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A year after Marduke's death, the Order's revenge is about to take shape. As they gain the upper hand in their battle against the Guardians, the Order's attempts to change history bear fruit and Ethan and Isabel notice subtle changes in their daily lives as an altered past impacts on the future.

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

BBC Russian
BBC Russian

About the author

Marianne Curley

20 books1,222 followers
I loved reading from a young age and scoured my school libraries during my younger years, but I never thought I would become a writer. It was not until my mid-thirties, while teaching office studies and computers to adults at the Coffs Harbour Education Campus that I began to think seriously about writing. I took several courses and experimented with different styles and genres. With two teenage daughters at the time I fell into writing young adult paranormal and have never looked back.

My first four novels, Old Magic, The Named, The Dark and The Key, were published by Bloomsbury Publishing in Australia, the UK, and the USA, with translations into more than a dozen foreign languages.

In 2004, just as The Key was being prepared for printing, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone marrow cancer called Myelofibrosis. With only a short time to live, I was given a stem-cell bone marrow transplant using my sister’s stem cells, which saved my life. I have now been cancer free for seventeen years and have written a new trilogy called The Avena Series. Hidden, Broken and Fearless were published in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

In March 2018, I was finally able to publish the long-awaited fourth book to the Guardians of Time Series, called The Shadow. To unite the series, I brought out a new edition of the entire series with matching new fantasy covers tying the four books together.

I am presently working on a YA paranormal/time travel story, and a contemporary novel based on real events.

Website: http://mariannecurley7.com
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marianne.cur...
Facebook Author: https://www.facebook.com/MarianneCurl...
Insta: @marianne_curley

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5 stars
2,781 (42%)
4 stars
2,293 (35%)
3 stars
1,163 (17%)
2 stars
209 (3%)
1 star
54 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
Profile Image for Gem (The Creepy Geek).
502 reviews246 followers
May 11, 2018
I can't believe how much of this book is forgotten!!!! So much better than I remembered!!!
Profile Image for Allison.
561 reviews609 followers
September 16, 2017
I liked this one so much better than the first. It continues on a year after the events of the last book, but gets right into the action. It really never stops. I'm glad I continued with the series.

This entire series has a huge case of insta-love, though. Everyone seems to have a soul mate, and the way they discover their soul mate is by being unable to look away from each others' eyes when they first meet. When I read the first book, I thought it was going to avoid this kind of thing - but it turns out the two who would have fallen in love otherwise weren't soul mates, so they didn't.

This series was a lot of fun, just not without its flaws. And at least it gets away from high school and teenage drama after the first book.
Profile Image for Fedra.
494 reviews109 followers
March 16, 2019
Ok, I really liked it but some things felt kind of forced and the action was non-stop, something that doesn't fit quite well with me...
But I'll definitely continue with the series, I enjoy these books!

Possible triggers: Torture, whipping, beating and inflicting pain in general in one of the main characters.
Profile Image for rebecca | velvet opus.
154 reviews60 followers
February 21, 2021
Oh, gosh. I have so many feelings to unpack about this!
-----------------------
21/2/21 - oh hey would you look at the date! ANYWAY, I came here to say that I don't think a re-read has ever disappointed me as much as re-reading this did and like my other problems I'm gonna pretend it never happened and I can't remember it, ok.

Me: I have so many feelings to unpack!
Also, me: what if I don't unpack them though?

------------------------

Book 1, The Named: ★★★☆☆
Book 2, The Dark: ★★☆☆☆
Book 3, The Key: ★★☆☆☆
Book 4, (wait.. there's a book 4??): Oh hell no!
Profile Image for Karen (BaronessBookTrove).
994 reviews99 followers
March 22, 2022
The Dark by Marianne Curley is about the Goddess of Chaos getting the upper hand in the fight.
Will the Guardians of Time find a way around the Goddess?
Isabel Becket
Isabel Becket returns as one of our point-of-view characters. This is because her other power comes in handy throughout the story. It's been a year since Marduke's death, in the last book, and Isabel tries to help Ethan out when Ethan has to train her brother Matt. Isabel is honestly a character with flaws, but she tries to get through them to become a better person. One of Isabel's flaws is she does things on her own because she thinks it will somehow get back to her father. Her greatest wish is that he will return. I like her determination of not wanting to stop finding Arkarian and to bring him back alive.
The Dark CRArkarian
Arkarian is the other point-of-view character. As Arkarian is the one kidnapped, we can only see this other world through his eyes. Well, that is until Isabel, Ethan, and Matt go to get him. Arkarian has been alive for quite a while and wants everyone to succeed but not at the point of losing more vital members of the Guardians. He is a pretty selfless person, which I like about him, and he is protective of the people he loves. I didn't find much that I would say that I hated about this guy because even semi-immortal beings can get nervous around overprotective big brothers.
Five Stars
The Dark by Marianne Curley is a whirlwind of emotions that had me second-guessing everything I thought I knew about this series just from reading the first book. Especially about Arkarian. I loved every minute of reading this book. Ms. Curley has done another fantastic job with this one. My rating for The Dark by Marianne Curley is five stars, and I recommend it to anyone who loves reading young adult fantasy time travel books.

Off to read The Key next! I heard that it's going to be sad so wish me luck.


The Guardians of Time Complete Series

The Named by Marianne Curley The Dark by Marianne Curley The Key by Marianne Curley The Shadow by Marianne Curley


Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Dark by Marianne Curley.

Until the next time,

Karen Signature

Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

Profile Image for Laurita.
81 reviews7 followers
March 14, 2020
Al acabar el primero no me caía bien Arkanian, pero en este le ame demasiado.
Profile Image for Emily.
176 reviews2 followers
August 19, 2018
So I finished this book in a total of two days I’m addicted with The Guardian of Time Trilogy and I was really sad because we didn’t read about Ethan’s perspective but in the first book we did;I just missed him so much from the second book the dark.But our main povs are Arkarian and Isabel.Lets discuss the plot shall we? So this is the second book to the named,and it follows when Arkarian is abducted to the Underworld by the goddess of chaos and she is truly evil as all hell.Guess what? Marduke returns and he did die in the end of the first book and is back again hahahaha,okay I thought that Ethan and Isabel were going to end up together and fall in love but in general she’s been in love with him since she was a kid;I really wanted them to date but well this got kinda complicated........................well for starters Arkarian loves Isabel and it’s really adorble and I hate Gabe to say please just go read this book it’s truly amazing filled with loads of awesome characters,and I loved Matt more in this book than the first;I totally recommend to anybody I mean ANYBODY!!!!!! So that was my review I hope you have beautiful afternoon have a great day! :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Joannne.
53 reviews
August 7, 2012
as good as the first one, loved every minute of it, couldn't put it down
Profile Image for Zuzana.
8 reviews35 followers
January 10, 2023
I have too many thoughts and not many of them are good, but Lathenia is a poor little meow meow actually.
Profile Image for Sandra Gallegos.
Author 7 books100 followers
August 18, 2015
Este libro consiguió gustarme un poco más que su predecesor. Si bien Los Elegidos se me hizo corto, creo que el giro de tuerca que la autora introduce en este segundo libro resulta espectacular. Y, especialmente, me gustó que, esta vez, fuese narrado por Arkarian en lugar de Ethan, aunque Isabel se mantiene como narradora femenina. Y se la ve más fuerte, más madura, más dueña de su magia, con lo que resulta un personaje todavía más increíble y redondo.

No obstante, pienso que el papel de Arkarian ha estado un poco desaprovechado en esta historia. Para una vez que narra él y, al final... En fin, no quiero soltar ningún spoiler, pero me hubiera gustado que se viera la verdadera fuerza de Arkarian, tanto como Guardián como persona(je).
Y Matt ha conseguido caerme un poquito mejor, lo cual es bueno sabiendo que él será uno de los narradores en la tercera novela. También personajes como Rochelle, Dillon, Neriah... prometen que el último libro será muy movidito, por así decirlo.

He de decir que, al comenzar la historia mostrando al personaje de Lathenia, la villana, he llegado a comprenderla y a ponerme en su situación. Vamos, que me ha caído mejor que Lorian, su mellizo, quien, supuestamente, es el bueno. Y esto sólo viene a probar la teoría de que todo es según el color del cristal con que se mire. Tanto Lorian como Lathenia tienen sus propios objetivos y ambos creen que el otro está equivocado y hay que detenerlo, pero... ¿y si estuvieran los dos equivocados? ¿Y si hubiera que detener tanto a uno como a otro?

En fin, como digo, me ha encantado el giro de tuerca que la autora da en este segundo libro, donde no se trata ya simplemente de viajar en el tiempo para preservar la historia (cosa que me suena de cierta serie, jeje), sino de viajar al centro mismo de la oscuridad para que la Guardia pueda continuar existiendo. Gran historia, sin duda, que deja con muchas ganas de leer el tercer y último libro.
Reseña completa: https://eljardindelinvierno.wordpress...
Profile Image for Nicole.
Author 2 books80 followers
April 8, 2010
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually liked this second book of the trilogy better than the first... That's never really happened to me before. Usually, the second book in a trilogy is like the inbetween story and just a bridge to the finale, but this book stood out on its own and was better than the first!

I felt like this one had way more action and certainly more romance. The way the relationship between Arkarian and Isabel grows even when they're away from each other just blows me away. And in this way, Curley's writing seemed much improved compared to the first. Also this story gripped me a little more, possibly because Isabel wasn't so confused as to how she felt. Ethan is no longer a "love interest" and she knows that her soulmate is Arkarian, so there's no other choice but to retrieve him from the underworld. It bothered me a little that Curley wasn't really describing the physical pain he was in as often as I would have liked, but I suppose it's Arkarian's nature to hide his true pain.

Matt has never been so confusing, though I'm glad he was more prominent in this one. His powers that are supposed to come soon are a complete mystery even to him and his hate for Rochelle is plain for the world to see. I'm not sure I really trust her yet, but I'll just have to find out in the last book who the trator is that the Prophesy speaks of. Oh, and the fact that Marduke comes back in an annoying and interesting twist and I'm interested to see how that and his daughter Neriah are going to play out.

In all, I felt this was a better novel overall compared to the first. There was more action, adventure, and romance, everything I could hope for in a book. I hope the ending of the final book is satisfying!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Saimi Korhonen.
1,091 reviews49 followers
July 3, 2020
"They will pay dearly for this. They will pay with blood, with fear, and with many lives."

The Dark, the second book in The Guardians of Time -trilogy (yes I know there's a fourth book but we don't talk about that in this house) continues the stories of Ethan Roberts, Isabel and Matt Becket, Arkarian and every other guardian of time and history. It's been a year since the finale of the first book, and the world is slowly starting to become more dangerous as the war between the Chaos and the Guard becomes more and more heated.

The Dark is my least favorite of the trilogy (cause I'm not a super huge fan of Arkarian who is the other POV character in this book) but I do still love it a whole lot. I love how Curley expands her world-building and develops her characters and their relationships. Matt, who is my favorite character, has a much larger role in this than he did in the first book, which makes me happy. I also really enjoy the character of Rochelle, so it's also nice that she has a much bigger role as well, and to see glimpses of her struggles with trust and belonging that the third book is really gonna dive into. The romance aspect of the book doesn't really interest me but the friendships are golden and beautiful - the trio of Ethan, Matt and Isabel means everything to me. And Ethan and Isabel as a duo really are, to me, the beating heart of this trilogy. Love me some strong platonic friendships between girls and boys.

Can't wait to begin re-reading the final book, The Key, which is my favorite!
Profile Image for Megan.
114 reviews14 followers
December 27, 2016
I liked the Dark, I don't have anything bad to say about it, but I don't really have anything spectacular to say either. The plot kept moving and the characters developed well. I liked that this book centered on Arkarian because he's the best to be honest. The Dark was a fun read, so that was a plus.

Isabelle/Arkarian: I approve and I liked the way Lorian gave his approval in the end of the book (it might be a little much though? I dunno)

Matt: He's extra-special now? Cool I guess.

Rochelle: Still not sure if I actually like her, but I'm trying...

Marduke: Liked his character development in this book. 10/10. It added to his overall creep factor which I didn't even know was possible because I thought he was already really creepy...

Favorite Quote: "Well, that was enlightening." Ethan p. 218

Nothing about The Dark really stood out for me and it took a little to get into it, but I like the characters so even though I've got this eh feeling about it I'll read the next one because the first two were good.
Profile Image for Doni.
5 reviews
July 8, 2020
Saw that my (at the time) favorite *trilogy from the early 2000s had a fourth book release in 2018! This discovery sparked my decision to re-read the books. 13 year-old me loved this series, but as an adult it was a little rough....

I think the most annoying thing that comes from the second and third novel is when a character over-explains a concept that you already know from the first book as if you are just now learning about them.

Though improved from the first book, it still reads like a teen written fan fiction with occasional awkward dialogue and anti-climatic action sequences.

Dillon might be a small character, but he can sure annoy the hell out of you and Matt is still frustrating.

Overall, it’s good for it’s age group, but is not something you can pick up for nostalgia sake.
Profile Image for Nikki.
43 reviews3 followers
March 23, 2018
I am enjoying this series and I'm ready to read book three. It has got me interested to see what will happen next for these characters. I like that these books are fairly quick reads, and I gave it a four because I do see how the characters are growing but sometimes it feels like important things are skipped in the story. I know time has gone by between the first and second book, but the sudden soul mate love between two of the main characters doesn't seem to have progressed in the story. It is just kind of behind the scenes until suddenly they are in love and ready to die for each other. But it is an enjoyable read and I will pick up the third story. It has a fun concept and I like the history that is involved in the books.
Profile Image for Denise.
183 reviews
August 7, 2014
I did really like this book but I really missed seeing the story from Ethan's perspective. Arkarian is cool and all but he was cooler when I couldn't see inside his head and maintained that air of mystery. Also the whole love story between Arkarian and Isabel seemed a little forced. I know they're "soul mates" or whatever but it was like suddenly Isabel was head over heals for Arkarian after just being in love with Ethan in the last book. Anywho Arkarian's inner thoughts about Isabel also took away from his mysteriousness. He's just too normal now and not as cool as he was in the last book which makes me sad. Needless to say I will definitely read the last book.
Profile Image for Chelsea.
1,899 reviews57 followers
July 13, 2021
I hate when you reread a book and it’s garbage. I remember having fantasy adventures over this trilogy as a teen but now that I’m revisiting it, it’s just not good. The writing feels juvenile and the plot is all over the place with magic systems barely in place. The characters just do stuff and don’t ever have any real feelings or motivations other than very basic reasoning.
Profile Image for Ava.
10 reviews
August 21, 2019
This book reminds me why I always loved reading so much.
Profile Image for Helen.
69 reviews
November 19, 2017
I haven't read book one, so wasn't too sure if I would get into this book or not.
Writing style is first person and present tense, not read many books like this before. Normally the first person books I have read seem more past tense as if telling a story of what has happened, rather than what is happening. Took a little time to warm to this style of writing, and even once I finished I was still a bit unsure if it's something I would get used too.

The book starts out with the Goddess of Chaos, building the story to come. Then you meet some of the Named Guardians of Time.. saying that if you read book 1 you probably would know who the Goddess of Chaos is and the Guardians of Time, but I never so hey ho.. off we go.

There is plenty of ups and downs, a little love interest thrown in, teen angst, betrayal, death, fighting using magic, travelling through time, history, etc. etc.

Even though I never read book 1 it was easy to pick up the story, get to know the characters a little, as well as figure out some of the betrayal, and elements of the story from book 1.

Overall I enjoyed reading this book. It was worth reading, and I would like to know what happens next.
Profile Image for Fantastyczna_romantyczka.
159 reviews1 follower
March 3, 2022
Historia tak jak w poprzedniej części jest poprowadzona dwutorowo, tym razem przez Arkariana i Isabel między, którymi rozwija się coraz większe uczucie.

Jednak mężczyzna zostaje porwany do świata cieni, świata którym zarządza zła i niebezpieczna bogini.
Isabel mimo zakazu Trybunału rusza na pomoc Arkarianowi, dołączają do niej Ethan oraz jej brat Matt, który od roku szkoli się na Strażnika.

W równoległym świecie czeka na nich wiele niebezpieczeństw, które w każdej chwili mogą przekreślić całą podróż i szansę na uratowanie przyjaciela.
Czy wszystko skończy się dobrze a Isabel zdąży dotrzeć na czas by uratować ukochanego? Jakie będą konsekwencje pozostawienia Veridianu bez opieki, jak wiele się zmieni?

Czy podobała mi się tą część, zdecydowanie tak. Kwitnące uczucie, walka z przeciwnościami, upór głównej bohaterki to wszystko składa się w książkę wypełniona akcją, i niebezpieczeństwem. Zwłaszcza pod koniec skacze adrenalina 😁
To była naprawdę dobra historia, motyw podróży w czasie jest naprawdę dobrze opracowany .
Profile Image for Ice Lady.
61 reviews
May 12, 2024
En realidad serían 3,5 estrellas. A nivel de complejidad narrativa creo que gana un poco con respecto al primero, aunque sigue habiendo escenas que no acaban de tener una descripción sufuciente y hay ciertas cosas que no tienen mucho sentido o no acabo yo de entender cómo es posible que sucedan, pero bueno. No me he aburrido en ningún momento, punto bastante importante, pese a que la trama realmente no ha avanzado mucho. Sigo teniendo dudas sobre la profecía y cómo se van desarrollando los acontecimientos (¿no se suponía que el traidor del que habla la profecía es Marduke? ¿Por qué ahora Lorian dice que hay un traidor como si no supiensen quien es? Igual soy yo, que no me aclaro). A la relación entre Arkarian e Isabel le veo bastantes lagunas y teniéndolos como narradores en este libro me sigue faltando más descripción en profundidad para poder conectar realmente con los personajes, algo que ya me pasaba en el primer libro. Con ganas de leerme el tercero y recordar cómo acababa todo, que para lo bueno y para lo malo apenas me acuerdo de cuando me lo leí siendo una adolescente.
Profile Image for Flossmoor Public Library (IL).
641 reviews17 followers
November 6, 2017
This is one of my all-time favorite juvenile/young adult series because it has many genes – action, adventure, time travel, fantasy, history, a little romance – all wrapped into one well-crafted, imaginative plot. This is a MUST read for almost any reader, because of its broad diversity.

Ethan is a normal, modern-day boy when he’s awake, but when he sleeps his powers awaken as a Guardian of the Named. The Named are a secret organization whose purpose is to preserve and protect history as we know it from the Order of Chaos. The Order travels back in time to try and change key moments in history so that evil can prevail, which would cause a negative upheaval in the world today. The Named follow them in time to stop the Order from changing history. There are many intriguing plot twists and unforgettable characters that Ethan meets along the way.

- Miss Emily
Profile Image for Lauren (Luna).
42 reviews
August 14, 2017
This is more like a 3.5*

The second installment in The Guardians of Time series was a lot more enjoyable than the first part, so I am glad that I kept going with the series.

The Dark follows our heroes into a dark otherworld to rescue on of their own to try and regain balance and keep The Order at bay.
It kind of goes to plan...

As with the first book there were a number of "plot twists" that I was able to work out before they were revealed so the shock factor was missing for me. Still, this was an ok read and I will read the third (and at the moment final installment, though I hear a fourth is being written) book just to see how it all ends.
16 reviews
January 25, 2018
There is a girl name Isabel and she would do anything to save Arkarian who was kidnap by the order of chaos and they were determined to destroy everything about Arkarian exsitances in the world and Isabel along with Matt and Ethan work together to do whatever they can to save him. I really like this book because it Has a very interning setting and plot to it that makes me want to read the book to find what happen in the end, a very thrilling book that make you ask yourself what happen to it when you have to stop reading it and having that kind of feeling while reading a book is very fun and a good way to enjoy by book.
Profile Image for kaniav.
115 reviews1 follower
October 11, 2023
Jest to drugi tom świetnej trylogii fantasy. W tym tomie mamy punkty widzenia Isabel i Arkariana, których zaczyna łączyć coś dziwnego. Pojawiają się nowe wątki, ale też dopełnianie starych. Jest to bardzo przyjemna, napisana prostym językiem książka fantasy o walczeniu ze złem oraz przemieszczaniu się w czasie.

Mamy też dość specyficzny wątek miłosny, bo z motywem age gap (gigantyczna różnica).

Uważam, że drugi tom jest trochę słabszy od poprzedniego, ale i tak się świetnie bawiłam. Cały czas toczy się akcja, więc nie ma czasu na nudę. Jestem bardzo ciekawa kolejnego tomu.

Książka i ogólnie seria bardzo mnie zaskoczyły, bo nie spodziewałam się, że będzie wybitna, a okazuję się, że naprawdę jest dobra.

Polecam osobom, które dopiero chcą zacząć swoja przygodę z książkami fantasy!

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨/5
Profile Image for marta.
279 reviews38 followers
June 8, 2019
No ha estado mal, pero creo que no me lo he leído en el mejor momento.
A mitad del libro la cosa se pone interesante, pero la escritura de Marianne Curley no tiene el ritmo más ágil de todos, y habiendo salido de una época estresante no es el tipo de libro que necesitaba. Además, Arkarian me decepcionó un poco después de como lo pintan en el primer libro y la cosa se pone demasiado cheesy para mi gusto al final. Por lo demás, no ha estado del todo mal.
Profile Image for Chris.
230 reviews10 followers
February 9, 2022
These are okay reads but they are written a bit like a teenager’s first go at fantasy.

They are absolutely riddled with plot holes and things that have just never been explained. Also the ending is identical to the first book which I found very amusing.

Also Matt is really annoying and unlikeable. The entire prophesy and named stuff is inexplicable. I read these about 15 years ago and time has not been kind to them
Profile Image for Maria Torres.
5 reviews7 followers
March 11, 2022
3/3.5
It was good and I enjoyed seeing the continuation of the story but the book left something to be desired for me..? I can't quite explain it but I think my biggest issue was that it was just flipping back and forth between Isabel and Arkarian, whereas the first book also included Ethan. AND Matt's role is big, from what they are hinting. Maybe they will get more into it next book, I just wish this one had more of them as well.
Profile Image for Marta Carvajal.
72 reviews
April 22, 2023
Al igual que la primera parte te engancha rápidamente, se lee muy fácil, es un libro que se nota que está escrito para un público adolescente pero la trama es interesante y puede gustar a quien vaya sin prejuicios, también se nota que es un poco más adulto que el anterior. Te deja con ganas de la tercera parte y con mil dudas y teorías en la mente, personajes que no sabes si tienen que caerte bien o mal y relaciones que quieres ver cómo progresan.
May 28, 2019
No me puedo enamorar más de esta saga, de sus personajes y de sus aventuras. A penas iba por la mitad y ya había comprado el último, estoy deseando saber como acaban. El libro tiene de todo aventuras, peligros, sorpresas y unos momentos tan románticos que me iba a morir de amor mientras leía. Marianne Curley tienes todos mis respetos. ¡A por el último!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews

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