Rapture: The Shadowdwellers [Mass Market Paperback]

Jacquelyn Frank (Author)

Book Description

Series: Shadowdwellers | Publication Date: July 1, 2009

Magnus is a man of contradictions - a spiritual leader in a warrior's body. To him, laws are for enforcing and visions must be followed - even if that means freeing a beautiful slave and making her his reluctant handmaiden. Betrayed once before, Magnus can barely bring himself to trust another woman. Yet Daenaira's fiery innocence is drawing them both into a reckless inferno of desire. Daenaira grew up hearing tales of a fearsome priest who seemed more myth than reality. But Magnus is very real - every inch of him - and so is the treachery surrounding them. Beneath Sanctuary's calm surface, an enemy is scheming to unleash havoc on the Shadowdwellers, unless Magnus trusts in a union ordained by fate, and sealed by unending bliss.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 354 pages
• Publisher: Zebra; Original edition (July 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1420104233
• ISBN-13: 978-1420104233
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #298,111 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hi there. It's me! Again. Time to update some more. I am rounding the bend into the double 4's (44 on 2/22/2012) and things are changing so fast in the writing world. I've expanded my online presence to include Facebook and Twitter, a website a blog and every other bleeping thing there is out there in the cyber world. Was finding it hard to manage all that exposure and get work done at the same time, so I now have a full-time assistant, named Natalie. Feel free to contact her for any of your authoring, blogging, promotional requests at [e-mail]. She's a good egg and will answer all of your questions, big or small and see to it that I get back to you in a timely manner. I am writing for three different lines (Zebra, Aphrodisia and Ballentine) and under two names (JAX is for my steamier stuff...and yes, it does get steamier!) And I am in over half a dozen languages now! INCUDING a full line of NIGHTWALKERS audio books with the glorious narration of the superb Xe Sands. I'm thrilled with the job she did!

ADAM has just debuted and my fingers are crossed that it will do well. The first hints are that you all LOVE IT and HATE IT and LOVE IT and...well, that's kind of the reaction I was hoping for. ;) Hehehe. What good am I if I can't torment my readers?

I'm still living in Asheville, NC. My kitty family has swelled to *wince* TEN cats. I was fostering and...I found it so hard to trust anyone would give them a better home than me! Is that ego or arrogance or just trust issues?

Email will always be welcomed. I am a tech queen and my laptop has grown roots into my thighs. (And my bottom has grown them into my recliner). I am so thrilled about all of my books and I want to know what everyone thinks of them! I think it would be fascinating to hear what my readers would like to see happen in the Nightwalker world as the series advances. I receive emails at [e-mail] these days. Feel free to say hi! Natalie will see to it I get back to you in one way or another. :)

If you haven't tried me, please do. I always recommend starting with JACOB. Or if you don't want to invest in a series, go for DRINK OF ME. It's a stand alone.

Enjoy,
Hugs and Kitties,
Jacquelyn Frank

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars super paranormal romantic fantasy, July 2, 2009

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rapture: The Shadowdwellers (Mass Market Paperback)

The Shadowdwellers live underground in a complex metropolis of caves and tunnels underneath the mountains of Alaska. They are the Nightwalkers who avoid the rays of the sun which destroys them with the slightest contact; they thrive in the moonlight. The war is over and the monarchy is restored. There is new hope that the race will become more honorable, tolerant and technologically advanced like the other nightwalker races.

Daenaira has been treated as a slave by her uncle and aunt for eight years, forced to wear a shock collar to enforce her obedience. The day comes when she is sold and before she leaves her aunt's home is shocked into unconsciousness. When she awakens she is in Sanctuary, the church of the Shadowdwellers led by High Priest Magnus who enforces the law and the morals of his people. He informs Dae that the goddess Drenna gave him visions that she was to become his handmaiden. Dae takes awhile but soon trusts Magnus and finds some serenity in Sanctuary even though treachery by unknown people wanting more power has her watching her back. He has enemies who want him dead, but they had not counted on the ferocity of the innocent in love protecting like a lioness her beloved; nor the priest also in love willing to die to keep the former slave safe.

The second Shadowdweller book (see ECSTASY) is more complex and delves deeper into the culture of the Shadowdwellers that is much different than our own. Magnus and Daenaira are a fascinating coupling as he has justifiable doubts about having a hand maiden who has the duties of a wife since the last handmaiden tried to poison him while she fears people after the torture her aunt put her through. .Unlike his former handmaiden who he had for decades and was celibate with, he can't control his desire for the woman the goddess chose for him. Jacquelyn Frank is one of the best paranormal romantic fantasy authors writing today and is a favorite of this reviewer.

Harriet Klausner

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, liked better than Ecstasy, July 7, 2009

By 

Kay Dault "Kay" (Dallas TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rapture: The Shadowdwellers (Mass Market Paperback)

Loved Dae - 5 stars for her. The Nightwalkers books dealt with Demons, Vamps and Weres. The Shadowdwellers are actually another 'nightwalker' group, but not sure what fictional race to compare them too (don't really consider them fae). This makes for a very new / unique story line.

Really like the development of this ongoing story, building a basis of good / evil characters and how this race is going to (hopefully) take a bigger role in the Nightwalker landscape. Think that some of the story elements such as a killing disease may lead back to the Demons and their ability to heal & there may also be a bigger plot of baddies going on.

Magnus get a small minus for being a dunce at times, but as Dae would explain - he is just a man, what can you really expect. Would liked to have known what, if anything, Magnus did with Dae's Aunt/Uncle who held her as a slave for the last 8 years. Also concerned that he did not seem to say anything to the King and Queen (also labeled Chancellors) about slaves in their society even though they are good "friends". Think that this portion of the story was lacking. Maybe issues for the next book due out Jan 2010. No title was given at the back of the book, so not sure if it will be about the Queen as the teaser seems to lead you to believe or it will be another character, such as Sagan (would really like to read that story).

Short recap of story lines so far.
Shadowdwellers have been thru a basic civil war, clan fighting. Brother (Tristian) and Sister (Malaya) team unite and unify their race, but of course some people are never happy. The Shadowdwellers are long lived and have some special powers, but mostly it seems centered around jumping and controlling the various realities called Shadowscape, Dreamscape and Realscape. I think of Realscape as 'here', Dreamscape is a place whatever you can think / dream can exist and Shadowscape is like a doorway between the two (mostly I think of it as a flat / shadow of realscape - but could be wrong).

Book one is about Trace getting caught and almost murdered by someone trying to overthrow the government. Trace is the Vizier to the Chancellors. The intriege begins. This book dealt more with the 'government' side of the kingdom.
Book two (this book) is about Magnus (Trace's Foster Father) - top priest in Sanctury. They start to uncover more of the players trying to overthrow the ruling powers which are a combination of Sanctury (which could be considered judges), the Chancellors (head of gov) and the 'Senate'. Several of the top priests are baddies and want to take out Magnus on the road to cleaning out all of the top rulers. Dae turns out to be quite the heroine. 394 pages

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVED this book!, July 2, 2009

By 

Ace "romantic fanatic" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rapture: The Shadowdwellers (Mass Market Paperback)

Lets start off with how Jacquelyn Frank brings great details to her story writing. Throughout the book Magnus is the epitome of the perfect warrior/man. He has this intimidation about him that makes him incredibly sexy. Daenaira is a strong minded woman with this innocence that seems to be the perfect match for a man like Magnus. She is his warrior woman. This book was hard to put down because it makes you want to get to the next chapter of their steamy love story. If you are looking for a rough, pushed up against the wall, out of control emotions, detailed writing paranormal romance novel, this ones it! Can't wait for the next one.