the setup… Darius was one of the original members of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, the best fighter and the closest to Wrath, the King of the vampires.the setup… Darius was one of the original members of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, the best fighter and the closest to Wrath, the King of the vampires. He was introduced in the first book of the series but was murdered at the onset after having disclosed to Wrath that he had a daughter Beth, a halfbreed (non-vampire mother), asking him to look out for her as she neared possible transition. For many reasons, Darius’ presence has been in the background of most of the stories that followed, generating lots of intrigue and mystery. Now the setting is over 25 years earlier when Darius first meets the only woman he ever loved…Beth’s mother.
the heart of the story… This is the story die-hard fans like me always wanted but, after 20 books, never thought we’d ever get! I savored every moment of it, finally getting to know the Brother who the others spoke of with reverence and respect, as well as being the sire of the current Queen of the Vampires. It was a tender love story that was both heartbreaking and lovely. As much as I enjoyed the romantic angle, I was equally taken with that ending as it finally resolved all those questions we’ve had and put to rest all of the theories we developed over the years.
the narration… Jim Frangione is not only the voice of the series but somehow makes the strange “Brother-isms” sound almost normal. I switched to audio many years ago because of him and he didn’t disappoint here.
the bottom line… I enjoyed every minute of the story and loved being back in this world. The ending had an unanticipated high note, doing more than just tying up some loose ends and providing clarity. I knew I would like Darius’ story, just wasn’t prepared to love it!
Even though Qhuinn and Blay are a mated couple living within the Brotherhood mansion, they’ve never gone through the official mating ceremony, nor havEven though Qhuinn and Blay are a mated couple living within the Brotherhood mansion, they’ve never gone through the official mating ceremony, nor have they felt the urge to do so given how beautiful their unofficial one was. But Qhuinn is a member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood and it’s something they all have done. When he faces a life threatening situation and suffers a tragedy, Qhuinn must confront his painful past and family history in order to embrace an unshackled future.
I’d forgotten how ugly Qhuinn’s family was to him before he found the Brotherhood and just how important Blay was to his mental salvation. The fact that he could forgive his blood brother Luchas for his role in running him away from his family speaks volumes about the man. Their relationship is precious and it was heartwarming to see them together, though heavily laden with guilt and forgiveness. But the real heart of the story belongs to Blay and Qhuinn’s relationship, how they express themselves with each other and are co-parenting Qhuinn’s twins. It doesn’t hurt that they are one of my favorites in the series.
The story begins with an unusual interaction that puzzled me until the end of the story where it all makes sense and ties together. I loved the focus on family and those relationships, even beyond Qhuinn & Blay, though theirs is the most compelling. There are some powerful moments involving Zsadist (Z) and Lassiter, the Fallen Angel and successor to the Scribe Virgin, too. It’s a moving story made even more impactful by the exceptional narration of Jim Frangione whose storytelling skills can’t be overemphasized. He just hits the right tones at the right moments so you capture absolutely everything. I will always listen to this series and enjoyed everything about this story!
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