Dark Prince (Dark, #1)

by Christine Feehan

Raven Whitney is a psychic who has used her gift to help the police track down a serial killer. Now she is determined to escape the glare of recent publicity for the peace and quiet of the Carpathian Mountains. Despite her own emotional fatigue, Raven finds herself connecting psychically to another wounded individual somewhere close by. Prince Mikhail Dubrinsky is the leader of his people but, as his ancient Carpathian race grows ever closer to extinction, he is close to giving in to the heavy weight of loneliness and despair. Then a female voice enters his mind and tries to console him. Intrigued, Mikhail becomes obsessed with finding this unusual human female. From the moment their minds touch, Raven and Mikhail form a connection. But there are those who incorrectly view all Carpathians as vampires, and are determined to give their extinction a helping hand.

• ISBN10: 0062019554
• ISBN13: 9780062019554
• Publish Date: 24 October 2023 (first published 1 August 1999)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Avon Books
• Format: Paperback (A-Format (178x111 mm))
• Pages: 480
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.com.au/9780062019554

Reviews

[FranJessca @ A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog]

I’ve been meaning to start the Dark series by Christine Feehan for some time now, but never jumped onboard until the Romanceopoly ‘Mystery Challenge’ was announced in February that it was going to be a Fated Mates read the challenge. Now here was my chance to start this series and also utilize my local library. Unfortunately, it looks like my local library doesn’t have many of these books in the series for borrowing. Thank goodness it had the first book though. It did take me a while to read this book, but I think it mainly had to do that I was already in a reading slump. I had to keep putting down the book and going back to it later to read it. I finally finished it though on March 28th.

I didn’t connect well with the main characters in this book, and I know a lot of my Goodreads followers enjoyed this book. I think it’s because of the male character, Mikhail Dubrinsky, seemed very chauvinistic and I’m not fond of male characters having that quality. I realize though that this book was first published back in the late 90s. There was also the issue of the female character, Raven Whitney being in danger constantly in the book. She knew there were dangers all around her and she was actually on holiday from a stressful job as it was and she ends up in danger several times. She meets a mysterious man/creature who is on the brink of being in danger from himself and there is an instant love with him, but she’s put off with him at first. Although, there’s no saying any to him at all in this book.

I did enjoy the storyline though of the Carpathians and wanted to learn more about them and how the male Carpathians are literally on the brink of becoming the dark creature everyone fears because they can’t find their fated mates. Their Dark Prince, Mikhail finds his fated mate (as a human), and now the Carpathians have hope because of him seeing her. Even though I didn’t connect well with the main characters that don’t mean I didn’t connect well with others that were introduced. I’m interested in reading which gets their story next in the series. I know Christine Feehan has a different writing style and technique from other writers I’ve read in this genre before, which is why I’m intrigued to more of this series. It’s different from other vampire romance stories because of their a darkly twisted storyline with the male characters. There’s also the fascination of how they find their fated mates.

I’ve already bought the second book, and hopefully, my local library will consider carrying more of the series soon. I know the library has the latest books in the series on the shelves.

Rating: 3 stars

Steaminess Rating: 3 stars

Standalone or part of series: Part of the Dark series by Christine Feehan. First book in the series.

Do I recommend this book? I would recommend this book if you are a fan of vampires, fated mates stories, and if you’ve read other books from Christine Feehan.

Will I read other books from the author? Yes.

Trope/Elements: Fated Mates Romance; Vampires

[thebookdisciple]

I struggled to get into this book. Mikhail and Raven's relationship is toxic. He is demanding and domineering; not in the attractive alpha way. Thankfully, Raven calls him on it and recognizes that his behavior is not okay. There is a LOT of sex in the first 1/2 of the book. I don't mind sex, but this felt over the top, especially since Raven was a virgin. I think the excessive sex slowed the actual plot down a great deal. Once they got past the mating and all the ridiculous sex, the plot was actually interesting. I really like Feehan's take on 'vampires' and she has created a really fascinating world. I certainly plan to continue with this series!

[Hixxup]

I first tried reading this and after a chapter or two I had to put it down, I just wasn't feeling this kind of book at the time. But I had picked it up again, to give it a second chance and I'm glad I did, because it was quite a story. It was full of action, sex, and some sarcastic humor. I've heard this series is quite repetitious but that's ok, cause I can't read too many series books back to back. Especially not long series like this one. I also liked the short story Dark Descent although it had me a little confused about Gregori and being the lifemate of their princes daughter. Is she already born? How far after Dark Prince is Dark Descent is placed. Those are things that bugs me about books, they leave you with unanswered questions.

[celinenyx]

First published in 1999, Dark Prince is the first book in the long and acclaimed Carpathians series. Carpathians are an ancient race of vampires - and Mikhail, the hero of Dark Prince, is their leader.

Mikhail does no longer see the world in colour. Literally. When a Carpathian male like himself is alone long enough, he no longer feels. Then his mind touches that of Raven, a human woman with psychic abilities. From the moment he meets her, he knows he has to have her. No matter the cost.

It was interesting to read Dark Prince. It predates paranormal romance series that shaped the genre such as Black Dagger Brotherhood. When I was reading it, it felt like the missing link between Anne Rice and modern paranormal romance. The vampires in Dark Prince are inspired by those written by Rice, in the sense that they are alien to humans. Mikhail, especially when we first meet him, is more predator than human. His instincts are completely vampire, and it is only through interacting with Raven that he learns to be (relatively) civilized.

I found it incredibly difficult to rate this book, because I'm not it's target audience. Mikhail is one of the alpha-est of alpha males I have ever seen in a romance novel. He rules his underlings with absolute power. He claims Raven as his from the moment he discovers her. When a man touches Raven's leg, he almost kills him, only stopping when Raven pleads with him. He carries her from the inn she is staying at, not even putting her down when she tells him to. He knows she is afraid, but he does not budge. And this is just within the first 24 hours of their acquaintance. I generally don't enjoy reading romances featuring alpha males, only tolerating them if they are misunderstood and have a heart of gold deep down. Mikhail as a romantic hero did not work for me - even apart from the fact that he crosses many of my boundaries, I simply couldn't root for someone with a personality as his.

Raven as a heroine was decent enough. She did not have a sparking personality, but she wasn't as bland as I would have feared either. She seems to be rather standard fare, a heroine that is "normal" enough to be a stand-in for the reader. The world of the Carpathians was interesting enough to make me intrigued to learn more about them. I do enjoy it when vampires aren't sparkly, and that Carpathians are most certainly not.

If alpha males make you swoon, and the idea of a dark prince sweeping you off your feet to make love to you in his library gets you going, Christine Feehan's first Carpathian book is for you.