Customer Reviews

The Darkest Whisper (Thorndike Romance)

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(42)
3 star:		(30)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

As Lords of the Underworld race their enemies, the Hunters, to uncover the one artifact which can destroy our demon possessed immortal warriors, the warriors discover not another clue to the location of Pandora's box but their enemies' breeding program. In the midst of the rescue, Sabin (possessed by the demon of Doubt) is drawn to the most dangerous of the captives. Gwen's beauty belies the lethality of her immortal harpy heritage, and though she has suffered by witnessing her fellow captives' abuse, no Hunter has been able to approach Gwen to 'bring her into the program'.

Even though Gwen's inner harpy is deadly, `Gwendolyn the timid' is the queen of self-doubt and not your typical bold, brash and `fowl' immortal. Sabin is sure that he can turn Gwen's harpy into a weapon to aid the Lords in their fight against the Hunters, but knowing the deadly effect of his demon's ability to plant self-doubt in the minds of women he has allowed in his bed in the past, Sabin is determined keep the luscious Gwen safely at arm's length. So despite Sabin's growing need to claim Gwen, he must keep their relationship strictly about the war with the Hunters. But... Gwen's harpy has other ideas and Sabin's demon had better watch out.

I loved Darkest Whisper, for me it was the best of the dark Lords of the Underworld series so far. At first I couldn't imagine how Gwen who seems so riddled with self-doubt could possibly stand up to the assault of Sabin's demon, but it is the very fact that Gwen is so familiar with her own inner voice of doubt which allows her to ward off the insidious demon's attacks. And part of what makes the story so wonderful is that Gwen, as she finally comes to terms with her inner harpy, ends up being more than a match for Sabin and manages to fully cow his demon. It was fun to watch.

Though the romance between Gwen and Sabin is a major part of the story, as in past books Darkest Whisper continues to be an ensemble piece. Adding to the fun is the always irreverent Anya, the goddess of Chaos, and Gwen's harpy sisters who very much have the feel of the Valkyries from Kresley Cole's (an author buddy of Showalter) Immortals After Dark series - speaking of which, IAD character Nix puts in a brief appearance. The large number of 'Lords', mates and supporting characters will seem daunting to readers new to the series - actually it won't only seem daunting, if you are new to the Lords of the Underworld don't start here on book four. But for those of us who been following the series from the start, it really isn't a problem to keep track of the large cast. And more and more we are getting a feel for all of the warriors who haven't yet had their turn in the spotlight - with intros to Gideon(Lies) and Amun(Secrets), more of Paris'(Lust's) decline, and a peek at Torin(Disease) and Cameo (Misery) - and we are starting to see the threads for future stories come into play.

Next up: is Aeron's story with his mysterious watcher and his soothing pet demon Legion, I can hardly wait.

The Lords of the Underworld series is a fun, very sexy romp with lots of action. The first book (Darkest Kiss) was good, but seemed overly wordy. Darkest Pleasure and Darkest night were very good in my opinion, I loved the leads, these are my two favorite books. This book, Darkest whisper, was pretty good, 3.5/5. Although each book centers around one couple, you actually get a decent amount of intro to other characters upcoming stories (like Paris and Aeron). There's also several plot lines going on at the same time, which adds a touch of complexity.

Darkest Whisper didn't get 5/5 stars for me mainly because there is a huge buildup of plot that just fizzles into a WTF moment around page 400 (out of 406). I won't give away spoilers but there's no way anyone in the story at that point would have let what happened happen. The last 7 pages of dialogue degenerated into something agonizing (and completely unbelievable) to read and I felt pretty let down with the outcome. There were other ways the author could have had the needed character interactions and events without it becoming so awkward and unbelievable.

A couple other things that really bother me about this series (and I do read for fun, not because I'm looking for a "perfect literary masterpiece") is that there's a lot of over-explaining of what people are feeling (it's not that complex) and repitition of certain points. For instance, while I appreciate knowing what a character is thinking at a certain point, it's annoying when the dialogue is broken up with PAGES of rambling "thought". I don't even remember what they were talking about without going back and looking. Also, the whole "opening of Pandora's box" and "Baden's death" scenes do not need to be referenced three times in every book. We get it.

Despite my issues with the series (and this book in particular), LotU is a sexy, entertaining series. I love the characters and look forward to reading the upcoming books (and I hope Paris gets his turn!).

I have to hand it to Gena Showalter, I've always been happy with her romance and paranormal romance books and she keeps getting better with each publishing. The Darkest Whisper is no exception. I've been a fan of the Lords of the Underworld series from the beginning, though I've heard some readers be critical that the premise is very reminiscent of J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series and Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed series (and others). Honestly, that's true in that there are a group of mega alpha males working together (and have been for centuries) to fight against an almost unbeatable foe. That war spans the arc of the series with each book highlighting a battle or skirmish or development in the war and goes hand in hand with at least one main romantic pairing. It's not an original premise, but so what? I totally dig that type of paranormal romance series - which is why I read so many of them. And the series is not defined by its premise, by any means.

Showalter sets Lords of the Underworld apart in a couple of different ways that really work for me. I love the backstory on the Lords and think it's unique and imaginative. Showalter does really well whenever anything revolves around ancient Greek mythology - her knowledge and ability to modernize ancient history is superb. She also has an absolute smashing gift of making really good choices in her romantic pairings. I can't say that about all my favorite authors in the genre. In THAT regard, she's tops in the field.

Sabin (Doubt) and Gwendolyn the Timid are a perfect example of that. I just loved them together. I've always been fascinated by the idea of Doubt as a demon and was really looking forward to reading Sabin's story. I found it totally satisfying! Gwen is a half-harpy who starts out as a walking contradiction - timid, yet ferociously deadly - and really grows into her wings and claws. Sabin (Doubt) is a Lord whose entire life is destroying the enemy and now finding Pandora's box and he struggles with regret and...well...self-doubt...as he fights an attraction to a woman he respects and admires...while every other woman he's cared about has ended up dead or destroyed courtesy of his demon. I can't say too much without spoiling the story, but I found their romantic resolution to be particularly satisfying as it relied in parts on the very nature of them both, instead of being a more external force.

On a personal note, I wasn't totally thrilled with one scene in particular at the end of the book and wish it had taken a different turn. It was a choice I wouldn't have supported had I been housing a demon at the time, that's for sure. I thought it made the non-romance plot aspects end on a weak note. It was the only weak note for me though. Otherwise, the threads that Showalter are starting to weave into her books with growing complexity - Paris' continuing downward spiral; Aeron's feelings of being watched and struggling not to slip back into psychosis (I love Legion, and the idea of her waltzing around in a tiara is priceless), and anything to do with Torin (who I have the most sympathy for - but I ADORED the beginning of the crossover with Kresley Cole's character Nuckin' Futs Nix!!) - have added a rich and luscious depth and intricacy to the books that were missing in the first couple. Those threads are really elevating the quality of the books overall and adding what was once a needed dimension.

Overall, this is in my "must read" column, but you'd miss a lot if you don't start at the beginning of the series - I suppose you COULD read The Darkest Whisper as a standalone, there's enough explanation to give you a rudimentary understanding of what's going on, but you'd lose a LOT of the atmosphere and feeling of the growing familiarity with these characters.

One caution to those who don't like a lot of darkness in their heros - the Lords of the Underworld are demons with histories that are lengthy and brutal, and The Darkest Whisper in particular had some scenes of brutality and torture that were written out and some just alluded to. Sabin can be a ruthless killer - they all can, but it's his book. I personally felt that this book was the darkest and most intently violent of the series. Not horribly graphic in description, really, but in tone. I don't have a problem with darkness and violence, but I know that some do.

Overall, I'd give The Darkest Whisper a 4.5 stars(I really didn't like that scene at the end, but the rest was so good it just detracted a little) if I could, but as we're limited to full stars it definitely gets rounded up. A must read for all paranormal romance fans!

Oh, and just one more thing...I can't help myself - I have to say I LOVE the title of this book. It just could NOT be any more perfect.

Doubt is, after all, the darkest whisper.

I read the first 4 books of this series and while it wasn't horrible, seeing as i did finish reading them, i wouldn't recommend them to others. They weigh too much on a hot, steamy side and not enough on the developing storyline and each character. However if you want something very similar to this genre and series i would go with The Black Dagger Brotherhood. The characters are much more developed and you care about them much more deeply. To me, that is what makes a great book and these don't pass the cut.

This is the 4th book in the Lords of the Underworld series.

A little background on the premise of the Lords of the Underworld:
Thousands of years ago a group of warriors disobeyed their laws, and their Gods and Goddesses when they killed another warrior, Pandora, and opened the box she was charged to protect. When they opened the box they unleashed demons and those demons needed a new host, they chose the warriors. Since that time the warriors have been paying for their mistakes. Once reckless, careless and even cruel they have learned to some control over their demons and are now more good than bad.

Hunters are mortals that are trying to capture the warriors, and trying to find a few artifacts of the Gods that will lead them to Pandora 's Box. Once the Hunters have the box they can recapture the demons and kill the warriors. The warriors are also looking for the artifacts and the box; they do not want to lose their demons and their lives. Hunters once thought to be good, and Warriors once thought to be bad have reversed positions. The Hunters are getting greedy and using any means necessary toward their agenda.

This is Sabin's story. Sabin is the keeper of the demon Doubt. Whenever he is around you all your insecurities and doubts come to the forefront of your mind, making it impossible for you to trust yourself or others around you. As a result he has never had luck with women. The last woman he loved ended up committing suicide when the doubts got to be too much for her. Since that time he has stayed away from women and relationships.

Sabin and a few other warriors infiltrate a Hunter building and discover women being caged and tortured, they set them free but one of those women catches Sabin's eye. Gwen has been locked up for a year. She has always been timid, a direct contrast to what she is - a Harpy. When Sabin finds this out, he decides to take her back with him and his friends to their fortress knowing he can use her against the battle with the Hunters.

Gena Showalter has fast become one of my favorite authors with this series. With each warrior continuously battling and at the same time protecting their demon, it makes for intriguing characters. It's not a black and white world and the Lords are thriving in all the shades of grey. The search for the artifacts, the battles with the hunters make her books really hard to set down. But, it's the relationships and the dynamics between the men, and the newer relationships with their women that keeps me coming back for more. The relationship between Sabin and Gwen is delicious, it's humorous, and it's sexy. I can't wait to read the next story!

The Darkest Night
The Darkest Kiss
The Darkest Pleasure

Cherise Everhard, December 2009

Sabin is one of the Lords of the Underworld, an immortal warrior, who because of a mistake he made by opening Pandora's box is now bound by the demon of Doubt. He can barely quiet Doubt and Sabin dares not get too close to another, for the last person he cared about, ended up killing herself. Sabin channels this inner demon and uses doubt as a weapon. Doubt is perfect in stopping their enemies who believe the he and his fellow warriors are evil.

The warriors find an underground lab where their enemies, the Hunters, have taken captive other supernatural female creatures where they have raped and bred them to create a new powerful race. One special creature, Gwen, is a harpy who longs to see her sisters again. She is so afraid because when she becomes too emotional, she can't control her inner harpy and then causes destruction wherever she goes. When Sabin rescues her, she tried to stay away from him because there is something about this sexy, brooding male that makes her want him. If only she could ignore the nagging voice in her head who makes he doubt her worth.

Sabin wants to protect Gwen, even though she tries to escape him. He believes that Gwen can help him and his brothers in the fight against the Hunters. If only he can keep Doubt away from her, then perhaps he can keep Gwen forever. If he can keep Doubt under control than may be she can see how good he is inside even though he thinks he is too deadly and so very wrong for her.

The Darkest Whisper has some moments of great action and suspense as well as wonderful dialogue between Sabin and his cohorts. But I found this latest Lord of the Underworld tale lacking. I simply didn't see any chemistry between Sabin and Gwen. Their relationship was boring and didn't add anything to the series in general. I was more interested in the other characters and their battle with the demons that reside in them.

Also, Gena's characters, snarky lines and quirkiness of the characters remind me too much of those in Kresley Cole's paranormal series. I know these two authors have been working together and I really think Cole's influence shows here. Of course if you are a fan of both Showalter and Cole, you probably won't mind.

I found The Darkest Whisper to be the weakest book in the series. Overall I am still interested in reading future installments but I have started to find myself a bit ho hum with the direction of this book, as well as some of the love scene that have become a bit too stale in their writing.

Katiebabs

I liked the book, even though I kept feeling like I had read it before. Let me see, where have I seen big, beefy, blood-sucking warriors, battling internal demons of rage and fury, or was it rhage and fhury? Or maybe it was chaos and doubt. Whatever. The personification of abstract emotions has gone from being an occasional story highlight to a central theme in mass-market paperback novels. If I could only rhemember where I've seen that before...

So here's the plot, and it's always a winner: Beefy hunky guy, part of a pack of same, engaged in saving the world from conspiring lunatics, spots timid but spunky girl in peril. Girl is rescued, abducted, seduced, claimed and marked. Conspiring baddies regroup and attack, beefy hunky heroes prevail, hero and girl settle into cheerfully unconventional lifestyle.

It just works. Over and over. And it sells.

This author is a very good writer. I really liked some of her earlier books that didn't follow the formula. I liked this book too. I just felt like I read it before.

I've said in all of my reviews of this series that it has a soap opera type of feel to it. It's got that slighly corny over-the-top drama thing going on. This book is no different in that respect. If you've enjoyed the series up to this point, then I'm sure you'll enjoy this installment as well.

This is Sabin's story. Sabin is the immortal warrior who was cursed to be posessed with the demon of doubt. His demon has the ability to get into a person's head and fill him/her with so much doubt that they slowly fall apart or make supid choices or kill themselves. For this reason, Sabin has given up the idea of having a mate for fear of driving any woman to her demise.

Eventually Sabin meets Gwen, a Harpy who's been a captive of the Hunters for a year. Gwen has more speed and strength than even the warriors do, but she doesn't know yet how to manage her power. Sabin takes Gwen under his wing to train her as a warrior and eventually they fall in love.

Beyong the love story, there is also the continued effort to locate one of the two remaining artifacts that will help them find the box they seek. We also find out that the Hunters have been raping other-worldly females in order to gain immortal warriors of their own by impregnating the women and stealing their young.

************minor spoiler**************

Most of this book was standard issue LOTU stuff. Unfortunately the end left a lot to be desired. Sabin (as well as the other warriors) allows Gwen to make a dumb mistake that could hurt them all. And while she was making the bad choice, they all just stand there and watch it happen. Sorry, but I'm not buying it.

Another thing that was kind of dumb in my opinion is that they sent the children off to live with adoptive parents after they are rescued. Gwen knew who the mothers were because she was imprisoned with them. Why wouldn't she have contacted the actual Mothers to see if they wanted the kids? They may have said No - thanks to who the father is - but they should have had the opportunity to see thier kids and decide for themselves.

Other than these two issues, I thought the book was pretty good. It was entertaining and steamy (although not quite as steamy as some of the earlier books), and the plotline was interesting.

Overall, I can't seem to give more than a 3 sar rating to any of the books in this series. They are all okay. I'm sure I'll continue reading them because I have gotten used to the story at this point. It's just not as well written as other series I've read.

I have read all of Gena Showalter's Atlantis series and now I'm going throught the Lords of the Underworld series. They are good, after you get used to the back and forth "she can't love me, he can't love me, i'm too ugly to be loved, oh but I do love him, does he love me back" crap the story is pretty enthralling. I read each book in like a day and half so it's definitely a page turner. I like the women have spunk, but the demon-possessed lords do get on my nerves at times with their self-pity mess. I gave this book 4 stars because of the ending, I realize the series must go on and Gwen had to confront her father sooner or later, but couldn't it have been later cause man she pissed me off. It's like after all the lords hard work and sacrifice and she just...sigh... Besides that Showalter doesn't disappoint with the dialogue or the sex scenes. The going back and forth does get redundant at times but I usually just skim past all that. The avid reader, and Showalter fan, that I am willl keep going through this journey and hope for more tolerable endings. Love can conqueor all but does it have to be so sickening to the point I roll my eyes?

Spoiler alert****

Chick let's him go after they finally get the leader of the hunters in their sights and she just can't pull the trigger. Maybe it's supposed to be apart of her nature, timid and all, but I thought we were past that like she got the training, the man she wanted said he loves her, and she has the oppotunity to prove her strength and end it all and she says go. I screamed! If you're gonna do that Gena just don't through in the twist at all cause while I love a good twist I hate being pissed at the end of a book even more.

While Sabin is not one of my favorite characters, the storyline for this book is one of the more "touching" or "romantic" ones. I liked Sabin a lot more by the end of this book than I had previously. It's a solid addition to the LOTU series.

The idea of Pandora's box, escaped demons who are now trapped inside of immortal warriors, a hunt to find the missing box and the meeting of soul mates sounds like the setting for a great paranormal romance fiction, but Showalter's ideas just never quite "get there."

Maybe I would feel differently if I had not already read J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood or Sherilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series. But since I already have, LOTU just seems like a poor attempt at imitation.