Rating: 
Summary: Average book, below average for the series
Review: Ok, I'm taking a plunge here...I'm only giving this book 3 stars. Let me begin by saying I did enjoy reading the latest Carpathian novel by Ms. Feehan. I loved the idea that Deseri is a full-grown Carpathian female with substantial powers of her own. The growth of Julian's respect and understanding of the females of his race is great to see. The yin-yang relationship between the male and his lifemate, and the incredulous dawning or understanding of what the female Carpathian can do is fascinating. (Most Carpathian woman were killed and only a very few young ones remain. Therefore, the males do not know what the potential for the female is, they just assume they are weaker, when in fact they are not). This part of the book is what I felt kept the story up to a 3 star rating.I found while reading this book, that Ms. Feehan becomes very repetitive. We know from the other stories and after the first time she writes it in Dark Challenge, that male Capathians are protective of their womanfolk. That's a part of the main appeal in reading these stories, seeing the alpha male. But over and over again we see this stated. Once would be enough. We know that Julian is a loner (and learn why), but this is also drummed into the reader over and over. I hate to say this about a romance novel, but I even found the love scenes repetitive. I found myself getting bored at these scenes, and that NEVER happens to me. Each scene was the same as the one before it. There might have been 6 or 7 love scenes, but there may as well only have been one. I also felt that this story ended a bit abruptly. The whole book we are waiting for Julian's nemesis to appear. He shows up and the story ends within 3 pages. This all-powerful vampire was not so powerful and it was an easy kill for Julian. Actually, the other vampires which threatened this "family unit" earlier in the book is more detailed and interesting to read about than the climax. I also do not like the fact that we have little contact with the other characters from the other stories. We have a brief contact between Julian and Gregori and once again we find that we don't see any of the other Carpathians. I would have thought that Gregori or Adrian would have rushed to Julian's side. Nor do we see a reunion between Julian and Adrian, (although it is briefly mentioned as something that will happen in the future). Very disappointing. There were just too many things in this book which kept it from being truly a great book, it was only average.
Rating: 
Summary: Christine Feehan has done it again - Incredible!
Review: Christine Feehan is an unbelievable author. She has created a genre all her own and has hooked this reader forever! Although each "Dark" book is unique, Dark Challenge held you captivated for more than one reason. It introduced you to some of the history of the Carpathians, including Gregori's family believed to have died in the Turk Wars and of the two ancient twins - Gabriel and Lucien. It was also the first romance between two ancient Carpathians. Desari was the singer targeted by the human assassins. Gregori sent Julian to warn her of the impending threat. She is beautiful, she is powerful and she is an Ancient Carpathian female. She also happens to be Gregori's sister and Julian's lifemate. Let the games begin :) Julian Savage, brother to Aidan (of Dark Gold) and student of the great healer Gregori (Dark Magic) has given up and is willing to meet the dawn. With one last task to complete he is prepared to face the sun and rid himself of this solitary existence and the dark shadow in his soul. Little did he know his last task would be protecting his lifemate and her band. Talk about family problems! Darius, her older brother (who just happens to remind him of a certain healer), two unattached males (Dayan and Barack), an unattached female (Syndil) and those crazy leopards! Gregori was going to owe him big-time for this favor ... but he was more than up to the task! This book had everything: love, romance, intrigue, adventure and humor. Read it, you won't be sorry!
Rating:
Summary: Not up to the rest of the series
Review: If I were reviewing this book in isolation, I would have given it more than three stars. However, after comparing it to the four incredible novels that come before it, I have to agree with other reviewers who feel that "Dark Challenge" comes up short. Christine Feehan is an extremely gifted writer who has invented a race and a world that are original and fascinating. Julian had been a minor, but intriguing presence throughout the Dark Series, and I was thrilled when he got his own story. Unfortunately, anticipation quickly turned into exasperation. The main problem with "Dark Challenge" is that there are two heroes fighting for attention and, frankly, Julian loses. The problem is especially irritating when it interferes with the relationship between Julian and Desari. In previous novels, the developing relationships between hero and heroine are dark and intense, absolutely compulsive reading. In "Dark Challenge", so much attention is focused on other characters, it makes the relationship between Julian and Desari seem like an afterthought. Although "Dark Challenge" is good when compared to other books in the genre, it just doesn't reach the level of perfection that Ms. Feehan achieved in her previous books.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: As always, Ms. Feehan has written another great story! I especially liked the fact that Desari has powers of her own and that she and Julian's talents complimented each other's. Give us more!
Rating: 
Summary: I liked it but . . .
Review: The novel was fun to read but it really wasn't as wonderful as the other books in the series. I have saved all of the books in the series for weekends where I have time to do nothing but read. It wasn't worth it for Dark Challenge. I thought Desari and Syndil were FABULOUS (strong women always make great stories!) but the story itself left me high and dry. I found myself more interested in Lucian and Gabriel than the main characters. I was also irritated that NONE of the previous characters made an appearence even when it was so clearly needed. If you discovered a long lost sister and brother, wouldn't you come? And what about Julian's brother Aidan? And where the heck was the Prince? Shouldn't he have come to welcome these obviously powerful Carpathians back into the fold or something? In every other book at least one of the "old" characters has made an appearence. Where the heck were they in this one? It would have been a much more interesting story with them present. AND, if Christine Feehan writes a story about Syndil and Barack I will be so disappointed. It will just blow all the other books. Maybe Syndil will match up with Lucian or Gabriel -- now that is a book I would buy AND save for a reading-only weekend!
Rating:
Summary: This is a KEEPER
Review: I don't imagin there will be too many books of the dark series on aution, because this series is truly a keeper series. They are so exceptionally written, that you can read them now, put them up, read them again next year, put them up and read them yet again.
Rating:
Summary: Whoops forgot one last thing...
Review: ...I did forget something that I noticed in one of the other reviews...I totally agree about Gregori's reaction to finding out a brother and sister were alive after not knowing for hundred's of years...he had I think 2 sentences to say, neither of which was "I'll be right there" or "Hot damn! I'm on the next plane" or "I'm sooo vaklampt...talk amongst yourselves"...come on now...One scene where he came by to say "Hi I'm your big bro...nice to meet ya gotta go, busy with the young missus...ya'll take care now here?" wouldn't have been too much trouble now would it? Like I stated early of the Dark series which are all in the 5 and 4 star category, this book was really a 2...maybe a 1.5, but I gave it the 3 'cause of Darius...hope he lives up to the build up.
Rating:
Summary: Was this book about Julian or Darius?
Review: I really enjoyed the other books by Christine Feehan in the Dark Series, especially Jaques and Gregori's. However, this book was a disappointment. From her references to Julian in the prior books I was given the impression of a really mysterious, dark and tortured soul like Gregori and Jaques. I was VERY much looking forward to Julian's story. However, in this book which was supposed to be Desari's (Dara) and Julian's story, I was more interested in Darius. He was the tortured soul in this book. Julian really didn't seem all that tortured or broken up...just tired and then kinda playful. I did like the other characters introduced, but I totally didn't buy the subtle references regarding Syndil's and Barak's relationship. I just know we're gonna get hit with a book where for hundreds of years they lived together as "brother" and "sister" and didn't know they were really lifemates? Yeah, right. I thought males automatically zeroed in on their lifemate and hung on until hell froze over? And yet while Barak and Syndil were inseparable as children and very close, when puberty hit he went off like a tomcat for hundred's of years, jumping on any human female who'd stay still with his "unknown" lifemate watching the show? I DON"T think so. Way to hard to swallow. Given the way males are supposed to chemically react with their lifemate, Barak would have jumped on Syndil and never even looked at human females. If the author creates a story with Barak and Syndil as lifemates the total believability regarding the lifemate premiss will be shot to hell. If Christine Feehan reads these reviews, and I hope she does, I really really hope she doesn't do that. It's not to late to save the storyline. I did like the fact that both Syndil and Desari were strong with their own powers which is why I didn't totally pan the book. But I think the overall problem with this book was that the author was side tracked with developing the secondary characters and not enough development was given to the main one's. All I know is I'm really not going to enjoy Barak and Syndil's story...unless Ms. Feehan really does read this review and take's it to heart? Please...pretty please...with sugar on top? A side note...I am looking forward to Darius' story...let's get him a human female who's a wizard with engines...although you'd think one of the males or females in the caravan would have had the patience to learn automotive mechanics over the last 120 years... :-)
Rating:
Summary: A Bit Disappointed.
Review: I have read all of Ms. Feehan's Dark series books (the first four more than once!). This was a disappointment. I consider it good but I just cannot praise enough the first books so I found this a let down. If you have not read the others in the series DO IT! It was interesting getting to know some new characters but I think you get to know Darius, better than Julian. I did not consider the book a waste of time, just not up to par for my expectations for Ms. Feehan.
Rating: 
Summary: Big disappointment
Review: I loved Christine Feehan's other "Dark series" books. This one was just a boring rehash of her other books. There were so many avenues the story line could have taken, but each ended in an abrupt dead-end. It was almost as if the publisher said these books are really selling. Sit down and write anything so we can get another on the market quickly..
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