Shadowlight (Kyndred Series #1) [NOOK Book]

Shadowlight is a terrific read

I've read all of Viehl's Darkyn books and this is the beginning of a related series - #1 in the new Kyndred Series. I really enjoyed this book. I was lucky enough to receive an e-ARC copy and am so grateful that I did.
I was somewhat confused by the story at the beginning but it is possible that the reason was formatting. The story jumped around from 2008 to 1998 then back to 2008 for the back story and headline type news bits to the "real" story and I didn't follow it at first, but after a chapter or 2 I realized what was going on and it was fine after that. I have a feeling in the final copy these "news stories" sections will have a different font or something that will make the transitions more clear.
Even with that said, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. There were a few brief appearances from Lucan & Samantha (Dark Need). These are 2 of my favorite Darkyn characters and I loved the crossover tying the 2 series together.
This story focuses on Jessa who is living her life basically hiding from her past and not really living. She has a type of psychic power that makes her a target of very power people. She has many emotional battles to fight including deciding who she can trust and love. Matthias takes her away from a planned kidnapping but at the time we don't have enough information to know for sure if he is helping her or just another person looking to use her powers for his own plans. I really enjoyed how Matthias' back story was slowly exposed to us throughout the book.
Matthias' helpers Rowan & Drew are likeable characters and their stories will be interesting reads in future books. We've already learned Rowan's story will be told in book 2 of the Kyndred Series.
The ending is "happy" and leaves great unresolved threads to carry into the next book of the series. Only some of the bad guys are eliminated by the end of this story, and there is much yet to discover about where the Kyndred come from and how they relate to the Darkyn.
I highly recommend this book and will happily continue with the series.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Shadowlight - A Novel Of The Kindred

From Back: With just one touch, Jessa Bellamy can see anyone's darkest secrets, thanks to whoever tampered with her genes. What she doesn't know is that a biotech company called GenHance has discovered her talent, and intends to kill her and harvest her priceless DNA. When GenHance is poised to strike, Gaven Matthias is forced to take action. After months of tracking Jessa, he abducts her himself so he can protect her in his underground fortress. Matthias tries to explain what she is and how she can protect others like her, but Jessa has a hard time believing the one man whose secrets she can't read. She senses he's hiding a terrible truth, and yet his touch ignites a passion she's never known. As a monstrous assassin closes in and forces them on the run. Jessa will have to find another way to discover whether Matthias is her greatest ally...or her deadliest enemy.

This book confused me for the first few chapters, but I soon got into in and couldn't put it down. I have loved Ms Viehl's Darkyn series and this is an offshoot of that. I totally loved the villain, Bradford Lawson, he became so evil.. This is another series that will stay on my keeper shelf.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Wonderful New Series Begins

In Shadowlight, the first novel of the Kyndred series, Lynn Viehl gives an edge-of-the-seat tale with trouble at every turn and people who learn that everything they thought true just isn't. Oh, and along with this, she gives characters that are three-dimensional to the extreme so you can simultaneously see the story from more than one angle, and understand and sympathize with all the heroes, even when some of them think others are the villains. Lynn doesn't deny you a true villain though. The Kyndred have forces arrayed against them that offer both immediate danger and hint at a greater scenario that will become clear as the series develops.

Shadowlight focuses on a group of people gifted with special strengths. They were mentioned in the Darkyn series, were somewhat crucial to it, but this is not just a continuation of Lynn's take on the vampire legends. Where those books focused on an ancient war between Darkyn and their enemies at the same time as exploring the strife within the Darkyn population, Shadowlight starts out in a place of isolation. The Kyndred are not some secret society that both supports and fights among itself. The Kyndred are an experiment gone wrong and scattered to the winds only to recreate faulty memories bit by bit.

And that's not the only difference. There is no ancient evil here. If this book is characteristic of the new series, the dangers are much more immediate and driven by modern aims rather than only inherited hatred. Here you have kidnappings, corporate espionage, and the FBI rather than grudges held over the centuries. It's a fresh start in a known world for Darkyn fans, with some familiar faces making appearances. For newcomers, though, Lynn weaves in the necessary details so that this series can act as a standalone as long as readers come in with an open mind. Things in Lynn's world, though they cross over with the traditional, are unique enough that suspension of disbelief is crucial, and giving her that leeway pays back threefold. New readers are likely to discover a world, a series, and an author to delight them for years to come.

Powerful, absorbing, and compelling.

I'm a long-time reader of Lynn Viehl's novels, and each one seems to push the envelope just a little more with an end product that is exceptional. Though Shadowlight is listed as a dark fantasy, it reads with the rush of an action thriller, a touch of romance, and of course, paranormal, with a dash of science fiction. I can't wait to see what she does next with this world and this new cast of characters.

P.S. FTC disclosure: I was given the E-Arc by Lynn Viehl to use as a review copy. My hardcopy has already been preordered.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A mind-twisting start to another deliciously dark series

Lynn Viehl is doing it again in Shadowlight, a mind-twisting start to another deliciously dark and multilayered fantasy series.

Minerva wakes in the morgue, her fiancé dead and her body cursed by Shadowlight, a talent which allows her to see the darkest secrets of every person she touches. Needing to guard against this talent she can't explain, softhearted Minerva reincarnates herself as the steady and exceedingly reserved Jessa who opens a high-end employment agency, screening the best for the best while anonymously reporting the darkest she finds to the FBI. Soon the up-and-coming Jessa is face to face with her largest potential client, GenHance, whose only interest is harvesting Jessa's DNA, and thus her Kyndred talent, and selling it to the highest bidder.

Gaven Matthias, the first of the Kyndred who once wheedled his sword for Rome, will to do anything to keep his kind from being exposed and Jessa from being taken, dead or alive. He didn't count on falling in love with the strong-willed woman he kidnapped and who refuses to admit what she is. As the shadowlight grows darker and the dead refuse to stay that way, this story picks up speed with Detective Samantha Brown, her vampire lover Suzerain Lucan and Dr. Alexandra Keller from The Darklyn Series sinking even more twists and turns into this g-force roller coaster ride Viehl sends careening into the next book, Dreamveil, out in June 2010.

For the romance novel purist, Shadowlight is not likely to satisfy. But, for those wanting a white-knuckle experience rife with blood-hammering desire and deliciously complex cliffhangers, Shadowlight is sure to please and leave you begging for more.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Definitely a keeper!

A wee bit confusing when getting to know all of the players in the story, but well worth the time. Well written! The book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Loved the characters and how they all blended together. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of this series. Kudos to the author on her great writing skills.

luVv diZ boOk

yoo im readinqq diz book now so guddd i recommend diz book if u luv paranormal romances

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

S. L./Lynn Viehl always delivers a good story to her fans

I don't normally enjoy stories that feature vampires and the undead, but as I read further into this book, the more I enjoyed it. I primarily read her StarDoc series, but happened to see this one and thought it might be worth a try. Much to my delight, it was a truly engaging story and I very much enjoyed the characters. I have since purchased the first novel of her Darkyn series and look forward to reading it soon.
I look forward to reading the new StarDoc novel coming out soon as well....

A Promising, but Rocky Start

As the first book in a spin-off series, Shadowlight sets out do a lot in a limited number of pages. While the book had a central cast of characters and a plotline to carry them through, the overall focus often seems to be on the bigger storyline that has yet to fully unfold. In short, this book seemed to be setting the stage for the story that the author really wants to tell.

As the book does set up so many potential problems for the Knyndred and Darkyn alike, there does seem to be a promise of better things to come. For this reason, as well as my faith in Ms. Viehl's storytelling capabilities, I will definitely be picking up the next book.

new series

this new series touches on the novels of the darkyn and i didn't know it when i bought it that it was a diffrent series but now that i have read it i love it just as much as the others.

Shadowlight: A Novel of the Kyndred (Paperback) by Lynn Viehl ~ A Review

I must say upfront that before reading Shadowlight e-ARC, I had not read any of Lynn Viehl's books. So when the opportunity came to read an advanced reading copy...well, I had to take it. I am glad I did.

The early part of Shadowlight was hard going, a bit jumpy from one scene to the next and I could not 'feel' Min. Then, suddenly, it happened. My mind started putting bits and pieces together and I was hooked. The characters evolved and grew. There was romance and some steamy scenes but not too soon in the book. (too soon and I lose interest, too late and I lose interest ~ always a tippy balance.)

As for the plot twists, well done. I followed enough on the plot line that I felt comfortable but not so much that I jumped over paragraphs in order to read some fresh part of the plot. Every time I thought I knew what was happening ..whoosh..a turn I did not see came up. Again, well done. And Lynn, I really liked the fireplace brick.

Let me introduce some characters you are not going to forget for a while:

* Jessa is one strong woman, smart, fierce and yet still vulnerable. I kept hoping she would not be so stubborn later in the book but then her being stubborn is a part of why I liked her.
* Gaven is a very tasty guy and romantic in that quiet, strong way. For me, I wanted him to speak with her and tell her the truth upfront but what fun would that be?
* Rowan. Rowan is one of the best supporting characters I have read in a book in quite sometime. Quite a fierce woman but in a street way that Jessa is not

My thoughts:

* I think Shadowlight might be better if you read a Darkyn series book first. This will allow you to get familiar with Lynn's voice and feel only she has.
* It might be jumpy in the beginning, but keep going...Jessa and Gaven will grab you.
* An enjoyable read which makes you want to read it again ...to find those clues you missed the first time.
* Now I have to buy the Darkyn series...oh darn!....more books to read...*smile*

Debra Saturday ~ blueheroncreek.wordpress.com/

Engaging New Series

I have been lucky enough to be graced with a an ARC of Lynn Viehl's latest work, Shadowlight, first book in her new series about the Kyndred and sequel of sorts to her successful Darkyn series, and I'd like to share my experience here.

For those who haven't read the Darkyn novels, there is enough information here to make the story totally understandable without having to read the Darkyn books. Personally, I'd recommend to do it, especially for the vampire genere fans, because they are great, but I'm sure that once you have finished Shadowlight, you won't need further goading and you'll make that trip to the bookshop to find them.

From the Darkyn books, we have a couple of well loved characters: fomer Kyn hitman, Lucan and his life companion Samantha Brown, a detective in the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Their interactions are always fun to read, as much as the small appearance of Dr. Alex Keller, another well loved character of the Kyn fans.

Then, we have a set of whole new characters. I must admit that I wasn't exactly hooked with Jessa, I suppose I identified her with Jema Shaw, a character from the previous series that didn't do it for me either. Matthias, on the other hand, presents a lot of interesting possibilities, and I'd love him meeting Dr. Keller, for example. I liked Rowan a lot, but despite the little he is seen on the book, it's Drew whose story I'd like to see in future Kyndred books.

Many questions that arose in the last books of the Kyn series are left unanswered in this first book, and considering that this is a whole new series, it's understandable. However, since they share the same universe, and the Kyndred are the result of a botched experiment carried out by the Kyn archenemies, the Brethren, I expect that the some of these questions are tied up in the upcoming books.

There is a new villain in this book (and presumably, in the new series), a corporation who seems hell bent in exploiting the genetic improvements that resulted of the experiments of the Brethren. We don't know yet if they are aware of these experiments, if they were part of them, or if they stumbled upon the Brethren experiments by chance. There are tantalizing hints of a new twist in this universe, with the mysterious link to Matthias/Tanicus and Genaro's family, Matthias' tattoo and ancient origin, and how it ties up with what we already know of the Darkyn and Kyndred origins. All this will hook new and old readers alike, in my opinion.

Shadowlight is an interesting new step forward into this fascinating universe that Lynn Viehl has crafted for us. You'll find here engaging new characters, old classic ones that don't disappoint, a plot with enough twists to keep you turning pages well into the night, and lots of questions that will keep you coming back for more Kyndred books. There is a good dose of romance, but it's well done, and the sex is well balanced and adds to the plot, not at all like in Some Authors that Will Remain Nameless. I'll give four starts out of five, because the active villain, Lawson, was really annoying and cartoonish at times, too over the top for me. However, don't miss Shadowlight. Go and preorder. Now.

Lynn Viehl provides her fans with an even more complex realm in her latest enjoyable urban romantic fantasy

Jessa Bellamy is a highly regarded job recruiting consultant. Her success is due to her special skill of being able to touch someone and journey into the SHADOWLAND where she learns the dark side of a candidate that they hide from an interviewer. She hides her ability, but also knows there are other Takyn like her.

GenHance CEO Jonah Genaro has learned of Jessa and tries to kidnap her. He wants to use her as he has others in an experiment to create a race of supermen via gene manipulation; no one has survived his tests. Mattias rescues Jessa; insisting he just wants to keep her safe, but he has secrets that he conceals from her while Jonah wants her back and some unknown adversary prefers both dead.

Expanding the world of the Darkyn with a SHADOWLIGHT into the Kyndred, Lynn Viehl provides her fans with an even more complex realm in her latest enjoyable urban romantic fantasy. The story line is fast-paced and filled with plenty of suspense as Jonah plots to harvest Jessa's DNA while Mattias plans to protect her though he also has other secret plans for her. With a strong lead couple and a terrific in a macabre sense villain, SHADOWLIGHT unveils a dramatic thrilling twist.

Harriet Klausner

Couldn't Put It Down!

Seamlessly transitioning into the next arch of her Darkyn universe, Lynn Viehl starts off her Novels of the Kyndred series with a sharp, sexy entry that focuses on the genetically altered children of the Kyn known as the Kyndred.

Unbeknownst to the Kyn- templar knights cum vampires, introduced in her first seven book series- twenty odd years ago, a shadow group began experimenting with mixing the blood of the Kyn with humans to create a super human race who is neither human nor vampire. Orphans nobody wanted, the children are eventually adopted out and few of the products of the blending are aware of what they truly are because their powers are only fully activated after they die.

Shadowlight centers around Jessa Bellamy and mysterious man we later discover is a prototype of the Kyndred- a creature far older than the Darkyn themselves. Gaven Matthias has made it his business to collect and protect the Kyndred ever since he awoke from a deep freeze he labored under for thousands of years. When Jonah Genaro, ceo of GenHance, a leading biotech company, targets Jessa, Matthias snatches her before his arch nemesis can capture her first.

Jessa has no clue who she is anymore, let alone what she is. She only knows that ever since a tragic accident, she has a special gift that frightens her- one that enables her to read the dark shadows of a human soul. When a gorgeous stranger rescues her from an apparent attack, she doesn't know who to trust.

Having only herself to trust for so long, she's wary of the strange man claiming to be her rescuer. Determined to escape him and the odd attraction she feels toward him, she focuses on getting away from the underground fortress she's imprisoned in, while topside her world is turned upside down by the man who would stop at nothing to get his hands on her- and her gift.

When she finally realizes that Matthias is who he says he is, and that her very life is threatened by GenHance, the two team up- along with the motley crew Matthias has collected to aid him- to protect other Kyndred out there. But first they must stop a misogynist monster- and a former employee of GenHance- who blames Jessa for his recent troubles.

Meanwhile Jonah Genaro quietly works behind the scenes to advance his own designs- one that started two thousand years ago at the end of the Roman Empire and I suspect will not end till the Kyndred come into their own.

Viehl takes the best elements of her Darkyn novels, pares them down, and spins her world into a whole new direction. Smart and darkly sensual, Shadowlight begins Viehls's new series with action, suspense and a dash of mystery and moves the Kyndred closer to the paranormal romance genre than the Urban Fantasy that marked the Darkyn series. (A smart move, because her sexy tortured heroes cry out for a happily-ever-after every time!)

Her way of hooking a reader with tantalizing peeks into the ancient world and tying them to modern menaces is what sets her novels apart and makes them stand out from the rest of the pack. I simply couldn't put Shadowlight down once I started!

Lovin' them Kyndred

I loved Shadowlight. It is a continuation, or a prequel of sorts, of her Darkyn saga. Here, Ms Viehl had the task of telling a story with enough detail to satisfy those that have not read the Darkyn series. To achieve this, she brought in characters from previous novels, and slipped in the origins of the Darkyn and their connection to the Kyndred. And for her diehard fans, she brought in a new aspect to the theory that the Brethren (the Darkyn's worst enemies) created the Kyn. By telling of the first Kyndred, a Roman Commander from the first century, this theory was dispelled. Now there is a new villain for both to fight. IMO, by hooking up pairs of Kyndred, the resulting new generation will give the Darkyn hope for their continued existence. And for any Darkyn fan or newbie, the lovin' will thrill any Romance junkie's heart. Can't wait for Rowan's story. This girl should have her dreams come true after all she has been through.

Shadowlight e-ARC review

Shadowlight is the first in a new series featuring the Kyndred, genetically-modified humans with special powers who first made their appearance in Viehl's series on the vampire-like Darkyn. But initially in that series their existence and special nature is hidden and unknown although as the Darkyn series progresses more hints and pointers to their existence, origin and nature are revealed. Now, in Shadowlight, the Kyndred take centre-stage.

It begins with the untimely death of a young woman, Minerva Starret, on the first day of her new job. After her death, the story resumes ten years later with another young woman Jessa Bellamy who runs a consultancy firm which carries out background checks on prospective job candidates for other companies. Jessa's business success is in no small part due to an unusual talent: when she touches someone she goes into shadowlight and "experiences" wrongful or guilty secrets they may have. She attempts to keep her talent secret but despite her efforts, other parties become aware of her existence and special ability and she soon becomes a target as other groups seek to capture her for their own purposes. She is abducted by one of these groups led by a man named Gaven Matthias.

The story unfolds as Jessa tries to escape, and elude the various groups pursuing her, and as she contends with a growing attraction to Matthias and must decide if she can trust him and his group.

Interwoven with Jessa and Matthias' story, the narration of a 2000 year-old mystery concerning the uncertain end of a Roman general on an ancient battlefield is recounted through archaeological findings of ancient manuscripts or inscriptions. The (fictitious) historical tie-in was another thread I enjoyed in the story.

Viehl's gift for strong and compelling story-telling is manifest in Shadowlight.
I found the Kyndred characters more accessible and sympathetic than the Darkyn because of their down-to-earth nature and bare-bones existence which contrasts with the Darkyn's slightly too fantastic, wealthy and flamboyant lifestyle.
The Kyndred's struggle for survival and security and their efforts to help others of their own kind with less in the way of resources than the Darkyn make them more admirable characters. Matthias, in particular, is very attractive with his stoic control and strength, his patience and sense of honour.

Shadowlight is definitely a keeper and one I'll enjoy re-reading many times.

Similar but Different...

This is another deep and dark book by Lynn Viehl. The main idea coming through is romance between the supernatural, as almost all of the other books have been in the series. It is sometimes annoying, as it is in the book so much and stops the plot flowing. I would have liked to have had a better overview of the Darkyn's characteristics, and everyday life, as in the book you see a scene or are given a small peek into their previous life... and thats kinda it. Another classic Viehl book!

The story and characters just didn't work for me

This decade has seen the rise of the vampire novel, thanks in no small part to the colossal success of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. One of the more popular novelists in the supernatural romance/thriller genre has been Lynn Viehl. Her Darkyn series has produced several trips to the New York Times bestseller list for trade paperbacks and created a legion of fans. Viehl's newest novel Shadowlight, begins her newest series - the Kyndred - a spin-off of her Darkyn novels.

I had a lot of problems with Shadowlight right from the start. The story was slow to get started and lurched from one scene to the next without much continuity, making it difficult to follow who was doing what. There just wasn't much to hold on to and I was fighting the urge to give up on the book. After the first 100 pages, I realized that I still didn't care about any of the characters. I grew more and more frustrated as the characters took on one-dimensional personalities. I've read stories before where the seemingly shallow characters developed into something more later on, but these characters just never did. On top of that is a villain who is so completely over-the-top that I was actually laughing at how ridiculous he was - that is until he got stuck with a needle instantly becoming an all-powerful 'god,' killing everyone he came near and ending each one with a piece of clichéd dialogue. The entire premise of the story collapsed and lost me for good. The basic premise of the story was interesting enough, but in the end, when I finished the novel I was simply unable to buy in to the story or its characters. There may be other readers who will enjoy Shadowlight, but I for one did not.

Deeper - Wider - Fuller: the Darkyn continue to fascinate

Deeper into the world of the Darkyn. Wider views of their various talents and relationships. Fuller development of their beginnings and the threats to their survival. That is where Lynn is taking her loyal fans in Shadowlight - A Novel of the Kyndred, to be released October 6, 2009.

Although preceded by seven best-selling novels of the Darkyn, Lynn's latest supernatural romance/thriller is plenty strong enough to stand alone, with new characters and plot twists marking the existence of a more complex world of Darkyn than the one I already knew. The fast-paced plot picks up speed and heat as Min and Matthias battle first each other and then the most deadly enemy the Darkyn have ever yet known.

Rowan, their friend, sparkles so brightly in her scenes that she nearly steals their show. It is a good thing that Lynn has already written a book just for her, and I got to read the ten page preview today. Pre-order, here I go again - Dreamveil is scheduled for publication in June, 2010.

Meanwhile, I have Shadowlight to ponder, and to read at least once more, before then. Another five star from Lynn Viehl.

WhOooOohOOOOoOOoOO!!!!

I sooOOoOOoOOoO can not wait either.
Darkyn series are the BOMB.
Bring it on Ms Viehl- we are ready for another book of yours.

CAN'T WAIT

ok i know its weird to write a review about a book that you have not read and its not even out yet but i truly love Viehl's Darkyn series(thabks to my wonderful friend Sam;who got me hooked on then and who's probably reading this now and laughing at me)But I'm sure this series will be as amazing as the Darkyn series. It'll be filled with action and tons of romance which makes this books enjoyable for women and men! I hope everyone likes it as much as i know i will.(I can totally tell that we're going to talk about think at school Sam lol and I know you're probably still laughing at me lol)
well, hope everyone likes the book. I CAN'T WAIT!!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.