Prince of Dreams

Val Cache #2

by Susan Krinard

San Francisco psychologist Diana Ransom can’t take her eyes off the gorgeous, green-eyed stranger. But when she finally approaches him across the smoke-filled room, her reasons have little to do with the treacherous feelings he inspires. Diana suspects that this brooding, enigmatic man is responsible for the disappearance of her fragile young cousin. Desperate to find her and determined to plumb the mystery behind Nicholas Gale’s hypnotic charm, Diana will follow him into the velvety darkness—and awake to a haunting passion. For Nicholas is no mere human but a vampire with the power to steal into a woman’s dreams and fill her nights with untold rapture. And soon, blinded by an ecstasy sweeter than any she has ever known, Diana will find herself risking her eternal soul for a love that promises to be forever.

Genres: Romance, Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Vampires, Fantasy, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Trained as an artist with a BFA in Illustration from the California College of Arts and Crafts, Susan Krinard became a writer in 1992 when a friend read a short story she'd written and suggested she try writing a romance novel. A long-time fan of science fiction and fantasy, Susan began reading romance -- and realized what she wanted to do was combine the two genres. Prince of Wolves, her first romance novel and one of the earliest to feature a werewolf hero, was the result. Within a year Susan had sold the manuscript to Bantam as part of a three-book contract, and the novel went on to make several bestseller lists.

Since then, she's written and published over fourteen paranormal and fantasy novels, and written stories for a number of anthologies, both fantasy and romance. Both the anthology Out of This World (which included Susan's "Kinsman") and the novel Lord of the Beasts appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List.

Susan makes her home in New Mexico, the "Land of Enchantment", with her husband Serge, their dogs Freya, Nahla and Cagney, and their cat Jefferson. In addition to writing, Susan's interests include music of almost every kind, old movies, reading, nature, baking, and collecting unique handmade jewelry and decorative crafts.

Reviews

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read on THE CHAPTERS APP.

2.5 stars
It was okay. That pretty much sums it up.

There were hot moments, but maybe it was the app's adaptation fault, but the characters were pretty much cardboard cutouts, especially Adrian, and it was unpleasant.

The version of the ebook I've got is unreadable, it feels like a rough draft from the beginning of polishing the book. That is why I stuck to the app's version.

I don't think that the worldbuilding and folklore were portrayed well here, the characters were lacking and it didn't have much grip on me. It had its moments, though.

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicholas is an immortal who survives off the excess life force of his "dreamers," creative women (and men) whose vivid dreams he is able to enter through touch. Legend has it that his kind can become mortal through sex with a woman whose life force resonates intensely. Nicholas came close once, but his twin brother, Adrian, interfered, killing the woman to prevent the loss of his only partner in immortality. Now, hundreds of years later, Nicholas is again tempted, this time by Diana Ranson, whose life force affects him like no other and whose life as already, unknowingly been affected by Adrian. But Nicholas fears the harm that could come to Diana through his own loss of control and Adrian’s interference. Not to mention he’d have to let go of his own emotional barriers and admit the possibility of love and happiness for someone like him. Likewise, Diana would need to accept who and what Nicholas is, trust in him, and overcome her own fears of giving in to love body and soul.

This was definitely a unique premise. I like that Nicholas and Adrian are vampires of a different kind and the backstory of them and their struggles was nicely put together. In the same vein, Diana’s backstory for how she became the way she is, sort of outwardly frigid with an inner vulnerability and fear of attachment, was nicely done as well. Diana does give over to faith in love rather quickly and in no way reacted as I would have expected, especially given Nicholas’s deceit (not to mention his manipulating her memories of a certain night). But interestingly enough, Nicholas uses those actions to try to alienate Diana to protect himself...so the fact that she doesn’t react as he expects is what’s key to their relationship. I still don’t know if I liked it, but it made the story work. Mostly I couldn’t get past how his entering into Diana’s dreams without her explicit knowledge (and that of his dreamers) felt almost more of a violation than if he’d drank her blood or something. Still this story worked pretty well and even after Diana gives over to complete faith in her love for Nicholas, the tension keeps ramping up because you don’t know what Nicholas is going to do. And Adrian’s motives are pretty fascinating too...I almost want his story. Still not sold on him having “changed” and actually working to give Nicholas his dream.

[Kimberly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am having the hardest time getting through this book. The story line is some what interesting so I forge on but if it has been cut in half I think it would have been better. There is so many paragraphs that may as well been cut and pasted over and over it is nuts. I am thinking of skipping pages at a time to see if that helps.... FEW HOURS LATER... Well I skipped about 120 pages and didn't feel like I lost out on much. This book was really boring... I am in no hurry to get any more of Krinard's books. There just wasn't much to keep this book going. Yes the story had potential but even with all the pages I skipped it was so obvious what would happen.... Don't bother with this book unless you are desperate and it's the last book left on your shelf to read...

[Caro · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a good book but I just couldn't get interested until about half to three-quarters through the book. The last part really started moving well but the first part was really slow and kept me in the dark most of the time. Also, I really couldn't connect with the characters well until after the halfway point. I really enjoyed the last half. Overall, good for something to read but I wouldn't 'pick' it. Good luck

[Kevie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to be generous witha 4 star rating even though I initially wanted to give it a 3.5.

I'm not sure why I had quite a bit of fun reading this because it contains a lot of things I dislike in a book but for some reason I breezed through it.

I think the concept of lucid dreaming was an interesting touch. It's a shame that Adrian is such a boring villain and the final arc is a bit ridiculous. Keep ypur expectations at zero and you might enjoy it like I did to an extent.

[Shene Pettis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down

This book was exciting. I found myself frantically reading to discover what would come next. A few hours later (and a few breaks) I was pleasantly heartbroken to have finished my book.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good understanding of lucid dreaming.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea is interesting, the story not so much.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Trena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing from Miss Krinard.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not magic in the normal sense, but immortals. This story didn't grip me and become impossible to put down, but had good messages at the end which resonated with me.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A vampire - but lives on life force, not on blood... life force that is taken with a touch, in a dream, and most powerfully in sex. Only two are left in the world - twins, Nicholas and Adrian. They watched their mother pursue immortality, not take any life force, even from her loving, human husband, go crazy & kill her husband by taking too much, and then killing herself. As a result, Adrian took capriciously - killing 1 out of 4 lovers meant nothing - they were the superior, immortal race - and he attempted to entice Nicholas into joining him... but Nicholas learned a different lesson - and he spent 100 years traveling worldwide, looking for self control and wisdom. He took enough life force, via dreams, to survive.

After 100 years, the 1900s, Nicholas goes to America to start anew - and he meets Sarah Danvers, whose life force is strong; and marries her after she is impregnated when away at school. Nicholas played with the idea that her life force could make him mortal (a myth of their kind) , but then Adrian returns, and when Nicholas is gone one night, Adrian seduces and takes Sarah’s life force, killing her. Nicholas confronts Adrian, and in a battle, he defeats him, imprisoning him in a rock coffin in the mines prepared by Adrian for Nicholas.

And Nicholas makes a life for himself, only taking from dreams, making money, doing good... he save Judith Fortier from the Nazi’s when she is young - and now she is in her 60's, and has loved him and been his friend, knowing much of what he is j- the only human to know the truth - she is his assistant. But unknown to Nicholas, Adrian has escaped... and traced the progeny of Sarah - to Clare a dozen years earlier, to Keely, and finally to Diana - all who have strong life forces - he takes too much from Clare, killing her, he takes from Keely, but releases her, and he knows Diana is the one who has the potential to take his twin away from him.

Diana, has always been a strong dreamer, even able to guide her dreams... she saw her sister Clare ‘melt’ away, and at her death shared the dream of the demented Adrian - and has struggled to master her fears since. She is a psychologist which specializes in dreams and dream therapy.

Diana and Nicholas join forces to confront Adrian for Keely’s freedom... and win... and they are drawn to one another. Keely finally turns to High School teacher Tim, who has a thing for her... When Nicholas comes to her in her dreams, after he explains what he is, she is able to step into the dream and direct it - pushing him away or drawing him close... And as she comes to understand the true threat, and to know that she loves him, she sees that Adrian can only be defeated by the two of them joined in a dream...

Nicholas keeps trying to be noble, and push her away... she doesn’t allow it, and they get closer and closer, more intimate in their conversations, in their dreams, and in sex... until Nicholas goes to Adrian, has his life force taken by the sun, and is manacled in the cave - all to protect Diana - but Diana tracks him down, they fully have sex, she survives, he is vitalized... but stil they must defeat him in the cave... and they pull Adrian into their dream, and defeat him - with Sarah and Clare coming to offer forgiveness to Nicholas and to take Adrian...

[Jaimey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm...ok. This story left me a...well, a little cold. I liked the interesting twist on the classic vampire theme. But I found the heroine more irritating than endearing and the hero's obsession with his immortality rather annoying. Perhaps that sounds overly critical, and perhaps the story really wouldn't work without the constant self-recriminations, but I still found him annoying enough to want to slap him. And her. Perhaps I was in the wrong frame of mind when I read it.

....Vampires are really not my thing....

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say the cover of this book put me off - the slightly bewildered & fey muscle man on the horse is enough that I'm quite sure I wouldn't have chosen this book, but as a trade, I gave it a try.

So Mr Fey on the horse is a vampire, a dream vampire, so the biting and blood is dispensed with and replaced with a life-force sucking predator. But, of course, he's a hero too.

There were some nice bits and a bit of suspense, overall a better book than the cover made it seem, with more depth than say, your run of the mill bestseller vampire teen angst saga.

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, but odd book. The main character is an energy vampire and sucks energy off ones dreams. Liked the theory. Felt it was a bit long, and he was a whiny sort who was too busy playing the macho man who wasn't going to really listen to the gal while he had to fight his evil twin.

[Janet · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had a very hard time getting into this book. It was a struggle for me to keep reading. Maybe because the pace was slow and that Nicholas wasn't my favorite character. The story was just too long for my tastes.

[Laurla2]

"and you believed him."
"i was a child. children can still see through the bars that close around us when we become adults."

"damn you, do you think i can't recognize when someone is trying to protect himself with a wall of words?"

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable but pleasant reading.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the different kind of vampire story and I enjoyed it very much and have read it 6 to 10 times.

[Vivian · Rating 1 out of 5]

All the comments that say that this is a bad story, to my opinion is true. I had so many issues I couldn't get past a few of the first chapters.

[Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

This plot was so interesting, but also quite confusing.

[Beverly Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice story but a bit long winded.

[T · Rating 1 out of 5]

it was just too slow for me and i just couldn't get into it. =(