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Defying Darkness
Máire is being stalked by her Sire, a serial killer unequaled who is using new, otherworldly powers. She, and her former pack, is also being hunted by Vahmpyr ranger, Dorian, whom she mistakenly thinks is an Archangel sent to punish them. Dorian is rapidly attracted to and perplexed by Máire; how does a Master damned retain its soul?--or is it a ploy to capture him? When she leads Dorian into an ambush, he thinks he has his answer, but then the starving vampire uses precious energy to save him. Now she won’t survive teleporting, necessary to elude her Sire, unless Dorian feeds her. Could that make him damned? She’ll die if he doesn’t.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 16, 2015
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 23, 2016
This is the authors first book? I cannot congratulate her more. This is a totally expansive and very well explained complex world. The characters of Maire and Dorian are perfect. Well written. Heart wrenching at times but you are always wanting them to be together. There us curiosity's from the beginning. You are never bored. The romance in this book is well written and you want more. But the story shines on its own. I could not put it down. You run through every emotion in this book. I hope we will be reading a book 2 soon
March 11, 2016
Ok, for the sake of first disclosure: I don't normally read this genre, as I like my vampires to be scary, merciless and afraid of Peter Cushing, so the minor issues I have with this book are purely matters of taste, and in no way reflect the quality or workman ship of the book.
So, what are the issues? There aren't too many, so we will get them out the way first: The story goes for a 'hot start' action packed opening, which is great, and very well crafted, and is a riveting way to draw you into the story. However the breakneck speed has a drawback. With two leads, a villain, and a the rules of the world to be introduced, a slightly different pace may have worked as well. A little more time sitting over the shoulder of one of the characters would have given a stronger impression of what was at stake, and made the action feel a little bit more dangerous.
My other issue was that there were hints at back story that I really would have liked to have spent more time exploring. One of the characters is very well crafted, with suggestions that she has been on the world for centuries, but has never been allowed her own life to live. We get throw away lines that hint of how she has been acclimatizing to a world that is not her own (loving Star Trek because she hung around in a library and caught up with 'all the classic' books, having learned to drive a car like a rally driver, etc). There were times when I was staring at the page thinking "damn it... I want to read THAT story!"
Enough problems, what is right: First and foremost the chemistry between the characters. The romantic aspects of the story never feel forced, or tacked on to the vampire adventure story. Neither does it feel like adventure elements have been fed into the love story. The characters feel like their interactions are natural, and are as beautiful (or distressing) as any real human can be capable of. They spark and clash. Where other authors would always have their leads being perfectly snappy, poetic, or witty, Thanna is not afraid to have her characters be a little shy of perfection, (with little touches like the Celtic-isms growing closer to stereotypes and more pronounced whenever the male lead is around the female lead at the start of the book, to the point that you get the impression is trying hard not to be flustered) which makes it feel more heartfelt and a lot more endearing.
And that is the point. It is not the blood sucking super abilities and vampire angst that endears you to the characters. It is that after hundreds of years they are still as vulnerable and flawed as anybody else. That their charm does not come from what makes them powerful or brooding, but from what makes them...human.
The plotting, action, intrigue and adventure elements are all very strong, and keep the narrative belting past at a cinematic pace. It offers a sweeping, epic, scale to the story, even with a relatively small cast and some very crafty ways of hinting at a far larger world.
So, what are the issues? There aren't too many, so we will get them out the way first: The story goes for a 'hot start' action packed opening, which is great, and very well crafted, and is a riveting way to draw you into the story. However the breakneck speed has a drawback. With two leads, a villain, and a the rules of the world to be introduced, a slightly different pace may have worked as well. A little more time sitting over the shoulder of one of the characters would have given a stronger impression of what was at stake, and made the action feel a little bit more dangerous.
My other issue was that there were hints at back story that I really would have liked to have spent more time exploring. One of the characters is very well crafted, with suggestions that she has been on the world for centuries, but has never been allowed her own life to live. We get throw away lines that hint of how she has been acclimatizing to a world that is not her own (loving Star Trek because she hung around in a library and caught up with 'all the classic' books, having learned to drive a car like a rally driver, etc). There were times when I was staring at the page thinking "damn it... I want to read THAT story!"
Enough problems, what is right: First and foremost the chemistry between the characters. The romantic aspects of the story never feel forced, or tacked on to the vampire adventure story. Neither does it feel like adventure elements have been fed into the love story. The characters feel like their interactions are natural, and are as beautiful (or distressing) as any real human can be capable of. They spark and clash. Where other authors would always have their leads being perfectly snappy, poetic, or witty, Thanna is not afraid to have her characters be a little shy of perfection, (with little touches like the Celtic-isms growing closer to stereotypes and more pronounced whenever the male lead is around the female lead at the start of the book, to the point that you get the impression is trying hard not to be flustered) which makes it feel more heartfelt and a lot more endearing.
And that is the point. It is not the blood sucking super abilities and vampire angst that endears you to the characters. It is that after hundreds of years they are still as vulnerable and flawed as anybody else. That their charm does not come from what makes them powerful or brooding, but from what makes them...human.
The plotting, action, intrigue and adventure elements are all very strong, and keep the narrative belting past at a cinematic pace. It offers a sweeping, epic, scale to the story, even with a relatively small cast and some very crafty ways of hinting at a far larger world.
May 2, 2016
I did enjoy the story. Because of other activities it took me two days to read Defying Darkness and when I was not reading I found myself thinking about the story.
The protagonists are, Maire, a vampire who has retained her soul, and Dorian, a vahmpyr who are born not turned and fight against soulless vampires. Maire has never killed so has retained her soul for many hundreds of years but by doing so has starved herself. Dorian in finding her discovers she still has her soul. As a Ranger it is his job to protect and free innocents and newly turned vampires who have not killed.
Much of the first few chapters were devoted to keeping both the Maire and Dorian alive through vampiric feeding. Once they were both in good health the quest to free her from the bonds of her vampire sire began in earnest.
Dialog in the book is heavy on dialect with conversations written with a heavy brogue. Some people may not find this writing style easy to read. After awhile I just found myself interpreting in my head. Many Gaelic words were used and the meaning was given in the narrative.
Toward the latter part of the book there was an encounter with another kind of character that was a bit slow because so much had to be explained. Once past that part the plot wrapped up in an exciting action packed conclusion.
I liked the plot and characters and give this one four stars.
The protagonists are, Maire, a vampire who has retained her soul, and Dorian, a vahmpyr who are born not turned and fight against soulless vampires. Maire has never killed so has retained her soul for many hundreds of years but by doing so has starved herself. Dorian in finding her discovers she still has her soul. As a Ranger it is his job to protect and free innocents and newly turned vampires who have not killed.
Much of the first few chapters were devoted to keeping both the Maire and Dorian alive through vampiric feeding. Once they were both in good health the quest to free her from the bonds of her vampire sire began in earnest.
Dialog in the book is heavy on dialect with conversations written with a heavy brogue. Some people may not find this writing style easy to read. After awhile I just found myself interpreting in my head. Many Gaelic words were used and the meaning was given in the narrative.
Toward the latter part of the book there was an encounter with another kind of character that was a bit slow because so much had to be explained. Once past that part the plot wrapped up in an exciting action packed conclusion.
I liked the plot and characters and give this one four stars.
January 22, 2016
Dorian a ranger zeroes in on a vampire with a soul. She is starved and in trouble so curiosity and concern take over and he feels the urge to save her. That’s how Dorian and Maire meet. Throughout the story I fell in love with the electricity between them. Defying Darkness isn’t the usual vampire tale.
The author works her magic using folklore and twists to keep the reader pinned to the pages. She has an imagination that begs attention. And carefully plots and weaves a story that plays out on the mind of the reader. Through description and accented thoughts and conversation she adds realism and charm to each character.
This story is more than a paranormal romance. The intrigue and suspense levels are off the charts. It is an amazing start and a fabulous debut for author Thanna A. Setliff.
The author works her magic using folklore and twists to keep the reader pinned to the pages. She has an imagination that begs attention. And carefully plots and weaves a story that plays out on the mind of the reader. Through description and accented thoughts and conversation she adds realism and charm to each character.
This story is more than a paranormal romance. The intrigue and suspense levels are off the charts. It is an amazing start and a fabulous debut for author Thanna A. Setliff.
March 8, 2016
An awesome start to a new series by a new author. This is a great debut from Thanna Setliff.
The detailed and descriptive writing drew me in and I got lost in the fascinating world of the vahmpyr with Máire and Dorian, as they struggled with misunderstandings and their feelings for each other, at the same time as staving off attacks from Maire's sire.
The characters were multi-dimensional and they all had their own personalities, complete with virtues and flaws.
I thoroughly enjoyed Defying Darkness and hope I don't have to wait too long for the next installment of Worlds of Darkness.
The detailed and descriptive writing drew me in and I got lost in the fascinating world of the vahmpyr with Máire and Dorian, as they struggled with misunderstandings and their feelings for each other, at the same time as staving off attacks from Maire's sire.
The characters were multi-dimensional and they all had their own personalities, complete with virtues and flaws.
I thoroughly enjoyed Defying Darkness and hope I don't have to wait too long for the next installment of Worlds of Darkness.
May 21, 2016
Excellent novel with a little twist and turns like the movie "Underworld"
June 21, 2016
Great read by Thanna Setliff! If you love Vahmpyrs, you'll love this! The entertwined tale of Máire and Dorian is very suspenseful and filled with seductive secrets.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews