Just recently, I was introduced to a series of books by Maggie Shayne.
This series has a unique plot to it, although it some slight similarities 
with Feehan’s Carpathian series.  Thankfully, this series does not 
have as heavy amount of XXX scenes as Feehan’s.  There are a few 
scenes that leave you in need of a cold shower, but the majority of 
the book contains a well written plot that leaves you wanting more 
and the steamy stuff is composed with finesse. 

So far, I have read two books in the series, Twilight Hunger and 
Embrace the Twilight.   I have been left wanting more and cannot wait 
to finish reading this series.  In this series, there are vampires, 
The Chosen, telepathic humans, blood servants, humans who are friends 
with the vampires, vampire hunters who are what is left of a federal 
agency called DPI, and the rest of the general population.

To me, the interesting kick is all vampires were human once and only 
The Chosen can become vampires.  The bond between vampires and The 
Chosen is the Belladonna antigen found in their blood.  This is what 
enables them to become vampires.  In fact, humans who have the 
Belladonna antigen in their blood tend to become very weak and die 
early in life if they are not converted to vampires.  Not all humans 
who have the Belladonna antigen can safely convert to being a 
vampire.  Some are known to go insane or become the vampire 
equivalent of a blood slave when they are converted.  Their 
conversion to being a vampire must take place when they are on the 
brink of death – just a heart beat from no longer living.  At this 
time, they are fed the blood of their ‘creator.’  Vampires easily 
bleed and require the sleep of day in order to heal any wounds they 
receive.

In addition to this interesting twist, Shayne weaves relationship 
issues into this series in a wonderful manner.  Shayne does not stick 
to romantic relationship issues, but she also includes the fickle 
issues of family relationships.  Lovers, aunt/nephew, 
mother/father/child, and family units/outcasts are all relationship 
issues that are written about.  She does not make relationship issues 
unrealistically romanticized.  The hurt that people do to each other 
is included and I think this is another point in Shayne’s favor and 
makes this series worth reading.  Thrown into this wonderful mix of 
real life problems is a teenage daughter born to vampires while held 
in captivity by the DPI. Oo la, la is all I have to say here. 

Shayne brings question of morality vs. immortality into her writings 
with a wonderful ease.  She shows the internal conflict many have 
about their souls.  Do they lose their souls upon conversion or do 
they retain their souls until they choose to walk into life thus 
ending their lives?  This is a debate that continues to some extent 
through both books I have read.  All of her vampires show a level of 
humanity although they are painted to be monsters on the loose by 
some.  Even those who seem lost or as loners maintain the philosophy 
that innocents should not be fed upon or harmed in any way.  
Innocents are often those who have the Belladonna antigen.  However, 
this is not always so.  Innocents are also those who simply have a 
good kind heart.  Often protecting the innocents is a task they 
gladly take up.  The evil ones, those who lust of the immortality of 
vampires or are other wise evil due to the heartlessness they show, 
are not protected in the same manner.  These are the ones they often 
seek to feed upon or they simply desire to protect themselves and the 
others from the harm they bring to the world.

Her characters seem real to life to me.  Her women are not all drop 
dead beautiful. They have their own issues of their own outside of 
their relationship that must be dealt with.  The men have their 
faults and tend to be humanized.  Not all of them are what is often 
portrayed as the ‘ideal’ man physically.  Often her characters are 
characterized as sickly, loners, or other wise injured due to what 
they have had to face through out their lives.  Sarafina, Her main 
character, or at least I think she is the main character since she is 
in both books, is portrayed as a beautiful woman who mesmerizes those 
around her easily.  However, this character is portrayed as a cold 
hearted loner who is avoided by many.  In the end, she begins to 
desire making amends with those she has turned against.  She begins 
to see her own selfishness and wants to overcome it.  I hope this 
continues into her next book, because I want to see Sarafina develop 
more fully.

I have heard some one referred to this series of books as being too 
male dependant.  I must say, I disagree.  I believe her characters 
act the way we often do in real life although we do not ride off into 
the sunset happily ever after.  There are always issues after riding 
off into the sunset they are just not dealt with in a romance 
series.  As a result, I say ‘kudos’ to Shayne and hope she continues 
the good work.

My one major complaint is I wish she would write more.  These stories 
have so much promise that I wish she would build upon that a little 
more.  All in all, this is a good series and a promising writer that 
I look forward to reading more from in the future.

 © 2003 Just Peaches