Honor a commitment to a madman with genocide on his mind or turn traitor to save a race? How can one decide when the fate of an entire race will be sealed by that one decision? Can one woman make that choice – the fate of her heart in the mix as well?

Earth is uninhabitable and worse, the remainder of the solar system is at war. The remnants of humanity battle it out for their very survival. In the midst of all this madness, Lieutenant Kimberly Kinsale has even more to worry about, for she finds that she not only fights for a true madman, one intent upon genocide, but also against the very warrior she was once destined to marry. It's not just Kimberly's personal future at stake though, but also that of the entire human race. One wrong decision on her part and it could all end very badly -- for everyone!

This is the premise for Darkscape: The Rebel Lord by R. Garland Gray. Set in a far future where Earth is now rendered uninhabitable as a repercussion from the Dragon Comet's destruction of the planet Mercury, this is the story of Lieutenant Kimberly Kinsale. As a child, she is contracted to marry the leader of the Clan Douglas, one Lord Lachlan de Douglas, and "a royal heir from Ancient Earth". This is to cement ties between differing and sometimes feuding clans. These clans form the last vestiges of humanity. Scattered about as colonists on the worlds and various moons of the Solar System, it seems the human race now lives in an uneasy peace.

However, events do not favor Kimberly's marriage plans. Instead, war intervenes and Kimberly grows up to be a lieutenant and a pilot, fighting in an interplanetary war under Commander Rama, a man who Kimberly begins to realize is truly insane. Then, Kimberly discovers a mistreated prisoner. She helps him, even though knowing this will anger her commander. She realizes, belatedly, that this prisoner is no less than the infamous warrior leader of the very people Commander Rama is trying to exterminate. Now Kimberly faces a real quandary. Should she risk all, help Lachlan, thus becoming a traitor, and so incurring the mad Commander Rama's wrath and dreadful punishments? Or, should she honor her oath and fight against the man she once was supposed to marry? To make matters worse, Kimberly is powerfully attracted to Lachlan, but she cannot let this prejudice her decisions. For Kimberly, her personal fortunes and those of humanity's as well, await on her choices.

Darkscape: The Rebel Lord by R. Garland Gray is well written. The author uses descriptive phrases with judicious care, and paints scenes quickly, as well as transitioning between them with a smooth alacrity. R. Garland Gray seems a master at action-based romance stories, moving them along at a fast pace, but without sacrificing depth of characters or clarity of plot. R. Garland Gray, with Darkscape: The Rebel Lord, creates a suspenseful tale of love and romance, a future-age saga, a sort of science fiction Gone WithThe Wind. Darkscape: The Rebel Lord by R. Garland Gray makes us not only feel anxious and concerned for the two literally star-crossed lovers, but we are also intimately troubled for the future of all of humanity, as well.

One of the few problems I had with Darkscape: The Rebel Lord is that I felt the premise of the book to be a little weak. A comet's destruction of Mercury, a very tiny planet and one far from Earth, and so should have little gravitational influence upon it, and yet somehow causing Earth to become uninhabitable as a result, seemed manifestly unlikely to me. This affected my willing suspension of disbelief for the whole story from the very outset. Furthermore, one has to believe that it would still be far easier to build habitats on a ruined and hostile Earth rather than on some of the places that Darkscape: The Rebel Lord has placed colonies. For instance, some colonies situated on asteroids require expensive gravity generators. If they were to fail, people would just float away for lack of any real gravity. Earth, despite disastrous occurrences, would not be dependent upon such generators.

In addition, the idea that all groups of survivors of lost Earth would become so Scots clan-like in their nature and behavior, and this despite their vast differences in cultural origins, religious backgrounds, etc., also was a little difficult for me to believe. R. Garland Gray did a good job of creating a future civilization patterned very closely on late Medieval Scotland, but such a strong comparison just didn't seem very likely to me, not after so many centuries, and not with so many varied peoples on Earth.

However, if one puts aside these minor objections, then Darkscape: The Rebel Lord by R. Garland Gray is a swashbuckling, fast-paced adventure, a romance that is fun to read and one that will surely hold the reader's interest to the very end. R. Garland Gray is a good writer and has a good book in Darkscape: The Rebel Lord. I recommend this novel as a fun and exciting book to read.
 
Reviewed by Rob Shelsky
© December 2008

Undercover detective Miranda Hart's assignment is to track the white slavery ring that has been targeting young women; but when she does her job too well, she ends up kidnapped along with the rest of the victims. Only the kidnapping ring she's investigating is not the Russian white slavery ring she thinks she's targeting. Oh no. It's a whole lot farther away than that...

...which is something that she figures out when she is zapped by a white light directly into a SF channel special, only it's a real life episode set in a giant flying trash compactor run by boxy-headed three legged robots that shoot beams of light and herd dozens of kidnapped women like space-cattle in giant tubes. And that is not even the half of it. After an exam that make the free clinic downtown sound like a friendly picnic, travel accommodations that rival lock-proof fast-food burger boxes complete with jell condiment packing material, Ms Hart and her fellow kidnappees end up on some god-forsaken alien planet, hiking in ankle chains through an alien forest under the command of a lizardthingee in an astronaut costume.

Toto is not in Kansas any more. So much for the investigation. And this is all before we meet the protagonists.

But do you want to meet the guys? Lizardthingee Astronaut happens to be a trader; and he has brought our heroine and the rest of his batch of stolen compatible females to a womanless population of Hirachi men about to come into a spawning season. These Hirachi men are built like wrestlers on steroids--and except for being all muscle-bound, six and a half-feet plus, yellow-skinned and pointy eared, they seem just like men from Earth. There is Kahn the leader, and Teron the healer with the gentle eyes and a horde of others. They have back story of their own involving their own stolen women, their own history of being traders and being themselves enslaved by the "Sheloni"...but you'll have to read that for yourself. The blunt-spoken Randy with her red hair and sense of independence draws a lot of attention, and that attention activates some competitive catty survival genes, so that even amongst the women, there is unrest--at least initially.

And they're a whole lot more different than they suspect at first. Possibly impossibly different.

This is actually a return to the world O'Connor created in Genesis. And I have to admit--as I have said many times before in earlier reviews--that O'Connor knows her way around a story. As I have noted before, the use of multiple limited omniscience does take away from the ultimate suspense of the thing. On the other hand, there are only a few times that we are in Kahn's head.

From the fast paced trip into this strange world, weaving together this cast of compelling characters with a warp and weft of hope and despair through a sea of insurmountable obstacles, O'Connor brings an impossible dilemma to life. Worth the read, especially after you pass the ship sequence and the characters start interacting. However, I would be remiss if I didn't warn you that this book is strictly heterosexual, but you'd better be a polygamy fan. If that's your cuppa tea, then you'll find The Spawning very well done.

Reviewed by Maîtresse
© Aug 2008

Once upon a time there were arranged marriages. Luckily we don’t have to worry about such things now. At least, those of us who aren't half-alien with mysterious pedigrees don't have to worry about arranged marriages. They bring up all kinds of issues that most contemporary cultures don’t have to worry about. The initial relationship in Forced Mate falls into that category of unavoidable arrangements. In most situations, characters swept into life decisions by powers beyond their control would be thought of as a couple of limp biscuits, ready to crumble at the merest conflict.

But "the wicked Prince"Tarrant-Arragon, kidnapper bridegroom and Djinni-vera, (pronounced Jinney) the Saurian White Knight bride, are designed of far-from-crumbly material. That's a good thing, becauseForced Mate has a nerve-wracking premise based on the chess move of "forced mate," when two kings rush a single queen. The second King in Forced Mate --and the major obstacle--is the mysterious J-J, Djinni's intended bridegroom affianced from childhood. The hero is a seven foot tall Alpha male of a species that goes into a "rutrageous" condition when confronted with a compatible female during her fertile cycle.

There's an ironic subterfuge where Tigger is trying to marry his bride before she figures out who he is. Djinni guesses who he is but is trying to get close enough to kill Tigger without falling for him. Complications in the plot may be a bit convoluted for the typical romance reader who might have to refer frequently to the genealogy chart in the first of the book. Also, not all loose ends are tied, so one leaves the book waiting for a sequel. Forced Mate is an entertaining futuristic romantic science fiction tale with action and a touch of humor, with a relationship between the primaries that builds in a realistic way even as the political situation degenerates and more mysteries come into play.

Reviewer Maîtresse
Copyright 2005

As a huge fan of romances involving time travel, the teaser for A Bend in Time by Michelle Miles caught my eye. Who can resist a story that could take you, along with the characters, anywhere in time? I certainly can't. While doing my pre-review research, I discovered that Ms. Miles previously published the elements of this story in serial form. A Bend in Time is actually a compilation of two seasons of serial romance all in one neat little package. Very convenient.

An accomplished writer who crafts her words in several genres, Ms. Miles treats us to a classic Sci-Fi Romance with A Bend in Time. The story introduces us to Skye and Dane, two people destined to travel to the ends of time together - whether they like it or not.

Grief-stricken Skye Ransom is still recovering from the shock of losing her parents when she is faced with the possibility of another death: her own. Hunted for an unknown reason by a close associate of her father, Skye finds herself fleeing for her life and running right into the path of Dane Fortune, an incredibly sexy, but deadly, man.

A hit man by trade, Dane Fortune is not what you would call the sensitive type. He wouldn't think twice about offing someone for a tidy little sum. He didn't regret putting a bullet in either of Skye's parents' heads, but killing their pretty little daughter? She's a looker, but money's money, right?

Dane and Skye find themselves thrown into the hurricane of time by a less than dependable device which leads them from place to place instead of returning them home. They learn quickly that to keep on living, they must adapt to each new destination and think on their feet.

I won't say any more to protect the secrets of the story, but I can tell you that Skye and Dane are likeable characters and you will want to know more about them. The story moves quickly enough to leave you wondering what is around the next corner and a few plot twists keep this story from being like every other Sci-Fi romance you've read so you won't be bored, but you may still be disappointed.

This is a time travel romance and this type of story is dependent upon the characters visiting realistic historic, futuristic or alternate worlds. To make the story believable, the destinations should be fully developed and interesting to the reader or the story takes on the essence of a bad B-movie with lots of action, but no substance.

A Bend in Time contains only shallow descriptions of these new worlds, lending a superficial taste to the story that made me want to put the book down. It was only my growing affection for Dane's character that kept me reading.

In one destination, Ms. Miles bases her historical description on a popular movie, adding a few lines from a high school textbook, it seems, to round it all out. I'm sure the movie reference was meant to add humor to the story, but since the characters' world relied on that reference for its depth, it left me feeling that the whole book was a joke. From that point forward, I read only to find out what Dane was up to and for no other reason.
To sum it up, read A Bend in Time if you have a few hours to kill and want to meet Dane Fortune. If you want to read a story that transports you to exciting new worlds built on depth and detail, this is not the book for you.
A sequel titled A Break in Time is planned for a future release. I will read A Break in Time to get to know Dane Fortune better, but I hope Ms. Miles spends some more time developing the characters' destinations and leaves out the movie references next time around.

Reviewed By Sabine Maurier
© August 2007

Science Fiction is often viewed as something geeks like to read, and shows where men like to gawk at girls in skimpy costumes. The thing is, most of the writers of science fiction, at least among the fan magazines and underground stories, are women. Fruits of Betrayal is a take by a woman on science fiction that is primarily a romance. Perhaps the latest change from the hard science, fictionalized to now romanticized as well as fantasized.

Justin Foster is, from all descriptions, the classical good-looking California beach boy or an Apollo like the god from Rome. And apparently a lot smarter, too. He works for Protectors of the Keepers of the Environment. You'd think if aliens were smarter, they come up with better titles for their secret groups. However, he has a weakness named Trina, his adopted human daughter. Because of that, he is now a double agent. He ended up delivering a box, contents unknown, meant for his alien bosses to protect earth. Instead it was delivered to the enemy in exchange for ensuring the safety of his kidnapped daughter, who was kidnapped only because he let Elyse Greenwood, also an alien, under his skin, and into his heart and bed. Now he has to get his daughter and the box back, and find a way to stop Raymond Broody and whatever he is doing with the Destroyers intent on taking over the Earth. Only problem is his boss at Protectors has told him to get re-involved with Ms. Greenwood in a counter mission that could play straight into the Destroyer's hands.

So the Fruits Of Betrayal begin to bud on the tree. What is different about this story from the mainstream is that its focus is really primarily on sex and S&M. The story itself pretty much sits in the background. While there is plenty of story action, a terrific chase scene, and sparsely filled out characters, it still comes up short. Why? Because it reads more like a sex manual than a story. There needed to be more balance. I wanted to know things like, why are these people here on earth? While the Protectors and Destroyers are like family dynasties and passed down from parent to child, there is no hint as to why they really want to be on Earth. What is at stake here? Yes, trying to keep them from over taking Earth, that old overused, tired plot. But why Earth? Surely there are other worlds more worthy of their attention, or are there? While this story is only one hundred pages long, there was still room to put in some of this without detracting from the story. What else attracted them to each other besides hormones, or does that matter? Also, where is the reason to care for these characters? It also could have built up better for the sex scenes by using the tension and delayed gratification for us, the readers.

Fruits Of Betrayal left me feeling fruitless after reading. So much was promised and so little was given. More story and less graphic sex would have helped tremendously over all.

Reviewed By Nancy Louise
© July 2007

Could a geek and a streetwise survivor ever find true love? Vicky Burkholder seems to think so, and to prove her case she wrote Prime Time. Only in this tale, the geeks are known as Techies and the streetwise survivors are known as Porters. The light satire of the names is not lost on me. Porters are also the names of people who do all the physical labors in many so-called third-world countries. Techies? Well, that could be just about any American who happens to have a job above minimum wage.

But the story goes way beyond the usual "haves" finding out how hard it is for the "have nots". Plus this story is amazing in technical details for how it works to live and survive on the moon. Unlike on earth where the higher up you live in high rises or hills, the richer you must be, the rich live on the ground, and the porters live in the upper levels. Levels that never see security or fresh food since they cost too much, and if you get sick, good luck.

Jake hires Deena for her street-wise ways to try and stop a drug called Utopia. She was hired because both of her parents died from it. But they quickly discover that it is not just drugs that plague them, but corruption that runs deep, even to those whom they thought they could trust with their lives. It also brings into vivid view the kinds of lives that can be possible, both good and bad, on the moon.

If Prime Time is ever made into a movie and Vicky Burkholder endorses it, I will be among the first in line to buy those high priced tickets. This tale is a rollicking ride of suspense, romance, and good Old West flavor that doesn't stop till the last line.
 
 
Reviewed By Nancy Louise
© April 2007

I've heard from other reviewers that Linnea Sinclair is a wonderful sci-fi fantasy romance author so when I was offered a chance to read her new speculative fiction book - Finders Keepers - I jumped at the chance. However, when I received the book and read the back blurb it stated that this book blended hard SF with sizzling romantic suspense. Now I'm not especially fond of hard SF since it tends to be a little too high tech for me so I had to wonder how these two elements could possibly blend and blend well.

Trilby Elliot is an independent trader captain who sits her starfreighter down on Avanar to make repairs and modifications. While on the planet she sees a Trahtark, a 'Sko high-powered fighter, go down in the jungle. Since Trilby's the only sentient being on the planet as far as she knows, it gives her unalienable salvage rights; she and her droid, Dezi, make their way into the jungle in hopes of salvaging some 'Sko parts. Once there she discovers an injured man from the Zafharin Empire and reluctantly takes him back to her ship.

When Rhis Vanur awakens he doesn't know where he is, let alone what happened. He decides to act like he's still unconscious until he can figure out what's going on or until he can capture whoever's holding him captive. Once he manages to capture the woman, he determines that she is not a bounty hunter trying to take him back to Conclave Security; she's just a low-budget captain who got a little more than she bargained for when she rescued him. Trilby finds Rhis to be arrogant, opinionated, and spoiled. Rhis finds himself intrigued by Trilby's insulting, disdainful attitude. Despite their feelings for each other the two of them will have to learn to work together if they plan to get off Avanar, especially since time is critical for them both. Thus, when Rhis offers to help Trilby make repairs on her starfreighter, she takes him up on it. As the two of them work together to get the Careless Venture up and running, they find themselves becoming attracted to one another. And this is only the beginning of their little adventure!

So how did Linnea Sinclair manage to blend hard SF with romantic suspense? Ms. Sinclair used technical jargon, suspense, warfare and romantic elements that don't overshadow a well-plotted story. Even romance readers like me are able to enjoy Finders Keepers. Both of the main characters, Trilby and Rhis, are fleshed out. Each has little idiosyncrasies as well as strengths and weaknesses. I was able to see the positive changes in both characters, especially Rhis. In fact, I found that I was actually able to identify with Rhis more easily than with Trilby because his character changes and grows the most. Trilby is a little too gun shy, so to speak, for a starfreighter captain. However, by the end of the story she, too, grows and is able to overcome the obstacles of her past - something I find myself wishing I were a little better at doing.

Much of what happens in Finders Keepers wouldn't have been accomplished without the interesting secondary characters. I hope to see several of these characters with stories of their own especially the droid, Dezi, who is hilarious, loveable, and yet such an irritant. The only real problem I had with the story is that it left too many unanswered questions--questions I can't ask without having to put a spoiler warning on this review. Thus, I sincerely find myself hoping that Ms. Sinclair has plans to take Trilby, Rhis, Dezi, Dallon, Farra, Yavo, Hana and Demarik on further adventures set among the Zafharin, 'Sko, and Conclave Empires. Would I recommend Finders Keepers to hard SF fans? Definitely! Would I also recommend it to romance fans? Absolutely! Linnea Sinclair is obviously a versatile author with a wonderful imagination, which enables her to take readers along for the ride.

Reviewed By: Aureauna
© June 2005

Country Priestess centers around a little boy and his family. Timmy is not an ordinary boy. He's autistic. But at the same time, he's an artistic genius. The character of Timmy is so promising and interesting that he is what drew me to reading this book.

Timmy has a special relationship with his uncle Joe; he draws pictures. After Joe's girlfriend dies under strange circumstances, Timmy starts drawing mysterious pictures of maps, names of strangers, precognitive art--clues for his uncle Joe. In the meantime, Joe gets blinding headaches which seem to be contoured to controlling his behavior. Timmy's artwork is a beacon for his uncle.

There is something about Dick Claassen's style that I like--probably that it is straightforward and unpretentious. There are places which do seem a bit too simplistic unless this was aimed toward a young adult readership, and frankly it could have used another good editing pass. And I wasn't sure how to take a hero named Joseph Sur Landszlodt (lancelot) until later he meets MeLing Guinevere Huntington. When reading, pay attention to the names--like Doppelganger for the restaurant. You can decide for yourself if such details being deliberately pointed out by the author are subtle or too heavy-handed.

Also, I do wonder a bit at the rapidity of the pace of the romance between Joe and MeLing. I was reading Country Priestess for the paranormal sf mystery and the characterization of Timmy, so I found the romance a bit of a distraction. In fact, MeLing is key to Timmy and Joe's quest--but I hate to say more and give away too much plot. Though I was a bit disappointed (I did have very high expectations of this particular novel,) I am still looking forward to reading a continuation of Timmy's character in Claassen's Silver Seed.

Allie
Copyright 2006

I love humor. I haven't read all that much erotica that combines humor with story. Maybe the occasional funny character, or a hero or a heroine with a sense of humor. The concept of funny erotica might be an oxymoron, but even if it is, whenever I've come across it, I have enjoyed it immensely.

Asteroid6969 doesn't start out as if it has any humor. It starts off like a space opera, perhaps with a feel to it a little like the movie Space Pirates. Lance, the blond Adonis-like space pirate has to put down on Asteroid6969 and in the meantime, he's going to get a hot bath in real H20. He's also got an infestation, a space ship full of furzbas, small furballs that live off of energy. They're faintly reminiscent of tribbles, that charming nuisance of an animal documented in the original Star Trek series. Naked, our hero swashbuckles out of his bath to rescue a virgin wanna-be-submissive from the evil clutches of a Dom who's meaner than she'd expected.

What follows is not exactly a comedy, or a comedy of errors. But the hero is heroic, and the heroine is as naively ingenuous as you could wish her to be. To be honest, I thought I was going to like this story much more than I did. Not because it is written badly because it is actually written pretty well. But the flashbacks are disconcerting and a bit confusing. a structure that seems to me a bit ambitious for this little 66 page story. I am sure that the author did this to get the initial hook of the structure in the right place—the romance industry does have certain conventions, and one of them is the elimination, more or less, of the hero or heroine's childhood, to be replaced by a chunk of rapidly-purveyed backstory exposition. I really think this good story would have been much better if the author had been free to present it in consecutive order. The story wraps up rather tongue in cheek, with a bit of humor, with almost a wild-west ambiance in the Fanny’s Fandango House of Pleasure and Fantasy, various dance establishments, bars, etc. I look forward to reading more of Samantha Winston's work.

Cute erotica.

Reviewer Maîtresse
Copyright 2005

Alicia Sparks' Dragon's Law: Damon, is a book with a plot so complex that any attempt at writing a synopsis would reveal enough of the book to ruin it for some readers so instead, let me tell you about a couple of my favorite scenes and characters.

Damon is a man with a mission. He needs to find his betrothed before time runs out, in order to save his kingdom and throne from his worse enemy, his own brother. Six years earlier, during a struggle between the brothers,

Kira disappeared into a vortex. Now he must find her before the dragon that is part of his soul takes complete control. Kira, an up and coming video game designer, is a woman with a secret. She has no past; she woke in a hospital six years ago with no memory. All she has are these vivid dreams, dreams that her ground breaking video game are based on. She is confused and frightened when she finds the man of her dreams.

When he starts re-enacting all of her dreams, she truly feels the danger that this man represents to her soul. Damon needs to control the dragon that roars for its mate while trying to find the truth of Kira's betrayal with his own brother. However, Kira needs to find the truth of Damon's feelings.

Dragon's Law: Damon is the second of three stories she has so far in this series. One can only hope there may be more, but if not these are certain to have you wanting more as a reader. Ms. Sparks has been added to my list of must watch for Authors. If you would like sparks added to your reading, I recommend you give this series a try.

Reviewed By Tammy Adams
© May 2005

The Rogue Prince is the fourth of the Lords of the Var series by Michelle M Pillow. Albeit slightly out of order, I have read and loved every single one of them. The Rogue Prince is no exception to the high standard set by the previous three. All of them are simply fabulous and a must read, particularly for sci-fi and/or futuristic romance fans. I cannot wait for the next in the series, Jarek’s story, and I would love for the author to write their children’s stories, also. I am soon going to read the two linked series, Dragon Lords and Galaxy Playmates, and if they are anything like these, I will not be able to put them down.

The Var are a Cat-Shifting race. They have recently made peace with their long time enemies, the Draig, who are Dragon Shifters. The planet has long been split in rule where the Var reign the South and the Draig the North.

King Kirill has been the leader in making peace with the Draig, though he has not been on the throne for long. The brothers are split as to whether peace with the Draig is a good thing or not. Having been at battle for so many years, some of the brothers know no other way of life and also do not trust the Draig. With the Treaty in place, they must work towards peace, and mostly they are managing.

Jasmine St Claire has been married for four years to a rich doctor, a leader and respected man in his field. She appears to be happily married, though insipid and dim. Contrary to appearances, she is neither happily married nor unintelligent. In fact, she does everything for her husband from the housework to writing his speeches. She has a heart condition for which she takes a pill every day and she is also allergic to the laser in medical booths. Her life is far from an easy one. Coping with a physically and verbally abusive husband is difficult, but she feels dead on the inside, experiencing no happiness, nor joy, nor attraction, nor desire: only fear and apprehension.

Seeing the perfect opportunity, Jasmine makes a break for it. Her plan is to barter for a safe transport off the planet with the Var Ambassadors. After being turned down, she resigns herself to being stuck with her husband until another opportunity arises. The conversation she overhears between her husband and another doctor sends her hurrying back the way she came, hiding in the Ambassador’s craft until out in space. Determined never to be under the thumb of another man, to have her freedom, she is unprepared for her growing feelings for the Ambassador. She is also worried about her health.

She hasn’t been feeling too well since first seeing Ambassador Reid, all nauseous and fluttery. She’s also had a strange, well – leaking, down there. When will she find out what she has been feeling is attraction? How will she cope with her growing attraction to Reid, along with her desire never to be controlled by a man again? What did she overhear – and what is its importance?

Prince Reid is not looking to settle down. Though happy for his brothers, he has no intention of following in their footsteps and life mating to one woman. He is a firm believer in his deceased father’s teachings in this respect. Why limit yourself to one fruit, when there are so many ripe for the picking? Besides, being Var, his sexual appetite is insatiable, particularly since he doesn’t drink Nef, which dampens the Var’s ardors. No one woman would be able to cope with his stamina. Having enjoyed himself with a bevy of female beauties at the Playmate Mansion, he is now to commemorate the memory of a good scientist who was killed while ridding his planet, Qurilixen, of biological warfare. After giving his short, fairly simplistic ‘speech’, he is approached at the loading dock by Jasmine. Absolutely sure she is approaching him in pursuit of carnal pleasures, he is disbelieving when she instead asks for safe passage off the planet in return for a medical booth. Even upon hearing this, he puts his own spin on her request, but regretfully turns her down.

Completely surprised to find she has snuck aboard, he is insanely jealous when first believing she has sought her pleasures with someone else on the craft. This should have been his second sign that what he has been feeling towards her is different to what he has felt towards other women. His first should have been his inability to get her off his mind during the night after refusing her. How will Reid cope with his strange, new growing feelings for Jasmine? Will he want to protect her from all who would harm her – could he do so? Is his life to follow a path he had been determined not to take?

The Rogue Prince is a fabulous story that contains some sensitive and potentially offensive situations, including but not limited to adultery, which actually fit the storyline and added to its appeal. Whilst ordinarily I would stay far away from adultery in a romance, in this story all is not as it seems. Besides which, Jasmine’s finding happiness outside of a violent and abusive relationship is something that I was rooting for. Prince Reid is at first a man who believes his sexual prowess to be so powerful there does not exist a woman who is un-attracted to him and unwilling to fall into his bed. His brothers and sisters-in-law are waiting for him to fall, wanting to see him swallow all the teasing he had plagued them with for life mating.

The road to happiness is not a smooth one. There is danger to Jasmine, misunderstandings and old intentions hampering the way. A number of twists in the plot keep the reader involved, intrigued and wondering as to what is going to happen next. It is brilliant catching up with the previous characters, whom, I was happy to see, everything was going well for.

Jasmine and Reid’s story is less heavy on romance than the previous tales, but no less enjoyable or touching. It makes a great addition to this wonderful series, which I shall surely read again. Most highly recommended, particularly to futuristic romance fans.

Reviewed By Elizabeth
© October 2005

Though I have read the tales of Lords of the Var out of order this has not detracted from my reading pleasure, though I do recommend they be read in order as there is a background storyline running through them. I started with the third in the series The Bound Prince, then moved on to the first The Savage King, and now this, the second, The Playful Prince, after becoming hooked by The Bound Prince. Consequently, I am now avidly reading the rest, including the other two loosely linked series, Dragon Lords and Galaxy Playmates. I believe you, too, will like them so much, you’ll want to get yours hands on any and all related tales!

The Lords of the Var are of a Cat-Shifting race. They and the Draig, who are Dragon Shifters, are enemies of long-standing. The South is ruled by the Var, the North by the Draig. After many years of battles between the two races, they are now attempting to make peace, which has only been possible because the old Var king, Attor, the main instigator, has died, allowing his older son Kirill to ascend to the throne. There is, however, still a threat – to both the Var and the Draig – but from what quarter does this threat come?

Dr Tori Elliott is an extremely well educated scientist, with several doctorate and master degrees to her name. But those qualifications are not the reason why she has received this latest job, a job that was forced on her. Oh no, not a one of her qualifications, or her work experience in the field, landed her in this job instead of her planned, well-deserved vacation. The main reason she was chosen is she is a young, attractive female. Yep, that’s right. She is stuck because she is a woman. The Human Intelligence Agency believe that sending her to Qurilixen, a male dominated planet, may aid their attempts to rid the primitive planet of all biological warfare by gaining the cooperation of the male race. Privately, Tori is outraged at this. Outwardly, she has to put on a facade of willingness. As the mission director puts it, she can either do it and get paid – or do it and not get paid. What a choice! Deciding to stay on the planet to make sure there are no biological warfare weapons left was not something Tori was planning on. Having found something strange about the soil on the planet, however, Tori is eager to investigate, her instincts buzzing that something is not quite right. But what is the importance of her discovery? Is it something that poses a threat to the planet and those who live on it? How will Tori cope with her growing feelings and sexual attraction to the Var Prince Quinn, especially with his being her liaison with the palace?

Prince Quinn is a firm believer in variety being the spice of life. Bedding a variety of women, anyway. His father’s teachings on this matter have always stuck with him; women are like grapes on a vine, each sweeter than the last. Why taste one when you can sample them all? He has no desire to life-mate as his brother has. Quite the opposite. Associating loving one woman with weakness, to say he is keen to avoid life-mating to one woman would be an understatement of great magnitude. His reaction to Tori bewilders him, but he does not recognize the draw between them as that of two halves of a whole being pulled together. As his feelings for her uncontrollably expand and consume him, he is panicked and resistant. But will his heart win out over his fears? What of the threat facing Tori? Will he be able to keep her, and the other scientists as well as his people, unharmed? Will he have to make a choice between the two?

The Playful Prince is a tale about a man who has no idea of the true meaning of love or how to express it, having been brought up by an emotionally detached father, and a woman who grew up in a loving family, taking for granted that everyone is able to express their emotions. This seemingly pair of complete opposites are actually rather perfect for one another, once they get past their preconceived ideas and discover the real people beneath the facades. They will have you rooting for them; a happy ending highly desired, though there are some tense and uncertain moments along the way. As with the others in the series, The Playful Prince has been very well written by Michelle M Pillow, her style, particularly her ‘swear word’, being rather unique. This story occasionally brings a smile of happiness to your face, and sometimes a frown of worry, but you will always be engrossed in the storyline. Ms Pillow is definitely an author to look out for!

Reviewed By Elizabeth
© October 2005

I am reading the tales of Lords of the Var out of order. This is something I try to avoid, but unfortunately could not in this case. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of reading a series in their sequence. The first story I read by Michelle M Pillow was The Bound Prince, which is the third of the Lord of the Var tales and the one that got me hooked. Consequently, I am now avidly reading the rest and am having a ball! Though the sci-fi and futuristic genres are fairly recent discoveries to me, Ms Pillow has ensured that they remain high on my list as exceedingly enjoyable and engrossing. There are two series. The first is Dragon Lords, the romances of the four Draig princes. The second is Lords of the Var, the romances of the five Var princes, one of which is still unpublished. I am going to read every single one; indeed I have enjoyed this and the other one so much, I can't wait.

The Lords of the Var are Cat-Shifters, as are their people, the Var. Long have they been at war with the Draig, who are Dragon-Shifters. The Var rule the South, whilst the Draig rule the North. They have been at war with one another for many years, largely due to King Attor of the Var, a cold man who believes in keeping oneself detached from ones emotions in order to remain and be perceived as strong.

Agent Ulyssa Payne is a member of the Human Intelligence Agency. An orphan, she was drafted into the Agency because she has no ties, family or otherwise. Once an agent, the Agency owns you. You do as you’re told and have little autonomy. Ulyssa doesn’t mind; she has never regretted signing into the Agency. Indeed, the Agency is all she has. Her latest mission is to check up on what the Medical Mafia are doing on the planet of Qurilixen. Though it is known that they deal in biological warfare, nothing has been proven. The mission is almost over before it begins when its leader, Doc Aleksander, is shot dead by his daughter in self-defense. Now all Ulyssa needs to do is wait for a ship to come pick her up. Unfortunately, since the mission was expected to last much longer, the nearest ship is three months away. After Ulyssa uploads her report via her communicator, she is ambushed and kidnapped by King Attor, taken to his harem. A week passes by, and it seems she has been forgotten. Waiting for the opportune moment, she attempts to escape. Running into a very well built chest stops her escape plans in their tracks. It’s been several months since Ulyssa was last intimate with a man, but surely that can’t explain why she is reacting so strongly to this one. Just who is he, anyway? He is not wearing the tunic of the guards. What is to happen between them? Is this man to factor largely into her future?

King Kirill has been on the throne for a week. At the age of ninety-eight, he expected at least another hundred years to go by before having to assume his position as king. With his father’s death in battle, Kirill has to assume his position, uncomfortable as it may be. Though there has been war between the Var and Draig for years, Kirill longs for peace. His problem is that some of the elders, strong supporters of his father, disagree. With their say in the community and their uncertainty over whether he is suitable for the role of king, his reign may be a short though turbulent one. Having been brought up to believe that emotions, in particular emotions in regards to women, make men weak, he is keen to follow in his father’s footsteps in this regard: life-mate to no woman, half-mate to many. When he first meets Ulyssa, his attraction to her is immediate and intense, though the thought that she may be his destiny, the other half of his soul, his Queen, never crosses his mind. As their relationship develops, it turns into more than Kirill ever thought possible and certainly never wanted. Though he tries to keep his distance, in the end he fails. With Ulyssa’s dedication to the Agency, will anything ever come of their relationship? Especially when Kirill refuses to acknowledge his more tender feelings for Ulyssa in public?

The Savage King is a tale about an obdurate man determined to keep his emotions at bay, and a woman who is lonelier than she lets on even to herself, clinging desperately to her duty as an Agent to give her life meaning. The Savage King has been excellently written by an author who has developed her characters to the point that you can envision them in your head. Ulyssa manages to land herself in hot water several times throughout the story, each of which make for a good, solid plot that keep the reader intently engrossed. The sex scenes are detailed, though not explicit or beyond what we can do ourselves, though technically they are of different species. This tale is one that draws out all the emotions, from happiness when things are going right for the characters, to exasperation when they mistake each others actions, to worry when it seems as if they will be unable to work through their differences. I have thoroughly enjoyed this story and cannot wait to read the others in the series. Ms Pillow has most definitely got my vote and a space on my authors-to-look-out-for list.

Reviewed By Elizabeth
© October 2005

I have never read anything from ImaJinn Books, and I hoped to read some speculative fiction. Winged Victory would have been speculative fiction had it not been for the compelling love story.

The Valtarie are becoming a race of males since every Valtarie woman dies soon after childbirth. Dr. Juliana Harris is a human visitor trying to reverse this certain extinction. Despite the strict Law of Conduct governing the presence of females from any planet, she receives permission from the ruler of Valtar, Cyclemintus, to send to nearby Kasara for medical technician Abilene Brown.

On the way to Valtar, the space ship carrying Abbie Harris and two Valtarie males crashes on a frozen level 7 planet. The Law of Conduct is so stringent about male-female contact that males are not even to look directly at females. During the crash, one of the males perishes. The survivor, Traveen, keeps Abbie alive by enfolding her in the warmth of his wings behind a makeshift wind shelter. When a party of Valtarie rescues them, Cyclemintus sentences Traveen to the prison world of Balta to labor in the mines, because he broke the taboo against touching a female. Despite his lust, Traveen did nothing more than protect Abbie. Traveen's father, Cyclemintus, is aware of this; however, the Law of Conduct cannot be relaxed. Only the fact that he is his father's second son spares him from death.

How Abbie rescues Traveen, where they go, how they live, and why they return to Valtar despite the risk of death is one of the most engrossing stories I have read. At times, I wept. I have never done this before.

WINGED VICTORY is a complex story with many, many twists. This is the first book by L. F. Hampton. I can only hope it is the first of many by this gifted author.

Reviewed by Catherine H.
© December 2004

Lord Lachlan de Douglas, a noble warrior lord known for his uncommon gaze, was the first-line heir to a Clan of Ancient Earth. Possessing power and passion, he defended his clan from destruction during an unjust war of masked vengeance.

Kimberley Kinsale, a diplomat's daughter and a stunningly beautiful fighter pilot, was motivated by honesty and integrity. She knew that her commanding officer, Commander Rama, was stark raving mad. Her life, governed by the intrigue and lies of her commanding officer, hung in the balance.

When Kimberly discovered that Commander Rama had captured the first-line heir to Clan Douglas, she was appalled by her commander's actions and, despite herself, intrigued by the powerfully built enemy lord. Her connections to the ship's rebel underground helped her to implement a daring escape, but in the end she was bleeding and left for dead, and Lachlan a mere breath away from death. In the process necessary to save his life, Lachlan's very being was altered, condemning him to a world of private anguish and torment.

Warned of Commander Rama's intentions to utterly destroy clan Douglas, and having found the information that could prove the Clan's innocence bringing peace once more, Lachlan and Kimberly ventured to Jupiter's moon, where a peace summit was being held. Events, including the death of Lachlan's father and Kimberly's alteration through a forbidden technology, tested the strength of their love and what they believed. They had to fight together to save each other. In the end, Kimberly had to trust Lachlan with her life, her heart, and her very soul.

Unbeknownst to them, even as children, Kimberly and Lachlan's futures were destined to intertwine. It was fascinating to watch how they were brought together without this knowledge, and how their love grew despite all the trials they were forced to endure. I thoroughly enjoyed this intriguing story full of twists and turns. I was completely entranced by Lachlan and Kimberly's love for each other, and hope the author considers a sequel, as I would definitely like to continue the adventure with them and their children. DARKSCAPE: THE REBEL LORD is a fulfilling and enjoyable story. It gets a definite thumbs-up from me! I look forward to reading more by this author.

Reviewed by: Cindy Murdoch

© July 2004