Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
414th out of 960 books
—
5,744 voters
Beyond the Pale (Darkwing Chronicles #1)
The government knows that Daphne Urban is a vampire, and they have an ultimatum: spy for them, or be killed. The choice is easy. She can speak 13 languages, has a genius IQ, and has escaped detection for nearly five hundred years-making her perfect for Team Darkwing. Her first mission is to get close to Bonaventure, a shady arms dealer with an unexpected gift for seduction...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
June 7th 2005
by Signet
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
202nd out of 515 books
—
1,362 voters
More lists with this book...
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
2,351)
I seriously considered throwing this book in the trash halfway through but some weird sense of completion and minor curiosity kept it in my hand. Will I read the rest in the series? Hell No.
This author seems to have a serious problem with “Goth” as she puts it or rather puts it down repeatedly throughout the story. She mentions multiple times how unattractive pale skin and a black clad wardrobe is…um...isn’t this a VAMPIRE book? Perhaps the author enjoys a nice dark tan instead of pale skin? T...more
This author seems to have a serious problem with “Goth” as she puts it or rather puts it down repeatedly throughout the story. She mentions multiple times how unattractive pale skin and a black clad wardrobe is…um...isn’t this a VAMPIRE book? Perhaps the author enjoys a nice dark tan instead of pale skin? T...more
9 likes · like · see review
view 1 comment
I'm not sure there are words to cover my dislike of this book. Half way through I skipped to the end hoping for a mairacle that the book redeems itself. Ha, fat chance! I detest when an author spend her time writing about how smart, strong and edgy the character is only to create a story that contradicts all of those things. I should have known in the first chapter that it would only get worse. I mean if you have such a high IQ then you should have known something was wrong by observing your sur...more
I was enjoying this book in the beginning all up till Darius showed up. Really, I don't know what it is but I immediately disliked him. I hated every single scene that he was in since he turns Daphne (the main character) into a complete dimbo. It's just disgusting how she acts around him. I mean, even when he finds out that she's a vampire, he's completely disgusted and so what does Daphne do? She continues to pursue him!
Other than that, several things (if you pay attention) don't really add up....more
Other than that, several things (if you pay attention) don't really add up....more
This was my second time reading this book. It was sitting on my bookshelf and I forgot that I had already read it. I started reading it and realized things were familiar. I went ahead and read the book again since I couldn't remember what happened in it.
It had a pretty strong plot. The main character is a vampire and is recruited by a secret government agency to do a spy job.. Another spy comes into the picture that is following the same guy that she is helping spy on. They end up joining force...more
It had a pretty strong plot. The main character is a vampire and is recruited by a secret government agency to do a spy job.. Another spy comes into the picture that is following the same guy that she is helping spy on. They end up joining force...more
I really, REALLY,wanted to like-no, love-this book. But I didn't and I can't. There were so many problems with this book. The first off being, that I did not like the main couple: Darius and Daphne had NO SEXUAL CHEMISTRY. zip. zero. nada. I wanted Daphne to end up w/ J. Now, THAT would have been some zip, soaring chemistry. :)
Secondly, I really didn't like Darius. His character fell flat for me. No depth AT ALL. And I shuddered every time he called Daphne 'girlfriend'.
There was too much emphas...more
Secondly, I really didn't like Darius. His character fell flat for me. No depth AT ALL. And I shuddered every time he called Daphne 'girlfriend'.
There was too much emphas...more
the summary on the back seemed really intriguing. daphne was supposed to be this uber-vamp, paragon of her species, fluent in thirteen, genius; the ultimate survivor. i'm not quite sure what i remember what imagined her to be like, since the story completely shattered my initial beliefs, but probably a cross between anita blake and stephen hawking.
let's just say i was bitterly disappointed.
it's funny, because despite her own proclamation of her own brilliance in the first chapter, EVERYTHING she...more
let's just say i was bitterly disappointed.
it's funny, because despite her own proclamation of her own brilliance in the first chapter, EVERYTHING she...more
3 likes · like · see review
Savannah Russe starts with an original premise: What if a vampire became a spy for the U.S. government? Daphne Urban has survived five hundred years and schmoozed with royalty and Romantic poets. These days, though, she's suffering from ennui. When the government makes her an offer she can't refuse, she's resistant at first, but soon realizes her new job is the most excitement she's had in over a century.
Trouble is, Daphne makes a rather bumbling spy. I realize she's new to the whole secret age...more
Trouble is, Daphne makes a rather bumbling spy. I realize she's new to the whole secret age...more
1 like · like · see review
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
First off, put this book down and go buy Jennifer Rardin's Jaz Parks series as it seems this series is based on Ms Rardin's series and Ms Rardin's series does it infinity better.
Second: great concept, terrible execution. The heroine's 'personality' reads like a D&D character sheet but she is even less interesting or accurate. Despite supposedly being one of the smartest people in the world, from a family world famous for treachery & cunning, heroine is easily led, and anything but intell...more
Second: great concept, terrible execution. The heroine's 'personality' reads like a D&D character sheet but she is even less interesting or accurate. Despite supposedly being one of the smartest people in the world, from a family world famous for treachery & cunning, heroine is easily led, and anything but intell...more
Okay, okay... vampires fighting terrorists is a bit silly. Savannah Russe should have done a LOT more research on criminal investigations to make the action believable. The vampires just wander around sleeping with and sharing information with suspects, not checking in, not filing reports, and not doing the basic investigative procedures you'd find in any cop show. In the first chapter mysterious government agents attack Daphne and force her to work for them or die while giving her an inane spee...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Either I've started BtP before or there's another book out there with a vaguely similar plot. With vampires, really, you can never tell.
That said, there's a lot going for BtP. The idea is interesting: After 9/11, the government decides to secretly recruit vampires. And by recruit, I mean make them choose between serving their country or dying. Immediately. Daphne falls for the wrong guys, has spent her considerably long life doing nothing of great importance, and is finally given a chance to do...more
That said, there's a lot going for BtP. The idea is interesting: After 9/11, the government decides to secretly recruit vampires. And by recruit, I mean make them choose between serving their country or dying. Immediately. Daphne falls for the wrong guys, has spent her considerably long life doing nothing of great importance, and is finally given a chance to do...more
She is a 450 year old vampire and Uncle Sam wants her. This is another of the new silly vampire stories coming around now-a-days. The problem is that these books are not written very well and they have a lot to be desired. The writing is silly, the characters are weak and the whole book suffers from amateurism. She is forced to spy for the CIA and she falls in love with a vampire killer who in the end she bites him to keep him alive and he hates her for it. Then she jumps to the cranky superviso...more
Beyond the Pale looked really interesting. A vampire spy was a great concept! Unfortunately, the book focuses on how the main character Daphne loved designer clothes, and how her Prada shoes annoyed her when she walked...
I felt that Daphne's character needed more substance, and also the other characters had to be made more believable. Most of the characters seemed unbelievable, and slightly comical.
The author had a great idea, but she failed to focus on the important parts of the story, and ins...more
I felt that Daphne's character needed more substance, and also the other characters had to be made more believable. Most of the characters seemed unbelievable, and slightly comical.
The author had a great idea, but she failed to focus on the important parts of the story, and ins...more
ok so this book had me mixed - it took a long time to get to the point and then there were things that were a bit unbelievable in the character development - ie Darius. There were moments where I just didn't like any of the characters and I never felt that urgency to get to the next revelation like I have with other authers. There also wasn't anything that left me thinking about the next one - speculation and dissection is something that I enjoy with a series and i just didn't get it from this o...more
This book was certainly different. They've recruited vampires as agents against terrorism. The plot is interesting. The characters, however, are horribly developed. The heroine flips between formal, antiquated English to modern slang and ease without pausing, and while I understand she's lived in both times, you'd think she would have developed a mostly consistent pattern of speech. Also, she can't seem to make up her mind about anything. The male lead is a cardboard cutout. He pops in, he pops...more
Synopsis: The government knows that Daphne Urban is a vampire, and they have an ultimatum: spy for them, or be killed. The choice is easy. She can speak 13 languages, has a genius IQ, and has escaped detection for nearly five hundred years-making her perfect for Team Darkwing. Her first mission is to get close to Bonaventure, a shady arms dealer with an unexpected gift for seduction. But when Darius, a darkly sexy vampire slayer, begins chasing her, Darius is torn between desire and duty. For hi...more
The series is really good.a group of vampires fighting against terrorism in New York (where i live which is amazing since every place they went i kind of knew where it was or been around there myself.... got to love New York! )... really interesting. the only thing i don't like is the vampires shapeshift into giant bats. well once i got over that is amazing book.
Is flirt person narrative (my favorite and the only kind i tend to read)
Is flirt person narrative (my favorite and the only kind i tend to read)
This is such great writing. Its modern in style, yet classic in tastes, its really hard to explain. There are lots of little quotes that are scattered into the story that are really poignant, and such a great reange of vocabulary I was constantly looking up in the dictionary but in writing style its really modern and quite humorous. That's all a brilliant addition to a really good story. Its gripping and detailed, I really enjoyed it. X
It's been a long time since I could not finish a book, so I guess this book is exceptional on at least one front.[return][return][return][return]It was poorly written with boring characters and a ridiculous premise. Seriously, if you're going to make your main character a spy, do some research! The stupidity and lack of professionalism of the characters just made me upset. Could not finish.
Well when I started this book I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But as I continued on, it became clear that I was really going to like Daphne. She strong, intelligent, witty and sexy. By the time I got 3/4 of it read I was hooked. Damn Darius!! Started the 2nd book in the series and so far so good. I wasn't sure I was going to get in to the whole US government blackmailing her to spy for them but it has actually turned out interesting. Good job Savannah!
The books seemed to have great potential but between Daphne and J but I feel it just got lost with Darius. I'm not sure how I'll like the other books if it's all focused about getting Darius back. The book just seemed to lack the build up that he was her mate and that the mate part just seemed to come out of left field. I'm not to sure about this series.
Not my kind of book. Was sassy, yes... and had interesting sex scenes, but no to so into their "transformation" as a vampire. And although I like descriptions of fashion, this was a bit over the top. None of it was really believable to me. I don't know why. Just never felt for the characters and the plot just never grabbed hold of me.
I can review the 65 pages I read...I didnt like Daphne, she was constantly yapping about her boots or clothes ok I get it...she a 450 shopaholic. A vamp who turns into a bat/bird/angel?? yet scared to walk down Ave B in the city? LOLOLOL the secondary characters were terrible, Cormac(the broadway vamp), Benny(self tanned anti Goth vamp)..I just didnt get it. :(
This is one of those books I couldn't even force myself to finish reading. The concept sounded great, but I found it very hard to care about any of the characters. They weren't even that interesting. I got very tired of reading about her designer clothes/shoes. I also just didn't like the writing style and thought the dialogue was cheesy.
I really enjoyed this as a "book 1 in a series." In a genre that's becoming more and more crowded, this one managed to stand out with an interesting society, interesting premise, good characters, a great plot, and enough twists and turns to keep it moving along. Searching for Book 2... our library only has the books starting with #3.
I liked the writing and the storyline. The descriptions were just deep enough to make the story believable, but not so deep as to annoy me. However, I really hated the main character. I found her to be weak and fearful and she whined an awful lot, especially for a vampire. In the end, the book was just ok.
Daphne is a vampire, speaks several languages and has spent her many centuries evading authorities until the US government decide to recruit her. Darius della Chiesa is a vampire hunter determined to kill her. They find themselves attracted.
It's pretty predictable and pretty ho-hum for the genre.
It's pretty predictable and pretty ho-hum for the genre.
I don't agree with most of the reviews written for this book. It wasn't bad. There were some parts that i found to be slow but i think the book came together nicely. I think Darius was a shitty man but its understandable that "people fear what they don't understand" and really to me he doesn't matter because i'd prefer to see Daphy with J!
all in all I found that I didn't like the story line of this book or really any of the books in the dark wing chronicles. I found it to be an adult version of twilight. I also think a lot of the sex in the book was poorly written and/or uncessisary in most parts.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Lucy Finn
Pseudonym for Savannah Russe.
LUCY FINN is a fulltime fiction writer who also owns an antique store, the Big Red Barn.
Under the pen name, Savannah Russe, she is the author of the bestselling vampire series called The Darkwing Chronicles: Beyond the Pale, Book One (June 2005), Past Redemption, Book Two (April 2006), Beneath the Skin, Book Three ( February, 2007), In the Blood (November, 2...more
More about Savannah Russe...
Pseudonym for Savannah Russe.
LUCY FINN is a fulltime fiction writer who also owns an antique store, the Big Red Barn.
Under the pen name, Savannah Russe, she is the author of the bestselling vampire series called The Darkwing Chronicles: Beyond the Pale, Book One (June 2005), Past Redemption, Book Two (April 2006), Beneath the Skin, Book Three ( February, 2007), In the Blood (November, 2...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
