The Darkest Whisper
Gena Showalter
Harlequin HQN, Sep 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780373773923
Like his comrades, Sabin hosts a demon he and the others released from Pandora’s Box; his being Doubt. He knows unless a miracle occurs as has happened to some of his brothers in arms recently, he will remain eternally alone as he fears Doubt will destroy anyone he cherishes.
He leads an expedition in Egypt for one of the ancient artifacts that could help him and his dark warrior teammates reconstruct Pandora’s Box and contain the demons. They find their enemy the Hunters, who believe killing the Lords of the Underworld will destroy the demons, have captured immortal women locking them in hidden cells. One of the prisoners is incarcerated in a glass container. Over the fears and warnings of the Hunters, he frees Gwendolyn the Timid, who unlike the other harpies does not enjoy the kill though she rips out the throat of the Hunter who imprisoned her for the past year. She fears her dark side is free so she wants to return to Alaska to hide from mortals. Instead Sabin takes her to Budapest with him. He wants her and she wants him, but Doubt wants her blood to flow.
The latest Lords of the Underworlds saga (see THE DARKEST PLEASURE, THE DARKEST KISS and THE DARKEST NIGHT) is once again an extremely dark exciting tale in which Gena Showalter’s mythos laden earth seems genuine. The hero is a fascinating brooding protagonist who for the first time since his fall has a sliver of hope although his demon leaves him with doubts while the harpy is ready to kill the demon inside her beloved if it gets in the way of love. Though a stand alone as are the other entries starring different “Lords”, romantic fantasy fans who appreciate a modernization of ancient myths should read the previous three novels; not only are they excellent, they provide depths to this strong gory read.
Harriet Klausner
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