Theresa K. (Tesstarosa) - , reviewed on 6/27/2011 + 151 more book reviews

The fourth installment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood focuses on Brian Butch ONeal the human hanging out with the Brotherhood.

We learn about his background growing up on the southside of Boston (making him a Southie) and how he was always the black sheep of his family. His father ignored and beat him until his sister, Janie, was kidnapped and killed. Butch was the last to see her when she was taken and was always blamed for her kidnapping and death despite the fact that at the time he was only 12 years old.

Now, Butch is living at the Brotherhood compound and using his police background to help them with their battle against the lessers and still pining after Marissa. He likes that he has a lot of the finer things in life now: nice clothes, luxury cars, all the gadgets a man could want, but he feels that he is just a hanger-on since he doesnt feel he fully commits to the work of the Brotherhood.

One night, he has an opportunity to save a civilian vampire and in the process is kidnapped by the Lessening Society. While held hostage, the Omega (the spiritual leader if you can call evil spiritual of the Lessening Society), places a part of himself inside Butch as an attempt to infiltrate the Brotherhood and then leaves him out in the cold for the Brotherhood to find.

Vishous finds him and with the help of the Scribe Virgin saves him and takes him to the hospital to recover. The Omegas attempt to turn Butch against the Brotherhood eventually turns on the Lessening Society.

Meanwhile, Marissa is trying to strike out on her own and wants to start a home for battered women and children. While visiting with a young child who has been abused by her father, she finds that Butch is in quarantine at the hospital and rushes to his room. She is forced into quarantine with him to Butchs chagrin. But not because he doesnt want to see her, but because hes afraid he will hurt her.

Havers, as a member of the glymera (the vampire high society) council, has decided that to stop his sister, Marissa, from being with Butch to institute sehclusion for all unmarried females. If he can get the council and the king to approve, he will be able to send Marissa away for safe keeping where the only ones who may have contact with her are those he, as her whard (ie, guardian), allows.

Butchs desire for Marissa is growing and hes starting to notice changes in himself. Like hes doing the bonding thing with Marissa that vampires do with their mates. Vishous does some research and based on blood-testing done by Havers, it is determined that somehow, Butch is actually related to Wrath, and V believes that they can turn Butch from human to a vampire. Its very dangerous and has never been done before.

And John Matthews training and education continues as he tries to adjust to the death of Wellsie and the disappearance of Tohr. He also continues to be harassed and bullied by Lash, but his friendship with Blaylock and Qhuinn grows stronger.

The stories with the lessers are still a low point of the book, but the Mr Initial thing is once again something Im adjusting to or not as frequent. Plus, there are lesser characters whose names are being used instead of the Mr Initial format. I think the thing about the lessers that Im somewhat bored with is they keep bouncing back and forth with whos the boss.

The good news is that the stuff that I viewed as homophobic references with Butch and V gets resolved in this book.

Yes, Im still hooked on this series and this is a favorite book. And the love, redemption and sacrifice pieces are still there. (In fact, this book has pretty much convinced me to keep this series for re-reading.)

And, theres still lots of sex.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details