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Friday, February 3, 2012

REVIEW: Lothaire (#12 Immortals After Dark) by Kresley Cole

5 of 5 Stars

Lothaire met MY “Endgame” of a satisfying read quite diabolically splendidly!

Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark (IAD) series is one of my favourite Paranormal Romance series and I always know I’m in for a wild and entertaining ride when I read one of her books. Lothaire was an ATOMIC BLAST of a ride - and I mean that in all kiiiinds of ways! LOL

When it was mentioned that Lothaire “The Enemy of Old” would have a book, I thought, “What an unlikely “hero”! An enemy of our beloved Forbearer Vampires, Valkyrie, Lykae and House of Witches is to have his own HEA??” But, WOW, what an engaging and sizzling tale it was!

Kresley Cole started truly intriguing me with Lothaire’s character in Dreams of a Dark Warrior, and made me very excited to read his book. Yes, he’s done some dastardly deeds but there were moments of what appeared to be compassion in him, especially in his dealings with Thaddeus, even though Lothaire justified it as just being part of him needing to achieve his “Endgame”.

I just love Thad! He’s so sweet, and his dimples just make me melt…Just, Awww!! I want to cuddle him close! I really hope Thad doesn’t lose his idealism and optimism!

I was shocked to see that Lothaire’s book wouldn’t get one of the long (and sometimes difficult to remember ^_^) IAD titles but would simply be titled “Lothaire” . I then realised, for an arrogant and self-absorbed character, such as he, there could be no better title!

Within the first chapter of Lothaire”, Kresley Cole had me deeply saddened and shedding tears for young Lothaire. I finally understood why he was the way he was and what his “Endgame” was, and why he was obsessed with it. Seeing his tragic past and his vulnerable side also enabled me to forgive him for some of his cruel acts, but he still did frustrate me, at points – remaining true to character. I needed to see some true remorse from him …and there was, but it was in is his very Lothaire-way. I would have liked to have seen him grovel more, though I accept that would not have been be true to his character.

Arrogant, going insane, intelligent, and diabolical, Lothaire never contemplated that his Bride would be a mere mortal. He believed that his Bride was Saroya, the goddess of death who possessed Elizabeth “Ellie” Peirce. When “Lizvetta”, as Lothaire calls her, awakens his burning desires, he still refuses to accept that a weak mortal could be his Bride.

I loved Ellie, the young mountain girl from Appalachia. She is sweet, smart, brave, and she challenges, intrigues and arouses Lothaire like no other. I really loved how Ellie held her own with Lothaire and made him question his “Endgame”. Even with all the shite Ellie has gone through in her short life, I loved how she looked for happiness where she could. She wasn’t bitter and twisted, like Lothaire, and that made her just what he needed.

Lothaire and Ellie were SCORCHINGLY HOT together!


Even though the sexy Paul Marron is the cover image for the US cover of Lothaire, I couldn’t shake the image I developed of Lothaire as I read Dreams of a Dark Warrior, with his longish pale blonde hair and his arrogant, diabolical handsomeness as this… 


Whether you picture Lothaire as looking like Eric Northman, Paul Marron, or someone else, one thing is for certain, even as Lothaire makes you growl at him (and also laugh) because of his arrogant and domineering ways, he will win you over – though maybe not in the puppy dog loyalty of Thad…or maybe he will! LOL

There was only a wee bit of development in the series story arc and I would have liked a bit more. But, then, I found out on Kresley Cole’s Facebook page, that there will be a new spin-off series called the Realm of Blood and Mist with the first book being titled Shadow Claim - release date 21 August 2012. The series is about the Dacians, introduced in this book. So, I now appreciate the sacrifice of the overall IAD story arc for introduction to these new characters. I’m excited for the new series!!

It was very interesting to find out more about Nix’s and Lothaire’s history together. Poor Nix “The Ever Knowing”, she’s losing it more and more, trying to keep up with all the possible futures as the Accession draws near. I’d love to see Nix’s HEA, for her to have a male who could be a stabilizing and comforting force for her, but I think I read somewhere that hers may be the last book in the series. While I really want to read her story, I’m not ready for this series to end.

So…who do you think is up next?

Cara the Fair (twin sister to Furie) and the human of noble line who is a thrill seeker and extreme sports enthusiast?

I think it may be King Kristoff of the Forbearers and Furie, who will unlease her wrath on all vampires for what Lothaire did to her, and in doing so will, of course, lead to a HEA. Haha! We shall see…

Looking forward to the next IAD installment!!!

3 comments:

  1. Oh, Jayne, I'm so looking forward to getting caught up with this series and reading Lothaire's story! It sounds wonderful! xoxo

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  2. Which book are you up to, Nissie? I've enjoyed almost all the books in the series.

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  3. I have been highly anticipating Lothaire for some time now, especially after seeing a lot of him in the previous book, Dreams of a Dark Warrior. Lothaire, the Enemy of Old, an extremely old and feared vampire who is set upon revenge. As the bastard child of the King of the Horde, Stefanovich, he promised his Dacian vampire mother before she was tortured

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