It’s really unfortunate that the longest story in this anthology was also by far the worst. Christine Feehan’s Dark Dream was appallingly bad. The protagonists meet and ‘fall in love’ in the space of about an hour, right at the start of the book. Oh, sure, Sara is scared of Falcon at first because she thinks he’s a vampire (he isn’t; he’s some sort of weird sub-vampiric species Feehan has invented for her books, which I’ve never read); but within seconds she ‘sees’ into his eyes and she ‘knows’ him as someone she’s known in her dreams for years. And then they’re apart for the vast majority of this 150-page novella. The rest of the story is a vampire hunt: it’s violent and ugly and unutterably boring. There was far too little interaction between the protagonists, and I wasn’t convinced that they were in love. Oh, and just how many times does Falcon have to ‘exchange’ with Sara before she’s converted?! Awful.

Finally, Rhonda Thompson’s Midnight Serenade is somewhat different: Rick is a werewolf, and Stephanie is an environmentalist whose job is studying and filming wolves in the wild. This story felt rushed; I would have liked to know much more about how Rick became a werewolf, and I would also have liked to see the protagonists get to know each other better - it was more like falling in lust than in love.

Overall, this isn’t a collection I’d read again.

wmr-uk


The Carpathians are back!   October 5, 2001
 34 out of 36 found this review helpful

This anthology consists of 3 stories but I would say the best of 3 was Christine Feehan's Dark Dream. It's a continuation of her Carpathian series. An ancient, Falcon, sent out by Vladmir Dubrinsky (Mikhail's father) to Italy was on his way back to the Carpathian mountains to end his solitary existance when he meets his lifemate. This story though short did explain more of the history of the Carpathians and the problems that Mikhail's father had foreseen in the past. The story was very touching and a little different from the previous ones (where the male Carpathians converts their lifemates without their consent). In this one, you see an honourable ancient giving the choice to his lifemate. For those of you following the Carpathian series, this is a must buy!

As for Amanda Ashley's story, it is about a vampire who discovers his dead wife reincarnated. It is a sweet story, if a little predictable. Somehow, I felt that it was not as good as her earlier works or perhaps it was too short for her to do justice to it.

As for Ronda Thompsons', I understand this is her first paranormal but it lacks depth and the ending was a little too rushed.

I would recommend you buy this book for Feehan's and Ashley's story. Trust me, it is worth it!!


Didn't live up to expectation......   September 29, 2001
 4 out of 11 found this review helpful

Couldn't wait for this book to come out especially for the Christine Feehan contribution but also for what sounded like two other promising contributions! However all I can say is that the book didn't live up to its blurb - it promised much but delivered very little! Christine Feehan's contribution lacked depth, perhaps she struggled to do justice to the Carpathians in a much shorter story. Ronda Thompson is a new author to me but not one I would read again, what should have been an emotional climax as the hero gave his life for the heroine frankly left me cold! And as for, Amanda Ashley - how predictable, I didn't even read the whole thing, I was so bored by it - once you've read one Amanda Ashley you've read them all!