The Dark-Hunters, Vol. 4 [Paperback]

Talon and Sunshine are two of my favorite characters from this series. I think I like the beginning characters more than some of the later one because the series was still fresh then. While I still enjoy reading each installment, there are now so many characters to keep track of that I feel like I start to forget who is who. I need one of the cheater family tree diagrams like Christine Feehan uses in her Carpathian series!

Sunshine is such a pure and good character. With her love of art and the way she looks for the best in people. It is easy to see why Talon feels so strongly for her. I loved seeing her grandmother and finding out the twists of fate that are woven into the fabric of their lives. This was also the first book that gave a glimpse into Archeron's true character and his past. I had forgotten how selfish and spiteful Styxx was in the beginning.

Seeing this story played out in manga fashion was fun. The four volumes of the Dark Hunter series are the only manga books I've read, but I really can see the appeal. Because the pages do not have page numbers on them I have a hard time finding a good place to stop. I always seem to think I'll just read one more page and before I know it I've stayed up too late and finished the book! Since this one just came out this month I suppose it will be a bit before another volume is released. I am a bit sorry I gave away the first volume because these are ones I now think I will be keeping on my shelves.

Dark Hunter Volumen 4 is the second part of the novel Night Embrace by Sherrilyn Kenyon and which was started in Volume 3 of the manga series. The romance between Talon and Sunshine is a joy to read. I have always liked the character of Talon, and Sunshine is very funny. He is steady and controlled (although quite passionate deep down), she is scatter brained and passionate to a fault. They manage to keep each other balanced. The challenges they encounter are not easy to deal with, but they manage to get through them in a manner that is very entertaining to the reader. I loved the fact that even in this format, their personalities shine through. Talon appears somewhat young in the drawings, but I like that he is unique and his image could never be confused with another Dark Hunter. This could be a challenge considering most Dark Hunters dress somewhat similarly and their personalities could easily be lost when drawn (there are a lot of Dark Hunters and lets face it, characters in comics and manga tend to start looking alike after a while). So far, the artist is doing a great job in that department.

I continue to be impressed by the great work done by the creators of this manga series. I have read all of the books in the original series by Sherrilyn Kenyon and all the manga volumes released so far. Being a paranormal romance series, I was a little skeptical as to how they were going to successfully translate it into the manga format. While the heat level of the series has certainly been brought down a notch (you will see no graphic sexual content in the manga, although it is heavily implied), the story itself is very much faithful to the original. The romance and the humor found in the series was left intact. The adventure and the action is still just as thrilling. I am very happy with the quality of the drawings as well. The right to left reading takes a little getting used to, but it is not so distracting as to take away from the enjoyment of the book (it is written and drawn the same way a traditional Japanese manga is arranged). I hope they continue with these adaptations for the series and cannot wait for them to release Night Play as a manga. The little hint of Vane and Bride we see in this book is wonderful. Not to mention Dance With the Devil, Zarek's book, which should come up next. All in all, I highly recommend this book and the series. Manga fans should like it, and paranormal romance fans will appreciate it. Fans of the series will love seeing their favorite characters in this wonderful alternate format. The book is very entertaining for adults and older teens.

Plot teaser from the author's website:
"Night Embrace" spins the story of Talon, an ancient Celtic warrior who killed the son of the god Camulus. Camulus cursed Talon, decreeing death for everyone he loved. Now a Dark-Hunter in modern-day New Orleans, Talon meets Sunshine, who is key to ending his curse once and for all. Not to mention helping him to save New Orleans from an ancient god bent on total destruction...

A Note For Parents: Due to the fact that much of the graphic sexuality is left out of this particular adaptation, it is safe to recommend this for teenagers who may be curious about the paranormal romance genre but not quite ready for the real thing. Common sense warning to parents: always preview books before buying for your teen if you have any doubts about the material to make sure you are ok with it and that it's appropriate for your child. This could be a great tool to use with teenagers who are reluctant readers and need high interest material in a non threatening format. In fact, graphic novels in general can be wonderful for this purpose. The pictures will aid comprehension for teenagers who are struggling with reading. It is not a baby book, but it is not so hard to read that they become discouraged. And do not worry about the right to left arrangement found in manga books. My own child who is dyslexic and was a struggling reader was able to handle the traditional manga arrangement of the pages and has now graduated to regular chapter books that are on grade level. She still loves manga though! Once again, make sure you are ok with the material before sharing with a teen. The book is rated as ok for teens and adults.

Tamed down so they are safe for a teen or preteen audience, these graphic novels keep all the best of the original novels. The characters are captured just as they were described in the novels, and the storylines are up to Sherrilyn Kenyon's usual quality. You'll want to read the whole series in graphic novels...or at least 1 and 2 or 3 and 4 together, since the graphic novels tend to take two books to cover what a single novel does. That means coming in at #4, for instance, means coming in in the middle of a story.

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