Dark warrior, di Kresley Cole

Dark warrior by Kresley Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Se Dark demon non mi aveva colpito molto, né per la trama né per i personaggi, con questo volume ho ritrovato la Kresley Cole che adoro leggere. Ottimi personaggi, ben descritti, dai protagonisti ai comprimari, umorismo, una trama interessante e mai banale o scontata, scene d'amore bollenti ma mai volgari, commozione, graditi ritorni e nuove succulente anticipazioni. Finalmente molte cose rimaste oscure in Dark demon si svelano e capiscono.
Anche se non amo chi torna di vita in vita, tendo ad avere poca compassione per chi è schiavo di dipendenze e, per finire, Regin non mi è mai stata molto simpatica, decisamente preferisco optare per la massima valutazione possibile grazie a una traduzione e una cura editoriale finalmente BEN FATTE (grazie Laura Scipioni, tutto ottimo - e ho trovato un solo refuso in 500 pagine!) e grazie a Lothaire, i cui succinti, sarcastici, egotici commenti sono stati il tratto più simpatico e interessante del libro!

Alcune citazioni...

“You see, that's the thing with you detrus," Chase began in a contemplative tone. "Your bodies are abominations. If I severed your arms--"

Lothaire yawned loudly.

"--you'd merely regenerate from the injury. You might experience pain, but you wouldn't suffer the horror of permanent loss, not like a human." Lothaire grew increasingly bored by this. "When I get free, I believe I'll show you your spine. I'll hand it to you so casually, politely even, as if expecting you to remark upon it.”

His tone dripping condescension, Lothaire crooned, “Ah children, it’s not yet story time.” He closed his eyes and turned away, saying over his shoulder, “To anyone who contemplates even nearing me while I sleep: I will garrote you with your own viscera.”

Finally the vampire released him with another groan, sitting back on his haunches. "Your blood is steeped in power." Running his tongue over a fang, he said, "Among other things. I believe I might be high. But I like it.”

Lothaire said, “I have a much better plan.”

“Why help him?” Thad asked pointedly. “When you don’t help anybody else?”

Lothaire exhaled ruefully. “Incurable romantic.”

  

(Brandr:) “Start being honest with her. Aidan always let her know what he was thinking. And he fairly much treated her like a queen.”

Lothaire sneered, “That’s the worst bloody advice I’ve ever heard!”

Brandr bowed his chest. “And why’s that, leech? She cared for Aidan once—she will again.”

“Precisely. She cared for Aidan,” Lothaire said. “I knew of Aidan the Fierce—no mortal could kill that many of the Horde without my hearing about it. And I know that he was a bold, blond Viking who was like a god among men. Women wanted him and men wanted to be him.” He sighed. “Reminded me of myself.”

Lothaire briefly gazed heavenward. "Chase is clearly a reluctant sharer. Which should incite her curiosity about what's going on in his head. She's a disgustingly self-righteous Valkyrie, filled with the need to fix things, to right wrongs. If anything needed fixing ..." He waved a hand to indicate Declan from head to toe. "As wrong as he can be.”

“You could run, and I could stay to fend them off," the vampire offered. "For some reason, I feel amazingly refreshed." He swung an amused look at Declan that made him grind his teeth. "And it seems I'm quite handy against them."--

--Natalya tossed away her busted TEP-C. "So, Lothaire, you're going to fight them out of the blackness of your heart?”

Hate scars. I'm physically flawless--why can't everyone be? Everywhere Lothaire went, people stopped and stared. Of course, then they usually ran.

“You're a fuckin' parasite." I could never become a vampire. Filthy leeches.

"Words still hurt, Chase. Besides, you should be thanking me. My advice about the Valkyrie clearly worked. And speaking of females, if I call you by one's name while my fangs are plunged deep in your neck, just run with it.”

“He can learn things about me through your blood. Can learn about my sister!" She briefly covered her mouth. "He can see everything we've done! I don't want that leech to know what we do in private."

Lothaire strolled up, making a scoffing sound. "As if I don't watch you two live from a distance.”

“I give you a week, maybe two, before you're driven to bite someone."

"I don't know how to... to bite or drink! But you could teach me."

"And what could you possibly do in return?" Lothaire waved a negligent hand. "Play football for me? Break in my jeans really well?”

Alcune citazioni di Regin e Declan Chase, dato che in fondo il libro parla di loro…

(Aidan from the past:) He took her hands in his bloodied, callused ones. “Accept me?” His eyes glowed, his lashes spiked from rain.

(Declan Chase in the present:) He gripped her nape. “I fuckin love you, Regin!” Rain spiked his lashes as he gazed down at her, commanding her, “Love me back!”

“You're still... Declan?"--

--Voice hoarse, he said, "Aye, it's me. I will never be your perfect Viking, Regin! I've made unforgivable mistakes. I've no family or friends, and my men hold no love for me. I'm scarred inside and out. And I'm bloody askin' for you anyway!”

E infine, una di Lothaire…

Carrow spalancò la bocca. “E io dovrei liberare uno dei vampiri più malvagi che siano mai esistiti…”

“Il più malvagio”, la corresse Lothaire “se permetti, fiorellino.”