Dark Prince (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 1) Reviews

• Fascinating and Highly Sensual Series

  
  By A2ZIDS4HFXMWNZ on 2003-08-24
  Dark Prince is the first in the fascinating and highly sensual Dark series created by the very talented Christine Feehan. It is a world of mystery, danger, intense emotions, extraordinary psychic and physical power.

  The Carpathians are a wise and ancient species, appearing just like humans except that they can live for millennia and have amazing psychic and physical powers. Only sunlight and violent wounding can destroy them. They sleep during the day, deep in the healing earth, and are awake at night, thriving in the darkness. They are in perfect harmony with the earth and all its plants and animals. They can shape shift into any animal and even become as fog. They move, travel and heal themselves with phenomenal speed. And they survive on human blood-yet they never kill the donor and gently wipe out his/her memory of their "feeding."

  The male is a predator, dark and dangerous, and this darkness grows until he finds his life mate-the feminine light that perfectly balances and illuminates his darkness. If he does not find his life mate soon enough, the male gradually loses his emotions and his ability to see in color. He is condemned to a lonely, dark and despairing world devoid of all happiness. When he does find her, he regains his emotions and his world becomes brightly colored, full of joy and hope.

  But for many hundreds of years no female Carpathians have been born, and few males have survived infancy. To make matters worse, many males who have not found their life mates have become so filled with dark despair that they have "turned," becoming vampires who can then feel exhilaration by murdering humans and Carpathians. Carpathian males have had to focus much of their energy on tracking down and destroying this threat to all life while themselves resisting the overwhelming temptation to turn. Some have tried to take human women as their life mates, but the women have gone violently insane when their bodies were converted to Carpathian and had to be destroyed.

  When Dark Prince begins, Mikhail Dubrinsky, the very wealthy and handsome prince of the Carpathians, has decided to walk into the sunlight and thus end his life. He wields enormous power over himself, others and all the elements, but his extreme loneliness and despair at ever finding a life mate have become overwhelming. He can no longer bear to go on, even though he feels a strong duty to lead his people and to wipe out vampires from the earth. He is afraid that he will turn himself if he waits any longer. And then he hears a sweet female voice in his head-one of compassion and comfort.

  Raven Whitney has journeyed all the way from America to the remote and beautiful Carpathian mountains for a much-deserved rest. She is a supremely gifted psychic who has assisted the police in tracking down mass murderers-a nauseating task that damages her body and spirit but which she undertakes because of her compassion for the victims. She is all that is light and goodness, and she reaches out to Mikhail when she feels his overwhelming loneliness and despair. She is herself no stranger to loneliness; she must keep as far away from other people as possible to avoid being bombarded by their thoughts and emotions.

  Mikhail is astounded by this psychic contact and immensely enjoys the teasing banter Raven mentally projects to cheer him up. He travels to her in the form of a bird and, observing her, realizes that she is his life mate. But how can this be? She is human. And how can he convince a woman who doesn't even know that Carpathians exist that she is his life mate?

  Mikhail and Raven embark on an extraordinary relationship-fun, tender and sensual-that keeps the reader riveted. In the meantime, they are faced with danger from a group of fanatical vampire hunters bent on killing anyone who's not human. Mikhail and Raven team up to stop them, but clash over Raven's determination to take an active role that often places her in grave danger.

  As a Carpathian, Mikhail is extremely protective and highly possessive of this woman he loves with a passion that goes beyond the most intense human feeling. He is tender, gentle and caring toward Raven while utterly ruthless and violent with his enemies. He will faithfully cherish her forever and will himself die if she does. Once life mates unite, they cannot live without being in frequent contact with each other. But how can he live forever with a human or convert her to Carpathian without destroying her? And how can he protect her from evils she doesn't realize exist?

  Dark Prince is a riveting story full of action, surprise, passion and the depths of love. Feehan has created a mesmerizing hero that every romance reader can fall in love with and the wondrous world of Carpathians that is fascinating to explore. I could not put Dark Prince down and am eager to read all the novels in this unusual and compelling series.
  
  

• Wow :)~

  
  By A2OI1UXCPO6DEP on 2000-06-16
  Let me first say that this book is not for the faint of heart. There were a couple of scenes I could have lived without reading, but that's probably true of any novel, five stars or otherwise.

  I think the true criteria for whether or not a book is a solid five is if it can keep your interest above and beyond the other calls of daily duty...this was definitely the case with "Dark Prince". "Mommy I'm hungry" was met with "in a minute sweetheart". "Mommy your boyfriend is on the phone" was answered with "tell him I'll call him back". "Mommy the house is on fire" was...just kidding But you take my point...

  "Dark Prince" held me spellbound (a rather appropriate term for a vampire-esque novel) from start to finish. Ms. Feehan wove together a provocative new world of Carpathians that is unique from anything I've read to date in either romantic or fantasy fiction.

  "Dark Prince" is followed by "Dark Desire" and "Dark Gold". "Dark Magic", the story of Gregori and the daughter of Raven and Michail from "Dark Prince" is due out next month...I can't wait.
  
  

• This Vampire Romance Needed an Editor ... and a Plot

  
  By A3NLIWCBDV8Y4M on 2005-07-28
  I had expected to enjoy the vampire romance, DARK PRINCE, by Christine Feehan, having read so many raving reviews about it. However, I should have paid closer to attention to the reviewers who termed the book "repetitive" and "boring," as I agree wholeheartedly on both accounts.
  
  The gist of the story, in one sentence, is that Carpathian vampire prince Mikhail finds his life mate, a human woman with telepathic abilities, all the while battling evil vampire hunters determined to exterminate his kind.
  
  It took me 3 weeks to finish 314-page DARK PRINCE, and that is abnormal for me, since I usually finish a book within hours. It felt like torture, reading this book, and I only made myself finish because I always wonder if it might get better. It did not.
  
  So what are some of my grievances?
  
  Well, for one, there is no tension in the book. Mikhail and Raven are in love right from the start, and have sex like 5 or 6 times by page 100. Where is the conflict in that? Why should I continue reading it? Well, apparently the author felt the laughable subplot in which Carpathian vampires are being hunted by vampire slayers was actually interesting. Sorry, no. The vampire slayers (repeatedly referred to as fanatical assassins) are a bunch of one-dimensional characters who die so fast it's not worthwhile to remember their names. They don't make for interesting or compelling villains.
  
  Two, this book was in dire need of an editor. How many times does the author need to refer to Mikhail's predatory movements and muscular body or to Raven's innocence and compassion? Other phrases that became grossly overused included "little one," "her narrow rib cage," "her large blue eyes," "her large blue-violet eyes," "silky hair," "his voice was black-velvet seduction," "I'm an American," "I'm intelligent," and (my personal favorite) "I have brains." Yes, we all do, thank you.
  
  Three, Raven was a stupid heroine. The whole book was mostly exposition in which she is arguing with Mikhail about everything and everyone, punctuated with my favorite idiotic repetitions of "I'm intelligent" and "I have brains." No you don't, not when you throw yourself in danger at every single turn, resulting in near-death experiences for you and the people around you. The ONLY time I thought this book was interesting was when Raven was stabbed five times in the gut. I was so happy! And that is really, really sad.
  
  So, as you can see, I pretty much loathed this book.
  
  Now, interestingly, my paperback copy of DARK PRINCE came with a "bonus" 150-page short story called DARK DESCENT, which I was very, very reluctant to read at first. Luckily, that story had a plot and lots of action, plus interesting characters, so I finished it in about 2 hours. DARK DESCENT is about how Joie, an American bodyguard and psychic, goes exploring in a cave and discovers her Carpathian life mate, Traian, as well as a bunch of really nasty evil vampires who want to kill them. While the story had its super-cheesy moments (why do people feel compelled to call vampires "blood suckers"?), it still was fast-paced and interesting, much more interesting than DARK PRINCE. So at least I didn't completely waste $7.99 on the book.
  
  
  
  

• Christine Feehan has created a new genre: Carpathians

  
  By A2BIMGC5ARLIC0 on 2001-01-12
  Not yet a vampire but not a human, Carpathians are of the earth and have the ability to control nature. Shapeshifting, mind control and their own brand of justice - these beings are unique, enthralling and terribly exciting! If you enjoy the darker side of romance, love with a slight chill running down your spine read The Dark Series!

  Mikhail Dubrinsky is the oldest existing Carpathian, he is considered one of the Ancients - although he looks like a fallen angel. His power is incredible, his responsibilities are enormous and his law is absolute. Yet his destiny lies in the soul of one petite woman who is both exquisite and intelligent, not to mention human. Of course, what else would his lifemate be?

  Raven Whitney never thought her psychic abilities would bring her the love of her life, nor did she realize he would change her life forever! The only thing she knew for sure was that she loved this arrogant, totally male being with all of her heart and there was nothing she wouldn't do to make him smile, unless he became too sure of himself... then she'd have to put him in his place :)

  Come and join the family! Meet Mikhail and Raven, Jacques, Gregori, Byron, Celeste, Aidan and Julian... just to name a few! But beware: once you start there is no looking back! This is a series full of promise and love, and of course a Dark side!
  
  

• Run, Don't Walk, Away From This Nonsense

  
  By on 2003-05-21
  I'm as big a fan as the next of the true vamp genre and perhaps I wasn't aware of what I was getting myself into when I ordered this book. I had no idea that what I would be reading would be a second rate romance novel where the vampire legend would be used as a frail skeleton on which to hang the drapery of incredibly redundant sex scenes and a totally ridiculous story. It's as if Ms. Feehan learned to write from a "How to Write a Romance Novel" manual. Her characters are both uninteresting and unappealing (I think I�d be justified in calling Mikhail a complete chauvinist pig) and not a one of them have any back-story to speak of. Conveniently, Raven - I knew I was in trouble when I read that name - has no family and her �history� is covered in one paragraph. Mikhail may be 600 years old, but that doesn't give much insight into his character except that he's going to get crankier until he finds his true-life mate. The story line is feeble at best, the supporting cast is weak and the writing is sophomoric. Other reviews say it gets better in her later books, but I have too little time and too many good books to read. I think I'll just move on.
  
  
• Great book
  By on 1999-12-07
  You MUST, ABSOLUTELY MUST read this book. It was my first vampire romance and worth it. The story is compelling and sex scenes are exciting. The real strength of the book however is the writing. It really captures the reader. I'm telling you, this book started out SWINGING! By the time I finished the first chapter I was already upset it was going to end. I read it in one night. Got up the next day and read it again! That good. The scenes were well thought out; you could actually feel, hear and see what was being described. This book is not for the fainthearted, rated R [or maybe X =:)] on the violence/sex. I withhold 1 star because the dialogue at times were lengthy lectures and/or redundant. I also felt there were too many characters in the book. I started out with a set of characters and by the end got a whole new crew. Nonetheless, a good read.
  
  
• So Good I Had To Read It Again
  By AJ6BZS1SU1OLD on 2003-03-28
  ...I just wanted to remind readers what a great book this really is to read, and where the Carpathian legacy began.

  Some readers will tell you that the characters fell in love too quickly; that there was no climatic "tug-of-war" of the heart...

  During these times of wars and rumors of wars, I will forever keep this book on hand to reread again and again on those days and nights when I need a reminder that the simple love between a man and a woman is the reason our existence continues; even as bombs are bursting, towers are falling, and mankind's hatred seeks to destroy anyone who is of a different race, religion, gender, sexual preference...A good romance novel is an interesting read. An excellent one touches your heart. However, a masterpiece is truly an unforgettable piece of art that will be forever etched in nostalgia like the Beetles, Woodstock, The Wizard of Oz...and anything written by the late Barbara Courtland. For me, Dark Prince is such a novel. One that takes you on a captivating journey into forbidden love, intrigue, history, and a sense of family. The characters are so powerfully depicted that you find yourself wondering things like: Do beings of this nature really exist? Are my partner and I true Lifemates? Preferring historic romance novels, I was not sure this book would appeal to me, but to my delight, I found myself eager to read page after page. Because of my preference, I was able to appreciate and admire the old-world traits in Mikhail. Also, I believe that only an independent woman of the 21st century like Raven could handle such a dominant albeit, loving male. Gregori is so compellingly mesmeric that you just know the author can not resist featuring him in a novel of his own....and of course, she does (Dark Magic). I look forward to reading all of the books in Ms. Feehan's "Dark" series and much more.
  
  

• A Breath of Fresh Air for Paranormal Fans
  By A3D8CO0FIUEG2V on 2000-06-22
  "Dark Prince" offers paranormal fans a break from the stagnation in recent vampire romances. As a powerful Carpathian male (as opposed to a "vampire," who is a Carpathian-turned-evil) and the prince of his people, Mikhail dutifully carries out Carpathian justice. The weight of delivering death to former Carpathians and centuries of sensory deprivation (the combined result of age and failure to find a lifemate,) torment Mikhail with the fear of "turning." A human woman, Raven, responds telepathically to Mikhail's unspoken plea for redemption.

  Raven, in the Carpathian Mountains on a respite from psychically tracking serial killers, finds a kindred spirit in Mikhail. Even so, she resists his instinctively possessive, dominating and feral behavior. Her transformation from human woman to Carpathian princess (as Mikhail's lifemate) is fraught with difficulty.

  "Dark Prince" offers more than a new twist on "Dracula." Author Christine Feehan envelops the reader with her Carpathian males, their struggle against their inner beasts and the women who redeem them. Readers looking for more than the typical pain-in-the-neck vampire story will highly appreciate this book.
  
  

• One of the best vampire books ever...
  By A2MHHKKOY4JMNV on 2000-05-31
  I have been reading 'vampire romances' for years now and Christine Feehan has become my favorite author of this genre. Her portrayal of the Carpathian race is fresh and new. Carpathians are a race all their own: they give birth to other Carpathians, they are not 'made' as other vampires are. They are a loving, loyal lot who will go to the ends of the earth to protect their kin and their life-mates. Mikhail recognizes human Raven as his life-mate and 'speaks' to her telepathically. Raven is a renowned psychic who is on a well-deserved vacation from her job tracking serial killers. Mikhail and Raven are an incredible couple with incredible powers. They must love and trust each other to stay one step in front of the 'others' that are trying to destroy the Carpathian race. Very sensual and an incredible novel. I have also read "Dark Desire" and "Dark Gold" and look forward to "Dark Magic" with all of the giddiness of a three year-old waiting for the ice cream truck. Fantastic!
  
  
• Dark Prince is Fantastic!
  By on 2000-09-18
  Greetings, everyone!

  I read this book virtually non-stop from start to finish. it was engaging from the very first word, right down to the ending.

  I love what she has done with the vampire genre, making it more accessible, and making the characters believable. I have also read the other books in the series, and cannot wait to read more of her writing -- I'm *really* hoping she continues this series beyond just the four books she's written so far. Right now, I have the latest book in the series in my book bag, and I started reading it this morning; I'm sure it will live up to my expectations.

  Ms. Feehan's novels are romance novels with vampires (called "Carpathians") as main characters. They are different, in that vampires (Carpathians), are a distinct race, with phenomenal abilities, that happen to need blood to survive. Vampires, on the other hand, are Carpathians that have turned to killing those they feed upon (the Carpathians *never* kill their prey), and have become evil, giving into the darkness. Vampires, in this series, are treated as criminals and are hunted and killed for the good of both Carpathians and humans.

  The entire series is very interesting, and well written, I believe, and if you like supernatural romances, I know you will enjoy all of them *very* much.
  
  

• What a Waste
  By A2ZWQA8QFVJIBQ on 2005-11-29
  This series has been around awhile and this book is supposedly the first one. I haven't read the later installments but I hope, for the sake of those readers who do, that they're better than "Dark Prince."
  
  As has been said by other reviewers, an editor must have been on vacation to let this book print "as is". The constant repetitions of phrases such as "little one" are really annoying. I realize that the "Carpathians" are supposed to be old-world but give me a break. The "little one" bit just made Mikhail the "Prince" look like a male-chauvinist pig rather than an arrogant royal.
  
  And that's my main gripe -- the over all stupidity of the whole story. Here are a small (apparently) group of pseudo-vampires who need to find "lifemates" in order to, what? See in color? To feel anything? Why? Even over looking that obvious stretch, the "lifemate", once found, is evidentially treated like a child rather than an adult female. She is cosseted, protected, pampered etc. But what does she do other than have sex with her male counterpart and get into trouble so he can bail her out?? I'm not looking for a forum for women's equality here; but it seems to me that a blow-up doll could be a substitute for a lifemate female.
  
  Raven the heroine is supposed to be an American female with self-proclaimed "brains". However, we never saw any evidence of brains. It was very hard to imagine her as a psychic who chased after serial killers. Every opportunity she had she threw herself into danger, requiring Mikhail to fly to the rescue. How many times does a prince rescue a damsel in distress in any fairy tale? And Mikhail the Prince is supposed to be the strongest, smartest etc. of his kind. So then why does he continually require repair? He is hurt a number of times badly enough to need to "go to ground" and take blood from another "ancient". In one scene he stands there and lets a mere mortal shoot him so as to make him bleed a lot. Some prince!
  
  I read the rave reviews by other readers and just don't understand. If Mikhail the hero had been just a human male, there would be all kinds of outrage that he was too domineering, chauvinistic, overbearing, etc. What self-respecting woman would put up with this behavior? But because he's labeled something other than human, it's ok to be a jerk?? The only interesting conversation Raven and Mikhail began was when she accused him of feeling superior to humans and thinking of people as "cattle". Unfortunately that conversation never got anywhere despite the fact it was obviously true.
  
  As I said, I hope the later books are better but it's a shame that the whole series is based on such a shakey story.
  
  
• Most original and well-rounded book I have read in months!!
  By ATJKFFY7GT6ZJ on 1999-09-10
  Add me to the cheering list for DARK PRINCE. It is the most original, and well-rounded book I have read in months. I kept thinking about Mikhail and other male Carpathians today -- thinking about beings that live so long that they lose their emotions, even the ability to see in color unless they find their lifemates - wow!!! I really enjoyed learning about the secrets and special abilities which Christine Feehan gifted the Carpathians as well as the burdens (personal demons) each male faces to survive.

  This book has been a hot discussion point on several of my listservs. Everyone is dying to find out who the hero/heroine in DARK DESIRE will be. I would love to see more of Mikhail and Raven's story, but everyone agrees that they can hardly wait for Gregori's story.

  Thank you Christine for taking us to a very special universe, filled with so many people we can enjoy and truly like.
  
  

• Went around in circles. I'm dizzy....
  By A17KMHCEI7AI56 on 2002-01-07
  Mikhail, Prince of the Carpathians, is thinking about ending it all when he is contacted by Raven, a telepath. He's suprised to discover she is his 'lifemate', the woman who will save his soul and keep him from becoming a vampire. Even more suprising is that she is a human...
  Okay, so the beginning of the book was different. I read the book quite quickly until about page 80 when I realized I was going in circles. After Raven and Mikhail meet in person for the first time, they keep coming back to the fact that Mikhail is to arogant and possessive. After the first sex scene, I felt like I was in a time warp. They argue, make love, and argue again about that same issue. Mikhail refutes it anytime by restating the importance of a lifemate. I had to force my way through the book. If I hadn't read later books in the series, I wouldn't have picked up another one.
  Another thing I had trouble with was the fact that the Carpathians are so powerful. They shape-shift into anything and everything, can control people from miles away, and that's just the beginning of the long list. Why not just call them gods? Feehan is expecting me to believe human vampire hunters are a THREAT to these superbeings?
  The villians are just plain pathetic. The human vampire hunters are plain stupid. About the only thing they sucessfully accomplish is putting Raven in position were it is imperative that she become a Carpathian.
  When does this take place? Oh... it's also good thing that everyone in the little back-waters mountain village knows how to speak fluent English.
  
  
• Amazing.Unique.Sensual.
  By on 1999-11-19
  I am adding Christine Feehan to my short list of favorite authors. I give her a standing ovation for her work in this novel. It is a storyline so unique and so compelling that it leaves one craving for more. I fell in love with Mikhail and Raven's story. It was entrancing and very romantic. Gregori was a great character. I would love to read more in depth the story of his own dark struggle. I eagerly await what else Ms. Feehan will pull out of that wonderfully imaginative mind of hers.
  
  
• You couldn't pay me to read it again
  By AO5EU78VGVKIZ on 2003-11-10
  The plot meanders all over. The dialogue is stilted. The heroine is pretty stupid. The romantic bits are mostly of the form, "I love you... quick let's have sex." How many more sexy/innocent heroines do we need? And sexy/innocent heroines who, after having been nearly killed a few pages before, yell, "I can take care of myself!"?

  This woman, while a psychic investigator, has no skills of her own. Despite her claim to modern American independence, she is no Anita Blake. I couldn't care what happened to her. (...).

  Don't waste your time.
  
  

• Trendsetting, Award Winning, Stunning Debut
  By A18VNFQ2NO8G62 on 2000-05-19
  I only wish there was a 6 star rating to be given. Ms. Feehan is exceptional. Dark Prince incredible first novel and a definite trend setter. Christine has put a new twist on Vampire legend with her dark Carpathians. This novel won Ms. Feehan three P.E.A.R.L. awards - for Best New Author, Best Shapeshifter, and Best Paranormal for 1999. I highly recommend the entire series.

  The Carpathian's are a separate species of beings. The have special abilities such as superior strength and the shapes shifting. They require blood for nourishment but only kill when they're own lives are in peril. For males of the species their longevity is both a blessing and a curse. After a century or two the males lose the ability to see colors or to feel emotion. The only cure is to find their life-mate, the light to their darkness. Only by bonding to this life-mate can sensation be restored to the men. Those who can not bear the wait must choose to seek the sun or become that which is hated by humans and Carpathian's alike, the Vampire. For these lost souls the kill is like a drug which gives them a temporary rush of feeling.

  The situation is becoming desperate for the Carpathian race, women are scarce, nearly all of the children born are male and only a few of these survive infancy.

  Mikhail Dubrinsky, prince of the Carpathians is the most ancient of all his people. Carpathians don't age as human's do, he appears young and handsome, and devastated. He has held out longer than any Carpathian male but can no longer bear the darkness of his existence. He is contemplating giving himself to the dawn when a voice touches his mind and his life is forever changed. He is barraged with and excess of color and emotion. How can this be?

  It had been a mere myth perpetrated by humans that victims of vampires could be turned to become one. As desperate as the Carpathians have become, it had been tried. All of the women had become mad. Yet the sympathetic voice within his mind is a human female. How can she be his life-mate?

  Raven is a young American woman of psychic ability. It is this trait, which may be the key to the survival of the Carpathian race. Raven is vacationing in the Carpathian Mountains. She has been employed as a hunter of serial killers. She needs to erase the foul taint of the murderers thoughts from her mind when she senses a man in deep despair. He is contemplating taking his life. She cannot allow that.

  Mikhail cannot resist going to her and though she is frightened of him, she finds him irresistible. Generally she avoids contact with others. Their voices clamor in her head, their touch brings physical pain. Not so with Mikhail who takes her pain away and threatens anyone who even inadvertently harms her.

  Among the humans staying at the inn are fanatical vampire hunters. They have already claimed one victim, Mikhail's sister, Noelle. Mikhail suspects that one of the crafty undead is behind the movement. Mikhail with his superior talents and Raven with her psychic abilities become a team to end this madness. Through blood exchange for injuries sustained Mikhail inadvertently converts Raven, a torturous process. Raven survives is appalled by the change, but it soon becomes apparent that as a true life-mate she cannot be parted from Mikhail.

  The successful conversion brings new hope to the Carpathian males. Psychic human women may be the key to the race's survival. When Raven becomes a pawn of the vampire everything must be done to save her life or the risk of losing their Prince will become inevitable. It is the obligation of every Carpathian male to put the Prince's life before there own. Here we get our first true glimpse of the personality of Mikhail's brother Jacques prior to his own story - Dark Desire.

  This story is intense and sensual. The relationship between life-mates transcends that of of mankind. Highly recommended. Look for Dark Desire, Dark Gold, and the soon to be released Dark Magic.
  
  

• Barbara Cartland goes hardcore
  By on 2003-06-11
  First of all, I would like to give a big thank you to Amazon.com for giving me, a snarky reader, a forum for reviewing such juicily bad novels and allowing me the rare opportunity to exercise so many good adjectives. Thanks!
  
  Oh, you poor, poor, people who love this series. Your lives have obviously been tragically bereft of good books. On the strength of a glowing recommendation by a friend, I just finished the first four of these juvenile, formulaic and seriously mediocre cartoon novels. Read this series of books and what you will read again and again is a single book with the same utterly predictable plot, which is ethereally light on characterization and tediously repetitive in its endless dull sex scenes.
  
  This book has proved to me that, grievously, the legacy of Barbara Cartland lives on into the 21st century. The female characters - petite femmebots with big eyes, tiny waists and large busts - are boringly stupid. With much stamping of their pretty little feet and pouting, they endlessly and knowingly put themselves in the path of danger because obviously their instinct for self-preservation was surgically removed at birth. The male `Carpathian' characters are cardboard cutout superheroes: wonderfully pretty, improbably buff, arrogantly dictatorial and so, so tortured. The male human characters are all potential murderers with a penchant for rape.
  
  I do read romance novels sometimes, because they tend to be a quick and undemanding read and are thus perfect for airplanes, but I am afraid I can't even recommend these for that purpose as they generally took less than two hours to get though. I think I skipped a good bit of each of them because I flipped to the end of each sex scene after reading the first one, which must have cut out at least 20% of each book.
  
  If you want to read an excellent vampire romance novel, I recommend Blood Games by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.
  
  
• If only Ms. Feehan wasn't a romance writer
  By A2S3XRBD4F0MSS on 2002-11-13
  I must admit that the book has the seeds to a very intriguing series, if only Ms. Feehan weren't a romance novel writer. The book contains some 15 or so chapters and hardly a one goes by where we are not subjected to a "steamy" love scene. I consider "steamy" to be one that uses euphemisms for most anatomical parts, but not those that you'd find in the magazine you can buy at the local adult toy store. It's kind of soft porn. At any rate, Ms. Feehan introduces a new kind of vampire, the Carpathians. If you've read the other reviews, you know that they are dying out, the males become depressed and turn to the more traditional vampire if they don't find their life mate, the males are extremely possessive of their women, and if one of the pair dies the other dies also.
  
  My disappointment lies in that it is a romance novel. Ms. Feehan introduces so many concepts, however vaguely, that if expanded, could have made for a truly interesting read. She talks of Mikhail's home with objects that he has collected over his long life, but never tells you any more about that home, what the objects are, where they were obtained or how. Describe the details. Make it real for me! Raven (the life mate) has a moment where she sees into Mikhail's thoughts and sees everything. This "everything" is glossed over. Tell us what's there. How many has he killed, what are his secrets, what's his most embarrassing moment, his turn-ons, his turn-offs, who's his favorite soccer team? Give these characters some real history and depth. I could go on, but you get the idea.
  
  I'd considered trying another one in the series, but after reading other reviews, it looks like Ms. Feehan has found a romantic novel formula that works for her (indicated by all the 4 & 5 star reviews) and all of them pretty much follow the same template. Carpathian meets woman, makes her his life mate (partially against her will), then proceeds dominate the woman while the woman complains that she needs free will. These discussions about domination and free will usually end in a bout of sex. There's usually a fight against some "bad guys" as a secondary plot.
  
  So, if you want a formula romance, with a vampire twist, this is for you!
  
  If you want an intriguing new look on the vampire legend with depth and development, steer clear.
  
  My star ratings:
  
  One star - couldn't finish the book
  Two stars - read the book, but did a lot of skipping or scanning. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection or search out other books by the author
  Three stars - enjoyable read. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection. Would judge other books by the author individually.
  Four stars - Liked the book. Would keep the book or would look for others by the same author.
  Five start - One of my all time favorites. Will get a copy in hardback to keep and will actively search out others by the same author.
  
  
  
• No plot, just sex...
  By on 2003-06-22
  I found this book very hard to get into but kept going since a lot of my friends really like this series. I was looking forward to a series as good as the Anita Blake series; however, so far I am disappointed. As other reviewers state, the hero falls in love with the heroine before they even meet, and he is quite chauvenistic throughout the book and the woman just takes it. It is really quite annoying. There is barely any story to this book. I learned the bare outlines of what a carpathian is and also learned that some people want to kill them. The rest of the book was just sex scene after sex scene.
  
  
• I was so glad when it was over
  By AO5EU78VGVKIZ on 2003-11-04
  The heroine is stupid. She can't figure out he's a vampire. Anything he tells her to do for her own safety, she doesn't do because she's "an independent American woman." The sensual scenes are wham, bam, thank you ma'am. The plot is broken into pieces as if the author kept saying, oops, I didn't write quite enough yet. I finally gave up, and I hate to not finish a book. But I was so relieved when I parted company with it! Anne Rice's title is safe.
  
  
• I don't even like romance novels, & I liked it!
  By A331ZG31K6UIBR on 2003-12-13
  Let me just start by saying I HATE romance novels with a passion (pun intended), but decided to give this one a try since I like the vampire genre. I like this book, and coming from me, that is saying a lot!

  What I didn't like: This book still has the stigma of romance novel cheesiness, although it is not as prounced in this story as in some. Using words like "sheath" and "member" to describe body parts - that just sounds stupid to me. The author is especially fond of the words "satiny," "silky," and "velvety," and she uses them on every other page, which gets old fast. Another thing I didn't like, but can't really fault the author for because her fans probably want and expect it, is the multitude of sex scenes that became repetitive and didn't really move the story along.

  What I did like: Carpathians are hot. They are handsome, powerful, and when they find their life mate, they are physically and emotionally incapable of cheating on their woman. This is very much a woman's fantasy and done in a sensual way that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's also told mainly from a woman's point of view, which I also like. The story was good, and there was enough mystery, excitement, and surprise twists to keep my interest throughout.

  I will definitely read the next book in the series, and I recommend this book as it is well written for its genre. If you want to read a supernatural book that has romance in it without the cheesiness and tells the story from a female perspective, I also highly recommend Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (vampires) or Bitten by Kelley Armstrong (werewolves).
  
  

• Great premises, but the author fails to deliver
  By A1B68FEIFV428P on 2004-10-14
  Brief summary: Mikaihl Dubrinsky is the leader of the Carpathians, a race that although they drink blood and need it to exist, aren't truly vampires (I'm still not sure how that works). Raven Whitney is an American in Mikaihl's country on vacation. Both Mikaihl and Raven have telepathic abilities. When she picks up his thoughts of suicide, she reaches out to him, and he immediately recognizes her as his `life mate'. As Mikaihl tries to `convince' Raven that they're destined to be together, he also has to deal with vampire hunters who are trying to kill off his race. The need to prevent any further deaths is made more urgent by the fact that his race is slowing dying off on its own, since there are very few females left and most newborns are males.
  
  I am not a fan of vampire books, but so many people raved about this series that I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Thinking it was best to start at the very beginning of the series, I picked up the first book, and I was somewhat disappointed.
  
  I loved the premises for this book. There was wonderful potential here for an excellent story, but in my opinion, the author failed to live up to that potential.
  
  I didn't care for the author's style of writing. I found the overuse of adverbs irritating, and the constant point-of-view shifts made my head ache. I didn't like the hero. Now, I like alpha males, but I found this male entirely too alpha. Still, it is a vampire book, so I guess that is to be expected. I didn't like the heroine. Rather than finding her spunky and stubborn as others have, I found her immature. In addition, sometimes her actions were inconsistent with what the reader was told. For example: the reader was told numerous times how selfless and compassionate Raven was, yet when Mikaihl was injured and in desperate need of medical attention, she chose that moment to return his engagement ring and inform him that she was leaving him (and of course the medical attention was delayed so that this conversation could take place). That didn't seem very compassionate to me. The final straw was the constant repetition in the book--if the author told (and generally she did tell rather than show) the reader something once, she told them the same thing fifty other times, almost as if she didn't think they had the ability to remember it from one page to the next.
  
  But I'm not ready to give up on this author yet. Maybe the writing improves as the series progresses, so at some point I do intend to pick up the latest book in the series (although it will come from the library--I won't be spending money on it).
  
  
  
• Not as good as the hype
  By A2386P602G9547 on 2005-01-15
  I found this book to be dark, the relationship bordering on coercion. But the story is gripping and the world uniquely drawn.
  
  Mikail is certainly an alpha male, maybe too much of one, at least for much of the book. Then again, he's the leader of his people. But I thought he expected too much of Raven too soon. She, on the other hand, wavered between giving in too easily and pulling back at the wrong time.
  
  Feehan's big problem as a writer is that she tells the readers rather than showing...and she tells it over and over and over.... Drove me nuts.
  
  My thinking is that the others in the series could be better. Two & 1/2 stars.
  
  
• Great Vampire Twist
  By A1GPA4IZ2YW9WH on 1999-12-04
  Take it from a person who has read many vampire and pharanormal books, this is a keeper. The best book I've read this year. If you love pharanormal books, you'll love this one.
  
  
• Very Disapointing
  By on 2002-12-02
  I like vampires. I like romance. I did not like this book - at all. In fact it was so bad that I only made it through the first three chapters (and skimmed the last two chapters) before discarding it. Why? A big reason was because in the first five pages of the book the hero has already fallen ecstatically and forever in love with the heroine. So much for anticipation, for seduction, for foreplay, or for any build up of romantic or sexual tension. If you want to read vampire books with good romance and sex, then read Laurell Hamiltons's Anita Blake books. For example, it takes several books before the protaganist finally succumbs (sort of!) to the dark charms of her vampire lover. Which makes her long anticipated surrender far more compelling, sensual and satisfying.
  
  
• a nice debut
  By on 2004-04-10
  I first read "Dark Prince" over one year ago and liked the entire premise. However, you knew it was Ms. Feehan's first foray into writing, as it was stilted, choppy and certain words and phrases such as "creamy" (cringe)kept popping up. (She needs a thesaurus). However, for some reason, I did like it. Since this first novel was published in 1999, I started looking for the sequels to this book in the hope that Ms. Feehan's craft would improve, as she kept on. It has - but unfortunately, the formula is now getting stale and old. The heroines are all the same (weak, childish, and insipid). I would love to see a woman who is strong - both emotionally and somewhat physically; someone who could take care of herself to some degree. I recently purchased "Wild Rain" (not a Dark Series book) and couldn't finish it, because it's always the same. The woman in the book just can't seem to figure out what's going on, even when it bites her in the ---. I will go ahead and buy the next Dark Series book in the hope that the series will get better. I wish Ms. Feehan would take the time to develop her characters,instead of trying to put out the most quantity in a year's time. (I believe she has five publications due out in 2004). I would love it if she wrote one really great book a year instead of five mediocre stories that are all just repeats of the five she wrote the year before. I believe she has the talent to do so.
  
  
• Great Change to Your Usual Vamp Books!
  By A2NGBMG4Q7QARW on 2006-03-29
  Okay...after reading previous reviews...I've discovered that people are either pessimistic about this book or they absolutely loved it. And because each person seems to think that either bashing the book or giving rave reviews is the way to give a review...I'll put things in a wide perspective.
  
  Pros:
  1) Different from your usual vampire book. I wouldn't exactly consider it a vamp book...it's sort of a cross between Lora Leigh's "lifemate" plot where there is one person that is the answer to sustaining their race and who is the all important significant other. The animal/shapechanger story line is also a concept of Lora Leigh's. The other concept that Feehan uses is Sherrilyn Kenyons Dark Hunter series (Vampire series).
  
  2) The ultra sexy alpha male that completely turns the woman upside down. If you're not into the "overbearing" male roles, this particular book in this series is not for you. You would probably like the second book in this series better "Dark Desire" b/c the male is wounded and the woman takes care of HIM for a change.
  
  3) Great sex scenes...if you don't like them...SKIP THEM!!! Don't worry...you're not REALLY missing anything by flipping forward a few pages.
  
  4) The supporting characters are really, really cool!!! This is the first book I've read in her series and she does a great job implementing her later lead characters in her books.
  
  5) The characters in this book are telepathic which is SOOOOO cool!!!
  
  Cons:
  
  1) The editing is horrible in this book!!! There is one part where she meant to say Noelle and it ends of saying "Nichole"...remember that!
  
  2) Feehan tends to stress a lot of things over and over again. Sometimes it's a little tedious. Like "You are my life mate"...or "Little One" (which is annoying by the way..I just tuned it out).
  
  3) Raven (the main female character who is a human) is a little whiney. At the beginning you'd think she'd be a bit stronger.
  
  4) They make love a little too early for my taste. I always like a little more suspense in the sexy parts of my books.
  
  As far as previous reviews go...I've got news for all of the people calling this a vampire novel...they're not vampires...yet.......this new idea put me in complete awe! They're not really vampires until they "turn" (in other words, they don't find their life-mate). Second, Mikhail may be a prince, but all heros fall sometimes. If you can't except that,Don't read the book! Besides, if a hero never failed...wouldn't that be kind of boring?
  
  Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I'd probably give it 4 and a half stars if I could. The Cons that I've listed are a throw back. I'm currently continuing this series and believe me, Feehan only gets better. She's introducing new ideas and the editing is better. So don't let this one novel turn you away from such a great series.
  Hope this helps! Happy reading! :)
  
  
• Vampires as a race of beings is a unique idea
  By on 1999-10-27
  I loved this story. I love vampires, and the idea of having vampires as a race of beings not unlike humans was very unique. The idea is a breath of fresh air to the constant belief that vampires are monsters. Th only thing I didn't like about this story is that it left me wanting more. I want to know what happened to the characters. I want to know if Raven gave birth to a girl. I hope there is a sequel to answer these questions.
  
  
• An ingenious novel that takes romance to a new realm
  By AJ6BZS1SU1OLD on 2001-08-03
  A good romance novel is an interesting read. An excellent one touches your heart. However, a masterpiece is truly an unforgettable piece of art that will be forever etched in nostalgia like the Beetles, Woodstock, The Wizard of Oz...and anything written by the late Barbara Courtland. For me, Dark Prince is such a novel. One that takes you on a captivating journey into forbidden love, intrigue, history, and a sense of family. The characters are so powerfully depicted that you find yourself wondering things like: Do beings of this nature really exist? Are my partner and I true Lifemates? Preferring historic romance novels, I was not sure this book would appeal to me, but to my delight, I found myself eager to read page after page. Because of my preference, I was able to appreciate and admire the old-world traits in Mikhail. Also, I believe that only an independent woman of the 21st century like Raven could handle such a dominant albeit, loving male. Gregori is so compellingly mesmeric that you just know the author can not resist featuring him in a novel of his own....and of course, she does (Dark Magic). I look forward to reading all of the books in Ms. Feehan's "Dark" series and much more.
  
  
• Terrible, just terrible.
  By on 2002-11-10
  Seldom is there a book bad enough that I don't finish it. This book has the honor of being one of those. I was able to tolerate the first hundred pages with the hope that the book would get better but it didn't.

  It is a story about a psychic, Raven, who establishes a mental connection with a Carpathian male, Mikhail. Carpathians are vampires for all intensive purposes. The couple pretty much instantly falls in love although he orders her around a lot and she whines about it. There are four or five sex scenes in the hundred pages that I read, and not terribly good ones. A sex scene in a book has the ability to bring fire and passion into the characters but this one is only mechanical actions for annoying characters. Raven is a helpless tortured woman having to live with her psychic abilities. Mikhail is meant to be a stong protective character but just comes across as insecure and bossy. The notion that they are in love is not believable. Love has to be built up and grown with the characters, not just established in the first couple of pages. The love story occurs beside a mystery to solve who is assasinating Carpathians.

  I didn't care for the writing style either. It is often said that a writer should "show not tell". Christine Feehan uses too many adverbs describing everything the character says. If you want to read a good vampire series with passion and believable love, read Laurell K. Hamilton's "Anita Blake" series.
  
  

• Dark Desire (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 2)
• Dark Gold (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 3)
• Dark Magic (Leisure Paranormal Romance)
• Dark Challenge (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 5)
• Dark Fire (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 6)