“And because I was competing for world’s biggest dumbass, I stayed out there, in the trees, stomach grumbling like a damn engine, and helped her carry in box after box without her even knowing.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, Oblivion
This is a side story of the first book, Obsidian, in the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. At least, that is the closest thing I can call it. It is the first book again just from the perspective of the Daemon instead of Katy. You can read this book without reading the first book since it pretty much is the same story but this one has a lot more cursing and sarcasm. I laughed several times and frankly the rough attitude of the dick called Daemon was more in line of my own taste.
Since the plot is the same, I will keep myself short. Katy moves to town, Daemon is an alien from a race, the Luxans, that has taken refugee on Earth. They meet, spark flies and danger move in as Katy are being targeted by the enemies of the Luxans, the Arums, and Daemon begrudgingly need to protect her.
Unlike the first book, in this one, Daemon is more developed. You will fully see what’s behind the dickish exterior. Turns out that it more assholery but I find it, just like in the first book, to make sense since his people has pretty much turned Daemon into a child soldier. He has already killed even though I pretty sure that he is a teenager and he have the world on his shoulder because he is the strongest of his kind. That along with the death of his brother, he has a large chip on his shoulders and that twist his personality quite a lot.
Though I enjoyed it, I can see that this one might be more for the male demographic but there is plenty of things to enjoy if you are a woman as well. But the author has clearly tried to up the masculine feeling of this one, which means that there is a lot of cursing and Daemon secretly staring at Katy’s chest. Well, in the first book Katy sneaked, more like stared openly, at his chests quite a lot so its only fair that Daemon could do the same. How accurate Daemons perspective is to a man is beyond me as a woman but it was an entertaining experience.
So, is there anything new in this book or is it just a repeat of the first book? Yes, and now. There are new things but the book is clearly made as an extra on the side for fans who loved the books. You can still read it and enjoy it but you might get a few aha moments if you have read the first one since a lot of the aha moments kind of rides on moments in the first book. Such as, one part of the book when they are supposed to be forced to spend time with each other by the sister but it turns out it was all Daemon’s not so well thought out plan.
A few things, such as more lore of the Luxans are thrown in but it’s rare and hardly gives much to take a bite of. Not at least to feed you. It will not leave you satisfied if you wanted to know more about the alien race.
Is this book better than the first one? No and yes. I thought it was better but only because I liked the personality and sarcasm of Daemon. It did not feel as full of tropes as the first one, but that is simply because this story is normally told from the girl’s perspective such as Twilight and Mortal Instruments. It feels rarer. That said, I don’t think that most will enjoy it if only because they will have just read this story already if they have read Obsidian. This is a book you read years after you have read Obsidian and you are starved for a reread with a bit difference.
Would I recommend it? Yes, either if you haven’t read the first one and won’t or if you haven’t read the Lux series in a while. Then this one might be for you. Depending on if you like of the main character Daemon, he is a required taste, this book can be great or horrible. This is about a twisted and mean person. Some has definitively call him abusive and yes, I can see that. So, a bit of a warning for that if you want to read this book.
I want to give it a 10 out of 10 but cannot justify it when it technically is just a repeat of the first book. I personally, think it has more character and it did not feel like it rode on the waves of tropes. To make it fair, I will give it the same rating as the first one, 9 out of 10. I really enjoyed it, more than the first book, but it still is the same story just from another perspective. With other words, hardly creative.
Do you like reading these kind of side stories? Can you stand Daemon?
With Kind Regards
Senefer.
Read with Senefer 