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A Dark-Hunter series audiobook from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn KenyonEleven thousand years ago a god was born. Cursed into the body of a human, Acheron spent a lifetime of shame. His human death unleashed an unspeakable horror that almost destroyed the earth. Brought back against his will, he became the sole defender of mankind.
Only it was never that simple. For centuries, he has fought for our survival and hidden a past he never wants revealed. Until a lone woman who show more refuses to be intimidated by him threatens his very existence.
Now his survival, and ours, hinges on hers and old enemies reawaken and unite to kill them both.
War has never been more deadly... or more fun.
. show less
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Kodibear A man with a tortured past learns not only trust, but how to love and be loved.
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BookLizard The Immortal Guardians are similar to the Dark-Hunters and their leader Seth is powerful, yet protective, like Acheron.
Member Reviews
Acheron is one of those larger than life characters who captured my imagination from the moment I first met him when I started reading the Dark-Hunter series five years ago. Since then I've been patiently making my way through the series, and it's been a somewhat rocky road. Some books along the way have engaged my attention better than others. There were times I wished I could skip ahead, but I didn't want to miss any crucial character or plot development. There were also a few times when I was reading a book that just didn't speak to me that I felt like giving up, but Ash's book was always there beckoning me. Now that I've read Acheron, I'm so glad I didn't stop. I knew it was going to be a great story, and overall, I was very show more satisfied with it. Now, that's not to say that it was a perfect book. There were a few small plot holes and unexplained occurrences which seem to be par for the course in Sherrilyn Kenyon's novels. Little things like how Ash could hear Tory's thoughts at Sanctuary when he hadn't been able to before, or how he can get drunk on Sprite, or why he drinks so much beer when he doesn't appear to eat or drink any other human food or beverages nagged at me. Another of the author's quirks is too much repetition, and in this story, the thing that stood out to me the most was various characters frequently snorting, which is weird since this is the second book in a row I've read with this exact same problem. Lastly, Ms. Kenyon loves her deus ex machinas, and she does use a couple in this story. However, she also surprised me with a much more clever solution to another problem that arose. Despite a few minor quibbles, I can't deny that this is the best of Sherrilyn Kenyon's books I've read to date and that I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, so I didn't feel compelled to lower the rating even though it could have been ever so slightly better.
As I mentioned before, Acheron is what kept me reading this series. I've loved him from the start and after reading his book, I adore him even more. He is quite literally the most tortured hero I've ever read in a romance novel, and that's saying something since there are a few others who have suffered through similar circumstances. With Ash though, he has basically been a sex slave for 11,000 years until the perfect woman for him finally frees him. The first half of this book is admittedly rather torturous to read. Ash suffers though years of pain, humiliation, and degradation that is not for the faint of heart. Many times I found myself wanting to jump into the story and take him away from all that, because he was an innocent who didn't deserve anything that happened to him. As a child, Ash was a sweet, gentle boy who only wanted to be loved, but all he received was hate and scorn. Both his biological father, the god, Archon, and his human father wanted to kill him. The only person who truly loved him was his human sister, Ryssa. Acheron was such a kind, compassionate soul, he wouldn't have harmed a fly, and yet he was treated in such an abominable way, there aren't words to express how horrible it was. Every time he seemed to find a small measure of happiness, it was cruelly yanked away from him which completely broke my heart. Even after several millennia, he views himself as nothing but a whore and can't seem to escape that life. Once he came into his god powers, he got away from it for a while, but then bartered himself to Artemis again to save his Dark-Hunters and give them and their loves a happy life. No one truly knows all that Ash has sacrificed over the years, and he is so humble, he doesn't want them to know. It is truly amazing that no matter how much torment Acheron was subjected to in his life, he still treats others, especially those who are helpless, with kindness, gentleness, and respect. He takes no pleasure in other people's pain even those who've horribly wronged him. He takes his god powers and the responsibility that comes with them very seriously. He feels everything in a much deeper way than even most humans do. In spite of having a terrible childhood himself, he loves babies and children and is so tender with them. Even after all his heartbreak, he can't help wondering what it might be like to have a child of his own and a woman to love him unconditionally. Ash's little demon companion, Simi, is, in his mind, a daughter to him, and after seeing the depth of their bond in this story, I now fully understand why he got so upset with Nick for having sex with her. I love how Ash is charitable and constantly giving back to the community in various ways. When Tory comes into his life, Ash is completely undone, and yet, strangely empowered by her acceptance of him, warts and all. Every time she embraces a new part of him, he marvels at it, and her tenderness toward him is like nothing he's ever known before. Ash is such a sweetheart, I almost want to put him in my beta hero category, and the only thing that stops me from that is the fact that in his god form he is quite fearsome and his powers instill fear in the hearts of both gods and men. No matter what form he's in, no one deserves the true love and happiness Ash finally found more than he does.
Tory was first introduced as a brainy teenage geek who was helping her older cousin, Geary, in her quest to find Atlantis in Dream Hunter. Since then, she's put her intelligence to good use, getting her doctorate degree by age twenty and becoming a leading expert in her field. She's never given up the search for Atlantis, because she desperately wants to make her family's sacrifices mean something and to save her father's reputation. Unfortunately, even though he doesn't want to hurt her, Ash puts Tory's own reputation in question when he deliberately discredits her in front of a large audience in an attempt to prevent her from uncovering secrets he wants to keep buried. Tory is a geek girl after my own heart who is afraid of crowds and public speaking, but ultimately, throughout the rest of the story, she doesn't really exhibit any shyness or other nerdy qualities except for wearing glasses, without which she is practically blind, and being a little clumsy. On the contrary, we find out that she's a closet thrill-seeker, and at her first couple of meetings with Ash, she's a rather mouthy spitfire, entertaining some vicious fantasies of hurting him. I guess I can't blame her too much for being so upset with him, since he did basically ruin her career, but at the same time, I never would have thrown a hammer at the poor guy. Once she finally gets to know him though, Tory calms down and treats him with the utmost kindness. She is incredibly gentle with Ash while trying to coax him to eat and to take off his sunglasses so she can see his eyes. She is also very intuitive of Ash's painful, abusive past, figuring out that something terrible must have happened to him long before he finally reveals any of the gory details to her. One of the things I adored most about her was the way she chides her friends for ogling Ash and then tells them she likes him for his brain more than his body. That really hit home for me, because that's the type of person I am. The best thing about Tory though, is that while she may be surprised by certain developments at first, she ultimately, takes them in stride and loves each and every part of Ash as it's presented to her, including the things about himself that he's always hated.
I have to admit that throughout my reading of this book, I was hoping that Ash and Tory's relationship would build into something amazing, something that totally wowed me into believing they share a love worth waiting 11,000 years for. Maybe I had my expectations set just a wee bit too high, but I didn't feel like it quite reached that spectacular level where I was completely blown away by their romance. It was nice and sweet, and I don't deny that they fit together perfectly. Ms. Kenyon also did a great job of setting Tory apart from all the other women Ash had known in his life. Still, I couldn't help but feel like there was a little something missing. I think part of it was because in all the eons of Ash's life, he's never felt this way toward any woman, yet he doesn't seem to find it the least bit odd nor does he really try to fight it in any way. Also, after everything he'd been through as a sex slave and Artemis being the only woman he's willingly had sex with (and even then only in the beginning), I thought it a bit unusual that he would have such lusty feelings toward Tory. I guess I wanted their relationship to be built purely on emotion and be something incredibly special that the author hasn't done before and that only they shared, but in the beginning, it was really only the typical physical attraction that Ms. Kenyon uses in most of her stories. There just didn't seem to be a whole lot to set Ash and Tory's relationship apart from any other Dark-Hunter romance, and I also felt like it was slightly overshadowed by the fight to keep Tory safe and the journals from falling into the wrong hands. I would have loved a few more tender moments between Tory and Ash. There was definitely enough to convince me of their love and their rightness for one another, but oftentimes these scenes didn't last long before they were jumping into the action again. A couple more love scenes would have been extremely welcome too. They only have one moderately detailed scene and one other one that is pretty much skimmed over. Ash had more sex scenes with Artemis in Part I than he did with Tory in Part II, so I couldn't help feeling like they got a little cheated in this department. However, all of my little complaints, again, weren't enough to make me drop the rating, because in the end, I was convinced of Ash and Tory's love, even if their romance was slightly lacking. Not to mention, Ash alone made the story more than worth reading.
As might be expected, Artemis plays a huge role in the story. During the first half of the book, she is Ash's “love interest.” She is as imperious as ever, always thinking herself above everyone else, but in the beginning, she's also incredibly naive. She occasionally feels twinges of compassion for Ash, but she never truly understands him or what he's been through. Ash intrigues Artemis and peaks her curiosity, because he doesn't treat her like a goddess. Yet despite her claims of friendship, she views him as more of a pet than a person. In spite of these qualities that were consistent with her characterization up to this point in the series, she had just enough humanity in her early on that it actually took a while for the real Artemis we all know and love (Not!) to finally come out and play. At that point, I completely despised her. She could profess her love for Acheron all she wanted, but it was never a real, true, or lasting love. Instead, her affections were nothing more than selfish obsession. She was kind to him when it pleased her to be, but then she could turn on a dime to become viciously abusive. If she had really loved him, she would have been willing to risk everything for him. Not to mention, she wouldn't have broken her promises to him, knowing how much it would hurt him. In fact, Artemis knowing what had been done to Ash, and yet still doing all the same things to him herself for all those centuries, made her actions even more abominable.
I've known from reading all of the Dark-Hunter books that Acheron and Artemis have a long, sordid and complicated history, and after reading this book, I now know the whole of it. In the beginning, I couldn't help feeling a bit jealous of the fact that Artemis could arouse desire in Ash after all that he'd been through. I suppose I prefer to think of my heroes only with their heroine and not with other women. However, this relationship is an important part of who Ash is as a person, and therefore, integral to the story. Given Ash's history, it wasn't at all surprising that he would enter into a dysfunctional relationship like this. He'd been told all his life that he was nothing but a worthless whore, so it's understandable that he would be drawn to a woman who didn't say those things or treat him badly (at first of course). When Artemis does start treating him like everyone else, it cuts deeper than anything ever has before, but he continues to allow her back into his life over and over, because he needs so badly to be needed, wanted, and loved by anyone that he's willing to risk the pain. He's a classic case of an abused person repeatedly going back to their abuser, because it's the only thing they know and somehow they feel like they don't deserve anything better. Not to mention that with Artemis being a goddess, Ash had very little choice in the matter. She could simply impose her will upon him, hurt him even worse than the humans did if he refused, or manipulate him, which is essentially what she did the couple of times that he did finally manage to get free of her.
Most of the Dark-Hunter and Were-Hunter heroes and heroines from both past and future books show up at some point during the story. I love the way they all pulled together to help Ash in his time of need. Those scenes were incredibly touching. Nick has a slightly more prominent role than the others which isn't too surprising given that he was Ash's best friend at one time. Although Ash is truly regretful of the events that his actions set into motion which destroyed that friendship, Nick is far from ready to let go of his animosity toward Ash. Still, it was good to see a small part of the old Nick back, and I was also glad to see him doing the right thing. After reading his final scene in this book though, all I have to say is he's going to need all the help he can get, because I don't think he has any idea what he's in store for with the new “friendship” he formed. Ash's twin brother, Styxx is also a major player in the first part of the book. He, like everyone else, is so incredibly horrible toward Ash, that it's difficult to think of him as a future hero, but I suppose that him being cursed to have Ash's memories has probably softened him up some, and he does do a “good deed” to help Ash out in a big way too.
Overall, I would say that, when everything is put into perspective, Acheron did mostly live up to the hype for me. I'll love and adore Ash, and he'll be one of all-time favorite romance heroes until the day I die. I loved watching him grow and slowly learn how to love and trust again. I had said before that after reading this book, all bets would be off as to whether I would continue with the series. At this point, I would say that I most likely will, at least for the time being, if for no other reason than I'm hoping for more Ash sightings. I know that Sherrilyn Kenyon has planned the culmination of the next major part of the story arc to be Jaden's book and the one after that to be Savitar's. However, I have to admit that neither they nor any other upcoming character has quite captured my imagination or affections yet in the same way Ash did from the start. With that being the case, it remains to be seen if anyone will instill the kind of loyalty needed to continue the series long-term in the way I have for Ash. He's simply one of a kind, and there's no other romance hero quite like him.
Note: The scenes of Ash being almost constantly raped, tortured, and abused from childhood on can be deeply affecting, disturbing, and depressing. I would strongly caution sensitive readers or anyone who has been the victim of physical or sexual abuse to be sure you can handle it before reading. show less
As I mentioned before, Acheron is what kept me reading this series. I've loved him from the start and after reading his book, I adore him even more. He is quite literally the most tortured hero I've ever read in a romance novel, and that's saying something since there are a few others who have suffered through similar circumstances. With Ash though, he has basically been a sex slave for 11,000 years until the perfect woman for him finally frees him. The first half of this book is admittedly rather torturous to read. Ash suffers though years of pain, humiliation, and degradation that is not for the faint of heart. Many times I found myself wanting to jump into the story and take him away from all that, because he was an innocent who didn't deserve anything that happened to him. As a child, Ash was a sweet, gentle boy who only wanted to be loved, but all he received was hate and scorn. Both his biological father, the god, Archon, and his human father wanted to kill him. The only person who truly loved him was his human sister, Ryssa. Acheron was such a kind, compassionate soul, he wouldn't have harmed a fly, and yet he was treated in such an abominable way, there aren't words to express how horrible it was. Every time he seemed to find a small measure of happiness, it was cruelly yanked away from him which completely broke my heart. Even after several millennia, he views himself as nothing but a whore and can't seem to escape that life. Once he came into his god powers, he got away from it for a while, but then bartered himself to Artemis again to save his Dark-Hunters and give them and their loves a happy life. No one truly knows all that Ash has sacrificed over the years, and he is so humble, he doesn't want them to know. It is truly amazing that no matter how much torment Acheron was subjected to in his life, he still treats others, especially those who are helpless, with kindness, gentleness, and respect. He takes no pleasure in other people's pain even those who've horribly wronged him. He takes his god powers and the responsibility that comes with them very seriously. He feels everything in a much deeper way than even most humans do. In spite of having a terrible childhood himself, he loves babies and children and is so tender with them. Even after all his heartbreak, he can't help wondering what it might be like to have a child of his own and a woman to love him unconditionally. Ash's little demon companion, Simi, is, in his mind, a daughter to him, and after seeing the depth of their bond in this story, I now fully understand why he got so upset with Nick for having sex with her. I love how Ash is charitable and constantly giving back to the community in various ways. When Tory comes into his life, Ash is completely undone, and yet, strangely empowered by her acceptance of him, warts and all. Every time she embraces a new part of him, he marvels at it, and her tenderness toward him is like nothing he's ever known before. Ash is such a sweetheart, I almost want to put him in my beta hero category, and the only thing that stops me from that is the fact that in his god form he is quite fearsome and his powers instill fear in the hearts of both gods and men. No matter what form he's in, no one deserves the true love and happiness Ash finally found more than he does.
Tory was first introduced as a brainy teenage geek who was helping her older cousin, Geary, in her quest to find Atlantis in Dream Hunter. Since then, she's put her intelligence to good use, getting her doctorate degree by age twenty and becoming a leading expert in her field. She's never given up the search for Atlantis, because she desperately wants to make her family's sacrifices mean something and to save her father's reputation. Unfortunately, even though he doesn't want to hurt her, Ash puts Tory's own reputation in question when he deliberately discredits her in front of a large audience in an attempt to prevent her from uncovering secrets he wants to keep buried. Tory is a geek girl after my own heart who is afraid of crowds and public speaking, but ultimately, throughout the rest of the story, she doesn't really exhibit any shyness or other nerdy qualities except for wearing glasses, without which she is practically blind, and being a little clumsy. On the contrary, we find out that she's a closet thrill-seeker, and at her first couple of meetings with Ash, she's a rather mouthy spitfire, entertaining some vicious fantasies of hurting him. I guess I can't blame her too much for being so upset with him, since he did basically ruin her career, but at the same time, I never would have thrown a hammer at the poor guy. Once she finally gets to know him though, Tory calms down and treats him with the utmost kindness. She is incredibly gentle with Ash while trying to coax him to eat and to take off his sunglasses so she can see his eyes. She is also very intuitive of Ash's painful, abusive past, figuring out that something terrible must have happened to him long before he finally reveals any of the gory details to her. One of the things I adored most about her was the way she chides her friends for ogling Ash and then tells them she likes him for his brain more than his body. That really hit home for me, because that's the type of person I am. The best thing about Tory though, is that while she may be surprised by certain developments at first, she ultimately, takes them in stride and loves each and every part of Ash as it's presented to her, including the things about himself that he's always hated.
I have to admit that throughout my reading of this book, I was hoping that Ash and Tory's relationship would build into something amazing, something that totally wowed me into believing they share a love worth waiting 11,000 years for. Maybe I had my expectations set just a wee bit too high, but I didn't feel like it quite reached that spectacular level where I was completely blown away by their romance. It was nice and sweet, and I don't deny that they fit together perfectly. Ms. Kenyon also did a great job of setting Tory apart from all the other women Ash had known in his life. Still, I couldn't help but feel like there was a little something missing. I think part of it was because in all the eons of Ash's life, he's never felt this way toward any woman, yet he doesn't seem to find it the least bit odd nor does he really try to fight it in any way. Also, after everything he'd been through as a sex slave and Artemis being the only woman he's willingly had sex with (and even then only in the beginning), I thought it a bit unusual that he would have such lusty feelings toward Tory. I guess I wanted their relationship to be built purely on emotion and be something incredibly special that the author hasn't done before and that only they shared, but in the beginning, it was really only the typical physical attraction that Ms. Kenyon uses in most of her stories. There just didn't seem to be a whole lot to set Ash and Tory's relationship apart from any other Dark-Hunter romance, and I also felt like it was slightly overshadowed by the fight to keep Tory safe and the journals from falling into the wrong hands. I would have loved a few more tender moments between Tory and Ash. There was definitely enough to convince me of their love and their rightness for one another, but oftentimes these scenes didn't last long before they were jumping into the action again. A couple more love scenes would have been extremely welcome too. They only have one moderately detailed scene and one other one that is pretty much skimmed over. Ash had more sex scenes with Artemis in Part I than he did with Tory in Part II, so I couldn't help feeling like they got a little cheated in this department. However, all of my little complaints, again, weren't enough to make me drop the rating, because in the end, I was convinced of Ash and Tory's love, even if their romance was slightly lacking. Not to mention, Ash alone made the story more than worth reading.
As might be expected, Artemis plays a huge role in the story. During the first half of the book, she is Ash's “love interest.” She is as imperious as ever, always thinking herself above everyone else, but in the beginning, she's also incredibly naive. She occasionally feels twinges of compassion for Ash, but she never truly understands him or what he's been through. Ash intrigues Artemis and peaks her curiosity, because he doesn't treat her like a goddess. Yet despite her claims of friendship, she views him as more of a pet than a person. In spite of these qualities that were consistent with her characterization up to this point in the series, she had just enough humanity in her early on that it actually took a while for the real Artemis we all know and love (Not!) to finally come out and play. At that point, I completely despised her. She could profess her love for Acheron all she wanted, but it was never a real, true, or lasting love. Instead, her affections were nothing more than selfish obsession. She was kind to him when it pleased her to be, but then she could turn on a dime to become viciously abusive. If she had really loved him, she would have been willing to risk everything for him. Not to mention, she wouldn't have broken her promises to him, knowing how much it would hurt him. In fact, Artemis knowing what had been done to Ash, and yet still doing all the same things to him herself for all those centuries, made her actions even more abominable.
I've known from reading all of the Dark-Hunter books that Acheron and Artemis have a long, sordid and complicated history, and after reading this book, I now know the whole of it. In the beginning, I couldn't help feeling a bit jealous of the fact that Artemis could arouse desire in Ash after all that he'd been through. I suppose I prefer to think of my heroes only with their heroine and not with other women. However, this relationship is an important part of who Ash is as a person, and therefore, integral to the story. Given Ash's history, it wasn't at all surprising that he would enter into a dysfunctional relationship like this. He'd been told all his life that he was nothing but a worthless whore, so it's understandable that he would be drawn to a woman who didn't say those things or treat him badly (at first of course). When Artemis does start treating him like everyone else, it cuts deeper than anything ever has before, but he continues to allow her back into his life over and over, because he needs so badly to be needed, wanted, and loved by anyone that he's willing to risk the pain. He's a classic case of an abused person repeatedly going back to their abuser, because it's the only thing they know and somehow they feel like they don't deserve anything better. Not to mention that with Artemis being a goddess, Ash had very little choice in the matter. She could simply impose her will upon him, hurt him even worse than the humans did if he refused, or manipulate him, which is essentially what she did the couple of times that he did finally manage to get free of her.
Most of the Dark-Hunter and Were-Hunter heroes and heroines from both past and future books show up at some point during the story. I love the way they all pulled together to help Ash in his time of need. Those scenes were incredibly touching. Nick has a slightly more prominent role than the others which isn't too surprising given that he was Ash's best friend at one time. Although Ash is truly regretful of the events that his actions set into motion which destroyed that friendship, Nick is far from ready to let go of his animosity toward Ash. Still, it was good to see a small part of the old Nick back, and I was also glad to see him doing the right thing. After reading his final scene in this book though, all I have to say is he's going to need all the help he can get, because I don't think he has any idea what he's in store for with the new “friendship” he formed. Ash's twin brother, Styxx is also a major player in the first part of the book. He, like everyone else, is so incredibly horrible toward Ash, that it's difficult to think of him as a future hero, but I suppose that him being cursed to have Ash's memories has probably softened him up some, and he does do a “good deed” to help Ash out in a big way too.
Overall, I would say that, when everything is put into perspective, Acheron did mostly live up to the hype for me. I'll love and adore Ash, and he'll be one of all-time favorite romance heroes until the day I die. I loved watching him grow and slowly learn how to love and trust again. I had said before that after reading this book, all bets would be off as to whether I would continue with the series. At this point, I would say that I most likely will, at least for the time being, if for no other reason than I'm hoping for more Ash sightings. I know that Sherrilyn Kenyon has planned the culmination of the next major part of the story arc to be Jaden's book and the one after that to be Savitar's. However, I have to admit that neither they nor any other upcoming character has quite captured my imagination or affections yet in the same way Ash did from the start. With that being the case, it remains to be seen if anyone will instill the kind of loyalty needed to continue the series long-term in the way I have for Ash. He's simply one of a kind, and there's no other romance hero quite like him.
Note: The scenes of Ash being almost constantly raped, tortured, and abused from childhood on can be deeply affecting, disturbing, and depressing. I would strongly caution sensitive readers or anyone who has been the victim of physical or sexual abuse to be sure you can handle it before reading. show less
Sometimes beloved characters become more than just actors in a story; they become friends readers spend time with. I had this book on release day and eagerly started it. And then promptly put it down again until now. I have a real aversion to major character abuse, even when it is not gratuitous. Honestly, I just did not want to see Ash suffer, which made the first half of this book utterly heart-breaking. And it's not like the author doesn't warn you right in the introduction. Ash's human life was one of agony, endless (and quite literal) torture, humiliation and betrayal. And sadly, it continued that way long after he became a god thanks to Artemis. I felt emotionally drained by the time I reached part 2, wherein his redemption story show more begins. But, knowing part 1 is essential to knowing Ash. It goes a lot toward his motivations such as why he reacted so violently and irrationally to Nick sleeping with Simi, his love/hate relationship with Artemis and, most importantly, his extreme insecurities. Yep, the Harbinger of Destruction has very low self-esteem barely balanced by monumental compassion.
Part 2 read more like a traditional Dark-Hunter romance. Tory has been searching for Atlantis and has finally found it. Ash cannot let her reveal it to the world as it would reveal his painful past and destroy what little dignity he has left. What makes her special is that she is immune to his god-made desirability (e.g. she finds him sexy, but doesn't fall over him as all other human are driven to) and hates him at first for sabotaging an academic lecture. Though it wasn't the most exciting D-H romance Kenyon has written, it was believable and very tender. Like so many readers, I just wanted Ash to be happy and it was almost a catharsis when he finally was. When I finished, I felt much as I did after the last Harry Potter book. It wasn't perfect by any means, and probably only deserved 3 or 4 stars, but I was so satisfied that it stayed with me long after I put the book down. The HEA was perfect simply because Ash deserved it. show less
Part 2 read more like a traditional Dark-Hunter romance. Tory has been searching for Atlantis and has finally found it. Ash cannot let her reveal it to the world as it would reveal his painful past and destroy what little dignity he has left. What makes her special is that she is immune to his god-made desirability (e.g. she finds him sexy, but doesn't fall over him as all other human are driven to) and hates him at first for sabotaging an academic lecture. Though it wasn't the most exciting D-H romance Kenyon has written, it was believable and very tender. Like so many readers, I just wanted Ash to be happy and it was almost a catharsis when he finally was. When I finished, I felt much as I did after the last Harry Potter book. It wasn't perfect by any means, and probably only deserved 3 or 4 stars, but I was so satisfied that it stayed with me long after I put the book down. The HEA was perfect simply because Ash deserved it. show less
I'll try to keep this review short because there are no words to adequately describe this audiobook ,"Acheron" that I just completed. It's was my first Dark Hunter book that I'd have to say was one of the darkest,most emotionally gut wrenching, and heartbreaking books I've ever read (or listened to). However, at the same time Acheron was inspiring, uplifting and a completely amazing story. I'm just afraid my review won't do this book justice.
Acheron is both tragic and gruesome like many Greek tragedies, but at least our hero of heroes gets his happily ever after as well when he meets Tory, a Greek professor who he impresses so much that she threw a hammer at him.
Since this was my first book in the Hunter series, if this book is any show more indication,this series has fairly intense, explicit sexual scenes. I'd have to say this because in varying degrees, sex plays a big part in Acheron's story and some of it is emotionally very dark and disturbing, but I'd have to say that I came away loving Ash, the Wrangler and Atlantean God, who overcomes his past with soul healing love from Tory and the characters he comes to realize are his real friends.
jack Murphy show less
Acheron is both tragic and gruesome like many Greek tragedies, but at least our hero of heroes gets his happily ever after as well when he meets Tory, a Greek professor who he impresses so much that she threw a hammer at him.
Since this was my first book in the Hunter series, if this book is any show more indication,this series has fairly intense, explicit sexual scenes. I'd have to say this because in varying degrees, sex plays a big part in Acheron's story and some of it is emotionally very dark and disturbing, but I'd have to say that I came away loving Ash, the Wrangler and Atlantean God, who overcomes his past with soul healing love from Tory and the characters he comes to realize are his real friends.
jack Murphy show less
3.5 stars
Sigh. I would never had imagined his horrific beginnings and it's amazing that he is such a good person. I do have to say that I preferred the first half of the story over the second. Kenyon, IMO, hasn't written a great romance in a while. I don't feel the connection or chemistry between the main characters and, sadly, Acheron was no exception. I also felt that he wasn't the same person I've come to love over the course of the series. Even though I now know why, he came off as whiny and needy and I'm used to seeing the strong Ash. I haven't decided yet if I am done with the Dark Hunters for good.
Sigh. I would never had imagined his horrific beginnings and it's amazing that he is such a good person. I do have to say that I preferred the first half of the story over the second. Kenyon, IMO, hasn't written a great romance in a while. I don't feel the connection or chemistry between the main characters and, sadly, Acheron was no exception. I also felt that he wasn't the same person I've come to love over the course of the series. Even though I now know why, he came off as whiny and needy and I'm used to seeing the strong Ash. I haven't decided yet if I am done with the Dark Hunters for good.
I got into Greek mythology, when I was about 12 (ages ago), and other pantheons as time went on. I read Devil May Cry a couple months ago, and got really interested in Ms. Kenyons writing, so I did some digging to see what else I had of hers, and found this in my collection of boxes of books.
One word here - Excellent. From settings and backgrounds, to turmoil, conflicts, and desire, she turns up the heat with each page, drawing the reader into Acheron's world, one of misery, deceit and abuse, but at the same time, a sense of redemption. The Atlanteon Destroyer god is much much more than he seems, and given his history, it is truly remarkable he has any sanity, or sense of kindness in him, yet it is there, supported in part by all he has show more suffered and endured.
A remarkable tale crafted from mythology, legend, and some very fine creativity, it serves as good cuase to hunt down more of Ms. Kenyon's works and devour them. show less
One word here - Excellent. From settings and backgrounds, to turmoil, conflicts, and desire, she turns up the heat with each page, drawing the reader into Acheron's world, one of misery, deceit and abuse, but at the same time, a sense of redemption. The Atlanteon Destroyer god is much much more than he seems, and given his history, it is truly remarkable he has any sanity, or sense of kindness in him, yet it is there, supported in part by all he has show more suffered and endured.
A remarkable tale crafted from mythology, legend, and some very fine creativity, it serves as good cuase to hunt down more of Ms. Kenyon's works and devour them. show less
Hands down my favorite Dark-Hunter book! The first part was so heart breaking and sad, that there was a moment there that I thought things just couldn't get much worse than they already were and when they did it all went to hell. Literally. The second part was even better, and not just for the fact that the events were superbly better for Ash, but also for the fact that Tory made her appearance and she became one of my favorite characters. She stood up for Ash, didn't take any bull from him and grew into somebody even more amazing until the very last page. Sure am excited to see how Artemis' last twist is going to go for the other Dark-Hunters.
I have recently come to adore this series, and I started at some of the earlier books...where you start to really love Acheron, and the moment this book became available to me through a free online audio library that is available through my local library....I just had to pick this one up. It is a long one, and since it is a audio book it took me some time to get through it. To be honest, the first half of the book...is really difficult to get through. It starts at the beginning of seeing his mother who was forced to give him up so he could survive not knowing what he would go through. When he is born a twin to a mortal queen, he should have been adored and treated like a prince right?? Wrong!! The only difference in looks between show more himself and his twin..his swirling silver eyes. Those eyes made him be rejected by his family except for one person...his older sister Rissa.
We see Acheron as a little boy being abused and beaten by his father, then skip years later to when he was a teenager...and oh the things we see I just wanted to cry for him. Rissa loves her brother, even though she is naive to the ways of her family and the ways of the world....she adores her brother. The rest of his mortal life is heartbreaking, and I will warn you, you need a box of tissues. Then Artemis steps in and I the more you see the way she uses him ....I wanted to strangle that "Heffer goddess" (according to Simi). Then we see him find out his true parentage, and events turn pretty crazy and we the man he becomes as he is in the present. There is so much depth and character to Acheron....he blew me away!! What a man and a god....amazing!! LOVE him so much!! But does it end there?? no he needs to have his happy ending right? An the woman for him is NOT artemis...thank goodness!!
We see a young woman enter into the story...a woman that is the perfect mate for Acheron in every way. She is everything he needs to heal from the past. Everyday he is reminded of his past and it haunts him. Tory is a historian and archaeologist. She is passionate about her work. Her family has been mocked and ridiculed...and is determined to make sure her parent's deaths are redeemed, by bringing honor and dignity and respect to their life's work...the find of Atlantis. She knows it exists. But at a presentation, of the most renown scientists and historian's she is mocked by Acheron. Acheron is shocked to see that this small woman may be the means to destroying him. No one must know the truth of his past or his connection to Atlantis. It could destroy the world. At first Tory only sees a man that dresses in black, handsome, but a scoundrel, wears piercings and is dangerous. She thinks him a college frat boy who doesn't know anything....little does she know that he is older than she could imagine. The romance is a bit rocky at first, but when Tory is in danger from enemies unknown to even Acheron...he knows he must protect her at all costs. Acheron and Tory form a strong link to each other...a bond that begins with friendship and then to a burning passion. Acheron knows he can't have this woman, who is beautiful and spirited and passionate...a woman too good for the likes of him. But Tory....she fights and protects those she calls loved ones...and when she starts falling in love with him. She realizes she would do anything for this man....no one would keep her from him even Acheron himself. Then Simi steps in and well we all love Simi, and I wondered how she would be with Tory....and have no fear I can just see them shopping together. Simi is charming, with a love of BBQ sauce, protector of Acheron and bitter enemy of Artemis ( who wouldn't love this demon who worms her way into your heart)
The romance between Acheron and Tory is passionate, vibrant and riveting in the emotional sense. When Acheron learns to trust the one woman he has loved more than any other....he believes she will reject him but I love a strong heroine, and Tory is a favorite of mine. She has such strength, and is willing to stand up for Acheron in such a way that breaks your heart!! After reading the first half and really seeing the kind of man Acheron is....and then to see Tory and the way she is with him and the manner in which she fights for the man she adores...it is truly breathtaking. The love between them is so tender yet wildly passionate. It tugs at your heart strings, and sings a tune of deep love and devotion, fighting for your mate, and a tale to bring tears to your eyes yet a smile on your face.An epic romance story guaranteed to enthrall you!!! show less
We see Acheron as a little boy being abused and beaten by his father, then skip years later to when he was a teenager...and oh the things we see I just wanted to cry for him. Rissa loves her brother, even though she is naive to the ways of her family and the ways of the world....she adores her brother. The rest of his mortal life is heartbreaking, and I will warn you, you need a box of tissues. Then Artemis steps in and I the more you see the way she uses him ....I wanted to strangle that "Heffer goddess" (according to Simi). Then we see him find out his true parentage, and events turn pretty crazy and we the man he becomes as he is in the present. There is so much depth and character to Acheron....he blew me away!! What a man and a god....amazing!! LOVE him so much!! But does it end there?? no he needs to have his happy ending right? An the woman for him is NOT artemis...thank goodness!!
We see a young woman enter into the story...a woman that is the perfect mate for Acheron in every way. She is everything he needs to heal from the past. Everyday he is reminded of his past and it haunts him. Tory is a historian and archaeologist. She is passionate about her work. Her family has been mocked and ridiculed...and is determined to make sure her parent's deaths are redeemed, by bringing honor and dignity and respect to their life's work...the find of Atlantis. She knows it exists. But at a presentation, of the most renown scientists and historian's she is mocked by Acheron. Acheron is shocked to see that this small woman may be the means to destroying him. No one must know the truth of his past or his connection to Atlantis. It could destroy the world. At first Tory only sees a man that dresses in black, handsome, but a scoundrel, wears piercings and is dangerous. She thinks him a college frat boy who doesn't know anything....little does she know that he is older than she could imagine. The romance is a bit rocky at first, but when Tory is in danger from enemies unknown to even Acheron...he knows he must protect her at all costs. Acheron and Tory form a strong link to each other...a bond that begins with friendship and then to a burning passion. Acheron knows he can't have this woman, who is beautiful and spirited and passionate...a woman too good for the likes of him. But Tory....she fights and protects those she calls loved ones...and when she starts falling in love with him. She realizes she would do anything for this man....no one would keep her from him even Acheron himself. Then Simi steps in and well we all love Simi, and I wondered how she would be with Tory....and have no fear I can just see them shopping together. Simi is charming, with a love of BBQ sauce, protector of Acheron and bitter enemy of Artemis ( who wouldn't love this demon who worms her way into your heart)
The romance between Acheron and Tory is passionate, vibrant and riveting in the emotional sense. When Acheron learns to trust the one woman he has loved more than any other....he believes she will reject him but I love a strong heroine, and Tory is a favorite of mine. She has such strength, and is willing to stand up for Acheron in such a way that breaks your heart!! After reading the first half and really seeing the kind of man Acheron is....and then to see Tory and the way she is with him and the manner in which she fights for the man she adores...it is truly breathtaking. The love between them is so tender yet wildly passionate. It tugs at your heart strings, and sings a tune of deep love and devotion, fighting for your mate, and a tale to bring tears to your eyes yet a smile on your face.An epic romance story guaranteed to enthrall you!!! show less
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261+ Works 96,635 Members
Sherrilyn Kenyon was born in Columbus, Georgia in 1965. She attended the University of Georgia. She has written novels and nonfiction works using both her real name and the pseudonym Kinley MacGregor. The name was created when she started writing historical romances. She writes several series including The Dark-Hunters, The League, Lords of show more Avalon, BAD Agency and the Chronicles of Nick. In 2018 her title, Death Doesn't Bargain, made the bestseller list. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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- Canonical title
- Acheron
- Original title
- Acheron
- Original publication date
- 2008
- People/Characters
- Acheron Parthenopaeus, "Ash"; Soteria "Tory" Kafieri; Artemis; Rhyssa; Apollo; Styxx (show all 56); Jaden; Xiamara; Apollymi "The Destroyer"; Simi; Archon; Basi; Chara; Agapa; Xedrix; Queen Aara; Zeus; Apostolos "The Harbinger"; Eleni; Merus; Apollodorus; Urian; Savitar; Julian Alexander (Julian of Macedon); Sunshine Runningwolf; Talon; Perry Stallings; Zach; Wanda; Theo Kafieri; Megeara "Geary" Kafieri; Xerina; Kim; Pam Gardner; Athena; Dimitri; Devereaux "Dev" Peltier; Aimee Peltier; Katherine; Justina; Angel Santiago; Tabitha Magnus; Dante Pontis; Zarek of Moesia; Nicholas "Nick" Ambrosius Gautier; Estes; Kyrian Hunter; Valerius Magnus; Alexion; Strykerius "Stryker"; Satara; Katya; Sin; Wulf Tryggvason; Wren Tigarian; Vane Kattalakis
- Important places
- Atlantis; Didymos; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Kalosis; Katoteros (show all 7); Olympus
- Important events
- Hurricane Katrina; Fall of Atlantis
- Dedication
- For my husband, who is my eye in the storm. Hand in hand, we've weathered many typhoons, and together we're still here. Thank you for being my light in the darkness and for showing me what loyalty and love are all about. You ... (show all)are the gentle wind that allows me to soar to the highest level. Thank you.
And for my children, who never shirk at eating more pizza. You guys are the greatest. - First words
- May 9, 9548 BC
"Kill that baby!" - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)He could live his life through her and that would always be enough for him.
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Bring the rain," he whispered, "bring the rain."
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