Kiss of the Night

Recent Comments

1. 

   Dr W. Richards @ 8:46 am

   In this latest of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter series, we meet again Wulf Tryggvason, whom we encountered very briefly in Talon’s story – in fact, we have the same phone conversation again, only this time from Wulf’s point of view. A tiny bit repetitive, but I can live with that. Wulf is a Viking, tricked into becoming a Dark-Hunter twelve centuries ago, and one who carries one additional curse: no-one who is not a Dark-Hunter or an Apollite or of his own family can remember him five minutes after they leave him.

   Then he meets Cassandra Peters – who does remember him. They share several highly erotic dreams – and then he discovers that she’s half-Apollite. An Apollite, who is destined to die on her 27th birthday, unless she decides to become a Daimon. And she’s already 26…

   If she becomes Daimon, Wulf will have to hunt her down and kill her. If she doesn’t, then she’ll die. And, as if those aren’t difficult enough things to contend with, two more problems get thrown into the mix: Cassandra is the last living heir of Apollo, and if she dies, or dies without leaving an heir, the world will end. And then Acheron informs Wulf that Cassandra is pregnant – and he’s the father.

   The fascinating thing about Kiss of the Night is the insight we get – as does Wulf – into the Daimons. Thus far, the equation has been simple: Daimons are demons. Killer vampires who must be eliminated for the safety of humankind. But what makes an Apollite turn Daimon? Well, could it possibly be the thought of dying a long and painful death at the age of 27? And are all Daimons evil? Well, we meet one who isn’t – and that’s a story I sense hasn’t finished yet.

   Of course, there’s also more Acheron, and yet more intriguing hints about who he is, the kind of powers he has and the real power-balance between him and Artemis. In previous books, he’s had to dance to Artemis’s tune rather more than the other way around, but here he’s more forceful than he has been. I have the sneaking suspicion that Kenyon intends to wait as long as possible before giving us Acheron’s own story, though.

   Good book – not a five-star like Zarek’s story, but very readable.

   wmr-uk

   
2. 

   Dakota @ 10:53 am

   It didn’t take me long to finish reading KISS OF THE NIGHT by Sherrilyn Kenyon, which is the fourth Dark-Hunters novel (not counting the prologue FANTASY LOVER). It was entertaining and action-packed, and included appearances from favorite characters like Zarek, Julian, and (yummy!) Acheron.

   The plot of KISS OF THE NIGHT revolves around the Viking Wulf Tryggvasen, whom nobody can remember five minutes after meeting him. Wulf, a Dark-Hunter, saves Cassandra Peters from a Daimon attack, only to discover that Cassandra is a Apollite – one of a race that Wulf hunts and kills to protect humanity from is evilness. Not only is she the enemy, but she is also the last direct descendant of the Greek God Apollo, so if she dies, the whole world will die with her. As if that’s not enough, Wulf and Cassandra become lovers – with some interesting results.

   As a Dark-Hunter novel, it wasn’t one of my favorites. While it made the Daimons more interesting in that it “humanized” them through Cassandra’s point of view, I felt the overall story was rushed. I also would have appreciated more background and detail about other characters that played important roles in the story, such as Kat, Urian, and Stryker. Kat was a big enigma to me, especially since Acheron didn’t know who she was (I also was curious about the identity of her father). Speaking of Acheron, I read this book with the express purpose of seeing him, so I was disappointed that he only played a small role in the end.

   Also, going back to the background issue … Kenyon played up the hero’s backgrounds big time in her last 4(5) books, letting us “see” how they lived, who they loved, how they died, etc. Wulf’s past wasn’t brought up much. I wish it had been, since he was tricked into giving up his soul by the Norse god, Loki. I’m a big fan of Norse mythology, so I would have LOVED to have seen Loki play a role in the story. After all, he owns Wulf’s soul. But he never appeared. Not once. That surprises me, since Kenyon loves to write about the gods.

   Anyway, if you are a Dark-Hunter fan, you’ll find this book fascinating just for the detail it gives you about the Daimons. If you’ve never read a Dark-Hunter novel, DON’T start with this one, for you will be confused. It’ best you read the books in order, beginning with FANTASY LOVER, NIGHT PLEASURES, NIGHT EMBRACE, DANCE WITH THE DEVIL (the best one, in my opinion), and KISS OF THE NIGHT.

   
3. 

   Cinder @ 11:02 am

   After several books in a successful series, you sometimes fear that the books will fall into a predictable formula, but this book proves that Sherrilyn Kenyon continues to be an original! First, let me tell you that I have every one of her Dark-Hunter books and I LOVE them. But Kiss of the Night was the first of the series to make me cry! (and as a life-long reader, that doesn’t happen very often at all). I laughed, sniffed and cheered the entire time. The moving story of Wulf and Cassandra shred my heart and put all the pieces back together, but I loved every minute of it. All of the previous books are fantastic, but this book goes beyond the surface story and deals with the darker emotions of despair and anguish that exist below the surface of the world of the Hunter. This is the first of the stories that took me on a roller coaster ride with the book in one hand, and a box of tissues in the other – keeping me enchanted every single minute! This time Kenyon raises the stakes even higher, teasing us with a glimpse into new background characters and stories, and shows her readers that we have only just begun to explore the world of the Hunter Legends! The journey has only just begun!

   
4. 

   MooncatX @ 12:44 pm

   Super plotting, dialogue, characters… It’s a great series, and I swear this is the best yet. Intense. We finally get a chance to get up close and personal with the Apollites and Daimons, the prey of the DARK HUNTERS, and learn new and fascinating information about them. Very cool.

   The bare bones, the Dark Hunter Wulf must keep the Apollite Cassandra safe from the many factions who want her dead. She is the last in a bloodline that must survive or the world as we know it will perish. She is fast approaching final birthday, and the dark choice of dying in agony or becoming a Daimon is hard upon her. For Wulf and Cassandra, love between them is a bittersweet wonder. Even if they can keep Cassandra safe from assassins and vengeful gods, time itself will claim her.

   New characters, lots of interaction with ones we’ve already met. New mysteries added to the wealth of intrigue already built up in previous books. This stands alone as a suspenseful drama, with heated romance, but it also is a part of a larger story arc with the other novels that slowly build up a gripping backstory and create a brand new mythic soap opera of ancient gods caught up in passions of love and hate.

   My eyes are recovering from crying buckets from the ‘grab you by the heart and squeeze’ drama that was so well worded … really gorgeous dialogue, thumps hard in a good way.

   Good stuff!!! Way good stuff!!! Lots and lots of new characters to purr over and hope get their own novels soon. Strong, potent read on every level. All the others have been really good, but this is Dark Hunter novel kicks it up a notch.

   I read it straight through. It’s almost 4am my time, and I’m getting my review in now while it’s fresh. I’m so pleased with this read.

   >^,,^<

   
5. 

   Lisa Sullivan @ 3:32 pm

   I agree that this story is the best one yet of the dark hunter series. I really liked the way the writer showed us who Daimons actually are, they are not all evil. Very nice job Ms. Kenyon.