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The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld, #1)

Gena Showalter

Start date: January 1, 2022

Finish date: January 31, 2022

Discussion: Challenges: What's the Rush

Why we're reading this: Part of our group series (re)read: Lords of the Underworld …more
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Challenges: What's the Rush

* 2025 Series Read: K.N. Banet's "Jacky Leon"
By Steph , Serious series addict · 103 posts · 33 views

last updated Sep 26, 2025 08:29PM

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* YEAR-LONG CHALLENGES
By Steph , Serious series addict · 1 post · 389 views

last updated Aug 17, 2010 11:14PM

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What Members Thought

Nov 16, 2009 Steph rated it really liked it

Shelves: series-ongoing, author-웃, year-read-2009, series-i-love, series-book1, author-first-time-read

I can totally see how this book would get such a wide range of reviews. Even though the story wasn't heavy on battles, I really enjoyed it. I had a slight touch of JR Ward's BDB, only in that there are "brothers" who live together, struggling with their curses and fight against Hunters, who are trying to kill them.

I loved the idea of these immortal warriors being cursed with the demons they released from Pandora's box. I'm always on the look out for something different and this fit the bill. Ad I can totally see how this book would get such a wide range of reviews. Even though the story wasn't heavy on battles, I really enjoyed it. I had a slight touch of JR Ward's BDB, only in that there are "brothers" who live together, struggling with their curses and fight against Hunters, who are trying to kill them.

I loved the idea of these immortal warriors being cursed with the demons they released from Pandora's box. I'm always on the look out for something different and this fit the bill. Add a sprinklin' of romance, tortured warrior souls and a fight to survive and help out your fellow brothers and you've got a sexy read.

The brothers, jealous of Pandora, who was chosen to guard the box (or dimOunaik), released all the evil from her box in hopes of being the saviors. Instead people and cities were destroyed. As punishment, Zeus forced all the immortal warriors to suffer a curse for their actions. Each of them now holds within themselves the spirit of one of the evils released from Pandora's box, making them the Lords of the Underworld.

Maddox is the keeper of Violence; Torin is the keeper of Disease; Lucien is the keeper of Death; Reyes is the keeper of Pain; Aeron is the keeper of Wrath; Paris is the keeper of Promiscuity; Sabin is the keeper of Doubt; Gideon is the keeper of Lies; Kane is the keeper of Disaster; Strider is the keeper of Defeat; Cameo, the only woman, is the keeper of Misery. Again, I flash to JR Ward's BDB, because each of Showalter's books in this series seems to be leading toward each of the LOTU finding their mate.

Maddox is cursed two-fold for his crime of killing Pandora. Each night at midnight, Reyes must kill Maddox, exactly as he killed Pandora, and Lucien, as Death, transports his soul to Hell to burn in the fires until morning. One night he finds Ashlyn wandering around their grounds and, for reasons he cannot explain at the time, he takes her back to their castle. She is cursed as well, she can hear every conversation that has ever taken place, no matter how much time has passed - past, present, any language and the voices have plagued her whole life. Until now ...

If you're looking for something a little different, a quick read with a splash of romance and some alpha-male sexiness, but light on all else (at least in this book of the series) you'll enjoy this book.

Hopefully they only get better from here ... ...more

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May 13, 2009 Lisarenee rated it liked it

Loved the main story but not sure I liked the Godess character the end.

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Jul 04, 2010 Irene Hollimon rated it liked it · review of another edition

Out five stars, it was hard for me to decide how many to give it. I finished the book which means it deserves something. As a bodice ripper romance, it's not bad. I spent two hundred pages - turning pages waiting for the two main characters to have sex. They did. She was a virgin. He was huge. It was glorious. That's about it. About all this novel is worth. But then I like Penthouse letters too and they don't contain much literary value either. My impression is it's a pale imitation of the Black ...more

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Feb 18, 2010 Ashley rated it liked it

Shelves: paranormal-themed, series

I enjoyed this book, although still a little to "harlequin" feeling to me, the characters were likable. The story interesting and unique and just enough good promise for me to want to continue the series. However, it's making me realize that I really enjoy the urban fantasy genre more than paranormal romance genre. Or fantasy with bits of romance thrown in. ...more

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