Book Review: The Darkest Passion by Gena Showalter

Gena Showalter’s name always make me think of Michael Showalter and The State. I just had to get that out of the way before launching into my review. Also, I am avoiding spoilers, but those of you who don’t want to know anything at all about the story should probably read the book before this review. I’d love for you to come back and let me know if you agree with my reaction!

I loved the first three books in the Lords of the Underworld series, devouring each in one evening. The Darkest Passion took me a bit longer, mainly because I had a hard time reorienting myself in the story and developing a rapport with the characters. Once I got into it, though, it was hard to put it down.

The series follows the immortal keepers of the demons released when Pandora’s box was opened. The lords, as they are called, are fighting against a group of hunters set on destroying them and returning their demons to the box. Each lord stars in his own book, and it is in that book where he finds his true love. As is typical in a romance, the hero and heroine must fight amazing odds to come together and get their happy ending.

This book focuses on Aeron, keeper of the demon Wrath. His lady love is a fallen angel named Olivia. Fans of Supernatural might see a little resemblance between Anna and Dean’s tryst, especially early in Aeron and Olivia’s relationship. Aeron and Olivia are separated by Aeron’s demon companion Legion, who we find out thinks of Aeron not as the father figure he fancies himself to be, but as a potential lover. Showalter handles this triangle in an interesting fashion, and I was happy with the outcome for all parties. (Well, maybe not the outcome in this book, but definitely the potential outcome Showalter set up for the next books.)

Showalter brought back some characters we had met briefly or only heard discussed, which helped this book not seem like a rehash of the previous stories. In addition, the happy ending was handled in a different fashion, with a twist I did not see coming.

I see a lot of similarities between this series and Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series, but I think Showalter is avoiding the issue of becoming formulaic that, I think, ultimately led to that series’ destruction. Kenyon had to change the game dramatically to continue the series (and she did it when she released Acheron’s book), but I think that change destroyed the integrity of the books. The Dark Hunter series would have been better if it had ended.

But, back to the book at hand. If you are a fan of the series, it might be worth skimming the previous books before you tackle this one. Or, give the glossary at the end of the book a look to help jog your memory about who the characters are and how they relate to one another.

The Darkest Passion was released May 26, and you can purchase your copy at Amazon, Powell’s, or your favorite bookseller. (Affiliate links)

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Lords of the Underworld Books 1-3

For my first book review, I’m giving you a three-fer. Over the past two weekends, I read the first three of Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series. They center on a group of immortal men possessed by the demons released from Pandora’s Box. In a nice feminist twist on the tale, Pandora was not actually the one at fault. (Hmm, perhaps I need to write a short story blaming the whole apple thing on Adam. If I can get over my Catholic fear of committing blasphemy. It will be good practice for something to be revealed in the sequel to my current WIP, I guess.)

Darkest Night by Gena Showalter

In this first book of the series, we are introduced to the lords, the demons that possess them, and the truth behind the mythology that we have all believed about Pandora’s Box. The lords are immortal warriors created by the Greek gods to protect them. Pandora was one of the fiercest of these warriors, and the men were jealous that she was chosen by the gods to guard the box that housed the demons. Maddox, the hero of this book, killed Pandora. As a punishment, he was chosen to house the demon of Violence and to relive the same death that he inflicted on Pandora every night. After he is killed painfully, he is banished to hell to be tortured by demons until daybreak.

Maddox meets Ashlyn, who has a special ability to hear all conversations that have taken place in the specific area she is in. Maddox and his fellow lords don’t trust her, but Maddox can’t help but fall in love with her. And Ashlyn finds that the voices she hears go silent when she is with Maddox, and the quiet he brings to her makes her fall in love with him. The couple must find a way to be together, as the lords are hunted by humans and the gods begin to interfere.

Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter

The second book in the series moves to Lucien, who hosts the demon Death. He meets Anya, the goddess of chaos, and falls in love with her just as the gods order him to take her soul. The two must find out how to remove the death curse before Lucien succumbs to it, all while they are further hunted by the humans out to destroy the lords.

We are also introduced to a second group of lords, who separated from the main group many years ago and the search for a set of artifacts that the lords need to ensure that they can find Pandora’s Box. If the human hunters find the box, they will use it to recapture the demons, which will kill the lords. Anya’s contacts in the world of the immortals prove invaluable as they quest for the treasures.

Darkest Pleasure by Gena Showalter

Finally, we move to the story of Reyes, keeper of the demon Pain. His love was introduced in the first book. Danika and her entire family are also under a death sentence from the gods, and lord Aeron, keeper of Wrath, is the lord ordered to kill them. Aeron has grown slowly more and more insane over the course of the trilogy as he ignores the order to kill the women. Reyes and the other lords must look for the key to save Danika, as she and Reyes grow closer and closer.

I enjoyed all three books. The world Showalter builds is believable and involving. The rethinking of the Pandora legend is interesting, as is the exploration of minor gods and goddesses I’d never heard of. The sexual tension between the hero and heroine in each book was believable, as were the relationships between the minor characters.

The only drawback I found was with the introduction of the second group of lords in book 2. I wasn’t quite ready for another large group of new characters, as I was still getting to know the main group of lords.

More Lords of the Underworld books are planned. Visit the series website to find out more.

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I Read Another Book

I started and finished a book last night: Darkest Night by Gena Showalter.

I added it under demons and human with special powers. The men in the story are possessed by the demons released when Pandora opened the box, and the woman in the book hear voices. Not like schizophrenia voices, but the voices of all people who spoke in the area where she is.

I recommend it wholeheartedly, but not on a night when you actually want to sleep.

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