Born of Night, by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Posted by Meesh in Book Reviews, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy | 2 comments

Born of Night, by Sherrilyn Kenyon

reviewed by Meesh

Sherrilyn Kenyon is one of my favorite authors. She writes the Dark Hunter and Dream Hunter series, so when I saw she was writing a series called The League, I quickly bought the first book, Born of Night. Because I have read almost all of the Dark Hunter books and have loved them so much, I wasn’t sure I would love a different world the same way. I don’t know why I worry so much, especially with an author who has captured my interest as much as Sherrilyn Kenyon has been able to.

Let’s start out with the most basic fact. The League series isn’t about vampires. It’s futuristic and alien and violent. It’s a world I have trouble wrapping my head around because it’s so different from our world. So why am I reviewing a non-vamp book on a vamp fiction site? Well, we also cover paranormal and this book is in that genre and I’ve been branching out from normal vamp fare for the past year and I’m dying to share these stories with someone.

So the League is a group of assassins that clean up the universe. They kill for the government, keeping the law of those in control. Except sometimes politicians are immoral and the League assassins are sent on missions that some of them aren’t willing to do. One in particular, Nykyrian Quiakides. He was sent on a mission so abhorrent to him that he left the League, and no one ever leaves. The only way he can survive is to be badder than they are, and unfortunately for the League, they trained Nykyrian to be such an effective assassin that even they can’t keep him under their rule. His childhood was so bereft and void of love and affection that he is the most lethal man that lives. Born a half-breed, he was treated worse than one would treat a dog and the League would have done well to keep a tighter leash on him. Once he is free of them, he becomes a force against their corruption.

Nykyrian creates another group of assassins whose mission is to save the innocent from the mercenaries of the universe. He is sent to protect Kiara, a dancer for whom he has felt a connection since he first saw her dance. Her father is a politician and a government from another planet has decided to kill her to send a message. It’s kind of the story of her life. At the age of eight, Kiara and her mother were kidnapped and she watched her captors torture and kill her mother before they shot and left her for dead. Her entire existence has been spent refusing to give in to the danger that surrounds her because of who she is. Then she is kidnapped again and Nykyrian saves her.

Kiara is immediately drawn to Nykyrian even though she is aware of how dangerous he is, even though she is also afraid of his violence. He is the only person who can keep her alive. She is determined to know him, to know his past. When she learns of the great pain he’s gone through, she works to show him that he is worthy of love and that in spite of his past, his present, filled with murder, he is a decent, good person.

As I said, the violence of this world astounds me. Kenyon has done a brilliant job of creating different cultures and combining them in a way that is intriguing and exciting. I’m always up for a good kill, and this book doesn’t disappoint. I plan to get the next two books in the series, Born of Fire and Born of Ice, so look for reviews here. I’d really love it if some of you would read the non-vamp books so I can have others to talk to about them! Sherrilyn Kenyon writes such compelling stuff. If you’re a Black Dagger Brotherhood fan, you will really enjoy Sherrilyn’s books as well!