other, and they have a happy ending (or so we hope).

Is this an interesting story? You bet it was. For someone relatively new to Feehan, this book explained a lot about Carpathian society, especially their ancient history and lifestyle, which changed considerably after 1400. [Keep in mind that *all* the Dark series are set after 1900]. It also raised some questions, and it fed some information about what happened to the others - particularly the legendary twins Gabriel and Lucian.

This is not a typical Dark novel, I suspect for all the reasons I explained. Julian is a loner by choice, if a cruel and enforced choice. He meets up with his lifemate, who is not a young nubile Carpathian female (well, she is nubile but not young). She is no converted human psychic, and nor a tough female cop. She is an ancient Carpathian female, the first to appear in this series along with her foster sister Syndil. I happen to like this setup. Others may not, especially if they prefer the more usual story of a human converted to a Carpathian.

Rating = 4.4
Recommended = highly, especially for insights into Carpathian history and sociology

P.S. I don't think it is fair to critique this book for the non-appearance of old characters, because Dark Magic has the same flaw (Gregori aside), and so do Dark Legend and Dark Guardian. Especially in the two latter, where the legendary ancient hunters, older than even the Prince (whose story is the first book), there is even less excitement in Carpathian society. Please judge this book on its own merits, and not on the fact that no old favorites appear.

After having read the majority of the reviews that were posted , I must admit that I did not have very high hopes for Dark Challenge. Maybe it was a product of expecting so little, but I really enjoyed this book! I will admit that I only bought Dark Challenge because I had read the rest of the series and I can not stand to leave something unfinished - but in the end I really appreciate what Feehan did.

To start, I would like to address some of the issues brought up in the reviews. First, though I must say that the lack of past charcters did affect how I rated this book, it is only because I had read all the others. In no way does their lack of presence detract from this storyline. Feehan is introducing us to a whole new "family" and they deserved to hog the spotlight! Secondly, I must admit that I was getting tired of the overwhelming darkness that surrounded all the other male carpathians. Though it is true that Julian was painted as a tortured soul in all the other books, I think it is great that finally one of them was able to adjust so well to finding a lifemate! My biggest critique, and the big reason as to why it gets four stars, of this book stands at the ending. The battle between Julian and Bernado had been built up to such a degree that the ending of that particular plot line had all the sizzle of a wet firecracker.

Now if you are looking for romance and (finally) a sensible heroine then this is the book for you. No offense to past characters, but finally we have a leading lady who is sensible and strong. Dara knows who she is and puts her foot down when necessary, but she is confident enough to know when to back down and when to stay put. It was a rather unfortunate trend in the rest of the series that the ladies were stupid enough to rush in when they had no clue what was happenning. They also had an absurd distatste to blood that carried even to the two books where the ladies were atleast part Carpathian! I kind of liked the fact that Dara had no feeding traumas :)

To sum up, Drak Challenge is a great book because it is not so bogged down in the overly dramatic traumas of past books and there is a lightness to this one that really endears all Carpathians to the reader. Additionally, we got to meet a whole slew of new charcters that I am sure will have a great story!