Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful escape for fans of the "Dark Shadows" TV series!
Review: Lara Parker, who played the witch, Angelique, so brilliantly on the TV series, "Dark Shadows," has written a riveting and exciting novel about the character. From Angelique's frightening and supernatural childhood in Martinique, to her arrival at the foreboding Collinwood mansion in New England, the reader is held spellbound. Ms. Parker presents Angelique as a sympathetic yet flawed character, and this is one of the elements that makes the novel so interesting. Tracing Angelique through a series of harrowing and heartbreaking events, the reader is able to see what led this character to choose the path that she did, opting to use witchcraft and black arts in an attempt to procure the love of the one man she desired, Barnabas Collins. Fans of the TV series, especially, will enjoy reading this book, as it recreates many of the events from the show, but also adds unexpected twists and turns. The story, written from Angelique's point of view, will certainly keep any lover of fiction interested. I look forward to the next novel from Lara Parker with great eagerness.
Rating:
Summary: A Must-Read For All Dark Shadows Fans
Review: The basic theme of Dark Shadows has always been that people are faced with an inexorable fate, trapped in roles written by others, and though they may try to free themselves, fate will always win. Lara Parker continues this theme in her new book. As a child Angelique is pre-ordained to become a tool of the devil. No matter what she does, she cannot escape her fate and her journey from a little girl to an immortal is fascinating, well thought-out and surprising. Best of all is the section dealing with Barnabas' transformation into a vampire. If you are fan of the series, you know everything that happened during this beloved flashback. This time, you see all of the events through Angelique's eyes and it is a very different view. Also, the book gives Angelique a much stronger motivation for her undying hatred for the Collins family. Lara hints that this book is the first in a series. I hope that this is so and I definitely plan to devour any forthcoming books. The book ends in 1971, so Lara has a lot of writing to do to catch us up with life in Collinsport.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, if somewhat flawed.
Review: Lara Parker has woven an evocative, satisfying tale of Angelique's childhood. Her concern for characterization is evident, and she has apparently taken pains to stay faithful to the original series. Particularly, her depiction of the relationship between Barnabas and Julia is well-nuanced and in keeping with the sensibilities of most "fan fiction." However, I was a little surprised that no one (editor or author) noticed the incorrect relationships between Barnabas and the present-day Collinses. Also somewhat disappointing is that the book's final hundred pages are little more than a re-telling of the series episodes. This was a worthy first effort, though, and I hope Ms. Parker follows up with a sequel that treads a new direction.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable return to Collinwood through the eyes of Angelique
Review: As a long time fan of Dark Shadows, I looked forward to reading Angelique's Descent even before it was released. I am happy to say that Lara Parker captured the mystery, excitement and romance that was and is Dark Shadows. She brought the characters back just as we remember leaving them in 1971, giving them even more depth and detail. Angelique's wicked, yet sad past is believable and in perfect harmony with the witch we all knew as Barnabas' nemesis for all those years. I can only hope she will continue to write more about Dark Shadows and that the books become a long and successful series!
Rating:
Summary: A must read for "Dark Shadows"fans!!!
Review: Being a huge fan of the television series I was surprised, intrigue, and fancinated with Lara Parker's novel. It was astonishing that she was so vivid and detailed that made you feel you were actually living with the characters. The book tells the story of Angelique growing up in the Carribean and ties into the meeting with Barnabas that leads to his real love of his life. I highly recommend. I have never read such a great novel since Anne Rice's vampire series. Trust me if you love Dark Shadows or if you are curious-you will not be able to put it down. I am looking forward to her next novel.
Rating:
Summary: A good start of a new series, like a visit from old friends
Review: A tad over written in places, this is a nice first effort by Ms. Parker in recapturing what was, in my youth, my favorite TV show. Admittedly from Angelique's standpoint makes this sometimes a bit much to take (in the show Angelique was pure evil and showed little remorse at any time, the book tries to 'explain' this away) but does lend insight into the character's background. I look forward to more books dealing with the Collins of the present and how Barnabas gets out of marrying Julia. And what of David, Roger and Carolyn and Elizabeth? As I said, I look forward to more visits from old friends.
Rating: 
Summary: Unexpected background, tension weaver, fab viewpoint
Review: Well, Angelique's clothes are too much and those ringlets! And, yes, her eyes do change colors, like opals, her trademark is her style. I wanted the background to not be so steeped in voodoo, or slavery, reminded me of the recent Tempest with Peter Fonda on tv; sometimes it gets "vile" for frolicking Dark Shadows fans; the middle about how Barnabas betrayed her was what we are all looking for and rings exactly right, though I would have liked to hear him say why Josette suddenly moved him; Angelique's reason for being more than upset with him is logical, but I, too, like her, did not want to see her in a maid position, I wanted to see her dressed up more and commanding like in the second Dark Shadows movie, Night of Dark Shadows. This book gripped me in how Angelique fell for Barnabas and how he was reserved and passionate at the same time. I'd like it to have been more blunt, but then I don't like flowery romances, because neither Barnabas or Angelique are really flowery anyway, but where the sentimentality was required, it was right in step. The ending was rushed, but again, that bluntness was nice especially after so much historical reading, and I would have liked to see the chemistry and power play that is behind Julia and Barnabas played off more because Julia must surely be jealous of Angelique! Really liked and breezed through in one lap, so I could not put it down
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining character study of an American cultural icon
Review: I was intrigued by the book, because Parker was the first actress to play Angelique, the chief villainess in the "Dark Shadows" TV series. For the uninitiated, Angelique was a beautiful witch who was obsessively in love with Barnabus Collins, who she turns into a vampire and then proceeds to haunt him back and forth over two centuries and two different dimensions. Most readers will be familiar with the characters, who have become minor icons of American culture. (The folk singer Kate Campbell sings about rushing home from school every afternoon to be terrified by Barnabus.)The novel is Parker's tale of how Angelique became a witch during her childhood in the 18th-century French Caribbean colony of Martinique. The last fifth or so of the novel retells some events from the TV series. But most of it is a character study showing us a very nuanced picture of a girl who desperately sought to preserve her freedom and humanity in the face of terrible odds. Ultimately, she sells her soul to the devil - literally - but the reader finds it hard not to have some sympathy with her. Her "Faustian" bargain is not for knowledge, but rather for love and survival. Her story does have some echoes of "Faust." It may be hard to picture Barnabus the vampire as a Gretchen figure, but in a way he is. And the fate of Angelique's mother has a definite parallel in "Faust." Parker paints an engaging picture of Angelique growing up in Martinique's racially-mixed, slave-owning culture Angelique is initiated in the voodoo religion, and as a pubescent girl is possessed by a voodoo love "loa" (goddess) named Erzulie. For those adolescent boys who would have rather been pursued by Angelique than to date Marcia Brady, this will make total sense. The voodoo culture appears as threatening and scary, but also as a religion of self-defense among a very oppressed people. Entertaining reading, especially for Dark Shadows fans. It certainly makes her obsession with Barnabus much more coherent, and Barnabus considerably less of an innocent victim than fans of the series may remember
Rating:
Summary: Actress Lara Parker has a second career!
Review: Is there anything this lovely lady cannot do? She is a great actress and now she shows true writing ability. Lara Parker takes the Gothic to new heights with sensitive and facinating portrayals of believable characters. She should keep writing!
Rating:
Summary: Passionate, magical, fascinating, EROTIC, entrancing
Review: I saw the series way back when, frankly I wasn't expecting much but Lara Parker is the Queen of Dark Fiction...this is so thrilling, so well-crafted, so knowledgeable about voodoo, and frankly so very erotic that it transcends the Dark Shadows series and reveals a world of passionate intensity and magical haunting reality that the series NEVER captured it is THAT good; that we have a TREASURE here is indisputable...Lara Parker is claiming the Crown of Queen and truthfully she is...wow what a novel! All I can say is Lara MORE MORE MORE!
|
