A Brief Guide to the Immortals After Dark World

Who's Who and What's What in...

 Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole

They live in our world, hidden. Their world is called The Lore.

The Lore consists of Valkyries, Vampires, Lykae, Demons, Fey, Witches, Sorcerai, Furies and many more creatures.

There are 13 books so far and the 14^th is going to be released soon.

I’ve been in love with these books for a long, long time. Some installments more than others but, all in all, I REALLY like them.

After the jump, I'll tell you some of the reasons why and introduce you to the fascinating characters.

Firstly, I love the colourful and versatile world Kresley Cole has created. Her characters are more or less stereotypes full of prejudices and arrogance who have their world shaken up by love. So, in order to preserve that love, they have to overcome their prejudices and discrimination. The interesting thing to read is what happens when most of the characters, who are older than dirt and set in their ways, have to change and compromise with their other halves. And that’s what makes them interesting stories full of action, fun, and passion.

Secondly, her female characters are, in almost all cases, equal to their male counterparts. Equal in strength, intellect, and power. Often even more powerful (like my fave Wicca-type person!) One is even the great mastermind of every book, responsible for many fate-altering plots (my fave character when I’m talking about the whole series, yeah, you guessed it, it’s Nix!!).

Thirdly, Kresley has described many, many drool-worthy men, some sane, some less so, but drool worthy nonetheless.

Furthermore, even though each book is a new story, you soon begin to realize that they are connected in some way (I won’t tell you in what way, LOL). All the stories lead to the Ascension – the great battle between the forces of good and evil. It happens every 500 years, and its sole purpose is for the immortals to kill each other in order to keep their numbers in balance.

Lastly, instead of describing each book in detail, let me share the helpful info from Kresley’s webpage and introduce all of you, our Saucy Readers, to the world of The Lore. Here are the most important beings from The Lore you will come to know (and love).

The Valkyrie < My faves 

"When a maiden warrior screams for courage as she dies in battle, Wóden and Freya heed her call. The two gods give up lightning to strike her, rescuing her to their hall, and preserving her courage forever in the form of the maiden’s immortal Valkyrie daughter."

• Take sustenance from the electrical energy of the earth, sharing it in one collective power, and give it back with their emotions in the form of lightning.
• Possess preternatural strength and speed.
• Without training, they can be mesmerized by shining objects and jewels.
• They don't have a mate chosen for them; instead, they have to make a conscious choice in choosing a mate for life.
• For all intents and purposes, the Valkyrie are the main protagonists of the books.

The Lykae Clan

Source

"A proud, strapping warrior of the Keltoi People (or Hidden People, later known as Celts) was taken in his prime by a maddened wolf. The warrior rose from the dead, now an immortal, with the spirit of the beast latent within him. He displayed the wolf’s traits: the need for touch, an intense loyalty to its kind, an animal craving for the delights of the flesh. Sometimes the beast rises …"

• Also called werewolves, war-wolds.
• Enemies of the Horde.
• The Lykae only have one true mate, and they search for her their whole life. The woman/man who is chosen to be their mate is the only one they can have a family with.

The Vampires

• Two warring factions, the Vampire Horde and the Forbearer Army.
• Each vampire seeks his Bride, his eternal wife, and walks as the living dead until he finds her.
• A Bride will render his body fully alive, giving him breath and making his heart beat, a process known as blooding.
• Tracing is teleporting, the vampire’s means of travel. A vampire can only trace to destinations he’s previously been.
• The Fallen are vampires who have killed by drinking a victim to death. Distinguished by their red eyes.

The Horde

"In the first chaos of The Lore, a brotherhood of vampires dominated, by relying on their cold nature, worship of logic, and absence of mercy. They sprang from the harsh steppes of Dacia and migrated to Russia, though some say a secret enclave, the Daci, live in Dacia still."

• Their ranks are comprised of the Fallen.
• Enemies of most factions in The Lore.

The Forbearers

" … his crown stolen, Kristoff, the rightful Horde king, stalked the battlefields of antiquity seeking the strongest, most valiant human warriors as they died, earning him the name of Gravewalker. He offered eternal life in exchange for eternal fealty to him and his growing army."

• An army of vampires consisting of turned humans, who do not drink blood directly from the flesh.
• Kristoff was raised as a human and then lived among them. He and his army know little of The Lore.
• Enemies of the Horde.

The Demonarchies

Source

"The demons are as varied as the bands of man …"

• A collection of demon dynasties.
• Most demon breeds can trace like vampires. Some breeds are bound to obey summons.
• Those who can emit poison from their fangs, horns, or claws are more vulnerable to others’ poison.
• Many demon breeds must have intercourse with a potential mate to ascertain if she’s truly his—a process known as attempting. 

The House of Witches

"… immortal possessors of magickal talents, practitioners of good and evil."

• Mystical mercenaries who sell their spells.
• Strictly forbidden to create personal wealth or grant immortality.
• Separated into five castes: warrior, healer, enchantress, conjurer, and seeress.
• The only witch known to possess the powers of all five castes is Mariketa the Awaited.
• Witches do not have a destined mate, but they do fall in love.

So, what do you think? You like? I hope you do because there’s a new one coming out, soon!!

The 14^th book of the series is called MacRieve and it comes out July 2^nd, 2013. Mark your calenders!

Are you ready to see what happens to Ullieam?

(BTW, Nix is in this one and I just can’t wait!!
I have a girl crush on her crazy ass!)