Customer Reviews

Seize the Night (Dark-Hunter, Book 7)

5 star:		(79)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In the world of Sherrilyn Kenyon being a Dark-Hunter means that you are a soulless immortal being who is hunting the vampires the patrol the night to steal the human souls. Valerius "Val" Magnus isn't a popular Dark-Hunter, he's a Roman, which means that the largely Greek Hunters have a major grudge hatred against him. He is also very conscious of his "background and breeding" making him even harder to stand as he acts as if he is above everyone else.

Tabitha "Tabby" Devereaux is a self taught vampire hunter. She hunts at night and runs an adult store in New Orleans during the day. She is sexy, sassy, takes no **** from anyone and immediately attracted to Valarius. This leads to conflicts in her family as her twin sister is married to a former Greek Dark-Hunter.

As Tabby and Val's love grows so does the danger they are in. One of the vampires that has a powerful grudge against Tabby and those around her resurfaces with the object to destroy Tabby's extended family as well as her.

In this story you will also see the death of 2 Dark-Hunters as well as the birth on one.

I was thoroughly blown away by this book. Kenyon continues to write better and better as the storyline goes on. Usually in a series I start to get a bit bored or can easily figure out what will happen next. These stories are so well put together I never even foresaw who the new Dark-Hunter would be until it happened. I was shocked. It is not all books that make me laugh out loud as well as cry. I read it in one setting and this one is going on my shelf of keepers. They best in the series to date!

I really thought it would be hard for Ms Kenyon to write a better DH novel than DANCE WITH THE DEVIL, however I was wrong. This is a delight to read. Still a Dark Hunter novel it also has a great story of humanity and compassion.

Tabitha Devereaux is the twin sister of Amanda, who saved and married Kyrian, in the book PLEASURES OF THE NIGHT. Tabitha is an empath, her psychic abilities attract the daimons. She was attacked at the age of 13, when Talon saved her she found out about the Dark Hunters and has become friends with many of them including Ash and Simi.

Valerius Magnus is the brother of Zarak from DANCE WITH THE DEVIL he is hated not only by Zarak but all of the other Dark Hunters and squires. Because of the brutality of the Romans none of them are liked. The Greeks esspecially hate them.

While Valerius has held to his cold harsh facade for the last 2000 years, he can't fool Tabitha. She can feel his emotions and the lonely emptyness he carries within him. Rather than being cold and unfeeling he is sensitive and caring. However, nobody else seems to care about him. And now Desiderious is searching for a body for his spirit to occupy. He will not be happy until he has his revenge on Kyrian and his whole family which now includes Tabitha's family.

Kyrian has always hated that the grandson of the man who crucified him was also a DH. Tabitha encounters Valerius Magnus while on her hunt for daimons. Unfortunately she stabs him thinking he is a daimon during a heated battle in a dark alley. Helping Valerius leads Tabitha into deep waters with her family. And falling in love with him is the very last thing she needs to do, now that the bloody battle has begun. Sometimes forgiveness is the only way to go, when daimons call hopefully Dark Hunters will answer.

Valerius Magnus was the son of an Ancient Roman Senator and a successful General until he traded his soul to become a Dark-Hunter. Centuries later he still hunts vampires, but remains alone as his peers are Greeks who hold a bias that has led to an unfriendly rivalry just because he is a Roman.

In New Orleans, mortal Tabitha Devereaux represents a new breed of vampire hunter who has proven her worth without bartering her soul. Val meets her while she battles the undead. She stabs him during the melee so afterward she takes him home. Tabitha realizes that his haughty aloofness is a front to hide his hurt and fear of rejection; she plans to peel away his armor. However, as she sets in motion her plan a dangerous vampire surfaces with a powerful grudge from his previous life; his objective is to destroy Tabitha's extended family, which forces two Dark Hunters to either end their feud or watch their loved ones die.

The latest Dark Hunter tale is one of the best tales this terrific series has to offer as the exciting story line contains plenty of action, deep characterizations (including the return of the stars of NIGHT PLEASURES) that provide additional light on the origins of the good guys, and a strong romance. Val is an interesting protagonist because though almost two thousand years have passed since his change over he remains an aristocrat deep into his soul, which makes the earthly Tabitha his total opposite except when it comes to hunting vampires. Readers will embrace the darkness of the Kenyon night seeking other works in this pleasurable series.

Harriet Klausner

I couldn't decide as I read the first half; "do I love it or am I slightly disappointed?"

I couldn't decide as I read the last if I should laugh or cry.

The hero is a man we've been made to dislike in previous novels but in this we find Valerius is a lonely man desperate for love and comfort, the most touching of the Dhs actually. The heroine is a wacky background character who becomes so fleshed out I'd swear Tabitha is real, and I probably know her.

The other DHs come back and there's a touching moment when Kyrian, the only now mortal DH explains to Ash the horrid reality of having high cholestoral and knowing he is mortal.

Ms. Kenyon could be the first romance novelist to ever make her previous heroes have moments of childish stupidity that make them all the more endearing for not being perfect.

I was at first disappointed because the villain of the first novel, who's now dead, comes back to be the villain of this novel, but Ms. Kenyon is so creative with it I bought into it completely. She introduces new twist in the world of SPathi warriors.

This novel is her best to date in the series. Past characters become more solid and realistic, things happen you won't believe. Reading this on the train the last 1/3rd kept me gasping until the lady in the seat next to me thought I was having a heart attack.

The end peters out but has interested me more than any generic "happily ever after" ending. We see two people dealing with immortality and mortality much more realistically than ever before. You want to weep for them it's so grabbing.

All in all, the best part is we see much more insight into Acheron which only makes me desperately need to know when his novel is coming out!

DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!

Sherrilyn Kenyon has really taken the world by storm with her Dark Hunter series. Continually, she manages to inject a new dose of humor and intrigue.

Seize the Night is just another example of great, humourous writing from an author who is fast becoming one of the best.

This latest contribution to the DH saga is about Valerius, the Dark Hunter who you may remember from previous books. If you thought you wouldn't want to read about the pompous, former Roman general...then you better think again. Kenyon really introduces this tragic hero in a great fashion. His pysche and character pull you in right from the start.

While out on patrol, Valerius runs afoul of Tabitha Devereaux, the cheeky, human Daimon hunter. At first, he doesn't know what to make of this totally unconventional woman. She is wierd, has strange friends, and is the sister-in-law to his mortal enemy. So, why in the world is he falling in love with her?

Kenyon makes this story very appealing with the addition of some new characters, the creation of a new Dark Hunter and...best of all...some very revealing tid bits about Ash, the leader of the Dark Hunters.

I read the entire book in one sitting, and I just cracked it open for the second time. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Buy Seize the Night! You won't be disappointed.

Valerius is a one-man-Dark Hunter, an Immortal who works to make this world a better place by killing daimons. Nobody likes him, not even the man who is assigned to be his squire. He was executed by his family back in Rome and tends to believe anyone he helps is cursed by him. He's reserved--snobbish, for someone who's lived in this world since the Roman Empire. And still in love with a woman he couldn't have before he died.

Tabitha owns a sex shop named Pandora's Box on Bourbon Street in New Orleans which caters to transvestites. Though she's not a Dark Hunter by blood, she 'moonlights' kicking daimon [...]. She's part of a large family in more than one sense of the word: she has seven sisters and she's also part of gay 'family.' Just about everyone knows her on the street and despite her eccentricity, she's well liked.

They met by accident when daimons attacked Tabitha and Valerius tried to save her life---only to get stabbed by Tabitha as an accidental fate. They're definitely not likely partners, but they have a strong attraction. When Valerius realizes Tabitha and her twin sister who's married to his enemy, are in danger, he has to help.

The book is witty, interesting. Kenyon's characters are well-realized and her world is one I would want to visit again.

"Seize the Night" would have gotten 5 stars from me save for two flaws. First, the threat to Tablitha and her sister was not apparent until page 127. True, I was enjoying myself seeing Valerius and Tabitha's relationship unfold, but the novel is billed as a romantic thriller and the thriller part was getting neglected.

Second, Kenyon switches point of view so quickly sometimes it's tough to catch whether it's Tabitha or Valerius thinking. You get used to the switches after a few pages, but the style is distracting if you are not used to it.

I have read every book in the Dark-Hunter series and prior to reading "Seize the Night", my favorite story was Zarek's in "Dance With The Devil". I thought no one could be more tortured than poor Zarek. Wrong!

I was captivated by Valerius almost immediately! Gone were the black leather pants and the gothic/punk attire replaced by turtlenecks, slacks and style. Wow! What a breath of fresh air! Not saying I mind a hot bod clad in tight leather but...it was a nice change. *grin

This man was sooo sensitive. Sensitive without being wimpy, mind you. I just wanted to cuddle him. And he was such a gentleman, in my opinion. I was pissed at how he was treated by everyone around him, including his fellow Dark-Hunters. However, I was very impressed by the fact that Artemis didn't bestow any extra powers on her Roman Dark-Hunters. That pretty much told me that Valerius was one bad mo-fo to have fought off Daimons for centuries using only his strength and skill. What a man!

What infuriated me, yet managed to touch me was the fact that Valerius never stood up for himself. He silently took all that was dished out to him without raising his voice or a hand in his own defense. And when I read about his upbringing at the hands of his cruel father...man, I broke down and cried like a baby. *sniffle

Tabitha was also a very likeable heroine. In fact, she is my favorite so far. Very down-to-earth with quite a few eccentricites, she was my kinda gal.

Darker than most of the other books in this series, I'd have to say hands-down, this was by far the best!

I have enjoyed the other books in this series so much that I bought this book the day it came out and then stayed up all night reading it. I loved it! Val and Tabitha are excellent characters and the themes running through their developing relationship are universal and well developed. I also applaud Ms. Kenyon's development of Ash. With every book he becomes more three dimensional and we better understand the staggering burden he carries. How bold of the author to show that actions have consequences that not even a "god" can undo and that things said/done in anger can not be taken back.

The author is getting better and better with each book in the series. She takes real chances with her characters, resists the urge to vear into "preciousness" with the dialoge and with every book deepens the Dark-Hunter world and the rules governing it.

Tabitha Devereaux is a self-taught Daimon hunter. Valerius Magnus was a Roman general, whose soul now belongs to the goddess Artemis - he is a Dark-Hunter, an undead who patrols the Earth to protect its inhabitants from the Daimons. He is also an incurable stick-in-the-mud!

And to make matters worse, there's also bad blood between Valerius's family and that of Tabitha's brother-in-law - bad blood that goes back some 2,000 years! So, when Tabitha and Valerius suddenly find themselves thrown together, sparks are bound to fly. But, before you know it, each finds in the other a certain something, a certain something that they have needed for a long time.

This is an excellent book. I liked the story of the book, which was exciting, and kept me on the edge of my seat. Personally, I thought it read quite well. Even better than the exciting story of gods and demons and vampires is the chemistry between Val and Tabby. I really liked the way their love unfolded and grew as the story progressed. Plus, the sex was hot, Hot, HOT!!

I loved this book, and think that you will too!

(Review of Seize the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon)

For those of you who have been living in the Dark Ages, or perhaps under a rock, and haven't a clue of Ms. Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series, there are a few vocabulary terms you must become familiar with before reading this review.

Dark-Hunter: Dark-Hunters are created from ancient warriors-but not just any warrior-only those who have been wronged and are dying, due to an act of treachery and betrayal. At this time, Artemis approaches the dying warrior and offers them a pact-a one-time Act of Vengeance against the party who has wronged them. These soulless beings, neither Apollites, Daimons, nor humans, are the only thing that stands between humanity and the creatures who seek to destroy them.

Apollites & Daimons: Apollites are direct descendants of the god Apollo, who has the unfortunate luck of being cursed when they killed his twenty-seven year old mistress, Ryssa, and child. Even worse, Apollites are forced to die a horrible, painful death over a twenty-four hour period when they are twenty-seven themselvs. Daimons, of course, are the unearthly creatures that Apollites transform into during their twenty-seventh birthday celebration.

Now that you have the basic downs, you can fully enjoy SEIZE THE NIGHT. The latest in Ms. Kenyon's series, this book centers around Valerius Magnus, the good-looking, quick-tempered Dark-Hunter who had the good fortune of being born to a Roman Senator, serving as a Roman General, and conquering cities throughout the countries, too numerous to name. He's also the poor, unfortunate soul who has the bad misfortune of being betrayed, losing the woman he loves, and becomes a soulless Dark-Hunter.

I could say that Valerius doesn't play well with others, but that would be an understatement! He refuses to embrace those who once rejected him, and he's not quite sure how he ended up in New Orleans, staked by one Tabitha Devereaux, a woman who somehow happens to be almost as proficient at hunting and destroying Daimons as he is. But, alas, the gods aren't happy enough just to force Val into working with the Dark-Hunters he has tried to avoid at all costs-instead, fate has decided that his mortal enemy should be married to Tabitha's twin sister. He'd probably laugh, but he lost that ability sometime around 160 BC.

I love this series. Actually, I love every book that Ms. Kenyon writes. But with SEIZE THE NIGHT, she's managed to capture the true emotion of Valerius's pain, his betrayal, and his resolve to stay emotionally uninvolved with Tabitha. Tabitha herself is no humble society debutante-she's worked for years to put her psychic talents to good use, by protecting those she loves, and her city from the destruction of the inhuman beings who wish to destroy it.

However, this time, an evil force is determined to destroy everything that Tabitha holds dear, and if it can take Valerius down in the process, so much the better. The storyline is non-stop action, the heat and emotion between Val and Tabitha is kept at a perfect pitch. Once again, the Dark-Hunters reign supreme-or do they? There's only one way to find out, and that's by picking up your very own copy of SEIZE THE NIGHT.