Title: Surrender the Dark (The Dark #1)
Author: Tibby Armstrong
Publisher: Loveswept, Random House Publishing Group
Publishing Date: May 23, 2017
Genre: M/M Romance, Paranormal
Format: eBook
Rating: 2.5 Stars
synopsis
As a provocative series of paranormal temptation begins, a vampire king seduces the supernaturally gifted man hunting him. But when the stakes are literally life or death, their struggle for control is no game.
Benjamin Fuller is a hunter, born and bred. Blinded as a child by the vampire who slaughtered his family, he’s blessed with a second sight that allows him to catch and kill his quarry. What his gift can’t help him see coming is his fierce, almost carnal attraction to the mystery man who claims to be a fellow hunter and whose touch triggers both lust and revulsion. When he gains the upper hand, Benjamin vows to bring his enemy to his knees.
After many years spent in exile, the only one who can help restore Tzadkiel Dragoumanos to his rightful place as War King is a blind hunter with golden curls, a lithe dancer’s physique, and distinctive facial scars—scars Tzadkiel gave him two decades ago. The mere scent of Benjamin Fuller provokes an unwelcome rush of insatiable desire. Yet to win an all-out supernatural war, Tzadkiel must resist the ravenous hunger to possess his prey—for now.
♦ Personal Thought ♦
Surrender the Dark is the first of a new series: The Dark, that told stories of the vampires Dragoumanos brothers set on modern Boston. It’s the story of betrayal, honor, love and redemption. Pretty interesting take on the supernatural world, actually, especially the vampire one. It got interesting when the pairing characters were from opposite camps, the vampire and their hunter. Not only that, theirs is the sort of deadlock over past hurt that left physical mark on both. That’s a huge, HUGE, obstacle to overcome.
I felt sorry for the characters for the trauma they had gone through, and the after effects. Even so, I was not really charmed by them – Benjamin struck me as boastful and reckless, yet I didn’t see said deadly-skilled hunter reputation on page; and Tzadkiel sounded guileless and easy to dupe for a War King. The inner turmoil over their attractions and repulsion felt realistic, though. Although, the hot and cold conflict was a wee bit excessive after a while. I mean, I understand where both men came from; but there were the whole other stuff of trying to defeat a dangerous witch, dubious ally to work on, dispirited mora to take care of… I wish the story explored more on those to illustrate the bigger picture instead of only circled on Ben an Tzadkiel.
Granted, being a series with different pairing on each entry, the author might have planned to reveal the missing details for the next book. So of course I cannot expect every byplay told now, and spoil all the fun of the upcoming book. Still, I thought the showdown scenes were a bit lame for this kind of story – I mean, monsters and mayhem? Weren’t they supposed to be epic?
All things aside, the approach on what’s bygone be bygone between the MCs was pretty realistic. I liked that the characters’ “battle scar” as proof of their strength (instead of “poof!” everything restored to previous condition). So, it’s a pretty ups and downs experience for me reading this book.
