Customer Reviews

Dreamveil: A Novel of the Kyndred

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In Shadowlight the first book in the series, we learned that years ago evil scientists conducted genetic experiments on orphans, resulting in those kids growing up to be different--with unique powers. They are known as the Kyndred. As adults, a few of them formed a secret group, so they could talk to others of their kind. But that's when they found out the scientists were not gone--the GenHance scientists want to kill them and harvest their powers. We met Rowan Dietrich, a Kyndred who was trying to save other Kyndred who were targeted. When she touches a man, her ability enables her to shift into the image of his ideal woman--his true love. Rowan had a hard life growing up. She was in an abusive home and lived on the streets for three years after running away.

At the start of Dreamveil, she is just moving back to New York when her motorcycle crashes behind Marc Dansant's restaurant. He comes to her rescue, helping her to clean her wounds. She takes a job at his restaurant and moves temporarily into the apartment over the restaurant, until she can earn some funds and get her bike repaired. Sean Meriden lives in the other apartment above the restaurant. Sean owns a garage and agrees to repair her bike. But there's a lot more to Marc and Sean than what they first appear. There are a lot of intricate plot twists in this book from the mystery of why Marc has exactly the same face as Michael Cyprien to a search for a missing girl to undercover operatives and of course the bad guy from the first book is back--Jonah Genaro. The fast paced plot had so many twists and turns as well as some BIG SURPRISES towards the end.

I was very impressed by this book. It is some of the author's best work--definitely as good as the first Kyndred book and as good or better than the Darkyn books. The author did a great job of delivering a highly original storyline that was an engrossing mix of suspense, mystery, drama, action and romance. Like the first book, this book also had an intricate plot but it was handled more smoothly in this installment. The first book sometimes felt a bit choppy, and the pacing was better in book two. The only area for improvement was that I would have liked a little more focus on the relationship development.

It was good to see many characters again from the first book: Gavin, Jessa, and Andrew as well as met some interesting new ones like Paracelsus, another Kyndred, and Taine, the missing girl--also a Kyndred. It was also nice to see Alex and Michael, the main characters from the Darkyn series. Although I enjoyed the intrigue and action, I also enjoyed all the scenes when Rowen was working with the chefs in the fancy french restaurant. I'm not a big cook, but it was fun to get a behind the scenes look at the workings of a high end restaurant.

If you are a fan of urban fantasy or paranormal romance, I think you'll enjoy this series. You need to read the first Kyndred book Shadowlight before this one. The author wrote a Darkyn series before this one, and some of the Darkyn characters have roles in this series. You don't have to read Darkyn, however it would help with your understanding of the characters and storyline to read the Darkyn books before starting the Kyndred series.

If you are on the hunt for more books like this, check out my list of paranormal romance and urban fantasy favorites...
http://www.amazon.com/Paranormal-action-romance-must-reads/lm/R214ESW3HL12HM/ref=tag_lag_rb_munk_lmfull
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Wow. I loved this book. At the beginning I was totally lost but the characters were so enthralling that I couldn't stop reading. I might have been a bit lost because I didn't start with the first one but I figured stuff out. I just stuck with the story and everything was explained down to the most minute questions which had been confusing at the beginning of the book. Except for the continuing story arc, of course, but that is going to play out over several books obviously. The author just drops you into the middle of the story and explains and ties things together as she goes. It was great fun figuring things out as we went along.

I absolutely loved the main character, Rowan. She was kind of a roll with the punches kind of girl. I loved the twist at the end which I guessed pretty early on but then I had the fun of watching it all play out. I loved the French chef Dansant and the surly mechanic Sean. Two really great characters and the love story was very well done and very touching. There was one pretty hot love scene. While explicit it was still tasteful.

The paranormal stuff was well thought out and interesting. Can't wait for the next one and I'm going to get the first one to read as soon as possible. I read a lot of books for free but this one I'm definitely going to get my own copy of.

I'm giddy with pleasure at this book. But then I finished it at 2:30 in the morning having read it in one sitting so that may factor in. :-)

I'm a big fan of the darkyn series, so I was excited when Viehl made a spin off, the Takyn. The Takyn are children that were experimented on as infants. They possess paranormal/supernatural powers and abilities. The Takyn have the ability to become the Darkyn if given the virus/blood. This is a very rare ability to be made a darkyn so they are tracking and helping the Takyn. As well as a network of Takyn themselves that knows the truth. Shadowlight: A Novel of the Kyndred was the first in the series with Jessa and Matthias, along with updated stories of the Darkyn. There was only one update in this of Darkyn Michael and Alexandra, but a nice tidbit just the same. There is much more updates of the Takyn network.

Dreamviel is a fast paced entertaining book, I enjoyed it! This one is about Rowan, from shadowlight, making a change in her life. Location work.. etc. On her way to Boston she wrecks her bike in a back alley of New York. A chef, Jean-Marc, there with an instant attraction to Rowan, offers to pay for her bike repairs in exchange for work at his restaurant. She agrees, enjoying learning more of French Cuisine and the talented Jean-Marc. She also meets her next door neighbor, Sean Meridian. Sean is the one fixing her bike. Rowan and Sean have a raw pull towards one another. I liked their chemistry more...but who will she choose??

The world that Lynn Viehl has created, with its melding of science and vampires, is not the easiest to wrap one's mind around, with all of its complexities and twists, but it is entirely original, and genuinely interesting in all respects. Beyond that, what makes this book stand out in the increasingly-crowded field of paranormal romance, is the actual romance. Viehl has created, and sufficiently developed, three main characters who are easy to root for, and compel a person to read on to find out what happens to them. There is the street-smart heroine Rowan, who is talented in some surprising ways, and who is quite strong, but is not the standard tough-as-nails heroine that has become commonplace - she has her vulnerabilities, and readers can relate to her, regardless of the things she has endured. Further, once she finds love, she embraces her feelings rather than fighting them tooth and nail (even though the situation is not without its fair share of complications). Then there is Sean, who is testosterone personified - a man of few words, who is all muscles and attitude. What he is not, however, is obnoxious and abrasive, because even though he's not an easy man to relate to and has more than a few rough edges, he is also a man of character, with a strong sense of right and wrong; he may not readily accept his feelings, but once he's forced to face them, he falls hard and is utterly devoted. Finally, there is Jean-Marc, who is gorgeous, elegant, and sophisticated beyond the telling of it. He is a man who (like Sean) has some huge secrets, but he doesn't let them lessen his enjoyment of life, or harden him to the joys of human interaction and emotions.

The connections between Rowan and Jean-Marc, and Rowan and Sean, are instantaneous and cannot be denied. Viehl has written a love triangle that avoids all of the usual cliches and pitfalls, while simultaneously reveling in an abundance of heat, passion, and genuine affection and caring. In fact, I found the relationships so compelling and sincere that they actually provided my one problem with the book - I wish more time had been devoted to these characters and their interactions with one another. Granted, Viehl had to juggle a fairly large cast of supporting characters and several different plotlines, and it is to her credit that sufficient time was devoted to all of them. I just wanted Rowan, Jean-Marc, and Sean to be featured a bit more.

One of the most captivating aspects of the book is Rowan's feelings for both men, and her struggle with the thought of having to choose one over the other. And it is here that Viehl truly impressed me - her resolution to the love triangle was inventive and creative, and like nothing I had ever read before. She deserves a lot of praise for that, in my view, because given the sheer amount of love triangles that have been tackled by writers, I thought that it would be impossible to break any kind of new ground. Happily, Viehl's talent and imagination proved me wrong. And then some. It takes a very special, talented writer to not only come up with all of these plots, but to ensure that they are always fresh and original. I highly recommend this book, and I am very much looking forward to the next installment in this series.

Lynn Viehl is one of only about a half dozen authors who are on my auto buy list without ever reading review one. While at first I didn't think I would like the other half of the Darkyn series, Kyndred, as much as the first half of the series, this book totally convinced me it was a winner. While the Kyndred doesn't have the rich historical focus that made me fall in love with this series back in 2005, this book has so many twists and turns that it has blown me away. I'll think I have a thing or two figured out and Viehl's storyline takes a whole other turn that makes me smile and shake my head with satisfaction. The mystery and suspense is worthy of several Patterson books I've read and definitely more entertaining. This is NOT a series that can be read out of order and why would you want to? The characters in this series have been superb and I loved the setting of this book in a French restaurant. I started this book late in the afternoon and did not lay it down until I finished the last word in it. I just picked up the next book "Frostfire" and am planning an all night read tomorrow night.

Rowan has had a tough life. She ran away from an abusive household and has lived on and off the streets. After the man she loves falls for another woman, she decides move from the safety of her fellow Kyndred and settle in Boston by way of New York City. But, she wrecks her motorcycle in the city with little available cash and chef Jean-Marc appears as an unlikely savior.

Jean-Marc is instantly attracted to Rowan, which may explain his unusual behavior of hiring her and paying her rent. Soon enough, Jean-Marc finds that he has competition for Rowan in the form of a surely tenant in her apartment building.

Wow, there is a lot going on in this book! The short description I gave above does the plot no justice whatsoever. In actuality, early in the story I found the multiple storylines and perspectives confusing, throwing the plot into disarray with seemingly no apparent direction.

I was distraught! Could one of my favorite authors have been led astray? Luckily, I found out that I was very wrong.

Around page one hundred fifty, I found myself completely absorbed. The multiple plot lines began to meld together. The different characters become three-dimensional and the reader falls hard for Rowan as well as the two men in her life. A strange love triangle forms, drawing in my attention and keeping it as I kept turning the pages. The sexual tension between Rowan and her two men is sizzling hot, eventually ending in an extremely hot, yet expected, love scene.

The romance is important to Dreamveil, but the multiple storylines play a role into the romance as well as the entire Kyndred series. Also, characters and plots from the Darkyn series make appearances, tying the Kyndred books with its predecessor. Eventually, the reader discovers that Michael and Alex play a role in the storyline of Dreamveil and their appearance is not simply gratuitous.

I loved Dreamveil, but only well into the story. Unfortunately, I believe many readers will give up and not finish the book, especially those new to the Kyndred series. I do recommend Dreamveil to fans of the Darkyn and the Kyndred, but caution the reader to be patient and stick with it. You will be greatly rewarded with a fantastic story that is not only well told, but also full of dark characters, secret lives, and sexual tension.

BookingIt Grade: A-

Lynn Viehl hooked me on her darkyn series. I was upset when I found out she was not going to continue it. But I am more than pacified with the kyndred series she started. I just finished Dreamveil, was more than satisfied. Looking forward to future novels.

Dreamveil (2010) is the second Fantasy novel in the Kyndred subseries, following Shadowlight. The initial work in this sequence is If Angels Burn.

In the previous volume, Alex discovered a neurotoxin in Lawson. Sam visited the crime scene and read the blood. Matthias called down lightning upon Lawson. Lawson stole a tanker truck and followed Jessa.

In this novel, Alexandra Keller is a reconstructive surgeon. She is now a Darkyn, but unlike any other. Alex has become interested in the cause and cure of this ailment. She is also Michael's lover.

Michael Cyprien is a Darkyn and is over seven centuries old. He is the seigneur of all jardins within the USA. He is also the lover of Alexander.

Rowan Dietrich is a Kyndred. Her Taken name is Aphrodite and she has the talent of shapeshifting into the form of a most desired person. She is traveling by motorcycle to Boston.

Taire is sixteen years old. She is also a Kyndred, but much younger than the rest. She is a runaway and lives in an abandoned hotel. She too is a shapeshifter as well as a telekinetic.

Jean-Marc Dansant is a chef. He owns the D'Anges restaurant.

Sean Meriden is an auto mechanic. He is also a private detective on the side. He lives over the D'Anges restaurant.

In this story, Rowan is touring her old haunts in New York City. She stops at a red light and notices a group of teenage boys across the street. They notice her bike and come over to look at it. She avoids an attempt to steal her keys and sends them away.

Taire observes the incident and watches Rowan drive on. She gives the motorcycle a little push with her mind. The bike skids and hits a car pulling out of an alley.

Rowan finds herself dazed and bloody with a strange man yelling at her. Dansant comes out to see about all the noise and falls into love with Rowan at first sight. He pays off the car owner and takes Rowan into the restaurant for first aid.

Dansant finds himself wanting to take Rowan on the kitchen floor. He controls his impulses and dresses her wounds. The motorcycle will need work and she will need a place to stay during the repairs.

Dansant offers her a job as a chef's helper. Then he offers her an empty apartment over the restaurant and a mechanic to fix the bike. Rowan is extremely suspicious, but her attraction toward the man and his upright manner leads her to take the offers.

The apartment is fully equipped, but the bathroom is shared with the occupant of the other apartment across the hall. Rowan discovers that Meriden lives in that apartment. He seems to dislike her, but she gets through his gruff manner to engage his sense of humor.

Later, Meriden is forced to search for a runaway girl. Her father has a man killed to show Sean his determination to find Alana. He gives the detective three weeks to find the runaway.

Dansant offers to take Rowan to the opera. Rowan doesn't care for Madame Butterfly and leaves the house. As Dansant is searching for her, Alex mistakes him for Michael and almost kisses him. Dansant looks exactly like Michael except for a mole on his jaw.

This tale also involves two rich and violent men engaged in a power struggle. Both men want the blood of a Kyndred. Rowan, Sean, and Taire are caught in the middle.

The final confrontation occurs on a private estate in New York City. The next installment in this series is Frostfire.

Recommended for Viehl fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of strange Talents, French cooking, and true romance. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

I'm not doing a story synopsis of the story because others have already done so.

So I'll be in the minority here but this book was slow and convoluted. I didn't read all of the first book ("Shadowlight") of this series, I just skimmed it to get an idea of the storyline. Also, I had read several reviews here and elsewhere stating that book was really confusing. So, as I said I skimmed it just to get an idea of the new series storyline. I purchased the second book because it was supposed to be much better than the first. Not so much. I found the story to be way too slow to keep me interested and coupled with the many characters that were using multiple aliases made the book a tedious read. Further diminishing my enjoyment was the fact that this book seemed to be chocked full of irrelevant details to try and pad what I felt was a pretty thin main story. Mainly the detailed cooking and food prep explanations made the book drag. Um, how and why is this relevant to the plot of the main story, or for that matter any of the subplots? It's not. It's filler plain and simple.

After having read the entire Darkyn series which was pretty good, well except "Stay the Night" which I thought tried too hard to tie up a bunch of loose ends to the series too quickly and not very well, I was expecting Kyndred to be written in the same vein just with a different focus. Again, not so much. This book book reads like a bunch of unrelated stories that the author tried to cobble together with a 'big reveal' to the plot in the last 20-25 pages of the book. Well the problem with that is I figured out the 'big reveal' by the time I was on page 240 of the 308 page book. Another problem I had was the explanation of the 'big reveal' was really convoluted ... and it really didn't have to be. And most disappointing was I really didn't care about any of the characters. There was very little character development and what little there was, was veiled in a secret laden irritating way so as to make them seem more interesting than they really were.

The two stars I gave this book was for the brief appearance of Michael and Alexandra from the Darkyn series. I'll just say this for those who enjoyed the book, good for you and congrats. But anytime I feel I should be referring to notes as I read a 300 page book is not a good sign. It's like hearing a joke that needs explaining is not a good joke.

I know I'm in the minority here. I've been unable to "get into" the Kyndred series. Perhaps it's because I enjoyed the Darkyn series so much. I've really tried with the Kyndred but I won't be buying more in this series. For me the Kyndred is just lacking something. I was so sorry to find out the Darkyn series had ended.