Publisher: Tantor Audio

Cliff’s Descent: Dianne Duvall

Cliff's Descent

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading in Reviews / 6 Comments

 

The Immortal Guardians series is one of my favourite paranormal romance series. As for the characters, I have come to think of them as friends. Therefore, I was excited to learn that Cliff had his own story. What made Cliff’s Descent different from the other books in the series was that the main character, Cliff, is not immortal. Instead, he is a vampire. Read on for my views on Cliff’s Descent, book 11 in the Immortal Guardian series.

 

Cliff’s Descent: Dianne DuvallTitle: Cliff's Descent: A Vampire's Tale
Author(s): Dianne Duvall
Series: Immortal Guardians #11
Also in this series: Darkness Dawns , Night Reigns , Phantom Shadows , In Still Darkness , Darkness Rises, Night Unbound , 🎧︎Phantom Embrace, Shadows Strike, Blade of Darkness, Awaken the Darkness, Death of Darkness, Broken Dawn
Narrator(s): Kirsten Potter
Published by Tantor Audio on July 27, 2021
Pages: 290
Length: 9hrs 12mins
Genre(s): Paranormal, Paranormal Romance
Source: Publisher
Format: Audiobook
Goodreads
Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star
Series Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Heat Level: One FlameOne FlameOne FlameHalf a Flame

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Dianne Duvall brings readers a novel--set in the "fast-paced" (Publishers Weekly) and "totally addictive" (RT Book Reviews) world of the Immortal Guardians--that revolves around a vampire... one who has become a friend and trusted ally of the powerful warriors.
Every mortal who works at network headquarters knows that vampires reside below them. They were the first to surrender to the powerful Immortal Guardians who hunt them. And they did so, hoping they can be saved, that the doctors and scientists the Immortal Guardians employ can halt the progressive brain damage that robs all vampires of their sanity. Though curious, Emma never thought she would meet any of the vampires who remain under heavy guard several stories beneath her office. Then mercenaries strike, bombarding the building with heavy artillery. The vampires are freed to join the fray... and Cliff saves her life.
From that moment on, she can't stop thinking about him regardless of the restrictions placed on interactions with vampires. When Emma discovers a way to speak to Cliff at network headquarters, she becomes even more fascinated by him. He's smart, charming, and honorable to his core despite the darkness that lies ahead. And he seems to crave her company as much as she does his. Aware of the eyes that watch them, they keep their encounters innocent, limiting them to those of mere acquaintances. Nevertheless, their attraction grows and she soon falls in love with him even as the madness begins to claim him.
Cliff realizes his future is dark. As one vampire friend after another succumbs to insanity, hope that network doctors will be able to find a cure in time to keep him from meeting the same fate begins to dwindle, leaving him little to look forward to... until he meets Emma. Just speaking to her brings him a happiness and contentment he hasn't experienced since before his transformation. And when they finally find a way to be alone together, everything changes. Emma burrows her way right into his heart and quiets the voices. She sparks dreams of a future with her that strengthen his determination to beat back the madness. But as time passes, the voices grow louder and insanity begins to chip away at him until he fears it will eradicate every part of him she fell in love with.
Will the two of them find a way to defy the odds and find their happily-ever-after? Or will Cliff's descent consume him?

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

 

Cliff, through no choice of his, became a vampire. In the Immortal Guardian world, that is a death sentence. The virus that causes vampirism reacts differently in non-gifted people. It causes them to go insane from bloodlust. The doctors who work for the Immortal Guardian are working hard to find a cure for the vampires who chose to be the subjects of this experiment. Cliff is one of those vampires. Cliff has been the longest-surviving vampire and has gained the respect of the guards, researchers, and several immortal guards whom he deems his friends.

In Cliff’s Descent, Duvall highlights the friendships Cliff shares with some of the immortal guardians. She also explores his romance with Emma, a gifted one who works at the Immortal Guardians headquarters. After an incident where mercenaries stormed the headquarters, which led to Cliff saving her life, the two became friends.  Soon, their friendship slowly evolved into a charming, passionate, and heartfelt romance that will captivate readers.

I enjoyed the story that unfolded in this installment. It was great getting to know Cliff. He is loyal, a good friend, and a great lover. Watching him struggle to maintain his sanity broke my heart. I kept rooting for the doctors to find a cure because Cliff deserved a second chance.

The story focused mainly on Cliff and Emma’s relationship. However, readers who followed the series from the start will have flashbacks of events that occurred in previous installments. Don’t go into this one expecting suspense and action, the trademarks of the series. On the other hand, expect to be emotionally invested in Cliff and Emma’s journey.I kept my fingers crossed for a happy ending. It did occur, but it did not live up to my expectations. The outcome I envisioned was nowhere close to the actual one. Nonetheless, Cliff’s Descent entertained me.

Kirsten Potter did an excellent job, as expected, with each of the characters. She captured the nuances of each character, from their tone to their accents and emotions. She’s definitely the voice for the series.

 

Story Evaluation
Plot
4
Characters
5
World Building
5
Writing Style
4.5
Pacing
4
Cover
4.5
Narrator (Audio)
5
Enjoyment
4.5
Ending
4
Overall: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star

 

 

About Kirsten Potter

Kirsten Potter, a graduate of the Boston University School for the Arts, has performed on stage, film, and television, including roles on Medium, Bones, and Judging Amy. An award-winning audiobook narrator, Kirsten has won AudioFile Earphones Awards for her reading of The Snowball by Alice Schroeder and her performance as Barbara in George Bernard Shaw’s Major Barbara. Her other titles include The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley, Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, Sammy’s House by Kristen Gore, and Madapple by Christina Meldrum, which was a Booklist Editors’ Choice for Best Audiobook 2008. Kirsten has received recognition from the American Academy of Achievement and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, as well as numerous regional awards.

About Dianne Duvall

Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series. Her debut novel Darkness Dawns, Book 1, was nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance by RT Book Reviews and for Best Paranormal Romance – Vampire by The Romance Reviews. Night Reigns, Book 2, was declared an “utterly addictive” Top Pick by RT Book Reviews and was nominated for Best Paranormal Romance 2011 by The Romance Reviews. Phantom Shadows, Book 3, was named a Top Pick by both The Romance Reviews and Night Owl Reviews. Her Immortal Guardians novella “In Still Darkness” was released in the Predatory Anthology in May 2013. Darkness Rises, Book 4, was also nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance. Night Unbound, Book 5 in the series, will be released on September 2, 2014. When she isn’t writing, Dianne loves all things creative. When her nose isn’t buried in a book, she is very active in the independent film industry and once even appeared onscreen as a machete-wielding maniac not unlike the vampires she so loves to create in her novels.

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Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading

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