Dreams of Dark Warrior – Kresely (Mother Effin’ ) Cole Blows SHB’s Paranormal Panties Off
17 Feb, 2011 in 5 Star Reviews, Kresley Cole, Paranormal Romance 11 Comments#11 in Immortals After Dark
Genre: Paranormal Romance
515 Pages
To say SHB was excited to read Dreams of Dark Warrior is a vast understatement (think rabid Justin Bieber fangirl). Regin the Radiant was one of the first IAD characters most of us fell in love when we read A Hunger Like No Other. The last of her kind, Regin the sassy Valkyerie that glows like gold has been avoiding her berserker reincarnation lover for centuries. Cursed some say because of her kiss, Aidan the Fierce always manages to find his ‘Brightling’ but can never manage to stay alive. In Dreams of Dark Warrior we start off with the Order kidnapping beings of the Lore to ride humanity of the evil unnaturals. Only Aidan the Fierce doesn’t come back quite right. Housed in Declan Chase, second in command of the Order and known for torturing Lore captives; Regin has to find a way for Declan to remember his past memories otherwise serious apocalyptic sh*t will go down.
Dreams of Dark Warrior has probably one of the best prologues I’ve read in a long time. Usually Cole’s IAD characters meet when they are older – Regin meets Aidan when she is 12 where their budding romance spans 9 years until his death. Ok, that sounds bad; he doesn’t touch her until she is ‘of age’ think Jacob from Twilight peoples.
The bulk of the story takes place on the Island where the Order captures and tortures the Lore. I like how gritty, K. Cole got for this book. This is no light read with hugs and kisses and magic fairy dust; there is torture, vivsection (cut open Lore beings without Anastasia) and betrayal. This could have read really depressing, but this is Kresley mother effin’ Cole and she knows how to write paranormal romance. If you’ve read the previous book, Demon from the Dark a lot of scenes overlap, but are retold in a keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of way. This is no Bad Moon Rising *coughs Ms. Kenyon*. Although this is 500 plus pages you’ll breeze right through it and ignore all your household chores, your family, and reality until you finish it.
Because SHB couldn’t even put our Kindles down to save quotes; check out some heart breaking quotes from Fiction Vixen’s Review (lump, in my throat!).
Dreams of Dark Warrior is by far one of my favorite IAD books – everything comes together really well and you can tell Kresely Cole loved writing this one. This is one book that’ll have you staying up past your bed-i-bye time.
Other Reviews
IAD Chat
Who do we think Lotharie’s mate is going to be…..? (Cole confirmed Lotharie’s book is next). à SBH thinks (her name rhymes with Blurrie)
If you could pick the next IAD book who would it be? à Lanthe and her winged demon torturer
If Cole is only contracted to write four more IAD books who do you think is going to be in the next 3…?
Ulleum and(someone we haven’t met yet)
Lanthie and Thornos
Annaka…? Wow, she like disappeared after book 3 O_o
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First, I love the title of your review. AWESOME! I really loved this book, love, love, loved it! I thought that Lothaire’s mate would be the one that rhymes with Blurry too but a little birdie told me no. So, maybe it’s an unknown new Character? Either way I LOVE Lothaire and can’t wait for that evil Vamps book.
Lothaire made a big impression in this one! I wished Regin had made Declan suffer a bit more.
Another great book from crack Cole.
@FV I want to be right, darn it. I had it all figured out and everything *pouts*
@KT Grant God I was practically sobbing when Declan had to hold Regin down to remove her staples. I liked how Cole didn’t make Declan this super nice hero, he had issues long before he became part of the Order. Muy gritty.
I gave this book 5 stars in Goodreads. I can’t even review it, at this point, because there’s nothing more I can say other than : holy shit I love this series, I love the characters, I love the worlds, and most of all I love KC because she still is bringing it when it comes to the magic of the series – even at book 11.
That staples scene was BRUTALLLLL. I still can’t believe I read 500 pages so fast, it just never stalled. LOVED LOVED LOVED.
“Love me back!!!” *AAAAAH!!!!*
@Spaz This book could do no wrong. Seriously, I’m already re-reading it because I need to experience the magic again.
I LOVED this book. I was amazing. There was a part of me that hoped Regin would never forgive Declan and then DAMN… he even turned me around to his side. That is good writing. I am such a Cole fan now!
@Melissa I felt like he suffered so much that I didn’t mind that she didn’t put him through the ringer. Only K Cole can make me like a hero like Declan!
Not really my favorite book in the series. I have a review up on my blog, too but I have to warn you that it is a spoiler review and also a bit snarky. Lol.
DoaDW was pretty good and there were so many humorous parts that I was laughing out loud several times.
Spoiler
Spoiler
Unfortunately I found the ending quite lacking since Chase did not do anything to atone for his crimes. It was just too pat and easy.
I want to be part of the incrowd too *pouts*… but I must admit that I haven’t read this series yet… *runs off to find a copy of the first books*
Hi all. I just want to weigh in on the speculation of who Lothaire’s Bride will be. I def don’t think it is the one that rhymes with Blurrie (btw that’s phonetically incorrect; should say “rhymes with Purena dog chow”).soy thoughts are the K mutha effin’ Cole left quite a lot of clues in L’s mad ramblings. Remember he says she’s young and innocent and looks up at him with “delightful fear”. So it can’t be anyone we’ve met before. I’m hoping it’s either a fey or a witch. And whatever happened to the siren from the Talisman’s Hye? As for future books there will have to be some resolution for the valkyre queen Fury, and Nix will HAVE to have book.
Uilleam’s mate is also a mystery… What if it’s Fury, and it’s the ORDER that has had her all these years and not the Horde? Uilleam would have seen/ scented her there at the hidden facilities for the time. Although, presumably Regin would’ve sensed her presence like she did Nix’s, right?
And the million $ question for me is, who is gining the Order all their intel? And who is killing the mortal leaders? (Remember Webb’s comment about Loreans taking out work leaders?)
aaaaah, I love this series! So any serious thought to my questions?