Darkkin Queen

Unlike most I found Tanya’s POV story to be somewhat slow and plodding. I don’t see where it adds to the overall story, with a few exceptions. This book could have been a 3rd its size and gotten the job done in better fashion.

The one thing that impacted me most in this book was Stacia’s response during the discussion of what would happen if Declan died. It was incredibly poignant and puts to rest any questions of their bond. I thought this the most worthy piece of the entire book.

Another thing that I find incredibly annoying in these continuing stories is the worry of Declan going ballistic. Enough, already. That guy, more than anyone else, has proven his maturity and self-control over and over. He is also half a leap year ahead of the rest of the team in figuring things out in most instances. Well, except Stacia. She is smarter than he is most of the time. It’s time for him to nut up and stop doubting himself, as well. Just get over it and move on.

The fight with the Ancient was pretty cool and should mute some of the complaints that Chris, et al, are too powerful. It was about time they got a wake-up call.

I was also disappointed by the lack of reaction when the Elders got an up-close and personal visit from Barbiel. It was a first meeting for them, a very significant meeting, and they just… failed to find it noteworthy.

There are certainly things in this book which will have a definitive impact in future books, so by all means read it. I’m just a little disappointed it took so very long to get this out when there really isn’t all that much to it.

When I first heard that Darkkin Queen was set to succeed Caeco, I was somewhat disappointed. After the incident with the elementals, I wanted a chance to check back in with Declan, and to witness his changes from his point of view. Now, I see that DQ was the perfect book for this moment, both for the Demon Accords, and also for the real world.

***Spoilers***

At the time that this book was released, the world is facing a crisis unlike anything in my lifetime. Covid-19 is a very real threat that has swept through the world and continues to wreak havoc, particularly in the US. Our world doesn’t have an Omega computer that can seize charge and force world leaders to cooperate in a time of global crisis, but part of me wishes it does. To borrow a quote from the book, “Folks, the paradigm has shifted. The world is not as it was. Face it.”

I don’t know how much of the book Conroe had written before Covid-19 rose to prominence. Perhaps it is a coincidence that the themes of this book are so tragically timely, but I don’t think so.

***Spoilers End***

Aside from the real world parallels, DQ was a fitting entry. To start with, it was a return to the first person writing that Conroe started with, and has occasionally drifted away from. I have long maintained that his style of writing is best suited for first person, and I hope that he continues with at for a long time to come. It is also worth noting that since Declan became a main character in Executable, he and Chris have shared the spotlight. Looking back, it’s been a long time since we had a book dedicated to our fallen angels. Caeco may have followed a different character, but it heavily overlaps with Declan’s story. Demon Driven was about Declan, though Chris did share the POV scenes with him. The compendiums went back and forth, but Summer Reign was a Declan story, and Winterfall was another split POV. Snake Eyes was the last time we had a book that was soley from the POV from Chris or Tanya, and it was released almost four years ago real time, and at least a couple of years ago in-universe.

Darkkin Queen doesn’t ignore Declan anymore than Demon Driven ignored Chris. But it also doesn’t hold back from being Tanya’s story. This was a story that was best told from Tanya’s point of view, and indeed, would have lost much of its weight if it was told by another character.

I won’t go into too much detail about the plot for the sake of spoilers, but suffice it that it is the Demon Accords through and through. And after sixteen books, two compendiums, a stand alone novel, and countless characters that continue to draw me in, I don’t think anything else needs to be said.

This has, over time, become my favorite series. It was only a few books in when I discovered it, I think as an Amazon recommended read. Really liked it from the start. I remember when I got to the first Declan book, my thought was that I wasn’t interested in a new character, I wanted more Chris and Tanya stories. Little did I know Declan would become my favorite character. I like that different books have been told from different perspectives, and this one, the first from Tanya’s. Loved it. I found there to less internal turmoil than what you get from Chris or Declan’s perspective, but for this story, that makes sense. It’s just too bad there is so much time between books. I’ve had to go back and re-read the whole series a couple of times just waiting for this one. I read this author’s other books as well, but this series is the one I wait for. Awesome book, love the characters. Always some surprises, too. If you haven’t read any of these, do yourself a favor, start at the beginning. Now, the wait starts all over again.

I’ve liked everything John Conroe has written, and that certainly includes Darkkin Queen. That being said, it might be my least favorite of his books. For one thing, Tanya’s internal voice seems curiously flat. There is not a lot of emotion or self-reflection in her internal commentary, far less than when Declan, Chris or even Caeco provide a point of view. For another, the story line advanced very little in this book. Some of the book descriptions mentioned that it was “a week in the life” and it read that way. Eventful, but aside from one significant loss, just another week among all the other eventful weeks of these characters’ very eventful lives.

I understand how a new story line or plot divergence can take over a book or a series. There is a lot going on in these books. We have demons, Faerie, the Vorsook and humanity’s own competing interests. There’s Chris and Tanya, Declan and Stacia, Caeco and many other characters who could, all by themselves, provide fodder for new books. It’s tough to keep all these interlinked stories up-to-date and moving forward.

I just finished it a few days ago, and already, I’m eager for the next volume. I just hope we get a little more resolution in the next one.

OK, I’ll admit that if I hadn’t enjoyed some of the earlier books more, it would have rated a 5*. It lost a star because of this coupled with the fact that it is difficult to read without knowing the series. A number of other books he has written don’t depend on knowing the series.

Negative points over, it is a totally enjoyable escape from reality. The book itself is told from Tanya’s viewpoint and you get a real feel for what she is like and her days. The central theme is preparation for the Vorshook invasion. You see all the old favourites in the book and there is sufficient action to keep you involved. I liked the short interludes with her twins (in fact I would have liked more). I won’t say any more because that would spoil it for you

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