dinsdag 21 september 2010

Lynn Viehl - Shadowlight

The first book in the new Kyndred series. It follows up on the stories about the Darkyn, featuring them as well, so it would be better if you read that series first, for an understanding of their social structure. Their history is explained though.


I never did read the last book in that series, as it features Robin Hood, only different, and I don’t like my favourite historic people changed into vampires and such. But perhaps soon, just to get the last details.

Shadowlight

With just one touch, Jessa Bellamy can see anyone’s darkest secrets, thanks to whoever tampered with her genes. Wat she doesn’t know is that a biotech company called GenHance has discovered her talent, and intends to kill her and harvest her priceless DNA. When GenHance is poised to strike, Gaven Matthias is forced to take action. After months of tracking Jessa, he abducts her himself so he can protect her in his underground fortress. Mattias tries to explain what she is and how she can protect others like her, but Jessa has a hard time believing the one man whose secrets she can’t read. She senses he’s hiding a terrible truth, and yet his touch ignites a passion she’s never known. As a monstrous assassin closes in and forces them on the run, Jessa will have to find another way to discover whether Mattias is her greatest ally … or her deadliest enemy.

Jessa has used the last ten years to build up her own company, screening the background of personnel for other companies. She has hired some people nobody wanted to hire, but who were innocent of the accusations against them. Only one touch and she knows their darkest secrets, their biggest shame, or their goodness.

When she discovers a woman tricked by a conman, to rob the next company she is seeking employment with, a conman who murders his accomplishes and starts again, she anonymously calls the FBI. But this time, she is overheard making the call, and the danger begins. GenHance is after now, and they will do everything to capture her. Discredit her, dismantle her firm, seize her bank accounts, so she will have to resurface.

But just when she is about to be snatched, a strange man enters the restaurant and saves her, wounding her would-be captor severely. And that man goes ballistic. Blaming her.

Jessa just can’t believe the wild tales Matthias tells her, Dark Kyn, Vampires? He surely is nuts. She doesn’t know where she is been taken, but she will escape somehow. She is underground, in a large tunnel system. There is 1 other woman there, taking care of the cooking and stuff, who also seems different. Still Jessa keeps denying that she has a power, that she is different. Until she escapes, and Matthias arrives just in time to safe her from the madman who is after her with a vengeance.

A big part in the book is reserved for Sam and Lucan, and they almost meet … After all, Alexandra is still searching for the Kyndred, the children who were experimented on, just like her. They are the future of the Darkyn. But they don’t want to be found, so I am curious if they eventually will come together.


A good first book in a series, that makes me long to read more. I liked Jessa, how she survives on her own, and still tries to help other people. I am curious about Rowan, and hope the next book will be about her. But how much I tried, I could not get a liking for Matthias. At last his origin is explained, but he just doesn’t come out of the pages at me. The romance part was more towards the end of the book, and perhaps I am just used of more romance and love scenes nowadays.

And if Matthias is the very fist Kyn, why doesn’t he drink her blood? How come that big part is missing in this book?

Then the ties with the Roman Empire, the personal history of the owner of GenHance, and how that crosses with Matthias’ life.

So, a lot of questions and things to look forward to. Unfortunately, I have to wait till I can buy the next book, so I can’t go on reading.

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