The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld, Book 1) | 
 enlarge | Author: Gena Showalter
Publisher: HQN Books
Category: Book
List Price: $6.99
Buy New: $3.04
You Save: $3.95 (57%)
New (38) Used (19) from $3.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  60 reviews
Sales Rank: 336
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0373772467
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780373772469
ASIN: 0373772467
Publication Date: May 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
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Product Description
All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member—a man trapped in a hell of his own.Neither can resist the instant hunger that calms their torments…and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction—and a soul-shattering test of love….
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| Customer Reviews: Read 55 more reviews...
 Ho-Hum J.R. Ward knock-off July 6, 2008
It has been mentioned that this book mimics J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood, and I agree. I got the exact same impression by about 1/3 of the way. HOWEVER, this series does not even come close to matching the intensity and tension in Ward's BDB. Lords of the Underworld is a B-rate knock-off of the BDB. Character development isn't as solid, scene development isn't as good, and I just don't get the same vivid mental pictures with LOTU as I do with the BDB. BDB jumps off the page and comes across very real to me, while LOTU is just a flat, often-blurred picture.
Anyway, this book started out great! I was all excited about Maddox and his demon, Violence, and had high hopes for this book. About 1/3 of the way in, that all began to change. I became more and more frustrated with Ashlyn's character and how Showalter seemed to insert pieces of writing that just didn't fit. I mean, there's a scene where Ashlyn becomes very ill, pukes everywhere, nearly dies...and yet within 12 hours of resuscitation, she's ready for a little "playtime" with Maddox. Despite the fact that puke is everywhere in the bedroom and, I would imagine, all over her clothes, too.
Okay, if Ashlyn was an immortal, I could totally believe the quick recovery. But she is human, and humans just don't recover that miraculously from food poisoning and near-death. And I certainly don't feel all sexy when puke is all around and all over me. Eewww!
So, I didn't get the whole purpose of that scene. If Showalter wanted to develop a bond between Maddox and Ashlyn by Maddox caring for her, I think that could have been accomplished with a scene that was more based in reality and didn't involve so much puke and near-death.
At any rate, the rest of the book just kind of followed that same M.O. Everything seemed forced and too over-the-top and just not very well thought-out. And I just couldn't stand Ashlyn. Everything about her just didn't make sense. She was apparently a virgin, yet had no problems playing Miss Domination with Maddox. She was apparently abandoned as a child, but didn't act like an abandoned child as an adult - because being given away by your parents and essentially orphaned should be very traumatic and carry huge emotional baggage into adulthood. I didn't see any of that at all. And Ashlyn's thought processes were kind of childish, and she was too bossy and stubborn given that she was surrounded by male behemoth's who killed and had killed right in front of her and threatened to kill her. Sure, I'm pretty feisty, but I'd be a little more acquiescent if being held captive and threatened with death, no matter how attractive I found one of my captors. And I certainly wouldn't put myself in a situation that could kill me just to get to said sexy captor, which Ashlyn did by climbing from one balcony to another. ***rolling eyes over that whole scene - I don't even know where to begin to criticize the balcony-to-balcony scene***
I don't know, it just seemed like Ashlyn's character wasn't very well developed. It was almost like I was reading 3-4 different characters instead of one, and it was VERY frustrating. And too many scenes felt like "quick-fixes" in lieu of a better, more thought-out solution (aka: the balcony scene).
On a more positive note, I am now reading the second book in the trilogy, The Darkets Kiss, and it is much better so far. The characters seem to be better-developed and intriguing, and the second book has been a real joy to read so far. So, if you didn't like Book One, either, don't give up on this series just yet. Book Two is showing hope, and I'm already looking forward to reading Reyes story in Book Three.
C, Dark, Sometimes Juicy, & Kinda Gross July 5, 2008
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
Okay, so this book wasn't quite up my alley as it didn't entice me to read more in the series. I think it just wasn't my taste.
Blood, guts, gore --- if these things appealed to me, I'd be playing some video game that's targeted to the male demographic. It was kind of a turn-off. But hey, it's not for everyone.
I think the plot line is well-developed, no typographical errors, & easy to follow. It had the basics for a good story.
Issue is, the story didn't appeal that much to me. The love interest of the protagonist must have an endless supply of mattresses because he gets murdered on it every single night? Ewwwww......
Just gruesome. Gruesome, gross, & gnarly. It doesn't make up for how good the relationship that's in the book. I just keep thinking of his entrails flowing out over the mattress. Then the next morning, they replace it only to start over again.
Gross.
 LOVED IT!!! July 4, 2008
This is one of those books that makes you want to skip work to stay home and read. It's fast paced, funny, and sexy. Not to mention I spent the whole time trying to figure out how everything was going to work out for everyone. The sub characters are great and I couldn't wait to continue the series.
Strong, and Sexy Demons! July 2, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
THIS PARTICULAR SERIES WAS RECOMMENDED BY MY BEST FRIEND..AND IT TOOK ME AWHILE TO GET IT.
LET ME JUST SAY I TOTALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK.. MADDOX AND ASHLYN MADE A CUTE COUPLE.. THEY WERE ONE ANOTHERS CALM..MADDOX WITH HIS VIOLENT DEMON AND ASHLYN WITH THE VOICES IN HER HEAD.
I LOOK FORWARD TO PURCHASING THE NEXT 2 BOOKS..
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK GENA!
Hot new series! June 30, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Gena you continue to amaze me. This story was great and i do like the character's. Even the guy's to be featured in future books. I kinda can relate to Ashlyn(minus hearing the voices thing lol). I can't wait to read the next two. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book!
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