Friday, July 22, 2011

ARC Review: Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter



Mass Market Paperback, Mass Market Paperback, 288 pages
Expected publication: August 23rd 2011 by Harlequin
ISBN 13: 9780373618668
Source: Netgalley
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Stars: 4
Flames: 4

                Nicolai is one of four children who at the time of his parent’s death were sent away from the royal palace that was under attack. Only a time piece that he is no longer in possession of links him to his siblings. He is not even aware of a missing timepiece though. His lusty ways and an error in magic cast by a dying parent sent him to the slave market, as a sex slave. His purchasers have wiped his memory repeatedly. In an attempt to escape he writes magic into a book and draw a modern time human Jane to come assist in his escape. Jane works for a sect of the government that studies the supernatural. So she is not shocked that the chained vampire she has been dreaming of for the past several months is in this book. She is also not shaken that she has been brought into another realm by the chained vampire. Jane’s a trooper. She agrees to help Nicolai. She has a gazillion questions and her scientific mind questions everything, but she atrocities that he has dealt with and feels the need to help him obtain his freedom.

                I have no idea why but I loved Nicolai’s short choppy sentence caveman speak. Not to mention the really hot over used “Mine.” When I say over used I mean in this book alone, not as readers see it in so many books. Nicolai might as well been shouting this as his mantra when in Jane’s presence. I also liked Jane and Nicolai’s connection. As a couple they really worked for me. I give much of that credit to Jane not freaking out about popping up in an alternate realm where magic is used and vampires exist. I also really enjoyed all the flashbacks that Nicolai had while his memories randomly trickled back to him. The catalyst that caused his memories to begin surfacing was captivating too. I am one who typically does not enjoy a historical like fantasy world (that what this book is) but I really enjoyed the magical elements and the setting was perfect.

                This was a very fast paced book. I was also amazed at how much action was squeezed into the 288 pages. Loved what the books big evil doer got in the end. Justice was served in the most appropriate way. Very interested to see where this series goes. The readers are given very little information of the other siblings. Nicolai shows the readers small memories of his siblings as he is getting his memories back. Once he has all of his memories back he still only knows vague hunches or rumors. The location and well-being of the others for the most part is unknown. Thus I’m tremendously intrigued. I will definitely read the next book in the series, which is Breena’s (the only female sibling) story. At the end of Lord of the Vampires, Nicolai has found out that she is possibly with Berserkers. A series that has been written by four different seems quite interesting!

Favorite quote, from Jane: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but I might be a vampire so I don't give a shit."

5 comments:

  1. Ha! I reviewed this one today too. I usually don't mind the "mine"-speak, but it overwhelmed me in this one. I give Showalter props for writing great sex, but this was probably my least favorite of all her books.

    I'll give the rest of the series a try though!

    Jen at Red Hot Books

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the quote:) Thank you for sharing today.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for sharing your great review!

    I really want to read this one and after reading your review makes me want to read it even more!

    ReplyDelete
  4. the things you called out were buggin' the crap outta me but makeing me laugh at the same time. This book was so bizarre in that it was almost amateurishly written, surprisingly so since it was written by such a famous author. and then at the same time had some great stuff.
    The things I hated are the same as what you called out, The constant 'Mine" ing.
    OMG the Caveman talk.
    They are constantly SMELLING eachother too. Is this what we have devolved too? Vampire Caveman porn? It was almost so bad it could have been a satire. Thanks for sharing the great review, I really had no idea how to review this one. I didn't enjoy it as much as you did but it had some great one liners though.

    When the horrible princess shows up and starts to attack them, and the heroine says to him something like, "You can go ahead and kill her. I can wait." I DIED laughing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I really liked the couple in this book but I wanted more of the story. However, I don't think that is Gena's fault---this is shorter than most books I read so it is probably mostly due to that!

    PS. i think I am the only fan of the caveman speak but I loved it growing up in all those BR's I read.

    ReplyDelete