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Fiction. Romance. Historical Fiction. HTML:Journey to a world of ancient magic, breathtaking sensuality, thrilling time-travel.... Journey to the world of The Dark Highlander. Crisscrossing the continents and the centuries, here is a novel as gripping as it is sensual—an electrifying adventure that will leave you breathless....I am Dageus MacKeltar, a man with one good conscience and thirteen bad ones, driven to sate my darkest desires…
From his penthouse lair high above Manhattan, show more Dageus looks out over a glittering city that calls to the darkness within him. A sixteenth-century Scot trapped between worlds, he is fighting a losing battle with the thirteen Druids who possess his soul, dooming him to an eternity of sexual pursuit. When Chloe Zanders, student of antiquities, is drawn into his world, she finds the insatiable alpha male an irresistible lure.Before long, she is caught up in an ancient prophecy that will sweep her back into time to medieval Scotland. Plunged into a world of... show less
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The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Book #5 Highlander Series
Source: Purchase
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
My Review:
Chloe Zanders is so not happy about her current situation. She has been told she will be loaning a rare book to a wealthy patron, she will be happy about it, and she will be the one to deliver it to said patron. Yeah, because this is exactly why she went to school and earned that degree. Since her good looks and winning personality aren’t going to pay the bills, Chloe has no choice but to do as her boss says which is exactly how she has found herself searching the home of one Dageus MacKeltar.
When Dageus MacKeltar returns home to find a shapely pair of legs and one fine ass sticking out from underneath his bed, he is show more understandably and at once confused and excited. When he pulls the feisty little minx out from under his bed and she threatens to take the ancient (and recently stolen! OK, borrowed) books he has stashed there and turn in him, well, he does the only thing a rational man can do, he ties her to the bed. Since breaking his sacred vow to save his brother, Dageus has been searching for a way to expel the spirits of the thirteen dark Druids who now possess him. The ancient books are vital to his mission and if he can’t find a way to be rid them, the world is in for one hell of an ass whipping. To make matters far, far worse, Dageus now has a “prisoner” he is fiercely attracted to and there is an ancient, super-secret, wretchedly awful group that is working toward helping Dageus unleash the bad that now possess him.
Chloe knows she should be frightened beyond reason by the sexy and brooding thief (OK, borrower!) who has taken her hostage but she can’t seem to drum up much fear. Sure, she’s tied to the bed but the bed is big and soft, Dageus feeds her really well, and the times she is free to roam around leave her lusting for both the man and the artifacts he has in his home. Additionally, the more he talks about the ancient texts he has (and will totally return!) the more intrigued she is by his “work.” Though she doesn’t know exactly what he’s involved with, Chloe does know her education can be put to good use if he will allow her to help. In no time flat, Chloe finds herself whisked away to Scotland and on the hunt to help save the man she is coming to like more and more each day.
Chloe and Dageus don’t just travel to Scotland, they travel through Scotland’s centuries back to the time and place of Dageus’s birth. Living with his family (his delightful father, stepmother, and half-siblings) is as exciting as it is rewarding for Chloe. Her love of history and artifacts is indulged at every turn and her time with Dageus’s family is the best she has ever had. The family readily accepts Chloe and Dageus will too once he realizes she will stand by him, 12 nasty souls or no. The search for an answer and a plan is hatched within the walls of the castle and when push comes to shove, Chloe is ready and willing to help Dageus defeat the most significant forces he has ever known. What neither are prepared for is what they will have to give up in order to save one man’s soul and the world from true evil.
The Bottom Line: LOVED. THIS. BOOK. This series just keeps getting stronger the further I go and I was wrapped up in this one from page one. It helped significantly that Moning continued the MacKeltar’s story in this read rather than putting it off for another book or two. I very much appreciated the smooth easy slide from Drustan and Gwen’s story right into Dageus and Chloe’s. Once again, the time travel element didn’t really bother me (like it normally would minus a Tardis) because of the characters. Going back to Dageus’s home and getting the follow-up to his father and Nell’s story was so heartwarming and welcome and the jump back into the present brings Drustan and Gwen even further into the story which is just as welcome. In all, this book has a bit of everything I like: a feisty as hell heroine, a smoking hot, dark yet caring hero, some fine naughty bits, and just enough paranormal drama and action to keep me involved and not overwhelmed. show less
Book #5 Highlander Series
Source: Purchase
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
My Review:
Chloe Zanders is so not happy about her current situation. She has been told she will be loaning a rare book to a wealthy patron, she will be happy about it, and she will be the one to deliver it to said patron. Yeah, because this is exactly why she went to school and earned that degree. Since her good looks and winning personality aren’t going to pay the bills, Chloe has no choice but to do as her boss says which is exactly how she has found herself searching the home of one Dageus MacKeltar.
When Dageus MacKeltar returns home to find a shapely pair of legs and one fine ass sticking out from underneath his bed, he is show more understandably and at once confused and excited. When he pulls the feisty little minx out from under his bed and she threatens to take the ancient (and recently stolen! OK, borrowed) books he has stashed there and turn in him, well, he does the only thing a rational man can do, he ties her to the bed. Since breaking his sacred vow to save his brother, Dageus has been searching for a way to expel the spirits of the thirteen dark Druids who now possess him. The ancient books are vital to his mission and if he can’t find a way to be rid them, the world is in for one hell of an ass whipping. To make matters far, far worse, Dageus now has a “prisoner” he is fiercely attracted to and there is an ancient, super-secret, wretchedly awful group that is working toward helping Dageus unleash the bad that now possess him.
Chloe knows she should be frightened beyond reason by the sexy and brooding thief (OK, borrower!) who has taken her hostage but she can’t seem to drum up much fear. Sure, she’s tied to the bed but the bed is big and soft, Dageus feeds her really well, and the times she is free to roam around leave her lusting for both the man and the artifacts he has in his home. Additionally, the more he talks about the ancient texts he has (and will totally return!) the more intrigued she is by his “work.” Though she doesn’t know exactly what he’s involved with, Chloe does know her education can be put to good use if he will allow her to help. In no time flat, Chloe finds herself whisked away to Scotland and on the hunt to help save the man she is coming to like more and more each day.
Chloe and Dageus don’t just travel to Scotland, they travel through Scotland’s centuries back to the time and place of Dageus’s birth. Living with his family (his delightful father, stepmother, and half-siblings) is as exciting as it is rewarding for Chloe. Her love of history and artifacts is indulged at every turn and her time with Dageus’s family is the best she has ever had. The family readily accepts Chloe and Dageus will too once he realizes she will stand by him, 12 nasty souls or no. The search for an answer and a plan is hatched within the walls of the castle and when push comes to shove, Chloe is ready and willing to help Dageus defeat the most significant forces he has ever known. What neither are prepared for is what they will have to give up in order to save one man’s soul and the world from true evil.
The Bottom Line: LOVED. THIS. BOOK. This series just keeps getting stronger the further I go and I was wrapped up in this one from page one. It helped significantly that Moning continued the MacKeltar’s story in this read rather than putting it off for another book or two. I very much appreciated the smooth easy slide from Drustan and Gwen’s story right into Dageus and Chloe’s. Once again, the time travel element didn’t really bother me (like it normally would minus a Tardis) because of the characters. Going back to Dageus’s home and getting the follow-up to his father and Nell’s story was so heartwarming and welcome and the jump back into the present brings Drustan and Gwen even further into the story which is just as welcome. In all, this book has a bit of everything I like: a feisty as hell heroine, a smoking hot, dark yet caring hero, some fine naughty bits, and just enough paranormal drama and action to keep me involved and not overwhelmed. show less
This was probably the book with the best plot out of the series. It was well done and really interesting and I seriously was almost sitting on the edge of my seat wondering how the hell Moning was going to get Dageus out of the grand mess he made. I also enjoyed seeing the main characters from Kiss of the Highlander appear in this one. And again Moning writes another great hero, because Dageus is wonderful.
One thing that really annoyed me in this book was how Moning made Chloe a huge fan of “Touch of the Highlander.” That zapped me out of the story and had me putting the book down for a bit. Also, I’m noticing a trend in events in these books. Like how the hero and heroine always get separated somehow at the end and the heroine show more spirals into this huge depression until POOF! The hero is served back to her on a silver platter. It’s starting to get a tiny bit annoying. Also, I wasn’t into Chloe too much, while she wasn’t annoying, I don’t think she was the greatest of Monings heroines. show less
One thing that really annoyed me in this book was how Moning made Chloe a huge fan of “Touch of the Highlander.” That zapped me out of the story and had me putting the book down for a bit. Also, I’m noticing a trend in events in these books. Like how the hero and heroine always get separated somehow at the end and the heroine show more spirals into this huge depression until POOF! The hero is served back to her on a silver platter. It’s starting to get a tiny bit annoying. Also, I wasn’t into Chloe too much, while she wasn’t annoying, I don’t think she was the greatest of Monings heroines. show less
Ok Daegus is now tied for my favorite book with his twin brother! I loved this book. From the very beginning you're drawn into this world where a man with evil inside him desperately tries to fight it and find a way to rid himself of it. Enter the innocent nerd who completely entrances him! It's a self-proclaimed nerd's fantasy!! We get more time travel, which I'm loving! We get to see Drustan and Gwen again, and even better we get to see Silvan and Nell and see what happened with them after Gwen got sent back! The whole of the book was packed with mystery, romance and a sense of foreboding. And those pesky Fae are messing in things again! A must read for any Moning fan!
I picked up The Dark Highlander after devouring Moning's Fever series. I was so impressed by her style and characters in the Fever books that I decided to try the Highlander series.
It was still recognizably the same author, with the same talent, but the experience just wasn't as satisfying to me. I have a real problem with heros who present themselves as Mr. Big Bad and Scary, then turn out to be knights in shining armor, and that's exactly what Daegus is (in Fever speak: He's no Jericho Barrons). Daegus is a lamb wearing a wolf's coat; or, to be fair, an intimidating but loyal guard dog in a wolf's coat. At first he seems like a borderline villain - he steals valuable medieval manuscripts, he kidnaps the heroine, and, oh yeah, he is show more the living vessel of thirteen evil Druid souls, and their evil is leeching into him along with their power - but it isn't long before his true colors shine through. Actually, he's using superhuman purity of soul to resist the influence of the evil Druids, he's going to return the manuscripts he stole, and he's madly in love with the heroine.
Chloe was an engaging character, and I liked her, but she was a much smaller presence than Daegus. We find out about her background, about her childhood and the early death of her parents, her Scottish grandfather who taught her to love all things Celtic, about her passions and her talents. She's smart and sweet and courageous. Despite all that, I found her kind of forgettable. I'm not sure why - maybe because while Daegus is trying to save the world AND fall in love, her big challenge is whether or not she'll risk an emotional attachment to a man like Daegus, who seems like a real heartbreaker...for the first hundred pages or so.
There wasn't anything *wrong* with The Dark Highlander, and it was a fine read. It just wasn't my cup of tea. show less
It was still recognizably the same author, with the same talent, but the experience just wasn't as satisfying to me. I have a real problem with heros who present themselves as Mr. Big Bad and Scary, then turn out to be knights in shining armor, and that's exactly what Daegus is (in Fever speak: He's no Jericho Barrons). Daegus is a lamb wearing a wolf's coat; or, to be fair, an intimidating but loyal guard dog in a wolf's coat. At first he seems like a borderline villain - he steals valuable medieval manuscripts, he kidnaps the heroine, and, oh yeah, he is show more the living vessel of thirteen evil Druid souls, and their evil is leeching into him along with their power - but it isn't long before his true colors shine through. Actually, he's using superhuman purity of soul to resist the influence of the evil Druids, he's going to return the manuscripts he stole, and he's madly in love with the heroine.
Chloe was an engaging character, and I liked her, but she was a much smaller presence than Daegus. We find out about her background, about her childhood and the early death of her parents, her Scottish grandfather who taught her to love all things Celtic, about her passions and her talents. She's smart and sweet and courageous. Despite all that, I found her kind of forgettable. I'm not sure why - maybe because while Daegus is trying to save the world AND fall in love, her big challenge is whether or not she'll risk an emotional attachment to a man like Daegus, who seems like a real heartbreaker...for the first hundred pages or so.
There wasn't anything *wrong* with The Dark Highlander, and it was a fine read. It just wasn't my cup of tea. show less
A wonderful alpha male mixed with a heroine who could have been paralysingly (boringly) good, but ended up being full of spirit and more than up to the job. Am looking forward to reading the next two books!
*****
Reread 21 May 2014
Rating: 4 stars
I'm harder on my ratings now but I still really enjoyed this book. Moning writes some great 'mundane' situations made humourous mixed in with the fantastical. Loved the narration - that beautiful Scottish brogue is melt-worthy.
*****
Reread 21 May 2014
Rating: 4 stars
I'm harder on my ratings now but I still really enjoyed this book. Moning writes some great 'mundane' situations made humourous mixed in with the fantastical. Loved the narration - that beautiful Scottish brogue is melt-worthy.
This is the first book I've ever read by Karen Marie Moning, and talk about starting on a high. I absolutely love this book for several reasons. First, Daegus is one of the most delicious male characters ever created. He's powerful, dangerous, beautiful, brilliant, and just sophisticated enough that you don't always recognize the primal menace staring out from those golden eyes. Enter his female counterpart, Chloe, who's purity of heart and exceptional intelligence makes her the perfect match for someone like Daegus. She gives booknerds a good name. Then there's the story, which is fun, original, and stands well on its own but also marks a major turning point in the larger storyline of the Highlander series. Add a liberal dose of sex show more appeal, and you have one doozy of a novel. show less
Awesome. The only thing that bothered me was that the plot took a little too much time to go forward.
The chemistry with Dageus and Chloe was incredibly touching and things took some time to heat up, but the sexual tension was always present and then the pages simply caught fire.
The chemistry with Dageus and Chloe was incredibly touching and things took some time to heat up, but the sexual tension was always present and then the pages simply caught fire.
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Karen Marie Moning was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. She received a bachelor's degree in society and law from Purdue University. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a bartender, a computer consultant, and an insurance specialist. Her first book, Beyond the Highland Mist, was published in 1999. She writes the Highlander series, the Fever show more series, and the Fever World series. Her first graphic novel, Fever Moon, was published in 2012. Her novels have won numerous awards, including the RITA Award for best novel in 2001 for The Highlander's Touch. Karen's title's Feverborn and High Votage made the New York Times Bestseller List. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Awards
Series
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Beyond the Highland Mist / To Tame A Highland Warrior / The Highlander's Touch / Kiss of the Highlander / The Dark Highlander / The Immortal Highlander / Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Dark Highlander
- Original title
- The Dark Highlander
- Original publication date
- 2002-10-01
- People/Characters
- Chloe Zanders; Dageus MacKeltar; Drustan MacKeltar; Gwen Cassidy; Adam Black; Aoibheal (show all 11); Silvan MacKeltar; Katherine O'Malley; Simon Barton-Drew; Giles; Tom
- Important places
- Scotland, UK; Manhattan, New York, New York, USA
- Epigraph
- Time is the coin of your life.
It is the only coin you have,
and only you can determine how it will be spent,
Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.
—CARL SANDBURG - First words
- In a place difficult for humans to find, a man, of sorts—it amused him to go by the name of Adam Black among mortals—approached a silk-canopied dais and knelt before his queen.
- Quotations
- Tom, I have my master's in ancient civilizations and speak as many languages as you do. You've always said my opinion counts. Does it or doesn't it?
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)He'd claimed his mate, and the future loomed ahead of them, resplendent with promise.
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- Rating
- (4.10)
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- 5 — English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish
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- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 27
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- 1
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- 6