Question about this series

[Tarnish]

Hi everyone. I'm new to this site and this author, and I am completely addicted after reading the fever series(can't wait for Dreamfever). I really want to start the Highlander series, but I have a severe kindle addiction, and the series is only available in ebook form, starting with book 4.

I want to order a hard copy of the first book, but my impatience is making me want to get the first kindle edition I can find.

My question is, do the books stand alone? Can I start with Kiss of the Highlander, and not be completely lost?

Thank you in advance for taking the time to respond, and I apologize if this question has been asked before?

I also apologize if this is the wrong area to post this question.

[PrettyGirl1007]

I read all the books from 1-7 and then started the fever series... I think I would have been lost otherwise. But if you have to start in the middle, Drustan is the one to start. Simply because he's my favorite...LOL!! I hope you enjoy the Highlanders as much as the rest of us!!

[Carole]

Originally Posted by VictoriaP

And I'm just a little too wrapped up in the bad boys, I think--Dru's a touch too sweet for this girl, although the bits I've seen of Gwen in the other books make me think I'd probably like her best of the female leads. We're leaving on a trip soon and I haven't found much that I really want to take with me; I suspect Kiss will probably be along for the ride,

Thread nap ..... I'm wondering if you read KotH? Drustan is too goody goody for my dark tastes as well, but Gwen is my favorite of all the female leads.

I've told the many friends that I've turned onto the KMM books to read them in order. I think the whole experience is much more enjoyable with each book. There is a wonderful arc in the Highlander books that may or may not finally culminate in the Fever series.

[VictoriaP]

Originally Posted by Carole

Thread nap ..... I'm wondering if you read KotH? Drustan is too goody goody for my dark tastes as well, but Gwen is my favorite of all the female leads.

I've told the many friends that I've turned onto the KMM books to read them in order. I think the whole experience is much more enjoyable with each book. There is a wonderful arc in the Highlander books that may or may not finally culminate in the Fever series.

LOL--funny you should bring this up in the last few days:

Well, I bought KotH to read on the plane either to or from Ireland. Instead, I ended up consuming the entire Black Dagger Brotherhood series after reading a thread or two in the Meeting House Square. More bad boys. Then I started in on rereading Maria Snyder's Study Series (starting with Poison Study). I just can't seem to pick up Kiss yet; something in me just isn't ready to see Daegus "pre Draghar" or Drustan as anyone I'd want to be attracted to. I have seen from other threads that Drustan is quite a bit different in Kiss than in the later books, and that's why I at least went as far as buying it. I know I'll get to it, and I've also been recommending to anyone else that they read the books in order so they don't fall into the same trap I did.

I'm sure there's plenty in there that I've missed by not reading Kiss first. And I do love what I've seen of Gwen--Chloe bored me, Jessi I was pretty ambivalent about, Gabby I did like a lot. But Gwen (as seen in the other books) really has the most "attitude" of the women, and that makes her a lot more appealing to me.

Come to think on it, I'd like to see her get a hold of Mac. That would be an interesting conversation!

[Carole]

Originally Posted by VictoriaP

I just can't seem to pick up Kiss yet; something in me just isn't ready to see Daegus "pre Draghar" or Drustan as anyone I'd want to be attracted to. I have seen from other threads that Drustan is quite a bit different in Kiss than in the later books, and that's why I at least went as far as buying it.

Although Dageus is different in KotH, I feel its not terribly drastic. Plus, he's simply not in it that much.

Chloe was "eh" for me and Jessie was simply "ok" but nothing more and certainly not a match for DDG Cian. Unfortunately I've only read IH once and can't even remember how I felt about Gabby.

I would love to see Gwen take on Mac. After Gwen was through trying to slap some sense into Mac's self-important head, she'd wipe the floor up with her. I'll be on the sidelines cheering Gwen on.

I hope you post again after you read KotH, its my third favorite of all Karen's books. Dark and Spell being tied for first place.

[PuggyJo]

Originally Posted by KJTVH

Sorry, I disagree a bit, these books are mostly sequels! Book 2 uses characters from, and gives away events that happen in, book 1, books 4-7 directly follow each other -- book 4 sets up events in book 5, book 5 sets up book 6, book 6 sets up book 7 -- and characters from these 4 overlap. Sure, you can read the book separately, and not in order, but you'll get far more out of them by reading them in order. (I know, I read books 6 and 7 first, and there was so much of the stories that I didn't really 'get' or that didn't seem so important, until I read books 4-5.)

I agree, you get all kinds of build up and hints if you read them in order. Like you, I have a reader and had to go out and get the 1st 3 books. I'm glad I waited and read them in order. Whichever way you go happy reading. They each one get better then the last!

[VictoriaP]

Originally Posted by Carole

Although Dageus is different in KotH, I feel its not terribly drastic. Plus, he's simply not in it that much.

Chloe was "eh" for me and Jessie was simply "ok" but nothing more and certainly not a match for DDG Cian. Unfortunately I've only read IH once and can't even remember how I felt about Gabby.

I would love to see Gwen take on Mac. After Gwen was through trying to slap some sense into Mac's self-important head, she'd wipe the floor up with her. I'll be on the sidelines cheering Gwen on.

I hope you post again after you read KotH, its my third favorite of all Karen's books. Dark and Spell being tied for first place.

Well, I read KotH last night. Spoilers below--if you haven't already read the book, please don't read the spoilers! :)

First things first. Go Gwen! Lordy, I hope we DO get to see a match between her & Mac someday. She's exactly what that young lady needs in her life; a female mentor who's smart, practical, knows how the world works, and has a decent understanding of how men tick!

As for the rest.....I do think Karen had more funny lines in this one than in anything else I've read from her. There were parts where I literally put the Kindle down for a good 10 minutes, laughing so hard my stomach hurt. Gwen & Silvan at the breakfast table after Gwen had been "fluffing". Bwah ha ha ha!!!! She's still my favorite, though I'm thinking she's a little less plausible than she was when I knew less about her. Gabby's probably the most realistic of the female leads so far, and I think in some ways she's the strongest.

But. It's still going to come in fourth for me--DH, Spell, IH, then Kiss. Read them in chronological order, but don't be surprised if you find your favorite isn't the first one.



**hangs head in shame** I wanted to like Drustan. I swear, I really did. And I found that unfortunately, he's just not that different as the center of the book than he is on the periphery of the others. A little dull, a lot arrogant, a bit stuffy and pompous.

Worse yet: I really wanted to actually see the part where Drustan makes the plan to sleep in the tower; where the fire happens, where Dageus has to make his decision on what to do, etc. I wanted to see Drustan's reaction to Silvan's letter. Heck, I wanted to see GWEN'S reaction to it. I felt like wham-bam, here's your HEA in the last few pages with no real idea of the work involved that actually brought you there. That's a huge piece of the story to just fly over. And it was the first time I've actually felt gypped by one of Karen's books.

I just felt like there's the whole gap between where KotH ends and DH starts--and while we get glimpses of what occurred in DH, we never really get the whole picture from the POV of either twin. Mostly it's just the aftermath we see as part of Dageus' torment. And I wished we were able to see at least a brief glimpse into the twins' lives before all this started; just a bit of what it really looked like growing up in that time period and as a Keltar.

It's interesting to watch the progression of Karen's writing skills & style though!

[Jericho's Girl]

I read all the Highlander novels first. Then I read the Fever Series. I started with Immortal, and I so fell in love with Adam. He is so nothing like V'lane. Adam is so much more masculine in my opinion. Then I went down the line, and read about Daegus, Drustan, skipped to Cian, then Circen, and finally about Grimm. I still have not read about Hawk though.
I have to say the Circen is my favorite though, because he is a combination of the best of these guys. Sexy like Daegus, virtuous like Drustan, savage like Cian. And he's the biggest one of all I think, like 6'7". I have to admit that it was Phil Gigante's voice on the audio books that got me hooked in the first place. The rest was delicious icing on the cake. I have to say though that I think that best voice he used was for Daegus... so hot !
And of course there is the voice that Phil uses for Jericho Barrons on the Dreamfever audio..... Wow !

[oldnellie]

I'm reading the Highlander series after getting hooked on the Fever series as well and just wanted to say you're in for a real treat. These are good too!

[cinder_84]

After reading Kiss the first time, back in the day, I've always wondered what happened with Christopher's family? Where are his parents, any siblings, cousins, etc.?? Is he the only Keltar left in modern time and why? Maggie states that they have twins an uncommon lot in this family, is Christopher a twin?? Or maybe we just aren't supposed to worry about all of that and just enjoy the story, but I always want more background info. Just me I guess...

[Jill]

Originally Posted by cinder_84

After reading Kiss the first time, back in the day, I've always wondered what happened with Christopher's family? Where are his parents, any siblings, cousins, etc.?? Is he the only Keltar left in modern time and why? Maggie states that they have twins an uncommon lot in this family, is Christopher a twin?? Or maybe we just aren't supposed to worry about all of that and just enjoy the story, but I always want more background info. Just me I guess...

Oooooo I like this question! Maybe you could ask it in the Ask Karen forum, and she'll answer you! I would love to know more about the Keltar clan!!!