Review by Vicky London
I’ve been really looking forward to Lynn Viehl’s new Kyndred series. It’s a spinoff from the Darkyn series and former characters from from the Darkyn books play a significant role. Shadowlight is the first book in the series and features Jessa Bellamy, a woman who discovers she is Kyndred after being kidnapped by Gaven Matthias.
Here’s the book blurb:
With just one touch, Jessa Bellamy can see anyone’s darkest secrets, thanks to whoever tampered with her genes. What she doesn’t know is that a biotech company has discovered her talent and intends to kill her and harvest her priceless DNA. When GenHance is poised to strike, Gaven Matthias is forced to take action. After months of tracking Jessa, he abducts her himself so he can protect her in his underground fortress. Matthias tries to explain what she is and how she can protect others like her, but Jessa has a hard time believing the one man whose secrets she can’t read. She senses he’s hiding a terrible truth, and yet his touch ignites a passion she’s never known. As a monstrous assassin closes in and forces them on the run, Jessa will have to find another way to discover whether Matthias is her greatest ally…or her deadliest enemy.
If you’ve been following the Darkyn series, you know by now that the Kyndred are all children who were taken from their families, experimented on with vampire DNA, and then placed into Catholic adoption agencies. They have special gifts that are triggered by what should have been a fatal incident. Kyndred are also the only humans who can be successfully turned into Darkyn. The powers of the Kyndred we meet in the story are pretty freaking amazing and sort of X-men like. Jessa can touch someone and relive their darkest secret which she uses to build a successful company that does security checks on potential hires and employees. Like the other Kyndred, she attempts to use her gift for good and is subsequently discovered by GenHance because of it. But of course, Viehl doesn’t lay out the complete story of the Kyndred in this first book. I expect that she will tantalize us with bits and parts of the mystery in each book. The next book, Dreamveil, will continue with Rowan, a Kyndred who works alongside Matthias and has the power to change her facial features.
I’m pretty excited about this series. The publisher didn’t send out any review copies but I couldn’t resist buying one for myself. I was really happy to see that the Darkyn do appear in the books as I expected. Samantha and Lucan play a part in this story with a cameo from the always funny and snarky, Dr. Alexandra Keller. Viehl’s skill of blending the familiar with the new should make for a fantastic new series. If you’re a fan of the Darkyn, you’ll definitely want to continue the journey with the Kyndred.
Publisher: Onyx
Release Date: October 6, 2009
ISBN-10: 0451412788
You can find the reading order for the Kyndred series here.
Popularity: 23% [?]
Reader Ratings - Click On A Star to Rate This Book:
(7 votes, average: 4.57 out of 5)
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October 22nd, 2009 at 6:00 am
Ooh, I can’t wait! The Darkyn series is one of my favorite. Glad to hear the Kyndred book is up to par.
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Glad to hear of the spinoff of the Darkyn series. I absolutely eat this genre up. Thanks Lynn for the hours of enjoyment you give with your gift of imagination.
November 16th, 2009 at 5:56 am
I just finished this book and absolutely loved it. Read it in only two sittings and hate that I didn’t make it last as now I have to wait till June for my next fix. There are few series that I read as they come out. I tend to collect 3 or 4 in a series and read all at once and then come back later to read the next couple. The Darkyn series is one that has not allowed me to do this. This is a series that must be read in order and you really need to read the Darkyn line before starting the Kyndred line or you will miss so much of the rich history that Viehl has invented. Thank you Lynn for another book that has allowed me escape on a mini vacation in my mind. This is definitely a 5 star book.
January 5th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
This is one series I did not want to end!! I do so hope Lynn is inspired enought by both the Kyn and Kyndred to keep writing!! I’d finish one book and just pick up another and so on. At the risk of sounding pathetic, I was completely sucked into the Kyn world. To continue to combine the charictures is a wise move as the ones she’s created are loved.
Her writing is intence, entertaining, visual, and complex with out being confusing. The plots and imagination are amazing.
In closing it left me speechless and wanting more!! Bring it on Lynn!!!!!