Evermore: A Novel of the Darkyn

by Lynn Viehl

Book Overview

The fifth book in the bestselling Darkyn series. Jayr is proud to be the only female ever permitted to serve as seneschal to a Darkyn lord. But in her centuries of service to Master Byrne, she has fallen in love with him. Now, Byrne plans to step down and hand over the Jardin to another Kyn lord - a move that threatens not only Jayr's position, but her very life.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451222849
• ISBN13: 9780451222848
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 291 Pages
• Weight: 0.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 6.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

My favorite of the series!!! Awesome!! I loved it!

I've read all of the Darkyn books, and this one is by far my favorite one. The story is very good, very touching, the main characters and their plight is unique and wonderful. The Brethern and John Keller are hardly ever mentioned (yeah!). In previous books, Viehl spends too much time on the Brethern and John Keller. This book was a pure delight, very romantic, I loved it!! I hope the rest of the books follow in this vein. (no pun intended ;) If you've read the others in the series, I think you'll LOVE this one.

Ever More Good Stuff from Lynn Viehl

Did you like the last four Darkyn books? Then good, you'll like this one, too. Viehl continues to write fast-paced vamp romance without falling back on the same-old, same-old. If you don't like the Brethren as a villain, then you're in luck: this book barely mentions them. Viehl breaks from them and instead dwells heavily on Darkyn politics and some intrigue. As usual, we get a solid, non-whiny heroine and her solid, extremely attractive hero, and we also get introduced more fully to Robin of Locksley (yes, THAT Robin of Locksley), who may wind up being my favorite Darkyn of them all. There's also a definite medieval theme to this one, which made it feel almost like a historical fantasy, sans unicorns, dragons, and annoying knights on talking horses. Viehl's men are manly. There's no other way to put it. She writes men women would want to date. They're not whiners, but they're also not completely insensitive. When push comes to shove, they get the job done. If you've never read a Darkyn novel, this is a good start. There's continuity, but it's well-contained. You can pick up the series from anywhere and enjoy yourself. All in all, a solid romance, a good story, and great characters make for a light, entertaining read.

My Favorite of the Entire Series

Evermore is a fantastic addition to Lynn Viehl's Darkyn Series and by far my favorite. I had become increasingly frustrated by the last couple books, feeling that far too much time was spent in the sub-plots rather than spent on developing the main characters, their romance and their story. Luckily, Viehl's latest keeps the action focused in the same location and on the main story even when the point of view shifts to secondary characters. In Evermore, we meet Byrne, an ancient Scottish warrior complete with blue tattoos on his face, and Jayr, his seemingly too young and too skinny seneschal who has protected him, served him, and secretly loved him for hundreds of years. The tension between the two of them is simply amazing. Byrne loves her, but is wracked with guilt over the fact that he basically used her life to save his own. Jayr, who is confident in her role as seneschal, but not as a woman, has never allowed herself to believe that Byrne could love her in return. I honestly cannot remember the last time I anticipated just a kiss between two characters in a romance novel as much as I did between Jayr and Byrne. The last few novels in the series had me impatiently reading just so I could put the book aside. Here, I was truly disappointed to turn the last page. I absolutely loved this novel, and although I still wish Viehl would focus the story more on the main characters rather than spend quite so much time with Alex and Cyprien, I would definitely recommend reading Evermore.

The Darkyn Series Continues

Evermore tells the story of Jayr and Byrne who we first met in Dark Need (Bk 3). Byrne is the suzerain of Knight's Realm - a castle complete with moat, where tourists visit to experience medieval life. Jayr is unique among the Darkyn as she is the only female seneschal. We join them during a winter tournament, when humans are banished from the castle and Kyn test themselves against one another in sword fighting, jousting and archery. Byrne has made the decision to step down as suzerain, a fact which he keeps from Jayr. As their relationship strains against the conventions that keep them apart, an unknown enemy will use the tournament to seek revenge. For anyone unfamiliar with the Kyn series, whilst each book follows one couple, there is also an ongoing major story arc between Michael and Alexandra (the couple from If Angels Burn Bk1). The books also follow minor story arcs, though in Evermore, the Brethren (the Kyn's enemy) and John Keller are only mentioned briefly. We also have new plot threads, notably the proper introduction of Robin of Locksley as a member of the Kyn, and we find out more about the Jardin Wars. Evermore is a pretty accessible entry in the series, as a major plotline was concluded in the previous book Night Lost. The plotline of Evermore is perhaps the most linear so far, and even though there are still multiple storylines, they take place in one location - Knight's Realm. However, there is also some fallout from Night Lost, as Alex deals with the consequences of her kidnap, so familiarity with the previous books is helpful. There is a wonderful parallel in this book, between the relationships of Michael and Alex, and Jayr and Byrne. Jayr and Alex turned into Kyn under similar circumstances, trapped with a starving male Kyn. But the way Byrne and Michael handled the situation, completely different. Alex becomes Michael's sygkenis, Jayr becomes Byrne's seneschal. And the contrast between the two relationships is just wonderful to read. There is a point early in the story where Michael confesses his guilt over turning Alex to Jayr, and it's eerie, I felt like it could be Byrne speaking. For me this is the most darkly erotic of the Darkyn books. Maybe because the feelings between Jayr and Byrne have to be repressed. The relationship between them is that of suzerain and seneschal, but underneath you are aware of this passionate intensity between the two of them that they deny. This tension builds and builds until it HAS to be consummated. Also worth mentioning again, is Robin of Locksley - whose past has come back to haunt him. Indeed that could be the other theme of this book - as Robin, Byrne, Alex, and other characters deal with the consequences of their past. Robin's story entwines with that of Jayr and Byrne. Just rereading the ending again whilst I write this review, makes me appreciate anew how well the story is put together. I have my fingers crossed that there will be a continuation of Robin's story in a futur