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Darkling Trilogy #1
Dark Genesis
Life for a female slave is one of hardship and unspeakable sorrow, something Luna knows only too well. But not even she could have foreseen the terror that would befall her one sultry Mississippi evening in the summer of 1807.
On her way back from a visit to see the African woman, a witch who has the herbs Luna needs to rid her of her abusive master’s child, she attracts the attention of a deadly being that lusts for blood. Forcibly removed from everything she knows by this tormented otherworldly creature, she is sure she will be dead by sunrise.
Dark Genesis is a love story set against the savage world of slavery in which a young woman who has been dehumanised by its horrors finds the courage to love, and in doing so, reclaims her humanity.
On her way back from a visit to see the African woman, a witch who has the herbs Luna needs to rid her of her abusive master’s child, she attracts the attention of a deadly being that lusts for blood. Forcibly removed from everything she knows by this tormented otherworldly creature, she is sure she will be dead by sunrise.
Dark Genesis is a love story set against the savage world of slavery in which a young woman who has been dehumanised by its horrors finds the courage to love, and in doing so, reclaims her humanity.
245 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 13, 2012
131 people are currently reading
1729 people want to read
About the author
A.D. Koboah
4 books190 followersI am of Ghanaian descent and spent the first few years of my life in Ghana before moving to London which is where I have lived ever since. I completed an English Literature degree in 2000 and although I have always written in my spare time, I didn’t start writing full-time until a few years ago.
My first novel Dark Genesis was inspired by my thoughts on dehumanisation. I was fascinated by the ways in which people are able to dehumanise others, the impact it has on the psyche and whether it is possible for people to find their way back from being dehumanised. This led me to Luna and the ruins of a haunted chapel deep in the heart of Mississippi.
My first novel Dark Genesis was inspired by my thoughts on dehumanisation. I was fascinated by the ways in which people are able to dehumanise others, the impact it has on the psyche and whether it is possible for people to find their way back from being dehumanised. This led me to Luna and the ruins of a haunted chapel deep in the heart of Mississippi.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
March 21, 2013
This book is awesome! No really, it's so good that I laughed and cried and now I demand another. The characters rich story fully comes alive on the pages, you see and live with Luna, you fall in love with Avery and by the end you want nothing more than to hold him in your arms and keep him safe. The best way I can describe this is, if "Interview with a vampire" was the grandfather of "Vampire Diaries" and that book had a baby with "Wench" than you would get "dark genesis"
This is the story of an oppressed slave, Luna. She is a woman weighed down by the attention of her master and his son. Seeking solace in a burned chapel she pours her soul out over a stolen bible that she can't even read. Avery, tied to the chapel by his guilt hears her plea and decides to do something about it. Here our story begins...
There are some minor issues:
The epilogue is a tad confusing and I almost stopped there; it was a string of contradictions; relatives having good luck; they were millionaires, but dying tragically. Not lucky in my opinion. And, I didn't care for Dallas and her flippant attitude toward being rich and having a second sight. I hate people who complain about being rich. And people who ignore their instincts.
Dialect is a twofold problem:
1. The author is british and many of the words are spelled in the UK manner. I.e. 'realised' rather than 'realized' and meters are used instead of miles.
2. Luna speaks in a dialect. This can get old fast; though, I moved past this annoyance easily some of you may not.
Grammatical issues:
Location 918 "her face a mask of unalderated hated...." Should be 'hatred' or 'hate'
Location 3390 "..had succeeding in bringing it to its place" should be 'succeeded'
Overall:
I want my own Avery and I will be writing this author and demanding that she finish and publish the next installment in this series. C-mac has already got baby blue's, do you think he'll wear a long haired wig and let me call him 'Avery?'
This review is courtesy of BookDevour, please visit my site on blogspot and read the rest of my review and my attempt to make my very own Avery!
This is the story of an oppressed slave, Luna. She is a woman weighed down by the attention of her master and his son. Seeking solace in a burned chapel she pours her soul out over a stolen bible that she can't even read. Avery, tied to the chapel by his guilt hears her plea and decides to do something about it. Here our story begins...
There are some minor issues:
The epilogue is a tad confusing and I almost stopped there; it was a string of contradictions; relatives having good luck; they were millionaires, but dying tragically. Not lucky in my opinion. And, I didn't care for Dallas and her flippant attitude toward being rich and having a second sight. I hate people who complain about being rich. And people who ignore their instincts.
Dialect is a twofold problem:
1. The author is british and many of the words are spelled in the UK manner. I.e. 'realised' rather than 'realized' and meters are used instead of miles.
2. Luna speaks in a dialect. This can get old fast; though, I moved past this annoyance easily some of you may not.
Grammatical issues:
Location 918 "her face a mask of unalderated hated...." Should be 'hatred' or 'hate'
Location 3390 "..had succeeding in bringing it to its place" should be 'succeeded'
Overall:
I want my own Avery and I will be writing this author and demanding that she finish and publish the next installment in this series. C-mac has already got baby blue's, do you think he'll wear a long haired wig and let me call him 'Avery?'
This review is courtesy of BookDevour, please visit my site on blogspot and read the rest of my review and my attempt to make my very own Avery!
June 6, 2014
Glad this was free. Mediocre story. Sub-par writing - the author really did not do much research on the American enslaved or its society based on enslavement. The accents were wrong, the description of the land, the mother-daughter relationships, the explication of enslaved Africans who held onto their native spiritual beliefs - all of it was just bad. I've read too much Octavia E. Butler to enjoy something this shallow. I will not be reading book 2.
December 23, 2014
I rarely read romance novels yet oddly enjoy novels with elements of romance, providing they also include intrigue and the unexpected. I don't want to label this novel a romance, but it is. Certainly upon the opening lines of “Dark Genesis” I was unaware of what delights and polymorphic tales resided between the pages. Opening in 2011 in Atlanta, the story read like a modern novel noir with imaginative twists written to avoid (brilliantly, even if unintentional) initial reader prediction without the assistance of the pages that followed (a skill I am certainly going to copy).
By chapter two, thanks to A.D. Koboah’s beautiful, yet humble, imagination, I was transported to the 1800s, the searing terrains of the Mississippi, and slavery. Thinking A.D. was going to rest on this theme, I hungrily absorbed each word waiting to see how a ‘new’ novelist attacks the mammoth subject of vassalage, and then she tossed in an ingredient that took me to another literary dimension… vampirism! A.D. pleasantly produced a story that incorporated elements which could easily stand on their own and weaves a tale that is beautiful in its simplicity.
There were moments when A.D. pushed the envelope; stretching the tale until it was on the verge of collapse, but those moments are few and quickly, precisely salvaged (thus the five stars). Her literary styling leaves the reader hungry for “What’s Next,” longing for the continuation of a story that can only get more intense and more profound.
I am now reading “Rising Dark,” which simply means that A.D. Koboah not only has a convert, but a fan! Hers is a voice and talent that will be heard and displayed for a very long time.
Brava A.D. !!
By chapter two, thanks to A.D. Koboah’s beautiful, yet humble, imagination, I was transported to the 1800s, the searing terrains of the Mississippi, and slavery. Thinking A.D. was going to rest on this theme, I hungrily absorbed each word waiting to see how a ‘new’ novelist attacks the mammoth subject of vassalage, and then she tossed in an ingredient that took me to another literary dimension… vampirism! A.D. pleasantly produced a story that incorporated elements which could easily stand on their own and weaves a tale that is beautiful in its simplicity.
There were moments when A.D. pushed the envelope; stretching the tale until it was on the verge of collapse, but those moments are few and quickly, precisely salvaged (thus the five stars). Her literary styling leaves the reader hungry for “What’s Next,” longing for the continuation of a story that can only get more intense and more profound.
I am now reading “Rising Dark,” which simply means that A.D. Koboah not only has a convert, but a fan! Hers is a voice and talent that will be heard and displayed for a very long time.
Brava A.D. !!
May 9, 2013
I never have been a big fan of historicals or period pieces and usually I find life before the electronic era less than appealing to my mental palate. (I can’t even imagine using a chamber pot, an outhouse, or having to draw baths. No microwaves, indoor plumbing or TV?) But when I finished Dark Genesis the only word I could come up with to describe it was…WOW.
The tale begins with our narrator, named Dallas, a woman who has an odd portent in the middle of the night on her way home when a stranger asks her for a lighter. She walks away from the encounter with the odd feeling that she has narrowly escaped death. The story continues when Dallas digs through an old chest and finds an ancestor’s journal. And not just any diary of long forgotten memories about a vapid woman’s fears or minor triumphs of finding a spouse on the marriage market, no, this is the diary of a slave named Luna.
Luna is our narrator’s ancestor and just that quickly, the read spins back in time and into an entirely different mindset. One that I am hard pressed to understand with the modern luxuries of plentiful food, sleeping in, holding my own children at night, and doing what I please when I decide to do so. But reading the story made me take real stock of every blessing and gave me an appreciation for what I have been blessed with as I experienced the life of a house slave. Many of the experiences are gritty, riveting and penned with the near painful skills of Donald Goines’ novel Dopefiend.
The hero is simply amazing. Avery is not your average man, and that’s for good reason, as he is a vampire. But he’s kind, loving, absurdly gentle (even when he is at his worst), and unlike any other person Luna has ever known. He loves Luna and not even because she is a beautiful house slave, but for her mind and heart instead.
She teaches him to walk among the living once more and he taught her to (gasp) read and write. She prods him into relearning what a conscience is, and he teaches her what sacrifices for loved ones truly means. Dark Genesis is an amalgam of Twilight and Alex Haley’s Roots. As it would take an hour to even fully explain that statement, I won’t even try to start what I can’t finish.
The only cons that I noted were with margin justification and pacing in parts. Some of the paragraphs were unbearably chunky, but with a plot and writing of this caliber, those issues were quickly rendered unimportant.
Is this story worth reading? The only answer to that is a resounding yes. I sat in front of my laptop and refused to close the lid of my PC until this story was finished. Honestly, I’m a Nook girl and the fact that I had to use my computer was of no consequence, even when I was forced to chain myself to the wall to charge in the middle of the story. This is the first in a trilogy and I will be reading the other two as soon as I can get my hands on them.
-Reviewed by: Jennifer
The tale begins with our narrator, named Dallas, a woman who has an odd portent in the middle of the night on her way home when a stranger asks her for a lighter. She walks away from the encounter with the odd feeling that she has narrowly escaped death. The story continues when Dallas digs through an old chest and finds an ancestor’s journal. And not just any diary of long forgotten memories about a vapid woman’s fears or minor triumphs of finding a spouse on the marriage market, no, this is the diary of a slave named Luna.
Luna is our narrator’s ancestor and just that quickly, the read spins back in time and into an entirely different mindset. One that I am hard pressed to understand with the modern luxuries of plentiful food, sleeping in, holding my own children at night, and doing what I please when I decide to do so. But reading the story made me take real stock of every blessing and gave me an appreciation for what I have been blessed with as I experienced the life of a house slave. Many of the experiences are gritty, riveting and penned with the near painful skills of Donald Goines’ novel Dopefiend.
The hero is simply amazing. Avery is not your average man, and that’s for good reason, as he is a vampire. But he’s kind, loving, absurdly gentle (even when he is at his worst), and unlike any other person Luna has ever known. He loves Luna and not even because she is a beautiful house slave, but for her mind and heart instead.
She teaches him to walk among the living once more and he taught her to (gasp) read and write. She prods him into relearning what a conscience is, and he teaches her what sacrifices for loved ones truly means. Dark Genesis is an amalgam of Twilight and Alex Haley’s Roots. As it would take an hour to even fully explain that statement, I won’t even try to start what I can’t finish.
The only cons that I noted were with margin justification and pacing in parts. Some of the paragraphs were unbearably chunky, but with a plot and writing of this caliber, those issues were quickly rendered unimportant.
Is this story worth reading? The only answer to that is a resounding yes. I sat in front of my laptop and refused to close the lid of my PC until this story was finished. Honestly, I’m a Nook girl and the fact that I had to use my computer was of no consequence, even when I was forced to chain myself to the wall to charge in the middle of the story. This is the first in a trilogy and I will be reading the other two as soon as I can get my hands on them.
-Reviewed by: Jennifer
August 3, 2013
Dark Genesis was not what I expected among books I scan for "pleasure reading" but I am grateful to have found it . This story will strike a deep emotional cord within your consciousness and challenge your understanding of love, caring and acceptance. The author shows great skill and understanding of her subject as she artfully weaves together the dark elements of slavery and vampirism. She poignantly illustrates a biblical truth that love truly is as strong as death as you will see at the story's end.
For it's poignancy, this book is emotionally exhausting. Luna, the main character, tells her story in a voice more eloquent than that which attests to her slave status. She tells of the ugliness of slavery and rape that isolated her from the goodness of love and how she found love in a place thought to be empty of anything good and with an entity (Avery) thought to be evil. I'm reminded of truths "shouted" by wisdom: He will use the things of the world to confound the wise; he uses the destroyer for his purpose. Is his purpose not that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us? As did Luna, I too would accept the salvation offered by Avery. After all we identify the tree by the fruit it bears and Avery manifested more good than any of the Massas. Hah! And they thought him to be evil. Though a good read, I rated this book a four because i would have wanted a different ending for Luna and Avery. Their being together will be the only impetus for my reading the forthcoming sequel!
For it's poignancy, this book is emotionally exhausting. Luna, the main character, tells her story in a voice more eloquent than that which attests to her slave status. She tells of the ugliness of slavery and rape that isolated her from the goodness of love and how she found love in a place thought to be empty of anything good and with an entity (Avery) thought to be evil. I'm reminded of truths "shouted" by wisdom: He will use the things of the world to confound the wise; he uses the destroyer for his purpose. Is his purpose not that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us? As did Luna, I too would accept the salvation offered by Avery. After all we identify the tree by the fruit it bears and Avery manifested more good than any of the Massas. Hah! And they thought him to be evil. Though a good read, I rated this book a four because i would have wanted a different ending for Luna and Avery. Their being together will be the only impetus for my reading the forthcoming sequel!
February 17, 2014
If I could rate this 6 stars I would! Dark Genesis is a beautifully written story that had me under it's spell from the first page. I read this book in a matter of days absolutely hooked under the enchantment of Luna a slave girl from a plantation who finds pure and true love in the midst of all of the hardship that she enduring. The author is absolutely phenomenal how she is able to really let you experience Luna's pain and emotions and turmoil. Just through her words you can feel her love for writing. I felt like I was right there with Luna throughout. I loved the depth of the story and how it all interlocked and that Luna had to remember her spiritual connection to really understand and get closer to her mother. I loved this story because it was so different it was original and not the typical vampire story (which I normally have no interest in) This story deffo goes up as one of my new fav's and I look forward to hopefully seeing this on screen one day in future. I have definitely found a new author I love and cannot wait to read more of A.D Koboah this triology should be amazing!
June 2, 2013
Dark Genesis is the powerful story of a young woman's life as a black slave in 1807. Luna has never known any different from what she knows now, from a young age she caught the eye of her master and he never let her go. One day Luna sets out to seek solace in her favourite place only to be met by a demon. Possessing powers herself, she feels drawn to the demon but she can't fathom why. Her mother warns her from him and that she will be in mortal danger and so Luna runs whenever he is near. One night Luna's life changes when she is taken by the demon, but she is not to know of the change that will happen.
This story was so powerful i am still thinking about it now. The love & hardships that are portrayed are more than exceptional, the writing is exquisite and i cannot wait for part two. I will say that the beginning can take a little while to get through, but once you do - oh my - it's great! I was slightly disappointed by the ending and i got slightly confused too but i hope that when the second book is released, it will explain all.
This story was so powerful i am still thinking about it now. The love & hardships that are portrayed are more than exceptional, the writing is exquisite and i cannot wait for part two. I will say that the beginning can take a little while to get through, but once you do - oh my - it's great! I was slightly disappointed by the ending and i got slightly confused too but i hope that when the second book is released, it will explain all.
August 11, 2016
In "Dark Genesis" Luna, a beautiful black woman on a slave plantation, has to not only suffer the horrors of the society she finds herself in but also the attentions of a supernatural being lusting after blood. But despite all this, she finds love in a very unexpected way!
A. D. Koboah portrays the dynamics within the slave society extremely well in her book - from the slave who is powerless to the slave owner who has complete control over every aspect of life. But this is also a story of love, hope and certainly one I would recommend.
A. D. Koboah portrays the dynamics within the slave society extremely well in her book - from the slave who is powerless to the slave owner who has complete control over every aspect of life. But this is also a story of love, hope and certainly one I would recommend.
July 11, 2017
This was so good. It gave me chills, at times. I can't wait for the rest of this trilogy. What's to become of Avery? I can't wait to find out.
February 7, 2015
Good book. A must read in my opinion.
November 15, 2017
Koboah has a great literary voice, which shows in her description of the setting and in her vivid creativity in how she approached the story of a slave and the vampire she finds herself drawn to. The language of the text is interesting, comprised of first person accounts beginning with Dallas and then moving to the central story of Luna (Dallas's ancestor). The standard found diary format is used to tell Luna's story, and uses both enunciated spoken vernacular and Luna's more standard English. Some readers find this jarring, which is understandable. I found some of the vernacular to be off, which is understandable for someone who isn't African-American. However the biggest critiques I have seen have been "If she's smart enough to learn to read then why does she still talk that way?". This aspect of the reviews is somewhat, well, to be honest prejudiced and in many way ignorant. Koboah is bold in demonstrating that Luna's intelligence is not contingent on speaking the white man's tongue. In a broader way her suddenly unlearning how she's spoken and enunciated for her whole life being tossed away due to Avery's influence, kind of reads as a save the savage. I tend to speak standard English. That's how I was raised, but even with my education there are cultural dialectics that do not change. Often code switching is employed. So I found Koboah's choice to be a powerful statement on education, intelligence, and culture.
The premise of the story is great, and the individual details such as the abuses inflicted on slave women and the social shame (not of the women) but of no one being able to do anything has incredibly effective moments.
However, I found this book hard to finish though not unpleasant to read. Really, I think I enjoyed it? I wanted to love it, but it just fell a bit short. For starters the blurb did not prepare me for Dallas, and as I read I found myself wondering where Luna and Avery would come in. Yet when they did I never quire fell in love. Throughout every section of the novel there were very few to no transitions from set piece to set piece. Beats happened and arguments occurred without any sense of them having any real weight or reason (more on that later).. Multiple times I felt disorientated, and the worst offenders are in the prologue. Before Chapter one even picked up I thought Koboah is jumping from beat to beat to beat. There's nothing wrong with that in small well-executed doses, but the book needed to flow like connect the dots. Instead we're sort of tossed in, given tons of questions, a series of events, and very little understanding.
Koboah builds a world, but the reader is never really sat down in it. There's a general vagueness in Dark Genesis that can only be explained by the fact that the scenes move as quickly as Avery does and just as jarringly. Vague is the best way to describe this story especially the characters. I'm sorry to sound so negative, but there is very little character in this book. Luna is frustrating and often acts like a child. Avery feels a bit like a paper cut out of a vampire, and the cast of other characters sometimes seemed more interesting. Koboah pushes all of these ideas, but we never get the full benefit of the first person perspective. While Luna is in this old manor we never really see her boredom, her lonliness, or how she finds herself keeping busy. And even if we were there wasn't enough of seeing her as a slave to really make the reader understand the contrast and her desire to lash out. Luna is a difficult person...but her difficulty comes off as achingly immature without the moments that really give us an explanation of why. Luna tells us she didn't get along with the other slaves...but in her isolation we really don't follow her being affected in a meaningful way. Luna gets confronted by her enslaved African mother's words being true, but never does Luna question her faith in God. Never do we see Luna really reconcile her life with her faith or who she wants to become. Avery doesn't really challenge Luna, or vice versa in a deep way. She's just difficult and while her being determined is a trait you can't help but like about her...all of the idiotic and unexplained choices she makes leave you wondering how she survived on the plantation so long. And yes, while I can say all of this I don't think I could really describe Luna as a whole person. Avery is even less so.
Avery is...well this is a romance at the core, a paranormal romance, and so I expected to fall in love with Avery a little. I didn't. It made me sad, but Koboah manages to beautifully describe and construct a life story, not to mention lore, for a man whose presence is that of a Ken doll. He has his moments and you'll feel for him. But then the story keeps going. It felt like he only showed up to flirt with Luna after he saves her life, and it simply isn't enough to make you think Avery is a man you want to dream about.
If I was to make suggestions:
-Koboah needs to establish Luna's life before (How does the mistress feel about her son being a monster; what is a normal day like for Luna; show us how other slaves feel)
-What makes Avery unique to make him more than a vampire fantasy?
What really didn't help is Koboah has one areal weakness in her writing...the dialogue highlights every single critique about the characters. The slave dialect used is often somewhat off, and at times comes across almost campy. Truthfully, still keeping my previous comment on language in mind, there is a reason the language doesn't work well beyond its concept. There's several chapters where Luna sounds like a toddler because she's so immature and says so little. In a way Koboah is brilliant because victims of abuse lash out; that's part of why they're one of the hardest populations for social workers to serve. However, the style of this speak isn't executed well in text and the most we get out of Luna is when she is (often pointlessly) defying somebody often just shouting "no" or stomping off as she speaks. Further not a single thing Avery does or says comes across as natural. I find it almost unpleasant to read all of his dialogue and the associated action tags. He's the most appealing when he's being described as demon and a cold blooded killer. The odd thing about this book is he sort of typifies the problems I had. Avery feels stunted and truncated in his speech. On one hand this vampire has been in hiding for years, but on the other his evolution into more of a person is Koboah hopping from beat to beat. The problem is all of these excellent beats end up feeling forced. At times I found myself wondering why Koboah wanted us to care about elements she was just going to gloss over.
My one last complaint is...the concepts simply are not executed with the familiarity of the south. I'm not sure how much research Koboah put in, but this book feels like someone writing that with which they are unfamiliar. Further the beauty of the south is somewhat overlooked. The south is a place of contradiction...decay and extravagance; skin color versus skin color; Intense moral values and behind closed door actions; sultry heat and fiery sermons. This is Koboah's book and I hate to sound like I'm telling her thwta to write. But she really missed an opportunity to thoroughly construct the inhuman contradiction of slavery; death and life; decay versus the vampire state.
This book is worth the read if you really want a black protagonist and a vampire historical fiction. Don't expect to get into the nitty gritty of what the events in the story mean to a slave or a vampire beyond somewhat shallow ways. The side characters are flat, but are unique in their construction. The dialogue is weak, but not because of stylistic choices, but because the dialogyue doesn't really uplift that stylistic choice. However, Koboah remains an enjoyable writer with some skill...however I think her contemporary novels may be more enjoyable than this story or even this series. Koboah doesn't really spend long enough moving the world and characters fro Vague to explained to really make this world something to hold onto. I'd also say this may be more enjoyable to people looking for an adult...but slightly YA feel. In the end I look forward to Koboah writing more books and producing more work. I would happily give another novel a try, but as it stands The Darkling Trilogy (not loving the name) feels frustratingly...meh.
The premise of the story is great, and the individual details such as the abuses inflicted on slave women and the social shame (not of the women) but of no one being able to do anything has incredibly effective moments.
However, I found this book hard to finish though not unpleasant to read. Really, I think I enjoyed it? I wanted to love it, but it just fell a bit short. For starters the blurb did not prepare me for Dallas, and as I read I found myself wondering where Luna and Avery would come in. Yet when they did I never quire fell in love. Throughout every section of the novel there were very few to no transitions from set piece to set piece. Beats happened and arguments occurred without any sense of them having any real weight or reason (more on that later).. Multiple times I felt disorientated, and the worst offenders are in the prologue. Before Chapter one even picked up I thought Koboah is jumping from beat to beat to beat. There's nothing wrong with that in small well-executed doses, but the book needed to flow like connect the dots. Instead we're sort of tossed in, given tons of questions, a series of events, and very little understanding.
Koboah builds a world, but the reader is never really sat down in it. There's a general vagueness in Dark Genesis that can only be explained by the fact that the scenes move as quickly as Avery does and just as jarringly. Vague is the best way to describe this story especially the characters. I'm sorry to sound so negative, but there is very little character in this book. Luna is frustrating and often acts like a child. Avery feels a bit like a paper cut out of a vampire, and the cast of other characters sometimes seemed more interesting. Koboah pushes all of these ideas, but we never get the full benefit of the first person perspective. While Luna is in this old manor we never really see her boredom, her lonliness, or how she finds herself keeping busy. And even if we were there wasn't enough of seeing her as a slave to really make the reader understand the contrast and her desire to lash out. Luna is a difficult person...but her difficulty comes off as achingly immature without the moments that really give us an explanation of why. Luna tells us she didn't get along with the other slaves...but in her isolation we really don't follow her being affected in a meaningful way. Luna gets confronted by her enslaved African mother's words being true, but never does Luna question her faith in God. Never do we see Luna really reconcile her life with her faith or who she wants to become. Avery doesn't really challenge Luna, or vice versa in a deep way. She's just difficult and while her being determined is a trait you can't help but like about her...all of the idiotic and unexplained choices she makes leave you wondering how she survived on the plantation so long. And yes, while I can say all of this I don't think I could really describe Luna as a whole person. Avery is even less so.
Avery is...well this is a romance at the core, a paranormal romance, and so I expected to fall in love with Avery a little. I didn't. It made me sad, but Koboah manages to beautifully describe and construct a life story, not to mention lore, for a man whose presence is that of a Ken doll. He has his moments and you'll feel for him. But then the story keeps going. It felt like he only showed up to flirt with Luna after he saves her life, and it simply isn't enough to make you think Avery is a man you want to dream about.
If I was to make suggestions:
-Koboah needs to establish Luna's life before (How does the mistress feel about her son being a monster; what is a normal day like for Luna; show us how other slaves feel)
-What makes Avery unique to make him more than a vampire fantasy?
What really didn't help is Koboah has one areal weakness in her writing...the dialogue highlights every single critique about the characters. The slave dialect used is often somewhat off, and at times comes across almost campy. Truthfully, still keeping my previous comment on language in mind, there is a reason the language doesn't work well beyond its concept. There's several chapters where Luna sounds like a toddler because she's so immature and says so little. In a way Koboah is brilliant because victims of abuse lash out; that's part of why they're one of the hardest populations for social workers to serve. However, the style of this speak isn't executed well in text and the most we get out of Luna is when she is (often pointlessly) defying somebody often just shouting "no" or stomping off as she speaks. Further not a single thing Avery does or says comes across as natural. I find it almost unpleasant to read all of his dialogue and the associated action tags. He's the most appealing when he's being described as demon and a cold blooded killer. The odd thing about this book is he sort of typifies the problems I had. Avery feels stunted and truncated in his speech. On one hand this vampire has been in hiding for years, but on the other his evolution into more of a person is Koboah hopping from beat to beat. The problem is all of these excellent beats end up feeling forced. At times I found myself wondering why Koboah wanted us to care about elements she was just going to gloss over.
My one last complaint is...the concepts simply are not executed with the familiarity of the south. I'm not sure how much research Koboah put in, but this book feels like someone writing that with which they are unfamiliar. Further the beauty of the south is somewhat overlooked. The south is a place of contradiction...decay and extravagance; skin color versus skin color; Intense moral values and behind closed door actions; sultry heat and fiery sermons. This is Koboah's book and I hate to sound like I'm telling her thwta to write. But she really missed an opportunity to thoroughly construct the inhuman contradiction of slavery; death and life; decay versus the vampire state.
This book is worth the read if you really want a black protagonist and a vampire historical fiction. Don't expect to get into the nitty gritty of what the events in the story mean to a slave or a vampire beyond somewhat shallow ways. The side characters are flat, but are unique in their construction. The dialogue is weak, but not because of stylistic choices, but because the dialogyue doesn't really uplift that stylistic choice. However, Koboah remains an enjoyable writer with some skill...however I think her contemporary novels may be more enjoyable than this story or even this series. Koboah doesn't really spend long enough moving the world and characters fro Vague to explained to really make this world something to hold onto. I'd also say this may be more enjoyable to people looking for an adult...but slightly YA feel. In the end I look forward to Koboah writing more books and producing more work. I would happily give another novel a try, but as it stands The Darkling Trilogy (not loving the name) feels frustratingly...meh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2014
4.4 stars!!
You know how you buy a book because the cover was too much to resist? And then you read the synopsis to see if it’ll interest you? I wasn’t expecting to be so enraptured by this book! Yes, I really hoped to enjoy reading it, but I didn’t think that it would be this good. Dark Genesis is one of those rare finds that few people know about, and I am so glad that I came across it on Amazon a few weeks ago. I put this before my other books that I’ve been meaning to read, because every time I turned on my Kindle, there it was begging to be read. That cover is downright flawless! I dare you to read this book and not love it.
My heart broke for Luna throughout this story, reading about her life as a slave and the absolute foul things done to her by her masters. I will not lie, this was hard to wrap my head around. Not only for the sexual abuse, but for the things that happened afterwards. I won’t spoil anything, but it was very hard to swallow. Dehumanized doesn’t even begin to describe the things slaves went through back in those days. Despite this being a fiction story, those things did happen quite often, and it deeply saddens me to think about.
As for the paranormal aspects of this story, it is great. I like how the author doesn’t make the reader forget that they are, in fact, reading about a lost vampire and the love he has for a burdened slave, who is also a witch. Luna and Avery are made for each other, they both give each other back their humanities. As stubborn as Luna is, and as oblivious as Avery acts, I can’t think of which I’d like to scream at the most in certain parts of this book. It was so hard not to throw my Kindle across the room! yet, this is exactly the kind of reaction that a great story will do to you. You love the characters and all their faults because the story is so good.
I tried not to spoil this, so that when you read the book for yourself, your emotions will be running the gamut. Though, if you are a closed-minded person you may want to steer clear because there are scenes that might offend you within the pages. This is a great book that I enjoyed reading and I highly recommend reading it.
You know how you buy a book because the cover was too much to resist? And then you read the synopsis to see if it’ll interest you? I wasn’t expecting to be so enraptured by this book! Yes, I really hoped to enjoy reading it, but I didn’t think that it would be this good. Dark Genesis is one of those rare finds that few people know about, and I am so glad that I came across it on Amazon a few weeks ago. I put this before my other books that I’ve been meaning to read, because every time I turned on my Kindle, there it was begging to be read. That cover is downright flawless! I dare you to read this book and not love it.
My heart broke for Luna throughout this story, reading about her life as a slave and the absolute foul things done to her by her masters. I will not lie, this was hard to wrap my head around. Not only for the sexual abuse, but for the things that happened afterwards. I won’t spoil anything, but it was very hard to swallow. Dehumanized doesn’t even begin to describe the things slaves went through back in those days. Despite this being a fiction story, those things did happen quite often, and it deeply saddens me to think about.
As for the paranormal aspects of this story, it is great. I like how the author doesn’t make the reader forget that they are, in fact, reading about a lost vampire and the love he has for a burdened slave, who is also a witch. Luna and Avery are made for each other, they both give each other back their humanities. As stubborn as Luna is, and as oblivious as Avery acts, I can’t think of which I’d like to scream at the most in certain parts of this book. It was so hard not to throw my Kindle across the room! yet, this is exactly the kind of reaction that a great story will do to you. You love the characters and all their faults because the story is so good.
I tried not to spoil this, so that when you read the book for yourself, your emotions will be running the gamut. Though, if you are a closed-minded person you may want to steer clear because there are scenes that might offend you within the pages. This is a great book that I enjoyed reading and I highly recommend reading it.
April 26, 2012
Author: A.D. Koboah
Published By: Berkley
Age Recommend: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Raven Rating: 5
Blog Review For: Librarything
Review:
"Dark Genesis" by A.D. Koboah was indeed a interesting read for me. I am a African American and I am very careful of my reads with any 'slaves' however, the book cover caught my attention and I thought I would see just what "Dark Genesis" was about.
This novel dealt with the story of Luna who was a beautiful slave with supernatural powers...having the gift of the second site, that had been through so much....taken from her mom, then be served up to two masters (Henry & John) then taken away by Avery (demon). This was very appealing to see this love affair blossom with Luna and this demon who had suffered for so long.... but he could read her thoughts...then he leaves and Luna goes and looks for him...and found him by the lake..was she falling in lovewith Avery... a 'walking aberration.' Teaching her to read, rid Julia (horse) and shoot a gun. Oh my what a story!....Avery left her with a gold chain, farmhouse and even ...Dembi.....now you will have to pick up this novel ..."Dark Genesis" and get all of this well written story.
The characters were a real lively group ....Luna, Jupiter(Dembi), Father Geoffrey, Mama Akosua, Ebenezer, Mr. Walker, Matthew, Zila, and Avery, Lina... and a few others I have left out. The author really knew how to keep the reader interested in the read because each chapter got even more engaging in its twist and many turns.
After reading "Dark Genesis" I thought it was a novel that I could recommend as a good read.
January 8, 2015
This was certainly an interesting book. I don't think I ever read anything like this before. At times it vaguely reminded me of Twilight but, unlike Bella, Luna actually has depth! If you know me you know that wimpy, shallow women in literature are a pet peeve of mine so this was wonderful.
I loved how Luna's emotions were portrayed as she struggled with her past abuse and loving Avery. I felt it was realistic and believable. I also loved how they didn't fall in love right away and then were all over each other, that also seemed more realistic to me. It almost broke my heart every time Avery left and Luna was pining for him. Also I was waiting for him to wake up and see that she loved him. It seemed pretty obvious to me, even if she couldn't come out and say it, so it was definitely suspenseful waiting for him to see this.
My few minor complaints were that sometimes it felt like everything was moving too fast. I am still not sure exactly what happened when Avery was discovered sucking Master John's blood and Luna was taken away. I also actually thought that there was Avery and a separate demon for the first quarter of the book because of how things were worded. More focus on making things flow, especially in the beginning, would've been nice.
Overall an enjoyable read and an unusual topic. Definitely piqued my interest. If you start off and find it slow and wonder if you should bother to finish, trust me, you should. It's worth it.
I loved how Luna's emotions were portrayed as she struggled with her past abuse and loving Avery. I felt it was realistic and believable. I also loved how they didn't fall in love right away and then were all over each other, that also seemed more realistic to me. It almost broke my heart every time Avery left and Luna was pining for him. Also I was waiting for him to wake up and see that she loved him. It seemed pretty obvious to me, even if she couldn't come out and say it, so it was definitely suspenseful waiting for him to see this.
My few minor complaints were that sometimes it felt like everything was moving too fast. I am still not sure exactly what happened when Avery was discovered sucking Master John's blood and Luna was taken away. I also actually thought that there was Avery and a separate demon for the first quarter of the book because of how things were worded. More focus on making things flow, especially in the beginning, would've been nice.
Overall an enjoyable read and an unusual topic. Definitely piqued my interest. If you start off and find it slow and wonder if you should bother to finish, trust me, you should. It's worth it.
May 7, 2012
Is this a romance? I've seen other reviews say so, but there's a strong implication that there's no HEA (Happily Ever After). HEA is a defining characteristic of romance. There is such a thing as "dark fantasy" and it can have romantic relationships (e.g. work by Jacqueline Carey). I'm thinking that this book belongs more in the dark historical fantasy category than paranormal romance. It is an unconventional book and therefore difficult to categorize.
I really liked the concept of a slave being aided by a vampire. I loved the protagonist, Luna. She's such a strong woman. I also liked the portrayal of the vampire. So many paranormal romance vampires are oh so macho and annoying to me. This one has sensitivity like Yarbro's Saint Germain or Nick Knight in the TV series Forever Knight. I really appreciate that.
I really liked the concept of a slave being aided by a vampire. I loved the protagonist, Luna. She's such a strong woman. I also liked the portrayal of the vampire. So many paranormal romance vampires are oh so macho and annoying to me. This one has sensitivity like Yarbro's Saint Germain or Nick Knight in the TV series Forever Knight. I really appreciate that.
September 10, 2016
Simply put.. I loved this book! This is one of the most unique slavery themed novels that I have ever read. I have actively avoided the hoards of vampire books on the shelves lately, but this was something altogether different.
So many themes work together to make this a book worth reading. The oppression of slavery, especially the horrors of being a female slave was of course a main theme. There was also the remarkable mother/daughter relationship between Luna and her mother.
What about the vampire, well, I really liked him too. He was very human, and in a way angelic. There was no insta-love between him and Luna and for that I was very grateful. Their relationship was perfectly written.
Very readable and interesting from beginning to end. In fact, I really didn't even mean to read it when I did, but once I got started I couldn't stop!
Can't wait to read the second book in this trilogy!
So many themes work together to make this a book worth reading. The oppression of slavery, especially the horrors of being a female slave was of course a main theme. There was also the remarkable mother/daughter relationship between Luna and her mother.
What about the vampire, well, I really liked him too. He was very human, and in a way angelic. There was no insta-love between him and Luna and for that I was very grateful. Their relationship was perfectly written.
Very readable and interesting from beginning to end. In fact, I really didn't even mean to read it when I did, but once I got started I couldn't stop!
Can't wait to read the second book in this trilogy!
October 12, 2013
Dark Genesis is a very good start to a new series. I loved the fact that the author incorporated slavery and the supernatural. Very good storytelling and I instantly feel in love with Luna. My heart breaking for her and the life she was doomed to because of the color of her skin. My only complaint, even though I came to love Luna's character in the beginning of the book, I found myself getting frustrated with her mood swings and temper tantrums with Avery, I mean he was doting on her and finally treating her like a human being but the nicer he was the worst she behaved. I didn't get that at all. I could see in the beginning but the tantrums lasted to long. I just got tired of it and I came close to giving up on the book. I'm glad I didn't, it progressed very nice after that. I hope the series will continue to grow. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
October 13, 2014
Wait... what? This book was bizarre. Firstly, the author clearly has a very literary tone. Normally I would live that, but the literary first person narrative clashed abysmally with the spoken 'slave English' produced by the person having such eloquently written thoughts. The story begins well, and seems like it will bring us African magic surviving on a slave plantation. Instead it falls into the Immortal Vampire in love with Teenage Human trope. Meh.
February 22, 2019
I enjoyed this IR fantasy trip into slavery. I feared it would be like Kindred, my favorite book in the world, but it's different.
The heroine, Luna, is a bit whiny, but then again, it is set during slavery, that gives anyone a lot of reasons to cry and be afraid...
I was surprised to see the book belonged to a serie, the story seemed finished.
Here is the link to my booktrailer :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udb4o...
The heroine, Luna, is a bit whiny, but then again, it is set during slavery, that gives anyone a lot of reasons to cry and be afraid...
I was surprised to see the book belonged to a serie, the story seemed finished.
Here is the link to my booktrailer :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udb4o...
December 18, 2014
This was a very different and interesting read. I really enjoyed it because it turned out not to be what I expected. The events that take place throughout the story peaks your interest from the very first page.
May 29, 2013
This is a combination of my two favorite genres: historical and paranormal. Anyone who is interested in the antebellum period will love this romance.
March 11, 2018
Historical Romance and scary vampire stuff. Really good
March 1, 2018
A tale that rang true
Superbly written, eloquently versed, descriptive text that drew a finite picturesque scenes in my mind as if I had witnessed the whole story from beginning right thru to these very end of these pages. I could not put this book down longer than a minute before I became haunted to continue on with reading more; I was hooked from before the very start of reading the first line. This story was planned, plotted and edited with careful precision. I felt the love and loss between Luna and Avery, every word for word that was compiled in this book. This story drew me in as a fly to a neatly weaved web and I became addicted to all metaphors, simile, personification and hyperbolic sentence that spewed forth from each page to page. A D Koboah has written a masterpiece work of two people who's destiny has been entwined before time was created and this story awakened something in me that I cannot even explain or put in justifiably words that will do justice to what I have read in these pages. I cannot wait to continue on reading the next sequel as I am gripped in anticipation and longing, but at the same time I do not want to end this story as I have not read a book that has taken me on a journey as if I am there, watching in full technicolour, surround sound, the whole scene being played out; with my own very eyes and physical aberration.
Superbly written, eloquently versed, descriptive text that drew a finite picturesque scenes in my mind as if I had witnessed the whole story from beginning right thru to these very end of these pages. I could not put this book down longer than a minute before I became haunted to continue on with reading more; I was hooked from before the very start of reading the first line. This story was planned, plotted and edited with careful precision. I felt the love and loss between Luna and Avery, every word for word that was compiled in this book. This story drew me in as a fly to a neatly weaved web and I became addicted to all metaphors, simile, personification and hyperbolic sentence that spewed forth from each page to page. A D Koboah has written a masterpiece work of two people who's destiny has been entwined before time was created and this story awakened something in me that I cannot even explain or put in justifiably words that will do justice to what I have read in these pages. I cannot wait to continue on reading the next sequel as I am gripped in anticipation and longing, but at the same time I do not want to end this story as I have not read a book that has taken me on a journey as if I am there, watching in full technicolour, surround sound, the whole scene being played out; with my own very eyes and physical aberration.
December 9, 2019
Slavery and Vampires......to things that I am obsessed with. I loved this story. I totally enjoy the way this author brought this story to life , everything was so vividly described. Oh my I can't wait to get through the next two books.
November 12, 2013
Originally posted to DJ's Book Corner
Everyone knows how skeptical I am of free books, and I was equally skeptical of this one. However, it was recommended to me by Carrie from The Mad Reviewer and since she and I have similar reading tastes, I decided to give it a try anyway. I mean, really. How could I resist a vampire love story that takes place in during the period of American slavery?
Boy, am I glad I took a chance on this one!
Not only was this book dark and mysterious, it was also poignant and explicit. Koboah did not hold back when it came to displaying the horrors of that time period. It takes true talent to throw in a vampire love story and not romanticize slavery at the same time. I mean, it was really well done. I applaud her!
I thought Luna and Avery were awesome characters. Luna was the slave woman who suffered at the hands of not one, but two plantation owners. The sexual abuse was quite difficult to read about, but was realistic for those times and again, I'm glad the author wasn't afraid to go there. Luna was pretty strong-willed for a slave, and had a very smart mouth (typical black girl trait, BTW :P). But because she was considered to be one of the most beautiful slave-girls, she was afforded a few extra slips of the tongue. But not many, she was still a slave after all. Avery was Luna's "salvation", in that fate had somehow bound them together and there was no way they wouldn't have found each other. Avery was gentle and sweet, just what Luna needed. But he was also protective and fierce and didn't play around when it came to her safety. He was a refreshing sort of vampire. He wasn't dripping with sex appeal or trying to get Luna into bed at every turn. He wasn't after her blood or trying to force his immortal fate onto her. He simply loved her, and that was it. You would think this would make for a boring romance, but I promise you, it doesn't.
I don't want to spoil it, but the way the two of them came together was just so interesting. There's magic and spells involved in all of it, making for one crazy whirlwind of a story that I just couldn't put down. The pacing was just perfect for a book like this and I breezed through it very fast. The only reason this book isn't five stars was because things didn't actually turn out the way I thought they would. This isn't a bad thing, but I was just expecting a different outcome. However, this is a trilogy and it ain't over until it's over, and I'm excited to see where the series is headed.
Basically, I'm impressed and was totally caught off guard by how impressed I am. I highly recommend this book to those who are not faint of heart and simply want to get lost in a great book that deals in loss, pain, sadness, but most of all, love.
Everyone knows how skeptical I am of free books, and I was equally skeptical of this one. However, it was recommended to me by Carrie from The Mad Reviewer and since she and I have similar reading tastes, I decided to give it a try anyway. I mean, really. How could I resist a vampire love story that takes place in during the period of American slavery?
Boy, am I glad I took a chance on this one!
Not only was this book dark and mysterious, it was also poignant and explicit. Koboah did not hold back when it came to displaying the horrors of that time period. It takes true talent to throw in a vampire love story and not romanticize slavery at the same time. I mean, it was really well done. I applaud her!
I thought Luna and Avery were awesome characters. Luna was the slave woman who suffered at the hands of not one, but two plantation owners. The sexual abuse was quite difficult to read about, but was realistic for those times and again, I'm glad the author wasn't afraid to go there. Luna was pretty strong-willed for a slave, and had a very smart mouth (typical black girl trait, BTW :P). But because she was considered to be one of the most beautiful slave-girls, she was afforded a few extra slips of the tongue. But not many, she was still a slave after all. Avery was Luna's "salvation", in that fate had somehow bound them together and there was no way they wouldn't have found each other. Avery was gentle and sweet, just what Luna needed. But he was also protective and fierce and didn't play around when it came to her safety. He was a refreshing sort of vampire. He wasn't dripping with sex appeal or trying to get Luna into bed at every turn. He wasn't after her blood or trying to force his immortal fate onto her. He simply loved her, and that was it. You would think this would make for a boring romance, but I promise you, it doesn't.
I don't want to spoil it, but the way the two of them came together was just so interesting. There's magic and spells involved in all of it, making for one crazy whirlwind of a story that I just couldn't put down. The pacing was just perfect for a book like this and I breezed through it very fast. The only reason this book isn't five stars was because things didn't actually turn out the way I thought they would. This isn't a bad thing, but I was just expecting a different outcome. However, this is a trilogy and it ain't over until it's over, and I'm excited to see where the series is headed.
Basically, I'm impressed and was totally caught off guard by how impressed I am. I highly recommend this book to those who are not faint of heart and simply want to get lost in a great book that deals in loss, pain, sadness, but most of all, love.
February 10, 2014
I’ve been putting off doing a review for Dark Genesis for two weeks now. It’s not because I’ve forgotten the plot lines and character names and have had to re-read it or because it’s so horrible I don’t have the energy to write a review. No, it’s because of how amazing it was.
Words really don’t do this book justice. It evokes so many different emotions in the reader from happiness to despair and everything in between. I’m not the sort of person that cries over books frequently, but believe me when I say the waterworks were on for this one, especially at the end. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, the author sends a huge plot twist your way that you’re desperate for the next book.
Dark Genesis is a book with a strange sort of beauty. A. D. Koboah’s descriptions and vivid imagery are absolutely unmatched; you’re instantly transported to Luna’s world. Yet the topic that features in her book, slavery, is anything but beautiful. Koboah didn’t flinch away from all of the horrors slaves like Luna had to face and one of her greatest strengths was how she portrayed the effects of such treatment even years afterward.
On the topic of Luna, she is an incredible character. She’s now one of my favourite heroines ever not only because she was such a strong woman but because she had to go on a long journey of self-reflection to become that woman. The time she spent with Avery really did change her, even if the scars from her years of enslavement were still beneath the surface. Avery too was a very flawed character and you don’t really realize the depth of his sorrow until the end of the novel. He’s not your typical vampire the same way Luna isn’t your typical heroine. I won’t go into much more detail than that because I don’t want to spoil all of the good parts for you.
The plot remained relatively fast-paced despite being a mainly character-driven novel. That in itself would have been quite impressive if not for the fact that there were so many plot twists. Believe me, you may be able to predict some of the twists but most will blindside you in a good way. I read Dark Genesis two weeks ago and I’m still reeling from that final twist at the end of the novel! It’s hard to believe that this was A. D. Koboah’s first novel. I don’t expect this level of awesome from many established authors, yet here I am writing this review.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t like vampire novels. If you like any sort of character-driven novel or even just plain historical fiction, go and download Dark Genesis this instant. It’s free on Amazon and Barnes and Noble as an ebook so it’s not like you’re losing anything by taking a chance on this wonderful novel.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Words really don’t do this book justice. It evokes so many different emotions in the reader from happiness to despair and everything in between. I’m not the sort of person that cries over books frequently, but believe me when I say the waterworks were on for this one, especially at the end. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, the author sends a huge plot twist your way that you’re desperate for the next book.
Dark Genesis is a book with a strange sort of beauty. A. D. Koboah’s descriptions and vivid imagery are absolutely unmatched; you’re instantly transported to Luna’s world. Yet the topic that features in her book, slavery, is anything but beautiful. Koboah didn’t flinch away from all of the horrors slaves like Luna had to face and one of her greatest strengths was how she portrayed the effects of such treatment even years afterward.
On the topic of Luna, she is an incredible character. She’s now one of my favourite heroines ever not only because she was such a strong woman but because she had to go on a long journey of self-reflection to become that woman. The time she spent with Avery really did change her, even if the scars from her years of enslavement were still beneath the surface. Avery too was a very flawed character and you don’t really realize the depth of his sorrow until the end of the novel. He’s not your typical vampire the same way Luna isn’t your typical heroine. I won’t go into much more detail than that because I don’t want to spoil all of the good parts for you.
The plot remained relatively fast-paced despite being a mainly character-driven novel. That in itself would have been quite impressive if not for the fact that there were so many plot twists. Believe me, you may be able to predict some of the twists but most will blindside you in a good way. I read Dark Genesis two weeks ago and I’m still reeling from that final twist at the end of the novel! It’s hard to believe that this was A. D. Koboah’s first novel. I don’t expect this level of awesome from many established authors, yet here I am writing this review.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t like vampire novels. If you like any sort of character-driven novel or even just plain historical fiction, go and download Dark Genesis this instant. It’s free on Amazon and Barnes and Noble as an ebook so it’s not like you’re losing anything by taking a chance on this wonderful novel.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
August 10, 2012
Dark Genesis was a lovely read filled with love, sacrifice and the right paranormal flavor. Dark Genesis is told by Luna via her diary. It was Luna’s version and memories of how her life was as a slave and then more. Luna is a slave from the 1800′s, an abused woman and a victim of circumstance. Luna was powerless until she meet “it”. It happened to be Avery, a vampire who have dreamt about Luna from long ago and waited for the time to actually meet and be with her and the story goes from there. But before Luna and Avery during the 1800′s Dark Genesis starts with Dallas – a rich and pampered witch who discovered Luna’s diary as she was looking into her grandmother’s stuff. The Marshall family is known to have good fortune yet with luck there comes a price to pay.
There are a lot of things I love about Dark Genesis. It tackles about the issues during the 1800′s which is a very heavy and painful yet powerful event concerning slaves. I love topics like this because it somehow gives me an idea of how it was then and how much struggle and sacrifices everyone is willing to do for their freedom.
Another thing I love about Dark Genesis is the devotion of the characters with one another – Mama Akosua’s love for Luna, Luna’s love for Avery, Jupiter’s devotion for Luna, and even Zila’s love for Master John. Dark Genesis shows us love in varying degrees and in different forms.
In addition, Dark Genesis was an easy read. I was quick to adapt to Koboah’s writing style BUT since this was retold in a diary format, I would have appreciated the story written differently.
The love between Luna and Avery wasn’t insta-love like most love story we read in paranormal novels. It took sometime for Luna to develop feelings for Avery and Luna showed us humanistic reaction like fear, hesitation and even hatred. It wasn’t a love at first sight deal. Yey right?
And lastly, Dark Genesis is the first book and it mostly gives us a detailed background of the characters to prepare us of what will happen in book 2. It started with Dallas but asides being mentioned in the first few chapters, that’s all we see from Dallas for now. So I am looking forward to seeing what happens to Dallas and what she’ll get herself into. This is a great start to hopefully an enjoyable trilogy.
Is Dark Genesis good – absolutely! Would I recommend it, definitely. Is it worth following, seems like it. If the next books will be as good as Dark Genesis then I am definitely recommending this one to paranormal lover and readers who enjoy a good unconventional love story.
There are a lot of things I love about Dark Genesis. It tackles about the issues during the 1800′s which is a very heavy and painful yet powerful event concerning slaves. I love topics like this because it somehow gives me an idea of how it was then and how much struggle and sacrifices everyone is willing to do for their freedom.
Another thing I love about Dark Genesis is the devotion of the characters with one another – Mama Akosua’s love for Luna, Luna’s love for Avery, Jupiter’s devotion for Luna, and even Zila’s love for Master John. Dark Genesis shows us love in varying degrees and in different forms.
In addition, Dark Genesis was an easy read. I was quick to adapt to Koboah’s writing style BUT since this was retold in a diary format, I would have appreciated the story written differently.
The love between Luna and Avery wasn’t insta-love like most love story we read in paranormal novels. It took sometime for Luna to develop feelings for Avery and Luna showed us humanistic reaction like fear, hesitation and even hatred. It wasn’t a love at first sight deal. Yey right?
And lastly, Dark Genesis is the first book and it mostly gives us a detailed background of the characters to prepare us of what will happen in book 2. It started with Dallas but asides being mentioned in the first few chapters, that’s all we see from Dallas for now. So I am looking forward to seeing what happens to Dallas and what she’ll get herself into. This is a great start to hopefully an enjoyable trilogy.
Is Dark Genesis good – absolutely! Would I recommend it, definitely. Is it worth following, seems like it. If the next books will be as good as Dark Genesis then I am definitely recommending this one to paranormal lover and readers who enjoy a good unconventional love story.
March 3, 2014
Koboah really hits home with her debut novel, Dark Genesis, which channels a female slave, Luna, in the heart of hatred and injustice. Luna realizes that she has powers that have been handed down from her mother, a very powerful witch. She never uses these skills purposefully until the right moment in the story, which changes the course of the rest of her life. We see her find a bond with an unlikely being, a demon as she calls him, named Avery. Avery opens her eyes to a world that she never imagined existed and shows her the depths of herself through his own journey.
Koboah pulls the reader's heart strings like a beautiful violin that ebbs and flows to the drama, pain and intensity of the storyline. You will find yourself crying, yearning as Luna yearns, cringing and smiling. The twists and turns you travel along will astound you as you dig deeper into each characters back story, learning their meaning.
I found myself pulled by Luna's story but even secondary stories like Zila and Mary gave depth to the novel. Avery was a sweet contradiction that made you feel for him and his plight towards self-acceptance. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will likely re-read it again when I feel like reading a good book. I read this novel on Kindle and it was FREE (surprisingly!), so I will purchase the hard copy to ensure it stays in my collection for a very long time! Highly recommended!
- T.R. Horne, author of Breaking Mobius and blogger for Raging Book Reviews on www.ragingbookreviews.wordpress.com
Koboah pulls the reader's heart strings like a beautiful violin that ebbs and flows to the drama, pain and intensity of the storyline. You will find yourself crying, yearning as Luna yearns, cringing and smiling. The twists and turns you travel along will astound you as you dig deeper into each characters back story, learning their meaning.
I found myself pulled by Luna's story but even secondary stories like Zila and Mary gave depth to the novel. Avery was a sweet contradiction that made you feel for him and his plight towards self-acceptance. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will likely re-read it again when I feel like reading a good book. I read this novel on Kindle and it was FREE (surprisingly!), so I will purchase the hard copy to ensure it stays in my collection for a very long time! Highly recommended!
- T.R. Horne, author of Breaking Mobius and blogger for Raging Book Reviews on www.ragingbookreviews.wordpress.com
December 28, 2016
This have to be the strangest book that I've read in a while. I just finished it I think I'm a bit confused. It Seems like I was reading several books wrapped into one but they all have the potential to be great books if they didn't jump around so much. Is not too often that I'm confused on what to write within a review. I don't want to give away the story but I understand it started with a descendent in the beginning went completely through the ancestors life and ended with the descendent of Luna finding Avery. I'm not sure if I want to read the second book because when I read the synopsis it looks like it goes back to the beginning of Avery's life. I'm not sure if I would recommend this book or not and that's really strange for me because usually I am one to say yes absolutely I recommend it or no I don't but in this case I'm really unsure what the hell I just spent my time reading LOL..... The entire middle of the book was completely entertaining....the end has the potential to lead up to the second book BUT the beginning I'm not so sure how it ties in with the middle or the end.... Feeling perplexed...
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