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Master of Darkness
It is part of the Mageverse #9 series and is a in Paperback edition on August 7, 2012 and has 294 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Ninth and last in the Mageverse paranormal romance series revolving around two groups whom Merlin set up centuries ago. The couple focus is on Miranda Drake and William Justice, both Dire Wolves.
My Take
Dire Wolf girl acknowledges Dire Wolf boy. Boy must fulfill a prophecy of humongous proportions that enables Knight to set us up for her new series.
Bad guy almost wins, nyah-nyah-nyahhh.
Sorry, I’m having a difficult time being enthusiastic as well, aren’t I? The really sad thing is this could have been as good as previous stories.
Okay, getting serious…
Well, Knight was obviously ready to be done with this series. Oh, it was written nicely enough, but most of the usual sassiness and eroticism was missing in this book.
Justice suddenly has this special power and Knight treats it like it’s no big deal, casual. The ease with which the Dire Wolves acknowledged how wrong they were to follow Warlock was such a letdown. Knight couldn’t get out of this fast enough despite the very promising start of this story.
I did enjoy Fin’s Lucky Charms-like snark as well as the cartoon references that Justice and Miranda toss back and forth. Interesting bit about Justice’s family background.
There are only two reasons to read this book: see how Knight finishes off Warlock and get an intro to the new series she’s planning with the fae.
The Story
Justice is Miranda’s bodyguard. As a Dire Wolf, magic cannot touch him, which is a good thing since her father can’t decide if he wants to fry her or use her. And Daddy Undearest is stepping up the attacks against the Magekind including some death magic which simply increases his already terrifyingly powerful abilities.
A bad miscalculation on Warlock’s part, however, as it simply draws in other allies with the Magekind and his magical Dire Wolf daughter.
The Characters
Miranda Drake is a Dire Wolf whose father is the world’s most evil being. Warlock finally succeeded in breeding a Dire Wolf who can perform magic. She’s been on the run from him ever since she killed her stepfather, a vicious Alpha male, in self-defense.
William Justice is a Bitten Dire Wolf, a result of a domestic disturbance incident in which he attempted to do his job as a cop. He’s been in this new world of his long enough to know that Miranda is Chosen, beyond his dreams.
Warlock is an immortal wizard, a werewolf, and the most evil being on two planes of existence. Andrew Vance is his second-in-command. Good at spying. He, Jack Ferraro, and Tom Addison are the Bastards, the Beasts that Warlock has created. They can shift into your worst nightmares.
King Arthur and his vampire Knights of the Round Table live in the Mageverse and Gate to the Earth when trouble threatens. They have sworn a vow to Merlin to aid mankind, but not to rule them.
Daliya is maja and Truebonded to Kadir al Hamad, who is working undercover amongst Muslim terrorists. Tristan and Belle and Morgana have the greatest presence of the Magekind while Kell, Smoke and Eva, Arthur and Guinevere, and Grace and Lancelot briefly appear.
The Direkind were also created by Merlin; twelve Saxon warriors who swore their own oath to the wizard. Unaffected by magic, they are intended as a policing agency to keep Arthur and his vampires and the majae in check. Elena Livingstone Rollings is married to a Bitten cop, Lucas Rollings; she is Justice’s ally on the Council of Clans.
Branwyn Donovan is filming the truth about the Muslim terrorists and was in the right place at the right time to film the entire attack. She intends to prove to her brother that it’s time to step up and help the Magekind. Finvarra is her dragonish lizard, her familiar. Conal Donovan is her brother, one of the richest men on the planet, and he owns DCN. Aisling is their sister and practically a twin to Branwyn. Essus is a parrot while Danu is a cat, enchanted animals, familiars for Donovan siblings.
Maeve is the Mother of Fairies — and she acts as though Arthur (!) is a child! She has a group of enchanted animals in her home; alien minds from the Elementalverse who escaped to the Mageverse and took up residence in assorted critters. Erielhonan is a cougar and Guinness is a Chihuahua who appears to be her personal assistant.
King Dovregubben, the troll king, has ordered a special sword from Maeve.
The Cover and Title
Okay, Justice is a good lookin’ guy on the cover with his overly airbrushed muscles and all the he-man jewelry he’s got on. Then there’s that double-headed ax he’s haulin’…eek! Follow that up with the WWF buckle and what appears to be some kinda version of “warrior” chaps. All against a pretty, misty, purplish blue background.
Well, the Master of part is pretty obvious as it fits in with the previous titles. The Darkness could be a reference to overcoming Warlock or Justice conquering his new and “improved” beast form.
