Don't read that book?

[Anna]

I couldn't finish Minion, I only read a couple chapters before giving up. I couldn't get into the writing style at all.

[Stav]

I did finish, and thought maybe it was getting better at one point, but nope...not at all.

[The Flooze]

lol

[Allison]

The entire Carpathian/Dark "series" (and I used the term loosely) by Christine Feehan. I admit to only making it through the 4th book (of 20?) and reading many reviews of the remaining books; however, the overwhelming "craptacularness" of those 4 appear to have been a dominating thread throughout the rest. The characters are flat, dialogue is repetitive, horrible editing, etc.

[Stav]

Allison wrote: "The entire Carpathian/Dark "series" (and I used the term loosely) by Christine Feehan. I admit to only making it through the 4th book (of 20?) and reading many reviews of the remaining books; howev..."

I only made it through about three fourths of the first book in that series, and was like, WTF?!?!?!....it was also my first glimpse at PNR some 5 years ago, and again, I was like, WTF?!?!...I thought it was too cheesy a genre and stayed away from most stuff like that for a while.
now I love PNR, but I'm picky and choosy, and still prefer my UF over it.

[Allison]

I shorted my response, sorry but you got the gist of it hehe. I admit to struggling through those four and only because I had bought the whole series before reading any reviews prior to purchase (lesson learned there). Thank goodness they let me return the rest for a full refund.

[Stav]

lucky you....I ended up borrowing the one i read from someone....so lucky for me too!

[The Flooze]

Ugghhhhh, don't get me started on Feehan.

I tried three of them, only because a friend insisted and insisted. The first book bored me to tears. But I thought hey, maybe it's BECAUSE it's a first book--perhaps with the next one, she'll take off...

The second was ever so slightly less insipid, but still overwrought and repetitive. I was displeased.

Then the same friend said, "Ohhhh, but you must read THIS one, it's my favorite and it's far darker and since you like gritty..."

For THAT book, I thought I would poke my eyes out every time I had to read the words "velvet" and "molten." Lots of exposition. No actual action.

[LooLoo]

You guys have me worried now. I have several of the Feehan books sitting here in my TBR pile. Hope I haven't wasted my money.

[Shannon]

Michelle M. wrote: "For THAT book, I thought I would poke my eyes out every time I had to read the words "velvet" and "molten."

You crack me up.

I read the majority of the Carpathian series close to 10 years ago so I have to admit I don't remember much. I was younger then and not reading much romance so maybe I just didn't care, but I liked them enough to read the first 13 of them. I do remember the repetitiveness though and also that I really didn't love any of them until the 10th book. But even that I can barely remember.

But after finding much better series I think I kind of gave up on the Carpathians. I own the next 4 books in the series but I haven't gotten around to reading them yet.

I think if you were already reading a lot of the great series that are out now you wouldn't touch Feehan's stuff with a 10-foot pole. I can't even imagine reading the Carpathians after you've finished The Black Dagger Brotherhood's books, as an example. It'd be ridiculous.

But, even though I doubt I'll ever reread the Carpathian books, I honestly don't regret reading them. They weren't all that bad. At the time.

[Starling]

Shannon I think that the Carpathian series has lasted as long as it has BECAUSE it is a decade or more old. There weren't as many books in the genre. In fact it wasn't actually a genre even if you combined what we now think of as paranormal romance and urban fantasy. And what they were calling urban fantasy ten or fifteen years ago was very different from what we are calling urban fantasy now.

Like you, once I had something else to read, I stopped reading Feehan.

[Allison]

Michelle M. wrote: "For THAT book, I thought I would poke my eyes out every time I had to read the words "velvet" and "molten."

I laughed when I read your words. That was definitely one of my chief complaints, the over use of certain words and phrases (ie awful editing). I honestly can't imagine how this series has managed to go on as long as it has.

[The Flooze]

I think perhaps if you're a fan of true romance novels (where it's all about my love, my darling, oh your heaving bosoms tempt my very soul and now I must molest you), then you'll like it. I am not a romance reader. I was sneakily pulled in by the paranormal aspect and stuck around because, hey, who doesn't like hot men?

Feehan is about dominant males and fearful women...and just happens to involve a bunch of people who MIGHT turn into vampires if they don't get it on (hence the focus on velvet hootinanny).

They're still popular, so by all means, give em a go. To each their own. But if the the action and UF plots of today's PNR are what cements your interest in the genre, it's probably not for you.

[Kathy]

Um...no. It's not the PNR versus straight romance stuff. I'm a romance reader and have finally decided to give up on Feehan. I've tried three different series now and they're okay I guess, but I have too many books I want to read to spend my time on mediocre stuff.

[The Flooze]

I guess it fits my own personal stereotype of the classic romance novel with brooding and ravishing going on. But you're right Kathy, it's more about the quality of writing and its ability to grab you. With so many othe fab series, it's easy to move on to something else!

[Melodie]

Michelle M. wrote: "I think perhaps if you're a fan of true romance novels (where it's all about my love, my darling, oh your heaving bosoms tempt my very soul and now I must molest you), then you'll like it. I am not..."

I haven't read a straight true romance novel in years. They got really old to me really fast. I tried a Feehan book once..........got about a third of the way through it and decided I'd had more than enough. Crappy writing, crappy story!

[Shannon]

Allison wrote: "I honestly can't imagine how this series has managed to go on as long as it has."

It's not as popular as it once was and she does write a lot slower now. She also has a couple other series going as well although I just haven't gotten around to reading them. I think she has some really hardcore fans still and they're the ones keeping things going.

I'm wondering if the newer books are any better? Towards the end there she was getting away from the "dominant males and fearful women," but I don't know if she continued on that way.

I don't know, I haven't all together given up Feehan's stuff. I just don't think I could recommend them to anyone.

And Starling, I agree, there really wasn't much paranormal romance back then so you took what you could get.

[The Flooze]

A lot of people seem to like this Ghostwalkers (I don't know if that is right or not) series of Feehan's. I think it's got more suspense than the Carpathians.

[Jess]

I've read 3 of Feehan's series.

I like the Carpathian books I've read so far, but I've been reading them VERY slowly over time, compared with how I normally devour books. I figured I'd get sick of them if I read them too close together.

I've also read her Drake series. It's about 7 sisters who have powers, and each book is about a different sister. the descriptions in this one are a little flowery, but not quite as intense as the Carpathians. I don't think people would like it that much if they didn't like Carpathians, but you can definitely give it a try.

Now the Ghostwalkers series I LOVE. It's about this team of men, and women, who have been experimented on, and have abilities that are not normal. Each person manifests differently. This series is definitely modern, and suspenseful. The women are NOT weak at all lol. They kick ass and take names while doing it lol.

The only issue... in my opinion, and others I've spoken with, HATE the first book. But the rest get so much better. So if you try it out, and dislike the first one, at least try the second before you give up. Because they definitely get better. :) and the Norton boys are worth it.

[The Flooze]

As someone said before, the Carpathians is an older series. Could be that today's tastes have changed too drastically. I did indeed get the impression that the Ghostwalkers series was much more in line with modern sensibilities. I might give that one a try!

[Starling]

Jess, thanks for mentioning the Goastwalker series. Yes, I LOVE that one. Which is funny since basically I'd forgotten that I loved that series.

[Betelgeuze]

I agree with avoiding the Carpathians series. It's the most repetitive series ever. It's in the prose(there are other ways to describe a women's body than comparing it with various soft fabrics), the sex(Ms. Feehan doesn't seem the realize there are other positions than missionary), the plot(compassionate chick meets Carpathain male, doesn't like him, but is helpless in her attraction, ends up loving him anyways, and there's always the vampire trying to keep them apart). I hate my book addiction for making me buy most of the books in the series.

Another series i did not like is the Knights of the Darkness series by D.N. Simmons. I didn't like the female lead, and didn't find much originality in the mythology. The plot lines in the books also failed to keep me interested.