If Angels Burn: A Novel of the Darkyn [Mass Market Paperback]

I read this several years ago and have reread it at least twice. It hooked me on the whole series. Both Michael and Alexandria are smart, interesting people. He truly is believable as the aristocratic, dominant leader of the North American Darkyn and she is a strong counterpoint to Michael as a consistently very smart, highly educated, tough black woman . She is convincing as a surgeon and as a woman who eventually falls in love with her patient, but never forgives him for changing her into a blood drinker. The supporting characters are also well defined, especially the ruthless "king" of all these ancient warriors who hunkers down in this castle in Ireland and pulls most of the strings from there. The only character who annoyed me was Alex's brother, mainly because he seemed whiny and hysterical, but that may be because religious martyrs are generally boring to hang with.

Dr Alexandra Keller is a reconstructive surgeon, and a really fast surgeon at that. She has a booming practice and with her skills in demand she can afford to choose her cases. One patient in particular, Michael Cyprian won't take no for an answer and eventually has his people kidnap Alex, flying her to his mansion in New Orleans and forcing her to reconstruct his horribly disfigured face. Due to her compassionate nature Alex performs the surgery; its quite tricky though because once cut Michael heals immediately but she's up for the challenge. After the successful surgery Michael is beautiful once again but unfortunately for Alex he's also very hungry.

Filled with bloodlust Cyprian bites the good Doctor thus infecting her with the vampire virus. Alex then spends her time trying to figure out how to cure herself as she goes through some dark changes on her way to becoming a Darkyn. Lots of attention is also given to her brother John. A very tired priest who travels to Rome and undergoes special training with some not so nice monks known as the Breathen. Their mission is to hunt down and torture (extensively) the Darkyn, ultimately destroying the race. Bad news for Alex who is on her way to becoming one of them.

I will admit I struggled through the first half of If Angels Burn. The amount of French spoken and Darkyn language without a glossary was overwhelming and the considerable sub plots and characters confusing. It came together a bit for me in the end and I really liked Alexandra's spunkiness as well as the old fashioned speech and mannerisms of Micheal.

This was a dark ride but full of adventure and well written. However I wouldn't label it a romance and I definitly wouldn't call it erotic, it's far too dark and violent. Its more Da Vinci Code meets medical mystery with a little vampire love thrown in. The one and only love scene (if you could even call it love) doesn't take place until almost the end of the book and even then it's pretty mundane.

As a by-the-way does anyone else think the guy on the cover looks like Toby Mcquire from Spiderman? I'm just saying its a little weird.

I must say, this is my first Viehl novel, and let me tell you, it won't be my last. This book was amazing. It had so many ups and downs, twists and turns, and it remained intriguing, what more can you ask for? And better yet, it's a series, so there is more where this one came from. I loved it. It was mysterious at times, then emotional, but always intense. I was flipping though pages faster than I could imagine, I finished it, then went back again and read it once more.

This book is about Michael Cyprien, he is a man in need, and Alexandra Keller is the only person that can help him. Alex is one of best reconstructive surgeons around, and Michael is in dire need of her services. She refuses his million dollar proposal, and he keeps trying to persuade her, and this is what leads to their incredible story. They are chased by the evil Brethren, hunted by the Darkyn, Michael's own kind, Michael almost kills her, and Alex is his only salvation. In thousands of years, Alex is the first woman to keep pace with Michael, and test his will and challenge him for everything he is worth, and together they find eternal love...

The Darkyn series is the new class of vampires for a new era. This tale has a unique spin on an old myth and it is incredibly refreshing. It's intriguing, and oddly believable. The characters are absolutely lovable, although they may seem a bit overbearing at times, but remember what time the men came from.

It's amazing. I'm hooked on them. I've read the first, and I'm going to go out and buy the rest. Honestly, the best I've read in a long time. The plots intriguing, the characters are amazing, the myth is refreshing, and the story is never ending, what more does anybody need in a book?

Pick it up and read it, I wholly recommend this book. It's phenomenal, a good read, but it will leave you with sleepless with the hours spent trying to finish this novel. Well done Ms. Viehl, a book I will come back to time and time again, truly one for the classic shelf, better than anything else I've read in a long time.