REVIEW: Lover Enshrined

J.R. Ward
Lover Enshrined (BDB #6)
Signet
ISBN-10: 0451222725
ISBN-13: 978-0451222725
Paranormal fiction
June 3, 2008

Scribe Virgin, YES…there will be spoilers

At this point, it’ll probably sound as if I’m simply echoing similar thoughts across the Blogosphere. It’s taken me a while to finish this book though (I guess you could say an unconscious NY’s resolution was to try harder to finish books I’m not enjoying; too much money wasted otherwise and no, I do not have a well-stocked library nearby.).

And herein lies the demise of a BDB fan.

My own personal and inner haven of excitement for this series is slowly festering. If this book were the meds prescribed for what ails me, I’d be looking for a new doctor. Lessers don’t fail me now, just gun me down, please. I can’t even drum up the excitement to do my own summary of the book and I have never, ever used the back blurb in its place. So here we go, the back blurb…

Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood’s bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is obligated to father the sons and daughters who will ensure that the traditions of the race survive, and that there are warriors to fight those who want all vampires extinguished.

As his first mate, the Chosen Cormia wants to win not only his body but his heart for herself. She is drawn to the noble responsibility behind the emotionally scarred male. But Phury has never allowed himself to know pleasure or joy. As the war with the Lessening Society grows grim, tragedy looms over the mansion, and Phury must decide between duty and love…

First and foremost, it sounds like this book will be about Phury and Cormia…doesn’t it?

But it’s not. Their story is most definitely secondary, sometimes even further down the line.

The tragedy part? Pffftt…..there’s no more tragedy in this one than any of the others. Don’t get me wrong, that was one of the most interesting parts, but it’s not as dramatic as the blurb makes it out to be. It’s very much on the level of previous books’ tragedies.

Phury? Fiercely loyal? Where? I’m so not feeling that in this book (not to mention the overall spirit of “brotherhood” the early books had) and don’t believe it for a second. He gave up way too easily on the Brotherhood, from his rampant drug use a ways back when Z’s broken life was the center of his world to the moment Wrath kicks him out (way to go Wrath, while you’re lessening your already severely short numbers, the friggin’ CHOSEN are the ones finally making some headway in your arcane, backwards society. Who needs Lessers?)

Now just for a sec, let’s look at the book spines. It’s no secret, but books 1-4 are labeled paranormal romance. Beginning with book 5, Lover Unbound, we have the label novel. It seems as if someone over at ye old publisher has their head on straight and is at least calling it what it now is. Above the back blurb it is sited as a “paranormal romance saga”.

*crickets*

When the back cover and inner “romance” gel again, I’ll believe the rather more important sounding title of saga.

Why make a deal out of the back blurb at all? Because it’s one of the first things a person will notice about the book, usually. It aids in making a purchasing decision. This back blurb does not represent the story well. At all. But then, that’s not necessarily anything new in Bookland. Promos for future books would do well, IMHO, to call the series what it now is. Of course, that is the choice of the author and/or publishers.

Freak, Where to Start…

I suppose the best place to start is with Phury and Cormia. The back blurb does tout it as being “their” book. So far, each book has focused pretty heavily on the main couple featured. We could argue that this began to change with Lover Unbound. I’d hoped that was a fluke, but it was not, certainly not for me. I honestly say that I felt no positive romantic feelings between Phury and Cormia till almost the end, when he makes a big decision that finally begins to alter the depressing outlook on vampire society in regards to women, and the Chosen in particular. Up till then? There’s a lot of self-serving, woe-is-me-ness from the selfless twin, but rather than selfless and sincere, it rang as too pitying, grossly overdone and very selfish.

I understand the pain of addiction and depression, what it can do to a person. I’ve never experienced it within my own person, but I’ve seen it up close enough in loved ones that I’ve had all I ever want of it. I will give mad props, as always, to Ward for facing some heavy issues in her books; these are certainly not fluff or a quick read. But Phury’s inability to see Cormia till it was almost too late, the depressing and sluggish journey that is their “romance”…I could have gone the rest of the year and beyond without experiencing it. It was eye wincing, wall banging bits of anti-climactic disappointment. This one tops the disappointment of V and Jane’s ghostly farce like cold gravy on undercooked mashed potatoes. Phury was woe-is-me till I wanted to rip off his prosthetic leg and honor kick his ass with it. He was so un-alpha that when he finally DOES go all alpha on Cormia – wanting to claim her after John Matthew, Qhuinn and Blay happen upon her nekkidness – it was too late for this reader. I didn’t “believe” in his feelings. Deny, deny, deny – then wham! Left me a dissatisfied on that front to say the least – more like unbelievably pissed that the romance was short-changed yet again. It was his first time with Cormia (that I did not feel was rape as some did) and it was so full of anger and self-loathing. His wizard, that voice in his head? It was right in a lot of ways and Phury was not worthy of the title hero in any regard.

After a while, it just began to read as if Phury wanted to stay that pathetic version of what he could’ve been. Because even after he gets that animal, alpha feeling? Yep, it’s back tot he “she’s better off without me” routine. Snore. Pity the fool.

Cormia…now this chica I’d always liked. I suppose I’m a sucker for the (genuine) underdogs and she certainly is one, perhaps the only Chosen to dare to be a semi out-of-the-closet heretic and want things for herself; love, a life and all it offers. I sincerely enjoyed and relished each new discovery she underwent. It was akin to watching your child grow and discover, and how could that not bring a spot of joy to all this plot meltage? She reminded me a lot of Marissa. Both women are truly products of their society, so firmly laced into their respective corsets of social doom it’s hard to imagine how they could ever break free. Marissa broke free, I feel for the most part, on her own, with a side of Butch’s love aiding her. Cormia on the other hand pretty much gives up at one point…although it was no surprise. Sometimes that’s what you have to do with an addict. You can literally spend a lifetime trying to help that afflicted person, and it is mentally, emotionally and physically draining. Little by little, pieces of you will disappear too. I felt she showed enormous strength and growth by pulling away from Phury when it looked as if he wasn’t going to change. Three cheers for the heretic, Cormia. Love me some heretics…in this series anyways.

After the letdown of V and Jane’s story in Lover Unbound, I’d begun to focus on Phury and Cormia as a couple and had begun to grow quite excited about their book. Phury…I’d never really been interested in him. Yes, he was a gentleman, but he melded into the background too willingly to garner much notice. I’d hoped that would change with his book, that the BDB’s figurative “wallflower” would prove me wrong and really shine in the unfolding of his personal tragedy. Well, he never unfolded, never drew back that cocoon till the very end of the book. It was just too much, too much self-loathing and not enough character growth to justify the surprisingly good ending. Like his unrealistic alpha moment with Cormia, his sudden change from kill-myself-with-pity to strong, love-empowered male did not ring true. It’s too bad as well, as the way Cormia aids Phury in recovering at Sanctuary was absolutely beautiful. Sometimes too little really is too late.

Paging the Brotherhood. Ya Outie or What?

I wasn’t crazy about Dark Lover, but what grabbed my eye was the literal brotherhood mentality abounding, the genuine camaraderie and caring the men had for one another and their purpose. They wanted to help each other and seemed to be able to tell when one was in need. But where was Phury’s aid? I would have to reread some to know for sure, but Phury had always been labeled as the dependable one, the responsible and gentlemanly brother. Really, did they need one more problem, like his addiction, to deal with the ongoing war? I don’t think they saw his problem till too late. In Lover Unbound, there was a scene at ZeroSum, an intervention of sorts and now that I think of it–GREAT place to do it, guys! Corner the male where he buys his drugs and put a little tough lurv in his heart. SO not the right time or place! They thought Phury needed to go to a NA meeting, but his so-called brothers could’ve used some coaching in how to deal too.

As I said further up, sometimes they really have to hit rock bottom and want to help themselves first before true change can come about. But that brotherly love and feeling? It feels gone, gone, gone…(moan with me now) oh whoooaaawhoa.

Even without the too-little focus on Phury and Cormie, the brothers just didn’t act as much of a team. Z felt very alone in his concern for Bella. Wrath is more worried about the mansion becoming a “hotel” than he is about Qhuinn’s dire condition after undergoing an honor beating, not to mention Wrath makes an awful lot of assumptions that are plain wrong only to have to backtrack, looking like a judgmental jerk. Then there was the big blow-up between Z and Phury that displayed a rather confusing lack of respect for one another. So all along, neither one has really appreciated the other? It’s the impression I got.

It felt as if the previous build-up of a phenomenal brotherhood, from past books, was slowly and painfully unraveling.

Worldbuilding…It needs an Overhaul

First and foremost, the worldbuilding in this series is jarring and disjointed at best. It seems the norm now for new features of the vamp canon to pop into being without any previous buildup in the books. As a result, we’re sideswiped by something that doesn’t seem to fit because it’s kinda of -bam!- slid in there, no explanation given and usually never to be expanded on again. I use the infamous ghost as an example. Jane, the poor thing. Can’t live with your vamp man forever as a human? OK, die, and be a ghost with him forever. But WHY? Why did it have to be that way. I really looked forward to that being addressed in Lover Enshrined, but all we get of Jane is a few Caspered appearances. Heh. At least she saves some lives. But again, absolutely no expansion on that side of the worldbuilding, the incorporating of ghost shellans.

Lassiter, who till now has only existed in the BDB official message board imagination, makes an appearance and yep, it’s pretty obvious he’s an angel…but again, we get that cliffhanger at the end, with no prior buildup to explain this possibility…the possibility of a human myth blending with the vamps mythology. Now, Ward is certainly known for taking some of our most well-known things, like angels, and warping them into her books, but that’s just it–explain why the heck they’re there or else it just doesn’t make sense within the BDB canon. Unless Lassiter really is an angel in the sense that humans believe in them…and the Christian God is aware of the vamp deities…and…Ugh…too much wondering.

Wrath does drop one sentence to Lassiter that might explain or begin to explain…but will it ever be expanded on?

The glowing figure laughed. “So do you want your early Christmas present? Or are you going to keep dissing my shit until I decide take off?”

“Christmas? I believe that’s your tradition, not ours,” Wrath said.

I think it’s probably not that though, angels must have a different context in Ward’s world, which is fine, but please, for the lurv of all things fresh and minty clean – explain it already! Build up that world, don’t just set things in there, like coffee cups next to the canned goods and the coffee machine all the way across the kitchen. It’s got to make sense, not just to the author, but to readers as well.

Another good example a fellow message board member pointed out…what about the Butch/V/Dhestroyer plotline? Is it outie too? Served its purpose?

And hold up, since when is the Omega a walking time machine? He can go back as well as back to the future? And the possible explanation of him being a god won’t fly – both him and the SV have been given a lot of restrictions already, so this sudden, amazing superpower seems to have come out of left field.

The Omega and Scribe Virgin…well turns out they are brother and sister. So yes, their reasons for hating one another are simple petty sibling rivalry. And therein lies the basis for an entire race of vampire killers, our lesser counterparts…and I’m just shaking my head at the severe anti-climactic disappointment of that particular weakness.

With the way this worldbuilding is going, I’m sure Boo the cat will be around soon to explain it all.

There’s a lot missing in these books. Rabbit holes abound, and we’re slipping in and out of Wonderland, not quite sure where to land. Surprises are one thing; keeping readers on their toes too…but this goes beyond that. This is one big WTF.

I’m wondering if Ward intends to rely on the upcoming compendium (The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider’s Guide) to clear up worldbuilding mysteries. I hope not, as it would seem sloppy to do so, an afterthought. Good worldbuiding, if it’s really there, needs to be in the series books and doing so shows smart planning ahead of time. I used to hang on to the belief that there will be a final, overall point to all this. The war had always seemed like the final destination, a resolution and a point of closure. I don’t know anymore, and I’m starting not to care as it seems to be heading into indefinite, open-ended overtime.

We Give This Day Our Daily Props

Holy crap, there was stuff I liked. Hard to believe, I know. Let’s break it down:

• The subplot of Lash, that sick little perv of a baddie.

Even though I still think the role of the Lessening Society is weak as antagonists, Lash and his whole son of the Omega deal was actually pretty interesting. But wait, will his killing off some of the founding vamp families hurt or hinder the Lessening Society’s plans? The Omega didn’t count on Butch very much, and it turns out that placing part of himself inside Butch wasn’t such a smart move after all, which makes the Omega look like a tool of an idiot (and in effect, not a very good villain). Sooo, not much faith yet that Lash will work out the way the Omega wants, at all. But it IS interesting, a lot more so than Phury’s train wreck. When Lash opens his chest to show his lesser soldiers his black heart and flashed his vamp teeth, I actually thought, Yes! Here, finally is the possibility of something for the brothers to fight!

• Rehvenge – you slut, you.

I still love me some Rehv. I hate that sympath Princess (a race inside the vamp world that can manipulate emotions; considered dangerous by the vamps. Rehv and Xehx are half-sympath, half vamp.) that’s blackmailing him and can’t wait to see how the roles of the sympaths play into the vamp side of things. Really, they sound much more powerful than the vamps and I’m wondering what hold the vamps have over them to make them hide out in their so-called colony. And uh…I’m sick, I know, but I find her and her “sub-species” absolutely fascinating. Three-knuckled fingers? Red eyes? Androgynous beings, one of which Rehv is having banging blackmail sex with? What the hell is wrong with me – I wanted to know more!

But back to Rehv; for the first time we see a truly vulnerable side to him, when he goes to meet the princess for her sex-slave routine. I feel his character is actually getting some good development ATM. Hopefully, this will continue to play out in his book, and not be sacrificed for the series “greater good” and set-up. On that note, how the heck much longer does this series need to be “set up”? After six books, shouldn’t it be more stable by now?

• The New Troika – Blaylock, Qhuinn and John Matthew

I’ll go ahead and tie Xehx into this one, since she and John Matthew are so hot on one another for the moment. At first, way back in the series, Xehx did not appeal to me. I’m not a big fan of she-males, the tough as nails woman to the point of manliness. But with one look passed between her and JM at ZeroSum, I was hooked. Their interest has that forbidden air of much older woman after jailbait boy. What saves it from being icky for me is the fact that JM has transitioned into this hulk of a vamp, with all these adorable vulnerabilities still in place blending with lust’s first bloom. I admit, I want him to be happy and if he mouths “I want to fuck you” to Xehx again, and they experience jobbus interruptus AGAIN from Xehx’s security position at the club? I might scream. Ward, if their set-up is the equivalent of a literary cock-tease, I’d…I’d…well, I’d do something in terms of pure unadulterated anger.

Qhuinn and Blay…WTF is with that hot ass kiss of theirs? I wanted to shake Qhuinn and slap him till he woke up, grabbed that redheaded boy wonder and dumped the Abercrombie ho in favor of a dressing room date with Blay instead. So really, WTF IS with that kiss? Blay laid it all on the table…is this a V & B substitute? Will manluv pop into being in this series like the Energizer bunny on a quick, cheap high? I really dunno. On one hand I found it as hot as all the manluv-infused air surrounding Butch and V. But Qhuinn’s supposed determination that he will end up with a female makes that kiss all the more confusing. I suppose I can always go back, reread, reread, reread and enjoy it for the brief, heady moment it was. But really..why put such chemistry in there if it’s actually of no use? I know, slap some of that on the main couple next time. Crap, this is supposed to be what I liked…I liked their kiss. Whallah.

On a whole though, looks like the new troika is getting all the lurv (Where as before Z got it all). What seems to now be missing as far as a “brotherhood” goes is rooting deep into their friendship. It’s evolving nicely, that camaraderie they have and I enjoyed their main role, I mean cameos, in this book.

To Be Continued…But Not With This Reader

I glanced back over reviews I’d posted on Amazon of the previous books and got all those warm fuzzies that I used to have for this series. These books really rocked my love boat, got my vampire romance party started and sent me to the moon high as a kite. I’d ride that high for days.

No more.

Lover Enshrined was my methadone and I am cured. Frankly, I do not trust this series to continue doing it for me. I was a firm believer of Rehvenge – The Hardback.

Uh-uh.

I see an unfortunate pattern here, whereby the subplots are becoming the MAIN plots and the couple touted on the back blurb is taking a secondary role. The fact is…you can’t have it both ways. It cannot be “their book” if they don’t have any character or relationship growth throughout. It cannot be “their book” if what were once secondary elements and characters take on main character proportions. It cannot be a “paranormal romance saga” if the romance will not be the most important factor in the book. And furthermore, this series cannot be labeled urban fantasy if the worldbuilding isn’t given its own life, close attention to detail and the means by which to become the cradle the entire series rests on. As it stands for the norm now, secondary plots garner huge interest and help heighten excitement for the next book, but I no longer believe that that level of attention to them will be maintained in Rehv’s book, Qhuinn’s boo, JM’s book. As it stands, once the book comes about that is supposedly for one main couple, that couple is fizzling out, more secondary plots give hope for the next book and the circle turns yet again, with no ending in sight.

The author warned prior to Lover Enshrined that the series would be going in a new direction. But in reality, it is going in too many tug-of-war directions. It is losing focus and sacrificing some of the best things that made it an overnight phenomenon and sensation.

There is no way I would ever purchase this series in hardback now. Even at the end of LU, I held to that belief, that I would and be glad to. But in reality, I cannot read this series any longer. Rehvenge is my favorite character…and while his development has been sensational and gripping, I wouldn’t be able to take it if his book follows the same routine of supposed romance saga sheep’s clothing with the focus entirely on other characters. And the new troika, and Xehx, I find myself loving them more than ever. But with the way the series is now “set up”, I find it’s all lost a good bit of its luster. It’s cold turkey time for this series and me.

My score I waffled on a bit. On one hand, I was going to take into account the fact that the series was supposedly going in a “new direction” with Len and give that aspect fair consideration. But then it was pointed out to me it’s brand new and shiny, lofty status of PNR saga. Well, that made me see red a bit again, and based on the fact that it’s there, in writing on the back of the book, and the romance is definitely not central…no, I can’t give it the three stars I was gonna.

So long, BDB, it was fun riding this particular train while it lasted. May 2009 and Lover Avenged? I won’t be holding my breath. In fact, I’ll be breathing a heck of a lot easier.

Rating: Two Scoops