Eve of Darkness

A Marked Novel, Book 1

By: Sylvia Day

Narrated by: Jill Redfield

Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of Bared to You

Years ago, Evangeline Hollis spent a blistering night with a darkly seductive man she can’t forget. But that evening of addictive pleasure has become a disaster of biblical proportions: She’s been branded with the Mark of Cain. Now Eve is thrust into a world where sinners are marked and drafted to kill demons. Her former one-night stand, Cain, is now her mentor - and his equally sexy brother Abel is her new boss. And Eve has become the latest point of contention in the oldest case of sibling rivalry in history.... Cursed by God, hunted by demons, desired by Cain and Abel...all in a day's work.

©2009 Sylvia Day (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

Great listen

Jill Redfield is my favorite narrator and can make anything good!
Story is a little confusing at first, but once you catch on its a lot of fun and quite sexy. I'm curious to see where it goes from here.

Not impressed by Day

I wanted to love this book. I wanted to be one of the people who just adore Sylvia Day, but I don't. I like her writing, but it is only average in my opinion. I really like the premise of this story, and some of it is really good. But it is not great writing. I didn't like the time-frame jumps that Day used - I found them to be irritating, and it didn't create any emphasis in the story. I also didn't buy into the characters. Not enough development? I am unsure. But I never fell for anyone in this novel. Part of that is because I am not a fan of the men who "Babe" their leading ladies, so that was a drawback for me.
The narrator does a fine job with differentiating character voices, although her masculine tones were too quiet in comparison with her narrative and female voices. The thing that I found most unappealing is the narrator's LACK of emotion, especially around the sex scenes. It was soooo flat! I was never drawn in, and essentially did not care about the characters.
The ending was also terrible, in my opinion. No spoilers here, but the was Day ended the novel was enough of a drawback for me that I will not seek to listen to any more of her work.

This is just BAD

From the beginning this book makes no sense. Bad cliches and a woman that has no power over her self. There is on character development. Do not waste your time or money.

I wanted to return,,, tricks I won' fall for again

Would you try another book from Sylvia Day and/or Jill Redfield?

You feel like there is a story before this story and again, she has an unfinished story. Queen of unfinished story. I will not buy another book by her.

What could Sylvia Day have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

She wouldn't care if I told her

Have you listened to any of Jill Redfield’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes and save your great rep by not reading a Day book

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Eve of Darkness?

No clue.

Any additional comments?

I am done with the BS this author offers as entertainment.

Not Interesting - at all!!

This read didn't do anything for me. I couldn't get passed Chapter 2. So really don't waste your credit on this one.

I wanted to like this book but....

First off, the narration was great, I love Jill Redfield who also narrates Suzanne Wright's books. If you haven't read the Phoenix or Mecury Pack books and enjoy shifter romances, I highly recommend them. So I've listened to her before and have no problems with her narration.

I think my entire problem was with the premise of the book. I don't consider myself a "Christian" but I am a spiritual person and I was raised Christian. So I'm familiar with Bible stories and I tend to love new spins on them. So when I read the cover blurp, I was really interested, as Cain and Abel are a big part of the old Testament and I always wondered if there was more to the story. Side Note: Supernatural the TV series, takes a stab Cain and his Mark as well and it was really good.

What I couldn't get pass was the fact of why Eve got the Mark of Cain, and it's because she had sex. While I don't agree with the sex she did have (stranger in an elevator), it wasn't anything cruel or awful, it didn't hurt anyone, etc. Apparently though, sex is "bad" if your a woman so she got the Mark of Cain. Or maybe it's because she slept with Abel (the guy on the elevator) after giving her virginity to Cain 10 years ago? But again, that relationship was when she was 18 and only lasted a few weeks, then she never saw Cain again. But on the flip side the Mark causes you to go into some kind of "heat" and forces you to have sex.

So, on the one hand we have the side of God and the Angels saying, "you screwed up and had sex you evil temptress" but at the same time saying "as punishment we're giving you a tattoo that makes you want to have more evil sex." And Eve doesn't even fight the double standard.

I kept reading because I liked the representation of the demons and world and how the Marked were this elite group of "evil demon hunters." But I kept coming back to the reason of Eve's Mark and how the love triangle between Cain her and Abel was shown. And the book kept throwing in my face that Cain and Eve shouldn't be together. I finished most of the book, but I'll be returning it and won't be continuing the series.

narrator voice for male voices is too low to hear

I like the story but when the narrator drops her voice to speak the Male voices I cannot hear the words.

Couldn't make it through

I've read so many novels by Sylvia that I thought I would love all of them. But when I began this one, I was way too out of touch; between the Bible references and the fictional creatures and powers... it was all lost on me. Just not my style at all.

Yawn

Save your money and your time. Boring. Flat. Unbelievable even in the fantastical sense. I have listened to other books by this reader this one was too much. Accents were distracting.

Oh boy...not at all what I expected in a bad way

There are some parts of this book that are just flatout boring. I could barely stay awake. The story, even for sci-fi, was just ridiculous. I just wish I hadn't bought the 2nd one first by accident. Now I have 2 of these monstrosities.