Review: Defeat the Darkness by Alexis Morgan

Posted April 6, 2010 by Casee in Reviews | 2 Comments

Casee‘s review of Defeat the Darkness (Paladin Series, Book 6) by Alexis Morgan.

Hard-eyed and hard-bodied, Hunter Fitzsimon isn’t what Tate Justice expected in a tenant for the apartment above her garage. Terse and intensely private, Hunter’s mission is to protect a narrow stretch of the barrier between Earth and Kalithia against the Paladins’ ruthless enemies — a job that would be much easier without his sexy landlady nosing around. So when she follows Hunter into the woods late one night, he decides to teach Tate a lesson with a passionate kiss that brings her to her knees…and unexpectedly ignites red-hot desire deep in his soul. But the warrior’s dark and dangerous world is no place for his fiery lover. Does possessing Tate mean turning his back on his brethren…or will Hunter forsake the woman of his dreams for the harsh duty he’s always known?

This is a series that tends to fall off my radar. Then when I pick a new book up, I wonder why b/c it really is a great series. I’ve enjoyed each book that I’ve read. I haven’t read the last one or two books so I knew that I missed Hunter’s backstory. Perhaps the reason I wasn’t too lost was b/c I’ve read most of the books int he series. I didn’t get that feeling you get when you know you’re missing something.

Hunter was tortured by Other warriors. I’m sure he wasn’t meant to survive, but survive he did even though it was a little worse for wear. All Hunter really knows is how to be a warrior which is seriously affected when he injures his knee. Not being able to fight on the front lines, the head of all Paladins sends him to watch over a little strip of barrier in the middle of nowhere.

Tate Justice rents her garage apartment to Hunter against her better judgment. It’s obvious that there’s something going on, but Tate goes with her instincts and agrees to let Hunter move in. She’s drawn to the big stranger that limps and feels a protectiveness for him that he really doesn’t appreciate.

After scouting around for a few days, Hunter sees signs of activity around the barrier. Instead of checking it out, he’s forced to figure out a way to divert his nosy landlady’s attention. Tate is too nosy for her own good. She thinks of Hunter as a person that needs help even though he could protect her more than your average man, even with his injury.

One thing that Alexis Morgan touched on was PTSD. It’s clear that Hunter is suffering from a rather severe case of it. The irony in the fact that he ends up befriending a Kalith warrior speaks volumes. There are times that you just hurt for Hunter b/c his struggle was so apparent.

Tate was a little too pushy for my tastes, but other than that I don’t have any major complaints about this one.

3.5 out of 5.

This book is available from Pocket. You can buy it here.

The series:

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Tagged: 3.5 Reviews, Alexis Morgan, Casee's Reviews, Paladins Series, Paranormal, Pocket Books, Reviews

Redeemed in Darkness by Alexis Morgan

Posted December 7, 2007 by Casee in Reviews | 6 Comments

Book description:

A fiercely beautiful female leader from the Other world, Lusahn q’Arc can’t forget the Paladin warrior she met in battle — his chiseled body and piercing, thoughtful eyes still haunt her dreams. While investigating the smuggling of the mysterious blue stones used to light her shadowy world, Lusahn receives word that her missing brother, Barak, is alive — and working with the Paladins. Although angry at his betrayal, she arranges to meet him. But at the appointed time it is not Barak who arrives, but Cullen Finley — the enemy warrior who torments her memory.

Intense attraction immediately burns between Lusahn and Cullen despite their rival loyalties, and they can’t help surrendering to passion. Their time together is limited, though, for soon Cullen must return to his own world — with or without Lusahn. But when carefully laid plans go awry, together they must fight to keep their forbidden romance a secret — and keep each other alive.

I love this series. I think Morgan has done some fantastic world building here. In the first book of the series, it seemed pretty clear: The Paladins were the good guys, the Others were the bad guys. It was the sworn duty of all Paladins to fight whenever the barrier went down between worlds. It’s not long before we realize that it’s not so black and white. Not all of the Others are crazy killers. Some of them are just like the Paladins, fighting to protect their world.

Redeemed in Darkness picks up right where In Darkness Reborn left off. Cullen Finley crossed the barrier. After fighting a female warrior months before, Cullen could not get her out of his mind. When he finds out that he fought Barak’s sister, it gave him an excuse to seek her out. Not telling anyone his plan, he crosses the barrier to give her a message from Barak. Though he intended to toss it across, he couldn’t help but step into her world.

Lushan q’Arc was waiting for her brother. Though it breaks her heart, Lushan is prepared to execute him on the spot for being a traitor. The only kindness she can show him is getting it over quickly. The last person she expects to see is the warrior she fought and almost lost to. Her instincts tell her not to listen, but Lushan is attracted to the human. When he tells her why he is there, she agrees to help him.

This book was nowhere near as good as the previous three installments. First of all, Lushan was portrayed as this fierce warrior that is so dedicated to her duty in protecting her people that she planned on executing her own brother. Then Cullen comes across. As someone that has fought her, killed numerous people of her world, and who could quite possibly kill her, her reaction to Cullen was unbelieveable. It actually bordered on ridiculous.

I think what Morgan intended to do here was make is seems as though their attraction was so fierce and falling in love was so swift that Lushan could do nothing other than help Cullen. I just didn’t buy it. While Cullen had the whole “I am alpha-must bed woman now” attitude, Lushan’s flopped back and forth. She seemed so fascinating at first and I was really looking forward to learning more about her. After being a warrior for so many years, it took less than two weeks for Cullen to insert himself into her life and basically make all the decisions. I just didn’t buy it.

As in the prior books, the Paladins are still trying to discover who is luring Others’ over with the promise of freedom if they bring “blue stones”. We still didn’t find out who on Earth is trying to get their hands on the stones. We do learn that Cullen wasn’t the first human to cross the barrier.

While I intend to continue reading the series, I don’t consider it a bad thing that Morgan’s next book will be the first in a new series. Maybe a break from the Paladins is in order.

3 out of 5.