The Darkest Whisper (Lords of the Underworld)

The Lords of the Underworld series is a fun, very sexy romp with lots of action. The first book (Darkest Kiss) was good, but seemed overly wordy. Darkest Pleasure and Darkest night were very good in my opinion, I loved the leads, these are my two favorite books. This book, Darkest whisper, was pretty good, 3.5/5. Although each book centers around one couple, you actually get a decent amount of intro to other characters upcoming stories (like Paris and Aeron). There's also several plot lines going on at the same time, which adds a touch of complexity.

Darkest Whisper didn't get 5/5 stars for me mainly because there is a huge buildup of plot that just fizzles into a WTF moment around page 400 (out of 406). I won't give away spoilers but there's no way anyone in the story at that point would have let what happened happen. The last 7 pages of dialogue degenerated into something agonizing (and completely unbelievable) to read and I felt pretty let down with the outcome. There were other ways the author could have had the needed character interactions and events without it becoming so awkward and unbelievable.

A couple other things that really bother me about this series (and I do read for fun, not because I'm looking for a "perfect literary masterpiece") is that there's a lot of over-explaining of what people are feeling (it's not that complex) and repitition of certain points. For instance, while I appreciate knowing what a character is thinking at a certain point, it's annoying when the dialogue is broken up with PAGES of rambling "thought". I don't even remember what they were talking about without going back and looking. Also, the whole "opening of Pandora's box" and "Baden's death" scenes do not need to be referenced three times in every book. We get it.

Despite my issues with the series (and this book in particular), LotU is a sexy, entertaining series. I love the characters and look forward to reading the upcoming books (and I hope Paris gets his turn!).

I have to hand it to Gena Showalter, I've always been happy with her romance and paranormal romance books and she keeps getting better with each publishing. The Darkest Whisper is no exception. I've been a fan of the Lords of the Underworld series from the beginning, though I've heard some readers be critical that the premise is very reminiscent of J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series and Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed series (and others). Honestly, that's true in that there are a group of mega alpha males working together (and have been for centuries) to fight against an almost unbeatable foe. That war spans the arc of the series with each book highlighting a battle or skirmish or development in the war and goes hand in hand with at least one main romantic pairing. It's not an original premise, but so what? I totally dig that type of paranormal romance series - which is why I read so many of them. And the series is not defined by its premise, by any means.

Showalter sets Lords of the Underworld apart in a couple of different ways that really work for me. I love the backstory on the Lords and think it's unique and imaginative. Showalter does really well whenever anything revolves around ancient Greek mythology - her knowledge and ability to modernize ancient history is superb. She also has an absolute smashing gift of making really good choices in her romantic pairings. I can't say that about all my favorite authors in the genre. In THAT regard, she's tops in the field.

Sabin (Doubt) and Gwendolyn the Timid are a perfect example of that. I just loved them together. I've always been fascinated by the idea of Doubt as a demon and was really looking forward to reading Sabin's story. I found it totally satisfying! Gwen is a half-harpy who starts out as a walking contradiction - timid, yet ferociously deadly - and really grows into her wings and claws. Sabin (Doubt) is a Lord whose entire life is destroying the enemy and now finding Pandora's box and he struggles with regret and...well...self-doubt...as he fights an attraction to a woman he respects and admires...while every other woman he's cared about has ended up dead or destroyed courtesy of his demon. I can't say too much without spoiling the story, but I found their romantic resolution to be particularly satisfying as it relied in parts on the very nature of them both, instead of being a more external force.

On a personal note, I wasn't totally thrilled with one scene in particular at the end of the book and wish it had taken a different turn. It was a choice I wouldn't have supported had I been housing a demon at the time, that's for sure. I thought it made the non-romance plot aspects end on a weak note. It was the only weak note for me though. Otherwise, the threads that Showalter are starting to weave into her books with growing complexity - Paris' continuing downward spiral; Aeron's feelings of being watched and struggling not to slip back into psychosis (I love Legion, and the idea of her waltzing around in a tiara is priceless), and anything to do with Torin (who I have the most sympathy for - but I ADORED the beginning of the crossover with Kresley Cole's character Nuckin' Futs Nix!!) - have added a rich and luscious depth and intricacy to the books that were missing in the first couple. Those threads are really elevating the quality of the books overall and adding what was once a needed dimension.

Overall, this is in my "must read" column, but you'd miss a lot if you don't start at the beginning of the series - I suppose you COULD read The Darkest Whisper as a standalone, there's enough explanation to give you a rudimentary understanding of what's going on, but you'd lose a LOT of the atmosphere and feeling of the growing familiarity with these characters.

One caution to those who don't like a lot of darkness in their heros - the Lords of the Underworld are demons with histories that are lengthy and brutal, and The Darkest Whisper in particular had some scenes of brutality and torture that were written out and some just alluded to. Sabin can be a ruthless killer - they all can, but it's his book. I personally felt that this book was the darkest and most intently violent of the series. Not horribly graphic in description, really, but in tone. I don't have a problem with darkness and violence, but I know that some do.

Overall, I'd give The Darkest Whisper a 4.5 stars(I really didn't like that scene at the end, but the rest was so good it just detracted a little) if I could, but as we're limited to full stars it definitely gets rounded up. A must read for all paranormal romance fans!

Oh, and just one more thing...I can't help myself - I have to say I LOVE the title of this book. It just could NOT be any more perfect.

Doubt is, after all, the darkest whisper.

4 - 4.5 stars

Let me just start by saying that I love the Lords of the Underworld series. Immortal warriors housing the evils of the world as a punishment for opening Pandora’s box? Awesome concept.

This book was no exception. The Darkest Whisper continues the overall series storyline --- searching for the artifacts to find Pandora’s box, but focuses a Sabin, Keeper of Doubt, and Gwen, a timid Harpy with no self-confidence.

Like all the others, The Darkest Whisper was excellently written. Sabin and Gwen’s relationship develops from unwanted and impossible to necessary and do-able, although it is quite a struggle. We learn more about some of the recurring characters, and see the not-so-subtle setup for future stories.

One of the things I enjoy about this particular series is that it’s unapologetically brutal. Rape, murder, torture, disfigurement – it’s not sugar coated just to please the squeamish masses. These lords house demons. Their world is incredibly violent, and they’ll do whatever it takes (emphasis on ‘whatever’) to set things right again.

But... something happened near the end that just ruined it for me. Up until that point, I loved it. I was greedily reading whenever I had a few minutes to spare, because it was just that good. And then, after watching these guys fight and struggle and suffer through four books, something happened and I was like, “What? No! That makes NO sense whatsoever.”

Maybe I shouldn’t write this review when my emotions are running so high, but I’m angry, darn it. I understand what happened is required for the continuation of the story line, but it shouldn’t have been so deliberate. There were others to get from point A to point B without sacrificing everything the first 3 books (and most of this one) have stood for.

Rant over. I’ll read the next, and the next, because even though I didn’t like what happened, this is an amazing series, and I do love these guys and want to see them victorious.

I forgot how much I actually like this book until I started reading it a second time. I was under the impression I didn’t like Gwen but I was totally wrong. She’s timid and scared of even her own shadow but only because she’s been babied her whole life by her well-meaning but overprotective older sisters and insulted by her mother who’s ashamed of her gentleness. Gwen is part Harpy and part demon, but she doesn’t know about her demon father. She always thought he was an angel.
Anyway, Sabin, the keeper of the demon of Doubt, rescues Gwen and a few other women from the Hunters’ captivity and it takes a while for their relationship to blossom. They’re attracted to one another, yes, but she’s so timid around dangerous men and all this brutal warrior cares about is the war between the Lords of the Underworld and the human Hunters, no matter who gets hurt. He doesn’t have time for romance, especially since his last lover died because she couldn’t handle his demon, Doubt. Their relationship is rocky throughout most of the book but it felt believable. I loved seeing Gwen, at first shy and awkward, grow and mature into a fighter, someone she always wanted to be. Her timidness, in fact, was a strength all on its own because that was the only way she knew how to control her darker side.
The only part of the book I didn’t really like was the stupid choice Gwen made at the end. After what happened to the Lords and Gideon especially while locked up by the Hunters, she had no right to let their enemy go. One other thing that bothered me, and is the reason why this story is knocked down a star, is that the two fight scenes at the end of the book felt rushed. I also couldn’t picture what was going on, especially the battle on the street in Budapest. There were so many people doing stuff, the words he and she were used more often than the names of the characters, and I didn’t know who was doing what and exactly where they were located. So many words and actions were omitted that I don’t know how some of the characters got from place to place.
Other than that, I really liked the story and the romance. The side characters are amazing as always. Paris is hooked on ambrosia and it’s just getting worse, but at least Aeron (who needs Legion to calm down from mild bloodlust now and then) and I think some of the other guys finally know about Sienna. We meet the Skyhawk sisters and though I liked them in this book, they’re not some of favorite characters in the series. Like Anya, they’re just too bitchy for my taste. Also, I think this story is funnier than the previous one, thanks to Anya, William and the Skyhawks.
Overall, this is a good story but a few scenes could be tightened up. Still, I’d probably read it again in a few years.
4 Stars

Disclaimer – I bought this book for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.

The Darkest Whisper is my absolute favorite (so far). We finally get Sabin and Gwendolyn’s book and it is as action-packed, kick butt as you’d expect when one of the main characters is the demon of Doubt and the other is a Harpie who can’t control her dangerous side. The Harpies have always been my favorite of Showalter’s heroines and Gwen is no different! Sure she’s called Gwendolyn the Timid, but she don’t get her angry… humans and immortals both run in fear of Gwen’s uncontrollable harpy! I want to put her in my pocket and keep her with me always, but I don’t want her to pull my trachea out of my throat.

Seriously, she does that sometimes.

Does anybody else think Showalter’s Harpies resemble the Valkyrie’s from Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series? I love it! And I cannot wait to see how the two series mesh. *hint hint*

Speaking of cute immortals, Sabin is no different. Sabin is the keeper of Doubt, the leader of the group and the one who initiated the split back when Distrust was killed by the Hunters. He lives to destroy Hunters and keep the Lords safe from their foes. And the man wears loyalty well, even though my fantasies of Sabin are 50% knocking him over the head with an iron skillet and 50% waking up with him in my bed. ? He just brings out those kind of responses from me…and Gwen, too. Poor harpy!

The Darkest Whisper continues to be one of my favorite books in the Lords of the Underworld series, no matter how many times I find myself re-reading it! If you haven’t read Sabin and Gwen’s books yet, what are you waiting for?!

I found this novel a bit slower to start than the rest of the series. Once I got into it though, I couldn’t put it down. It was the best yet. Showalter picks up with her usual polished style that lets her fast paced, emotional, yet still hot & adventuresome story shine through. The suspense, both in battle and in the relationship growing between the main characters, tied me to the pages. Not only that, but the world was developed in such a full & in depth manner that I could easily picture myself in it.

Sabin and Gwen may be one of my all-time favourite couples. They are the perfect complement to and counterpoint for each other. Gwen was definitely a unique addition to the cast of characters in this series. She’s so different from everyone else, yet completely loveable. Showalter humanized Sabin throughout this novel as well. We get to know him quite well, and I definitely love the side of him we see in this novel. I really liked how we’re starting to get to know some of the other Lords better now. Each one has such a different view of the situation they find themselves in based on how it affects them. I can’t wait to see how the Cameo-Torin relationship develops later in the series. It’s got me quite intrigued. She also gives readers a deeper peak into what it means to be one of the Lords. And don’t get me started on the Harpies! Such fantastically comical, yet fear inducing supporting characters.

Will I be reading more from this series in the future? You betcha! Would I recommend it to others? Without hesitation. Showalter has crafted a world that is a joy to get to know.

Gena is amazing at writing. Only a few pages in and I was hooked until the very last word.

Anywho, Sabin is doubtful, that's just how it is when you're bound by that demon. But all of that is about to change. He's good at his job and always wants to be the winner. Then Gewndolyn changes it all up. He gets a taste for her and now his craving are all about her.

Gwen is immortal and has her own things going on. Instead of a kind human and possible life, she changes all her plans after meeting Sabin. He gives her that feeling. No one else could have broken her out of prison.

Now they both plan to fight for love, they have one of the best I've read. They must also fight for the claim on Pandora's box. You would think that is the hardest part right? After all, have you heard of the stories with Pandora's box? Believe it or not, that was not the hardest thing for them. It this love they both have, which is pretty much true. Love is always a tough battle, but oh so worth it.

I can't wait to read more of Gena's books.

The Good: The Darkest Whisper is about Sabin, the keeper of Doubt. This works so well in a story that I'd love to just read more about Doubt as a being. Doubt whispers (hence the title) to people. Makes them wonder, makes then second guess themselves and everyone around them. I generally like the focus on the Lords and would rather ignore the Hunters all together. Here, the Hunters work. Their role in the story makes the book even better. Instead of just being an unending stream of foes every single book, they're doing something here. Serving some sort of purpose towards the progression of the series as a whole.

The Bad: Gwen is the perfect target for Doubt. She's consumed by it before Sabin even enters the scene. The problem here is her constant doubt is unnecessary, as Doubt would have effected her enough. Making her weak in the beginning of the book only to make her strong in the end feels more manufactured than it should. I understand she needs to grow as a character, but it's just so hard to care about a character when they start with the potential to be a strong being but fear alone makes them weak.

3.5 Stars
This is the fourth book within the Lords of the Underworld series. The Darkest Whisper focuses on Sabin, the keeper of Doubt. For the past couple hundred years, he has been leading a separate group of the lords of the Underworld and he will do anything to save his brothers from the human hunters that want to destroy the lords. He was the typical alpha male, but he had his sensitive moments and I really liked his characters.

Sabin located one of the hunter's strong holds and after launching an attack he finds a beautiful redheaded captive that, sadly, the hunters had been experimenting on/torturing.

Gwen is timid and tries her best to hide her darker side. As a Harpy, her strength rivals even the lords of the underworld. I really enjoyed Gwen and I felt she was fantastic match for Sabin. I love it when an author shows a character coming into her own and developing his/ her personality.

Unlike the previous books within the series, this one didn't have a lot of action and the couple seemed...removed from the rest of the story. As i was reading it felt as if the world building and the arc of the story was sort of thrown in and the romance...was support or back up...I'm not sure which. At one moment I felt as if i was reading two different books. The ending also wasn't solid, but then again, this is a series so perhaps there will be some closure later.

I will definitely read more of this series!

Keeper of Doubt, Sabin, went to Egypt to find artifacts but came back to Buda with a Harpy, Gwen, that has been held prisoner by the Hunters for over a year. She was captured to be used to help spawn a new breed of Hunters, Immortal Hunters. She was one of 12 women that was raped, tortured, and drugged to get her to submit to them, but with her being a fierce Harpy nothing worked and she was saved from the Hunters in a way but still tortured. Until the pyramid was taken down by warriors that took out all her guards, scientist and other dirt bag Hunters. Now in Buda Sabin wants her for his army but his 'friend' trying to break her down with doubts but the fragile Harpy knows how to beat doubt back into the corner. Gwen's father will come into focus with Sabin and the Lords since he is a key player with them and the box. Gideon we will see a hint into his mind with what happened when he was caught and held for months. Poor Alum from the beginning we see how much he suffers with his demon and its not in a good way. Even poor Paris is still outraged over his loss of Sierra and his in depression and drinking himself numb but also hes taking straight up ambrosia to make him really numb and Aeron has to get Paris to come to terms with his loss until his finds out what Paris did to save him. Lost of secrets are reveled and lost of suffering also for many of the Lords.

Sabin, the keeper of the demon Doubt comes across an underground hunter lair that contains a bunch of otherworldly females. Sabin is immediately drawn to one female in particular. She helps them release the females but when he's about to release her one of the hunters that was kept alive for interrogation purposes pleads that they leave her locked up because of how dangerous she is. Of course Sabin doesn't listen to the hunter and releases Gwen. She doesn't harm Sabin and the Lords however, the same cannot be said for the hunter. Sabin decides to take her back with him and the Lords to their fortress.

Gwen is a Harpy. Her name is actually Gwen the Timid for a reason. Unlike her sisters who can kill someone without second thought, Gwen is more gentled natured. Now that doesn't mean that if you back her into a corner that her Harpy won't come out and play, but she tries really hard to keep the Harpy locked down. She has comes to find that Sabin is the only person who has ever been able to calm her Harpy and talk her down from blood lust.

This is another great addition to the LOTU series. We get farther into the storyline of finding the artifacts. There is a run in with the villain Galen, keeper of the demon Hope. And much more progress to be made under the Lords reach their goal.

It is just getting harder and harder to talk about each of these books without spoiling anything lol it's one of the reasons I usually do a Series Review post sometimes =) but I decided to give it a try with this series hehe

Sabin is the Keeper of Doubt and though he is an interesting character, being the leader of the second faction of Lords that has been separate from our original ones for a few millennia, he was never one my favorites to get his HEA.

After The Darkest Whisper, he is still not my favorite, I am still dying for Paris' and Torin's HEA, but I do like Sabin and I did enjoy his story. However, the biggest appeal was with his counter part, which was a huge surprise and made for a great read.

Gwen is a Harpy and we meet her when the Lords save her and other immortal females from imprisonment and abuse by the Hunters. It was great to get to know such a different race full of history and very interesting customs and beliefs.

Sabin is a leader and a warrior through and through, his biggest goal in life is winning this war and he will do anything to get it. Gwen is known by her family and friends as Gwen the Timid and has her whole life felt like she was inferior and weaker than any one of her sister, until the day she meets Sabin and through their acquaintance, and because Sabin sees in her Harpy powers and great weapon to win the war, she learns that she is much stronger than she believed possible.

As much as Sabin was never my favorite, him and Gwen together definitely sizzled my computer screen and worked out great in my opinion. As she felt more comfortable with being herself, she became more and more a strong, determined and powerful woman with a great sense of humor, a character that you couldn't help but get behind a hundred percent .

I loved the plot in this book, secrets being reveled, a lot of action and a great storyline that just keeps you riveted and obsessed with each page turn. I'm really enjoying the twists and turns that Gena is throwing at us and I just cannot wait to see what come next in The Lords of The Underworld. If you have not read this series yet, what the hell are you waiting for?

Originally Posted at Welcome to Larissa's Bookish Life {larissaslife DOT com}

It was clear that Sabin's love story was going to rock! Come on a guy who basically says that nothing is more important then his war, and doesn't want some woman to turn him into a simpering boyfriend, is going to be gleefully fun to bring to his knees.

The book starts out where the last one left off, the Lords breaking into a Pyramid where Danika's last vision/painting sent them to look for the latest artifact. What they find is even more evil wrong doing by the hunters. Mythical woman are being held and used as "incubators" to make the next superhuman generation of Hunters. Showalter's show of good and evil is refreshing as readers can make up there own mind by seeing the actions taken by both the Lords and the Hunters. It's a mind teaser seeing the Hunters--who think they are the good guys--blame every evil in the world on the Lords and then hurting children and women.

Gwen was a great character! She's a Harpy, a being who is so powerful that even bad girl Anya respects them and at one point she wishes she was one them. They love battle, blood, and all things dangerous. Of course, Gwen doesn't. She's Gwen the Timid! She likes safe boring, things, and wouldn't hurt a fly! Now that part was annoying, seeing a woman with so much strength afraid of herself. Yes, that was the journey of the book. Gwen finally being able to accept herself and deal with her blood thirsty ways. Her fears of her Harpy half are the true causes of her "accidents."

Sabin was an ass, and watching him fall in love really made my day. Seeing him finally come to the realization that he would step away from his all consuming battle with the hunters to be with Gwen was a great touch. Though the twist of who Gwen's father was is such an obvious plot twist that it killed some of the momentum for me.

Again the side stories here are amazing! Paris, Areon, and Torin take time to flesh out the story. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it when Gideon gets some page time to tell the story. He's going to be a fun character to read later on. Before this I wasn't very interested in him. Areon's Angel starker is clearly going to be tons of fun, especially with his little minion tagging along.

In the end it's decision time, and the results are . . . worth reading. The first book was awful (yes, I keep saying that), but once it's overcome the series reveals it has more to offer than "pairings". The battle of good and evil isn't black and white here, the Lords aren't saints. The Darkest Whisper is just what any reader needs for a nice dose of passion and action (of both kinds).

Sexual Content: Standard PNR love scenes. There are women that have been imprisoned and rape, while it's never explicitly got into.

3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back.

Originally posted on Book Whispers.

I feel bad giving this book a poor review, when everybody else obviously adored it. I'm a huge fan of Kresley Cole and have enjoyed a number of other paranormal romance novels as good escapist reading on particularly stressful weeks. However, I just couldn't get into this book.

At first I thought that maybe I just needed to read the others in the series. So I purchased the first one and struggled through it. I didn't enjoy it until about halfway through, at which point I felt really wrapped up in the world and enjoyed a lot. However, given how much trouble I had getting into it in the first place, I probably wouldn't have chosen to pick up another book in the series if I didn't already own this one. But I figured after reading the first, maybe I would feel engaged enough with the world to really get into The Darkest Whisper.

Unfortunately, reading the first one and getting to know the characters didn't really help. I know that this is a super popular series, so it's really just my own personal preference, but I didn't really look forward to getting back to this book every evening. The action seemed to drag, and I just didn't care that much what happened to any of the characters.

Overall, I think we all just have some books where we can see the merit of the writing and the plot, but for whatever reason, the book just doesn't work for us. For me, this was one of those books. While I would certainly read another book by Gena Showalter in a different series, I personally won't be coming back to the Lords of the Underworld.

Another great story in the Lords of the Underworld series! Again, the main couple is an interesting pair and their evolving love endearing and heart-warming to experience. But also the overarching story line stepped up a notch. The last parts of "The Darkest Whisper" are action-packed and the way how the book ends (no sweat, it does have a HEA for the couple!) leaves a lot of doors open for how the big game will be played. Great entertainment!

*Speaking in tongues, drool literally pouring out of the corners of her mouth. Or is it foam? Ah, who cares. Point is, Keeper of Doubt has wrecked Nyddi's intellectual processes!*

I had no idea. None. I should've because every book is getting better and better, but I still didn't fully anticipate what was coming for me. Oh, no. And it was a mistake that cost me dearly.

*Talks to her poor girly parts, trying unsuccessfully to convince them that they're going to be okay* There, there baby. I'll find us a Sabin one day. Somehow...

The first reaction when a couple meets is always important but the way Sabin reacted when Gwen's cell door opened? *$(@#*$(#&$*@#&*@@#!!!!

*Rolls her tongue back in her mouth*

I effing LOVE Gwen's inner harpy, by the way. When she manhandled Sabin into the forest and demanded his body, tired of waiting for him to give himself to her, and jealous of him even thinking of touching one of her sisters?

Damn it, I fell straight into love just like Sabin did. #GirlCrushAlert

Gwen has to be one of my all time faves. I was also dying at how Sabin's demon, Doubt, was absolutely afraid of Gwen's harpy.

Oh, and the image of Sabin in mid-fight, all lethal, blades swinging, body moving almost as in a dance? Ahhhh Jaysus. Too much. One more thing: the harpies have to drink blood to heal. When she drank Sabin's...his freaking reaction, all I'm saying.

I'm officially afraid to move on to Aeron. FML.

The Darkest Whisper shows us that even the strongest and most confident individual has doubts. Sabin, leader of the Greece Lords and Gwen, the timid and youngest daughter of the Skyhawk harpy clan, have to overcome their doubts and insecurities to find the truth.

Sabin's demon is Doubt. His demon targets an enemy's insecurities and makes them doubt themselves. This is a great weapon against the Hunters. Sabin is the most driven Lord in the war with the Hunters, a drive that is fueled by the murder of his best friend, Baden, keeper of Distrust. Though Doubt is beneficial to battle it's not beneficial to an intimate relationship. All the women Sabin has been involved with have doubted themselves so much that they eventually met an unfortunate end. This has lead Sabin to forsake romance and commit himself further to the war with the Hunters. That is until he met Gwen.

Gwen has her own share of doubts--in fact, she steeped in doubts, and was named Gwendolyn the Timid because of them. She doubts her own strength and ability to control her darker side. But Sabin knows her true strength and knows that she would be a lethal addition to his battle with the Hunters, if he can only get her to stop doubting herself (which is a feat in itself for someone possessed by the Doubt himself). What he doesn't expect is for Doubt to fear Gwen's harpy...

The Darkest Whisper is the most action-packed book in the Lords of the Underworld series so far. It starts off right away with the Lords searching the pyramids of Egypt for the Cloak of Invisibility and coming upon a facility breeding immortal Hunter children. The Hunters kidnap immortal women, rape them, and then take the children away from the mothers after they are born to train them as Hunters to fight against the Lords. Sabin and the other Lords take out the Hunters in the facility and free the women--some of whom are already pregnant. Gwen is one of the women the Hunters kidnapped, but she was left physically untouched thanks to the power of her harpy. The Hunters were too terrified of her and kept her locked up, forced to watch the other women being abused and not being able to do anything to help them. The attack on the breeding facility was a huge blow to the Hunters and they keep trying to get Gwen and the other women back by launching attack after attack. The chemistry between Gwen and Sabin at that first meeting was instantaneous, but each has doubts and worries that keep them from moving toward anything romantic.

I thought that the harpy consort concept was interesting. I was wondering about Sabin's ability to calm Gwen when she's going harpy. Consorts are forever, and it's very rare that a harpy finds her consort. A harpy is an independent free spirit, but every so often she will find a male that pleases her. His touch and smell become like a drug to her, and his voice soothes her fury. So it's like no matter how much Gwen and Sabin fight against it, they will keep coming back to each other because they will want no one else.

We get to see more of Paris, Aeron, and Torin's POVs. Paris is still lamenting Sienna's death and is now drowning himself in ambrosia-laced alcohol to relieve the pain. Aeron leans of Paris' sacrifice and tries everything in his power to help Paris, all the while feeling invisible eyes watching his every move. And Torin contemplates his relationship with Cameo while he watches a pointy-eared brunette walk the streets of Buda on his computer screens.

A new POV we get to see is from Gideon. He is the most misunderstood Lord because he can't say what he really means to say, being possessed by Lies. But in his POV we get to see his true thoughts since he "never lies to himself." I thought it was interesting that while Gideon was thinking about the other demons and what they could do compare to him, that he felt a longing when thinking of Nightmares that he couldn't explain. It'll be interesting to see what happens with that.

I enjoyed the guest appearance from Nix of the Immortal After Dark series by Kresley Cole. Her appearance is small and she doesn't say anything, but there are hints that Nix might be Torin's special lady. I don't know how that would work out, but Torin is the next Lord on my "Most Intriguing" list--I mean, he can't touch anyone at all--so I'd love to read his story.

There is a surprise revelation about Galen, keeper of Hope, toward the end that really threw the Lord for a loop. This series just keeps getting better and better with each new installment. I can't wait to read Aeron's story in The Darkest Passion.

Sabin is a badass. But he's the keeper of Doubt and relationships can't work, when the women are always doubting themselves, him and, basically, everything. One even ended badly. And that mistake had some dire consequences.

But he finds exactly what he needs, and that's a Harpy. Gwen. She may be the youngest of the Skyhawks, but she's no less fierce. And she feels that Sabin is her consort, so that seals the deal. It's kind of like marriage, only it's for life. One could never divorce a Harpy.

That's far from what Sabin wants, though because he falls in love with Gwen and she ends up being a nice addition to the Lords family, not to mention team, because whenever she unleashes her Harpy, nobody is left alive. Plus, with her come her crazy Harpy sisters - I absolutely ADORE the Skyhawks, all of them, narcissistic and crazy as they are.

There's a minor complication, though but they'll get over it. After all, that's what love does.

5 stars.

Sabin hasn't had a woman in years. The last woman he destroyed because his demon couldn't be kept in check has ruined him for all other women. Completely distraught over that incident, Sabin has kept to himself & thrown himself into his work looking for the gods' artifacts. On one such quest he & his fellow Lords stumble upon a nest of nasty Hunters. What's worse is what the Hunters are protecting.

Immortal women, many of them pregnant, are caged like animals inside the temple the Lords raid. They subdue the Hunters intent on torturing them for information. While freeing the women, Sabin's eyes land on one in particular & he is mesmerized.

Gwen helps Sabin to release the others & finally herself. What he couldn't have known & most certainly didn't expect was that Gwen is a harpy. As soon as her prison is lifted she vanishes, only to reappear covered in a Hunter's blood. Soon enough Sabin realizes what he's found & decides to help her. She refuses to return home like the other immortals so Sabin charges himself with her care & training.

Despite knowing they should leave one another alone, their animal instincts are drawn to one another. He is the only one able to calm her down & she is the only one who can stroke his fury in a productive manner. With the two combined, there's only one thing left standing in their way... her 3 harpy sisters.

A fabulous continuation of the Lords of the Underworld series, The Darkest Whisper is a very quick read. Sabin is a very quiet character for the most part. His demon does enough for the both of them. Surprisingly he is a caring man with intense emotions that he struggles to control. Granted a lot of that is from pent up frustration & guilt.

I was most fascinated by his relationship with Gwen. Since we're in a mythological/paranormal world I knew we'd meet other types of immortals, but I never expected to see a harpy! Her alter-ego is just as demanding & deadly as Sabin's demon, so watching these two interact was certainly entertaining. Personally, I was extremely surprised to see how volatile their ... exchanges... were. There was no real tenderness or romance to their tristes, just pure, raw need. Definitely a different take from what we've seen with some of the other Lords & their ladies.

Even better though was when her sisters came to reclaim her. Having not one, but four harpies really allows us to comprehend the severity of Gwen's situation. They also give us a fuller picture of just what we can expect from Gwen & her powers.

Again, this is an adult book, so there is cursing, questionable moral behavior (torture, murder, etc) & definitely some rather explicit sex scenes, but nothing we haven't seen before in Gena Showalter's stuff. A nice continuation of a very long story, The Darkest Whisper was a delectable treat.

Summary: This is Sabin's story. Sabin is the immortal warrior who was cursed to be possessed with the demon of doubt. His demon has the ability to get into a person's head and fill him/her with so much doubt that they slowly fall apart or make stupid choices or kill themselves. For this reason, Sabin has given up the idea of having a mate for fear of driving any woman to her demise.

Eventually Sabin meets Gwen, a Harpy who's been a captive of the Hunters for a year. Gwen has more speed and strength than even the warriors do, but she doesn't know yet how to manage her power. Sabin takes Gwen under his wing to train her as a warrior and eventually they fall in love.

Beyond the love story, there is also the continued effort to locate one of the two remaining artifacts that will help them find the box they seek. We also find out that the Hunters have been raping other-worldly females in order to gain immortal warriors of their own by impregnating the women and stealing their young to form a supernatural army.

Review: I've said in all of my reviews of this series that it has a soap opera feel to it. It's got that over-the-top drama thing going on. This book is no different in that respect. If you've enjoyed the series up to this point, then I'm sure you'll enjoy this installment as well.

Most of this book was standard issue LOTU stuff. Unfortunately the end left a lot to be desired. Sabin (as well as the other warriors) allows Gwen to make a dumb mistake that could hurt them all. And while she was making the bad choice, they all just stood there and watched it happen. This was completely out of character for all of the men, so I just couldn't buy it.

Another thing that felt wrong was that the warriors sent the supernatural children off to live with adoptive parents after they are rescued. Gwen knew who the mothers were because she was imprisoned with them. Why wouldn't the surviving mothers have had the opportunity to raise their own children? It was assumed by the warriors that the mothers would not want the children because of who the father was, but that really isn't the kind of decision you can make for someone else.

Other than these two issues, I thought the book was pretty good. It was entertaining and steamy (although not quite as steamy as some of the earlier books), and the plotline was interesting.

I can't seem to give more than a 3 star rating to any of the books in this series. They are all okay. I'm sure I'll continue reading them because I have gotten used to the story at this point. It's just not as well written as other series I've read

This is the fourth installment of the Lords of the Underworld series. I keep finding myself switching allegiances. I seem to like each new book better than the one before it. Gotta love that phenomenon.

This is predominately the story of Sabin, the keeper of the demon Doubt, and of Gwendolyn the Timid, a harpy. I say predominately because there are several story threads going at once. Each book pulls in the former happy couples and the ongoing issues and intrigues of the ones who are not mated. The hunters', those pesky misguided and 'love to hate' villains have done a despicable thing and created the most powerful weapons that have been revealed so far and more is revealed that they hope to unleash. They don't seem to understand that when your flinging mud some gets stuck on you making them dirtier and more evil than they accuse the Lords of being.

But back to the hero and heroine! Sabin is the most focused, ruthless, and lethal Lord of them all. Nothing, even innocents or friends, get in the way of achieving his end game. He is derisive of the Lords who have found their mates because they are now weak for putting their females first and that will NEVER happen to him. Well, not to mention, the last time he tried to love a woman, his demon forced her to commit suicide from all the doubt she experienced.
Then there is Gwendolyn or Gwen as she likes to be called. Gwen does not like who and what she is so she leaves her mother and sister harpies to forge a life amongst the humans on her own. She already possesses a boatload of doubt in her ability to rein in her inner harpy or that anyone could love her for who she really is. Hey, even her sisters baby her because she is a washout as far as they are concerned.

So, when Sabin and the Lords' strike team find Gwen and several other female immortals imprisoned, that begins the inner struggle of two individuals both embracing and fighting their attraction. Doubt is the least of their issues with the kind of mistrust they battle all the while trying to gain some ground in their race for the artifacts and to outwit the ever present hunters.

This book reintroduces the new Aeron keeper of Wrath with his little demon friend and the downward spiraling Paris keeper of Promiscuity. It gives some focus to Torin and Cameo. But it also introduces the harpies who are Gwen's sisters which give Anya a run for her money in the Alpha girls club.

And oh yes, more secrets are revealed.

Great read!

First off I fell in love with LOTU when it first came out with The Darkest Night back in 2008. I enjoyed The Darkest Kiss #2 and The Darkest Pleasure (Loved Reyes story).

I have books up to The Darkest Surrender and was excited to get back to this series and catch up with the sexy LOTU heroes, as it as been ages since I have read them.

I was a little disappointed with The Darkest Whisper. For me I did not have any connection with Sabin and Gwen. Their characters were a bit flat. Sabin is possessed by demon Doubt so I really thought this book was going to have a lot of different emotions. Unfortunately there was not enough depth in the writing and could not get into his feelings.

What I loved about The Darkest Whisper was we got to see Aeron, Legion and Paris. I adore all of them and can not wait to read their stories. Up next is Aeron and his little demon friend Legion in The Darkest Passion. I am curious how she is going to handle Aeron having feelings for someone. She can be a tad possessive.

I am a huge fan of Gena Showalter and I look forward reading the rest of the LOTU heroes. If reading this series I highly recommend reading in order. Even though I did not enjoy this book as much as the others I would still recommend reading it because we get some insight on Aeron and Paris and get ready for their adventure.

Review originally posted at Wickedly Delicious Book Blog

I absolutey loved this book. The Lords of the Underworld are still on their quest to find all 4 artifacts, and after searching pyramids they come across Hunters who have immortal hostages.
Gwen is a Harpy and considers herself Timid and not like other Harpys. Her mother has dis-owned her and her sisters are much older and more bas-a** than she is. Sabin hosts the demon of Doubt and when he rescues Gwen he is immediately attracted to her. They get together yada yada yads.....

Her three Harpy sisters come to take her back but she won't leave and when half the warriors go to Chicago to try and find an immortal student school, Hunters invade Buda. Gwen pushes herself to the limit and saves alot of Children and the warriors.

Realizing the Sabin is going to have to trust Gwen to let her know that she is #1 in his life he lets her make the decision to let the head of the Hunter's go at the end of the book when they go to Chicago to rescue the other warriors. The head of the Hunter's happen's to be her father Galen Demon of Hope.

Alot of action in this book. I love that more and more immortals are being introduced to this series.

The Lords Of The Underworld is a fantastic paranormal series that I highly recommend reading, filled with sexy, tortured heroes, sizzling love scenes and fun action filled storylines. I enjoyed the first book (Darkest Kiss) and loved books 2 and 3 (Darkest Pleasure & Darkest night) however book 4 turned out to be my least favourite in this series.

THE DARKEST WHISPER is Sabin's story and he's the keeper of the demon doubt. This gorgeous immortal warrior spends his time on the battlefield because his demon forces him to involuntarily destroy friends and particularly lovers self confidence (with the darkest whisper). Victory over the evil hunters and finding Pandora's Box is Sabin's only concern until he stumbles across Gwendolyn The Timid, rescuing her from a breeding facility set up by the hunters. Gwen is herself an immortal although unaware of just exactly how powerful that side of her is. She is a `Harpy' which when allowed free reign is a creature even more powerful than the immortals. With opal coloured skin Gwen also bears tiny wings and when enraged fangs, claws and a thirst for blood.

It seems that Sabin is the only one able to control her Harpy side and upon realizing her power decides to train her to help in the fight against the hunters. Gwen the timid is full of self doubt so when teamed with the keeper of doubt their relationship is... well pretty doubtful. Luckily her harpy side is strong, able to tune-out Sabin's demon and lust after the warrior. Sabin unfortunately wants to keep their relationship strictly business for fear that his demon will destroy her but he's also hearing that awesome alpha male voice in his head, the one that screams "mine" whenever she's around. Sabin tells himself he'll just train her like any other warrior but Gwen and her alter ego have other plans. There aren't as many love scenes here as in past books but the ones that we get are scorching hot and filled with so much hunger that they border on violent.

Throughout Sabin and Gwen's story we are given generous amounts of POV's and sub-plots from the other immortal warriors and their mates. These sections were my favourite parts of the book; I loved learning more about the secondary demons as Gena Showalter sets the groundwork for their upcoming stories. In particular we hear from; Gideon (lies) and Aeron (wrath) Amun keeps his (secrets) and Torin (disease) and Cameo (misery) have one of their own. Kane flirts with (disaster) while Paris's (lust) is becoming increasingly heartbreaking as he develops a Phury like dependency. Throughout Anya along with William supply us with much welcomed comic relief.

The Darkest Whisper is full of twists and turns, great action scenes, romance and we even learn a few secrets. Unfortunately the ending is anti-climactic, involving a silly story-line revolving around locating and rescuing X-Men (mutant) type children that go to `Hunter High.' However if you're a fan Of LOTU then I wouldn't miss this instalment as there are several occurrences that will have a bearing on the next book THE DARKEST PASSION due out 06/2010. This is to be Aeron's story, which I look foreword to with great anticipation. Cheers.

I've been struggling with this series because the last few books have been a little bit boring to me. The last book (The Darkest Pleasure) was painful for me to finish (should have been called The Darkest Nap). I had every intention of not reading another book by Gena Showalter (her other series books didn't interest me either) but lo and behold a gem has come along to get me excited about this series once again.

Sabin is possessed by the demon of Doubt which means that he causes everyone around him to question everything around them. This makes it really difficult for him to get close to anyone because they begin to doubt his affection, friendship, integrity, and even their own abilities. He has limited his contact with women mostly to one-night-stands because when he starts to see them more frequently the demon makes them think they are useless, worthless, and in the case of his last girlfriend, suicidal. Sabin is also a leader of the men and he doesn't have time to become involved with a woman while he is fighting a war.

Gwendolyn the Timid is a harpy that has been captured by the humans that hunt the Lords of the Underworld when Sabin finds her. He is instantly drawn to her but when Gwendolyn kills an enemy in a fit of rage his fellow Lords fear that she is more than even a Lord of the Underworld can handle. Knowing she is part harpy, Gwendolyn has always thought herself weak (her mother is a harpy and her father is an angel). Harpies are supposed to be the devil's minions and Gwendolyn is afraid of everything. Sabin sets out to train her to be strong so she can help them fight their enemies and hopefully win her dangerous harpy sisters to their side as well.

As they spend more and more time together they start to fall for each other but Sabin's demon keeps feeding her doubt in her abilities. Sabin feels he doesn't deserve happiness and doesn't know how he can be with a woman when his whole life has been fighting to banish the demon that lives inside of him.

I was surprised I actually liked this book. I really had my doubts when I read the other reviews but I really felt for Sabin and Gwendolyn. They both knew what it was like to be an outsider and in the end I really cheered for them to be together. This book also did a great job of furthering the story of other Lords characters that I'm looking forward to reading about. I hope that she keeps up the good books!

I was going to review these individually, but I thought I would go through all four in the series pretty quickly and do one big glowing review. That seemed to be true upon reading the first two books, but things slowed down for me reading book 3 (The Darkest Pleasure).

The series starts off well .... your typical tortured warrior who finds a women he seemingly can't have. All the books are based around a group of Lords, warriors who were once in good with the Gods. They did something they shouldn't have and were expelled from the Gods' good graces and punished by being forced to harbor evil demons. Each warrior hosts an evil demon such as Violence, Disease, Distrust, Death, Wrath, etc. These demons provide the stumbling blocks in the warriors relationships with their fated women.

On top of the romance there is suspenseful plot built around the premise of a group of "Hunters" who think the world would be a better place without the existence of these demons, therefore without the existence of the Lords. Hunters will do anything necessary to get their hands on the Lords of the Underworld and the series develops into a war between the two.

I really enjoyed book 1 and book 2. The warriors were strong and sexy, yet vulnerable. The women were relatable and likable. I rooted for Ashlyn in The Darkest Night to find her own feet and stand on them. I cheered as Anya from The Darkest Kiss kicked Lucien's ass and took names while doing it. Their stories grabbed me and pulled me in so that I had to finish them.

I wish I could say the same positive things for book 3 and 4. Something about the last two books fell flat for me. I found myself more interested in the subplot of the war than I was in the state of the relationships. The characters seemed to be too typical and predictable. I don't want to spoil anything so I won't go into detail but I found the ending to The Darkest Pleasure unrealistic. It didn't work within the previous context given to the Gods and their actions. Book 4, The Darkest Whisper, was a disappointment to me. I was slightly more interested in the relationships, but the subplot of the war was almost entirely missing from this story. There was almost no development or progress in the fight and again I found the ending unrealistic for the characters.

I will keep reading the series because I find the series idea and subplots interesting, but I hope the next book is an improvement.

I finished this book a couple weeks ago, but because of life getting in the way, I haven't been able to sit down and and write my review for it. Now that I am here before a computer, as I think back on the book, nothing about it stands out to me. This scene... no, that was from the second book in the series. Well, this character... nope, book 1.

Hmmm.

Gena Showalter's writing is the literary equivalent of your favorite fast food place. You know exactly what you will be getting, it is never that great, but it's never terrible either, and it doesn't take a lot of effort to get through it. However, we all love fast food, and after experimenting with other tastes, it's really nice to come back to where there are no surprises at all.

Having said that, this is definitely one of her weaker entries. The character of Doubt was not one that I was really aching to hear his story, and though I thought it was cute how she paired him with a female that was so full of doubts herself that she could easily tell when the demon was speaking to her, when all was said and done I wasn't impressed with the character of Gwen. Compared to previous heroines, she pales in comparison. If you're not that enamored of the two leads, what else have you got? I guess I was happy hearing about the secondary characters, and I'm very interested in which of the four (unmatched) Lords that had serious face time in this volume will have their story told next.

Overall, if you are already a fan of the series, it won't hurt you to read this, but it won't hurt you at all to skip it either. If you have other things to read, read them first. You can always come back to your regular another day.

An enjoyable paranormal romance. I've read an earlier book in this series some while back, which I actually don't recall the details of. But it's easy to pick up the action and figure out who fits where and what's going on, as the author takes care of all the backstory without it feeling ridiculous or overwhelming.

Our female lead is an interesting choice which I liked. Gwen is a harpy who is soft-hearted and afraid to unleash her inner Harpy lest she cause anyone harm. As the story begins, she's in a predicament that she's rescued from by Sabin and other demon-possessed Lords of the Underworld--soldiers of the Greek Gods who foolishly opened Pandora's box and were demon possessed. Thus, for thousands of years, these Lords have been tormented by their demons. Some of them have met women to love; but not their leader, Sabin. Sabin is possessed by Doubt and every woman he cares for has been destroyed by that demon's insidious whispers into insanity or suicide. So he's reluctant to admit his attraction to Gwen when they rescue her. But there's something about the little red-haired harpy that keeps getting under Sabin's skin...and his demon seems to be having the same problem...

I doubt I need to spell out the romantic escapades, which follow the typical resistance on both sides, misunderstandings, reversals, screwing up--but with an added twist of an unexpected revelation that affects the story's ending and causes some problems to be dealt with in future volumes in the series.

Overall, a sweet romance, and a good example of the paranormal romance genre. I liked Gwendolyn the Timid, and Sabin her new-found fellow. Sparks fly from the moment they met.

The downside is that this feels very formulaic and like many another paranormal romance. A bit halting in parts, a bit silly in the stubborn refusal to see reason on the parts of the lovers. This isn't overwhelming, but I find I've read it too often and it just doesn't work so easily for me any more, despite enjoying the happily ever after (for now) ending we know the couple are sailing for through the whole book.

Whenever you have an ongoing series, you always run the risk that it will grow stale. Or even worse, jump the shark. I'm happy to say that this fourth installment in the Lords of the Underworld series, does neither. In fact, I didn't just like Sabin's story, I loved it.

Sabin, like all the Lords, shares his body with a demon. His demon is Doubt. And compared to some of the other guys, he got off easy. But Doubt has done its fair share of making Sabin's life difficult. The biggest problem is that Doubt manages to destroy every woman Sabin gets close to. Of course, our heroine is no ordinary woman.

Gwen is a Harpy. She and some other supernatural women were kidnapped by Hunters to become part of a breeding program. The Lords stumble across them one day while fighting Hunters and rescue the women. Gwen and Sabin have an instant connection.

One of the things I love about this series, besides the uber-hot-sex, is that no two heroes or heroines are alike. Gwen manages to be both vulnerable and strong. I loved watching her grow into her Harpy-abilities as she falls harder and harder for Sabin. Perhaps even more captivating is watching him try to fight his feelings, and failing miserably.

The love story here is both sweet and sexy. And it develops as the ongoing story arc of the Lords' battle with Galen and the Hunters continue. I hope we end up with a book for each Lord. Poor Paris needs a happy ending. 5 stars.

THE DARKEST WHISPER by Gena Showalter is book four in the Lords of the Underworld series. Not only is it one of my favorite series from all of the books she's written, it's one of my favorite paranormal romance series. For those who haven't read this series yet, I recommend starting with book one and work your way through the series in order.

Lords of the Underworld...

Long ago, they'd opened Pandora 's Box, unleashing the demons from inside. Each of these warriors is now a host to one of these demons. The box has been lost, but there are four artifacts that will lead to its recovery. The problem is a group of Hunters are also looking for the same box. They want to use it to destroy these warriors.

THE DARKEST WHISPER centers around Sabin, Keeper of the Demon of Doubt, a warrior who did what needed to be done, when it needed to be done, no matter what was required - killing, torturing, seducing. The war between the Lords and Hunters was first and foremost in his life.
While he and a few of the other Lords were in Egypt, they discovered one of the Hunter's laboratories. The Hunters were impregnating immortal women to use their off-spring as future Hunters. One of the women Sabin rescued was Gwendolyn, an immortal, a Harpy. The chemistry between these too was combustible.

Because the demon Doubt is so negative, I just didn't see how I could fall for Sabin, but I did and hard. I felt Gwen was a perfect match for him as well and I loved she was a Harpy. I look forward to reading more about her sisters in future books. Also, this wasn't a predictable story. I was surprised at the ending, which is a new one.

I not only recommend this book, but the entire series. I think paranormal romance fans will each have their favorite book, but this one is mine.

The leading lady of this book is Gwen, a harpy (love the use of the harpy myth; never seen that one before). She has been imprisoned for the last year in a cell where she awaits her captor's to figure out how to sedate one of her kind so they can rape and impregnate her so they may spawn a half harpy/half human warrior for their ranks. While they wait, they systematically rape other women of other supernatural species in front of her and she watches as the other prisoners progress in their pregnancies in their neighboring cells.

Our leading man, Sabin, is an immortal being with a demon of doubt trapped within him, causing Gwen to constantly hear mocking comments within her head. He rescues Gwen then forbids her from leaving his side, traps her in his bedroom, insists she learn to fight because she will spend her rest of her days fighting in a war he started, and forces her to shower nude with him with the intention of taking her sexually whether she agrees or not (but this is a romance novel, so she does).

Holy s---, what a heavy premise.

Don't worry either, none of that is a spoiler, that all happens early on. The rest of the book is an attempt at sexual tension.

I wouldn't mind any of this (besides the shower part) but Showalter writes the whole thing with her easy going and fluffy prose, which is fine, normally, but it contrasts too starkly with the story and ends up just being a long flyer for a take back the night rally.

4 stars for this one. Very good book despite some major issues.

This is the story of Sabin, keeper of Doubt, and how he comes to know and love a Harpy named Gwen. Gwen struggles with a battle to be normal, constantly battling her dark side while worrying that she is not as brave or strong as her older harpy sisters. This uncertainty intitially leads Sabin to believe that they can't be together, despite the fiery attraction between them, because his demon makes people doubt themselves to the point of depression. However, Gwen's strength and will begin to grow even as the love between them grows.

Gwen probably the weakest part of this book. She started out helpless and I don't mind that in a heroine, if I see her improving througout the story. She does (somewhat) but in the end, at the crucial moment of the conflict she chokes completely. Without giving too much away, I'll just say that some of her actions left the overall impression of a character who is not as well developed and strong as she should be.

I felt the romance was adequate. I really liked Sabin, and I felt he grew and matured in the developement of the relationship, which is good to see. That pretty much made up for aforementioned slightly annoying heroine. I also like that the couples from the previous books were revisited a tiny bit. Plus we see more developement with Aeron and Paris. Really makes me look forward to future books.

Overall, if you liked the previous books this one is well worth the read.

The story begins with Sabin and his fellow Lords of the Underworld preparing to attack some humans led by a former Lord of the Underworld who are trying to destroy Sabin and his groups as well as their wives and children. The Lords were guardians in heaven of Zeus but were persuaded to open Pandora's box which unleashed demons. The demons are now living inside each Lord - one for each. When this first happened many centuries ago, the Lords were wild and the demons in them had control so many innocents were killed. Now, however, most of the Lords have found ways to live with and control their demons. Sabin's is named Doubt.

As the Lords attack the "Hunters" - humans led by the ex-Lord - they find that the Hunters held several women imprisoned. Some of these women are pregnant. One woman is very special and is in a more secure "cage." Her name is Gwendolyn, nicknamed Gwen the Timid by her sisters. Sabin is immediately attracted to her and knows there is more to her than her surface beauty. Gwen is also an immortal like the Lords and had been untouched by the Hunters unlike the other women. Why this was true and who she really is becomes the main storyline of the novel.

While I enjoyed much of the book, I felt the storyline was full of holes and felt there was a strange kind of mix of mythology (Greek and Roman) as well as some Christianity that for me did not provide a solid background for the immortals, their quest and why they were doing what they were doing!

4 stars for this one. Very good book despite some major issues.

This is the story of Sabin, keeper of Doubt, and how he comes to know and love a Harpy named Gwen. Gwen struggles with a battle to be normal, constantly battling her dark side while worrying that she is not as brave or strong as her older harpy sisters. This uncertainty intitially leads Sabin to believe that they can't be together, despite the fiery attraction between them, because his demon makes people doubt themselves to the point of depression. However, Gwen's strength and will begin to grow even as the love between them grows.

Gwen probably the weakest part of this book. She started out helpless and I don't mind that in a heroine, if I see her improving througout the story. She does (somewhat) but in the end, at the crucial moment of the conflict she chokes completely. Without giving too much away, I'll just say that some of her actions left the overall impression of a character who is not as well developed and strong as she should be.

I felt the romance was adequate. I really liked Sabin, and I felt he grew and matured in the developement of the relationship, which is good to see. That pretty much made up for aforementioned slightly annoying heroine. I also like that the couples from the previous books were revisited a tiny bit. Plus we see more developement with Aeron and Paris. Really makes me look forward to future books.

Overall, if you liked the previous books this one is well worth the read.

The story begins with Sabin and his fellow Lords of the Underworld preparing to attack some humans led by a former Lord of the Underworld who are trying to destroy Sabin and his groups as well as their wives and children. The Lords were guardians in heaven of Zeus but were persuaded to open Pandora's box which unleashed demons. The demons are now living inside each Lord - one for each. When this first happened many centuries ago, the Lords were wild and the demons in them had control so many innocents were killed. Now, however, most of the Lords have found ways to live with and control their demons. Sabin's is named Doubt.

As the Lords attack the "Hunters" - humans led by the ex-Lord - they find that the Hunters held several women imprisoned. Some of these women are pregnant. One woman is very special and is in a more secure "cage." Her name is Gwendolyn, nicknamed Gwen the Timid by her sisters. Sabin is immediately attracted to her and knows there is more to her than her surface beauty. Gwen is also an immortal like the Lords and had been untouched by the Hunters unlike the other women. Why this was true and who she really is becomes the main storyline of the novel.

While I enjoyed much of the book, I felt the storyline was full of holes and felt there was a strange kind of mix of mythology (Greek and Roman) as well as some Christianity that for me did not provide a solid background for the immortals, their quest and why they were doing what they were doing!

Fans of Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 1) and A Hunger Like No Other (The Immortals After Dark Series, Book 1) will be thrilled with Showalter's series about demon-possessed warriors once beloved by the Gods. Tricked into opening Pandora's Box and letting the ills of the world loose, each alpha male takes in a different cursed aspect - Death, Disease, Lies.... and in the case of this book, Doubt. Charged by the Gods to atone for their crime by retrieving the lost Box, the fallen warriors are in a race against an ancient foe to get to it first. Whomever has possession of the box can lock away the demon/curses forever - stripping them from their hosts and killing them in the process.

This is Sabin & Gwen's story - Doubt and a Harpy. All his previous lovers had been driven off or turned to suicide by the demon inside him. Would the girl he rescued be any different? The Lords Series allows for powerful females as well, much like the Immortals, and thus is a satisfying read if you don't particularly like the ladies always being the 'Damsel in Distress' type. Gwen starts out meek, but quickly learns how to use her powers with control, giving us a couple on equal footing. Hot love scenes are fewer than one would like, and the author does like to set up future books with glimpses into other characters that take us away from the central plot. Neither of these is particularly bothersome, and readers of the genre are used to both.

The Darkest Whisper is Showalter's latest installment in the Lords of the Underworld series. This book is dedicated to Sabin who houses the demon "Doubt". He cannot lie, but is constantly tormented with doubts (hence the title).....about people, situations, everything!

At the beginning of the book, the warriors are all in search of the Hunter's who are trying to find Pandora's box to recapture the demons. The problem for the warriors is that without the demons inside them...they will die themselves. We meet Gwen, the timid, who has been held by the Hunter's in their "breeding ground" where they rape women to create new hunter's for the war. If this is sounding unfamiliar or wierd and you haven't read the first three, I strongly suggest that you read this series in order!

I loved Gwen. She was the perfect counterpart to "Doubt" as she has her own doubts and fears that she contends with daily. The interactions between Sabin and Gwen are HOT HOT HOT, but remember this is Showalter that we're talking about! I love where Showalter is taking this series, and this book (more than any other) gives "teasers" to potential future books. Torin (disease) and Cameo (misery) have several hot scenes together and Paris (promiscuity) continues his decline since Sienna's "death"......oh I hope their book is coming soon! Aeron, Amun, and Gideon also get page time and I am wondering how in the world I'll be patient for all their stories.

This one won't disappoint.

Sabin (Lord of the Underworld, Keeper of the demon Doubt) has come across one of the most fascinating creatures that he has ever encountered when he releases "Gwendolyn "Gwen" the Timid" from her prison. Bent on destroying his greatest enemy (the Hunter known as Galen or Hope, Sabin wonders how he can use Gwen, and those powers she hasn't learned to control (She is a harpy!) to accomplish this. Cursed, along with his greatest allies (the Lords of the Underworld), Sabin must conquer his fears, learn to trust, find something he thought he'd never find (love), all while searching for the remaining items that will finally allow the Lords to separate from their curses. Having only located two of the four artifacts necessary to insure their success, Sabin hopes Gwen will be instrumental in the war to come. Unbeknownst to Sabin, he may hold the one thing that Galen hadn't counted on, Gwen.

This was my first Gena Showalter novel, but it will not be my last! I enjoyed this paranormal romance, with tons of intrigue and fierce fight scenes. And while I realize this was not the first story in the series, I didn't feel confused or unable to catch up with the storyline. And I really look forward to finding out what happens to Torin (Disease), Cameo (Misery), Amun (Secrets), Aeron (Wrath), Gideon (Lies) and the rest of the gang (especially if they find love) in future books.

Gwen, timid harpy, becomes the love interest of Sabin, keeper of the demon Doubt. Gwen's daddy might drive a wedge between them if her sisters don't drive a wedge through Sabin first. What could have been hot conflict between a halfling harpy and a douche of a demon becomes a tale of Gwen overcoming her own fears and doubts while Sabin becomes weak with them. I suppose this is a matter of personal taste - I'm a strong woman, strong man kind of girl. Gwen has inner strength, and Sabin has outer strength - and during the course of Darkest Whisper, they each find themselves reversing these roles. The romance - tepid at best. Showalter seems uncomfortable with long drawn out descriptions and flowery writing, which actually could be a positive if you love the romance sans the ridiculous deflowering and endless descriptions of that ilk. While I sit somewhere on this fence, I just didn't find Gwen or Sabin very likable. However, some of the other "Lords" are pretty interesting - and I enjoyed Anya very much. So, I may pick up some of the other books in the series.

Bottom line: Average book for adult paranormal romance - enjoyable. Starts slow ends strong. Romance tepid, character development great but main characters just didn't work for me. While this is a series book, you do not have to have read the other books to follow the story line.

Sabin the keeper of Doubt meets Gwen the Timid. Gwen is a powerful Harpy who doesn't know the power of her own strength. While the Lords battle with the hunters heats up, Sabin and Gwen have scorching chemistry. I enjoyed this installment but not as much as the previous books in this series. This particular installment tried my patience more than the previous books. Although it was interesting, dark and dangerous, there were too many instances of convenient coincidences and predictability. Despite my annoyance at times, I really liked Gwen. Yes she was a timid girl in the beginning, but by the end of the book, grew into a strong woman. If urban fantasy readers choose to read this series, I recommend you allow a wide range of patience to sift through all the internal dialogue, self-doubt and emotions. If you are a LOTU fan, this installment should not be missed. There are several occurrences that take place, which will have impact on future installments. I look forward to reading the next book in this series The Darkest Passion, due out 6/2010.
I also recommend:
Blood Magic: A Novel
Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 1)
Insatiable Desire (The Demonborn)
If Angels Burn: A Novel of the Darkyn
Pleasure Unbound (Demonica, Book 1)

The Darkest Whisper is the fourth in Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series. This book focuses on Sabin, the keeper of the demon Doubt. After his demon has destroyed some of his previous lovers, Sabin has sworn off relationships for fear of destroying someone else's life. When he meets Gwen, his demon thinks that he will be able to lead her down that path; however she is stronger than she appears. This is the first in the series that I have read which made it a little hard to follow and understand all that was occurring with the characters, I wish I had read the other three in this series before reading this one. The author has developed some fascinating and interesting characters.

The author has penned a romance and intertwined the paranormal. Bound by the demon of doubt, Sabin destroys lovers unintentionally, and his greatest concern is victory and battling on the battlefield until he meets Gwen. Sounds intriguing doesn't it, well it is and leaves the reader anticipating the next in the series. While waiting for the next in the Lords of the Underworld series I will be reading the first 3 in the series and will be prepared to continue with this great collection.

Sabin houses the demon of Doubt. Any lover he has ever had has been crushed with doubt by the demon. While he isn't against bedroom activities, it's better he concentrates on the coming war with the Hunters. Especially since his last lover killed herself. The fight is his only care - until a mission to Egypt changes everything and he meets an imprisoned harpy, Gwendolyn the Timid.

I loved this book. I've enjoyed the previous stories, but Sabin so far as turned out to be my favorite Lord. Both he and Gwen are great characters, but Sabin stands out. He is always a warrior, tough, giving no mercy, that is until he meets Gwen and we get to see a bit of his softer side. I love that even though he is ever trying to protect her, he comes to treat Gwen as an equal. In the end they make a great pair. The Darkest Whisper is a page-turner. Delicious and full of action. I look forward to reading the next book. If you haven't checked this series out, definitely do so.

I have been anxiously awaiting the next book in the Lords of the Underworld series and this one certainly did not disappoint. I found it a little hard to like Sabin but I loved Gwen and her harpy sisters. Sabin's total dedication to winning the war against the Hunters even if it meant hurting his friends or other people rubbed me the wrong way. But the harpies definitely made the book worth reading. The action was great and it was it was nice to see Sabin brought to his knees by a woman. This story was also filled with some great twists and turns in the battle between the Lords and the Hunters. I did not see those coming and cannot wait to read more about these new developments. We also get a few more glimpses into Paris's and Gideon's stories. Ever since Paris's woman was killed I've been dying to know what is going to happen in his story. Luckily according to the page at the end of this book the next Lords of the Underworld installment is due out January 2010 and it will be called Heart of Darkness. I cannot wait because it features another Harpy, one of Gwen's sisters!

I'm not going to read this series anymore, it just doesn't grab me. This book was okay, in a kind of going a long with it way, while I'm reading it, but I kept putting it down and reading another book and feeling no urge to go back and read it some more. It feels too generic, and it just didn't engage me, which was the problem I had with the other books. In theory I should like them, they are romances, which I love, and paranormals, which I read all the time. Maybe I've read too many but there's nothing new and exciting here for me. The men are like JR Wards guys but with more sensible names, the women are more distinguishable, but I don't want to be their friends and I don't love the men, really, it's kind of bland. The men are meant to be tortured but I just don't feel it, and there's a scooby doo gang kind of feel to it, which doesn't go with the tortured ethos, and there is very little sexual tension. It sounds worse than okay, doesn't it? It's reallly not that bad, just too easy to put down.

At first I was disappointed to learn that Sabin, the keeper of Doubt, was going to be featured in the fourth book of the Lords of the Underworld series. I didn't really care for him in the other books. Probably because he was originally split from the demons we learned to love in the first three books. But, this turned out to be the best one yet. Showalter has once a gain created fascinating characters full of contradictions. Sabin is a warrior that has never put anything before victory. Gwen can rip out a person's throat in a matter of seconds, but is known as "Gwendolyn the Timid". From the moment they meet, they are drawn to each other. But, every time Sabin has gotten close to a woman Doubt has destroyed them. How can an already insecure Gwen survive a relationship with him? You can't help but route for this couple.
While this book focuses on Sabin, readers of the series will enjoy getting to know more about some of the other characters. There are a lot of directions that this series could take. I hope we don't have to wait long for the next book!

I'm loving the personalities emerging and coming together in so many different facets and couples. I also was thrilled by the strong new "female" characters that have joined the series!!! Action packed, intense in the loving and definitely the best so far. I loved it! It was 3 stories rolled into 1! Magnificent job in writing!

I have never read any other books in this series before but I found this book to be a fun read. Anyone who has a read a romance novel will be familiar with the basic premise: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, there are insurmountable obstacles placed in their way, and they overcome them anyway. However, this romance has several fun twists to it: the boy (Sabin) is possessed by the Demon of Doubt, the girl (Gwen) is a Harpy and Sabin and his fellows are fighting the Hunters who think they are the good guys. (They are, after all fighting demons, right?)

And yet the demon-Hunters run a horribly inhumane breeding program (which the demon-possessed heroes dismantle) and their leader Hope turns out to be a really nasty piece of work while Gwen's sisters (the other harpies) are actually quite fun--as, of course, are the other demons-possessed heroes.

All in all, if you're looking for a really light read on the beach or the plane but don't want the usual romance, I would recommend this book.

This is the 4th book in the Lords of the Underworld series.

A little background on the premise of the Lords of the Underworld:
Thousands of years ago a group of warriors disobeyed their laws, and their Gods and Goddesses when they killed another warrior, Pandora, and opened the box she was charged to protect. When they opened the box they unleashed demons and those demons needed a new host, they chose the warriors. Since that time the warriors have been paying for their mistakes. Once reckless, careless and even cruel they have learned to some control over their demons and are now more good than bad.

Hunters are mortals that are trying to capture the warriors, and trying to find a few artifacts of the Gods that will lead them to Pandora 's Box. Once the Hunters have the box they can recapture the demons and kill the warriors. The warriors are also looking for the artifacts and the box; they do not want to lose their demons and their lives. Hunters once thought to be good, and Warriors once thought to be bad have reversed positions. The Hunters are getting greedy and using any means necessary toward their agenda.

This is Sabin's story. Sabin is the keeper of the demon Doubt. Whenever he is around you all your insecurities and doubts come to the forefront of your mind, making it impossible for you to trust yourself or others around you. As a result he has never had luck with women. The last woman he loved ended up committing suicide when the doubts got to be too much for her. Since that time he has stayed away from women and relationships.

Sabin and a few other warriors infiltrate a Hunter building and discover women being caged and tortured, they set them free but one of those women catches Sabin's eye. Gwen has been locked up for a year. She has always been timid, a direct contrast to what she is - a Harpy. When Sabin finds this out, he decides to take her back with him and his friends to their fortress knowing he can use her against the battle with the Hunters.

Gena Showalter has fast become one of my favorite authors with this series. With each warrior continuously battling and at the same time protecting their demon, it makes for intriguing characters. It's not a black and white world and the Lords are thriving in all the shades of grey. The search for the artifacts, the battles with the hunters make her books really hard to set down. But, it's the relationships and the dynamics between the men, and the newer relationships with their women that keeps me coming back for more. The relationship between Sabin and Gwen is delicious, it's humorous, and it's sexy. I can't wait to read the next story!

The Darkest Night
The Darkest Kiss
The Darkest Pleasure

Cherise Everhard, December 2009

The story line is pretty involved and if you have not read the other books it may be hard to follow, mostly because there are several characters, and mythological gods to mix up.

For those who have not read the others the run down is basically...Pandora's Box was opened by warriors Zeus had created, the box held several demons that Hell itself could not even contain. As punishment the warriors were forced to harbor those demons for all eternity. So for instance the demon of Pain causes its Warrior to cut himself repeatedly, the demon of Promiscuity causes its Warrior to have sex with anyone it can get its hands on every day, and so on. Meanwhile, Galen one of the Warriors who harbor the demon Hope has forged a war against all the other warriors and started a faction called the "Hunters" who are looking for Pandora's Box so that they can suck all the demons back into it and in the process rid the world of all its pain and suffering. The down side is if the box is found and that in fact is done, then all the warriors will die without their demons.

3 of the warriors have been mated so far and the one that is mated this go around is Sabin, the keeper of Doubt. The book started off great, couldn't put it down.

Sabin and the other warriors are on the hunt for the box and end up in Egypt where they find an underground breeding cell that houses several immortal women of various kinds, one of which is Gwen (a harpy/angle, Kresley Cole rip off). The women have been used to mate and bear children for a supernatural army that the Hunters have been brainwashing (Laura Adrian rip off). Gwen thankfully has not been raped yet because they are unable to control her Harpy side and is deemed too dangerous, but she has been kept captive for nearly a year when Sabin saves her. so the love affiar begins.

While this is going on Paris (keeper of promiscuity), Aeron (keeper of Wrath), and Gideon (keeper of lies) have their stories evolving. Paris is plagued by an unmatchable want for a dead hunter he cannot have, Aeron is stalked by an Angle who is about to fall for her lust, and Gideon is captured and tortured brutally by the Hunters.

Spoiler: Bad Ending! Turns out Gwen is not half angle she is half demon, her father is Galen. Here is where the story goes wrong in my opinion...all the Warriors have been searching for Galen the past 3 books. When they find him in this 4th installment instead of dispensing some serious justice for all the wrong Galen has done Sabin lets Gwen decide what she wants to do with her Dad. She lets him go!!!!!! Geese, that was frustrating by all means. I'm not a fool, I know that Showalter was attempting to show the reader that Sabin was willing to let his love for Gwen win over the war that he deemed more important then anything else, thus proving Gwen was now the most important thing to him, but whatever...it was lame.

Also, I liked this series for what it was, because it was unlike any of the others. I know that Kresley Cole and Showalter are friends, but their writing style is not the same and Showalter should stay in her own "sandbox".

Gina Showalter has concocted an intricate tale of demons, angels, harpies and other non-human creatures in a vivid series of stories guaranteed to titillate the senses. Her latest offering, The Darkest Whisper, features Sabin--whose demon is keeper of Doubt--and Gwendolyn, his forever love who is half-harpy and half-angel.

Dark forces are at work to destroy the 'evil' demons as human 'hunters' inflict heinous and brutal tactics to achieve this objective. Sabin and his Gwendolyn are the last hope of survival. Will they succeed in driving back the hunters who would destroy them?

The characters are well-rounded, the story works well as a fantasy and the prose is very dark indeed. Ms. Showalter does a good job with this series.

Recommended
Diane Davis White
Author, Moon of the Falling Leaves

I have read the other books in the series and I recommend you do as well. The story can be stand-alone but, some of the previous books bleed into it. Also I know that once you have read this one you will want to go back and read the others - and you don't want to spoil anything.

This book is exceptional.

The other books in the series.
The Darkest Fire - (Short Novella) - this is the story of the creation of Pandora's Box.
The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld, Book 1)
The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld, Book 2)
The Darkest Pleasure (Lords of the Underworld, Book 3)
The Darkest Whisper (Lords of the Underworld)
The Darkest Prison - (Short Novella)

This was my first book in the series. Though paranormal romance is a genre I have long enjoyed, I had not picked up Showalter before. I'm pleased to say that on the whole I found it a solid, enjoyable read. Showalter offers smooth, flowing prose that kept the plot moving. Sabin (Doubt) and Gwendolyn the Timid were both interesting characters, and while the initial, highly intriguing conflict (how does a man find romantic happiness when his inner demon makes women insecure?) didn't exactly resolve in the way I would have thought, it turned out not to be quite so core to the story to be an issue for me. The conflicts that replaced it (less personal to the pair, more central to the overarching plot) were entertaining enough on their own.

One of the greatest strengths of the story, though, was also for me one of the bigger stumbling blocks. Showalter obviously has an intricate, thoroughly realized world created here, peopled with enough characters to make it feel three-dimensional. I like series romances where characters continue from tale to tale, but as a first-time reader found the focus on subcharacters here just a bit excessive. For example, while Showalter very likely is setting up future storylines, I found the sex life of Torin and Cameo was simply a distraction. Cameo in particular was a cipher in this book; while Torin was sympathetic, I didn't much care what they did behind closed doors.

Readers unfamiliar with the story should be cautioned that there is a kind of peculiar blend of darkness and light. The book includes torture, rape & murder. These are all rather casually alluded to and most of it takes place off stage, but it's there and particularly as some of it is committed by the protagonists, some readers may find it a sticking point. It is also rather explicit with the sex. This won't be an issue for many, but those who prefer more allusive "From Here to Eternity" fading into the sunset could be a bit put off.

For that matter, those looking for "From Here to Eternity" intensity may also be a bit put off. There wasn't really a lot of emotional interaction between these characters. That's not necessarily a bad thing, mind. There's plenty of books that offer endless pages of romantic navel gazing for those who like that kind of thing (and sometimes I do). This one is a good bit quicker in pace and concerned a lot more with accomplishing plot points that pondering emotion.

On the whole, I would recommend this book to those willing to commit to the entire series, since even though this is the only I've read it's pretty obvious that it is part of a global whole. If the sex and the violent underpinnings of the story do not disturb you and if you are comfortable with a quick-paced, witty and somewhat facile romance, you could be in for a very good experience. I enjoyed mine, and I would be happy at some point to pick up more.

This is a romance with a definite dark side. It's major character, Sabin, is host to the demon Doubt, who was released when Sabin and his compatriots opened Pandora's box. And Doubt has caused Sabin no end of problems, most especially to his love life, as any woman he pairs up soon wilts under the never-ending doubts that Doubt injects into her thought train. Obviously the solution to this is to find a woman who can withstand this pressure, but the solution offered here may seem paradoxical, being embodied in the person of Gwen, a timid (?) Harpy.

As a romance, the attraction between these two follows pretty standard lines. Their initial meeting and tentative attempts of feeling each other out is well done, but the final resolution of their attraction is quite predictable. Gwen is an interesting character, certainly not what you might expect in a Harpy, and may be the strongest portion of this work.

What is not standard is the basic world these two inhabit, as even though it's nominally our Earth, as it supposes that the Greek gods are real and still hanging around, which sets the stage for the major plot line composed of the Lords of the Underworld (humans infected with the various demons from Pandora's box) in continuous battle with the Hunters, led by Galen. As part of their battle, rape, torture, kidnapping, indiscriminate killing, and general mayhem are an everyday thing; some of the descriptions of these activities are fairly graphic, and the questions of morality that such battle techniques engender are perhaps somewhat glossed over, though they do occupy much of Sabin's thought train. The supporting characters and their demons are only mildly interesting, perhaps because we are given only small looks at these people. Their shown abilities also mean that the reader must accept these things as a given; logic and science have no place in this version of the world, even though some modern warfare gadgets see heavy use.

Some of the sex scenes are fairly explicit, although not grossly so. Those who prefer such activities to be shrouded in veil of delicacy might wish to avoid this book, while those who relish all the details should be quite satisfied. However, in places there were statements about certain anatomical functions that are well beyond normal human capabilities, which strained my belief in the story, even as a fantasy.

A reasonable read, a good, dark environment, but stretches the boundaries of believability while remaining a tad too predictable.

---Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

Like his comrades, Sabin hosts a demon he and the others released from Pandora's Box; his being Doubt. He knows unless a miracle occurs as has happened to some of his brothers in arms recently, he will remain eternally alone as he fears Doubt will destroy anyone he cherishes.

He leads an expedition in Egypt for one of the ancient artifacts that could help him and his dark warrior teammates reconstruct Pandora's Box and contain the demons. They find their enemy the Hunters, who believe killing the Lords of the Underworld will destroy the demons, have captured immortal women locking them in hidden cells. One of the prisoners is incarcerated in a glass container. Over the fears and warnings of the Hunters, he frees Gwendolyn the Timid, who unlike the other harpies does not enjoy the kill though she rips out the throat of the Hunter who imprisoned her for the past year. She fears her dark side is free so she wants to return to Alaska to hide from mortals. Instead Sabin takes her to Budapest with him. He wants her and she wants him, but Doubt wants her blood to flow.

The latest Lords of the Underworlds saga (see THE DARKEST PLEASURE, THE DARKEST KISS and THE DARKEST NIGHT) is once again an extremely dark exciting tale in which Gena Showalter's mythos laden earth seems genuine. The hero is a fascinating brooding protagonist who for the first time since his fall has a sliver of hope although his demon leaves him with doubts while the harpy is ready to kill the demon inside her beloved if it gets in the way of love. Though a stand alone as are the other entries starring different "Lords", romantic fantasy fans who appreciate a modernization of ancient myths should read the previous three novels; not only are they excellent, they provide depths to this strong gory read.

Harriet Klausner

I was happy to see Showalter continue her Lords of the Underworld series. I was hoping it would be focused on Paris this time since the previous book left he and his love with a tragic ending. Instead, Showalter turns to the lesser known lord, Sabin. Sabin lead a group of lords separate from Lucien and the rest of the group we have been reading about thus far. Sabin, a more proaction type of hero meets his match in this one when he incounters a harpie, Gwen. Apparently Harpies are scary, scary beings. Gwen is a bit different, and yet more powerful, too.

I liked reading about the romance between Sabin and Gwen, although I felt even though there was a lot of build up, the ending just fizzled out. I was hoping for more bang. Which is why I gave it four instead of five stars.

Loved Sabin for sure. Especially at the end of chapter four where he killed the hunter for Gwen. I found that so hot and sexy lol (I know that sounds sick and weird) but hey he knew from that moment on that Gwen was his and would protect her for life even though he didn't want to. As for Gwen well she kinda annoyed me at times but otherwise I enjoyed this book very much and can't wait to continue on reading the series.

This installment in the LOTU series had a lot of action going on, and some of the content was a lot darker and more intense than in the previous books.

I wasn't sure how I would like Sabin, but he ended up being one of my favorites so far; maybe because he's tried to have relationships in the past, that somehow made him seem more realistic (in the whole fictional heavenly warrior now housing a demon kind of way).

I didn't have a problem with Gwen so much, she understood what happens when she's pushed too far and tries to do what she can so that her dark side doesn't come out. She even managed to make it learning how to better fight and protect herself.

Both Sabin and Gwen are a good fit for each other, since he can talk her down from her Harpy rages and her Harpy scares his demon to the point of quietness.

The rest of the LOTU and their crew have their turns in the book; Ashlyn and Danika (although we didn't hear much from Maddox and Reyes in this story), Anya (always hilarious, but not as outrageous), William (our favorite lovable vampire), and we get to meet Gwen's sisters. One big shocker (at least to me) was learning the identity of Gwen's father.

I thought the beginning chapter was intense, learning about what happened in the hidden chamber in the pyramid, but the Chicago trip was definitely the stuff of nightmares, especially Gideon. I was happy that Sabin finally got his head together and accepted Gwen as wanting to fight alongside the LOTU, and while I didn't agree with his decision to let Gwen decide what to do about Galen, I understand why.

Another solid book in the series. Can't wait to read the next one.

Well. I'll keep it simple. Love the Lords of the Underworld. Sabin's (Demon of Doubt)'s female is Gwen, hell on wheels literally once she gets started but she was also young only 27 in real years compared to everyone else's thousands of years, so Gena S integrated that well without detracting from anything else. I liked that she was growing into own powers and they unfolded as to why they were and what exactly a harpy was anyway, and its nice to be able to kick your mans behind if he really needs it.

The best part of the book was actually the fact that their were great scene's for most of the characters in the book, without it being too much at all, giving us more info on the second set of immortals that split from the 1st group under Lucien. The bad guys have new tricks up their sleeves that made it a really interesting read that kept my attention. The end was not as great as the rest of the book, but it sets the scene for the upcoming books.

Even Nix from Immortals After Dark Series by Kresely Cole, made an appearance, not as much as I would have liked, man that would have been fun for Nix to trade verbal bards with the Lords and help them kick some tail, or kick their tail, whichever needed to be kicked. For for fans of the Cole Series, it was a riot. Do it again, but with dialog!!!!

First I want to say that I love this series.
There was so much going on but I like knowing some of the stuff I read. I just wish someone would put Paris out of his misery he's just in this funk that he can't seem to break out of all because of a stinky girl.
Next Sabin was an interesting character and reading his story was a ride but just not long enough like the other warriors in the previous books. His soon to be Mate was Gwen and I liked her until we got near the end.

I don't care if you love someone betrayal of that magnitude is huge. I just lost respect for him. The last chapter had my chest tightening for the other Lords and how they must of felt.

Despite some of its short comings it was still a good book in the series.

I'm not giving a synopsis because plenty of people already have done that...so I'm just going to say that I loved this book. I liked our Harpy heroine,Gwen,who I think has been my favorite so far(that is until the last 20 or so pages) Sabine, also proved to be a likeable kicka** kind of guy even with the Demon of Doubt housed within. The book moved quickly, with plenty of action,romance and new story lines(hoping for Harpy sister stories), but still focused most of the story on the interaction of the two main characters. I think this is what makes a good book, the fact that I walk away liking the characters and wanting to know more of their fictional world....Now I could have done without the last 20 pages or so to be honest.**************SPOILER**************I wanted to smack Gwen upside her head for letting Galen go. Better yet I wanted to take Sabine and Gwen's heads and smack them together for being so damn stupid. I'm sure for the rest of the series it was better if he wasn't caught but to actually have the hero of the story LET HIM GO for no other reason than his crazy Harpy mate can't decide if he should be imprisioned made me want to throw my book at them...other than that I'd recommend you go buy it!

This book was once again a hit! I love how Gena Showalter can portray sweet, shy heroine's, but at the end they can still kick butt! And Sabin...yum! There was a lot going on with the other warrior's too (yay!), but Showalter does a wonderful job of enhancing, not distracting from the main couple. I can't wait for the next book in the Lords of the Underworld series!

P.S. Be warned, the farther you go into the LOTU series the more tame it gets in the romance department. From what I've been reading it seems as if she has found Jesus and Jesus doesn't like her to write her steamy scenes anymore. For me, the newer LOTU (Paris' story and beyond) will be something I borrow from the library, and not buy.

The fourth in a series, The Darkest Whisper is primarily the story of Sabin and Gwen, Dark Lord of the Underworld and Half-Harpy, Half-Angel. From the book, one can discern that this odd coupling is emblematic of the other couplings (and I do mean couplings) in the rest of the series.

The plotline is this: each of the Dark Lords is the host for a different demon that flew out from Pandora's Box, back in the B.C. Day. Galen, who convinced them to open the box, is battling them with a group of Hunters who believe he is an angel. In addition, both Galen and the Lords of the Underworld are vying to find four magical implements that will aid them in finding Pandora's Box.

Showalter's world and concept are intriguing, but the combination of keeping all the characters in all the books and building a new complex romance would be beyond most writer's abilities. I think Showalter did an able job, yet I don't think I am intrigued enough to read any more of these novels.

The fact that there's a question in my mind about that makes me add an extra half-star. Three and a half stars.

Not the best of the series, but intriguing internal battles....Both inner demon and self.
Hunters remind me of number of current American political figures. Tiresome & warped.

Gwen came into her own at the end. I hope the children will be ok

This fourth installment of the Lords of the Underworld (LOU)series was a fabulous effort. There are so many paranormal storylines out there but Gena Showalter's unique approach is so satisfying! The LOU are 12 immortal warriors who have been cursed after opening Pandoras Box. A demon posseses each one, this book is the story of Sabin, Keeper of Doubt. The plot has been summarized much better in other reviews than I could, so I'll skip that, but I'll tell you that the way the Sabin struggles with his inner demon Doubt, and how he eventually learns to live/love with it is so interesting...the story moves fast and doesn't get bogged down with unnessesary details. The heroine, Gwen, with her half-Harpy side was so creative and fun...it made me think...how did Gena come up with this? The love that grows between Sabin and Gwen follows a clear path, so that in the end I beleived it. In my opinion you will get more out of the series if you start with the first book, however you can read this one as a stand alone. Sometimes I needed to refer to the glossary in the back to help keep the immortals/demon names straight, as there are a lot of them, but that's ok. Gena also gives us insight into other upcoming story lines such as Paris-Keeper of Promiscuity and Torin-Keeper of Disease (can't wait to see how Gena is going to write a love story for him!). I was so thrilled with this book, truly enjoyed it and look forward to more of the series!

I have read all of Gena Showalter's Atlantis series and now I'm going throught the Lords of the Underworld series. They are good, after you get used to the back and forth "she can't love me, he can't love me, i'm too ugly to be loved, oh but I do love him, does he love me back" crap the story is pretty enthralling. I read each book in like a day and half so it's definitely a page turner. I like the women have spunk, but the demon-possessed lords do get on my nerves at times with their self-pity mess. I gave this book 4 stars because of the ending, I realize the series must go on and Gwen had to confront her father sooner or later, but couldn't it have been later cause man she pissed me off. It's like after all the lords hard work and sacrifice and she just...sigh... Besides that Showalter doesn't disappoint with the dialogue or the sex scenes. The going back and forth does get redundant at times but I usually just skim past all that. The avid reader, and Showalter fan, that I am willl keep going through this journey and hope for more tolerable endings. Love can conqueor all but does it have to be so sickening to the point I roll my eyes?

Spoiler alert****

Chick let's him go after they finally get the leader of the hunters in their sights and she just can't pull the trigger. Maybe it's supposed to be apart of her nature, timid and all, but I thought we were past that like she got the training, the man she wanted said he loves her, and she has the oppotunity to prove her strength and end it all and she says go. I screamed! If you're gonna do that Gena just don't through in the twist at all cause while I love a good twist I hate being pissed at the end of a book even more.

I really loved Sabian and Gwen's story. I looked forward to reading the book day-to-day. I've read the Immortals After Dark serious and instantly noticed the similarities before the mention of Nix. Not sure I really want them to cross mix in future books in this series. I loved that this book put the Lords in jeopardy. I like the fact that they win some, lose some. I found the romance between Sabian and Gwen to be very erotic. I liked both characters very much and loved how the other Lords were incorporated into the story. I look forward to the next book in the series.

It takes ALOT for me to give any romance book 5 stars but this book deserves it. I absolutely love this series by Gena Showalter. She gives the characters a life that is lacking in many other romance series. They seem real and there are enough quirky characters involved that it stays interesting. What I love about her books is that is not always dark and serious as in other series. There are moments of comedy...especially with Gwens sisters and hints of possible future romance that really makes you want the next book. I am also extremely interested in the paring of another authors series with this series. We got a small glimpse of Kresley Coles Immortal After Dark series (which is also a great series) with Nix popping into the village. I cannot wait for Torins book now. You could really feel the connection between the hero and Gwen, which is lacking in many recent books from other authors. Overall great series and possibly the best book in the series...also have to give kudos to whoever designed the cover...freaking awesome.

Greek Demon of Doubt and Harpy/Demon Female - Being the keeper of the demon of Doubt plays havoc on a successful relationship w/a woman, which is why Sabin keeps his encounters w/the opposite sex as brief as possible; until petite and ferocious Harpy Gwen enters the picture. Gwen's attraction and feelings for Sabin yield some surprising results and make her one of the most vicious of heroines I've read; we're talking scary-bada**, but in an entirely good way. These two knock your socks off and provide a great read. ;-) The Darkest Whisper gets a (2) Dark & Steamy on my "Romance Read Scale".

I am looking forward to each new book. I picked up book 5 needing something to read. I have been burning my way through them... I now understand some of the things that I was not certain on before. These are a great set to read if anyone if looking for a paranormal romance novel. They are not overly sexual and have enough action and drama going on to keep you wanting more!

New to this author. I received this from the Vine Program. I had no idea it was a HR novel. I was worried when I received the package. SO glad that I read it!
I could not put it down! Very well written, suspenseful and sexy. I have since finished the first book in the series in less than 24 hours!
I could read this and enjoy it even not knowing any of the prior stories. I have always enjoyed fantasy stories so this fits that bill well. Plus it tosses in the romance/sexy parts too.
I am very glad I selected this book to read and look forward to more selections from this author.

Darkest Whisper was pretty good entertainment. The story kept a good pace, and had plenty of action, romance, and unexpected twists to keep the reader glued to the pages. Many of the characters are very strong females, which is quite refreshing to see women with power doing their thing, instead of always playing the helpless victims. I found the book easy to understand, and even though it's part of a series, one does not need to have read the previous entries to understand what's going on, though it does make you want to read the rest of the series, due to the intriguing characters and setting.

The Darkest Whisper: A Reader's Review

Although I am a graduate student of literature, a teacher, writer and author, I absolutely know nothing about the paranormal genre. So I will give you my thoughts on this book based on the impression it gives me and not if it lives up to expectations of the "paranormal romance" category or it's readers because I am not qualified to make such a judgment and I'm asking for your understanding with this review.

This book is something else. It is a cross between "Dark Shadows" and Greek/Roman Mythology and the tragedies of Shakespeare with a healthy dose of American soap opera drama/pettiness.

There are many characters in here; and, it seems to be a chapter (the fourth installment) in a series about a underground kind of civil war involving "The Lords of The Underworld"--a group of demons or physical embodiments of evil and/or conduits for a series of malevolent forces: i.e., the Demon of Doubt, The Demon of Death, Demon of Violence so forth and so on. We're told very early that everywhere these individuals go these accompanying spirits assist and sometimes provoke, instigate, entice the environment just by their mere presence.

Against this group is a band of vigilantes (?) called "The Hunters." The book opens with the leader of the LoTU and a few members victorious over their supposed aggressors. The first chapter is one of the most morbid descriptions of violence I have ever read. And, it sets the stage for the rest of the novel.

This is NOT by any sense of the imagination your mother's Harlequin romance of the 70's. This-is-no-joke. Like it or not, this subject, interestingly enough, seems to be very common in the entertainment field as I keep running into it in various forms--and, the corresponding audiences don't seem to ask or need any kind of explanation, it seems to be understood. What comes to mind is Japanese anime. Many of the stories are profoundly and unashamedly occulted in theme. This is no more or less than some of the contemporary horror films that have come by in the past decade or so. What is surprising, however, is that the weight given to this overarching theme seems to be more "horror" than "romance" novel.

There are, however, several moments that will always stick out in my mind, such as the eroticism between Torin and Cameo. Torin, The Keeper of Disease was sitting at the monitor when Cameo (another LoTU) comes home and the description of the seduction (his? hers?) had me giggling like a mischievous high school student. His noticing her waist-length black hair as she turns her back to him/ his ordering her to undress/her flinging off her long black boot to him.... it was indeed a memorable moment. If I were a betting man, I'd guess that Ms. Showalter was sharing an intimate moment from her own life.:) '

All things being what it is, this is not the kind of book that I typically read, but it was interesting to see what other people are reading.

Three to three and a half stars.

I read the first 4 books of this series and while it wasn't horrible, seeing as i did finish reading them, i wouldn't recommend them to others. They weigh too much on a hot, steamy side and not enough on the developing storyline and each character. However if you want something very similar to this genre and series i would go with The Black Dagger Brotherhood. The characters are much more developed and you care about them much more deeply. To me, that is what makes a great book and these don't pass the cut.

I really enjoy the books in this series. They have action and romance. I enjoy books with action and some romance. My friend bought one of these books in audio form and i listened to it at work. I am a great fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books by J R Ward and the Lords of the Underworld remind me of them. I would recommend this books and the entire series to all. They will get you hooked and waiting on the next one.

Obviously this is not great literature - if that is what you were expecting (how'd you get that from the cover?) - you're looking at the wrong book. However, if what you want is a mindless read with entertaining characters and a plot that is at least slightly different from JR Ward's series, you've got it here.
I think my favorite part is that Gwen comes into her own through love - learns how to not be timid, basically - instead of the usual somewhat reversal that you find in so many romance novels. I also like that bin is not perfect male specimen and that Gwen doesn't feel (much) of a need to "fix" him.

If you're into reading paranormal romance, you won't be disappointed (though probably not thrilled, either).

The Darkest Whisper is part of the Lords of the Underworld series. The story has plenty of sexy carryings-on, but also supernatural themes, violence and action. Some people may find it a bit too gory. What I really liked, though, was the development of the female main character, from repressed and shy to self-possessed and powerful, a woman who really draws the admiration of everyone around her - except her enemies, who only know fear, and not for long! It will bring out the harpy in you, but in a good way.

This is the fourth installment of the awesome butt kicking series Gena Showalter wowed her fans with.... Lords of the Underworld! In this book Sabin keeper of doubt meets his match.

Gwen is a Harpy, you know the evil, thieving, scions of Lucifer, battle loving kind of Harpy. Only something went wrong with her. You see she's timid, she's.... good! Her mother slept with an Angel and as we know what happens, nine months later a little screaming Harpy was born. Unfortunately Gwen is so timid that even her mother disowned her. Her three sisters love and protect her, but still realize she's not the most butt kicking tool in the shed. Now Gwen is captured by the Hunters... something no self respecting Harpy would ever allow to happen, and freed by the Lords. Ah here is where Sabin comes in.

Now this book isn't all romance, Harpies and Doubt. The plot line thickens and the stakes are raised when the Lords learn that the Hunters are breeding with mortals and immortals to find new and more dangerous weapons, in the kids! The Lords still haven't found the other two artifacts and Galen is on the loose and raising and army even greater than the Lords had imagined or prepared for. The Hunters are becoming more brazen with their angelic leader whispering lies about the Lords and promises of riches and freedom from all disease and demons.

Sabine and Gwen are such an unlikely couple. Throughout the entire book I wasn't sure if I was rooting for them or wanting them to get a life and move on. Thank god they didn't listen to me! Gwen's sisters are hilarious and I sincerely hope that at least one other Lord ends up with another Harpy (their ideals and rules are just too good to limit to one book!). Oh and I won't ruin it but for Kresely Cole fans... remember when a certain character mentioned going to find these 'host sexy Lords of the Underworld'? Well I think she might just do that!

This is a deeper and more complicated book. The next one comes out next year, boo! But alas I'm sure it will also be well worth the wait and anguish! I do so love these demons!

The Darkest Whisper was great!
The story line, though simple... (you know, bad boy meets bad girl... fireworks ensue), was fast paced, well worded and engaging.
I couldn't put it down, I was rooting for Sabin and Gwen, and though it had it's cheeseball moments, (her father, for example), it was just a fun romance novel.
Now to find the first two in the series, because even though this book stands alone, I'm interested in finding out more about the other characters.

This book was very good I actually had to go out and get the first 3 books of the series so that I can catch up and be prepared for book #4 because I didn't realize when I first received this book. This book made the "bad guys" so delicious "yes I said delicious" If, your a paranormal romance fan, which I am than this is a series to get into Gena Showalter is a new author to me, but now one of my favorites, if you like JR Ward or Karen Marie Moning you definitely love this series.

... it was okay. A few other reviewers made the observation that a lot of other authors' writing styles and ideas seemed "borrowed" in this novel and I definitely agree with them. The author is NOT Kresley Cole and should not attempt to write like her. Furthermore, suddenly introducing witches, vampires and other signature IAD creatures into the LOTUverse, which had previously hosted no such creatures just screamed "RIP OFF" to me. I don't care how close the authors are, their real life connection should not bleed over into their books.

I say again, Gena Showalter cannot and should not write like Ms Cole. Their styles are different and when Showalter attempts to imitate the humour and intensity of Cole, she falls far short. I hate to compare the two authors, especially since I've always enjoyed both of their books but Showalter has left herself open to comparisons. I feel that Ms Cole is streets ahead of anyone in this genre at this moment in time. This fact can, and probably will, change in the future but right now, in my humble opinion, no-one can touch her. Ms Showalter was doing fine with her LOTU series so why she felt the need to suddenly turn it into a second rate IAD imitation simply confuses me.

This is not to say that I hate this book. On the contrary, while I feel it wasn't great, I did think it was okay. In fact, jarring reminders of other series' aside (BDB and IAD to name but a few), it was a pretty interesting and enjoyable read. Until, as another reviewer noted, about 10 pages from the end, when I nearly screamed in frustration. I think I actually swore - yes, I'm 97.9834545% certain that a perplexed "WTF?!!" escaped me. I do not understand how Sabin and ESPECIALLY the other Lords just stood by passively and allowed what went down. It makes no sense knowing what we know about them. After centuries of conflict (and yes, I'm trying very hard to write this without spoiling it for anyone, so if it seems vague - sorry. People who have read it will probably know what I'm referring to), the ending just seemed completely out of left field. After what had JUST happened to Gideon and Anya - seriously? That's how it's going to go down? Are you effing kidding me with that? It was so incredibly irritating and made me lose complete liking and - I suppose the word is - respect for the hero and heroine. I'm actually amazed that I managed to read the remaining few pages to the end. In fact, I will probably have to go back and re-read those pages because I was still seething so much as a result of what had just happened that I didn't really absorb much of what I was reading.

All in all the story was okay. Not great, not fabulous, not The! Best! Ever! as some other people were rhapsodizing, merely okay. If it all seems familiar to you in some way, that's probably because you've read it before - written in another way, in another series or from another author. I gave it 3 stars because it managed to keep me reasonably entertained, if somewhat annoyed, for the most part. I would have given it 3 and a half or 4, if not for that ridiculous moment close to the end.

I'm looking forward to Gideon's story, because Lies seems like a cool dude but if all I get is another watered down IAD imitation, I'm going to have to shelve the LOTU series and that would be a complete shame.

If you love the paranormal romance genre, Gena Showalter and the Lords of the Underworld series is a must read. The character development is great throughout the books. The premise of the Lords unleashing the demons from Pandora's box and being taken over by a demon in the process makes for a interesting story line. Not to mention the love scenes are steamy. Showalter brings a sense of real emotion, turmoil, love, loyalty, and some plain fun to each of her books.

I have read a few of the books in this series and have enjoyed most of them. Having read many books of many genres I realize that authors suffer from writers block and find the need to fill in with a lot of repetitious dialog and/or internal thought processing and I can live with that. I was enjoying Sabin's story until close to the end of the book. What I find totally unforgivable about this story, which could have been a 4+* one, is the scene between Gwen and Galen close to the end of the book - what gives Ms. Showalter - did you have a melt down???? the least you could have done was to let those who suffered put their tormentor in a dungeon; and, to keep the series going, let this despicable being escape in one of your future books. I have only read two books with horrible and unforgivable "close to the end" endings throughout the past 15 years of reading romance/paranormal/fantasy/mystery/thriller,etc. books and this is one of them. What a shame!!!

WOW! I was prepared to enjoy another Lords book but didnt expect it to be as awesome as it was. Usually by the 3rd or 4th installment a series can get repetitive but not in the Darkest Whisper. If anything this book took a darker turn then the others. Total Shocker!! The opening catches you off guard and draws you in.I did not expect Sabin keeper of Doubt to be more of a bad a** then Pain/Reyes and Death/Luc. This story was full of excitement with more insight into the Lords and their enemies the human Hunters. Showalter intoduces a new creature into paranormal lore with the heroine Gwen who is a harpy. Harpies are suppose to be the baddest of the bad and poor Gwen gets stuck with the "timid" label which is oh so true until Sabin causes her to come out of her shell.
The attraction between these two was immediate and instead of being filled with disbelief, I was able to see why they would be drawn to one another and I totally loved it. Gwen's sisters added a humorous element and having Anya the Goddess of Anarchy is always a guaranteed laugh. I really didnt want this book to end. While Gwen and Sabin try to battle and defeat the hunters we are given more glimpses of Paris' downfall since Sienna's death and Aeron makes my heart beat faster :) I especially need to know who's spying on him.

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the Lords of the Underworld. Sabin is a great character. So hot and sexy. Gwen is a strong female character who I enjoyed reading. Still not my favorite (#2 is!) but the characters are wonderful and the story is excellent. I love the continuing develpoment of the subplots and I love how the author gives us a hint of the next storyline in each book

I am not a book critic, or much less a reviewer. I read books simply for reading pleasure. This book I am giving a 5, but I have to honestly say, that much of the story line is hauntingly familiar. I am a big fan of jr ward and the BDB and this story certainly had a familiar ring to it. Don't know about other readers just my own personal opinion, didn't stop me from reading and enjoying this book. The BDB's books are two far and in between. Basically what I am saying is that if you are a reader of this genrue (Spelling) you will enjoy the book. Good writing and fast story line.

I actually cheered when I saw this book on the shelf a week early at my local Wal-Mart. I fell in love with her LOTU characters and couldn't wait for their continued story. Thank you Gena, this book didn't disappoint.

Sabin possessed the demon of Doubt and he met his match with Gwen the Timid. At first, I was worried that with a moniker like "Timid", it was gonna take all book to get her come out of her shell. Boy, was I wrong. She connected with Sabin immediately started coming into her own. She tried to suppress her true nature but Sabin always brought it out of her. I really loved their interactions.

The woman Sabin had loved fell victim to Doubt's words and killed herself, because of this Sabin has cut himself off from women and focused on finding the box. When he first met Gwen and found out her secret he wanted to use her as an ally in the Lord's fight against Galen. He never imagined that she'd be able to resist his demon's poison thus making it easier for them to be together. I laughed at when I read Doubt's fear of Gwen. Priceless!

Also what made this book so good was the insight to the other characters. Aeron and his companion, Legion's relationship was endearing and cute. Paris continued downfall from missing Sienna was sad and interesting. Gideon, whom kinda was a background player in earlier books, stood out. I actually teared up when he spoke the truth...the circumstances behind it and his reactions was just so powerful. Amun was another who stood out. His demon of secrets were more of a burden than this reader knew. Ms. Showalter really showed how close these men are and no matter what nothing could tear them apart. Truly beautiful!

I recommend you sit down, read this book and prepare yourself for some twist and turns with all culminates into a VERY satisfying read.

2010 is just too long to have to wait for Aeron story but like they about "good things coming to those who wait".

Personally, I have liked this series of books up to this point and really looked forward to reading this one. However, I noticed this time that the author's voice was muddled up. The foreward indicated much thanks to Kresley Cole who is a favorite author. However, this book sounded more like an attempt to write more like Kresley Cole (in her voice) than previously Gena Showalter books (in this series, in particular). I love the way Kresley Cole writes but it is different from what I have become to expect from Ms. Showalter (both of which have their positives). I felt that the plot really didn't gel for me and not much action actually happened (in the bedroom or out). I commend Ms. Showalter for continuing to improve upon her writing. Unfortunately, I felt that it was confusing because I could clearly hear two separate authors here. I felt like this book read more like a draft of a book rather than the final version. I was disappointed and, worse, I was bored!

I have never written a review before after reading dozens of romance novels including all the the prior books in this series. I was enjoying the book up until the end which may have ruined the series for me now. I think the decision Sabin made at the end for Gwen was utterly unbelievable and so rediculous, I wanted to burn the book when I was done but I have to return it to the library.

SPOILER Below...
So Sabin lets the leader of the hunters just GO FREE so he can prove something to Gwen. I know the point is that he picked her over his war but, come on. But he picked her over a chance to end the war he has fought for centuries. Nope, don't buy it. And then she says 'oops, sorry I made the wrong decision'. I can think of a half dozen more believable endings to allow Gavan to be free at the end. But not all the Lords standing around letting the leader of the hunters just go free - How disappointing.

I did enjoy Sabin's story, but i was not in love with him, and didn't feel alot of his passion. Gwen to she was alright, but not like other female leads. I like how the story is going, and look forward to new adventures. I'm sorry i'm just dying for Paris' book, but for some reason she doesn't want to write it yet.

This is the first book that I have read in this series. I enjoyed it very much. It is a very nice romance story and the overall story about the cursed Lods of the Underworld is facinating. The story mioved along quickly and keeps your attention. I will be purchasing the other books in this series.

Demons as good as they can be fighting for their lives from the Hunters. It was exciting and had me fully engaged in the story. I was ready to move on to the next book, till the last two chapters. What a stupid drop the ball ending, unbelievably horrible.

I think this Darkest Whisper is the best so far of the Lords of the Underworld series. You could feel and see how Sabin fell for Gwen, though he was harsh with her at times, he just couldn't help falling for her. Lots of action and lots of interaction with other characters. This book is worth every penny...I gave it a 4 star instead of 5 because I felt that Gena should have explored more about Gwen's inner Harpy...I wanted to see more...But it was still a great book...

I realized about half-way through that I should have re-read the first 3 before reading this one. While it met my craving for a little good clean fun - since it had been a while since reading the last one I was having a little trouble keeping track of a few of the characters. I liked the introduction of the Harpy - and the twist about Galen (while I saw it coming) was a nice touch. None of the stuff in this genre is any great literary work - but I think Showalter gives JR Ward a nice run for her money. And unlike with the BDB (which I love), these don't have the slower more tedious chapters from the "enemy's" perspective. All things considered - it was a quick read. Fund. And leaves me looking forward to the next one. I like the demons in this - and how it's the demons that make these men hard to match versus the tortured past lives (because there are only so many variations of that tortured past life that can be interesting and carry a series for a group of men) that they seem to have had. And the idea of trying to find pandora's box gives more of a potential end to reach then some of the series in this genre. I like these books and am looking forward to Aeron's story when that one comes out.

This is the first book I have read of the series so I'm probably missing a good deal of the background plot and build up but I should have still been able to enjoy the character's own story even without the background information.

The main characters of the book are Sabin and Gwen. Sabin is a warrior who has been cursed with the demon of Doubt and Gwen is a harpy who is full of doubts however she is able to tell when the demon Doubt is speaking to her which is something Sabin's previous lovers could not do. Because of this Sabin did not want to be involved in another relationship which would just end tragically even though he finds himself attracted to Gwen from the beginning.

The story was ok but lacked a lot of romance in my opinion. I actually find I am more interested in the supporting character stories than Sabin's and Gwens so I might actually pick up another book down the road to give them a shot.

I loved this book! Gena Showalter really topped her other books with this installment. I read (or listened) to this book in one day. I'm glad she included storylines regarding other warriors (Aeron, my poor Paris, Gideon) and I look forward to the story continuing. Can't wait for Aeron's book! And we got a quick peak at Nix!

I am so behind on my reading, I just got done with Gena Showalter's THE DARKEST WHISPER. Now, I wish it hadn't ended. The character of Gwendolyn the Timid was the first thing to make me choose this book from my extensive to-be-read pile, and she didn't fail me. There were lots of nice twists all thru the book, but Gwen's character gave the best payoff. I'll definitely be picking up more in this series!

I read and listened to this book all at the same time it was wonderful these books are so good start from the beginning and go from there you will get hooked. The first one is the Darkest night, it's hard to find what is next after the first four but if you need to know e-mail me I will tell you in what order they go in. So enjoy the read and get the audio and listen to max bellmore read these story's to you,you will love it!

As Lords of the Underworld race their enemies, the Hunters, to uncover the one artifact which can destroy our demon possessed immortal warriors, the warriors discover not another clue to the location of Pandora's box but their enemies' breeding program. In the midst of the rescue, Sabin (possessed by the demon of Doubt) is drawn to the most dangerous of the captives. Gwen's beauty belies the lethality of her immortal harpy heritage, and though she has suffered by witnessing her fellow captives' abuse, no Hunter has been able to approach Gwen to 'bring her into the program'.

Even though Gwen's inner harpy is deadly, `Gwendolyn the timid' is the queen of self-doubt and not your typical bold, brash and `fowl' immortal. Sabin is sure that he can turn Gwen's harpy into a weapon to aid the Lords in their fight against the Hunters, but knowing the deadly effect of his demon's ability to plant self-doubt in the minds of women he has allowed in his bed in the past, Sabin is determined keep the luscious Gwen safely at arm's length. So despite Sabin's growing need to claim Gwen, he must keep their relationship strictly about the war with the Hunters. But... Gwen's harpy has other ideas and Sabin's demon had better watch out.

I loved Darkest Whisper, for me it was the best of the dark Lords of the Underworld series so far. At first I couldn't imagine how Gwen who seems so riddled with self-doubt could possibly stand up to the assault of Sabin's demon, but it is the very fact that Gwen is so familiar with her own inner voice of doubt which allows her to ward off the insidious demon's attacks. And part of what makes the story so wonderful is that Gwen, as she finally comes to terms with her inner harpy, ends up being more than a match for Sabin and manages to fully cow his demon. It was fun to watch.

Though the romance between Gwen and Sabin is a major part of the story, as in past books Darkest Whisper continues to be an ensemble piece. Adding to the fun is the always irreverent Anya, the goddess of Chaos, and Gwen's harpy sisters who very much have the feel of the Valkyries from Kresley Cole's (an author buddy of Showalter) Immortals After Dark series - speaking of which, IAD character Nix puts in a brief appearance. The large number of 'Lords', mates and supporting characters will seem daunting to readers new to the series - actually it won't only seem daunting, if you are new to the Lords of the Underworld don't start here on book four. But for those of us who been following the series from the start, it really isn't a problem to keep track of the large cast. And more and more we are getting a feel for all of the warriors who haven't yet had their turn in the spotlight - with intros to Gideon(Lies) and Amun(Secrets), more of Paris'(Lust's) decline, and a peek at Torin(Disease) and Cameo (Misery) - and we are starting to see the threads for future stories come into play.

Next up: is Aeron's story with his mysterious watcher and his soothing pet demon Legion, I can hardly wait.

By far Sabin and Lucien's stories are my favorite....I liked Sabin in the earlier books and his story was not a disappointment. Gwen was a very likeable character, got a sneak peak at what might be happening with Aeron next.

Well, Mrs Showalter, I got tired of the group of men fallen from the heights of Mt. Olympus quite quickly. Occasionally you use the wrong word in a description, such as when one of the damned men was having his guts pierced repeatedly with the swords of his compatriots, AGAIN, he yelled??? Yelled??? NO, more like he screamed in agony. The occasional use of a word that seems just plain wrong is one of the things that put me off of this series and just...just I'm not quite sure what made me not want to read the torment and redemption of each of them one by one but I was just not that interested and that surprised me because I love that kind of pattern for the plot. It is not poorly written but there is something missing for me from this series of books (I have read 3 so far) and have no intention of reading anymore, sorry. Probably just me because I can not put my finger on what is wrong and why exactly I don't take to your books and your heros. Maybe I will try again at another point in time because they should have caught and entranced me and I am disappointed that they didn't.

OH Yes, another thing, your female counterparts for each man just don't work for me either. It has been awhile since I read the last book that I purchased but I don't think that the women match up with the main heros at all.

This book contains so many poorly constructed sentences, cliches and grating repetition of tired themes that it was practically unreadable. I slogged through to the predictable conclusion in the hope It would improve. Gena Showalter should take a course in Building Great Sentences.