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Apr 21, 2008

Athena rated it:

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0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 15, 2007

Annette rated it:

I have three issues with this book:

1 - It's choppy. The story jumps and jerks along and nothing is ever finished or explained. The writing is short sentences and abrupt dialog.

2 - An over use of characters that know something the reader doesn't. All the way thru you see lines like "I have a theory" or "I might know" but there's no explanation and since the reader doesn't know every experience of the character (this being the first book) we can't com More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Sep 07, 2011

Julia rated it:

Despite all the bad reviews, I enjoyed this book for the most part and gave it 4 stars. I found this book so refreshing from the last half of Anita Blake books and the Meredith Gentry books, where everything was about the sex and barely touched on plot.
In this book, I fell in love with the twins and could really relate to Elaine, questioning every move she made and not ever feeling accepted. Feeling different. It made this book very east to read for me and I got lost in it very easily.
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May 31, 2009

Susan rated it:

This book is a trilogy of 3 different authors, weird...

I was quite surprised with LKH. The writing is so dark and grotesque. Sometimes I feel as though LKH books get overshadowed by all the sex and lust. This book is about Elaine, a young girl who discovers she is a powerful mage. As she is learning her new found magic, she is also discovering the consequences of her use of them. Is magic evil or is it only a tool of the beholder that is evil? Does magic corrupts the person? Is magic More...

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Apr 05, 2009

Karlie rated it:

I picked up this book because of the author's popularity and I because liked the premise of the book since I enjoy fantasy and characters that have magical powers. Sadly, this was before I was using good reads to help me make a more informed decision before purchasing/reading a book. I actually started out liking the book and was interested in the characters and the plot development, but somewhere towards the end things went horribly, horribly wrong for the supposed heroine! The ending is disapp More...

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Jan 18, 2010

Feyfire rated it:

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Dec 05, 2008

Melissa rated it:

I really enjoy the way Hamilton writes about the interpersonal relationships between her characters and the often perceptive way she describes emotions. Otherwise this was an entertaining fantasy read that ended abruptly, but felt more like a first attempt at her getting to know this world rather than a complete book. The characters and the world were interesting and had a lot of potential. So, that said, if she were to write a part 2, I would probably read it but wouldn't recommend the book t More...

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Sep 24, 2011

Ithlilian rated it:

I stumbled across this book at a flea market and thought "Huh, Laurell K. Hamilton writes regular fantasy." I bought it, why not, and then saw all of the low rated reviews on the internet. That made me put off reading this for over a year. I probably should have known better, as I sometimes enjoy books that others dislike, but it was worth the wait. Death of a Darklord is a self contained fantasy about a woman discovering she has magical abilities. Magic is frowned upon in the communit More...

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 19, 2009

Nicolas rated it:

Je n'aurais sans doute jamais acheté ce livre sans la juxtaposition de Ravenloft et de Laurell K. Hamilton. C'est la première fois que je lisais un roman se déroulant dans Ravenloft, et comme c'est un univers que je voulais mieux découvrir (je n'ai jamais eu l'opportunité ni les idées pour y jouer), je me suis laissé tenter.

Le début du roman est laborieux, et les personnages sont trop stéréotypés. L'histoire avance tranquillement, sans qu'on sache trop le pourquoi du comment. Mais ça More...

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Jan 01, 2010

Julia rated it:

It's hard to believe LKH actually authored this; it doesn't feel like her stylistically at all, perhaps because it's not her world, but even her characters seem uncharacteristically-LKH. So certainly, don't read this because you're a fan of LKH, as you will be likely disappointed as I was.

I found her style here underdeveloped compared to her Anita & Merry series (though the writing is still readable), and the actual plot itself is quite weak, the characters thin, the overall story un More...

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Oct 09, 2008

Merredith rated it:

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Sep 17, 2011

Vincy rated it:

Even if you think you like Laurell K. Hamilton, fantasy or Ravenloft, you won't like this. Not only is it poorly written (I believe it was one of her first novels), but it's depressing as hell. It's mostly backstory that seems designed to make the loss of characters even more devastating (NO ONE has a happy ending in this book but the bad guy). The backstory didn't even advance the plot. This gets two stars instead of one because I was able to finish reading it, but just barely.

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Jan 26, 2009

MarsianMan rated it:

I enjoy Laurell K Hamilton's writing style, but this book was difficult to like. Don't get me wrong, I was interested and finished the short 300page novel in a day. The problem is in the story, it just doesn't go anywhere (or maybe where I want it to go). As a start of a series this book would have been an OK start dependent on the rest of the series to sell it, but as a stand alone book from the mid-1990s, this book was terrible. None of the plot drew together well enough to form a complete sto More...

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Apr 20, 2011

Dezi rated it:

I am a big fan of Laurell K Hamilton and I decided to try reading this one. It was different then what she usually writes, but i liked that. I guess she was trying something different. It was a little chaotic, but I guess that's what you get when you deal with zombies and such. I liked how magic and zombies were put in the story and the ending surprised me, but I was happy with it, since it was supposed to be a horror story. All in all, a good read.

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Jun 26, 2010

Rachel rated it:

I seriously want the sitting I spent reading this book back. I liked the start of the book, bonded with the characters, liked where the plot was going. I've played in Ravenloft games and was aware how extremely depressing these games can be. But the ending felt lose and like the book had been written by a sadistic DM on a power trip. I am a fan of Laurell K. Hamilton's work I just feel like this book was not the best example.

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Sep 27, 2010

Bambi rated it:

While I am a fan of some of this author's work, I was not aware that it was in a series until after I read it. This book left me empty as if there should be more to the story. Perhaps if I had started with #1, I would've like it more. Ultimately, to me, the characters were unlikeable and disturbing.

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Dec 24, 2008

Kristen rated it:

I was impressed with the way the book was written, since it wasn't her usual style, and I got into the characters and the plot. But, it never went anywhere. Nothing was explained, things were skipped over, and the ending was rushed and just over. I really thought as I was reading it that it was building to something, but I was very disappointed.

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May 23, 2011

Jae rated it:

Not my favorite Hamilton book, but still a decent read. Exciting and fairly fast paced, but I felt a definite lack of sympathy for the main characters. They just didn't seem to have many redeeming qualities, and were actually quite harsh with their friends and family. I know everything can't be puppies and apple pies, but I just had a hard time relating to these characters.

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Mar 08, 2011

Anne rated it:

I love dark fantasy and I love Laurell K. Hamilton, but I'm not sure how to place this one. The world building is complex and dark-- and full of twists. Hamilton gives us elves, mages, shape shifters, soul snatchers, and a anti-magic group reminiscent of the Salem witch trials.

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Dec 21, 2008

Jordyn rated it:

This was like the first zombie book I read and it had really vivid details. It was kind of gruesome but in an interesting way. The ending was good but disappointing. I think too many people died, but you kind of knew it had to end that way. I know I am going to have nightmares, but overall, it was a pretty good book.

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Mar 17, 2009

Jennifer rated it:

I got tired of the Anita Blake series from Hamilton, but this looked interesting. It's a good read. A little disturbing... some pretty dark images at the end. Definitely unresolved. Looks like it's part of a trilogy; 3 different authors for 3 books.

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Aug 02, 2011

Lindsey rated it:

laurell k hamilton's imagination explodes all over this book. i love her early writing. This book is dark, graphic, and that type of sci fi fantasy that is so addicting - the ones where there is no happy ending possible.

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Dec 17, 2009

Karen rated it:

This one is about a mage (someone who can perform magic) and her family and their fight against evil. I didn't realize it's just one of a series, but it's a pretty good beach read.

Elaine figures out she has magical powers, but also finds out that some of them are not as good as they seem. She and her family, who are sworn to fight evil, head off for a town plagued by zombies. Along the way, she explores her powers, and the consequences of her use of them.

It's not unti More...

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Sep 30, 2011

Patti rated it:

I love Hamilton's Meredith Gentry series, I enjoy the vampire books, though I tired of them.

But this book is awful! In the end the bad guy defeats everything and everybody!

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Sep 21, 2009

Joycelyn rated it:

Not bad but hopefully she doesn't write anymore of these. I would have to read them just because and I didn't enjoy this one enough to want to read a second one.

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Feb 11, 2009

Tarren rated it:

It was Amazing and yet awfull at the same time. I was amazingly well writin but I hated the story. It was very dark and That is just not my cup of tea.

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Mar 25, 2009

Angela rated it:

This was just okay. The characters didn't pull me in, thus I haven't read the next two in this series yet.

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Jan 01, 2009

Mary rated it:

I did not find this one as entertaining as the Anita Blake series. finished it but it isn't a keeper.

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Jul 28, 2009

Kayden rated it:

This book is different than others I've read from this author, but no less stunning. You rock Laurell!

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Apr 24, 2009

Holly rated it:

I love Laurell but this was a different genre of book for me....so it took awhile for me to get into it...

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