Dark Peril

Dark #21

by Christine Feehan

Dominic of the Dragonseeker lineage, one of the most powerful lines the Carpathian people has, ingests vampire blood laces with parasites in order to be able to go the very heart of the enemy camp and learn their plans. It is a one way mission. He knows he has little time once the parasites and the blood go to work. He plans to get in fast, relay the information to the leader of the Carpathians living in the area and go out fighting -- an honorable way to end his life.

Solange Sangria is one of the last of the jaguar people, a royal pureblood. Her people, once many are now nearly extinct, a dying species that cannot recover from the choices they made over hundreds of years. She has long been alone, fighting to save the remaining women who are able to shift, from the hands of Brodrick the Terrible, her own father who slaughtered her family and everyone she loved. Wounded, weary, she plans one last battle, hoping to stop the man who has made an alliance with the vampires, accepting she will not come out alive.

They are two warriors who have lived their lives alone. Now, at the end of their time, they find each other, a complication, neither saw coming.

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires, Fantasy, Dark, Fiction

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 31, 2010

About the author

Christine Feehan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author multiple times over with her portfolio including over 100 published novels, including five series; Dark Series, GhostWalker Series, Leopard Series, Drake Sisters Series, the Sisters of the Heart Series, Shadow Riders, Torpedo Ink and her Romantic Suspense novels. All of her series have hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestselling list as well. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature (PEARL) in 1999. Since then she has been published by various publishing houses including Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards since Dark Prince.
Her series include:
The Dark Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/darkb...
The GhostWalker series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/ghost...
The Leopard Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/leopa...
The Shadow Series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/shado...
Torpedo Ink series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/torpe...




IN HER WORDS:
I've been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me. I read everything; I mean everything! All kinds of books, even encyclopedias. I am fascinated by the written word and I love storytellers. It is a great privilege to be counted one myself. (www.christinefeehan.com)

Reviews

[Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Bored outta my mind stars

First read Sept 2012 Reread February 26, 2016



Audio made it better lol

Okay so I am going to make this short and not so sweet as I have already wasted 4 days getting though this book. First off I knew it was a bad sign that I didn't remember anything about this book when I started this reread. Since I started this reread, I could remember every book and for the most part what happened in each one, as this is my 4th time reading this series. I should have remembered something about this book and I was coming up blank. So yea bad sign! This book truly bored me too tears. It took me 4 full days of OCD riding my ass to finish this and God knows I wish I could have DNFed this one, if not for said stupid OCD! Dark Peril is Dominic the Dragonseeker and Solange's book. Now in past books I liked both Dominic and Solange. In this book Solange seemed completely out of character, and I had a total disconnect with her. Dominic just seemed boring and forgettable. I just don't know what happened. I felt nothing for them as a couple. The book dragged and dragged until the 75% mark and then it barely picked up the pace. The first 75% was almost all them, and their slow as a snail relationship. Him handling her with kids gloves and her slowly learning to trust him. I get with her background that she needed time but they could have did something other than sit in a cave for 3/4 of the book and work on her fears. They barely touch and there is no binding til the last 1/4 of the book. Dominic could have been asleep most of the book as he had the personality of a dull old fart. " Come here Solange" "Wear this Solange" "Speak when I talk to you Solange" Sit, stay, talk good boy!!!! OMG I kept looking down at my kindle to see where I was at and I kept thinking really I am only that far still Damn! I am only at 76% damn, two hours later I'm only at 79% SHIT, will this hell never end!!!!! And what was with all the singing to each other really? First I start getting more and more Carpathians gibberish in books, then line after line of spells, now full out operatic songs WTF? It took me so long to finish this book that I didn't even want to waste time writing a review for it. The only thing I really enjoyed about this book was Zacarias, the rest was just meh. Thank God I am done and can move on to the next one!

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Christine Feehan’s Carpathians and Leopard People series are 2 of my favorites, and this book combines the best of both. No matter how hard I’ve tried, I can’t find the words to express my love for Dominic, who I never imagined could touch me this deeply, and Solange, a Jaguar shifter, who I never thought I’d be able to like, let alone, adore.

I found this story to be very refreshing, in that Dominic was so patient, and not borderline insane with the need to turn Solange fully Carpathian… I mean, he was and yet, he also loved her for who she was and worried about how much of herself she might lose during the transition. He understood her needs to remain connected to her cat and truly, truly wanted her to keep that part of herself and not just because it was the “enlightened male” right thing to do, but because he loved her for everything she was. That really had an impact on me because very often in this series, and series’ of this nature, the males are so over the top alpha it’s almost annoying. That is not the case with this book.

I had completely forgotten about Solange from the previous books, but the references to her past were just enough to help me remember the sad, angry, mistrusting soul that this beautiful female had become. Like Ivory, in Dark Slayer, Solange was a strong, honorable, determined female and despite her worries about Dominic’s desire for her, and her fear of allowing herself to become vulnerable and controlled by a male, she learned to trust him fairly early in the book which made room for a great story, without too much relationship drama.

I’ve noticed a trend in the last few Carpathian novels, one that, as a reader, I really appreciate. The life-matings aren’t one sided anymore. Both the hero and heroine are truly just that – heroes and heroines. They complement one another with their strengths and weaknesses, making them great couples, with truly believable and wonderful happily ever afters.

I’m going to share a couple of my favorite quotes from the book, and yes, they are very Feehan-esque in their prose.

This quote was a thought running through Dominic’s mind when he realized that Solange was embarrassed by her body. She wasn’t fashionably thin, and she had many scars, and was constantly trying to cover herself:

“She had no idea of her beauty of her appeal to him. Carpathians saw what was inside. The body was simply a shell. Perhaps because they could shift into any form they chose, the outside mattered little to them. But he could see into her heart and mind, and he’d fallen deeply in love. Solange was exactly the woman for him, with her fierce loyalty, her unfailing courage and her natural sensuality.”

And then this one, when Dominic answered Solange’s question about where his home was:

“I have traveled all over the world and gone to the highest peaks, and the densest jungles. The Carpathian Mountains will always be my homeland, but my home is a woman. Solange Sangria. You are home to me. You’re body is my home. Your mind. Your heart and soul. It matters little to me where we are.”

I repeat, they are very Feehan-esque, and whether you love or hate her books, you know what I mean by that. As I said before, I love the way she writes. The dialog, which I hear so many people complain about, is truly in keeping with these ancient males who were born and raised in the Old Country. I wouldn’t expect them to talk as though they’d just walked off the streets of Caldwell, NY – and some of you will know exactly what I’m talking about – but their language, their mannerisms, their hearts and their souls are exactly what I would expect from these amazing Carpathian males.

I’m very much looking forward to the next book, and hoping with all my heart that it’s Zacarias’ story.

[KatieV · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to go back and visit a few of the books I skipped since I'm sort of in a slump.

Honestly, I wasn't that interested in the S. America books, simply because I was attached to the characters in the Carpathian Mountains. These characters are starting to grow on me more, now that I've given them a chance.

This one is about Solange (female jaguar shifter from previous novels) and Dominic, an ancient Carpathian who decided to sacrifice himself by ingesting the parasites vampires have been ingesting to id themselves as part of the gang working together to bring down the the prince.

Solange was different than I expected, much softer under her hard shell. Dominic is likeable, he's one of the Carpathian males (that have been popping up frequently in later books) who is ok with allowing a woman to fight with him. Those heroes can be refreshing, but I admit I do often miss the caveman alphas of the earlier books. YMMV.

We do get quite a bit of Zacharias who is the ultimate caveman (too caveman at times -- I can't be pleased). I do recommend reading this before Dark Predator, because you get to see the first meeting of Zacharias and his eventual lifemate.

There was a lot of throbbing lady parts and rigid male members, per usual. TBQH I mostly tune out during those scenes at this point. One can only read so many Feehan sex scenes before they start to blur together, YMMV.

Dominic's "suicide mission that wasn't" does ultimately uncover some information that will be explored in future books.

I enjoyed it. It was about average for the series. The dual narration was well done. Phil Gigante does a great job narrating males, but his female voices are hard for me to listen to. I think dual narration was a great choice.

[MelissaB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Carpathian book, I really enjoyed the two leads Dominic and Solange. The way they met and got to know each other through dreams was unique and interesting. The only complaint I have is that the middle of the story dragged a bit when they sat in the cave talking about how she needed to trust him completely - over and over again. Once the action picked up again, the ending was good. There was less of the very annoying Carpathian language that Ms. Feehan started including for no apparent reason, at least there was less chanting than the last one. I hope she stops this altogether soon.

I hope Zacharius is next! I think he will be because he was featured so prominently in this one.

[Suz · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first Carpathian novel I read was Dark Slayer. I liked it so much that I immediately proceeded to read the rest of the series back to back from the beginning. Several times through the course of this heinous experience I also wanted to flush my eyes with eye bleach. I have a love/hate relationship with Christine Feehan's works. Her worlds are rich and well thought out, her lore is believable and in depth, her story arcs engaging, and some of her characters are multi layered and multi faceted. These are the things that keep me returning to Feehan. But make no mistake, her books are romances and they are quintessential, gut churning, over-the-top cliche romances at that. I'm also convinced that I can now pick out where she stopped writing on one day and returned to the story the next because she restates the foundational relationship premises as if she's trying to reconnect with the story so she can continue writing it. That means she restates the basic premises to the story every 10 to 20 pages. Either the editor is sleeping or the word count for publishing is critical.

As I slogged through the Carpathian novels (Dark series) I realized that as the books got further into the series the long story arcs were maturing and becoming more interesting. Dark Slayer paid so much attention to those long story arcs, and so broke the "I am dominant male and take what I want, you are submissive female even if you don't know it and only need good sex to realize it - so let it be written, so let it be done" mold of this series that I was hopeful for future installments. I must give a nod to Ms. Feehan in that in this installment Dominic Dragonseeker was patient with his lifemate and didn't just bind her to him without her permission, as is the usual way. Unfortunately it seemed as if Ms. Feehan wasn't sure how to move the story along with this new paradigm. I read an electronic version of this book that was 350 pages long. The first 250 pages of the books was nothing but Dominic being patient with Solange. The entire first 250 pages was restating the same thing over and over. Solange is afraid of men because of her horridly abused past and doesn't trust men although she wants to trust Dominic. Dominic seduces Solange slowly, showing her that he is trust worthy and bringing her around to wanting and needing him before he takes her. Bravo for the new approach, massive fail on taking 250 pages to convey it.

On a side note and to address a personal peeve regarding Ms. Feehan's writing style, I'd like to thank her for only referring to female sexual body fluid as "creamy" or "cream" twice in this book. That particular adjective used in this way always reads "smegma" to me and it's like getting hit with a bucket of ice water when I read it. So, less cream in these books is a good thing to me. Thank you, Ms. Feehan.

I'm going to close this review with a wish for either this series or perhaps and idea for a new series for Christine Feehan. I have read all of her series and I have to admit that hands down she has one of the most fertile imaginations I've ever read. I adore the worlds that she weaves around the lore that she builds as a foundation to the worlds. I love the characters and I even like the tension between the characters. I like the sex too. But her romances are infuriating because they are 2/3 to 3/4 sex and very little story beyond the romance. I'd stand in line for a series from her that was Urban Fantasy rather than just PNR. Don't get me wrong, I like the sex and in Dark Peril she seemed to spend a bit more time on the orgasm itself rather than all the build up for a single sentence orgasm. Even so, give me a 350 page story with 5 or 6 sex scenes and the rest story and I'd be a very happy camper. Instead we're getting 350 pages of sex scenes and foreplay with 5 or 6 scenes devoted to the long story arc.

I'm bored with her romances and frustrated that her real story telling talent isn't getting more effort. Dark Peril is no exception.

[Melindeeloo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having given up hope of ever finding his lifemate in this life time and determined to end his existence with honor, Ancient Carpathian warrior Dominic has begun a suicidal quest to gain the information necessary to save his Prince and his people. Dominic has ingested vampire blood, knowing that the parasites which now infect his body will provide the camouflage needed to allow him to walk among the enemy in order to get the intel necessary to foil the vampires' foul plots. But even as the parasites attempt to seduce Dominick into taking the final step and becoming vampire himself, Dominick has begun to dream, and in his dreams he 'feels' hints of the emotions that he has lost. Emotions stirred by the unique woman of his dreams, a woman who shows a warrior face to the world but who shares her softer side with him.

Jaguar shifter, Solonge survived the annihilation of her family and friends perpetrated by the ruthless males of her species. Solonge now fights a guerilla war against the Jaguar men - stealing back captives and working wipe their evil from the world. Unsurprisingly, her experiences with men in general are not good, and she is also distrustful of domineering Carpathian males - her cousin is mated to one of the Delacruz brothers. But in Solonge's dreams she has created the perfect man, sexy and strong to be a partner to her but one who will also allow her to be a woman in addition to a warrior.

Both of the pair are a bit surprised to find that the one who they've been dreaming of is real. That they are lifemates adds a level of complication because both have upcoming battles - Solonge against the evil leader of the Jaguar men who has dastardly plans for her, and Dominick against the vampires - battles which neither of them expected to survive. But now that they've found each other, dying for a noble cause no longer seems like a good plan, instead the pair will work and fight together in the hopes of having a long and loving future together.

I really really liked the first third of the book, I liked both Dominick and Solonge and I liked the fact that Dominick wants a partner to fight beside him and that he trusts Solonge's skills as a warrior. And I liked Solonge much more than I thought I would from her appearances in early stories - she ends being a good mix of strong and vulnerable. There are so many things about this paring which makes them actually feel like destined mates. And I liked the role that blood plays in the story - both have unusual things going on with their blood - and also the advantage of their special heritages - Jaguar and Dragonseeker - are key to the resolution of the story.

Whereas I loved the setup, once Dominick and Solonge find each other in the flesh they spend an awfully long time in Solonge's cave as Dominick slowly cultivates Solonge's trust and works to wins her love. And as much as I liked the idea that Dominick was willing to wait for Solonge's complete acceptance, I found myself impatient for Dominick's efforts to finally come to fruition.

But once Dominick and Solonge make it back out of the cave, the story ramps back up to speed and Dominick's strike at the vampires - with Solonge watching his back - and Solonge's final confrontation against the Jaquar leader - with Dominick returning the favor- finish the story on a high note.

[Yz the Whyz · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Dark Slayer, this is my current second favorite Dark/Carpathian book.

This is the story of Dominic Dragonseeker and Solange Sangria. Ancient as he is, Dominic had volunteered for a suicidal mission, ingesting parasites in his blood in order to infiltrate the enemy's camp. Solange, a shifter of royal blood, stands alone in a fight against her very own people in their abuse against the women of their species. Warriors at heart, these two lonely people found love and acceptance in the least expected of moments, and like the wise souls that they are, chose to embrace it, even while facing deadly danger.

I love the chemistry between these two. Dominic is loving, and though he is still dominant Carpathian, he is patient and understanding towards Solange. Solange, for me, was an unexpected mixture of bravery and shyness. I enjoyed reading her reactions towards Dominic, and I like that she did not fight him very hard about the life-mate thing.

This new shift in Feehan's dynamics for her couples starting with Dark Slayer is very refreshing. Just when I was afraid that the series might have gone stale, the last two books had had me panting for the next installment.

Can't wait for Zacharias' book.

[*CJ* · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Dark Peril" is the story of Solange and Dominic.
Solange is the last living descendent of the Royal Jaguar line, who has seen her family slaughtered by her merciless sperm donor- and lives life with one goal- to save the innocent and destroy Broderick for what he did to her family.
Dominic is from the Dragonseeker lineage, and has been ingesting toxic parasites to spy on the vampire and mages, something that is slowly killing him.
Two, lost broken souls slowly reaching their end- but somehow find comfort in each other- thinking that the other is just figment of their imagination, until, they are not..
A beautiful love story about trust, love and healing with the Carpathian mate bond. We had a strong kickass heroine, a determined, alpha hero, sweet but heart wrenching love story that was filled with sacrificies, discoveries and the ultimate surrender.
I adored how much they supported each other, and the poems at the start of each chapter added to their need and importance for one another.
This did not updates about the Carpathians, and mostly operated in their periphery.
Just a great addition to this series overall, where good won over evil.
Safe
5/5

[Mojca · Rating 5 out of 5]

They were both ready to die—one last mission (a suicide one) for him, while she knew sooner or later the Jaguar-men would catch up to her and she wouldn't let herself be captured alive.

They were both dreaming of their perfect mate, never knowing those weren't dreams...Until one day, in the middle of the jungle, when a desperate cry awoke his emotions and his world turned into color. But the parasites in his blood, the ones he ingested to infiltrate the enemy camp, doomed their relationship even before it started...


This was yet another winner from beneath Ms. Feehan's talented and proficient fingertips. This series is a perfect example of how a series could evolve in a good way (there are so many examples out there of a bad evolution in a series and while I stopped reading those, I'm sticking with this one for the time being). We went from dominant, arrogant alpha Carpathians dictating to somewhat TSTL, fragile, and whiny heroines when the series started to dominant, arrogant alpha Carpathians trying to dictate to self-reliant, self-confident, kick-ass heroines that are as much warriors as their male counterparts (and those male counterparts wouldn't want them any other way).
This is perfectly illustrated at the beginning of this book when Dominic thinks about his "dream woman", how he made her a warrior like himself, because that's the type of woman that suits him, the type of woman he needs at his side - the warrior to aid him in battle, the woman for...anything else. ;) He knows full well, a fragile woman would never do for him.

And that's the beauty of the last two books in this series. The heroine is as strong as the hero in battle. Bye-bye whiny, spoiled, selfish and childish heroines, welcome kick-ass, Amazon-like heroines.
And I'm liking this new angle so much I cannot describe. There isn't a thing I would change in either Dominic or Solange. They were absolutely perfect as individuals and equally perfect together. True partners in all aspects of their lives, and they knew it, accepted each other flaws and all.

The action scenes were great as per Ms. Feehan's usual, the man arc is nicely evolving, there's a new angle involving royal Jaguar blood, and a promise of Zacarias' story in the future. Dare I guess who his lifemate might be?

Another keeper in this amazing series.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many years spent alone left Dominic of the Dragonseeker line with few options that he liked. Making the decision to help his race find and destroy some of their enemies seemed the most honorable way to him. Action had been taken to follow that course before he realized that he woman he had been dreaming about for so long was real. Finding, freeing and protecting the women of her own race had been Solange Sangria’s self proclaimed duty. The support and encouragement her dream companion offered was the only thing that got her through some of the tough days and nights, realizing he was there for her now in a more real way left her feeling open and vulnerable in a way she had never been before. Their enemies turned out to be common ones, the answer to the threat facing both of their races may be with in them to handle if they can work together.

Book 21 ….. Ok, predictable but I am such a Carpathians fan that I enjoyed it. I liked the tough girl Solange when we first met her and knew that if she got a story it would be fast paced and action filled, and this did not disappoint. The Dragonseeker line has also been a strong lineage but the best parts where the tender moments between these two warriors. As always I liked the inclusion of other characters we have met before and would love to see Zacarias get his own story also (and he needs it soon from the sound of it). I know I have to wait for another year for the next Carpathian book, so interested in seeing who it is for that I will have my eye one Christine Feehans website.

[CC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not expect to like Solange, but I really did. Dominic was great. The story was cool and I liked them together. It dragged a bit at times, but this was an important story in the overall storyline.

[Mollie *scoutrmom* · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. If you have not been reading the series, that's all you need to know. I suggest you quit reading this review here and now, and go back to the beginning of the series. Go to the public library and get started! NOW!

I love the way Dominic has infinite patience with Solange's insecurities, the way he will wait and let her learn something rather than trying to instruct. He is the exact opposite of the Prince and Gregori. I don't know if it's his Dragonseeker blood, or the fact that he had given up on finding a lifemate, but this patience makes him the perfect mate for Solange. He appreciates her strengths, and other than bringing her to an appreciation of her softer side, he makes no effort to change who she is. He can let her keep her warrior side, and protect without smothering. He can fight by her side. He can wait for her to learn to trust him.

A large part of the book deals with Solange's battered heart, her fear of loving because she has lost nearly everyone she ever loved, and her fear of males because of the abuse she has battled. She learns that her scars do not make her ugly. She learns to appreciate her own sensuality. The high quality of the emotional growth she experiences put this book into the five out of five category.

For those who have been following the series, the Jaguar male plot thread appears to be completed with this story. The ongoing vampires' conspiracy plot thread is expanded but not settled, I can see that it will be part of the next book.

One feature that had been missing or downplayed in earlier books is addressed here: the use of modern technology by paranormal beings. The bad guys had been compiling a database that the good guys could find useful, and Dominic had to take instruction from young Josef on how to steal the data and destroy the evildoers' network. We also learn that the vampires are utilizing satellites to track the Prince.

I also liked the scenes that include Zacarias De La Cruz. I hope he gets his happily ever after soon. Mary Ann, Juliette, Jasmine and the younger De La Cruz brothers are mentioned in this book but do not appear.

Borders had this for 30% off, and as a Borders' Rewards member I was able to get another $5 off. Not bad for a hardcover!

Another one for the keeper shelf, definitely.


A great scene happens when Dominic is afraid to have full intercourse with Solange because he is infected with the vampire parasites and doesn't want to pass them to her. She finally realizes what's holding him back, and tells him to use a condom. That hadn't occurred to him, which I found hilarious.

It's cool that Solange's dominant Royal Jaguar shapeshifter blood can cure certain things, like the parasites the vampires have been infecting Carpathians with, and the black magic of the mages. It is really cool that this quality was not lost during the conversion. I also like that the conversion affected Dominic's physiology as well as hers, the blood exchange changed him in certain ways, and he had not expected this. He is the first Carpathian for whom the conversion is a two-way street. Score one for the dominant Royal Jaguar shapeshifters!

I really liked the scene where Solange talks Zacarias past his urge to turn vampire. Dominic had been prepared to take him out, but he demonstrates his trust in her abilities by holding off from that to see the result of her gambit.

I'm going to be reading this again and again and again.

[Carolyn F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had taken a Carpathian break for awhile because I stopped liking them as much and I was crazy about these books when I began reading them. When I picked up this one, I was a little worried. But this ended up being a great book. This was about Solange, the jaguar shifter, and Dominic, the Dragonseeker. As strong as Solange is when fighting, she's very insecure about her body and her scars when it comes to romance. This was such a nice change from the absolutely beautiful women I usually read about.

I hope the next book is about Zacarias! He deserves to have good things happen to him!

[Jacqueline J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm pretty sure I had a review for this here on GRs. It seems to have disappeared. So here it is again.

This was okay. It wasn't as good as the earlier books in the series. I think maybe she is running out of ideas and maybe (gasp!) CF needs to wrap this series up. This book just seemed really slow and not a lot actually happened. The characters were okay but I didn't fall in love with them. The hero was a little too alpha for my tastes. And I like alpha heros. There were a couple of places where he was pretty bossy and not in a good way. For instance he asked her a question and when she didn't answer right away told her that when he asked a question he expected an answer and that just hit my feminist bone. Don't tell me that just because some man asked I have to answer. But he was serious and she rolled over. Ick.

Only one other Carpathian made an appearance in this story and it was one of the De la Cruz brothers. I kept waiting for Mikail to show up or Gregory etc., but no. I guess I am used to the new lifemate being introduced to the Prince in these books and for the Carpathians to have to come together somehow to solve the big problem or fight the big battle and I like that. But here Dominic and Solange do the whole thing by themselves. How you ask? Why with the aid of deus ex machina of course. Apparently Dominic can create multiple copies of himself. No other Carpathians are needed! Plus he can breathe fire! Here is yet another series falling prey to exponentially expanding powers. Got a problem that there is no way your hero can solve? Give him a new and super power! Never before seen or even hinted at in previous books!

I'm sorry. I think that once you have created your paranormal world you should stick with the rules you have developed. Show me your writing chops by getting your characters out of a sticky situation using the magic you have already set in place. No fair just making them spontaneously have just the power they need to get out of jail free.

Other differences, good or bad, you decide. No chanting to save a life. I'm thinking mostly good on that one. No endlessly repeating love scenes. There were two I think but they were not the derivative love scenes that have been recycled throughout this series. He didn't bend her over a rock or log or what have you for some doggy style for example. So good on that one for me since I've read her love scenes so many times I can repeat them. He didn't quote the lifemate pledge verbatim. Bad for me. Where's my comfort food?

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! The hero, Dominic, has to be one of the most romantic heroes of this series. He's an ancient, very powerful yet w/ Solange, he was the most tender, caring, thoughtful, loving of any of the Carpathian men.

Really liked how the storyline progressed. Loved how the Jaguar lineage is powerful and how the two species are brought together.

O and I LOVED the ending. Usually, it's heroine who gets changed and brought into the carpathian life, and that's true here EXCEPT our hero gets changed too! The last sentence of this story says it all and can't help but think that maybe there is a change in store for the carpathians because of Solange...........

After 21 books in this series and still going strong, I'm impressed that the storyline is still very good and intrigues me. There are still a few characters that I can't wait to read about and hope their books will come soon.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dominic of the Dragonseeker lineage has swallowed tainted vampire blood. He is on a suicide mission to discover and report the vampires plans, and then go out fighting or to meet the dawn. Solange Sangria is one of the last surviving trueblood jaguar shifters. She rescues jaguar-women from the abuse and cruelty of Broderick the Terrible, her father, and his jaguar-men. She plans to kill her father, or possibly die trying.

Dominic and Solange meet in dreams, never realizing that either is real, flush and blood persons. It is not until Dominic reveals his suicide mission that Solange cries out "Don't leave me!" It is then that Dominic realizes that his dream lady is real because he feels emotion and sees in color.Solange realizes Dominic is real when she goes to Zacarias De La Cruz's aid when he is surrounded by four vampires. She recognizes one of the vampires as her dream man. Zacarias and Dominic fight the vampires while Solange fires special crossbow arrows into two of the vampires. At the end of the battle, Solange shifts from jaguar to human and puts on her tattered clothes. She is starting to walk away when she bumps into her Carpathian.

I enjoyed meeting back up with Solange, whom I respect for her mission and her fighting ability. Dominic is the perfect lifemate for her because he is patient, steadfast and respects Solange. The plot is good. The subplots open the series to some more books. The ending was a surprise. Overall, another terrific book by Christine Feehan. Now for Zacarias De La Cruz's book.

[iamGamz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solange Sangria has spent her life saving other female jaguar shifter women from being kidnapped and brutalizes by her father and his gang. She has closed in on them and knows that, as she hunts them and finally faces her father, she will die. She is determined to take him out with her though.

Dominic Dragonseeker has ingested the parasites that allow vampires to recognize each other. He realizes that he is close to turning and will not infiltrate the enemy camp to learn all he can and do as much destruction as he can before dying. This is his last hurrah.

What neither expected is to meet their lifemate on their final mission. They have shared, what they though were, dreams with each other for sometime. They would meet in the dream realm and talk to each other. Sharing more of themselves than they could in the real world. After all, this was just a dream. Until their dream lover became a reality.

The thing that stood out the most in this book was Dominic’s tenderness and patience to Solange. He allowed her the time become comfortable with the woman that she is and to stop hiding behind her warrior self.

He knew who she was under the warrior guise. The woman she hid all her life. He treated her with such care and tenderness, allowing her the time she needed to learn about the woman that she is. He did it with patience and humor and such sweetness. And Solange blossomed.

I loved that their relationship wasn’t about sex. It was about Dominic giving his woman the time and security to learn to love herself and become confident in her femininity and sensuality.

I really enjoyed the relationship that they shared.

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of all Christine Feehan’s books – I have her whole series collection in my bookcase – The Drake Sisters, Sisters of the Heart, Ghostwalkers, Leopard Series and my most favorite the Dark Series.

I look forward to every book that comes out and I was over the moon when Dark Peril came out…which continued the story of Dominic a Carpathian from the Dragonseeker, bloodline, who had in the climax ending of Dark Slayer ingested tainted vampire blood which would identify him as a vampire to enable him infiltrate the vampire camp to find what their plan against the Carpathians and pass the information to the Prince. It was basically a suicide mission but Dominic was tired of not being able to see in colors and feel any emotions and giving up ever finding his lifemate so this would be something he could do for his people before he went into the light to die.

I was so excited that the first thing I did when I arrived home was to open the first page…but halfway through the book my interest began to wane….horrors of horrors…I even skipped some pages….What was going on???? Chapter I thought…where is this story going????

Okay this is Dominic and Solange Sangria, a jaguar shape shifter living in the jungles of Brazil who appeared in previous books – she’s the cousin of Juliette who is Riordan de la Cruz’s lifemate. She's a strong, scarred and fights to save the lives of other jaguar women that are being relentlessly tortured and killed by the jaguar men led by her father Broderick Sangria, the cruel and evil royal blooded jaguar who had killer her entire family when she was a young girl. She is determined in her quest to kill him even if it means her death.

Both have been sharing dreams of each other and never believed that either existed. When they finally meet Dominic realizes that he at long lost has found his lifemate….but can they ever be together…after all he knows his going into his death when he completes his mission. Will they overcome their obstacles and find true love and their HEA??

What did I like about it?
*I admired Solange’s bravery and strength and how she wanted to save the jaguar women. Not afraid to face the obstacles in her life
*How she gained the confidence in her femininity….she had always seen herself as a women who cared nothing about her soft and gentle side
*Having felt distrust and almost a hatred for men she begins to realize that not all men are like the cruel and wicked jaguar men and vampires she has encountered in her life
*She has a sense of humor…fun!!!!! Dominic does not want to make love to her…she’s tired of being a virgin….because he’s afraid his tainted blood may hurt her…so what does she think up???? Find him a condom…..and I can finally discover what sex is really like!!!!! And her love for the dragonseeker robe that suddenly materialized out of nowhere….thanks to Dominic’s magic of course!!!!!
*Giving her blood to Zacarias de la Cruz, the brother of her cousin’s lifemate Riordan…that scene is absolutely awesome….the courage she has when she tries to help Zacharias as he dangerously get so so close to changing into a vampire….offering him her love and with her words and almost a sense of love which brings him back to reality. Incredible
*Love Zacharias de la Cruz…can’t wait for his story….I wonder if Margareta, the human who is attacked by the vampires and is near death is to be his lifemate. I hope so…
*The jungle settings are really fabulous. Their steamy cave deep in the jungle, where they spend most of their time…
*Ah…a mention of Josef….that crazy teen from Dark Symphony….I wondered when he would appear again…alas only a mention…he’s the hacker who will destroy all the vampire Intel after Dominic sends him the details and plans…I hope he appears in future books.
*The
*Amazing ending…..not going to spoil it for those who have not read the book…but it’s totally unexpected….I 'm sure we will hear more about this phenomena ….BUT………….

And what didn’t I like about it?
*Most of the book is about their relationship…which in itself not a bad thing…but it just went on and on…”No I can’t make you my lifemate…it’s too dangerous…”I want to do it with you” ….”Such a beautiful man”…..”I can’t let him see my body….it’s so ugly…I am not feminine enough for him”,, and on and on….too much repetition.

*Most of the book takes place in the cave and there is not much about the secondary characters….a few pages of fighting the jaguars, killing some vampires and then back to the cave. I would have liked more interaction with characters like Mary Anne, Manolito de la Cruz’s lifemate who I fell in love with in Dark Possession, more of Juliette and her sister Jasmine. Just a few scenes with the jaguar people and Zacarias de la Cruz. I love meeting up with the characters I have met in previous books but here it’s all about Dominic and Solange. Most of the story focus on them and everything else is a quick scene which occurs for a short time and then….you’re back in the cave…and the two of them again!!! The story felt rushed…no real build-up to anything.

*The ending….it kind of ends suddenly…..they kill off the vampires, she begs him to save a possessed kitten…and voila…suddenly next page…THE END!!!!!

*The fact that Dominic had the tainted parasitic blood in him and he was bent on finishing his quest , it was almost forgotten during most of the book….I did not sense the importance of him sacrificing himself….once he meets his lifemate…that’s it…..nothing else matters.
*Loved the cover….gorgeous male….even though that’s not how I pictured Dominic in my head.
I am not saying this is a bad book…..it’s just not one of my favorites in this series and I don’t think I will read it again…well maybe in a few years to come….not like I have read some of the previous books 3 or 4 times….

So…am I going to buy the next book? Of course!!!! The Carpathians are part of my family and I will continue reading the next books that are published. Christine Feehan is a brilliant writer with an incredible imagination and style and I will continue building up my library with her future books.

[Camille-Dhark Nytmhare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feehan draws a wonderful pic for us by putting as much detail and nuances into the characters, setting, movements. You feel like you are intimately involved in the scenes. Some readers may not like this type of detail but Feehan does this with such skill it is a favorite part of her books for me. This style of writing brings the characters to life and makes you care about them.

The chapter poems are such a sweet touch. The action scenes in this story sets up future storylines and revelations that up the tension to a desperate level.

Talk about slow seduction, Dominic is the master. Solange is woman who rightly deserves to hate all men. So much hate that she could not be around them unless she is doing battle. Dominic was so skilled at coaxing out her womanhood.

Why is this the first book that I ever remember a Carpathian male says I love you before he claims his mate. Solange reminds me of the discomfort and awkwardness when you believe you are not good enough for someone.

Ms Feehan still uses repitition but it is such a sweet and tender story. I love the poetic and old world language. I will add to my collection of fav couples.

[Mary X · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is one of my guilty pleasures. It's probably gone on way too long but I will continue to read it as long as she writes them. I enjoyed this one much more than the last few. But that could be mainly because I had a long break between the last one and this one. They're really repetitive if you read them close together which I did with many of them.

Another reason I liked this one better is she changed it up a bit. But in subtle ways. She also dropped some of mainstay, repeated, cheesy sayings that always drove me nuts. I don't remember a single "molten lava" or "molten fire" used in this one.

[N.L. Riviezzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

While some of the descriptive language was kind of silly (which is often typical of Feehan's writing), the story and the characters were fantastic. I really liked the pairing of Dominic and Solange. Their relationship was more believable than some of the pairings from earlier books in the series. I also liked the inclusion of Zacarias de la Cruz into the storyline and I hope that he'll be the subject of the next book in the series. I look forward to knowing even more about him.

First Read: Sept. 5, 2010
Second Read: Feb. 4, 2011

[Malinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4.5 stars

This was a really good story. I liked both Solange and Dominic and their story was very good and engaging.

Solange is a member of the jaguar people, a dying race of jaguar shifters. Her father, Brodrick, is the leader of the jaguar people but he's demented and encourages the men of the jaguar people to use and abuse their women. The men use the women like breeding stock and kill any jaguar people that can't fully shift, which has led their race to the edge of extinction. Solange has made it her quest in life to save all the women from her father and his men that she can.

Dominic is a member of the Dragonseeker race, a subrace within the Carpathian race. Dragonseeker are known to very very honorable and one has never been known to turn vampire. Unfortunately, Dominic is very old and hasn't found his lifemate so he feels the pull of darkness very strongly. Dominic decided to give his life in a double-agent play against the vampires that will end with his death but help the Carpathians.

A mage that had been helping the vampires try to kill off the Carpathian race, developed parasites that live within the vampire's tainted blood. It allows the vampires to recognize each other and masks them, making it harder for the Carpathians to realize the vampires as vampires. Dominic ingested some vampire blood so that real vampires would sense the parasites within him and think he's one of them. The parasites multiply quickly though and their affect pushes Dominic's darkness even closer than before. Dominic is an ancient and thought for sure he had lost his chance to meet his lifemate. Over the last couple years though, he's had fantasies about a woman he would like as his lifemate but he hasn't seen a return of his feelings so he thinks they're just dreams. Solange is a warrior woman and has had to be tough for her family and people. Survival has been tough and Solange has never been able to allow herself any weaknesses. In her dreams though, she dreams of a strong man that would make her feel safe.

Solange and Dominic think each other a dream that they've both made up to console them in their desperate loneliness but fate brings them into close physical proximity to each other, allowing Dominic to hear Solange's voice and get back his feelings and colors. They realize they're meant to be together but there's some issues since Dominic already ingested the vampire parasites and it seems unlikely that he can recover from them, even with the help of the Carpathian healers. The thing is, Solange is the last of 2 royal jaguar lines and there's something about her blood that repels the parasites and make saving Dominic possible. They still have to finish the mission that Dominic is there to complete and with Solange's help, they have a much better chance of accomplishing it. Along the way, they're also able to help Solange's cause as well and things end on a good note, with Solange and Dominic getting a well deserved HEA together.

This was a really enjoyable story. I liked Solange as the heroine. In other books, Solange seems like a bit of a man-hater and considering he background, who can blame her. In this story though, we get to see that she has a softer side, she just has never been able to indulge it and doesn't know how to even begin as all she's known is survival and being the protector of others. Dominic is a good hero and I liked how easily he accepted Solange's warrior spirit and how well they worked together. Overall, I really liked this story and the characters so I'd recommend it. :D

* note - I listened to the audio version of this story and both narrators (a female for the parts from Solange's PoV and a male for the parts from Dominic's PoV) did pretty good jobs.

[Alix Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let it be noted that I am a huge Christine Feehan fan. I have told people for the last 2 years that all I want for Christmas are some of her books so that I can have a complete collection of all of the books. I read every one of her books multiple times, have enjoyed the building of the Drake sisters and the Carpatian families and really look forward to seeing what the Ghostwalker series goes, now that the originals have been completed. Just so you know how much I looked forward to this book.

Dark Peril was one of the books that I have really looked forward to in the series. Solange Sangria was one of the great characters of the Jaguars series. She was a fighter, tough, strong, flawed, I really looked forward to finding out what and whom would have been the one to break through that shell. Dominic Dragonseeker is a man who was on what was essentially a suicide mission ingesting parasite ridden vampire blood to be able to be identified as a vampire, to infiltrate their camp and find out what they were planning and pass on that information before going into the light. They meet as both of them are on suicide missions to be able to help their people before going to their deaths.

I won’t spoil the book for those of you that are going to read it, but my honest opinion is that this book could have been so much better. I felt like the book paid so much attention to the relationship between the characters, it felt so micro?? I felt like the story got lost in the relationship, it just felt like these characters overtook the story so much that what I really loved about Ms. Feehan’s writing, the ability for her to balance the relationship in the story and the story in the relationship, that was somewhat absent here in my opinion. I wanted more of what we saw with MaryAnn’s book, the balance and the interesting changes that the outside world had on her relationship. I didn’t see that balance in this book. I wanted it. I liked the relationship, I liked the way that Dominic made Solange reveal who she really was and could be to him, but I also wanted to see them interact with more people more Carpathians, those that knew Solange before to see how she would or would not change, and that wasn’t there. Maybe as a fan girl I wanted it to be perfect, but then again I truly believe that this book could have been better.

Did I buy this in hardcover; YES. Will I keep it; YES. Is it better than most other books pubished; YES. Did I still hope it would be more/better/life-changing. Perhaps.

Maybe I love her writing so much and hold her in such high esteem that I expected too much of someone who regularly publishes 4+ books per year, 4+ QUALITY books per year, she’s not just phoning it in like many authors.

I will continue to purchase her books with relish and she will continue to be on my automatic to be purchased list.

Rating: B: read it, see for yourself, if you’re a Christine Feehan Fan, let me know what you think. If you’re a Feehan newbie, start with Dark Possession.


Alix Taylor is a blogger and avid reader of all things book. You can find her at www.romancebooksforum.com, or on twitter @alixntaylor, where the snark flows free and the romance books are dissected with abandon.

[Lynette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Carpathian Series by Christine Feehan is one of the old school paranormal romance series that I still make a point to keep up on. These are before Twilight and the end of Harry Potter caused the paranormal romance world to explode. I know some people don't like her Carpathian series, but it is still a favorite of mine. There are also debates among readers of the series as to if they prefer the earlier novels to the later ones. I actually prefer the later novels for some reason. The series didn't pick up for me until the twin's books Lucien and Gabriel. Some of the books in the series didn't do it for me but the originality of the world (at that time before the market became over saturated) and the overall story arc kept me reading the series.

Now, years later, the overall story arc of the world doesn't interest me as much even though it's being expanded and going off in different directions, but the writing and the romance between the hero and heroine appear to be stronger and more compelling.

If I hadn't read the other 20 books in the Carpathian series, I would've thought Dark Peril was an awesome entry into the series. The romance between Dominic and Solange was lyrical and magical. Dominic is the type of man that would have intrigued any romance zealout into calling him her book boyfriend. The way he acted toward Solange is what dreams are made of. Yet because I read the other novels in the Carpathian series, had problems with DARK PERIL.
My major problem with DARK PERIL is that there really was no conflict between Solange and Dominic. The only conflict came from the outside world and nothing internal between Solange and Dominic. In previous books in the series Solange has been built up as a hard-ass damaged woman and I couldn't quite buy into her quick turn around of accepting that she's in a relationship with Dominic, even some of Ms. Feehan's weaker heroines fought more than Solange did. It was kind of a let down actually.

Truthfully, that was my only issue. I am curious about the next book in the series. I'm wondering if it'll be Zacharias. In DARK PERIL there is a woman who gets injured who Dominic and Zacarias assist. I think she's going to be Zacharias's lifemate. But the thing is her vocal chords were damaged in the vampire attack and she can't speak. The way Carpathian's discover their lifemates is by hearing the woman speak. So, I'm dying to see how this is resolved. I am also looking for some major plot threads from previous books to be tied up. Like Dominic's nieces who were finally freed from Xavier, Dimitri and Skylar, Skylar's relationship with Razan. Etc., etc., etec.

Overall: Great emotional romance that made me sigh and moon over Dimitri. But the conflict was blah!

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dominic of the Dragonseeker Carpathians is on a desperate mission, in the very heart of enemy territory. Solange Sangria is one of the last of the jaguar people. She has long been fighting to save women who are able to shift from the hands of the man who slaughtered her family and everyone she loved-her own father. They are two warriors who have lived their lives alone. Now, a the end of their time, they find each other, a complication neither saw coming.

I've read every book in the Carpathian series, and I have to admit, that even though they can be a bit repetitive, I still find myself reading them. Although these last few books are different - there are some serious developments in the world.

Dominic is an ancient Carpathian from one of the most famous families. In the last book he decided to sacrifice himself so that the ones that want to destroy their race can be stopped. He injected himself with the parasites and became a spy. He is a great hero, a bit domineering, but still willing to be true partners with Solange. He wants to protect, but not smother her.

Solange's life has been hard. Her entire family was murdered and she became the protector of her young cousins. Her life mission is to destroy the leopards who abuse women. The mission sometimes seems impossible. But she has her dream man to comfort and reassure her. But then he proves to be real - and everything changes.

I like both of the main characters, but the book dragged a lot. I started the book multiple times, and then gave up before I even got to the half. The pace of the first half is slow, and even though there are some battles it's still boring. The second half is better - the trick is to get to it. The only reason I managed is because I want to read Zacarias's book and I'm obsessed with reading the series in order.

Rating:

3 stars

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Peril is the 21st installment of the Carpathians series. This series is like comfort food. After so many you know what to expect, but you still come back for more. In this one, Dominic, the ancient of the royal dragonseeker line, has infected himself with the parasitic vampire blood in order to infiltrate the enemy camp. He is having visions or dreams of his mate, but is convinced that he's missed out, reaching the point of having to turn or kill himself. So, he's going to go out a hero for his people.

While fighting in the jungles of South America, he comes across Solange, the jaguar princess who has been fighting the war for their women her whole life. She's a loner. She too has been having dreams of her "perfect man".

The two meet and realize they've been dreaming of each other. This series is old-time PNR at it's best. Through the series long life, it's had it's ups and downs, but never fails to offer it's fans a HEA while continuing the battle storyline.

These two were a wonderful match. Dominic was so thrilled to find his mate that he did whatever he could to support Solange and put her fears of men and her appearance to rest. He's supportive of her warrior spirit and the battle she's been waging against the treatment of the female shifters. All the while, Solange does her best to open herself after so many years of closing herself off.

I can't read these books back-to-back because of the steady formula that they follow, but one every now and again is always a nice treat.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As many of you know, I will always have a special place in my heart for Christine Feehan's Dark Carpathian series. It was really the first series in the paranormal romance genre that I ever picked up, and I've been hooked on those dark, dangerous men and their courageous lifemates ever since! When I pick up a new novel in this series, it's like visiting old friends again. Feehan is a master of creating coherent worlds and tying her characters together, and Dark Peril is no exception.

I don't think I've read much about Dominic previously, but there has been a bit about Solange's life and past in some of Feehan's earlier novels. What I do remember is that I didn't really care for her when she appeared in some of the other stories set in South America. But in Dark Peril, Solange and Dominic have become fully realized, charismatic characters, and are two of my favorite lifemates. I have really been enjoying the direction Feehan has taken the stories - scientifically speaking (without giving to much away) - and I can't wait to see what the new developments in Dark Peril will mean for the rest of the Carpathians in future books.

[Sabrina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I'm finally there. What.the.hell. Christine Feehan's Dark series was my introduction to paranormal romance, and for that alone I an eternally grateful. But I have to say, these last two installments completely reek of phoning it in. Seriously, I read the same thing over and over and over again. I ended up skimming most of the book. Christine what is going on? This series used to be full of life and interesting twists and turns. Now we're just treading through old territory again, and again, and again. So Solange gets to stay a Jaguar - just like Mary Ann got to stay a wolf! And shocker, they both managed to pass on those traits to their lifemates!

At this point I keep reading because I feel like I'm so heavily invested and I'm still waiting for Skylar and Dimitri's story. After that one I think I will be done.

[Jane (PS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good, but not great. I didn't love it anywhere near as much as the previous two books. I think this story lacked tension between Solange and Dominic - Feehans' last few books have excelled in this aspect (either between the H/h or other key parties) and this one just didn't come through. I think there are very good reasons for this - from the H/h perspective, Dominic had to play his hand the way he did to ensure Solange's acceptance - but *sigh* for me, I prefer a bit of friction! ...Of course, I'll be near the front of the line to read Zacariah's story as soon as it is released... :)

[Ris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good addition to the DARK series. A very romantic read with a Carpathian hero who, unlike most, is strong enough to let the heroine be a warrior. Two protagonists who have both moral obligations and a true sense of right and wrong. They fight to save the unprotected and find each other just when they think all is lost.

This one brings us more information about how to save the Carpathian race and two more characters I enjoyed reading. Their struggle is not how to love each other - that is why it's so compelling. Rather their struggle is with how to stay alive so they can be together.