Sir Anthony Hart ruled his secret community of lords and ladies. His most beloved lady, Elizabeth held his heart. Then first knight Lord Thomas Wolfe had returned to this world where knights were forbidden marriage and held slaves. Lord Thomas was an acknowledged Dom. He had brought new men and women as well as several captured slaves to be trained in the art of a "jakara." Elizabeth became so infatuated with Wolfe that she asked Hart for her freedom, even though she'd tried and failed to catch Wolfe's eye.

Elizabeth wanted more than casual sex with Wolfe. She had refused marriage with Sir Anthony and even with Wolfe she refused to give up her freedom. Hart loved her enough to let her have her way. When Wolfe told Hart that Elizabeth had plans to seduce him, Hart stepped aside to give Wolfe free rein where Elizabeth is concerned. Wolfe offered the lady his golden collar--the chance to be his forever--and she slapped him in public and proclaimed she would be at no man's feet. One thing led to another, and her impetuousness ended up with her transported via remote and strung up naked in a dungeon, pinned to the wall, arms bound overhead. And then the key players exchange partners.

I am a cheap date, an easy pushover for a story. There is much to recommend this Quicksilver, and yet it did not suck me in as I expected. It didn't have the atmosphere or romance of an historical, the dark sexuality of a BDSM, the world-building of a speculative fiction. Something rang false about the medieval world. I could not put my finger on it--maybe it was the head hopping, the mechanically operated devices in the middle of a stone keep, or the spotty references to the world left behind. I could not decide if this was a medieval or a space fantasy set in another time and place. Admittedly, for me, the ambiance of setting plays as important a role as character. And I could not settle on a likeable point of view character. Elizabeth was petulant and heartless; Hart gave up too easily; Wolfe was clearly the "best" character with greatest potential--but a short-tempered Dom is a dangerous hero. What is really at stake here is not Hart's heart but Wolfe's, and not really his heart, just his proclivity. I freely admit Wolf's proclivity would be a lousy title.

The answer to my own misgivings is revealed in the close of the story. On looking back, there were adequate foreshadowing clues that I should have picked up on, but I still had that cheated feeling, as if I'd read a story episode that had turned out just to be a dream. It's not that the story is contrived, it is just not what it seems. I do commend Ms. Hoppe on her efforts and look forward to reading her work when she learns how to handle point of view.
Reviewed By: Maîtresse
© Sept 2004