Millenia ago, the Greek gods created immortal warriors as their guardians. But when they gave a box containing demons who escaped hell to the female warrior Pandora to guard, the other warriors became angry. To show that Pandora wasn't good enough for the job, they stole the box and opened it, thereby freeing the demons. In the following chaos, the box was lost and the demons were out of control, so the gods decided to punish the warriors be forcing them to carry the demons (death, disease, wrath, etc.) inside them. Then they were banished to earth, were they were soon despised and ruthlessly hunted by the Hunters, a group of humans secretly led by another demon. The Lords of the Underworld tells the stories of these immortal warriors.

Olivia, an angel, used to be a joy-bringer. But her new task is that of a warrior: To kill Aeron, the immortal warrior possessed by the demon Wrath, because he unknowingly freed a demon from hell. But she feels attracted to him from the first, watches him and realizes that he is a good person. When she refuses to kill him, she is cast out of heaven, losing her wings and her immortality. When she finds her way to Aeron, he is attracted, too, but tries to keep her at a distance. Not only is he afraid of his emotions, but another angel tells him that she has a chance to return to heaven if she gives Aeron up. He soon loves her too much to want her to suffer the pains and losses of a mortal life. And life with him would be dangerous, especially since the Hunters are still after them, and Lucifer himself wants to leave hell and kill the Lords in order to free their demons...

This was an emotionally intense novel, with likeable and well-developed characters. I enjoyed it a lot and would say it's one of the best in the series.


Lords of the Underworld: the series so far
1. The Darkest Fire (2008), in Into the dark and in Dark beginnings (anthologies)
2. The Darkest Night (2008)
3. The Darkest Kiss (2008)
4. The Darkest Pleasure (2008)
5. The darkest prison, in Into the dark and in Dark beginnings (anthologies)
6. The Darkest Whisper (2009)
7. The darkest angel, in Heart of darkness and in Dark beginnings (anthologies)
8. The Darkest Passion (2010)
9. The Darkest Lie (2010)
10. The Darkest Secret (2011)
11. The Darkest Surrender (2011)

Millenia ago, the Greek gods created immortal warriors as their guardians. But when they gave a box containing demons who escaped hell to the female warrior Pandora to guard, the other warriors became angry. To show that Pandora wasn't good enough for the job, they stole the box and opened it, thereby freeing the demons. In the following chaos, the box was lost and the demons were out of control, so the gods decided to punish the warriors be forcing them to carry the demons (death, disease, wrath, etc.# inside them. Then they were banished to earth, were they were soon despised and ruthlessly hunted by the Hunters, a group of humans secretly led by another demon. The Lords of the Underworld tells the stories of these immortal warriors.

Olivia, an angel, used to be a joy-bringer. But her new task is that of a warrior: To kill Aeron, the immortal warrior possessed by the demon Wrath, because he unknowingly freed a demon from hell. But she feels attracted to him from the first, watches him and realizes that he is a good person. When she refuses to kill him, she is cast out of heaven, losing her wings and her immortality. When she finds her way to Aeron, he is attracted, too, but tries to keep her at a distance. Not only is he afraid of his emotions, but another angel tells him that she has a chance to return to heaven if she gives Aeron up. He soon loves her too much to want her to suffer the pains and losses of a mortal life. And life with him would be dangerous, especially since the Hunters are still after them, and Lucifer himself wants to leave hell and kill the Lords in order to free their demons...

This was an emotionally intense novel, with likeable and well-developed characters. I enjoyed it a lot and would say it's one of the best in the series.


Lords of the Underworld: the series so far
1. The Darkest Fire #2008#, in Into the dark and in Dark beginnings #anthologies#
2. The Darkest Night #2008#
3. The Darkest Kiss #2008#
4. The Darkest Pleasure #2008#
5. The darkest prison, in Into the dark and in Dark beginnings #anthologies#
6. The Darkest Whisper #2009#
7. The darkest angel, in Heart of darkness and in Dark beginnings #anthologies#
8. The Darkest Passion #2010#
9. The Darkest Lie #2010#
10. The Darkest Secret #2011#
11. The Darkest Surrender #2011)

Beim Silmarillion handelt es sich um eine von Tolkiens Sohn nach dem Tod des Autors zusammengestellte Sammlung von Geschichten aus der Welt des Herrn der Ringe, also nicht um einen zusammenhängenden Roman. Da es aber sehr viele verschiedene Veröffentlichung zur Auswahl gibt, hier etwas zu dieser speziellen Ausgabe: Es handelt sich um eine von Ted Nasmith illustrierte, großformatige Ausgabe. Die Illustrationen sind insgesamt sehr schön, wobei ich persönlich finde, dass Allan Lee bessere Tolkien-Illustrationen gemacht hat. Besonders Personen malt Nasmith, wie ich finde, nicht so gut wie Allan Lee, aber das ist sicherlich auch Geschmackssache. Das Buch ist recht großformatig (nicht so groß wie ein Bildband, aber größer als gängige gebundene Romane), was gut für die Illustrationen ist, das Papier ist sehr hochwertig. Übrigens passt das Buch von Format und Aufmachung perfekt zu den von Allan Lee illustrierten Herr der Ringe-Bänden (im Box-Set ISBN 9780618260584) sowie dem von Alan Lee illustrierten Hobbit (0007355149). Alle Bücher zusammen bilden ein sehr schönes Set.

Über das Buch selbst braucht nicht viel gesagt zu werden: Es handelt sich um einen der absoluten Klassiker der Fantasy-Literatur, wobei es - im Gegensatz zum Herrn der Ringe - ursprünglich eher für Kinder gedacht war. Ich finde es manchmal etwas langatmig, aber insgesamt doch interessant und schön, v. a. im englischen Original, in dem Tolkiens Sprachkunst erst richtig zur Geltung kommt. Da es aber sehr viele verschiedene Veröffentlichung zur Auswahl gibt, hier etwas zu dieser speziellen Ausgabe: Es handelt sich um eine von Allan Lee illustrierte, großformatige Ausgabe. Allan Lee hat unter anderem bei den Entwürfen für die Filmtrilogie mitgewirkt und wurde von Peter Jackson ausgewählt, weil ihm seine Illustrationen zu 'Herr der Ringe' so gut gefallen haben. Seine Illustration zum Hobbit sind sehr schön und passen für meinen Geschmack sehr gut. Das Buch ist recht großformatig #nicht so groß wie ein Bildband, aber größer als gängige gebundene Romane#, was gut für die Illustrationen ist, das Papier ist sehr hochwertig. Der Einband ist ausgesprochen liebevoll gemacht, da je nach Blickwinkel das Gold, auf dem der Drache liegt, blinkt. Übrigens passt das Buch von Format und Aufmachung perfekt zu den auch von Allan Lee illustrierten Herr der Ringe-Bänden #im Box-Set ISBN 9780618260584#. Sehr zu empfehlen.

Millenia ago, the Greek gods created immortal warriors as their guardians. But when they gave a box containing demons who escaped hell to the female warrior Pandora to guard, the other warriors became angry. To show that Pandora wasn't good enough for the job, they stole the box and opened it, thereby freeing the demons. In the following chaos, the box was lost and the demons were out of control, so the gods decided to punish the warriors be forcing them to carry the demons (death, disease, wrath, etc.) inside them. Then they were banished to earth, were they were soon despised and ruthlessly hunted by the Hunters, a group of humans secretly led by another demon. The Lords of the Underworld tells the stories of these immortal warriors.

The Hunters have been catching non-human women and kept them in hidden laboratories to rape and impregnate them. Their paranormally gifted children were then taken away from them to create superior Hunters. The harpy Gwen has been kept prisoner in such a lab, but was too dangerous to be used as the other women were. When she's finally freed by a group of Lords, she feels deeply attracted to Sabin, the keeper of the demon Doubt. The attraction is mutual. But after a tough childhood and her imprisonment, Gwen is so timid and insecure that Sabin fears that his demon will do irreparable damage to her. Can he help her overcome her fears and become a self-reliant and strong woman?

This novel was real fun and I liked the characters a lot. Both had depths and good reasons for their actions. It was an emotionally satisfying novel that also didn't lack a sense of humour. So far the best in the series.

Lords of the Underworld: the series so far
1. The Darkest Fire (2008), in Into the dark and in Dark beginnings (anthologies)
2. The Darkest Night (2008)
3. The Darkest Kiss (2008)
4. The Darkest Pleasure (2008)
5. The darkest prison, in Into the dark and in Dark beginnings (anthologies)
6. The Darkest Whisper (2009)
7. The darkest angel, in Heart of darkness and in Dark beginnings (anthologies)
8. The Darkest Passion (2010)
9. The Darkest Lie (2010)
10. The Darkest Secret (2011)
11. The Darkest Surrender (2011)

Millenia ago, the Greek gods created immortal warriors as their guardians. But when they gave a box containing demons who escaped hell to the female warrior Pandora to guard, the other warriors became angry. To show that Pandora wasn't good enough for the job, they stole the box and opened it, thereby freeing the demons. In the following chaos, the box was lost and the demons were out of control, so the gods decided to punish the warriors be forcing them to carry the demons (death, disease, wrath, etc.) inside them. Then they were banished to earth, were they were soon despised and ruthlessly hunted by the Hunters, a group of humans secretly led by another demon. The Lords of the Underworld tells the stories of these immortal warriors.


Since the leader of the Titans, who have defeated the Greek gods and are now in control of the Lords of the Underworld, has demanded that the Lord Aeron kill the human woman Danika and her family, Aeron has been suffering terrible pain because he refuses to kill innocent people. But he's starting to lose control to his demon, who has no such inhibitions. The only one who can help (and wants to) Danika is the Lord Reyes. But as the keeper of the demon Pain, he has a very hard time being with the woman he feels so attracted to. He not only has to defeat another Lord and the Hunters, who would love to use Danika against the Lords, but he also needs to find a way to have a relationship with Danika despite the fact that he can only find pleasure if it's mixed with pain.

This was a good entry in the series, although some people may not be happy with the fact that Reyes keeps injuring himself severely, even during sex. So this novel may not be everyone's cup of tea.


Lords of the Underworld: the series so far
1. The Darkest Fire (2008), in Into the dark and in Dark beginnings (anthologies)
2. The Darkest Night (2008)
3. The Darkest Kiss (2008)
4. The Darkest Pleasure (2008)
5. The darkest prison, in Into the dark and in Dark beginnings (anthologies)
6. The Darkest Whisper (2009)
7. The darkest angel, in Heart of darkness and in Dark beginnings (anthologies)
8. The Darkest Passion (2010)
9. The Darkest Lie (2010)
10. The Darkest Secret (2011)
11. The Darkest Surrender (2011)