Friday, March 23, 2018

Audiobook Review: The Dark Ones by Rachel Van Dyken

Series:     The Dark Ones #1
Pub. Date:Jan. 30, 2018
Publisher:Tantor Audio
Narrators:Chris Chambers
Hollie Jackson
Length:7 hrs 1 min
Source:Publisher

The Dark Ones is the first book in a series of the same name by Rachel Van Dyken that features a diverse cast of paranormal characters including vampires, werewolves, sirens and fallen angels. 

Our heroine is named Genesis, a human whose number has been called to go and serve immortal society. The way Genesis was raised has given her an inferiority complex, and you really wanted to shake the spit out of her hateful mother. But this results in Genesis arriving before the immortals wholly ignorant of her role and what is expected of her. She adapted fairly quickly and took things in stride without freaking out, which was commendable. 

Our hero is Ethan, a vampire with vibrant green eyes. When Genesis arrives, Ethan makes an effort to save her from Cassius, the dark one (fallen angel) and de facto king of the immortals. Ethan does this by mating/bonding with Genesis, which irrevocably ties them together. I liked Ethan, particularly when his possessive vampire side came out. He was a bit broken and broody after losing his first mate, and we got to see him grow a bit as he worked to accept a new mate into his life.

This is not quite a fated mates trope - but its trying to be. The characters bonded with one another by necessity, without any grand passion. While the passion did build more over the course of the story, I would have liked more of the animal magnetism and undying passion that I am accustomed to in paranormal romance. I thought the storyline was good, but it felt rushed. The plot was very dialogue-driven and I felt like we missed out on sufficient detail for character development and world building. But overall, the story was good and had be wanting more, so I will continue to the next book in the series. I really liked the secondary characters in the story, so I do hope that each gets their own book.

The narrators did a good job and didn't have a problem holding my interest. I really liked this male narrator, Chris Chambers, and he pulled off the broody vampires and angels well. The female narrator, Hollie Jackson, portrayed Genesis accurately as a young, naive girl with self-esteem issues. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Tantor Audio.


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