The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide

by J.R. Ward

Book Overview

New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward delivers a behind-the-scenes look at her "to die for"( Publishers Weekly ) Black Dagger Brotherhood series--and a brand-new short story starring Zsadist and Bella. This is a book no Black Dagger Brotherhood fan should miss--an insider's guide that will seduce readers as powerfully as the sexy band of Brothers and the world they live in. And also included is an original short story about stars Zsadist and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451225007
• ISBN13: 9780451225009
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 1.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.9" x 8.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

an absolutely must have

This book is an anbsolutely must have if you are fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. I bought the first 5 books in German translation, because I'm from Germany. And because I wanted to know how it went on with Phury and Rhevenge I ordered these books in English and of course The Insider Guide. I don't want to say to much, but it is really worth it to read. Interviews with the different brothers and the story Father Mine is brilliant...

Lovin' Me Some BDB!

While this guide gives fans and new comers a fabulous look inside the world of The Black Dagger Brotherhood, I'll mainly be reviewing the short story,'Father Mine' featuring the Brother Zsadist and his shellan, Bella. At the end, I'll provide a brief overview and my thoughts of the remaining contents. First of all, THANK YOU J.R. Ward for returning to ROMANCE!!! I, along with many others, felt that you may have broken away from what was and is so important to fans and that's the sensual and hot romance you provide with the BDB. If anything, you've re-inspired my love for the Brothers and their fascinating world. I'd also like to mention that 'Father Mine' can be read and understood by those few who are unfamiliar with Ward's unique world and characters. Some aspects may be confusing, yes, but I think all readers can fully appreciate the premise of 'Father Mine' and the emotions it evokes. Zsadist and Bella received their HEA in 'Lover Awakened'. Yet like all characters in the BDB world, life doesn't necessarily stop spinning after the honeymoon. Z, the most tortured soul of all the Brothers, is still coping with the tragedy of his past and learning how to function as a true contributing member of the Brotherhood. While Bella provides some serious light to his darkness, things are certainly far from being blissful. 'Father Mine' reveals Z and Bella's realistic struggle after the birth of their daughter, Nalla, and the effect she's had on their relationship. Nalla represents all things pure and innocent, as all children do. But unlike most who are drawn to that innocence, Z has yet to even acknowledge Nalla as his own, let alone touch her. Z has thought nothing of Nalla in terms of possession. She's Bella's young. He does not think in terms of his or ours but only as hers. And while Bella has given Z space to come to terms with his new role as a father, Nalla is beginning to exhibit signs of neglect. She reaches for Z and when Z can't even bring himself to look at her directly, Nalla feels rejected. Bella has now, four months after the birth, come to the heart-breaking decision that she must leave Z so that Nalla is protected from any feelings of failure. Although, Nalla is not the only reason for Bella's decision to leave her hellran. Since the birth of their child, Z and Bella have ceased to have a sexual relationship. When Bella needs to feed from Zsadist's vein, it offered to her only out of compassion rather than in passion. In addition, Z hasn't feed in return from Bella and is now resembling the skeletal giant that was him at the beginning of 'Lover Awakened'. For these reasons, Bella no longer feels wanted and although her body has returned to it's pre-baby form, Z never looks at her in lust but merely as a beloved sister. While on the other hand, within Z's POV we learn that he feels that she doesn't want him for she is always covering herself in his presence. She no longer touches him in passion. Plus, Z wants Bella to be full

Great book...a must to add to your collection of the Brotherhood

This book was great...it gave a lot of information about the brothers, as well as a great story about Bella and Zadist at the beginning of the book. Made me long for the next book, which by the way is about Rev and there is a preview of the new one at the end of this book. I really loved how she talked to each one and gave a lot more in depth information about each brother. I felt like I knew them so much more. For those who love the Brotherhood series, you will definitely want to add this book to your collection!

Great companion to the first six books of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series -a treat for Z fans

This is, in my opinion, an essential guide for fans of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series, even those who have become disillusioned with the direction of the more recent books. The novella with Zsadist and Bella alone is worth the price. And add to that tons of information about each of the six brothers, all neatly gathered, right at your finger tips. A great guide to keep along with all your other brother books. Its sure to please any fan. The Insider's Guide includes- *82 page novella about Zsadist, Bella and Nalla (covers the birth and months afterward concentrating on Zsadist's adjustment to fatherhood) * The Brother's stats (age, weight, eyes etc), personal questions answer sheet (e.i. fav TV show, what do you fear most?, most romantic thing you've ever done), and Ward's personal 'interview' with each brother *Writer's guide -for those who want to know about breaking into the publishing business Ward gives some advice. Also included is the proposal for the brotherhood series that was sent through her agent to publishers. *Deleted scenes -your absolutely going to love this if your Z fan *sigh* *Kicks and Giggles -interesting quotes from each of the books *Brother's on the board (that's Ward's discussion board) -imagine if-you-will that the brother's are regular posters on a discussion board this is what they write about themselves and others (they tease each other unmercifully)-some very funny scenes! Also includes Phury and Cormia's mating ceremony. *Slices of life -little vignettes that Ward posted on the board about the brothers. Includes Movie Night, Wrath and the Letter Opener, In the Nature of Phury, and The Interview That Never Happened. *Question and answer with Ward *Time Line of the Brotherhood *Table of abbreviations (i.e. -BTW) *Picture of what the old language looks like *The Brotherhood's Interview *In Memoriam -Wellsie and Ward talk *Excerpt -Lover Avenged (Rhev's book) Recommended for fans of Wrath, Rhage, Butch, Vishous, Phury and especially Zsadist (I got mine book marked already!). Chock full of great stuff that I found touching and laugh-out-loud funny. It really helped me define the characters that I thought I knew so well already. I fell in love with these guys all over again! ***Not for anyone new to the series. You should read all the books first -major spoilers otherwise. Dark Lover: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood (The Black Dagger Brotherhood) Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 2) Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 3) Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 4) Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 5) Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 6)

So much better than my expectations!

I must be honest. I have never read a guide or compendium, nor have I ever had the desire to. Since this is by far my favorite PNR series, I decided if J.R. wrote it, than I owed it to myself to read it. Thank god I did! I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book. It was like opening a tree full of Christmas presents, each one better than the last. From the never before published novella, "Father Mine", which was as heart-wrenching as it was hearth-warming, to countless musings and interactions that had me laughing out loud. The brothers are back in rare form, picking on each other as only they can. Ward's use of the "interview" provides character details that continue to make her readers feel sure that the Brothers are alive and well and living in New York State. This book will be an incredible resource to up-and-coming writers with tons of behind-the-scene info on her writing process that is equally interesting to plain old readers such as me. The only downside is that it has only made the wait for the next installment even more difficult after reading the excerpt from Lover Avenged, which is not due out till, I believe, June 09.