Dark Reign

The Collector Trilogy, Book 1

By: Amelia Wilde

Narrated by: Aaron Shedlock, Stephanie Rose

Wealthy. Reclusive. Dangerous.

Emerson LeBlanc doesn’t enter society much. He only ventures out in pursuit of new art for his collection. It starts with a haunting painting. Then he meets the artist....

Innocent Daphne Morelli is more exquisite than anything he’s ever seen. He becomes obsessed with her. It doesn’t matter that she’s a living, breathing person with her own hopes and dreams.

She’ll be the perfect addition to his collection.

©2022 Amelia Wilde (P)2022 Podium Audio

Amelia's Always New Ideas

so far every book I've heard or read by Amelia's Wilde is so unique... so fantastically riveting. This is also quite interesting concept looking forward to weight what happens in this trilogy.

Daphne, rich woman who hates rich people.

I wanna start by saying that I love the story and I plan on continuing on with the series, but wow, Daphne is a little bit ridiculous. The way she makes me feel tells me how much I like this book because it's only when I feel strongly about characters that I know I've found a good novel.

Anyway, the MC Daphne does this whole "playing poor" act where she lives in a crap apartment and puts her art in a crap gallery, and then has the nerve to turn down if crazy money for her paintings out of some mistaken point of pride. This alone separates her from actual poor people, like her boss Robert, and it actually makes her look a touch stuck-up and ignorant; people that don't have a rich brother to fall back on on an emergency do not have the luxury of saying no to $100,000, even if it gives a man the wrong idea about you. Turning that kind of money down just isn't an option for most, and it shows Daphne's privilege. What's funny is that she then goes on to rant and act disgusted about Emerson's character based on nothing but the fact that he has money, saying he must be a bully because he has it. So she hates taking money from rich people but decided to become an artist, knowing full well that as an artist, you're pretty much inevitably going to be dealing with people that have more money than brains and just want something to brag about at parties?

Her ignorance shows in these ways, and I look forward to seeing her evolve over the course of this story because right now I'm not so sure I really like her much. She doesn't recognize that just because you pretend that your privilege isn't there, doesn't mean it disappears. She still has a security team watching her back and a family with unlimited resources at their disposal, should she end up needing them. This is what bothers me about some of these stories, a lot of women in stories like this that come from rich families hate the money and reject it, not recognizing that the luxury of doing so sets them apart from the rest of society in a way they can't do anything about, no matter how long they live in an awful apartment next to an alley or play starving artist. It's also really stupid in my opinion, not to utilize those resources. how many people would kill to have the ability to get their own gallery up and running and she turns it down because she didn't earn it; okay, fine, you want to make something of your own without the family's money, I can understand that, but at the end of the day, she could just treat it like an "investment" and pay it back or something. Most people wouldn't and couldn't afford to turn that down.

So to summarize and stop ranting, the crux of the issue with Daphne is that she's rich, wishes she wasn't, pretends she's not, and acts snobby to those who are, and is clearly ashamed of herself because of her behavior and her family's wealth. I hope by the end of the story, she's able to just own it and use it to do good things for the world because I'm gonna get really tired of the "money is bad so rich people are bad too" thing she's got going on right now. I actually think I understand Emerson more. Regardless, EXCELLENT book.

Welcome to crazy town

The narrative masterfully explores the psychological depths of its characters, presenting a compelling contrast between Daphne's pure innocence and Emerson's unsettling psychological complexity. The story's intense psychological landscape is brilliantly brought to life through Aaron Shedlock's haunting narration, which captures Emerson's disturbing mental state with remarkable precision. The narrative's gripping intensity ensures that the story lingers in the reader's mind long after the final page, creating a memorable and chilling experience that delves into the intricate nuances of human psychology and the thin line between sanity and madness. It reminds me of a 1965 movie by the same name.

WOW! This!!!

This is such a beginning of something so deep, dark, and intriguing. I am 100% hooked. I couldn’t stop listening. I didn’t want to stop listening. Emerson is a mystery I want to solve—but also one I don’t believe can be. I anxiously await the remaining 2 books of the trilogy to be released in audio. This sociopath wrapped in a cloak is a tantalizing pull.

(Can we please normalize all audio of a duet or trilogy be released simultaneously? The slow trickle is a way to lose listeners.)

Aaron Shedlock is AMAZING in this. He grasped the character of Emerson and performed it flawlessly. It’s one of the best performances I’ve heard to date.
Stephanie Rose, as well, was the perfect choice for Daphne. I don’t believe anyone could have narrated her better.

This was worth a credit…and more!
BUT, be warned, as I type this review, only part 1 has been released as of now…and this is a story you’ll want ALL of at once.
So, spend the credit if you are capable of waiting. As for me, I wish I would have waited. I’m envious of those who find this trilogy after all 3 books have released in audio. I truly hope that once the remaining 2 books are released here at Audible, I will have not given up on this entirely. ::sigh:: I believe the remaining books are months away from landing here. It’s a shame.

Disjointed, robotic, shallow

Aaron Sherlock is the only redeeming quality as his performance gave some personality to Emerson. But I was disappointed at the Under developed characters, robotic female narrator, and disconnected “plot twists”. Glad it was free. I don’t believe I’ll be listening to the other two in the series.