Deliver Me from DarknessAuthor: Tes Hilaire
Release Date: Feb. 1, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks
The Paladin Warriors #1
ISBN: 978-1402264344
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (352 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
A STRANGER IN THE NIGHT…
He had once been a warrior of the Light, one of the revered Paladin. A protector. But now he lives in darkness, and the shadows are his sanctuary. Every day is a struggle to overcome the bloodlust. Especially the day Karissa shows up at his doorstep.
COMES KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
She is light and bright and everything beautiful—despite her scratches and torn clothes. Every creature of the night is after her. So is every male Paladin. Because Karissa is the last female of their kind. But she is his. He may not have a soul, but he can’t deny his heart.
What VampBard’s talking about:
In reading Deliver Me from Darkness, I became entranced with the world Ms. Hilaire has created. There were some familiar elements that made me feel right at home, as well as a structurally sound basis for the balance of this series.
The tenor and language of this title brought me back to my early days reading paranormal romance – specifically to J.R. Ward’s Dark Lover, and her character Wrath, as he was introduced (unwillingly) to his future shellan.
I love the world Ms. Hilaire builds for this series! The infusion of the vampire lore as well as the world of the Paladin that Hilaire intertwined had me hooked from the beginning. The overarching story, while expertly crafted, researched, and executed, was an extremely action-packed and involved plot. In addition to the vampire/Paladin portions of the plot, Hilaire infused the classic demons of Hell in the form of Lucifer and his minions to the mix. The dichotomy of good and evil definitely creates discord and conflict that even farther vests the reader in the storyline. The juxtaposed ‘dark’ and ‘light’ symbolism coalesces into into a tidy blend of grey at the conclusion of the story.
While there were several gems of stellar writing in Deliver Me from Darkness, the following passages exemplified the sensuality and sensitivity of the characters as well as the over-all impression received from the novel.
This little gem was the most passionate description:
Anger roiled through him, overshadowing his continuing need. Roland rallied against it, burning through it with the intensity of the kiss. So sweetly she yielded, how hot her tongue was against his, how erotic the little murmurs and gasps that rose in her throat. If he could be addicted to something, it was her mouth.
Mine.
Throught the novel, our hero, Roland, feels less than deserving of Karissa’s love and devotion. With expertly crafted inner conflict, Ms. Hilaire adeptly displayed the true heart and feelings Roland possessed for Karissa with this passage:
Making a fist with his right hand, he brought his arm up across his body to cover his heart, giving her a formal little bow. She didn’t know what it meant, but he did. The promise of a bonded male to his mate: my heart, my body, my soul, for yours.
Even more poignant was a quote from Roland, regarding his thought process as he finally lost his inner battle. Actually, he rectified his turmoil regarding his heart mate, finally deciding to allow himself and Karissa to experience the true happiness they both deserve, and Karissa has known was possible through the novel:
He sucked in one last breath, then did the only think he could do. Held it. He was going to do this. . . He was going to be what she needed. Partners. Mates. In bed and out. He had to do this – without losing control, without biting her.
While Roland portrays her own character as one with typical vampire traits, the previous passage efficiently displays the fact that there’s more to Roland than meets the eye – especially his own eye.
I found Karissa to be the epitome of the positive, self-assured heroine. Her interaction with all characters, and her importance to the plot arc was integral, forthright, and ‘brilliant’. Even while facing daunting tasks and difficult emotional situations, she appeared to remain positive. This mindset was immediately endearing, and my fondness for her grew throughout the story. While there weren’t extraordinary revelations from Karissa’s perspective, she’s definitely a well-written character. She is integral to the plot, and part of the intricate web Hilaire’s woven to create her Paladin Warriors series.
Supporting characters were comprised of a delicious blend of Paladin and vampires. Logan, Valin and Calhoun Sr., as well as Alex have roles to play as Paladins-of-note in upcoming installments of this series. Gabrielle was also a major player, batting for the Paladin side; Cristos was definitely on the bad guy list, and both have possibilities for resurfacing in the series.
Sign me up to review subsequent books in Hilaire’s Paladin Warriors series. With the brilliant world-crafting, superior character development and the depth and pacing of the plot arc, they’re sure to be as stellar as Deliver Me from Darkness.
VampBard’s Rating:
Personal favorite – a must read (A+)
Purchase Info:
Wow! What a glowing review! I liked this one, but I thought Karissa’s change of heart toward Roland was very sudden.
I had a hard time warming up to it, but once I did, I found I enjoyed the story. –I’m curious to see if Gabrielle will be a heroine in one of the future books.
@Jen – I get what you’re referring to, with the ‘sudden change of heart’, but it didn’t really bother me. I saw it more as her inner conflict resolved.
Laying odds that Valin & Gabrielle will be the next book 😉 Me likey!
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