I read these back to back last Friday, from 4 PM to 3 AM, because I really wanted to read Lover Awakened, but Lover Eternal was the second book published, so I felt I had to read that one first. As such, the books are unavoidably linked in my mind and so will be reviewed together.
Everything that Dark Lover had these books have, though in slightly lesser degrees -- despite my expectations, I prefer Dark Lover and Wrath to these these novels, on Rhage and Zsadist, respectively. They were still erotic, angst-filled, and wonderful, though. As could be expected, Lover Awakened is the more angsty of the two. I loved it, but I have an issue with the development of Zsadist that echoes a sentiment I felt after reading and watching Hannibal Rising earlier this year -- I resent the need to justify a "bad" character. The enigma of Hannibal Lecter becomes a revenge story. Zsadist becomes a good, sweet guy trapped by evil circumstances, that just needs a little love to let his "good" side show again. I don't want his good side, though -- I want bad for bad's sake. I don't mind an incomprehensible bad, an unsympathetic bad. I don't need a compelling reason or a justification for badness, and I don't think you do either, reader. Just once I would like a hero that is just unashamedly, inexplicably bad, without some tragic back story.
The next Lover book is about Butch, who is a human, but I still think it might be good. With every novel J.R. Ward is opening up new possibilities for future novels, and I hope she goes on forever. I'm really looking forward to the novel on Vishous, now.
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