How many of you read Darker After Midnight? I had been waiting, and waiting, for Sterling Chase to finally have his story told. But to say that Lara Adrian turned her whole Midnight Breeds world upside down in Harvard’s book would be quite the understatement. In all of the books I have read, that was the most dramatic, ballsy, game-changing ending I had ever seen. I was a sort-of fan of the series before – I faithfully bought and read all the books, and enjoyed them, but for some reason the stories never stuck with me after the book was done. Well, Sterling’s stuck big time, and I can’t wait to see what happens in Edge of Dawn. Doug Meeks, made man that he is, got his hands on an early copy and did up a review to make us all jealous. Again.
What Doug said…
Edge of Dawn: A Midnight Breed Novel
By
Lara Adrian
Summary:
Twenty years after the terror of First Dawn—when mankind learned that vampires lived secretly among them—the threat of violence reigns as the two species struggle to coexist. The only group preserving the fragile harmony is the Order, an elite cadre of Breed warriors dedicated to protecting humans and vampires alike. And in this precarious world of torn loyalties and shattered trust, Mira, a fiery squad captain, finds that every fight bears an intensely personal cost.
Raised among the Order, Mira has always believed in the warrior’s code of swift—and even lethal—justice. But the one thing she desires more than the Order’s hard-won acceptance is Kellan Archer, a sexy but troubled Breed fighter. In love with him since childhood, Mira once broke through his tough exterior during an unexpected night of rapture, but the next day he mysteriously disappeared, never to return.
Kellan didn’t think he would ever see Mira again—or have to confront the truth of why he left. After abandoning the Order years ago, he now leads a band of human rebels intent on carrying out their own vigilante rule of law. Yet a high-profile kidnapping assignment brings him face-to-face with the past he sought to avoid, and the striking woman he has tried desperately to forget. And as tensions mount and the risk of bloodshed grows, Kellan and Mira must take sides—between the competing missions that dominate their lives, and the electrifying passion that claims their hearts.
Review:
Edge of Dawn starts 20 years after the last book in the Midnight Breed series and to be honest I could not figure out how the series was going forward since it seemed everything was done but I obviously did not give author Laura Adrian enough credit because here we are with book 11 and what is basically a series reboot. Pretty much all of the old characters are there (since the are immortals) but if you really wanted to (WHY??) you could start the series from here since there is just enough background info to keep you from being confused.
Many times when we think a series is ending since it seems like all the main characters have had their HEA and had or having kids but we never get to see what happens to them, this is allowing us to move along with a new story and the kids from the previous books are the new adults. I did not go back and do a reread of any of the old books but it seems that the sexual scenes while still hotly passionate were a bit less descriptive (trying to lure a bit of older YA audience?). The story revolves around Mira (remember the little girl with mirror eyes that tell the future) who is now a fully fledged warrior and Kellan with a plot that only a talented author could have imagined plus a bit of surprise and a new overarching storyline becomes apparent at the end of the book. I am still one of those people that have always liked this series much better than the Black Dagger Brotherhood if for no other reason she does not torture her heroes on a regular basis as Ms Ward seems to do. This novel is full of action, subtle plots and hints of future books, I can’t express how much I enjoy these books and the fact that she impresses so much emotion on the reader without bogging us down with pages of useless descriptions. We have kidnappings, betrayals, action, great character interaction, and secondary characters that are more than just cardboard cutouts.
Rating:
This was an exceptional book and the fact that it was new and old at the same time just increased my enjoyment as a long time reader of this series while it allows new readers to come in without having read the previous 10 books (not what I recommend but it can be done easily). I have to give this about a 4.8/5 only because we spent just a bit more time in Kellan’s head than was necessary. You have the passionate love story, self sacrifice, amazing plot and surprise ending. What more could ya want? Get this book! Those of you who might wish to explore the previous books here is a link to a clear reading order from the author’s website:
http://www.laraadrian.com/booklist.php
I am trying to be so good and not be spoiled going into this one, since it really seems like starting a whole new series…with characters you already know. I do know that I plan on going back and doing a re-read of the entire series, since hopefully now I will see it through new, more appreciative eyes.
