Derik's Bane (Berkley Sensation) [Mass Market Paperback]

MaryJanice Davidson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Berkley Sensation | Publication Date: January 4, 2005

Derik's a werewolf with alpha issues--and a body to die for.

Sara is the personification of unspeakable evil--and smells like roses.

Now if they could just stop drooling over each other long enough to save the world.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Davidson's comedic werewolf-meets-sorceress romance will elicit delighted howls of laughter. Derik, a werewolf with a supergorgeous body to match his superpowered strength, wakes up alpha one morning; then, after the seer of the Wyndham werewolves has a vision of the end of the world, he is sent off to California to "take care" of Morgan Le Fay before she brings on the apocalypse. But Dr. Sara Gunn has no idea that she is an incarnation of the evil sorceress. And besides, she researched the legend of the enchantress in college and knows that her vilification was caused by patriarchal distortions of the historical record. When Derik discovers that he is unable to kill her as instructed, they set off to stop a cult that may destroy the world while trying to instigate King Arthur's return. Davidson's use of coarse language is perfect for Derik's canid personality. He, wolfishly enough, really does only have two major concerns in life: sex and food. This riotous romp is the first full-length novel in Davidson's Wyndham Werewolves series. Diana Tixier Herald
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"'wicked fun' - Closer Magazine" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (January 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425199975
• ISBN-13: 978-0425199978
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #647,194 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

MaryJanice Davidson has been credited with starting paranormal chick lit. The New York Times bestselling author of the Undead series, she lives in Minnesota. Please visit her on the Web at www.maryjanicedavidson.net.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Without A Doubt Ms. Davidson Has A Great Sense Of Humor!, November 10, 2004

By 

Kristi Ahlers (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Derik's Bane (Berkley Sensation) (Mass Market Paperback)

If you are a fan of this very talented author than make sure that you pick up her latest paranormal romance which finally showcases Derik Gardner of the Wyndham Werewolf's. This story has been long awaited and she has finally come through for her fans!

Derik has a problem. He has just turned alpha which is a bad thing when there is someone in charge of the pack already, and that someone is his best friend Michael. He has been scrapping it up and has come to realize that he may just have to move on, or face a fight to the death. Not something that appeals since he would be fighting...Michael. Well, he doesn't have to worry long, he has been given a mission of great importance. He must find the re-incarnted Morgan Le Fey and kill her before she has a chance to destroy the world. No problem. He'll just hope into a convertible, and head out for sunny California. Monterey, California to be exact. Well, once he arrives he goes to 6 Fairy Tale Ln. but the woman he is suppose to kill is just too...ditzy, crazy...scatterbrained. Oh, yeah...she's also real cute with that curly red hair. Can he really kill her or can he re-work things and keep her for himself? Something to think about...

Sara Gunn has no idea who she is and why she has such incredible luck. So she is of course surprised when a yummy...I mean yummy guy shows up at her house and then tries to kill her. What on earth is going on? Then he springs it on her that not only is he a werewolf, but she is really Morgan Le Fey. Yeah right...all the time in her world. Now she finds herself traveling across the country with Yummy man trying to come to grips with the fact that she now must kill Arthur's minions in order to save the world (yes, the storyline changes but that's part of the fun...trust me). But can she and Derik find a happy ending as well?

This was a very fast read with all of Ms. Davidson's trademark humor and wit. Derik and Sara are great charecter's and the byplay is really part of the whole courtship. This is one read that I highly recommend especially if you have been following the Wyndham Werewolf Tales. If you are new to this series...fear not this is a stand alone read, that will only lead you to the others in the series.

Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Werewolf Romp, January 6, 2005

By 

A. Sanchez (Houston, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Derik's Bane (Berkley Sensation) (Mass Market Paperback)

Take a trip with a werewolf, a powerful sorceress, and a wonderful group of supporting characters. Maryjanice Davidson returns to the wacky world of the Wyndham Werewolves in this novel. Don't worry, if you haven't read the previous installments, this novel stands on it's own four feet and howls at the moon. A quirky, humorous walk on the wildside. The only problem is that when you have finished reading it, you want the next installment of lycanthrope lunacy immediately.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not quite what I had hoped..., January 20, 2005

By 

FizzySmile (Maine) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Derik's Bane (Berkley Sensation) (Mass Market Paperback)

Having enjoyed the previous 2 tales from Secrets Vol 6, "Love's Prisoner" and Secrets Vol 8, "Jared's Wolf" so much that I won't even allow Secrets Volume 6 out of the house, I was regularly checking the release date for Derik's Bane in case it came out early. I even went so far as to pay full retail, something I avoid whenever possible. Heck, I've read Love's Prisoner so many times I could almost recite it word for word, its an excellent choice when I want some decadent escapism.

Let me say that Derik's Bane WAS very enjoyable. Ms. Davidson is beyond talented with the dialogue in her stories, I simply love how she includes inner dialogue of the characters along with the dialogue between the characters. It seems so real. Don't we all have those internal conversations with ourselves while we're talking with other people? You can't help but laugh out loud.

As stated in a previous review, the story starts out very Wyndham Werewolf style, in the confrontation between Michael,the alpha male and pack leader and Derik, his best friend but also very possibly his rival. Derik doesn't want the pack, he doesn't want Michael's wife Jeannie and though he loves their daughter Lara like his own, he doesn't "want" her either. So he takes on a mission to save the world. And its from here things get away from the usual vein of the Wyndham clan.

If you've read the previous stories, you know that these werewolves are far from incompetent. However, Derik almost comes across as goofy. I realize that his failure to kill Sara is part of her "magic" but Derik seems to take it far to well. Skip along to when Derik goes through his change during the full moon and its almost an afterthought.

I read this in one afternoon, the day after I bought it. I'll keep it because I love the author's style and I love the Wyndham Werewolves, and because I love the genre. However, it doesn't come close to Love's Prisoner or even Jared's Wolf for plot development or sensuality. Which is too bad, because I think both Derik and Sara deserved it. I liked their characters, and I think the story had a lot of potential. So if you're going to read this, and haven't read the previous 2, you'll probably enjoy it more. If you have read the first 2, go into knowing that this story while very entertaining,is not the same style as the first two.