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Marked #1
Eve e as Trevas
Num mundo onde os demónios podem estar ao virar da esquina, a poderosa e sensual Eve leva-nos numa aventura vibrante e provocadora, de cortar a respiração e deixar os sentidos em brasa.
Para Evangeline Holis, aquilo que parecia ser apenas uma aventura com um mau rapaz acabou por se transformar num desastre de proporções bíblicas. Uma noite com o misterioso homem vestido de cabedal foi quanto bastou para a punição divina: a Marca de Caim.
Presa num mundo onde os pecadores são recrutados para matar os demónios, Eve tem pouco tempo para se adaptar. Agnóstica desde sempre, ela vê-se obrigada a uma série de manobras na burocracia celestial onde passa a ser um valioso mas maltratado peão. Eve passa também a ser mais um ponto de discórdia num dos mais antigos casos de rivalidade familiar da História…
Mas para já, ela está mais preocupada em matar para se manter viva e salvar a alma que nem ela própria sabia ter.
Amaldiçoada por Deus, perseguida pelos demónios, desejada por Caim e Abel… tudo num só dia.
Para Evangeline Holis, aquilo que parecia ser apenas uma aventura com um mau rapaz acabou por se transformar num desastre de proporções bíblicas. Uma noite com o misterioso homem vestido de cabedal foi quanto bastou para a punição divina: a Marca de Caim.
Presa num mundo onde os pecadores são recrutados para matar os demónios, Eve tem pouco tempo para se adaptar. Agnóstica desde sempre, ela vê-se obrigada a uma série de manobras na burocracia celestial onde passa a ser um valioso mas maltratado peão. Eve passa também a ser mais um ponto de discórdia num dos mais antigos casos de rivalidade familiar da História…
Mas para já, ela está mais preocupada em matar para se manter viva e salvar a alma que nem ela própria sabia ter.
Amaldiçoada por Deus, perseguida pelos demónios, desejada por Caim e Abel… tudo num só dia.
340 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2009
About the author
S.J. Day
9 books662 followersS. J. Day is the pseudonym of #1 New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Sylvia Day.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 446 reviews
May 6, 2009
Sometimes, I really need a "bad smut" category. This would be one of those times. I just had to read this, even though there was a little voice in the back of mind telling me I was going to regret it. But really... a book that sets up a love triangle between Cain and Abel (yes, THAT Cain and Abel) as a supernatural fantasy story? How could I resist?
I should have tried harder.
Ok, I do have to admit the writing itself, was by and all, not that bad. I have read worst writing.
In this case it was the whole premise. We have the main character, which was, a Mary Sue in the biggest, possible, self-insertion Mary Sue sense possible.
So, the main character is Eve, who, at the age of 17, is so impossibly beautiful and stunning and sexual that she tempts Cain to have sex with her.
Yes, SHE tempts him. Although she is a virgin, and he is thousands of years old, and clearly has the willpower of a cat in heat.
And 10 years later, she pays the "price" of her "sin," by being pretty much raped by Abel in one of the most badly written sex scenes ever* in a stairwell of a business building and branded with the MARK OF CAIN (in a very melodramatic, hysterical moment, complete with ANGEL WINGS).
*the book is full of them. But to be honest, at least they are better then any sex scene ever written by Laurell K Hamilton, but that may not be saying much.
So, yeah. A grown adult male seduces a 17 year old virgin and its all her fault. And now she pretty much has to walk away from her old life and spend her new life hunting down demons. As in "you don't have choice, you now have to do this to pay back for the price of your sin."
(Hey, this may be why I am not Christian!)
So now Eve is involved in this bizarre corporation, ran by an Archangel (see, this is what they really do); who have folks like Cain and Abel helping to train and deploy "Marks" (sinners who have the Mark of Cain and have to hunt down demons); and really, what is going on is all these back-door politics about people like Cain and Abel who want to run their own corporations too. And maybe one of the Archangels might be siding with the demons (the author seems to be building for this big secret backstory)
And of course, there is whole Cain/Abel rivalry thing, that Eve is caught in the middle of. Which uh, if you really want to harken on the symbolism of that, with "eve" being their mother and all, well Freud can go have a field day.
And the stress of the job is so bad that everyone- the Marks, the Archangels, and presumably the demons - release the stress by having sex. Lots of it. With everyone. Anywhere.
I am pretty sure this was left out of the Bible. I could be wrong about this, and maybe it is part that is sitting in the Vatican Vaults somewhere, but I am pretty certain that the Archangels are above the fleshy needs and well, sex for the sake of sex is sort of not encouraged. Especially in Archangel corporate offices.
Just sayin'
If anyone is interested in some kick ass urban supernatural series about good vs evil, save yourself the bad biblical angst (and horrible sex writing) and read Vicki Petterssons' Sign of the Zodiac series.
I should have tried harder.
Ok, I do have to admit the writing itself, was by and all, not that bad. I have read worst writing.
In this case it was the whole premise. We have the main character, which was, a Mary Sue in the biggest, possible, self-insertion Mary Sue sense possible.
So, the main character is Eve, who, at the age of 17, is so impossibly beautiful and stunning and sexual that she tempts Cain to have sex with her.
Yes, SHE tempts him. Although she is a virgin, and he is thousands of years old, and clearly has the willpower of a cat in heat.
And 10 years later, she pays the "price" of her "sin," by being pretty much raped by Abel in one of the most badly written sex scenes ever* in a stairwell of a business building and branded with the MARK OF CAIN (in a very melodramatic, hysterical moment, complete with ANGEL WINGS).
*the book is full of them. But to be honest, at least they are better then any sex scene ever written by Laurell K Hamilton, but that may not be saying much.
So, yeah. A grown adult male seduces a 17 year old virgin and its all her fault. And now she pretty much has to walk away from her old life and spend her new life hunting down demons. As in "you don't have choice, you now have to do this to pay back for the price of your sin."
(Hey, this may be why I am not Christian!)
So now Eve is involved in this bizarre corporation, ran by an Archangel (see, this is what they really do); who have folks like Cain and Abel helping to train and deploy "Marks" (sinners who have the Mark of Cain and have to hunt down demons); and really, what is going on is all these back-door politics about people like Cain and Abel who want to run their own corporations too. And maybe one of the Archangels might be siding with the demons (the author seems to be building for this big secret backstory)
And of course, there is whole Cain/Abel rivalry thing, that Eve is caught in the middle of. Which uh, if you really want to harken on the symbolism of that, with "eve" being their mother and all, well Freud can go have a field day.
And the stress of the job is so bad that everyone- the Marks, the Archangels, and presumably the demons - release the stress by having sex. Lots of it. With everyone. Anywhere.
I am pretty sure this was left out of the Bible. I could be wrong about this, and maybe it is part that is sitting in the Vatican Vaults somewhere, but I am pretty certain that the Archangels are above the fleshy needs and well, sex for the sake of sex is sort of not encouraged. Especially in Archangel corporate offices.
Just sayin'
If anyone is interested in some kick ass urban supernatural series about good vs evil, save yourself the bad biblical angst (and horrible sex writing) and read Vicki Petterssons' Sign of the Zodiac series.
June 17, 2009
Sproingg...thud. That was the sound of me jumping on the "Eve of Darkness" bandwagon. S.J.Day has penned a fascinating tale twined around the ultimate legend regarding good and evil--the story of Cain and Abel. Of course, in Day's version the Bible didn't quite get the whole story...and so far neither do we. But I got enough hot sex, mythological mystery, and rumbling action to keep me glued to the pages.
Eve lost her virginity to a rock-star, handsome and sexy stud on a Harley. Then he disappeared. Although it's ten years later, she's never forgotten him. When she catches sight of a man that closely resembles him when leaving a job interview, she's stunned by the almost magical sexual pull. Though she knew better, she couldn't seem to help herself...and now she's been given the mark of Cain. Her new job will be to take out Infernals (demons, werewolves, and a multitude of other assorted evil critters) under the guidance of a kind of heavenly corporation run by angels. As if that's not enough to blow a girl's mind, Eve has become the bone (HAH HAH HAH) of contention between two brothers...rather famous brothers actually--Alec Cain and Reed Abel.
I loved this story. I'm guessing the author has probably received a fair share of nasty-grams from the Moral Majority--unless they're too uptight to read paranormal romance! I personally found her twisted take on the age-old story riveting and very, very clever. Poor agnostic Eve, thrown into the middle of an ancient rivalry of Biblical proportions. She's attracted to, feels for, and is torn between the two brothers whose enmity is total and unending. It's very easy to identify with Eve. A normal woman with a normal childhood who gradually grew away from organized religion is now suddenly faced with a reality she can barely grasp. God and Satan exist, and so do Heaven and Hell, not to mention the factions of the heavenly host and satanic minions living here on Earth, trying to keep the eternal battle a secret from humans.
"Eve of Darkness" begins with the ending in a way. The rest of the book smoothly unfolds the story so far and the action is mostly non-stop. While there IS an ending, readers should know that reading this first book will only make you drop whatever you're doing to rush out and buy the next to continue with Eve's story. That's what I plan to do first thing tomorrow. S.J. Day's entry onto the paranormal romance/urban fantasy scene gave me a thrill and a hunger for more.
Eve lost her virginity to a rock-star, handsome and sexy stud on a Harley. Then he disappeared. Although it's ten years later, she's never forgotten him. When she catches sight of a man that closely resembles him when leaving a job interview, she's stunned by the almost magical sexual pull. Though she knew better, she couldn't seem to help herself...and now she's been given the mark of Cain. Her new job will be to take out Infernals (demons, werewolves, and a multitude of other assorted evil critters) under the guidance of a kind of heavenly corporation run by angels. As if that's not enough to blow a girl's mind, Eve has become the bone (HAH HAH HAH) of contention between two brothers...rather famous brothers actually--Alec Cain and Reed Abel.
I loved this story. I'm guessing the author has probably received a fair share of nasty-grams from the Moral Majority--unless they're too uptight to read paranormal romance! I personally found her twisted take on the age-old story riveting and very, very clever. Poor agnostic Eve, thrown into the middle of an ancient rivalry of Biblical proportions. She's attracted to, feels for, and is torn between the two brothers whose enmity is total and unending. It's very easy to identify with Eve. A normal woman with a normal childhood who gradually grew away from organized religion is now suddenly faced with a reality she can barely grasp. God and Satan exist, and so do Heaven and Hell, not to mention the factions of the heavenly host and satanic minions living here on Earth, trying to keep the eternal battle a secret from humans.
"Eve of Darkness" begins with the ending in a way. The rest of the book smoothly unfolds the story so far and the action is mostly non-stop. While there IS an ending, readers should know that reading this first book will only make you drop whatever you're doing to rush out and buy the next to continue with Eve's story. That's what I plan to do first thing tomorrow. S.J. Day's entry onto the paranormal romance/urban fantasy scene gave me a thrill and a hunger for more.
January 29, 2018
3.5/5
Mon avis en Français
My English review
Sylvia Day is today known for her contemporary / erotic romances but she can also be found in another genre: urban fantasy under another pseudonym: S.J. Day. I saw the series several times and I admit that I was curious to get into the book to find out more about the story but I nevertheless took a long time to do it.
We discover Eve, a young woman whose life is marked by a man who followed her all her life and who abandoned her recently, a man who will also change her destiny. Captivating, dark, charming, Cain is everything of the classic bad boy but a difference makes him dangerous, he is the legendary Cain of the Bible, who was exiled on earth for his redemption by eliminating demons who sinned. But now, he could not resist Eve, the person he had to resist and although she could have a normal life, she finds herself now marked and changed like her former lover. She must now redeem a crime she did not commit with a man as a mentor she never stopped loving. Yet this alliance will not be easy, especially when everyone is after Cain and knows she is now his weakness. Thus they will launch in a race against time where Eve is determined to stay alive regardless the price and where she will be propelled into a world she does not know the rules and that could well be fatal for her.
I was surprised by the format of the story and especially the first chapter which directly announces the end before heading back to present us the basics and to introduce the characters and the universe. It was very interesting to discover the ideas of the author about it although I admit that I sometimes had a little trouble with the change of characters and place from one line to another without really understanding it. I had sometimes to read a sentence twice to understand that we had no more to do with what happened before. That aside, I found the mythology and the use of the religion fascinating and do not worry about the religion topic as it is very well staged. I’m curious to see what happens to Eve, especially in relation to the discovery of this new world but also in relation to her choice facing the two brother Abel and Cain who finally seems quite complicated.
Finally I had a good time with this first volume and I’m curious to get the next to have some new adventures of our dear Eve especially when we know the end of the first volume.
Mon avis en Français
My English review
Sylvia Day is today known for her contemporary / erotic romances but she can also be found in another genre: urban fantasy under another pseudonym: S.J. Day. I saw the series several times and I admit that I was curious to get into the book to find out more about the story but I nevertheless took a long time to do it.
We discover Eve, a young woman whose life is marked by a man who followed her all her life and who abandoned her recently, a man who will also change her destiny. Captivating, dark, charming, Cain is everything of the classic bad boy but a difference makes him dangerous, he is the legendary Cain of the Bible, who was exiled on earth for his redemption by eliminating demons who sinned. But now, he could not resist Eve, the person he had to resist and although she could have a normal life, she finds herself now marked and changed like her former lover. She must now redeem a crime she did not commit with a man as a mentor she never stopped loving. Yet this alliance will not be easy, especially when everyone is after Cain and knows she is now his weakness. Thus they will launch in a race against time where Eve is determined to stay alive regardless the price and where she will be propelled into a world she does not know the rules and that could well be fatal for her.
I was surprised by the format of the story and especially the first chapter which directly announces the end before heading back to present us the basics and to introduce the characters and the universe. It was very interesting to discover the ideas of the author about it although I admit that I sometimes had a little trouble with the change of characters and place from one line to another without really understanding it. I had sometimes to read a sentence twice to understand that we had no more to do with what happened before. That aside, I found the mythology and the use of the religion fascinating and do not worry about the religion topic as it is very well staged. I’m curious to see what happens to Eve, especially in relation to the discovery of this new world but also in relation to her choice facing the two brother Abel and Cain who finally seems quite complicated.
Finally I had a good time with this first volume and I’m curious to get the next to have some new adventures of our dear Eve especially when we know the end of the first volume.
July 15, 2009
I was really torn between giving Eve of Darkness three or four stars. From a quality standpoint, it's a 3 star book. In fact, I've read many better books that I've given 3 star ratings. But, 4 stars is labeled as "really liked it" and I did really like it. I had 4 books in progress at the same time and ended up setting all aside to read the last 1/3 of this one. I gave it brownie points for taking place on my home turf. Eve is a Huntington Beach resident who was raised in Anaheim. I live on the HB border and spent several years living next to Anaheim in Fullerton. I do have to say that very little of the geography is accurate, but this is fantasy.
I will warn readers that the story is definitely R-rated. The angels have more wild sex than most mortal humans. I wouldn't recommend basing any of your thoughts about Judeo-Christian theology on the "facts" in this book. I'm pretty sure there's little or no connection. Also, you will need to read on in the series. This book doesn't tie up ANY story lines. It's one giant cliffhanger. (For the record, the cliffhanger is in the first chapter, the rest of the book is flashback.)
What really got me caught up in this book was the character of Eve. She's easy to identify with and care about. She's an ordinary woman who gets caught up in an extraordinary world. I went out and bought the second installment shortly after I started this because I knew I'd want to know the rest of her story. I don't usually stick with series after the first book, so that says something about how much I liked this book.
Just don't expect literature.
I will warn readers that the story is definitely R-rated. The angels have more wild sex than most mortal humans. I wouldn't recommend basing any of your thoughts about Judeo-Christian theology on the "facts" in this book. I'm pretty sure there's little or no connection. Also, you will need to read on in the series. This book doesn't tie up ANY story lines. It's one giant cliffhanger. (For the record, the cliffhanger is in the first chapter, the rest of the book is flashback.)
What really got me caught up in this book was the character of Eve. She's easy to identify with and care about. She's an ordinary woman who gets caught up in an extraordinary world. I went out and bought the second installment shortly after I started this because I knew I'd want to know the rest of her story. I don't usually stick with series after the first book, so that says something about how much I liked this book.
Just don't expect literature.
June 19, 2016
I'm not a religious person so in all honestly I should have skipped this book. I thought the concept of a love triangle between Cain and Abel could be interesting and it was but all the religious shenanigans were just over the top and not how I'd expect archangels to behave. The amount of sex between archangels and the marks was a strange way to release stress for these seemingly heavenly creatures.
A lot of what happened in this book - mainly virginal Eve being blamed for a grown man (archangel) seducing her and being cursed to fight a in religious war to redeem her soul - is pretty much why I'm an agnostic.
I didn't find the rape (forced sex) by Abel to be romantic at all. Rape never is a romantic encounter. At this point, I pretty much gave up on this book though I forced myself to continue since I needed this book for a challenge. I surely wish I had stopped and spared myself the remainder of this sexfest between Eve and Cain and Abel.
I should have known anything by Silvia Day was not going to be something I'd enjoy. I'll know next time.
A lot of what happened in this book - mainly virginal Eve being blamed for a grown man (archangel) seducing her and being cursed to fight a in religious war to redeem her soul - is pretty much why I'm an agnostic.
I didn't find the rape (forced sex) by Abel to be romantic at all. Rape never is a romantic encounter. At this point, I pretty much gave up on this book though I forced myself to continue since I needed this book for a challenge. I surely wish I had stopped and spared myself the remainder of this sexfest between Eve and Cain and Abel.
I should have known anything by Silvia Day was not going to be something I'd enjoy. I'll know next time.
July 7, 2011
"I absolutely loved this book. It has all the elements of a great book- great action, a mystery, many scary creatures, a love triangle, and a main character that we feel for and come to care about.
I liked the book so much I did not want to wait to read book 2 and 3. I went right out and bought both of them."
Update- 7/7/11- HA... it is funny that I wrote that it had all the elements of a great book including a love triangle. I now hate love triangles. Regardless, this book doesn't have the conventional love triangle. It is dark, gritty, and so much fun. Very good urban fantasy!
I liked the book so much I did not want to wait to read book 2 and 3. I went right out and bought both of them."
Update- 7/7/11- HA... it is funny that I wrote that it had all the elements of a great book including a love triangle. I now hate love triangles. Regardless, this book doesn't have the conventional love triangle. It is dark, gritty, and so much fun. Very good urban fantasy!
April 30, 2009
If you are like me, you probably have noticed the up and coming trend in the romance and urban fantasy genres dealing with religion, especially Christianity. We have already seen this in Meljean Brook’s Guardian series over the past few years. I would say that 2009 is the year of the angel starting with Nalini Singh who touches upon the angel myths in her book, Angels Blood. Jory Strong writes about the Church as a powerful organization in her post- apocalyptic urban fantasy romance, Ghostland. J.R. Ward will have a new paranormal romance series published in the fall about angels. And I cannot fail to mention Dan Brown who has created quite a stir with Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. These books use the idea of religion as a back drop in their stories.
As one who went to Catholic school from Kindergarten to a Senior in high school and was raised in a very traditional Catholic home, (if I didn’t go to church every Sunday I was told I would burn in hell) I find these books intriguing and have to really give these authors a pat on their back for writing about such an institution that is both controversial and passionate to those who are so very strong with their faith. But I also feel that some of these stories I have read are a bit glossed over so they don’t stir the pot too much. We read about these angels and demons and their on-going quest to be number one. Yes, it is great to read about sexy angels who have a great wing span, but I want an author to venture into deeper waters. I want one who will go straight to the source, which is the bible.
Whether you believe in religion or not, the bible is a great source for reading enjoyment. One author who takes these bible stories and inserts it front and center into her book is S.J. Day. S.J. has written a series about Cain and Abel that also includes parts of the Old and New Testament. She mentions Adam and Eve, Jesus Christ and God in such a way I have never read before in popular fiction other than Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. As I was reading Eve of Darkness, the first book in her Marked series, I felt the urge to want to go back and read the bible. S.J. has done incredible research and has written Eve of Darkness in such a way that is so very commendable. Who would have thought bible studies could be so sexy and engaging?
Eve of Darkness begins six weeks after Evangeline Hollis was marked. Eve was given the Mark of Cain. This mark was given by God to Cain as protection from harm while he wandered the Earth as punishment for killing his brother Abel. And guess who gave Eve the mark? Why Cain’s brother Abel who now goes by Reed Abel. Reed accosts Eve while she is going on a job interview, and before she knows it, she and Reed are going at each other in a parking garage. As Reed gives Eve an incredible orgasm, he gives her this mark that will change her life forever. The main reason Eve has been marked is because Eve is Alec Cain’s one weakness. Ten years ago when Eve was a teenage, she and Alec met and had one small moment in time together. Eve had a passionate one night stand with Alec who took her virginity. He left her the next morning and from that moment on Eve was ruined for all other men. She just didn’t realize by being with Alec she was chosen. Some may think that is was just coincidence, but in God’s eyes, everything is planned. Was it God’s plan that Alec would meet Eve? It is a good probability. The reason? That is still unknown.
Alec left Eve because he knew he couldn’t stay with her. The one thing he was afraid would happen has. Now he has come back ten years later to help her adjust. He will become her mentor and her guide. Eve has become God’s bounty hunter where she must find and take care of the evil creatures called Infernals and keep them in line or send their asses back to Hell where they belong. Eve is very much a newbie but she has incredible powers to help her fight evil. She is better, stronger and faster. Eve even thinks of herself as the Bionic Woman. I guess that would make Alec her Six Million Dollar Man.
At least Eve doesn’t have to face this all alone. She is very much like a worker bee in this new and bigger than life organization she now works for. God is the CEO and President who has archangels working under him much like Vice Presidents and Directors. There are seven archangels who watch the proceedings on Earth and report back to the big guy. The one archangel Eve works under is Raguel Gadara who she originally was supposed to interview with for an interior design position at his real estate corporation. Raguel is responsible for the North American Marks. Reed also works for Raguel and is a bail bondsman who hands out the assignments to the Marks.
You would think Eve would be given some time to adjust, but from the moment she is Marked, she is a target because if the Infernals can kill Eve, they will make Alec suffer. Alec wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to Eve. She is his downfall. He will not allow her to die because of him and will remain attached to Eve’s hip regardless of what she wants. Eve’s world has been torn apart and she has no choice but to learn things and fast. Even though Alec is there to help her, Reed is there also. She can only trust Reed as far she can throw him. Alec and Reed have a true brother hate relationship. Reed covets what Alec has and that is Eve. If Reed can steal Eve away from Alec, his revenge will be complete. He is the type of guy that will also spit in Alec’s face while he is doing it. Not only does Eve have to watch her back from being killed, but she is much like a bone that two dogs want. We are talking thousand of years of family drama here and Eve is now caught between the two. The final outcome will be who Eve chooses to be with and if the brothers will try to slay each other so they can be number one in God’s eyes.
S.J. Day’s Eve of Darkness is a rousing tale of good and evil where things are not black and white but very gray. Even the good guys who are the archangels and angels are just as sneaky as the demons and those evil creatures that work for Satan. Everyone is out to be number one. Eve seems to be the only one who doesn’t really care what God wants and if she is worthy of his love. The funny thing is that Eve is Agnostic. How’s that for irony especially since her name is of the first woman God created? Also, Eve has a habit of taking the Lord’s name in vain. Every time she says Jesus or God in such a way, the mark on her arm burns.
I also have to give S.J. kudos by not making Eve a lily white heroine who is all alone in the world to make ends meet. Eve is Japanese and comes from a family that is Southern Baptist. She has a great loving relationship with both her parents who want her settled and happy. And until she was marked she had a life she loved.
As one who went to Catholic school from Kindergarten to a Senior in high school and was raised in a very traditional Catholic home, (if I didn’t go to church every Sunday I was told I would burn in hell) I find these books intriguing and have to really give these authors a pat on their back for writing about such an institution that is both controversial and passionate to those who are so very strong with their faith. But I also feel that some of these stories I have read are a bit glossed over so they don’t stir the pot too much. We read about these angels and demons and their on-going quest to be number one. Yes, it is great to read about sexy angels who have a great wing span, but I want an author to venture into deeper waters. I want one who will go straight to the source, which is the bible.
Whether you believe in religion or not, the bible is a great source for reading enjoyment. One author who takes these bible stories and inserts it front and center into her book is S.J. Day. S.J. has written a series about Cain and Abel that also includes parts of the Old and New Testament. She mentions Adam and Eve, Jesus Christ and God in such a way I have never read before in popular fiction other than Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. As I was reading Eve of Darkness, the first book in her Marked series, I felt the urge to want to go back and read the bible. S.J. has done incredible research and has written Eve of Darkness in such a way that is so very commendable. Who would have thought bible studies could be so sexy and engaging?
Eve of Darkness begins six weeks after Evangeline Hollis was marked. Eve was given the Mark of Cain. This mark was given by God to Cain as protection from harm while he wandered the Earth as punishment for killing his brother Abel. And guess who gave Eve the mark? Why Cain’s brother Abel who now goes by Reed Abel. Reed accosts Eve while she is going on a job interview, and before she knows it, she and Reed are going at each other in a parking garage. As Reed gives Eve an incredible orgasm, he gives her this mark that will change her life forever. The main reason Eve has been marked is because Eve is Alec Cain’s one weakness. Ten years ago when Eve was a teenage, she and Alec met and had one small moment in time together. Eve had a passionate one night stand with Alec who took her virginity. He left her the next morning and from that moment on Eve was ruined for all other men. She just didn’t realize by being with Alec she was chosen. Some may think that is was just coincidence, but in God’s eyes, everything is planned. Was it God’s plan that Alec would meet Eve? It is a good probability. The reason? That is still unknown.
Alec left Eve because he knew he couldn’t stay with her. The one thing he was afraid would happen has. Now he has come back ten years later to help her adjust. He will become her mentor and her guide. Eve has become God’s bounty hunter where she must find and take care of the evil creatures called Infernals and keep them in line or send their asses back to Hell where they belong. Eve is very much a newbie but she has incredible powers to help her fight evil. She is better, stronger and faster. Eve even thinks of herself as the Bionic Woman. I guess that would make Alec her Six Million Dollar Man.
At least Eve doesn’t have to face this all alone. She is very much like a worker bee in this new and bigger than life organization she now works for. God is the CEO and President who has archangels working under him much like Vice Presidents and Directors. There are seven archangels who watch the proceedings on Earth and report back to the big guy. The one archangel Eve works under is Raguel Gadara who she originally was supposed to interview with for an interior design position at his real estate corporation. Raguel is responsible for the North American Marks. Reed also works for Raguel and is a bail bondsman who hands out the assignments to the Marks.
You would think Eve would be given some time to adjust, but from the moment she is Marked, she is a target because if the Infernals can kill Eve, they will make Alec suffer. Alec wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to Eve. She is his downfall. He will not allow her to die because of him and will remain attached to Eve’s hip regardless of what she wants. Eve’s world has been torn apart and she has no choice but to learn things and fast. Even though Alec is there to help her, Reed is there also. She can only trust Reed as far she can throw him. Alec and Reed have a true brother hate relationship. Reed covets what Alec has and that is Eve. If Reed can steal Eve away from Alec, his revenge will be complete. He is the type of guy that will also spit in Alec’s face while he is doing it. Not only does Eve have to watch her back from being killed, but she is much like a bone that two dogs want. We are talking thousand of years of family drama here and Eve is now caught between the two. The final outcome will be who Eve chooses to be with and if the brothers will try to slay each other so they can be number one in God’s eyes.
S.J. Day’s Eve of Darkness is a rousing tale of good and evil where things are not black and white but very gray. Even the good guys who are the archangels and angels are just as sneaky as the demons and those evil creatures that work for Satan. Everyone is out to be number one. Eve seems to be the only one who doesn’t really care what God wants and if she is worthy of his love. The funny thing is that Eve is Agnostic. How’s that for irony especially since her name is of the first woman God created? Also, Eve has a habit of taking the Lord’s name in vain. Every time she says Jesus or God in such a way, the mark on her arm burns.
I also have to give S.J. kudos by not making Eve a lily white heroine who is all alone in the world to make ends meet. Eve is Japanese and comes from a family that is Southern Baptist. She has a great loving relationship with both her parents who want her settled and happy. And until she was marked she had a life she loved.
July 16, 2017
I grabbed this for the sex scenes, and even those weren't enough to make me like this book.
I should've known better--I hate love triangles. I think they're stupid. You're not actually interested in one of those people, you're just being selfish and leading people on. It's not fair to anyone involved and I hate people who purposely involve themselves in love triangles in real life. STOP BEING SELFISH.
As with anyone else rating this badly, my biggest problem was with how Eve became Marked. You're telling me a 17 year old virgin is SO GOOD at exuding sex that she's able to seduce a being who is hundreds of years old or some saintly demigod thing or whatever? And that she will now ALSO be blamed for him being turned on by an underage girl?
Seriously?
Let's try putting this into a new scenario:
A 17 year old girl is walking down the street wearing a skirt. A guy in his fifties sees her, makes eye contact, and then makes sure she sees as he looks at everything she has to offer, without regard to whether or not she actually wants this. She has enough confidence to shake it off and continue to walk confidently down the street. The man in his fifties is turned on even more by the fact that she's not damaged by his looks.
So he takes her into an alleyway and rapes her and then says to her, "This is your fault for tempting me."
THIS IS LITERALLY WHY WE HAVE FEMINISM. Why is it that it's okay because it's a "romance" novel? Because it's not. It's really not. The scenario in this book is never okay. That immediately left a very bad taste in my mouth and I never got past it. It tainted any sex scenes (which were weirdly aggressive anyway--I feel like my vagina would be sore for at least a week with all the relentless pounding that was happening) that Eve had with one of the brothers, and frankly there was just no point to the action.
Day might actually have a promising career as an urban fantasy writer, or maybe she already has a reputation for that. I don't know. I've never read her books before, and you can bet this will be the last time I read anything from her.
I should've known better--I hate love triangles. I think they're stupid. You're not actually interested in one of those people, you're just being selfish and leading people on. It's not fair to anyone involved and I hate people who purposely involve themselves in love triangles in real life. STOP BEING SELFISH.
As with anyone else rating this badly, my biggest problem was with how Eve became Marked. You're telling me a 17 year old virgin is SO GOOD at exuding sex that she's able to seduce a being who is hundreds of years old or some saintly demigod thing or whatever? And that she will now ALSO be blamed for him being turned on by an underage girl?
Seriously?
Let's try putting this into a new scenario:
A 17 year old girl is walking down the street wearing a skirt. A guy in his fifties sees her, makes eye contact, and then makes sure she sees as he looks at everything she has to offer, without regard to whether or not she actually wants this. She has enough confidence to shake it off and continue to walk confidently down the street. The man in his fifties is turned on even more by the fact that she's not damaged by his looks.
So he takes her into an alleyway and rapes her and then says to her, "This is your fault for tempting me."
THIS IS LITERALLY WHY WE HAVE FEMINISM. Why is it that it's okay because it's a "romance" novel? Because it's not. It's really not. The scenario in this book is never okay. That immediately left a very bad taste in my mouth and I never got past it. It tainted any sex scenes (which were weirdly aggressive anyway--I feel like my vagina would be sore for at least a week with all the relentless pounding that was happening) that Eve had with one of the brothers, and frankly there was just no point to the action.
Day might actually have a promising career as an urban fantasy writer, or maybe she already has a reputation for that. I don't know. I've never read her books before, and you can bet this will be the last time I read anything from her.
March 13, 2010
After just finishing The Blood Lily Chronicles, I picked up Eve of Darkness. First few pages in, I'm thinking, you've got to be kidding me? What is this? It's like when two movies come out that are basically the same... Armaggedon and Deep Impact. I mean Deep Impact was alright... but Armaggedon, well, it just blew you away. I must say, Eve of Darkness is like Armageddon. Loved it!! Loved the way it started out... don't want to give too much away... but at first I was really confused thinking I had started out with the wrong book... and then it's like, oh, okay. Not to mention, I want to read the second one now... wish I didn't have to wait until I got home- but now. Loved the tension between Eve and Alec, curious about Abel and Eve.... love the whole Cain and Abel idea. I'm really excited about this series now. I must say though, I have a funny thing about the front covers of my books and for the longest while didn't want to read this series because of the front cover. Looked too cheesy for my taste, but I'm really glad I got over that. It's a great read!
Read
October 15, 2022After reading this book for 4 months I realized that not only is the series not for me but I love Sylvia Day just not supernatural and thats okay.
Happy reading everyone !!
Happy reading everyone !!
June 11, 2014
Okay so, I'm halfway through book two and... I just don't know why I feel compelled to continue reading these books which are drivel and just annoy the shit out of me. An obsessive-compulsive need to complete things? I may just have to start skimming this one and #3 to get it over with.
So the writing's boring. It's not littered with mistakes, at least, like most of the books I read lately. (What's up with that, don't editors exist anymore?) But it's so, so, SO boring. I mean so dull. Why. So dull.
There's barely even any sex, which is why I read this crap in the first place, and what there IS isn't great. The dialogue is dull. The characters are dull. The plot is dull. (Also it's unbelievable, I mean six weeks into being marked, book two, and she's JUST found out the mark is invisible to her mom? That, like, didn't come up in training or whatever? Pff. And at the end of book #1, oh by the way you can talk to animals, by the way, just chucking that in randomly in case you need that later for plot devices. No need to mention it before or nothin'. Also not worth being actually interested in. Laaame.)
So far I'm halfway through the series, right, and it's STILL just a bunch of defining and learning. This angel has this place in heaven, and here's what happens when you're marked, and here's a new thing in the rules, and here's another guy... I mean come on, I feel like I'm in a class. Learning about really boring, awful, religious crap. Without even the porn I was promised.
Also, what's with Day killing so many animals? Does she, like, hate dogs and cats or something? That right there is enough for me to not even bother finishing them on a skim-read. If one more friggin' dog gets shot or tortured to death, I'm giving up. It's so weak and lame. Kill a person already, coward!
Also Eve has a Coach bag. A COACH BAG, people. She doesn't care about brand, it's just gotta fit her stuff, but it's a COACH bag and she's gonna mention it a few times that's how little she cares!
And Jesus. Cain wears baggy shorts that hang to his knees. Ew. What a libido-killer.
So the writing's boring. It's not littered with mistakes, at least, like most of the books I read lately. (What's up with that, don't editors exist anymore?) But it's so, so, SO boring. I mean so dull. Why. So dull.
There's barely even any sex, which is why I read this crap in the first place, and what there IS isn't great. The dialogue is dull. The characters are dull. The plot is dull. (Also it's unbelievable, I mean six weeks into being marked, book two, and she's JUST found out the mark is invisible to her mom? That, like, didn't come up in training or whatever? Pff. And at the end of book #1, oh by the way you can talk to animals, by the way, just chucking that in randomly in case you need that later for plot devices. No need to mention it before or nothin'. Also not worth being actually interested in. Laaame.)
So far I'm halfway through the series, right, and it's STILL just a bunch of defining and learning. This angel has this place in heaven, and here's what happens when you're marked, and here's a new thing in the rules, and here's another guy... I mean come on, I feel like I'm in a class. Learning about really boring, awful, religious crap. Without even the porn I was promised.
Also, what's with Day killing so many animals? Does she, like, hate dogs and cats or something? That right there is enough for me to not even bother finishing them on a skim-read. If one more friggin' dog gets shot or tortured to death, I'm giving up. It's so weak and lame. Kill a person already, coward!
Also Eve has a Coach bag. A COACH BAG, people. She doesn't care about brand, it's just gotta fit her stuff, but it's a COACH bag and she's gonna mention it a few times that's how little she cares!
And Jesus. Cain wears baggy shorts that hang to his knees. Ew. What a libido-killer.
November 14, 2015
O enredo? Uma surpresa, não estava a contar que um livro da autora tivesse mesmo uma linha de acção para além das cenas eróticas a que ela nos habituou. Uma jovem mulher decoradora é seleccionada para ser marcada com a Marca de Caim, isto é, torna-se numa aprendiz de caçadora de demónios/fadas/ogres/etc, só que tudo isto ocorre quando a mesma tem a sua vida toda organizada e sem o seu consentimento. Para seu espanto, o seu mentor nesta nova etapa será nada mais nada menos que uma paixão antiga dos tempos de adolescência que nunca foi esquecida. É nos apresentado durante o decorrer da acção um novo mundo, com anjos, arcanjos que lideram grupos de caçadores de forma a conseguirem manter um equilíbrio no mundo.
As personagens? Eve é mulher independente, muito inteligente, senhora de si e muito apaixonada. De repente vê-se envolvida num novo mundo que lhe é completamente desconhecido, para além de ter como mentor Alec Caim, um sedutor nato e seu antigo amante. Alec é um dos caçadores mais temidos, não respeita regras e responde directamente só a Deus, fato que muitos dos arcanjos não apreciam. A sua fraqueza e única tentação é sedutora Eve, no entanto, apenas consegue ficar como seu mentor, enquanto que o seu irmão Abel é o coordenador das suas missões.
A escrita? Simples permitindo uma leitura fluida.
Conclusão? É o primeiro livro de uma serie que se revela prometedora, repleta muita acção, erotismo, paixão e muitas conspirações.
As personagens? Eve é mulher independente, muito inteligente, senhora de si e muito apaixonada. De repente vê-se envolvida num novo mundo que lhe é completamente desconhecido, para além de ter como mentor Alec Caim, um sedutor nato e seu antigo amante. Alec é um dos caçadores mais temidos, não respeita regras e responde directamente só a Deus, fato que muitos dos arcanjos não apreciam. A sua fraqueza e única tentação é sedutora Eve, no entanto, apenas consegue ficar como seu mentor, enquanto que o seu irmão Abel é o coordenador das suas missões.
A escrita? Simples permitindo uma leitura fluida.
Conclusão? É o primeiro livro de uma serie que se revela prometedora, repleta muita acção, erotismo, paixão e muitas conspirações.
May 10, 2016
This was something we picked up at the used bookstore for a dollar or two. I wish I had my dollar or two back. This looked like an Urban Fantasy, but ended up being a Paranormal Romance, and a bad one. I found the whole premise to be ridiculous and I only got through maybe 3 chapters before I put it down and decided it was a waste of my time.
September 20, 2015
Vou dar 3* agora mas acho que merece mais. Vou pensar bem e se achar que chega às 4* mudo
acho que está mais para 4 que para 3 por isso alterei a cotação
acho que está mais para 4 que para 3 por isso alterei a cotação
Want to read
February 11, 2020I'm entirely not sure about this, but it's Tor's eBook of the Month giveaway, so worth a shot, right?
February 14, 2013
For those of you that are fans of Sylvia Day as much as I am, I want to mention that The Marked Series is being separated by her pseudonym S.J. Day because these books are unlike her other romance books. Although Eve of Darkness isn’t exactly romance it is very adult! So I don’t think fans will be disappointed at all – it’s just different than Bared To You.
Even though Eve of Darkness isn’t like her normal books, I enjoyed it very much. The book begins when Eve, who has become part of a group called Marked, fights a demon in a bathroom and almost gets herself killed. Then we go back six weeks and find out that she has been marked by Cain & Abel (yes that Cain & Abel) and goes though a sort of “change” and becomes strong and powerful – able to fight demons. Ultimately, they both have marked her, Abel then Cain.
If you remember the Cain & Abel story you know they are brothers and that they don’t like each other very much. Years before, Eve has an amazing night with Cain. She’s young and she loves him and he forces himself to leave her for her protection. Now that Cain is back and has forced himself into Eve’s life she is forced to sort out her feelings for him. Eve is quite literally put in the middle of them, forcing both of them to protect her and in their own way love her. Eve is funny and determined and she will not let the men in her life, however they feel about her, get in the way of what she is now supposed to do. They find themselves in a lot of action and fights - all before Eve’s training. She will depend on these men to keep her safe and learn from them.
With archangels, angels, heaven, hell, all sorts of demons; not to mention Cain & Abel – Eve has her work cut out for her. As Sylvia Day does so very well with her series books, Eve of Darkness ends leaving closure and much anticipation for the next book,Eve of Destruction. I can’t wait!
Even though Eve of Darkness isn’t like her normal books, I enjoyed it very much. The book begins when Eve, who has become part of a group called Marked, fights a demon in a bathroom and almost gets herself killed. Then we go back six weeks and find out that she has been marked by Cain & Abel (yes that Cain & Abel) and goes though a sort of “change” and becomes strong and powerful – able to fight demons. Ultimately, they both have marked her, Abel then Cain.
If you remember the Cain & Abel story you know they are brothers and that they don’t like each other very much. Years before, Eve has an amazing night with Cain. She’s young and she loves him and he forces himself to leave her for her protection. Now that Cain is back and has forced himself into Eve’s life she is forced to sort out her feelings for him. Eve is quite literally put in the middle of them, forcing both of them to protect her and in their own way love her. Eve is funny and determined and she will not let the men in her life, however they feel about her, get in the way of what she is now supposed to do. They find themselves in a lot of action and fights - all before Eve’s training. She will depend on these men to keep her safe and learn from them.
With archangels, angels, heaven, hell, all sorts of demons; not to mention Cain & Abel – Eve has her work cut out for her. As Sylvia Day does so very well with her series books, Eve of Darkness ends leaving closure and much anticipation for the next book,Eve of Destruction. I can’t wait!
November 14, 2011
*Rating* 3.5
*Genre* Urban Fantasy, but, I would actually put this into the Paranormal Romance category because of it's sexual content that is steamy to a fault.
*Full Review coming shortly*
After reading this book, I can't help but to like Evangeline Hollis and feel a bit sorry for her at the same time. I absolutely love a heroine who isn't all manly and actually has emotions, and a good friend next door that she loves. It's also wonderful to see Day give us a glimpse into Eve's parental units, which you normally don't find in these sorts of books. I actually found her mother to be charming and fun to read about.
But in the meantime while I'm thinking and reviewing my notes, I have questions. Maybe someone who has read this book, say, recently can tell me why exactly Eve was marked? What did she do that was against God's convenants except fall for a very sexy as hell Cain who deflowered her at 18? Was her sin doing the vertical mambo with Abel who then marked her? Why was an agnostic chosen to become a hunter instead of somehow of faith?
Have I mentioned lately how much I loathe 3-way relationships and the fact that one brother is a pure unadulterated asshole knowing that Eve has loved the other brother since she was 18 and now wants to make inroads into her life by screwing her over? I guess I need to find the next two books in the series so that I can see how this whole thing plays itself out.
*Genre* Urban Fantasy, but, I would actually put this into the Paranormal Romance category because of it's sexual content that is steamy to a fault.
*Full Review coming shortly*
After reading this book, I can't help but to like Evangeline Hollis and feel a bit sorry for her at the same time. I absolutely love a heroine who isn't all manly and actually has emotions, and a good friend next door that she loves. It's also wonderful to see Day give us a glimpse into Eve's parental units, which you normally don't find in these sorts of books. I actually found her mother to be charming and fun to read about.
But in the meantime while I'm thinking and reviewing my notes, I have questions. Maybe someone who has read this book, say, recently can tell me why exactly Eve was marked? What did she do that was against God's convenants except fall for a very sexy as hell Cain who deflowered her at 18? Was her sin doing the vertical mambo with Abel who then marked her? Why was an agnostic chosen to become a hunter instead of somehow of faith?
Have I mentioned lately how much I loathe 3-way relationships and the fact that one brother is a pure unadulterated asshole knowing that Eve has loved the other brother since she was 18 and now wants to make inroads into her life by screwing her over? I guess I need to find the next two books in the series so that I can see how this whole thing plays itself out.
May 17, 2015
Normalmente não costumo ler livros eróticos / romances sensuais pois não são bem a minha onda literária, mas de vez em quando gosto de ler para desintoxicar dos policiais que li.
Sylvia Day é uma das escritoras mais famosas de livros eróticos da atualidade e já há bastante tempo que gostava de ler um livro dela até que apareceu este e decidi ler. ....
Ler mais em : http://saboreiaoslivros.blogspot.pt/2...
Sylvia Day é uma das escritoras mais famosas de livros eróticos da atualidade e já há bastante tempo que gostava de ler um livro dela até que apareceu este e decidi ler. ....
Ler mais em : http://saboreiaoslivros.blogspot.pt/2...
August 19, 2015
Um was geht es? Eve ist eine gewöhnliche junge Frau - doch ein Abenteuer mit einem Fremden wird ihr zum Verhängnis: Sie wird mit dem Kainsmal gezeichnet und muss zukünftig Dämonen und andere dunkle Wesen jagen. Doch als wäre das nicht genug, muss sie sich gegen die Anziehungskraft ihres neuen Chefs wehren und gleichzeitig mit den Gefühlen für dessen Bruder fertig werden - der ihr Herz vor langer Zeit gestohlen hat. Eve lernt eine Welt kennen, in der sie lernt, was Angst und Gefahr wirklich bedeutet...
Mich hat der Klappentext unheimlich neugierig gemacht und da ich Fantasygeschichten in diese Richtung sehr gerne mag, musste ich dieses Buch einfach lesen. Die Geschichte fängt eher ruhig an - zumindest auf den ersten Seiten und der Prolog endet so, dass man unbedingt wissen will, wie es weiter geht.
Doch dann wird den Lesern Eves Weg bis zu diesem Ereignis näher gebracht. Sechs Wochen vorher beginnt die eigentliche Geschichte. Wir erfahren, wieso Eve mit dem Kainsmal gezeichnet wurde und wer es getan hat.
Man begegnet Teku (eine Art Gargoyle), Nix (eine Art Meermenschen), Erzengel, Dämonen etc. Es ist eine bunte Mischung aus verschiedenen Wesen und das hat mir gut gefallen. Auch wie Eve ihnen begegnet ist, war manchmal ziemlich amüsant. Die Verstrickungen in der Geschichte sind wirklich gut gemacht und es bleiben zu Ende ein paar Fragen offen.
Der Erotikanteil ist eher gering, aber gut gesät. Mir haben die Szenen gut gefallen.
Was mich persönlich wahnsinnig macht, ist der Cliffhanger - der sich im Prolog befindet, wie man am Ende des Buches feststellt. Ich dachte wirklich, das kann nicht sein und doch - man bleibt im Ungewissen stehen, was nach dem Prolog passiert. Ich kann nur sagen: Ich muss weiterlesen!
Der Schreibstil der Autorin hat mir sehr gut gefallen - ich bin förmlich durch das Buch geflogen und habe gar nicht bemerkt, wie viele Seiten ich in relativ kurzer Zeit verschlungen habe. Sie weiss, wie sie ihre Leser packen muss - durch ihre leichte, luftige Art, sorgt sie dafür, dass das Buch zu einer leichten Lektüre wird.
Die Charaktere sind Sylvia Day gut gelungen.
Eve ist eine starke Persönlichkeit, obwohl sie manchmal ein Angsthase ist. Wenn es hart auf hart kommt, kann sie sich durchsetzen und vertritt ihre Meinung.
Cain hat mir auch gut gefallen, auch wenn man von ihm, meiner Meinung nach, ein paar Infos zu wenig bekommt. Er ist doch etwas undurchsichtig und ich hätte mir etwas mehr Tiefe gewünscht. Seine Liebe zu Eve hat ihn ab und an dazu verleitet, sie etwas zu sehr beschützen zu wollen.
Reed... Ich werde nicht ganz schlau aus ihm - aber er ist doch ein interessanter Charakter. Von ihm würde ich mir noch mehr wünschen.
Auch die restlichen Charaktere haben mir gut gefallen, auch wenn sie nicht so viel Tiefe hatten. Aber alles in allem gut gelungen.
Fazit
Ein guter Einstieg in die Reihe - macht auf jeden Fall Lust auf mehr. Von mir bekommt das Buch 4 Sterne.
Mich hat der Klappentext unheimlich neugierig gemacht und da ich Fantasygeschichten in diese Richtung sehr gerne mag, musste ich dieses Buch einfach lesen. Die Geschichte fängt eher ruhig an - zumindest auf den ersten Seiten und der Prolog endet so, dass man unbedingt wissen will, wie es weiter geht.
Doch dann wird den Lesern Eves Weg bis zu diesem Ereignis näher gebracht. Sechs Wochen vorher beginnt die eigentliche Geschichte. Wir erfahren, wieso Eve mit dem Kainsmal gezeichnet wurde und wer es getan hat.
Man begegnet Teku (eine Art Gargoyle), Nix (eine Art Meermenschen), Erzengel, Dämonen etc. Es ist eine bunte Mischung aus verschiedenen Wesen und das hat mir gut gefallen. Auch wie Eve ihnen begegnet ist, war manchmal ziemlich amüsant. Die Verstrickungen in der Geschichte sind wirklich gut gemacht und es bleiben zu Ende ein paar Fragen offen.
Der Erotikanteil ist eher gering, aber gut gesät. Mir haben die Szenen gut gefallen.
Was mich persönlich wahnsinnig macht, ist der Cliffhanger - der sich im Prolog befindet, wie man am Ende des Buches feststellt. Ich dachte wirklich, das kann nicht sein und doch - man bleibt im Ungewissen stehen, was nach dem Prolog passiert. Ich kann nur sagen: Ich muss weiterlesen!
Der Schreibstil der Autorin hat mir sehr gut gefallen - ich bin förmlich durch das Buch geflogen und habe gar nicht bemerkt, wie viele Seiten ich in relativ kurzer Zeit verschlungen habe. Sie weiss, wie sie ihre Leser packen muss - durch ihre leichte, luftige Art, sorgt sie dafür, dass das Buch zu einer leichten Lektüre wird.
Die Charaktere sind Sylvia Day gut gelungen.
Eve ist eine starke Persönlichkeit, obwohl sie manchmal ein Angsthase ist. Wenn es hart auf hart kommt, kann sie sich durchsetzen und vertritt ihre Meinung.
Cain hat mir auch gut gefallen, auch wenn man von ihm, meiner Meinung nach, ein paar Infos zu wenig bekommt. Er ist doch etwas undurchsichtig und ich hätte mir etwas mehr Tiefe gewünscht. Seine Liebe zu Eve hat ihn ab und an dazu verleitet, sie etwas zu sehr beschützen zu wollen.
Reed... Ich werde nicht ganz schlau aus ihm - aber er ist doch ein interessanter Charakter. Von ihm würde ich mir noch mehr wünschen.
Auch die restlichen Charaktere haben mir gut gefallen, auch wenn sie nicht so viel Tiefe hatten. Aber alles in allem gut gelungen.
Fazit
Ein guter Einstieg in die Reihe - macht auf jeden Fall Lust auf mehr. Von mir bekommt das Buch 4 Sterne.
September 3, 2009
As I started the book the first thing I thought: Oh I grabbed the wrong book. *Susi goes to bookshelf and looks for the #1 book in the series* Yeah, OK reminder for me: Finish the first chapter before judging! Very cool thing to start a book with the end. I was a little confused but after that I wanted to know how Eve got herself in this situation and my addiction started.
The story is very straight forward and pulled me right in this world full of biblical creatures and “stars”. I thought that would be a little problem because I’m not so well informed in this field. But luckily it’s also the first thing Eve and I have in common, being agnostic that is, so I had no problem to follow the story.
The characters are great developed. Eve is exactly my kind of girl: she stands with both feed on the ground, works for herself and has quite an attitude. She’s thrown in the middle of two fighting brothers and a whole bunch of Infernals which would love to harm the brothers through her. She has no real time to adjust to the circumstance but she handles everything quite good. I love her witty comments and that she allows no-one to shut her up.
Cain and Abel are some guys. Both have their pro and cons but two things they have in common: they are unnaturally yummy and they want Eve.
Alec Cain is love with Eve. This is a given from the start. He left her because he knew they can’t stay together forever, they are too different in their expectations for the future. But as soon as he heard of her Marking he tried to make it as good as possible for her. He wants to free her only because he knows that’s the thing she wants. Adorable isn’t he? But he also has his own ambitions…
Reed Abel was ordered to mark Eve and wasn’t prepared to be drawn to her like that. Reed’s attraction for Eve seems to be more physical than Alec’s. And sometimes it feels like this “I take what my brother loves” thing they have. But he cares about Eve nonetheless.
The story jumps from one incident into the next and never takes the edge away. The interactions between the three are great described, you can see how they influence each other- intended or not. I loved the way her dialogs work, you can see the jealousy between the brothers. The whole concept for this book is great!
So summed up a great book with nothing to criticize!
The story is very straight forward and pulled me right in this world full of biblical creatures and “stars”. I thought that would be a little problem because I’m not so well informed in this field. But luckily it’s also the first thing Eve and I have in common, being agnostic that is, so I had no problem to follow the story.
The characters are great developed. Eve is exactly my kind of girl: she stands with both feed on the ground, works for herself and has quite an attitude. She’s thrown in the middle of two fighting brothers and a whole bunch of Infernals which would love to harm the brothers through her. She has no real time to adjust to the circumstance but she handles everything quite good. I love her witty comments and that she allows no-one to shut her up.
Cain and Abel are some guys. Both have their pro and cons but two things they have in common: they are unnaturally yummy and they want Eve.
Alec Cain is love with Eve. This is a given from the start. He left her because he knew they can’t stay together forever, they are too different in their expectations for the future. But as soon as he heard of her Marking he tried to make it as good as possible for her. He wants to free her only because he knows that’s the thing she wants. Adorable isn’t he? But he also has his own ambitions…
Reed Abel was ordered to mark Eve and wasn’t prepared to be drawn to her like that. Reed’s attraction for Eve seems to be more physical than Alec’s. And sometimes it feels like this “I take what my brother loves” thing they have. But he cares about Eve nonetheless.
The story jumps from one incident into the next and never takes the edge away. The interactions between the three are great described, you can see how they influence each other- intended or not. I loved the way her dialogs work, you can see the jealousy between the brothers. The whole concept for this book is great!
So summed up a great book with nothing to criticize!
February 23, 2020
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Let me explain why I picked up a book I never thought I would like in the first place. Recently, I've been trying to broaden my reading by joining book clubs and reading out of my comfort zone. Tor.com has a monthly book club which I've been following for the last year or so, and for February they came up with Eve of Darkness.
At around 20% I seriously considered giving up on the book. I wanted to give it a fair chance, but every idea I had about the book before the start (it being a book by Sylvia Day/SJ Day - although I never before read one of her books) was confirmed three times over. There had been several (bad) sex scenes - one of which possibly a rape -, the main character slut-shaming herself, and being labeled a sinner for 'having tempted an angel into making her lose her virginity'. What however had been lacking so far, besides taste, was a single thread of a plot.
However, I'm not one for quitting books. I want to see whether there is some redeeming qualities somewhere, even though it would probably be better to quit, because there is so much left in the world to read. Admittedly, the remainder of this book was not as bad as the first 20%, but still it turned into the most generic good vs evil plot with both Cain and Abel (from Bible fame) fighting over Eve (Don't get me started).
Perhaps surprisingly, I don't plan to continue the series.
Let me explain why I picked up a book I never thought I would like in the first place. Recently, I've been trying to broaden my reading by joining book clubs and reading out of my comfort zone. Tor.com has a monthly book club which I've been following for the last year or so, and for February they came up with Eve of Darkness.
At around 20% I seriously considered giving up on the book. I wanted to give it a fair chance, but every idea I had about the book before the start (it being a book by Sylvia Day/SJ Day - although I never before read one of her books) was confirmed three times over. There had been several (bad) sex scenes - one of which possibly a rape -, the main character slut-shaming herself, and being labeled a sinner for 'having tempted an angel into making her lose her virginity'. What however had been lacking so far, besides taste, was a single thread of a plot.
However, I'm not one for quitting books. I want to see whether there is some redeeming qualities somewhere, even though it would probably be better to quit, because there is so much left in the world to read. Admittedly, the remainder of this book was not as bad as the first 20%, but still it turned into the most generic good vs evil plot with both Cain and Abel (from Bible fame) fighting over Eve (Don't get me started).
Perhaps surprisingly, I don't plan to continue the series.
November 13, 2009
The first in a new trilogy, Eve of Darkness is a great new Urban Fantasy. Eve (Evangeline) is a sexy, smart heroine. She's is an interior designer in California with a great career and doesn't seem to have a great track record in romances. Eve is an all round fascinating character, she's half-Japanese with a father from Alabama, which is where she gets her a delicious Southern accent.
Eve of Darkness starts off strong with an attack upon our heroes at a ball game, and leaves us on a cliffhanger after the first chapter. Leaving the rest of the book to fill in the previous six weeks in an flashback. Which leads to Eve's story...
While she was a teenager, she had a wild fling with an older, sexy man with a motorcycle named Alec Caine. What she didn't realize is that night would change her life forever. Alec turns out to be the original Cain and has marked Eve, then in the present Cains brother Abel finishes the deal. Eve is a tool both brothers want to use to hurt and outmaneuver eachother. Caine loves Eve but Abel finds it odd that his feelings are straying the usual for Eve, she's not just a tool against Caine to him anymore.
Eve is now in a fast new world she never knew excisted and everywhere she turns she finds another Infernal is waiting for her. Without Cain guiding as her mentor, she might not even survive the week. She has no choice but to trust Cain and wonder why she is in this perdictiment. Because nothing is just a conincence.
I really enjoyed this book. Great characters, fast paced action and steamy romance! I'll be reading the next two this week for sure. I now wish I didn't have this in my TBR pile for so long befor getting to it.
Eve of Darkness starts off strong with an attack upon our heroes at a ball game, and leaves us on a cliffhanger after the first chapter. Leaving the rest of the book to fill in the previous six weeks in an flashback. Which leads to Eve's story...
While she was a teenager, she had a wild fling with an older, sexy man with a motorcycle named Alec Caine. What she didn't realize is that night would change her life forever. Alec turns out to be the original Cain and has marked Eve, then in the present Cains brother Abel finishes the deal. Eve is a tool both brothers want to use to hurt and outmaneuver eachother. Caine loves Eve but Abel finds it odd that his feelings are straying the usual for Eve, she's not just a tool against Caine to him anymore.
Eve is now in a fast new world she never knew excisted and everywhere she turns she finds another Infernal is waiting for her. Without Cain guiding as her mentor, she might not even survive the week. She has no choice but to trust Cain and wonder why she is in this perdictiment. Because nothing is just a conincence.
I really enjoyed this book. Great characters, fast paced action and steamy romance! I'll be reading the next two this week for sure. I now wish I didn't have this in my TBR pile for so long befor getting to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2012
I really wanted to like this book. The storyline is a different take on a world with Angels (demons, etc). I didn't mind the world Day created and the premise of Angels and Marks - even though the thought of Angels actively engaged in the corporate world and acting more like the judicial system is not quite so tempting to me. I was even looking forward to the handling of the brothers Cain and Abel (yes, the ones in the Old Testament).
However, a major snag for me is that I could not get a handle on the character of Eve - the main protagonist. I dont mean to say that the character is weak, but the portrayal of the character was blurry. I couldnt peg her or her reactions. I am not trying to categorize her, but just trying to figure out 'who' Eve is. And even after reading the entire book, I could not say.
Another point of contention was that the first chapter is really the last chapter. Normally when a book opens in a scene some way down the timeline, I expect that the rest of the chapters will flashback to explain, catch up and then pass the scene over the course of the book. However, the first chapter of Eve of Darkness is more like an Epilogue to the book, and intro to Eve of Destruction (the next book). So, had I been really vested in the book by the end, I would have been sorely disappointed to not have the sequel on hand.
Finally, I felt the book was in the wrong genre. I was looking for an Urban Fantasy with a brush of romance, but ended up with a Paranormal Romance with the emphasis on the Smut scenes. The main problem is that PrNL Rom is my favorite genre and this fell way short of the mark.
However, a major snag for me is that I could not get a handle on the character of Eve - the main protagonist. I dont mean to say that the character is weak, but the portrayal of the character was blurry. I couldnt peg her or her reactions. I am not trying to categorize her, but just trying to figure out 'who' Eve is. And even after reading the entire book, I could not say.
Another point of contention was that the first chapter is really the last chapter. Normally when a book opens in a scene some way down the timeline, I expect that the rest of the chapters will flashback to explain, catch up and then pass the scene over the course of the book. However, the first chapter of Eve of Darkness is more like an Epilogue to the book, and intro to Eve of Destruction (the next book). So, had I been really vested in the book by the end, I would have been sorely disappointed to not have the sequel on hand.
Finally, I felt the book was in the wrong genre. I was looking for an Urban Fantasy with a brush of romance, but ended up with a Paranormal Romance with the emphasis on the Smut scenes. The main problem is that PrNL Rom is my favorite genre and this fell way short of the mark.
November 12, 2014
Eve has a fling with an archangel, causing her to be cursed to chase demons as punishment for her crime. Now she has to find a way to stay alive and save her soul while avoiding further temptation.
I had really looked forward to reading this book...in fact I was so excited by the sound of it that I bought the whole trilogy in the shop. And they have great covers! What could possibly go wrong? Em, I opened the book. Boy was I wishing I hadn't.
This is not the urban/dark fantasy book that I was expecting. It wasn't even a good dark biblical/mythology book. It was a very poorly written sexathon. Seriously, how many times does the pointless slut of a heroine have sex? Page after page of the terrible 'Anita Blake' soft porn that made me give up THAT series around book 10. The fact that Eve was punished in the first place for sex with the wrong guy doesn't seem to have taught her any damn sense.
So our wonderful oversexed heroine is trying not to be tempted again by the one she got in trouble with, Cain, while trying not to get involved with Abel. Just as irresistable as Anita as well I see! Ooh how exciting this love triangle was to prove! Not. Lets face it, the characters were idiots that I didn't give a damn about, the plot was wafer thin and what sounded like an interesting concept was not developed into a good book. After abandoning book one, I traded the whole series for something better.
I had really looked forward to reading this book...in fact I was so excited by the sound of it that I bought the whole trilogy in the shop. And they have great covers! What could possibly go wrong? Em, I opened the book. Boy was I wishing I hadn't.
This is not the urban/dark fantasy book that I was expecting. It wasn't even a good dark biblical/mythology book. It was a very poorly written sexathon. Seriously, how many times does the pointless slut of a heroine have sex? Page after page of the terrible 'Anita Blake' soft porn that made me give up THAT series around book 10. The fact that Eve was punished in the first place for sex with the wrong guy doesn't seem to have taught her any damn sense.
So our wonderful oversexed heroine is trying not to be tempted again by the one she got in trouble with, Cain, while trying not to get involved with Abel. Just as irresistable as Anita as well I see! Ooh how exciting this love triangle was to prove! Not. Lets face it, the characters were idiots that I didn't give a damn about, the plot was wafer thin and what sounded like an interesting concept was not developed into a good book. After abandoning book one, I traded the whole series for something better.
August 30, 2015
Opinião completa em: http://pepitamagica.blogspot.pt/2015/...
Este livro, pela sua sinopse, deixou-me bastante entusiasmada. E talvez tenham sido as expectativas, mas não foi tão bom quanto eu esperava.
A história é interessante, mete arcanjos, anjos, demónios e quase tudo o que se possa imaginar. Começa com uma vida simples, de uma designer que quer apenas ter um bom trabalho, uma casa boa, com um marido atencioso e filhos. E isso vai-lhe ser arrancado sem qualquer escolha da sua parte.
(...)
Demorei um pouco a escrever esta (curta) review por uma simples razão: cada vez que pensava mais no livro, menos gostava dele e quis ver até onde ia. Vou ler os próximos mas não pela Eve – pelo Alec e pelo Reed, e porque quero saber o que os arcanjos vão fazer – além de que gostei bastante da panóplia de seres fantásticos que a autora conseguiu inserir no livro.
Uma luta eterna entre o bem e o mal, que me levou a querer ler este livro mas que, no final, por causa da protagonista e pela maneira como por vezes as personagens se relacionavam entre si, não atingiu todo o seu potencial.
Este livro, pela sua sinopse, deixou-me bastante entusiasmada. E talvez tenham sido as expectativas, mas não foi tão bom quanto eu esperava.
A história é interessante, mete arcanjos, anjos, demónios e quase tudo o que se possa imaginar. Começa com uma vida simples, de uma designer que quer apenas ter um bom trabalho, uma casa boa, com um marido atencioso e filhos. E isso vai-lhe ser arrancado sem qualquer escolha da sua parte.
(...)
Demorei um pouco a escrever esta (curta) review por uma simples razão: cada vez que pensava mais no livro, menos gostava dele e quis ver até onde ia. Vou ler os próximos mas não pela Eve – pelo Alec e pelo Reed, e porque quero saber o que os arcanjos vão fazer – além de que gostei bastante da panóplia de seres fantásticos que a autora conseguiu inserir no livro.
Uma luta eterna entre o bem e o mal, que me levou a querer ler este livro mas que, no final, por causa da protagonista e pela maneira como por vezes as personagens se relacionavam entre si, não atingiu todo o seu potencial.
July 6, 2018
Audiobook.
DNF.
This starts out in the middle of an action scene, and not a short one either, it was a good 30-minutes of audiobook where I had no idea what the hell was happening. THEN we get to the “6-weeks earlier” bit.
I don’t mind setting a scene like that usually, but it needs to be a short scene and interesting enough to capture your attention and draw you into the story. This one just confused me. I kept stopping to see if I accidentally downloaded part 2 in the series, or missed a prequel.
Even once we start the actual story, the world building is choppy, the character’s reactions are illogical and sex-starved, and everything feels forced.
I think the idea behind this book is actually pretty interesting. The Cain and Able aspect, the being marked as “operatives” for justice...I wish the author had a chance to re-write this book without forcing all the sex into the storyline. I think it would’ve made a great Urban Fantasy book, but instead, we got a crappy Paranormal Romance.
In all fairness, I didn’t finish this book, so maybe it turns around and everything ends with a flourish...but I doubt it.
DNF.
This starts out in the middle of an action scene, and not a short one either, it was a good 30-minutes of audiobook where I had no idea what the hell was happening. THEN we get to the “6-weeks earlier” bit.
I don’t mind setting a scene like that usually, but it needs to be a short scene and interesting enough to capture your attention and draw you into the story. This one just confused me. I kept stopping to see if I accidentally downloaded part 2 in the series, or missed a prequel.
Even once we start the actual story, the world building is choppy, the character’s reactions are illogical and sex-starved, and everything feels forced.
I think the idea behind this book is actually pretty interesting. The Cain and Able aspect, the being marked as “operatives” for justice...I wish the author had a chance to re-write this book without forcing all the sex into the storyline. I think it would’ve made a great Urban Fantasy book, but instead, we got a crappy Paranormal Romance.
In all fairness, I didn’t finish this book, so maybe it turns around and everything ends with a flourish...but I doubt it.
May 16, 2015
Leia a crítica completa no blog Os Livros Nossos em http://oslivrosnossos.blogspot.pt/201...
"(...)Um livro de fácil leitura, com cenas trepidantes, e inúmeras descrições que nos dão uma clara imagem mental dos cenários que vão desfilando perante os nossos olhos atentos de leitores ávidos por saber o que nos espera ao virar da próxima página.
Sem dúvida alguma, esta é uma série de fantasia urbana que promete conquistar adeptos e que reúne todo o potencial para chegar ao grande ecran, requerendo, todavia, uma superprodução em termos de efeitos especiais. As cenas sexuais explícitas conferem também um cunho assumidamente erótico à obra, todavia, o género fantástico assume o protagonismo em termos da classificação desta série.
Uma série que queremos acompanhar, com personagens fortes, fantasia, sensualidade e muita acção!"
"(...)Um livro de fácil leitura, com cenas trepidantes, e inúmeras descrições que nos dão uma clara imagem mental dos cenários que vão desfilando perante os nossos olhos atentos de leitores ávidos por saber o que nos espera ao virar da próxima página.
Sem dúvida alguma, esta é uma série de fantasia urbana que promete conquistar adeptos e que reúne todo o potencial para chegar ao grande ecran, requerendo, todavia, uma superprodução em termos de efeitos especiais. As cenas sexuais explícitas conferem também um cunho assumidamente erótico à obra, todavia, o género fantástico assume o protagonismo em termos da classificação desta série.
Uma série que queremos acompanhar, com personagens fortes, fantasia, sensualidade e muita acção!"
May 7, 2010
The idea of the story is interesting and the characters aren't bad (for the most part), but I had problems with the instantaneous sex, the idea that God punishes women's sexuality by making childbirth so painful and the overdone love/sex triangle (although it kind of makes sense for Cain and Abel to want the same woman).
I will probably read the next book at some point as I would like to see how everything shakes out.
I will probably read the next book at some point as I would like to see how everything shakes out.
March 14, 2011
Sigh. I really wanted to like this one. The story is different. The main characters are kick ass. I just can't get over the fact that due to something Eve did when she was a teenager, because she tempted Alec, she had to be "marked." (Yep, all HER fault). This also bothered me: (a quote towards the beginning of the book), "Through a decade has passed since the night Alec had ruined her for other men..." WTF?
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