The Dharkan by Susana Imaginário – Audiobook Review

Susana Imaginário brings her A-game, once again, in her novel The Dharkan. This second novel in the series keeps the Norse and Olympians mashed up in an intriguing way. But, this time, it’s one of the Dharkan running the show.

About The Dharkan

The enemy is defeated. 

The gods strike a truce. 

And the Dharkan strike against the gods. 

Victory has cost both gods and mortals dearly. The veil between life and death in Niflheim is thinner than ever. Try as they might, the gods are powerless against the influence of Time, and their past mistakes threaten not only their future but their very existence. 

Now the fate of eternity rests in the unlikely alliance between the goddess of the soul and a soulless Dharkan, as they must work together to achieve peace between the living and the dead in Aegea. And although their goals may seem similar, the motivations behind them couldn’t be more at odds with each other. 

Meanwhile, a greater enemy approaches. Or maybe it’s already here…

Goodreads Blurb

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My Review

Aidan is a Dharkan. The Dharkan are a soulless race who feed off the gods. Butterfly, now known as Psyche, the goddess of the soul, is Aidan’s prisoner. She is no longer a Wyrd, as Elena’s body is no longer host to Psyche. Unfortunately, Aidan’s loving feelings for Elena make for a rough road for Psyche. Elena is now dead, and Aidan blames Psyche. Though, they must now team up to stop an insurrection that has the potential to wipe out Aegea. Will this partnership work, or will one of them wind up dead?

Characters

I fell in love with Butterfly, aka Psyche, in Wyrd Gods. I found her witty and intelligent. She remains so in The Dharkan, but with even more acid in her tongue. I also enjoyed Aidan in the first book. This time he is a bit more power-hungry which turned me off a bit, but all in all, I still like him well enough. He is acting out of love, after all.

My biggest shock was the Suzerain. I hated Alec from the beginning, but now things seem to go in a downward spiral. But I’m not sure anything will keep him down long. Hel, Loki, Fenrir, and Odin (who is now a Wyrd) are all as loveable as they can be, given the circumstances. I will always love them best. Yes, I know Fenrir is a terrible beast, but a loveable one nonetheless. The poor guy just needs a very large bone to keep him entertained.

Setting

The stump in Aegea offers an interesting setting. The magical technology in that stump amazes me. I wish I had a bracelet that let me travel through walls and floors. Hel is in her element down there. But, it is the rounds of Aegea that fascinate me the most. The scenery evokes so much emotion. The lake where the Dharkan gather feels spooky yet spiritual. I can see the beauty in my mind’s eye.

Narrator

Once again, Sarah Kempton does an incredible job with the narration. Her voice is soothing and calm, making me want to listen to her forever. Though, she does speak quite fast. Sometimes I have a hard time catching all the dialogue without slowing down the play speed. That’s okay with me, though. I still love Sarah and think her an artful narrator.

Further Thoughts

I’m still unsure how to spell all the names from this book. I apologize to Susana for any misspellings. All in all, I loved this book. I enjoyed book one more, but this novel complements the first one beautifully. I’m excited to move on to the next book.

Wrapping Up

I award The Dharkan a full 5 out of 5 stars. The story has amazing elements that readers don’t find anywhere else. If you want a different look at mythology, fantasy, and psychology, this is the series for you.

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About the Author – Susana Imaginário

Susana Imaginário is a misfit from Portugal. She moved to England to pursue a career as an aerialist and now runs a Board Gaming retreat in Ireland with her husband and their extremely spoiled dog.

Her hobbies include reading, playing board games, hanging upside down, poking around ancient ruins, talking to trees, and being tired.

Her work combines mythology with science fiction, fantasy, and psychology in a strange way.

Author’s Contact Links: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram