Black Dagger Brotherhood – Book 2-6…meh

 

Black Dagger Brotherhood – Books 2-6

 

Well…I got to book 6 and had to stop.  Let me be clear here when I say these books were interesting, but for as good as some parts of the first 6 books had, there were just as many things wrong.

 

The vampire brothers in the series have incredibly fascinating back stories.  They are good men, but flawed in their 200+ years of living.  Vampire males who are intrusted with the safekeeping of their race by fighting their polar opposites, the Lesser Society.  Each brother, his plight, back-story, as well as their love lives is featured in a single book.  You start off with Wrath, their Leader and King, and moves on to a crap load of characters and points-of-view.

 

Each brother goes through tumultuous self reflection, change, great loss, and yet great love.  The romances are compelling, up until you get to Book 4 – Lover Revealed, then you realize it’s really just a lot of wash, rinse, repeat.

 

Brother introduced – flaws described, he’s angry/moody/celibate – female love introduced, she is flawed, exceptional, inherently good – brother and female meet and there’s an instant spark/reaction/love/obsessive need – female isn’t interested – brother pursues – they have sex – they pull away – then female dies/becomes ill/dies and comes back/leaves and comes back – then happily ever after…kinda.

 

It’s not poorly written, although I have to remind myself that this a 40ish white woman is writing like she’s from the ‘hood, the brother’s having an interesting pop culture-ish POV with their own slang, but generally it is good.  Unfortunately what could be a VERY compelling storyline is pushed to the side as a mere side story blurb, in between romantic moments.  The vampires/brotherhood fight against the Lesser society, which in book 5/6, is revealed as a weird balance between their leader, the Virgin Scribe, and their enemy – The Omega.  Both a yin and yang of good versus evil that isn’t really touched upon, until I’m sure, later in the series.  However the first 6 books is mostly introduction of the brothers and their broken lives, as well as their established and every changing destinies.

 

Would I recommend these books?  I guess I should say, I kind of wish I didn’t waste a lot of time reading the series, especially up to book 6. I’m not normally into romance books, I tend to lean toward mystery and science fiction, but the series is not a total loss.  The romance is pretty good, if you ignore the repetitious style in which the brother’s meet/fall in love with their females.  The back stories, again, are pretty damn good – each brother going through horrible trials and tribulations to where they are in their present day worlds.  The Lesser Society story arc has potential to be outstanding.  Just wish the author could have done away with the romance recipe she seems to really favor.

 

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