Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Vie
Series
Collection
Publication
Berkley (2005), Edition: Reissue, 304 pages
Description
Alexandra Keller is Chicago's most brilliant reconstructive surgeon. Michael Cyprien is New Orleans' most reclusive millionaire - and in desperate need of Dr. Keller's skills.
Original publication date
2005-04
User reviews
LibraryThing member fairypenguin
This is the story of a human plastic surgeon, Alex, who is brought in to fix the decimated face of an Darkyn, Micheal. Whilst in the attempt she is sucked into the world of the Darkyn, a powerful but heavily hunted species. She is determined to keep that world at arms length, while Micheal is
Now, this really sounds like a romance novel and that's what you would expect, given the fact that it's located in the romance section. Thus I feel I must warn readers that it's really not all that romantic. The love story takes a back seat to all of the world building and fantasy drama. Looking at it as a fantasy novel, it's quite good. It has an intense and well paced plot, plenty of spooky stuff, and a lot of subtle humor. As for the characters, I found Alex to be sharp, whitty, and a little mean. Micheal, on the other hand, can only be described as blah. The chemistry between the two was just not there for me.
So, if your looking for a vampire based, urban fantasy sort of series, this is a decent pick. It's just not great romance.
Show More
determined to have her as his own.Now, this really sounds like a romance novel and that's what you would expect, given the fact that it's located in the romance section. Thus I feel I must warn readers that it's really not all that romantic. The love story takes a back seat to all of the world building and fantasy drama. Looking at it as a fantasy novel, it's quite good. It has an intense and well paced plot, plenty of spooky stuff, and a lot of subtle humor. As for the characters, I found Alex to be sharp, whitty, and a little mean. Micheal, on the other hand, can only be described as blah. The chemistry between the two was just not there for me.
So, if your looking for a vampire based, urban fantasy sort of series, this is a decent pick. It's just not great romance.
Show Less
LibraryThing member avalonrises
Dr. Alexandra Keller is Chicago's most brilliant reconstructive surgeon.
Michael Cyprien is New Orleans's most reclusive millionaire-and in desperate need of Dr. Keller's skills.
Beneath the foundation of a mansion in the heart of the Garden Distrtict, Alexandra will perform an illegal surgery. Her
Alexandra knows MichealCypriean is no ordianary patient. Intrigued by how his remarkable physiology might benefit medical science, she is even more compelled by his presence-and the mystery surrounding him and his associates, a cadre of immortals who call themselves the Darkyn....
Michael Cyprien is New Orleans's most reclusive millionaire-and in desperate need of Dr. Keller's skills.
Beneath the foundation of a mansion in the heart of the Garden Distrtict, Alexandra will perform an illegal surgery. Her
Show More
patient's disfigurement is beyond medical repair. But his body's ability to recuperate from his wounds borders on the miraculous.Alexandra knows MichealCypriean is no ordianary patient. Intrigued by how his remarkable physiology might benefit medical science, she is even more compelled by his presence-and the mystery surrounding him and his associates, a cadre of immortals who call themselves the Darkyn....
Show Less
LibraryThing member rocalisa
I have mixed feelings about this book. It was a good story and I really like the world Viehl has created. However, it took me forever to read and I'm not sure why. I had to keep going back to it, but I wasn't sucked into it and trapped there like I often am with a book I really like. I don't know
Some of the darker passages are a bit unpleasant, but it is never dwelled on long enough to make the reader cringe too much. The villianess (for lack of a better term) is particularly nasty, but she is drawn in broad brush strokes rather than more detailed ones, giving both her and her actions less impact than perhaps they should have.
In fact, this is probably true of all the characters - they are more stand-ins for a role than real people the reader cares greatly about. I think this explains my ambivalence and the slow read. I like the world and want to see more of it but I'm not to fussed about the fates of the individual characters. I wasn't hanging on to each page to see how it turned out for them. If the world-building and the characterisation can both be major factors in the next book, it should be a good one.
Show More
if I would reread it, but I certainly want to know more about the world and will be buying the sequel. I'll see how that one goes before making any final decisions about reading or not reading more books beyond that. Some of the darker passages are a bit unpleasant, but it is never dwelled on long enough to make the reader cringe too much. The villianess (for lack of a better term) is particularly nasty, but she is drawn in broad brush strokes rather than more detailed ones, giving both her and her actions less impact than perhaps they should have.
In fact, this is probably true of all the characters - they are more stand-ins for a role than real people the reader cares greatly about. I think this explains my ambivalence and the slow read. I like the world and want to see more of it but I'm not to fussed about the fates of the individual characters. I wasn't hanging on to each page to see how it turned out for them. If the world-building and the characterisation can both be major factors in the next book, it should be a good one.
Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Dr Alexandra Keller is a brilliant reconstructive surgeon living in Chicago, she's approached by some employees of Michael Cyprien to do some surgery on him, but she has to go to him. She initially refuses and they kidnap her. When she finds that Cyprien has terrible wounds and recovers very
It's an interesting and involved story and I did enjoy it, there's nothing deep here just a fun story.
Show More
quickly from wounds. When she's finished with the surgery he bites her and she finds that she's now unable to go back to her old life.It's an interesting and involved story and I did enjoy it, there's nothing deep here just a fun story.
Show Less
LibraryThing member TheBooknerd
I do so love it when I get book recs from people (whose reading tastes I actually respect, that is). Credit goes out to E, who passed this series along to me. More vampires, 'cause you know how I like 'em. Thankfully, not a frilly, laced-necked poet's shirt was found among them. The story opens
Show More
with Alexandra Keller, plastic surgeon extraordinaire. She's being pursued by a mysterious millionaire, one Michael Cyprien, to perform an undisclosed operation. The catch? He refuses to leave his home in New Orleans, offers a suspicious payment of $4 million, and won't take "no" for an answer. We can see where this is going, I'm sure. What follows is an intriguing story as Alex is pulled, kicking and screaming death threats, into the vampiric underworld. And you'd like Alex -- I know I did. So hostile, so violent. Her compulsive urge to hurt people was vastly entertaining, let me tell you. They all deserved it, though, don't worry. I also enjoyed Viehl's take on the paranormal classic. Her vampires aren't completely innovative but have some distinctive characteristics, some more original than others. I was warned about the scent thing, true, but for the life of me can't figure why one would make their main dude smell like roses. Not pine needles, or juniper, or even lilies. Demons, thankfully, seem to universally smell of amber and spices. Point for them. My complaints: I was not convinced by the chemistry (or love, for that matter) between Alex and Michael. Nor did I find Cyprien to be particularly appealing. When he wasn't being an anacronistic blockhead, he sulked around feeling good about how patient and understanding he was being. Shyeah. Alex should have totally slapped him around more. And Phillipe should have given Cyprien a run for his money. Not surprising but I liked him and Lucan better than Cyprien. Thankfully, I've got Dark Need right here waiting to be read. Show Less
LibraryThing member hoosgracie
Enjoyable take on the vampire genre. I liked the mix of vampires, romance, and medicine.
LibraryThing member kalynn06
I liked this book, but I think potential readers should keep one thing in mind; this, despite the classification, is not a romance. Yes, there is a love story, but the primary focus of the book is world building, and the story is a paranormal thriller with a romance sub plot. If I judge the book
Unlike other reviewers, I did not dislike the heroine. She can be a bit abrasive, but I found this more realistic and true to life. I am heartily sick of sweet, silly, perfect heroines. Alex read to me like a real woman, who had real issues stemming from losing her parents and her brother. She also had the distinction of being one of the few Romance heroine surgeons, who I actually believed was a surgeon, rather than Doctor Barbie. The hero was slightly more problematic, because he did not seem to be as developed, and his motivations were less clear.
This book is part of a series that I am enjoying, and reading it is necessary to really appreciate the other books. If you approach this expecting a good paranormal, rather than a good Romance, I think you will find yourself pleased and intrigued enough to continue with the rest of the Darkyn saga
Show More
this way, I like it a lot. If I were to judge it as a romance, it would fail, because Viehl's primary purpose is not developing romantic love; it's the story of one a woman and her brother and their dangerous involvement in the world of the Darkyn and the Brethren (enemies of the Darkyn). The world building is intricate; Viehl has a strong and compelling voice, and the characters are nicely drawn.Unlike other reviewers, I did not dislike the heroine. She can be a bit abrasive, but I found this more realistic and true to life. I am heartily sick of sweet, silly, perfect heroines. Alex read to me like a real woman, who had real issues stemming from losing her parents and her brother. She also had the distinction of being one of the few Romance heroine surgeons, who I actually believed was a surgeon, rather than Doctor Barbie. The hero was slightly more problematic, because he did not seem to be as developed, and his motivations were less clear.
This book is part of a series that I am enjoying, and reading it is necessary to really appreciate the other books. If you approach this expecting a good paranormal, rather than a good Romance, I think you will find yourself pleased and intrigued enough to continue with the rest of the Darkyn saga
Show Less
LibraryThing member crazybatcow
Well...
The bad points:
1) the "romance" component is essentially a rape (repeated) though the female character ends up not treating it like a rape (it's not really the 'women like being raped' theme, more like it's 'not really rape because he didn't intend to hurt her' theme).
2) too many bad guys
3) the author likes to 'tell' how people are feeling via dialogue rather than, I dunno, showing the reader through her writing skills.
The good points. Well, the world is very interesting. It's a slightly different take on vampirism than usual. Alexandra is interesting and sometimes a bit funny. The story is self-contained but there is a bit of a hook at the end that might induce me to read the next in the series.
Fundamentally I like the story but not the writing. I don't understand why so many authors think to develop angst they have to make rape read like 'romance'. Go check out Moning's Fever series where there's some sex (in the later books) TONS of angst and yet... no "rape as romance".
The bad points:
1) the "romance" component is essentially a rape (repeated) though the female character ends up not treating it like a rape (it's not really the 'women like being raped' theme, more like it's 'not really rape because he didn't intend to hurt her' theme).
2) too many bad guys
Show More
thrown into the story (Brethren, John, Darkyn kicked out of Ireland for some reason, Angel... the king... oh the list goes on). I don't think I've met as many bad guys in one story before.3) the author likes to 'tell' how people are feeling via dialogue rather than, I dunno, showing the reader through her writing skills.
The good points. Well, the world is very interesting. It's a slightly different take on vampirism than usual. Alexandra is interesting and sometimes a bit funny. The story is self-contained but there is a bit of a hook at the end that might induce me to read the next in the series.
Fundamentally I like the story but not the writing. I don't understand why so many authors think to develop angst they have to make rape read like 'romance'. Go check out Moning's Fever series where there's some sex (in the later books) TONS of angst and yet... no "rape as romance".
Show Less
LibraryThing member SunnySD
Chicago plastic surgeon Alexandra Keller has a soft spot for victims, and no respect for pushy billionaires, so when a wealthy prospective client offers her a cool four million to come to New Orleans and operate in his home, she turns him down... repeatedly.
Unfortunately for Alexandra, Michael
Not the most unique storyline, but likable characters and lots of action.
Unfortunately for Alexandra, Michael
Show More
Cyprien isn't a man to take no for an answer. Kidnapped and threatened, Alex is still determined to resist - but Michael's injuries and amazing ability to heal present a challenge she can't resist. But Michael has a deadly secret, one that will cost Alex everything - but might end up bringing her more than she ever dreamed.Not the most unique storyline, but likable characters and lots of action.
Show Less
LibraryThing member msphotogirl
This book really didn't impress me. I read it for the 2nd time recently. The series over all is awesome. This first book didn't really have the romance that the other books have. Maybe because the author had to give so much back story. It really is a great series. Gabriel's book (book 4) is my fave.
LibraryThing member Sarielle
It was ok. I liked the idea of Alexandra being a plastic surgeon and healing vampires. However, I have mixed feeling about the tribute to Anne Rice and the religious part of the story. Sometimes it felt like reading Anne Rice fanfic.
Pages
304