Born to Darkness (with bonus short story Shane's Last Stand)

I'm sure feelings about romantic thrillers like this vary a lot depending on the reader -- if you're more comfortable with the darkness and violence in something like "THe Girl With the Dragon Tatoo," you'll be fine here. If you prefer your romantic thrillers a little more on the light side, this might be a bit dark for you. I lean a little more to the light side, so having as much sexual violence (or memories of such) in here was a bit hard for me. That's just me.However, I truly loved the book through at least the first half, before the violence got a bit much, and I loved the relationships between the main couple (Mac and Shane) and the second couple (Elliot and Diaz), and the fascinating Greater-Than world in general. And I did love it in the second half except where I was sort of reading through my fingers because of the darkness.One quibble that has nothing to do with my preferences -- it ended a bit too abruptly. Perhaps Suzanne figured she was going to write more in the series (sadly, that seems to not be the case) and thought she could address some things more in the second book, not sure. The happy ending was kind of fast and two relationships weren't really resolved. Which leaves you sort of hanging for those ones.I would very much recommend this to dark thriller and sci-fi fans, maybe even more so than romance readers.

Well , this book just blew me away . what an amazing mind you have Suzanne . I do not know what i expected with this one , it certainly was not any where near what i though it would be. In fact of all the books i have read in the last year this one rates as the best . Totally incredible . To begin with on seeing the right up, i was not sure even if i wanted to buy it , but something kept me looking at it time and again . i am so glad i did . this truly is incredible .Where do you come from Suzanne to have such an amazing mind to put out such a book . Absolutely incredible. Thank you . I could not put it down it kept dragging me back . UNREAL .

If you like Brockmann and you're a closet Trekkie (I'm not sayin'... I'm just sayin') you'll love this new series.There are spoilers in here.First, you need to know this author is going to push her social issues. Gay marriage (and sex scenes) check, privatized healthcare check, vapid consumerism check. If you can't leave whatever you believe behind and jump in... stay on the shore.Second, this is much more sci-fi than romance. The romance is there... well, the sex is there. The romance doesn't develop clearly it's just sort of... BAM! They're in love.I do wish she had stuck to just one or two relationships. But we got 1 "in love" already in place and another relationship established almost immediately (it needed help and development but it's there).You know how we strung along Julian, Max, and Sam... kind of what I expected here. And it looks like Joseph and Anna may be that Max/Gina or Stan/Teri type thing. Or maybe it's Joseph and Nikka (although I'm drawing a line in the sand with a 13 year old... I don't care HOW eternally young Joseph is).A good read, or listen- I got the immersion audio with Audible.com and listened while I drove part of the day.

There's a lot...and I mean a lot...going on in this book because it's the first in a new series for Brockmann. Some of that stuff works better than others, but overall it's a solid book.I have to say I found her world-building a little weak. Some parts of it were easy to imagine--the corporate influence, the health issues, the gangs--but there were some that were hard to take. And I don't mean the psychic stuff...that's absolutely de rigeur these days. No, I had a harder time with some of the reactions to powers and stuff that I considered less well-thought-out. For example: a character whose whole personality is based on the fact that she has a particular empathetic power that means she can (and sometimes does without meaning to) become attractive to any man whose path she crosses, but when she crosses the path of a sadist, she doesn't suss out that he likes to hurt people and therefore that cringing away would be what was attractive to him? But that's relatively minor quibble.The storyline was vintage Brockmann fun with tons of action and plenty of hot romance. The main romantic couple was well-developed and explained and their problems were realistic. You could really understand why Mac wouldn't believe someone could love her, even if she whined about it a bit much for my taste. And because she refused to believe he loved her, you could see how Shane might have some problems, too.The secondary romances didn't work as well for me, particularly that between Elliott and Diaz. It went zero-to-sixty in a nanosecond. I understand that Diaz was supposed to have been in love with Elliott all that time, but Elliott accepts it so quickly and just like that *boom* they're a couple. Maybe in future books they'll have some problems that will make the romance more...I don't know how to put it, but make it stronger through work, I suppose.All in all, I think this is a fine entry to a new series that I hope will develop depth as Brockmann writes further books.

It seemed at times as if this was written by someone else. I am a reader of Ms. Brockmann, and have enjoyed her books and characters for decades. This one at times felt like it took short cuts like it was mash up, in a way that some short stories do. Perhaps because so much needed to be told and this book would have become to long or wordy otherwise. That said it was a good book good story and clearly going to be another good series by Ms. Brockman, and hopefully we can see the deeper dialogue and interaction as story unfolds.

I started to read Suzanne Brockmann's books because we share the same last name. She's such a great writer that I've now read all of her books.The only thing I think this book lacked was the outrageously funny side of her writing. There were hints of it throughout the book, but not the can't-stop-laughing and tears-rolling-down-your-face side of her SEAL Team 16 books. Having said that, I still can't wait to read her next book.A huge "Thank You" to her for all the hours of entertainment she's provided.Born to Darkness Born to Darkness

I am a huge fan of Suzanne Brockmann and I normally absolutely love her books, but I must say I was a little disappointed with Born to Darkness.The whole concept of the book is VERY similar to Christine Feehan's "Ghostwalker" books,(if you haven't read any of these - check them out you won't be disappointed) but in my opinion in this particular genre Christine Feehan wins hands down.

After having read almost all her books, here is a new one I can almost not put down.And what a delight also with her style. Not to say, she makes us love many figuring in this:Can hardly wait to read their stories too. A wonderful new series awaiting!

Great author, great book, great read.

It was a totally different style and feel to Brockmanns usual style, I love trouble shooters series and can't wait for more but really enjoyed reading this, I was hooked from start to finish

Ich bin ein grosser Fan von Frau Brockmann und habe wahrscheinlich alle ihre Bücher gelesen, muss aber leider gestehen, dass dieses hier schlicht langweilig ist.Es beginnt zwar ganz spannend, aber im weiteren Verlauf scheint sich die Autorin nicht entscheiden zu können, ob es nun eine Lovestory, ein Thriller oder ein SiFi-Roman werden soll.Insgesamt ist es also weder Fleisch noch Fisch, die Spannung wird künstlich mit viel Gewalt gespickt, zwischendurch jedoch mit viel pseudo-wissenschaftlichen Ausführungen zu den aussergewöhnlichen Fähigkeiten der Hauptpersonen wieder im Keim erstickt. Die telepatischen Ausflüge der Hauptpersonen in die Gehirne der jeweiligen Partner wirken künstlich und langweilen auf die Dauer.Die aussergewöhnlichen Supermenschen sind einerseits von ihrer Vergangenheit traumatisiert und andereseits von der möglichen Steigerung ihrer Kräfte besessen. Dadurch wirken sie ganz schön egozentrisch und ich konnte gar nicht nachvollziehen, warum sich die jeweiligen "normalen" Partner ausgerechnet in diese Personen verliebt haben sollten.Die weibliche Hauptperson Mac nervt schlicht und einfach.Darüber hinaus kann ich mich des Eindrucks nicht erwähren, dass Frau Brockmann sich von den Büchern von Shannon McKenna hat inspirieren lassen. Bei dieser Autorin gibt es das Ostermann Institut, hier das Obermeyer Institut. Ähnliches Setting, ebenfalls Gehirnexperimente. Ebenfalls schnelle Action und sehr viel Sex. Nun ja, vielleicht nur Zufall.Als eingefleischter Fan werde ich die nächsten Bücher abwarten, aber dieser Serienbeginn verspricht nichts gutes :-).

Pas du tout le style habituel de Mme Brockmann.Elle nous emmène dans Boston ravagé : il est question de crise économique pour justifier ce petit délire.Principe de base : le commun du mortel n'est qu'à 10% de possibles capacités. Quelques humains ont la faculté d'augmenter ces pouvoirs... mais des méchants enlèvent des enfants à éventuelles capacités pour prélever leur sang élément essentiel d' une drogue mortelle pour riches.Et le pauvre Shane dont on a fait connaissance dans "Shane last stand" arrive là dedans ! Mon humble avis : il méritait mieux...

A really strong beginning to a new and intriguing world. I'd love to see more of this series. I heard she's writing a YA set in the same universe but I'd love Brockmann to give us more of the adult books.

I have all the Troubleshooter books except #3 and #4. I was enthralled with the storylines and the characters. I could hardly wait until I got a copy of the next book. These books kept me mesrised from the first page. I highly recommend the series for anyone who enjoys stories about the Navy Seals.

I read this book every spare moment (and some not spare moments at work). It was an addiction to get to the end!

loved it looking forward to others in the series

Als alter Fan habe ich auch Brockmanns neuestes Werk (als e-book) gelesen, das einen Schritt in ein neues Genre darstellt, nämlich Science Fiction. Die Handlung ist aber nicht so sehr weit vorwärts in der Zukunft platziert (50 Jahre? sogar weniger?), und etliches an den unschönen gesellschaftlichen Verhältnissen in den zukünftigen USA ist total glaubhaft wie der Umstand, dass die Polizei nur noch sehr begrenzt ermittelt und vom Bürger für bestimmte Ermittlungsvorgänge (unverschämt hohe) Gebühren erhebt. Eine neue Droge - Destiny - verleiht Jugend, Schönheit und Superkräfte, die schier unüberwindbar sein können. Ebenfalls garantiert ist eine sofortige Abhängigkeit und der sichere (vorzeitige) Tod. Trotzdem ist es zu einer Modedroge für Reiche geworden, deren schreckliche Folgen nun von einer Truppe von speziell ausgebildeten, nennen wir sie mal 'Fachkräften' ausschließlich mental, also ohne Schusswaffen bekämpft wird.Diese Leute, die im Obermeyer Institut ihre Bleibe und Ausbildungsstätte haben, sind Hochbegabte mit übersinnlichen Fähigkeiten (Telepathie, die Möglichkeit mit ihren Gedanken Mauern zu durchbrechen, Schlösser zu öffnen, Personen mit Gedanken zu immobilisieren, usw). Das bietet der Autorin reichlich Gelegenheit, die sonst bei den SEALS angesiedelten Superfähigkeiten noch zu steigern und ihre Helden in wirklich haarsträubende Situationen zu führen. Aber natürlich ist die Hauptperson in diesem Buch auch wieder ein SEAL, allerdings ein gestrandeter, der unehrenhaft entlassen wurde. (Seine Vorgeschichte wird ausführlich in der sehr spannenden Kurzgeschichte 'Shanes Last Stand' erzählt, die es für wenig Geld als e-book gibt).Die Handlung ist ziemlich spannend, auch wenn die Autorin in diesem Buch mehr Zeit braucht, um die neuen Charaktere und all ihre vielfältigen und sehr unterschiedlichen Fähigkeiten einzuführen. Wie immer sind alle Personen total dreidimensional und lebendig - ich liebe Brockmanns Typen! Man fühlt sich auch bei dieser 'Bande' gleich zuhause: es gibt die Freundlichen und die Bissigen, die Heteros und die Schwulen, und alle sind hochintelligent. Ein bißchen ist die Hauptperson Mac ins Klischee gerutscht (schwierige Kindheit, darum jetzt sehr bitchy und außerdem mit einem etwas unoriginellen Supertalent begabt, das ich nicht verraten will), aber, mei, das Buch ist ja auch kein Kandidat für den Nobelpreis.Die Liebesgeschichte des SEALs, die als tragendes Element dem eigentlichen Spannungsträger der Geschichte (die Rettung der Mädchen, die von den Destiny-Herstellern gekidnappt wurden) unterliegt, ist anrührend, aber so ganz konnte ich da doch nicht mitfiebern. Hier kamen mir die Schwächen in der Charakterdarstellung seiner Partnerin Mac in die Quere, die mir einfach etwas zu nervtötend war.Ich hatte gegen Ende den Eindruck, dass Brockmann mit dem SF-Genre noch nicht so wirklich vertraut ist. Ein paar Entwicklungen sind unlogisch und der finale Showdown ist etwas wirr, aber ich verzeihe ihr das - sie wird sich schon noch einleben und die weiteren Bücher dieser als Serie angelegten Geschichte werden sicherlich wieder die gewohnten Höhepunkte bringen.

Quite nice designed story. Story took me in from beginning and kept me reading until I finished. Born to darkness ist not to be compared to other books from Brockmann