Dark Prince

DNF 25%
I have never given a review before finishing a book before, but after reading a quarter of this book I just don't think I can read anymore. It is so uncomfortable.

Normally I am fine with the possessive men in books, but Mikhail is just creepy. And he sees nothing wrong with what he's doing. He makes her fall asleep against her will, won't let her leave the house and then guilt her when she tries to explain she needs some space.

"Where is all that marvelous respect a man as powerful as myself deserves?"

"Is it that you still want to run away from me? Am I really so terrible?"

She was comforting him, yet she didn't know of his crime. She was bound to him, could not be away from him for long. He had no words to explain it to her

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without giving away more about their species than he could safely do.

He is trying to take over her life, deciding what she can wear, where she will live, when she'll sleep, making sure she eats. He went through with a mating ritual without telling her, and without even explaining what he is to her. He makes her drink his blood and lies about it being a 'herbal concoction'. And don't get me started on him calling her 'little one'. show less

Il principe vampiro. Attrazione fatale é il primo libro dell’attesissima serie Paranormal Romance (stiamo parlando di 22 libri!) per adulti di Christine Feehan. Quando ho afferrato questo romanzo, devo ammettere che ero prossima alle lacrime per quanto tempo l’ho atteso!

Protagonisti centrali di questa saga sono i Carpaziani, creature antiche (ma non abbiamo ancora capito se immortali o meno) con grandi poteri ma costretti a vivere di notte e di cibarsi di sangue. Attenzione però a non chiamarli “vampiri” perché, in questo caso, i Carpeziani rischiano di diventare spietati vampiri mangia bambini solo se perdono il controllo e si fanno tiranneggiare dalla Bestia che alberga in loro. I maschi di questa razza, purtroppo, se non show more trovano una Compagna, tendono a perdere progressivamente ogni aspetto “umano” fino al punto di non provare semplicemente più nulla non riuscendo neanche a vedere i colori. E sarà in quel momento di estrema vulnerabilità che la Bestia finirà per soggiogarli, a meno che non decidano di esporsi al sole.

Mikhail Dubrinsky è il principe dei Carpaziani, bello, ricco ma molto, molto tormentato al punto che decide, arrendendosi, di esporsi alla luce per avere pace. È possessivo, spietato e molto geloso (al punto che sembra quasi sconfinare nel maschilismo più estremo) ma può essere anche gentile, appassionato e premuroso al punto tale da provare una vera e propria venerazione per la propria compagna. Peccato che la mania del controllo faccia parte irrimediabilmente di lui.

Sarà proprio durante il suo ultimo urlo di dolore che farà la sua apparizione Raven Whitney, dotata di un dono molto speciale – e molto poco umano – che l'ha portata a collaborare con la polizia in alcuni casi dopo essere rimasta tragicamente orfana. Dopo l'ennesima caccia al Serial Killer decide di rigenerarsi grazie ad una bella vacanza tra le montagne dei Carpazi finendo così inevitabilmente con l’entrare nel mondo di Mikhail. La storia d'amore, che domina gran parte del romanzo ma non esclude un’ottima trama ricca di azione, è tenera ma anche molto sensuale.

I personaggi secondari sono menzionati ma ben trattati al punto che sono già iniziate le riflessioni su chi sarà il Carpaziano protagonista del prossimo romanzo e, come già detto, la trama è molto ben studiata. Si conclude nell’immediato (garantendo così la possibilità di lasciare il romanzo come autoconclusivo) ma lascia aperti molti spiragli a cui riallacciarsi nei prossimi volumi.

Le vicende sono raccontante in terza persona dai punti di vista di Raven e Mikhail e l’intera struttura del romanzo garantisce un fluido passaggio da un personaggio all’altro senza appesantire ne causare cali di attenzione nel lettore.

Un libro d’esordio, senza dubbio, per una giovane Christine Feehan (parliamo del 1999) e fortemente influenzato dai vecchi miti, figli senza dubbio di scrittori come Anne Rice e Bram Stoker, che vedono la figura del vampiro tornare ai vecchi e affascinanti esordi romance uniti ad un tocco di originalità che promette molto bene. Bellissimo libro.

Ora, viene da pensare che sia un libro perfetto questo primo capitolo della saga Carpaziana, peccato che non sia così. A parte il gioco dell’aumento di prezzo che da 6,90€ è stato portato a 9.90€ per motivi puramente di marketing (questi giochi non fregano più nessuno, siamo consapevoli che è un trucco promozionale che permette di catturare molti “aspiranti” lettori per poi fregarli alla fine con l’incremento che di certo non li scoraggerà dopo tutta questa attesa); che seppur non sia affatto proibitivo come prezzo – anzi rimane in un ottimo rapporto qualità prezzo – è comunque una piccola presa in giro che fa storcere la bocca ad un lettore di un certo livello. Quello che proprio lascia basiti è stato il titolo: che c’entra come nome della saga “Il Principe Vampiro”? Cosa cavolo c’entra visto che abbiamo ben capito tutti che, finché non perdono il controllo, questi benedettissimi Carpaziani NON sono ancora vampiri? Si chiama serie DARK, al massimo “Dark Prince” o “Principe Oscuro” se proprio vogliamo strafare (che pessimo vizio questo voler tradurre a tutti i costi)! Cosa c’è di tanto difficile da trasmutare in italiano? O meglio, perché non lasciarla in inglese visto che ormai anche per prender un cavolo di caffè bisogna sapere l’inglese? Ah, giusto, se non infiliamo la parola “Vampiro” in ogni dannatissimo titolo non si vende, giusto? Che tristezza. show less

I would say this book is crap but... oh, okay, it *is* crap.

First 70 pages are a mostly non-violent rape scene. Complete with older man/young innocent girl imagery... not to mention the different species aspect of it. I'm not sure what is worse... the fact that the older wiser "vampire" mind-controls her to submit, seduces/rapes, then mind-controls his "little one" to just go to sleep until the next day when he rapes her again, or the fact that she "protests" this treatment but after each protest, realizes that she's just in love with him anyway.

Okay, so I finished the book even though it's just a glorified and extended rape scene (and, by the way, is it a good thing that the woman "enjoys" her rape, or a bad thing?).

The Black Dagger show more Brotherhood has better written alpha male takes virgin girl stories, with less sense of rape and power-dominance, and much better sex scenes where we actually get to hear about more than the "throbbing behind his zipper" and her virginal spot. show less

I don't like giving up on books, but there are often good reasons for me to do that, either the book just doesn’t work for me at the moment or the book just doesn’t work at all for me. For me was this book the later on and I read about 100 pages before I decided to throw in the towel. This book just didn’t work for me mainly because the main character Mikhail just made me mad. I can’t stand a character that is so annoying to read about, from his Raven in his woman nobody shall touch her attitude to his let’s make Raven do as I will by hypnotizing her so that I can have sex with her even if she is not completely willing. I like bad boys, but I don’t like asholes and sorry Mikhail is an ashole!

So if you still feel that this show more book is for you go ahead and read it. Maybe I’m just picky when it comes to men in books.

Thank you Piatkus for providing me with a free copy for an honest review! show less

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Mikhail Dubrinsky is the leader of the Carpathians, a powerful race that is dying out due to lack of females. Raven Whitney, a human, is vacationing in the Carpathian Mountains after using her telepathic skills to help catch a serial killer. Raven senses Mikhail’s distress and the two of them realize they have a connection to each other. Raven may be the life mate that Mikhail thought he’d never find and she represents hope for the Carpathians.

Ugh. I really hated Dark Prince and, though I tried to stick it out, I finally had to put it down after three chapters of torture. The first problem is the characters. Raven is everything you expect in a romance heroine: slender, small bones, tiny waist, show more big high breasts (how often does that combination happen naturally?), big blue eyes (“brilliant sapphires”), long thick lashes, skin like satin, full soft mouth, “a wealth of raven hair tumbling down her back to draw attention to her rounded bottom” (Ugh!). Raven’s physical features are described over and over and over. The phrase “her slender…” (fill in with “arm,” “body,” “form,” “wrist,” etc) was used 25 times (assuming that Amazon has the entire print version searchable, I’m not sure). Every man wants Raven, yet she’s completely unaware of it. And totally innocent. We’re told that Raven is also intelligent, but I saw no evidence of that.

Mikhail is everything you expect from the brooding blood-sucking type: tall, rich, important, dark, broad-shouldered, chiseled features, arrogant yet passionate and, for some unknown reason, completely infatuated with Raven. Not only does Mikhail look great, but he sounds great, too. “Black velvet seduction was in the molten huskiness of his voice.” (Ugh!). By the way, the word “velvet,” which applies both to Mikhail’s voice and Raven’s creamy skin, is used 32 times in a 447 page book which calculates to, on average, one “velvet” for every 14 pages. With that much velvet, I could reupholster my living room.

This kind of stuff offends my ears (I was listening to this in audio format), but this isn’t the worst of it. What I really hated was that these two meet telepathically and speak about 3 paragraphs to each other while Mikhail spies on her when she’s alone in her bed in a white lace push-up nightie (how many antisocial young virgins normally wear those to bed, I wonder). Suddenly he becomes outrageously jealous at the random unwarranted thought of Raven with another man: “Rage shook him, raw and deadly.” (Ugh!)

Then he claims ownership and control of Raven and starts bossing her around, calling her “my woman” and “Little One” (this title is used 132 times in a 447 page book — you do the math). Despite Raven’s protests (“Don’t try to intimidate me, Mikhail; it won’t work. No one tells me what to do or where I can go.”) He manages to get her exactly where he wants her to be and she seems to be rather ineffectual against his manipulation. Though we’re told she’s intelligent, she seems naively unalarmed when Mikhail says these sorts of things (which make up most of his black velvet seductive speech):

* Do not disobey me in this, Raven.
* You will drink. Obey me in this.
* Obey me at once.
* Why do you defy me?
* Do not try to leave me, little one.
* Stay!
* Do not try to leave me, Raven. I hold what is mine and make no mistake, you are mine.
* You need to sleep.
* You are not nearly as afraid of me as you should be.
* You will never repeat this foolhardy act again.
* I will not tolerate any foolishness that might put your life in jeopardy…. I will not lose you.[he’s got his hands around her throat here]
* American women are very difficult.

These examples are all in the first 60 pages of the novel when they’ve known each other for one day. This is Mikhail’s courting behavior. Raven’s “foolhardy act” was to take a walk in the woods around the resort while on her vacation. Apparently American women are very difficult because they like to choose their own activities while on their own vacations rather than obeying handsome violent strangers. After this conversation, he carries her off to his lair. And she’s not kicking and screaming. Does Raven think that Mikhail will become less demanding, controlling and possessive after the courting is over?

Well, I couldn’t stand it, so I gave up. I don’t like Mikhail and Raven and I don’t want to read any more about their twisted relationship. How any self-respecting woman can think this is sexy… I have no idea. show less

Dark Prince was a mixed bag of goods. I agree with most of what readers say about the domineering,stalkery hero and the heroine who wouldn't stick to her guns. I also found the book very entertaining at times. About two thirds of the way through, it seems the author ran out of material, so there was lots of explaining dialogue and lots of filler s*x, that just had me skimming. Nice evil vampire and minions conflict towards the end and somewhat happy resolution. One still wonders- why not just build underground bomb-like shelters under their houses for added protection? It averaged out to 3/5 stars for me. I consider this somewhat of a rocky start, but would continue with the series.

First off I want to talk about the cover, I absolutely adore the older covers more than Feehans more modernized cover for Dark Prince. This cover show more sensuality and connection between Raven and Mikail. I have always chosen to listen to Dark Prince, since my local library has most of the Carpathian Series on Audio form, and I prefer it that way. It is read by Juanita Parker, which she has such a great way about her in that she portrays the emotions so well. The story literally comes alive for you as you listen to it. I strongly recommend listening to this in Audio form, you won't regret it.

It starts out with Mikael who has lived hundred of years, and is a Carpathian. Carpathians are very different than vampire although they have show more similarities, but the big difference is that Carpathians are good, and Vampires are evil and have no soul. Mikael is the prince of his people, who are a dying race, with not many Carpathian women around, and with only sons being born to the women they are literally going extinct. Once during the time of the Crusades, many of their people defended the humans that were being threatened but in doing so many of them were slaughtered, since they become weak during the day. Some of the Carpathians were able to flee and escape. Those included in the slaughterings were Mikael's parents, his father being the leader of his people. Mikael has always taken huge responsibilities on his shoulders. In present day, he is tired and exhausted and wants to seek the sun and end his existence. Without a life-mate, he fears the darkness within him with take over his soul and he will turn into a vampire. He refuses to let that happen. However, when he is feeling desolate, he hears a womanly voice in his head comforting him. He is amazed to find that it is a mortal woman, and he seeks her out. Raven has always had psychic abilities, she comes to the Carpathian Mountains to find peace, she has recently hunted three killers using her psychic ability. She feels drained and at a loss. She is in pain when another touches her physically, and she yearns for solitude and peace among the beautiful Carpathian Mountains. However, hearing Mikaels bleakness she calls out to him, offering aide, knowing she couldn't refuse doing so. Upon talking with Mikael she finds him arrogant and Alpha Male 100% all the way, but she can't refuse him. Upon seeing him, a connection surges between them and neither one of them can resist. Raven is Mikael's life-mate, he starts seeing colors, when for hundreds of years he has only seen in grey. He also starts feeling emotions again, which are clear signs in finding one's life-mate. A journey begins, with Mikael and Raven finding their way, making mistakes along the way, but finding true love and a sensual passion that neither one of them can control or deny.

The Carpathian series, is my up most favorite paranormal series of all time. It always has been since I have started reading from Christine Feehan. The first book I read from her was Dark Challenge, which is my favorite in the series. However, I really have fallen in love with Dark Prince, I have loved reading Mikael and Raven's story. I have fallen in love with both characters. Mikael is typical Alpha Male (Which I love) and he is the leader of his people, and at the beginning of the book is very arrogant and believes everything he says is law. However upon meeting Raven, he finds himself at odds, having met the one person who has no problems with arguing with him, much less a woman. No one ever argues with him, apart from his best friend Gregori who has been at his side since they were young. Raven has lived in solitude most of her life, except when she hunted the killers. But ever since she was little, she has been despised for her gift. Once she comes to the Carpathian Mountains, and meeting Mikael, who is the one person whose touch doesn't cause her pain but pleasure and the likes of which she has never known. It has truly been a pleasure to listen to Dark Prince I can never get bored with Feehan's books I could read her over and over again. I truly loved the characters, the plot and the witty come backs in the conversations, also there was some suspense and mystery has well toward the end, which definitely made it a astounding and enthralling read. show less