Saturday 20 August 2011

Lord of the Vampire by Gena Showalter (ARC)


Lord of the Vampires (Harlequin Nocturne)Title: Lord of the Vampires
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Royal House of Shadows
Next in series: Lord of Rage

**Note**: The other books in this series are written by different authors: Jill Monroe, Jessica Andersen and Nalini Singh.  

My Rating: 3 Stars

Synopsis:
Once a vampire renowned for his virility, Nicolai is currently a sex slave to a revolting family of witches. When he summons help, the most unlikely of women is unable to disobey his call. Jane Parker is a human scientist who finds herself in a magical realm and must save the life of the only man she has ever craved.


Review: An intriguing reverse fairytale plot, however, the execution is exceedingly disappointing.

While I’m usually a fan of dominant alpha males, Nicolai is just too much for me – the man is a complete Neanderthal. Jane is supposed to be an intelligent scientist but comes across as a naïve and idiotic simpleton. While their sexual connection is intense and steamy, their dialogue is repetitive and ridiculous. Moreover, the villains are utterly grotesque, which is not that bad but they also come across as cartoonish.

The overall story premise has potential but events become repetitious as the book progresses. There is very little foundation or build up and explanations appear to be tacked on as an afterthought. For example, the idea of Nicolai’s amnesia and returning memory has promise but ultimately misses the mark because the process is difficult to follow with abrupt transitions between reality and memory, and Jane’s role in the return of his memories is under-developed and vague.

Overall, I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief and was unable to become immersed in the fantasy world. Nevertheless, I will most likely continue reading the series as I am interested in seeing how a different author handles the same themes and world.

Lord of the Vampires is scheduled for release on August 23, 2011. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com. 

1 comments:

  1. Lauren, I laughed out loud at this review. Neanderthal and simpleton did the trick I think. Great review. Can't remember when I've enjoyed reading a review this much. Shame you were disappointed in the book.

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