A New York Times bestseller! #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon brings us back to the astonishing world of the Dark-Hunters in Stygian, with a hero misunderstood by many…but most of all by himself. Born before man recorded time, I lived for thousands of years believing myself to be something I’m not. Someone I’m not. Lied to and betrayed by gods, Daimons and Dark-Hunters, … not.
Lied to and betrayed by gods, Daimons and Dark-Hunters, I’ve struggled to find my way in a world where I’ve been cursed since the moment I was prematurely ripped from my mother and planted into the womb of an innocent woman who thought me her son.
Trained as a slayer and predator, I learned to fit in and stay low. To become a tool for evil. Until I was sent to kill the one woman I couldn’t. My hesitation cost her her life.
Or so I thought. In an act of betrayal that makes all the others pale in comparison, I’ve learned that this world is an illusion and that my Phoebe still lives.
Now I will have to travel into the very pits of Hades to try and save her, even as everyone around me attempts to steal what little soul I have left. There’s only one person at my back and I’m not sure I can trust her either, for she was born of an enemy race. Yet sometimes the road to redemption is one that singes us to our very core. And if I fail to find the answers I need to save Phoebe, more than just my wife will die.
We will lose the world. Both human and Daimon.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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Their have been many mixed reviews on this book because of some of it going over past books. Anytime I crack open a sherrilyn Kenyon book I know I’m in for a up and down of mixed emotions and that was the case with stygian. I think in my opinion that looking back at what we already knew was part of knowing understanding Urian story. I also loved seeing apollymi and urian’s relelationship I saw her from a different perspective,I have always felt sorry for all she endured,but with urian she was different letting down her guard and showing her softer side. Also we saw how urian became hard hearted predator who was feared.When he finds out phoebe is alive he goes to find her in the pits of hell ,but she isn’t who the person he remembers she’s become a evil bitch! Just when you think all’s lost theirs a awesome twist and the beautiful Dragon Xyn from his past and who I wanted him to love rather then the manipulative phoebe , is the real love story!! Xyn brings redemption and love to urian’s life,she’s what he needed all along. In all honesty when urian picked phoebe over Xyn who was their for him from the very beginning I was pissed i never really cared for phoebe ,so him ending up with Xyn made me happy. I have loved the Dragon series from the beginning ,so doing a rerun didn’t bother me. Over all I really liked this read,but I’m ready to move on. I personally can’t wait for jaden’s book, I’ve been intrigued with this character from the beginning!
Be prepared for a turbulent, addictive and thrilling experience as Sherrilyn Kenyon brings Urian’s story to life in a long but excellent read that provokes a roller coaster of emotions as it keeps readers mesmerized throughout its the numerous years and settings. All of the characters in this story are solid, convincing characters that readers can’t help but be fascinated by, of course, if you read the Dark Hunter series, then you already know and love all of them and this book gives readers more detail in to their lives as well and also introduces some new characters. Urian has been a favorite since he was first introduced and this book just makes him all the more captivating as it gives readers an in depth look at his very long lifespan. The romance part of his life is troubled which is just one of many things that tugs at readers’ hearts but in a surprising twist, his happily ever after mate is not one that readers could anticipate and brings about a few other bombshells as well.
There is lots of exciting events, some of which readers would have read from other points of view in others’ stories, and getting them from Urian’s point of view puts a whole new spin on them when taken all together. These stories should be read in order because while this book gets into these events, it does not give whole picture and without that readers may not be able achieve maximum enjoyment of this book as it hops through a very long, troubled and thrilling history of Urian’s life story. Readers won’t want to put this book down, but will probably find that they have to because not only is it long but they will want to meticulously and covetously read every last word to ensure that they don’t miss a single important detail in any of Urian’s life experiences and interactions with the other characters of this spectacular world.
Loved it. Could not put it down!
Absolutely loved this book! I always liked Urian but after this book I absolutely love him!
The Dark-Hunter series is captivating. Intricate crossover plots spread throughout multiple novels. Solving the character’s mysteries is a bit obsessive for me, and I revel in the depths these plots contain. Minute details can reveal hidden plot points, often found during rereads I indulge in. I am a big series reader, and this is one worth experiencing. In Stygian, background information is summed up when relevant to the current plot. Most of this happens in the back half of the novel and worth a warning, you will be able to tell where the additional content would be.
Honestly, the Lords of Avalon and Dragon Rising books are among my favorites in the DH world. In Stygian, the drakomai Sarraxyn is a principal character. Knowing some of Urian’s past, I admit being unsure how Urian and Xyn could become a couple. They shared space in previous installments with no hint at a relationship. Urian and Xyn’s reconnection is handled well, thoroughly convincing me of the lack of recognition previously.
Although enthusiastic about Urian’s tale, I admit being leery of it. Both Acheron and Styxx were arduous for me. Their books rip your heart out, stomp on it, shove it back and start all over again. Tissues are a must. Don’t get me wrong, I loved experiencing Acheron and Styxx’s journey, but it was a hard ride. Formatted the same in that we begin with Urian’s birth in ancient times, I worried Urian would have an upbringing filled with isolation. Urian does have it rough, but, it was not as tumultuous as I anticipated. Urian felt love and friendship. His family stuck by him. He had friends. He found love, although it was a long ride before they could be together.
In short, Stygian is a fantastic addition to the Dark Hunter world. All my favorite characters show up in one way or another. One personal thing this book gave to me, is an ability to forgive for a prior misdeed. That scene, in particular, stirred my emotions in a big way. I love Urian and Xyn together. They both deserve someone epic and are well paired because of that. All opinions are my own, and I encourage readers to reach their own conclusions.
True to form this story was dark and heartbreaking but full of plenty of entertaining moments and love. I loved not only the backstory but also seeing a different side to some of the other characters as well. I can’t wait to see where the series goes with the new and exciting twists!
3.5 stars
Urian is over 11,000 years old. During his long life he has never felt truly like he belonged. Living as a Daimon he has lost everyone he ever loved. Now with old enemies becoming new allies it is a whole new world. Will he finally find the one place he feels at home? Getting more insight into the life of the apollites was very interesting. I enjoyed the book, though it wasn’t one of my favorites. I would have liked to read more from the present.
Long, involved, complex backgrounds that bogged down the flow of the story and continually stopped me from sinking myself into the book. Couldn’t finish it
I was a bit leary at first as I read some not great reviews BUT I should’a know better!!!! I loved it!!! I loved how you jumped, like a stone skipping across a pond, and highlighted Urian’s life! I remember either Archeron or Styxx book mentioning that Urian was Styxx’s son but this was an awesome story leading up to that moment…showing his life prior to Ash and bringing up bits from the past to explain his sometimes un-daimon like behaviors. Just wow for the bad guy he had some world class manners and behaviors! Yeah he could be a dick but what person is perfect 100% of the time… nope not even Ash. I really enjoyed filling in the cracks of Urian and even a few with the Dark Hunter’s themselves. The ending was superb!!! Sherrilyn you nailed it again!!! Now I need to get caught up on the League! =)
I’m not a big fan of fantasy or paranormal books but this book was very entertaining and enjoyable overall.
I liked the writing style, the characters and the story overall how it was presented with a few twists and turns that made me want to read more.
It was my first read by the author but I will have to look out for more books as I enjoyed it more than expected.
While the whole series is awesome, you can read this alone. Such wonderful characters. 5hey are complex and constantly evolving throughout the series.
I’m giving this four stars because the parts I liked – the parts that felt like the older books – I REALLY liked. However, there was a large portion of the story that felt … wrong. I’ve felt this way about most of the stories produced after Acheron. Even Styxx – I love his STORY and his character, but his BOOK… it took me years to reread it, and then it was just parts of it. Acheron and most of the other books in the series I’ve read numerous times and loved them every time.
With these dragon books, specifically, I’ve felt they have so much potential. There are some GREAT characters & stories to tell here, but the books themselves feel repetitive. Like the same story is being told from different perspectives, w/ very little overall plot progression, which would be fine except there’s a lot of the SAME information and the SAME scenes and the … just SAMEness. And I remember that happening with earlier books, so it’s not a new concept for this series – but the earlier books were shorter, the repetitive scenes didn’t take over the whole book (with, I think, one exception), and the plot actually progressed w/in a couple of books.
Also, the thing that drew me to falling so in love with this series in the first place – the epic love stories where the H & h work together to fight whatever Apocalypse is happening at the time – has been lacking in these past few stories. At least, that part of the story line has been less of a focus proportionately for the length of the books. I just want HEA’s for all my beloved characters, and I feel like we would have felt them more if these dragon stories had been merged into one or two books w/o the repetitive story telling.
Now, at the same time as I have all those thoughts, as I mentioned, the parts I loved I really LOVED. The parts that bring everyone together for the epic battles – GREAT! The parts where, in this case Urian & Xyn are together & falling in love & expressing their love – FABULOUS! The parts we get to see w/ Uri & Styxx building their friendship & OMH FAVORITE!!! We also get to see more Ash & Styxx & FEEL Ash’s remorse, which gave ME all the feels. And then there’s Apollymi & Stryker – seeing more of them makes me happy. Seeing Stryker & Urian’s relationship… there’s an HEA there, too, which made me HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!
And so that’s why, in the end, this was a 4 star read for me. The emotion of my beloved Dark Hunter world – even though we’re not really dealing w/ DH’s as much as all the various types – is still there. It’s just getting buried in the … I think, there is just so much story to tell that it’s taking a toll on the individual stories themselves.
I know this is WAY longer than my normal reviews. This series is SO close to my heart for many reasons, and I wanted to make sure I expressed all my thoughts. : )
I love this book but I love the whole series so far. Urian definitely had a crappie life. I am just glad that he found Xyn again. I am dying to know how and when they are going to stop Apollo. I would not miss that a**hole at all. Keep up the great work and thank you for the exciting story. Acheron yummy I want one just like him.
Original review: https://myshelfbooks.wordpress.com/2019/04/18/stygian-sherrilyn-kenyon/
I did it!! I did it!! I’m up-to-date with the Dark-Hunters saga!! *happy dance*. Only 33 more sagas to tackle! Sadly, I start much more than I finish, so it’s an impossible race against my To Be Read list. Well, sure steps and small victories. That’s the trick for a happy reader. I will start with the review now, before I lose myself into the metaphysical concepts of reading goals.
This is the book of Urian. Enough said! We follow the character through more than 11 thousand years. Since his weird birth, to the present time where he has to deal with the truth about Phoebe. A story about family, loss, survival and immortal love. A biography of one of the most charismatic characters of this saga!
This is a milestone book, like Acheron or Styxx; so is much longer than other Dark-Hunters books. But, while the other two were made for lovers of the saga, Stygian’s focus on lovers of Urian. If you don’t like the character, you won’t like the book. Story wise, there is not much to tell. All the focus of the book is on the former Daimon and his lengthy life. Yes, there is still a bit of the epic craziness we love; but if you think that is going to be the main course, you are meant to be disappointed. Even though Urian’s story is a lot of fun, I guess that could not be enough for some readers.
Gladly, it’s not my case. I love the character, so I have enjoyed every single page of this book. After the dragon trilogy that left me with a sour aftertaste, I needed something like this to boost my love for this saga. I have laughed, cried, bitten my nails, jumped in the bed, yelled at it… All the emotions you can imagine. I was eager to finish my work day to reunite with Urian and all the amazing characters that wander around his life. I’ve been team Urian 100%, to the point that I considered the Dark-Hunters my mortal enemies as well. It’s one of the things I have loved the most about Stygian. Getting to know a much deeper point of view of Apollite and Daimon life has made me more empathetic towards them. I know I shouldn’t give the time of day to people like Stryker, Urian, Davyn and the others, but I can’t help thinking they were the true heroes of the book.
I’m extremely happy with this book, but I must point out some of the weakest elements of it. Once we reach the present time, the story becomes a retelling of previous books. Not as heavy as with Illarion’s book; but there is a nice hunk invested in telling us again Wulf’s, Acheron’s, Styxx’s and Falcyn’s books. Thankfully, the author drops some “deleted scenes” and different points of view to tell us again the same thing; so it’s much more bearable than expected. And let’s be honest, those books are important to undertsand Urian’s story, so I guess some readers will be glad for the refresher.
The other part that makes me frown a little is the ending. I have a love/hate realtionship with it. On one hand, it’s a new dawn for the Dark-Hunters and the Daimons. One I’m eager to devour as soon as the next book is published. On the other hand, the part of the story about Phoebe feels a little too short. After the ending of Falcyn’s book, I was breathless with the revelation that Phoebe was still alive. I needed to know Urian’s reaction. But it takes 90% of this book to just reach the same point in the timeline where the previous book left us. It took so long, that I was afraid the resolution of that plot twist was going to be weak and easy. And, sadly, I wasn’t wrong. I don’t mean it was horrible, far from it! I just think it hasn’t made any justice to the cliffhanger we had after Dragonsworn.
I can’t finish without mentioning my recently discovered love towards a character that has been there for a while but never caught my attention that badly. I’m talking about Davyn. If I could make a wish related to this saga, that would be to get his book sooner rather than later. Or maybe the longer wait will make his story sweeter. Ugh! Sometimes being a reader feels like a constant fight against myself…
I have been wanting to read Urian’s story for a long time now and when I realized that Stygian was his book, I was beside myself with excitement! I couldn’t wait to read it, but of course, being me, I didn’t immediately dive in as soon as I got it because I apparently like to torture myself, plus I also knew that I was in for a lot of angst — no one does angst like or better than Sherrilyn Kenyon — and I suppose I just wasn’t ready for that yet. It didn’t take me long to overcome that though and once I started Stygian, I hated whenever I had to stop. It was heart wrenching to read at times as I expected, but there was much about Stygian that was unexpected and I loved that. It was amazing to finally see Urian find his happiness — I just loved him and this book!
Stygian was a long book to read, but I didn’t mind that, I loved getting to revisit this world and all the characters and spend so much time with them because it’s been too long. There were many elements to this book and it was full of twists and turns, secrets and revelations, and it left me with some questions and thoughts to ruminate over. Stygian made my heart ache, it brought tears to my eyes, it made me furious and made me yell. There were moments that were crushing to read , but there were also times that made me laugh and smile and just thoroughly entertained me. Stygian was wonderful and so worth the wait and I am beyond excited for the next book!
After waiting for Uri’s book for years I was delighted by the outcome. This book goes over Uri’s past and his true lineage. The details, intrigue, and world building after so much happening in past books is just amazing. Read Acheron and Styxx before this book to get the full effect!
Stygian gives a new look at the Dark-Hunter world. It really brings the stories from the main characters together and all sides of the same story are on display for a deeper understanding of the world. Who you think are villains, become more human.
“**SPOILER***
The jacket is going to make you think this book is about Urian and Phoebe and how he gets her back after he was betrayed. The jacked is misleading as hell.
This book is epic it starts 9524 B.C. and runs through to present day. Sherrilyn weaves Urian’s story through most of the previous books, It will make you want to reread past books, especially Acheron, Styxx, Devil May Cry and Dragonsworn. Urian’s story sheds new perspective on the Apollite history, Stryker’s perspective, as well as many more. While there’s definitely romance and love stories, this is more of a biography of Urian’s life and how he finally finds love, acceptance and belonging.”
Sherrilyn Kenyon is one of my favorite authors – but this is my new fav book. Absolutely love that she tied in history that linked this story to previous books, made it easier to remember where I “was” in the story and what I’d read previously in her books. LOVE the storyline, love the characters, love this book!
I’m not going into all the ways I was disappointed except the major one. Urian loved two women so completely he was devastated. Okay, that’s fine. Except for that ending. I actually wanted Urian with Xyn but there was nothing dramatic about Phoebe except she was a raging bitch suddenly? Not insane? She does all that, and Urian is just fine letting her go, as if there weren’t years of mourning her? And she went from the girl we met before to a raging psycho bitch without being insane to explain it? Like was there an actual reason he loved her enough to betray his father? The book plot was so, so weak. It’s just… wrong. Wtf?