Since April is coming fast and with it "The King" Book 12 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood will be out, I've decided to listen to the Audio Books of the series from start to finish. I think I originally read the first 10 about 2 years ago. Back then I just got my Kindle and I didn't really interact with anyone but a good friend who recommended books to me. She started with Sookie Stackhouse and when she saw I loved it, offered I read this one. So as it goes with most of what she recommends - I sat down to read and wasn't disappointed :)
The first book is about Wrath who is actually the King of the race though he refuses to act as one.
He only runs the brotherhood and fights along side them. The Black Dagger Brotherhood, an order of Vampires who protects their kind mostly from the Lessening Society, a group of soul-less humans (actually they USED to be humans before they gave their soul to become Lessers). He is very distant from most of the Warriors and doesn't interact with them often.
In the beginning of the book one of his few friends - Darius - approaches him and asks him to look after his half human daughter. Though he refused in the beginning he soon changes his mind. As it seems he can't stay away from her and she doesn't pull away from him, making it hard for him to help her as Darius wanted and then leave her alone.
Beth knows nothing about being half a vampire or that vampires even exist. She has been an orphan all her life and Wrath's knowledge of her father intrigues her though she isn't sure if she can trust what he tells her. She isn't sure she can trust him AT ALL. Beth is a reporter and much connected to the police whom she works with occasionally. Lately there are strange killings in Coldwell the police thinks that Wrath is involved, especially Butch O'Neal who has been interested in Beth for a while now so he doesn't appreciate the attraction she has for that dangerous fella.
Butch is caught up in the fire somehow but instead of getting killed he finds out a lot more than what he anticipated and not just the fact that Wrath isn't the killer he THINKS he is... though he does kill for a living..
As all these series are, everyone of the Warriors is somehow flawed though we love them all with their "disadvantages" ;) Each book portraits the love story of one of the Warriors while moving the general plot of the world around them. In this book the Warriors are in a way distant from each other. They have been fighting for a long time together but they aren't really friends. The Vampires are the "good guys" here. The Warriors are kick ass hot and as the series continues the interaction between them gets much better. Though I must say I didn't like what happened with Z in this book, especially since he's my favorite brother.. and believe me once you hear HIS story you'll shed rivers of tears for him and pledge your undying love for him as did I..
I love the world Ward created. I love how it "works". The Vampires aren't "evil" or "undead" they are just a different species. The Vampires are somehow portrayed as animalistic. They don't refer to each other as Man and Woman but as Male and Female. There is a lot of significance to smells and markings. Their mating is somehow animalistic too, as the Female has a "needing" and is only fertile in that time. There's a lot more to it then that. But that's just a taste of what I mean by animalistic.
If you recall when I first read the "Midnight Breed" my main issue with the first bookwas that there were a lot of similarities between these two series. In the first book it's more evident especially since Lucan "feels" basically like Wrath does. But as the series continues and grows they feel "different enough" thus making the both of the great series, each on it's own. If you read the Midnight Breed and loved it. you will love this one as well!
Yet, as you can see from the top I liked this one but didn't LOVE it and gave it only 3.5 stars. My problem is I didn't really love Wrath. I know he has MANY admirers so he'll probably be OK with that ;) One of the things I generally dislike in heroes is being the Self-Centered-Ego-Maniac-Chauvinistic-Douche kinda person until he meets his one and only then he becomes less "Self-Centered-Ego-Maniac-Chauvinistic-Douche". Well, I just don't feel like going through all that douchiness UNTIL he "finds himself" ya know? and in this one it took him about half the book to become an "OK guy" for me..
Beth puts him in his place when he "misbehaves" but basically I don't see what she sees in him (except for being a hunk ;)). So half a star goes out for Wrath being who he is.. :P
My main problem in this one but also in the next ones is the "enemy" they are facing. and here goes what I generally dislike in villains - being all evil to the core.
I mean, people have wants and needs, they do what they do because of that. When they are considered "evil" or "play the villains" then what they want isn't "pure of heart" or isn't considered "right" in society's eyes. But they have REASONS, logical ones even if you don't agree with them and find them disgusting, you "get it".
I don't like villains being just, well, villains.. when there is nothing really "there" to make them want to do what they do, except for just creating chaos / killing for the fun of it.
The Lessening Society is a pure evil organization who have no goal except for destruction. For me it makes them annoying and boring. I hate reading about them. Hated it in the first book and hated it in the next books until another "villain" is introduced.
That "new villain" was written in a manner that I could appreciate more. There were reasons for the actions the villain made, there is logic, an agenda. Emotions are involved, vengeance is sought. For me THAT'S a villain. I could hate him/her but that's just me rooting for the heroes. It doesn't mean there isn't a "function" to the villain, it only shows I react to the villain and what he does.
I remember always tried to screen through the Lessers parts. Here I couldn't do it since I was listening to it, but basically I just kinda lost interest when Mr. X was the main POV coz' as I said, there is nothing here to feel. You aren't mad at him, you don't want the Brotherhood to crush him to the ground, you just feel like telling him - shut up already and go to sleep, bring on the interesting part!
One more sentence about things I dislikes in the book - Havers - he is such a douche! and well, an annoying one! wasn't pleased with everything that happened with his sub plot (not saying more not to spoiler anything).
One last thing I feel I should refer to - The Audio book itself. I've listened to a few Audio Books in the past and wasn't as pleased with it as I was with others I've heard. I "blame" a little on the fact that it's a guy voice and not a girls and he basically sounds the same for all characters (if you listened to Sookie's Audio Book in my eyes that narrator is freaking AMAZING I could identify a hero by his accent and manner of speech!). I would love for the women to sound more "girly" the emotions they show to be more genuine (for the guys as well). Maybe other's won't feel as I do. I know some people want to have it in their own head how the character sound so they rather have a more "neutral" voice. But I"m different in that aspect. I rather HEAR it, for real. I don't know if the other ones are narrated by the same person... I'll relate to it in the next ones.
Additional Details: Audiobook, 13:30 Hours, 17-25 February 2014 / On GoodReads
ABOUT THE MCs
Wrath
Son
of Wrath, is also known as the Blind King—the King of the Vampires and
last pure-blood vampire in existence. As such, he is a well-known legend
to the lessers. When the series started, he was almost blind and not
willing to ascend to the throne. He falls in love with Beth, the
half-breed daughter of his Brother-in-arms, Darius. His and Beth's story
is told in Dark Lover (BDB #1). By the end of Lover Avenged, Wrath is
completely blind and relies on a service dog, George, and his shellan
(wife), Beth.
Elizabeth "Beth" Randall
The
only surviving offspring of Darius and an unknown human woman.
Originally a journalist prior to her transition, she is Wrath's beloved
shellan and the half-breed Queen of the Vampires. She is also John's
sister. Her close relationship with Butch allows him to be taken in by
the Brotherhood. She owns a cat, Boo, who gets along with Wrath's dog,
George, very well. Beth and Wrath's story is told in Dark Lover (BDB
#1).
ABOUT THIS SERIES
The Black Dagger Brotherhood is a Paranormal Romance by J. R. Ward.
This was actually the first PNR I've read. I've been a HUGE vampire fan
most of my life, but I used to read Fantasy and Urban Fantasy. When I
fell upon this series I've realized adding the romance "bit" is the best
thing ever!
This
series have been one of my most favorite for a long while. I really
liked the way Ward built the world of the Brotherhood and in general the
"Breed". They have been living besides humans but they are not a threat
as they feast from their mate (partner) and anyhow human blood isn't
potent enough for them. They mostly act human but as expected they have
special abilities and animalistic behaviors.
The
series follows the Black Dagger Brotherhood, a contingent of vampire
warriors in charge of protecting the "Breed" (Vampires) against their
mortal enemies the "Lessening Society" which are a group of ex-humans
transformed into soulless being with the sole purpose of harming the
vampire race. The head of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath, is also
the King of the race but he was trying to run away from his duties
leaving in his stead a group of vampire aristocrats called the Glymera.
My
main issue with this series comes from the longgggg novels with many
POVs and sub-plots. Sometimes it feels like everything is happening
while there is nothing to actually move the plot. I guess it's very
character driven and there is a lot of shenanigans between the
"Brothers" which makes this read a fun one. This is a series to anyone
looking for an action packed novel with tender romance and a lot of
"bro" attitude. In each book one of the brothers gets his own HEA. There
are interesting coupling, not what you'd expect (or the men themselves
expected) but each woman helps her Breed male find his own happiness as
they are all damages in their own way.
I've
been a huge fan of the series till the 13th novel - "The Shadows", it
has been a breaking point for me, because it was different (and many
reading complained about it) but also because I somehow felt I've had
enough. I still highly recommend this series, It's one of the best in
the genre IMO.
If
you love these kinds of series I'd also recommend "Midnight Breed" by
Lara Adrian. There is a few similarities (mainly in the first
books) bit it takes a totally different turn. I actually enjoy it a bit more than this one.
YEP, RECOMMENDED!
Books:
1. Dark Lover [Wrath & Beth] (published 6 September 2005) ★★★½
2. Lover Eternal [Rhage & Marry] (published 7 March 2006) ★★★★½
3. Lover Awakened [Zsadist & Bella] (published 5 September 2006) ★★★★★
4. Lover Revealed [Butch & Marissa] (published 6 Match 2007) ★★★★½
5. Lover Unbound [Vishous & Jane] (published 25 September 2007) ★★★★
6. Lover Enshrined [Phury & Cromia] (published 3 June 2008) ★★
--- An Insider's Guide (Including "Father Mine") (published 7 October 2008 ) ★★★★
6.5 Father Mine [Zsadist, Bella & Nalla] (published 7 October 2008) ★★★★★
7. Lover Avenged [Rehvenge & Ehlena] (published 28 April 2009) ★★★★★
8. Lover Mine [John Mathew & Xhex] (published 27 April 2010) ★★★★★
9. Lover Unleashed [Payne & Manny] (published 29 March 2011) ★★★★½
10. Lover Reborn [Thor & Autumn] (published 27 March 2012) ★
11. Lover At Last [Quinn & Blaylock] (published 26 March 2013) ★★★★½
12. The King [Wrath & Beth revisited] (published 1 April 2014) ★★★½
13. The Shadows [Trez & Selena / iAm & Maichen] (published 31 March 2015) ★★★
As I've mentioned there are more books published in this series but I've stopped after the 13th one.
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