Dark Legacy by Christine Feehan – Dual Review, Excerpt & Giveaway
Dark Legacy
Carpathian (Dark) series – Book #31
by Christine Feehan
Release Date: September 5, 2017
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Description:
In a beautiful compound hidden away from the world, Emeline Sanchez tries to blunt the pain that has wracked her body ever since her terrifying ordeal in the labyrinth beneath the city—when she was forced to exchange blood with an evil master vampire.
Now, it’s his voice that haunts her…that calls to her in the dark…that never lets her rest. And while the children that she helped to free from his clutches struggle to heal, watched over by their Carpathian protectors, Emeline knows one thing: She must sacrifice herself to keep them all from harm…
Barb’s Review:
Dark Legacy by Christine Feehan is the 31st book in her Dark (Carpathian) series. In my last review, I had noted how happy I was that Christine was ‘back’ to giving us what we fell in love with in the Dark series. Dark Carousel was the best book in my opinion since Dark Slayer, though I did enjoy Skylar & Dimitri’s story. In Dark Legacy, so much happens to keep us glued to our seats, and unable to put the book down. The exciting storyline plots; the return of the evil Malinovs; a strong wonderful heroine and a hero who not only worshipped his lifemate, but treated her like a queen from the start; not like the abusive male heroes we had to endure in many of the later Dark books. I loved Dark Legacy.
Emeline Sanchez was one of the people rescued in Dark Carousel and staying at the home of Tariq Assenguard. Emeline has a secret that she hides from her friends and those staying at Tariq’s mansion. When she was in captivity by the Malinovs, Emeline suffered many horrific disturbing things by Vadim Malinov, and he now has the ability to talk to her telepathically, threatening her to return to him. Emeline has her own psychic powers, which enable her to be able counteract his demands, but he is still able to hurt her with enormous pain.
Dragomir, our hero, is one of the Monastery Carpathians that is helping to protect Tariq’s family (including Emeline, and the children rescued in the previous book), and home. He avoids talking to anyone, concentrating only protecting everyone. When Vadim sends in his creatures to attack everyone, Dragomir goes into action, and runs to save Emeline from the evil master vampire. At that moment, everything changes for Dragomir, as his world opens up with color and he knows that Emeline is truly his lifemate.
What follows is a wonderful story, where Darogmir , his ancients from the Monastery & Tariq’s people must find a way to protect Emeline, the children, and the entire Asenguard home from the massive attacks by the Malinovs . I also loved seeing how strong Gary has become, as well as meeting so many new ancients. It was nice to spend time with Tariq, Charlotte, Genevieve and the children we got to know in Dark Carousel. It was amazing to watch Gary, Dragomir, the ancients together, not once but a few times to remove Vadim’s splinters in Emeline, and some of the children. Dark Legacy was nonstop action all the way through and written so well by Feehan.
Though Christine’s stories continue to have a lot of sexual content (erotic), the storyline and the couple remained in the forefront. Dark Legacy was a fantastic exciting pulse pounding story, with a wonderful couple we rooted for from the beginning. With the Malinov’s still around, I can’t wait to see where Christine will be taking us in the next book.
Sandy’s Review
There may be some overlapping information between mine and Barb’s reviews, as well as the possibility that we do not necessarily agree on the overall impact and enjoyment of this particular story line.
DARK LEGACY is the thirty –first installment in Christine Feehan’s DARK CARPATHIANS paranormal, romance series. This is ancient Carpathian warrior Dragomir Kozel, and Emeline Sanchez’s story line. DARK LEGACY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty although there is an ongoing series arc that continues in Dark Legacy. Several of the characters from previous story lines play secondary and supporting roles including a number of Carpathian warriors, from a Carpathian monastery, who have yet to find their lifemates.
NOTE: DARK LEGACY contains scenarios and references to rape, sexual assault of women and children.
SOME BACKGROUND: All Carpathian males must find their lifemates before they turn vampire or greet the dawn. Without a lifemate, the males no longer see in color, feel pain or experience emotions. A lifemate is the light to their dark. She is the keeper of his heart and the keeper of his soul. As the unmated Carpathian male ages, the darkness begins to envelope his soul.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Dragomir and Emeline) DARK LEGACY continues to focus on the search for a master vampire. Dragomir Kozel, a Carpathian warrior, has yet to find his lifemate, and like many of the ancients, he struggles with his lack of emotions, colors, and the pull of the dark side. Now that Tariq Asenguard (Dark Carousel) has found his lifemate, he has opened his home and his California compound to a number of homeless children and women, whose own psychic abilities have attracted the evil vampires-former Carpathian warriors-who have lost the battle with evil, or have given up finding the mate of their heart. Enter Emeline Sanchez, a young psychic woman whose recent capture and torture by Vadim Malinov has left our heroine struggling with the lure of dark side, and her belief that she is no longer pure for the Carpathian world. What ensues is the quick building relationship between Dragomir and Emeline, and the numerous battles between the Carpathian warriors, and two master vampires with hopes of destroying the Carpathian race.
Emeline Sanchez was brutally tortured and raped by Vadim Malinov. Now with Xavier’s parasites, and an even more prominent reminder of her recent ordeal, Emeline knows that she is a liability to the Carpathian males, and anyone who considers our heroine his mate. As a psychic female, Emeline is a potential mate for one of the Carpathian males but her dreamwalking, precognizant abilities push our heroine towards a warrior who figures prominently in her dreams. Dragomir Kozel knows the reluctant Emeline Sanchez is his lifemate-with his emotions and colors restored, Dragomir is determined to rid his lifemate of the painful parasites, and complete Emeline’s conversion before Vadim Malinov returns to finish the job. But there is something more about Emeline than anyone could have imagined; she hides several psychic abilities and a lingering reminder of Vadim’s cruel and methodical ways.
The relationship between Emeline and Dragomir is one of immediate attraction but Emeline is hesitant to trust another Carpathian male. Her experience with the vampire has left our heroine broken yet determined to protect the other children that Vadim took control. The limited $ex scenes are intimate and intense without the over the top, sexually graphic language and text but as per CF’s style of writing, they are very long and detailed.
There is a very large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including the newly turned and very powerful Gary Daratrazanoff, Tariq and Charlotte, Maksim and Blaze, triplets Tomas, Lojos, and Matais, ancients Petru, Andor, Isai, Ferro, Sandu and Benedek, as well as the orphaned children found in Vadim’s underground lair-Danny, Amelia, Lourdes, Bella and Liv, as well as their nanny Genevieve Marten. The requisite evil has many faces including the return of both Vadim and Sergey Malinov.
DARK LEGACY is a graphically violent story line with fight scenes reminiscent of Dark Demon and Dark Slayer, and the familiarity of Xavier’s experiments, imprisonment and torture; there is plenty of action that, at times, got bogged down with too many characters. The Carpathian race remains at war with the Malinov brothers but a war that has intensified with the possibility of another Malinov heir. With the ‘reemergence’ of Xavier a few stories back, his ‘triplet’ lineage continues with the appearance of another mage who may or may not be a lifemate to one of the ancient warriors. The premise is entertaining but familiar; the characters and romance are similar to many of the previous story line couples. Christine Feehan’s DARK LEGACY continues the author’s escape into the supernatural world of the Carpathian male and the woman that will save his soul.
Copy supplied by the publisher for review
“Don’t follow,” she pleaded, rushing up her steps. She knew Dragomir would. He was one step behind Vadim. She knew coming after Dragomir was Vadim’s army of horrible creatures. Vadim had already weakened her, taking her blood. Her neck burned, a fierce, intolerable pain that spread through her like wildfire.
Vadim waved his hand and her door stuck as she tried to jerk it open. She turned to face him, despair moving through her. Despair. Sorrow. Fear—although she was almost beyond fear. Back to the door, she slid down until her bottom hit the porch, knees up. She already knew exactly how the scenario would play out. Dragomir was on the stairs, and Vadim swung around to face him.
Emeline forced herself to look at the ancient warrior. He was the opposite of everything Vadim was. Roped muscles, scars, waist-length salt-and-pepper hair. He looked rugged. Tough. Scary. He had tattoos drifting up his neck so he looked a little like a modern-day outlaw biker. Vadim, despite his head being blown off repeatedly, always managed to restore his flawless, model looks. At first glance, one would be terrified of Dragomir, not Vadim, and that would be a very big mistake.
Her breath caught in her throat as Dragomir continued right up the stairs toward Vadim. She wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn’t. She’d witnessed his death over and over in her nightmare. She always woke up when he went down and she never saw the outcome, only that he sacrificed his life for hers. She felt the least she could do was watch. More—this time, she planned to aid him.
Her hand dropped to the pocket of the long dress she wore. Once before, after continually trying new things in her dreams, she’d changed the outcome of the future. She was determined to do the same this time, or die trying. Time slowed down. Just as she knew it would, the air exploded with more vampires, and as they appeared, the Carpathian hunters joined in the fight.
Posted by arrangement with Berkley, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © Christine Feehan, 2017.
Christine Feehan’s publisher is graciously offering a Hardcover copy of DARK LEGACY to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe
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